The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale by Virginia Kantra wasnโt on my radar, but when I was invited to review it, its synopsis captured my heart. Itโs set in Ireland at Trinity College Dublin, where the main character is pursuing a masterโs degree. Well, my sister earned her masterโs from Trinity and is still living... Continue Reading →
Iโm officially in my paranormal romance era! And my pirates era, too? For months, Iโve been intrigued about Hunt on Dark Waters, the first in Katee Robertโs Crimson Sails series. Equal parts romance and fantasy, itโs set in the magical sea realm of Threshold, connecting many other realms, including one just like our own. It... Continue Reading →
It was only last spring when Katie Shepard released her debut novel, Bear with Me Now. Today, she's back with her second romance, Sweeten the Deal, about a rich but lonely young woman playing "sugar daddy" to a broke artist over ten years her senior. They have a mutually beneficial arrangement: He helps her gain... Continue Reading →
Iโm not alone in saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic novels, and Iโm always happy to see new retellings of it. One that Iโve greatly been looking forward to is The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub. As the title suggests, this novel focuses on the wild,... Continue Reading →
Last year I loved Beth O'Leary's novel, The No-Show. And though I haven't read any of her other books (yet!), I also really enjoyed the mini-series adaptation of her debut, The Flatshare. Now Beth O'Leary is back with a brand new novel, The Wake-Up Call. This enemies-to-lovers romance follows two hotel receptionists trying to return... Continue Reading →
Last year, I loved Natalie Jenner's novel, Bloomsbury Girls. Set in post-war London, it highlighted three women making their own paths while working at a prominent, if fading, book store. My favorite character was Vivien Lowry, a woman with fire, ambition, and hidden melancholy. I'm excited that Vivien is back in the upcoming book, Every... Continue Reading →
Do you have a favorite author, one whom you like to emulate in real life? This is the concept behind What Would Jane Austen Do? by Linda Corbett. It's a charming novel of romance, community, and a bit of family mystery, and Jane Austen's quotes consistently prove helpful no matter how trying the situation. This... Continue Reading →
Last year, I loved Nan Fischer's novel, Some of It Was Real, and I've been eager to read more from her. Luckily, I won't have to wait any longer: Her new novel, The Book of Silver Linings, is out today. The story follows Constance Sparks after she (somewhat reluctantly) agrees to marry her boyfriend. With... Continue Reading →
Any avid reader will agree that much wisdom can be gleaned from the novels we read. Whether it's from morally upright characters or the lessons they learn along the way, there are kernels of truth worth taking to heart. Such is especially true of the great Jane Austen. Her quotesโfrom novels and personal letters alikeโappear... Continue Reading →
One of the books I'm really excited for this summer is I Wish We Weren't Related by Radhika Sanghani. How would you feel if, after 30 years of being told that your father was dead, your mom called to tell you that he's actually been alive all this time, but now he has just died... Continue Reading →
Last year, I loved reading Ramรณn and Julieta, a Romeo and Juliet romance retelling by Alana Quintana Albertson. Her Love and Tacos series continues with Kiss Me, Mi Amor, out today. This one is a romantic take on The Taming of the Shrew. It stars the middle Montez brother, Enrique, and a new character named... Continue Reading →
I adored Libby Hubscher's first two books, Meet Me in Paradise and If You Ask Me. She has a way with writing about difficult, emotional topics and infusing them with love and sweetness. Her newest book is Play for Me, set in a New Hampshire boarding school where a new athletic trainer, Sophie, has to... Continue Reading →
Though I've only read two of Hazel Gaynor's books so far, I loved both and am always looking out for more from her. Today, she releases her latest solo novel, The Last Lifeboat, set in England in 1940. As Germans threaten to invade, a teacher bravely evacuates her children. This novel, inspired by a true... Continue Reading →
Last year, I loved Bridget Morrissey's romance, A Thousand Miles. Now she has another romance out that is high on my to-read list: That Summer Feeling. Newly divