Instagram Facebook X-twitter Linkedin
Previous
Next

Sign Up

Get the latest ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

All Romance Coverage

Filter by genre
RomanceParanormal Romance

Sparking heat with steampunk

Review by Carrie Sessarego

Bec McMaster’s fifth book in her London Steampunk series, Of Silk and Steam, takes place in an extravagant and violent steampunk version of Victorian London. In this alternate world, the Queen is controlled by the dangerously insane Prince Regent. Under his rule, Blue Bloods (a version of vampires) dominate over a whole slew of humans and supernatural creatures alike.

Lady Aramina, a close friend of the Queen, believes that Leo Barron's father killed her own beloved father, and she's vowed to ruin Leo as revenge. However, Leo, who has always been intrigued by the beautiful Mina, is determined to unravel her many secrets and win her heart. Although Mina and Leo believe that they are on opposite political sides, both are secretly working to overthrow the wretched Prince Regent. In time, their relationship builds from flirtation and intrigue, to fighting side by side in a rebellion against the Prince.

Of Silk and Steam is lushly atmospheric, and the chemistry between the two leads is explosive. The story opens with masked revelers at the Venetian Gardens, and the tone stays opulent throughout. Leo and Mina are complex characters who value each other's resilience, resourcefulness and intelligence. Initially, they are drawn together because of their sexual attraction, but as events unfold, they begin to understand each other's histories and build a real relationship. The actions scenes have a certain "throw it all in" quality that adds a fun element of mayhem and excitement to this steamy steampunk tale.

Although Of Silk and Steam is enjoyable as a standalone, it bears mentioning that this book relies mostly on developments from previous installments and brings a large narrative arc to a spectacular close.

 

Bec McMaster’s fifth book in her London Steampunk series,Of Silk and Steam, takes place in an extravagant and violent steampunk version of Victorian London. In this alternate world, the Queen is controlled by the dangerously insane Prince Regent. Under his rule, Blue Bloods (a version of vampires) dominate over a whole slew of humans and supernatural creatures alike.
RomanceContemporary Romance

Warming up to love

Review by Amy Garvey

“Time is precious. Waste it wisely.” Haddie Montgomery can’t forget those words after her beloved sister dies, but she can’t get far enough past her grief to think about anything more than the next moment. In K. Bromberg’s Slow Burn, burying the pain of loss in a whirl of high spirits, stiff drinks and hot sex is Haddie’s modus operandi—at least at first.   

That’s how Haddie winds up in bed with Beckett Daniels, the gorgeous, laid-back guy she met through her best friend. He’s Country to her City, the kind of well-mannered, boy-next-door type she’s always ignored in favor of the reckless bad boys who inevitably wind up breaking her heart. But one night with Becks, as Haddie calls him, is far from the no-strings fling Haddie was looking for, because afterward, she can’t get him out of her head.

Beckett is no better off, and Bromberg gives a look at the male’s point of view by offering him a few first-person chapters. The technique brings both voices vividly to life and allows the reader to see just how much blonde, bubbly Haddie has affected Becks, who suspects from the start that something serious is lurking under her party-girl facade. 

But what begins as a sexy romp—and continues that way, given the chemistry between Haddie and Becks—develops into something deeper early on. Bromberg isn’t afraid to address the kind of sobering issues that young women face, even if Haddie is. Haddie rarely thinks farther than the quick remedy of sensation—which sex with Becks admirably fulfills—to blot out worry and grief. It’s a time-honored panacea, but one that only works for so long.

Thinking past the present moment will only lead to acknowledging just how much can be lost.

And Becks is what Haddie calls a “forever” kind of guy. The kind who might want more than one steamy night between the sheets and who will expect a little more emotional honesty than “make me feel good.” But Haddie can’t do forever, not when both her mother and sister have been claimed by breast cancer. Thinking past the present moment will only lead to acknowledging just how much can be lost. In Haddie’s mind, “caring leads to devastation.” 

Bromberg gives Haddie’s voice plenty of humor and snark, but the brave face Haddie puts on every day masks real fear. And when Haddie herself is faced with a frightening diagnosis, she’s forced to face her future—and how she wants to spend it.

The romance serves up the physical intimacy between Haddie and Becks with lots of spice, but it never shortchanges the true emotion that underlies their developing relationship. In the end, Slow Burn is a perfect balance of heat and heart, and another fantastic addition to Bromberg’s Driven series.

Amy Garvey is a freelance editor and the author of several romances and two novels for young adults. 

“Time is precious. Waste it wisely.” Haddie Montgomery can’t forget those words after her beloved sister dies, but she can’t get far enough past her grief to think about anything more than the next moment. In K. Bromberg’s Slow Burn, burying the pain of loss in a whirl of high spirits, stiff drinks and hot sex is Haddie’s modus operandi—at least at first.
RomanceHistorical Romance

The doctor or the duke?

Review by Susan Andersen

With Diary of an Accidental Wallflower, New York Times bestseller Jennifer McQuiston begins her new Victorian-era series, The Seduction Diaries, with a bang. I adore discovering new-to-me authors, and oh my, did I hit the mother lode with this one!

Pretty, popular Clare Westmore suspects she’s close to receiving a proposal from the future Duke of Harrington. Between steering him away from her eccentric family, putting copious amounts of effort into bringing the Duke up to snuff and staying vigilant to disguise her improper love of learning, she’s worked devilishly hard for this match. But matters turn topsy-turvy when she injures her ankle and finds herself in a ballroom’s Wallflower section, watching her so-called friend waltz off with her beau. To add insult to injury, she has to contend with Dr. Daniel Merial. Yes, he’s—wildly!—attractive, but he's also a commoner.

Daniel has been feverishly pursuing a way to safely administer an anesthesia to bring to the underserved, poverty-stricken patients surrounding St. Bartholomew’s Teaching Hospital. When he first meets Clare, he thinks she is a typical shallow, self-absorbed member of the ton. Yet, to his dismay, he’s highly aware of her. Only after finding himself appointed her doctor does he begin to discover the real woman behind the facade.

Clare and Daniel struggle to deny their mutual attraction, because it just isn’t proper for a Viscount’s daughter to socialize with a Romany doctor. But again and again, they find themselves gravitating toward each other, and rather than being put off by their radically different positions in the social order, with every encounter they discover more common ground.

McQuiston has penned a novel filled with complex family relationships and allows an engaging, unique peek into London’s ton. She peoples her story with a marvelously likable hero, an inquisitive, open-minded heroine and a host of fully realized supporting characters. This book is fast, fun and contains more twists and turns than the rookeries of St. Giles.

With Diary of an Accidental Wallflower, New York Times bestseller Jennifer McQuiston begins her new Victorian-era series, The Seduction Diaries, with a bang. I adore discovering new-to-me authors, and oh my, did I hit the mother lode with this one!
RomanceRomantic SuspenseContemporary Romance

Dangerous secrets in Montana

Review by Amanda Diehl

In her print debut, Jennifer Ryan introduces the first in her Montana Men series, At Wolf Ranch—a contemporary romantic suspense novel with cowboys, socialites and deadly family secrets.

Ella Wolf and her twin sister, Lela, are heirs to the Wolf Industries fortune upon their 25th birthday. The death of their parents put them in the care of their Uncle Phillip, a man with more than his fair share of skeletons in his closet. But as Lela learns of her uncle’s dark secrets, Phillip winds up with her blood on his hands and is determined to frame Ella for Lela’s death in order to secure the family assets for himself.

Wanted for her sister’s murder, Ella tracks Lela’s final steps to Montana in the hopes of uncovering the truth about Phillip. With justice on her mind and grief in her heart, she teams up with Gabe Bowden—a former rodeo champion who rescued her from certain icy death and was unwittingly swindled by her uncle. 

Protective and nurturing, Gabe has no issue helping Ella, both in caring for her injuries and being supportive of her quest to put her uncle behind bars. Though cautious after being burned by a former fiancée, Gabe is sincere and genuine as he slowly becomes Ella’s confidant and her shoulder to cry on. He quickly learns that she is much more than the gossip magazines let on when it comes to her life back in New York. As the snow piles up in Montana, Ella and Gabe bond over their dedication to family and carefully try to navigate their growing attraction. But with Ella being the prime suspect in her sister’s murder, it’s a race to see if she can find the evidence to put her uncle away before he finds her.

Gabe and Ella’s attraction starts off as a slow burn, simmering and sparking with every interaction, but it soon becomes clear that they perfectly balance each other out. Gabe is warm and gentle, yet he knows what he wants for himself and is dedicated to achieving it. Ella is driven and intuitive, and everything she does is done with love: love for her sister, love for her parents and her growing love for Gabe. However, the pair never loses sight of what’s at stake as they unearth more and more of Phillip’s transgressions.

At Wolf Ranch is ardently beautiful as Ella bravely deals with her grief, taking comfort where Gabe freely offers it. Ryan’s suspenseful twists test the limits of Ella’s trust as Gabe transforms from stranger to lover in such a subtle, carefully crafted way. Sweet, honest and emotional, At Wolf Ranch has officially put Montana on the map.

In her print debut, Jennifer Ryan introduces the first in her Montana Men series, At Wolf Ranch, a contemporary romantic suspense with cowboys, socialites and deadly family secrets.
RomanceContemporary Romance

Skating on thin ice

Review by Lois Dyer

Best-selling author Robyn Carr returns to Thunder Point, Oregon, in her latest novel, One Wish. Beautiful Grace Dillon walked away from stunning success as a champion figure skater to embrace an ordinary life as the owner of a flower shop in quiet Thunder Point. She changes her name, keeps her past a secret and refuses her imperious mother’s demands that she return to the skating world. Grace is happy with her choices and keeps busy with work and friends. However, every once in a while, she wishes she had a guy in her life.

Handsome local high school teacher Troy Headly has come to the conclusion that Grace works far too much. Therefore, he coaxes her into joining him for seaside hikes, impromptu movie nights and chaperoning teenage dances. Before long, their adventures are including kisses and romance. Grace is delighted, thoroughly enjoying everything about their fun, no-commitment relationship. Her training began at age four and continued until her abrupt departure from the skating world at 23, and there had been no time for school dances and boys. Grace is quite happy to revel in the growing connection with Troy.

Both Grace and Troy are falling in love, however, both are wary of confessing their feelings. Troy isn’t certain he wants the changes to his life that loving Grace will inevitably bring, and Grace has secrets she’s kept from Troy—will he be able to deal with her diva mother, celebrity past and all that it entails? As both struggle with accepting and confessing their growing feelings, a shocking letter arrives, forcing Grace’s hand: She must tell Troy who she really is, for danger is stalking her.

One Wish is the seventh novel in Carr’s Thunder Point series, and it doesn’t disappoint. Grace is strong, courageous, independent, sassy and endearing. Her struggle to build her life beyond her mother’s control and the pressure of fans is both admirable and touching, and Troy is the perfect match and counter-balance for Grace. While Grace’s life has been far outside the norm, Troy has a very ordinary, meat-and-potatoes background. Describing his relationship with his family, he says, “I’m crazy about them all the time—we just get on each other’s nerves. We’re typical, I think.” But Troy goes far beyond typical when Grace lands in trouble; Troy steps up and is able to give her exactly the support she needs. Fans of the series will love this latest addition and will be delighted with the glimpses into the lives of characters they’ve met and loved in earlier books.

Lois Dyer writes from Port Orchard, Washington

See more about One Wish in this blog post from Robyn Carr.

Best-selling author Robyn Carr returns to Thunder Point, Oregon in her latest novel, One Wish. Beautiful Grace Dillon walked away from stunning success as a champion ice-skater to embrace an ordinary life as the owner of a flower shop. She changes her name, keeps her past a secret and refuses her imperious mother’s demands that she return to the skating world. Grace is happy with her choices, and keeps busy with work and friends. However, she sometimes wishes she had a guy in her life.
RomanceInspirational Fiction

Faith and danger on the Iditarod

Review by Amy Garvey

Dani Pettrey is back with the fifth heart-pounding installment of her Alaskan Courage series, Sabotaged. Once again, the close-knit McKenna clan joins forces in the face of danger, trusting in God to give them the strength to survive.

Set against the excitement of the Iditarod—the storied long-distance sled dog race run from Anchorage to Nome every year since 1973—Pettrey’s latest novel focuses on blond, brawny Reef McKenna, the black sheep of the family and prim and proper Kirra Jacobs, a veterinarian and the owner of a shelter for rescued sled dogs. As volunteers on the Iditarod search and rescue team, they’ve been paired to watch for mushers who are lagging or in trouble. And Reef, who has witnessed the romantic developments of his siblings, wonders if his family has something to do with team assignments—he and Kirra might be an improbable couple, but the attraction between them sparkles like new-fallen snow.

“Improbable” is an understatement, at least as the story opens. Kirra is an only child whose parents have fled Alaska for warmer climes, leaving Kirra to nurse a deep emotional wound that sets her apart from the easy camaraderie of the McKennas. Reef, on the other hand, is an adrenaline junkie who thrives on thrills, especially when they keep him from looking too hard at the choices he’s made in his life. Complete opposites, their only real connection comes from their love of the Alaskan landscape and the winter sports that keep them outside in the bracing air.

 Faced with a matter of life and death, Kirra and Reef are forced to work together, discarding their old perceptions of each other as they begin to discover the people they truly are. 

But as each of them will learn, God has another plan for them, one that draws them together in ways neither ever could have imagined, forcing them to rely on each other to survive. Just days into the race, Kirra realizes her uncle is hours past the time he should have arrived at the nearest checkpoint, and she sets out to find him. Reef has no intention of letting her go it alone, but when they reach what Kirra knows is one of Uncle Frank’s favorite resting spots, they’re shocked to discover that the situation is more serious than they’d imagined.

Men have kidnapped Frank’s daughter, Meg—Kirra’s cousin—and are holding her hostage until Frank completes a task for them. Desperate to save his child’s life, Frank is willing to do whatever he has to, even if the consequences are dire for the Alaskan wilderness. That leaves Kirra determined to find her cousin before Frank reaches the finish line in Nome and Reef vowing to help her every step of the way.

Packed with scenes featuring the extended McKenna clan, the story rushes on as breathlessly as the race itself, but action and excitement are only part of the plot. Faced with a matter of life and death, Kirra and Reef are forced to work together, discarding their old perceptions of each other as they begin to discover the people they truly are. And both of them rely on their relationship with God to navigate both the storm-swept trail and their own feelings.

As the conclusion to the Alaskan Courage series, Sabotaged is a breathtaking read and a satisfying goodbye to a beloved cast of characters. Readers are sure to be excited for Pettrey’s new series.           

Dani Pettrey is back with the fifth heart-pounding installment of her Alaskan Courage series, Sabotaged. Once again, the close-knit McKenna clan joins forces in the face of danger, trusting in God to give them the strength to survive.
RomanceParanormal Romance

The swift poison of love

Review by Carrie Sessarego

Viper Game, the new paranormal romance from Christine Feehan, is an irresistible page-turner that transports the reader to the Louisiana Bayou. Blending aspects of violence, romance, relationships and family, Feehan has written a wildly entertaining story. Viper Game is the eleventh book in the GhostWalker series, however, it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one.

The GhostWalkers are members of a secret paramilitary group. The government has experimented upon them and given them various kinds of animal DNA in order to boost their abilities. Although violent and ruthless, the Ghostwalkers operate as a fiercely loyal team and have a strong moral code that they are devoted to helping each other adhere to.

Wyatt is a Cajun GhostWalker and surgeon harboring some impressive feline abilities. He takes a few members of his team to the Bayou to meet his beloved grandmother, who has asked him to help identify the culprit in a series of break-ins. Wyatt discovers that the break-ins were conducted by Pepper, an intriguing and desperate woman on the run from the same agency that experimented on Wyatt. Pepper was kidnapped by the agency as a child and now has snake DNA, along with biochemical enhancements that make her irresistibly seductive to men. While imprisoned by her kidnappers, she was tasked with raising three babies who also carry snake DNA. Pepper escaped her captors with one baby, and Pepper, Wyatt and the team are determined to rescue the two left behind.

The story is especially powerful because it effectively deals with both family issues and romantic love.

Despite Pepper’s initial hesitations, neither Wyatt nor Pepper can deny the strong physical and emotional pull they feel toward each other. Their romance works because Wyatt makes it clear that he loves Pepper for herself, not because of her chemical enhancements. Pepper also lives up to her name and is able to stand up for herself when Wyatt becomes domineering. Part of Wyatt's nature is to be the leader and take charge, but Pepper has enough force of character to avoid being a doormat. Wyatt is jealous and possessive, and these traits are presented not as endearing signs of love, but as problems that stem from his own enhancements that he must work on controlling. Pepper is extremely insecure, but Wyatt is insistent that he is committed to their relationship, reassuring her that there is no problem they can't work through together.

The story is especially powerful because it effectively deals with both family issues (both families of birth and families of choice) and romantic love. The relationships between the team members, Pepper, the babies and the grandmother are heartwarming and fascinating. There's plausible character growth and trust-building between all the characters. Viper Game is sexy, exciting and emotionally powerful, but above all, it's fun!

 

Viper Game, the new paranormal romance from Christine Feehan, is an irresistible page-turner that transports the reader to the Louisiana Bayou. Blending aspects of violence, romance, relationships and family, Feehan has written a wildly entertaining story. Viper Game is the eleventh book in the GhostWalker series, however, it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one.
RomanceContemporary Romance

Love for show

Review by Amy Garvey

Tracy Solheim begins her Second Chances series with Back to Before, a multi-layered romance set in the aptly named town of Chances Inlet, North Carolina. A coastal community with charm to spare and the kind of small-town dynamics that mean gossip is a simple fact of life, Chances Inlet is home to the McAllister clan and the historic house that Gavin McAllister is renovating for a reality show.

The house itself is ripe for another shot at a source of happiness. Built in 1820 for an Englishman’s bride who died en route to America, its magnificence has suffered from years of neglect. Its restoration is the center around which all of the characters revolve, in one way or another, and those characters create a richly detailed, intergenerational cast.

First is Gavin, an architect whose dreams of a big-city career in New York have been put on hold while he salvages the family construction business from disaster after his father’s death. Then there’s Ginger Walsh, a dancer whose dreams of a life as a ballerina were derailed by an accident, and whose part in a popular soap opera has townspeople convinced she’s just as conniving and bratty as her soap character. She’s in Chances Inlet strictly to earn some cash as a production assistant on the renovation reality show, and she’s counting down the days till she can leave.

The way Gavin and Ginger fall for each other—and what happens after they do—makes Back to Before as refreshing as the North Carolina surf.

Gavin and Ginger make a truly unlikely couple, but from the day they first meet, the attraction between them sizzles. Gavin’s not looking for love—his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding earlier in the year—and Ginger’s unsure about tangling with the “star” of the show, but as circumstances force them together again and again, the heat crackling between them is hard to deny. But could it be more? Solheim does a great job creating characters with realistic goals as well as obstacles, and Gavin and Ginger’s status as a couple is never a foregone conclusion. 

The same realism gives great texture to the supporting characters. Gavin’s mother, Patricia, is enjoying running an inn, but she feels guilty about her romance with the new sheriff after so many years as her husband’s wife. A born mother, she also takes in “strays” like Cassidy Burroughs, a goth teen from a trailer park with attitude to spare who needs a chance to make friends. Lori Hunt, one of Patricia’s employees at the inn, is clearly hiding from something or someone in her past. Even Diesel Gold, the reality show’s inexperienced producer, is licking his wounds and hoping to finally make his father proud. 

Gavin and Ginger are the funny and flirty focus of the book. The way they fall for each other—and what happens after they do—makes Back to Before as refreshing as the North Carolina surf, and just as rewarding.  

Amy Garvey is a freelance editor and the author of several romances and two novels for young adults. 

Tracy Solheim begins her Second Chances series with Back to Before, a multi-layered romance set in the aptly named town of Chances Inlet, North Carolina. A coastal community with charm to spare and the kind of small-town dynamics that mean gossip is a simple fact of life, Chances Inlet is home to the McAllister clan and the historic house that Gavin McAllister is renovating for a reality show.
RomanceParanormal Romance

Love on the wing (of a dragon)

Review by Lois Dyer

New York Times best-selling author Donna Grant launches the new year in spectacular style with Hot Blooded, the latest entry in her wildly popular Dark Kings series.

When murder eliminates the human guardian of a door between hostile magic realms and Dreagan, the earthly home of the Dragon Kings, his daughter returns to the Scottish Highlands. Twenty years earlier, at the tender age of 8, Iona Campbell was torn from her home and heritage by her narcissistic mother. She endured her mother’s careless parenting and multiple stepfathers until she was old enough to escape. Her love of photography was her solace during her loveless childhood, and she has become a world-renowned photographer.

Laith is a shape-shifter dragon, ancient in human terms, and an integral part of Dreagan. He has watched several of his friends find mates over the last months and he’s very sure bonding with a woman is not in his plans. Fate intervenes when Iona Campbell walks into his bar and he’s shaken to his core. He has no desire to fall in love, but everything about Iona draws him like a magnet. Iona feels the same compulsive attraction to Laith, but her sterile childhood has instilled in her an unshakeable belief that enduring love doesn’t exist. She has never been in a relationship—and she doesn’t want one.

Iona and Laith have little time to adjust to the heat between them, however, for an evil enemy wants revenge against the Dragon Kings, and the enemy’s target is Iona. If Laith and Iona are going to survive the attacks and guard the magical portal, they’re going to have to join forces and deal with the fiery attraction between them. The real question is—even if they make it out alive, will Iona ever be able to commit and bond with Laith?

Grant has a legion of fans who love the Dark Kings series, and this latest novel is a stellar example of just why the books are so popular. With a detailed Scottish setting, a cast of characters that include hot men who shape-shift into powerful dragons and equally strong, beautiful women, as well as an evil villain threatening the destruction of their world, it’s no wonder readers can’t get enough of the Dreagan stories. Fans are sure to welcome the latest novel from Grant with delighted enthusiasm.

Lois Dyer writes from Port Orchard, Washington.

 

New York Times best-selling author Donna Grant launches into the new year in spectacular style with Hot Blooded, the latest entry in her wildly popular Dark Kings series.

RomanceParanormal Romance

Psychic longings

Review by Amanda Diehl

Best-selling author Alexandra Ivy continues The Sentinels series with Blood Assassin, a suspenseful paranormal romance with magic that nearly crackles off the pages. In the second installment, Ivy returns to Valhalla, a safe haven for those gifted with paranormal talents. Fane, a supernatural bodyguard, or Sentinel, is used to denying his desires for the sake of duty, despite the yearning he feels for one particular psychic. Meanwhile, Serra, the object of Fane’s secret hunger, believes that the Sentinel sees her as a comrade and nothing more. However, Serra is used to getting what she wants, and she’s shaken when her affections go unrequited.

Though both Serra and Fane remain outwardly unaffected, the attraction between them threatens to boil over—especially when Serra’s life is put in danger. Serra is in serious trouble when she becomes a bargaining chip for Bas, a man who has no love for the safety of Valhalla and its governing force, the Mave. Bas is the antithesis of the tightly wound Fane. He is brutal and bred for assassination, and he injects Serra with a poison that can course through her blood at his command. But Bas is not without reason for threatening Serra’s life in exchange for the talented psychic’s help. Molly, his innocent daughter born without any special abilities, has been kidnapped, and Bas will do anything to get her back.

With a deadline looming over her head, Serra is tasked with finding Molly, and Fane refuses to let her go alone. If Serra fails, she dies and so does the young girl.

With all the excitement of a scavenger hunt and the anxious tension of a thriller, Blood Assassin follows Serra and Fane as they work together under dire circumstances. It’s almost torturous to watch these two maneuver around each other, with Fane fighting his obligations as a Sentinel and Serra nursing her wounded pride. Fane worries he will lose Serra forever yet hides his fears, while Serra is continually forced into close contact with a man she believes she’ll never have.

Ivy expertly creates physically powerful characters without making them flawless, showing that extreme strength or psychic powers do not make you immune to the pain that sometimes goes hand-in-hand with loving someone. Fane, Serra and the paranormal citizens of Valhalla are fantastical and engaging as they struggle with real, and oftentimes overwhelming, emotions. In an electrifying race against time, Fane and Serra realize that life can be short, even for Sentinels. But as the clock runs down on Molly’s ransom, being honest with their feelings could come too late. Blood Assassin is a rousing, action-packed addition to The Sentinels series.

 

Best-selling author Alexandra Ivy continues The Sentinels series with Blood Assassin, a suspenseful paranormal romance with magic that nearly crackles off the pages. In the second installment, Ivy returns to Valhalla, a safe haven for those gifted with paranormal talents. Fane, a supernatural bodyguard—or Sentinel—is used to denying his desires for the sake of duty, despite the yearning he feels for one particular psychic. Meanwhile, Serra, the object of Fane’s secret hunger, believes that the Sentinel sees her as a comrade and nothing more. However, Serra is used to getting what she wants, and she’s shaken when her affections go unrequited.
RomanceContemporary Romance

A return home to love

Review by Susan Andersen

New York Times best-selling author Kristen Proby returns to the vast, rugged majesty of Montana with her third book in the Love Under the Big Sky series, Falling for Jillian. Jillian Sullivan spent the majority of her adulthood in Los Angeles, but she’s back in Whitetail Mountain, Montana, to rebuild her life and lick a few wounds in the wake of her imploded marriage. She’s there for the comfort she’ll get from her brother and her best friend, Cara, but what she’s not looking forward to is running into Zach King. She shared the hottest one-night-stand of her life with him—and the worst morning after in the history of hookups. She knows too well that Zach will be impossible to avoid, however, since Cara is married to his twin and her own brother is his friend. 

Zach is thrilled that Jillian is back in town. He has long regretted the way he handled the aftermath of his one night with her, and when Cara sends him out on a cold winter’s night to check the wonky furnace in the house Jillian is renting, he grabs the opportunity to reconnect. 

The physical urgency they experienced during their previous encounter is even stronger than before, and they quickly give in to their need for each other. Zach finds himself falling hard and sees no reason to dodge his emotions. Jillian is a tougher sell, yet there’s just something about the way she fits so seamlessly into Zach’s life on his ranch that she can’t ignore. She certainly is unable to deny not only her feelings for Zach, but for his sweet son Seth as well. But Jillian and Zach could stock an airport with their baggage, and she simply cannot visualize how this thing between them could possibly work in the long run. She can’t help but hope, however, that it somehow will. 

Falling for Jillian is a sizzling, contemporary story full of scorching sex, family dynamics and fabulous friends. Although many of the characters’ family lives are less than functional, these friends have built a tight tribe with the people who matter most to them: each other. Hang onto your hats, because it’s a fast ride on the journey to happily ever after.

 

New York Times best-selling author Kristen Proby returns to the vast, rugged majesty of Montana with her third book in the Love Under the Big Sky series, Falling for Jillian. Jillian Sullivan spent the majority of her adulthood in Los Angeles, but she’s back in Whitetail Mountain, Montana, to rebuild her life and lick a few wounds in the wake of her imploded marriage. She’s there for the comfort she’ll get from her brother and her best friend, Cara, but what she’s not looking forward to is running into Zach King. She shared the hottest one-night-stand of her life with him—and the worst morning after in the history of hookups. She knows too well that Zach will be impossible to avoid, however, since Cara is married to his twin and her own brother is his friend. 
RomanceInspirational FictionHistorical Romance

An estate of disorder

Review by Amy Garvey

There is nothing like a Regency romance novel when you are in need of proper manners, steaming cups of tea and English village intrigue. Julie Klassen delivers just that with The Secret of Pembrooke Park, a thought-provoking novel that explores the definition of treasure—in God’s eyes and in man’s. Klassen has combined all kinds of reader-favorite elements in this mystery romance, including a grand estate, inscrutable villagers, a family tragedy and the first sweet buds of a love story.

Abigail Foster is partly to blame for her father’s investment misfortune, but she is determined to salvage something of a normal life for her parents and sister, Louisa, even if it means selling their home and moving elsewhere. A letter about a distant relative’s estate, Pembrooke Park, seems like a godsend, but it comes with several strange stipulations.

Abigail is the older sister, as well as the plain, practical one, and she is willing to face any challenge to keep her family happy. While her mother takes Louisa off to London for her first season, Abigail is left to organize the move to Pembrooke Park, where they must stay for at least a year with an already hired staff. It is an uncommon offer, but Abigail convinces her father to take it—even after learning the house has been left completely untouched for 18 years.

The mystery deepens upon arrival. Rumors of a hidden treasure in the house abound, and Abigail begins to receive strange letters from a woman recounting her own experience at the Park years before. Ominous noises, secretive staff and fleeting, hooded figures all add to the mystery and keep Abigail on her toes as she tries to uncover the truth behind her new home.

Complicating matters further is the presence of Will Chapman, the local curate and the son of a man who worked faithfully for Robert Pembrooke. Will is friendly and helpful, and he is just as interested in Abigail as she is in him. In the first weeks of the Fosters’ residence at Pembrooke Park, Abigail is drawn to the intriguing young man time and again. Yet Abigail remains focused on not only solving the mystery surrounding the house and its former residents, but also proving her worth to her family by finding the hidden treasure.

The result is a satisfying story that unfolds at a mild pace, giving Abigail plenty of time to reflect on the Bible lessons that Will imparts each week. Klassen’s message of the meaning of treasure is both sweet and valuable, especially for modern readers, and romance abounds among the many characters. The Secret of Pembrooke Park is a gem for Regency and inspirational readers alike.            

 

Amy Garvey is a freelance editor and the author of several romances and two novels for young adults. 

There’s nothing like a Regency romance novel when you’re in need of proper manners, steaming cups of tea and English village intrigue. Julie Klassen delivers just that with The Secret of Pembrooke Park, a thought-provoking novel that explores the definition of treasure—in God’s eyes and in man’s.
RomanceHistorical Romance

Scandals and secrets revealed

Review by Lois Dyer

Best-selling author Sarah MacLean concludes her Rules of Scoundrels series with Never Judge A Lady by Her Cover. The long-awaited final book stars Lady Georgiana Pearson, the daughter of a Duke. Ruined at the tender age of 16, Georgiana turned her back on society and created her own world when she became part owner of “London’s most scandalous and most popular gaming hell,” The Fallen Angel. Only her three partners in the club know that Georgiana is also the most feared person in Britain. Disguised as Chase, the mysterious gentleman privy to nobility’s most hidden and disgraceful secrets, Georgiana holds the power to destroy many privileged families.

But now Georgiana’s daughter is old enough to be hurt by the cruel comments of other young girls, and Georgiana decides to marry in order to add a layer of protection around her sweet, intelligent child. She boldly re-enters the society that scorned her, determined to marry a nobleman who can add his name and influence to shield her daughter.

Georgiana has made a list of titled potential husbands, but the man who effortlessly intrigues her is not an aristocrat. Duncan West is “brilliant, powerful, handsome as sin” and the owner of five of London’s most-read publications. He has received plenty of secrets from Georgiana at The Fallen Angel. But there, she is disguised as Chase or cloaked in the persona of Anna, the queen of London’s light-skirts. Duncan doesn’t recognize her clad in the beautiful gowns and jewels of Lady Georgiana, but that will soon change.

How can they possibly reach their goals without losing the overwhelming, unexpected love that binds them?

While the two are powerfully drawn to each other, Duncan doesn’t have the aristocratic family title that Georgiana believes she needs to protect her daughter. However, she does need the influence of Duncan’s newspapers in order to sway public opinion and convince society to accept her. Duncan, on the other hand, wants information from Chase that is vital to breaking the hold a blackmailer has on his family.

They need each other for reasons beyond the physical. What neither could have foreseen is how much they want each other, passionately and beyond reason. But their mutual desire has the power and potential to destroy everything they’ve each plotted and schemed to achieve. How can they possibly reach their goals without losing the overwhelming, unexpected love that binds them?

MacLean’s written a well-executed novel, grounded solidly in the historical details of 1823 England. Never were a hero and heroine so evenly matched, both in bed and out. In Duncan, Georgiana has, at last, found a man who can go toe-to-toe with her formidable personality. In Georgiana, Duncan has found a woman he can trust with his deepest, darkest secrets. Readers won’t be disappointed by this rousing end to an intriguing series.  

Lois Dyer writes from her home in Washington

Best-selling author Sarah MacLean concludes her Rules of Scoundrels series with Never Judge A Lady by Her Cover. The long-awaited final book stars Lady Georgiana Pearson, the daughter of a Duke. Ruined at the tender age of sixteen, Georgiana turned her back on society and created her own world when she became part owner of “London’s most scandalous and most popular gaming hell,” The Fallen Angel.

Want more BookPage?

Stay on top of new releases: Sign up for our newsletter to receive reading recommendations in your favorite genres.

Sign up now

Trending Romance

All Romance

Author Interviews

More Interviews

Recent Features

All Features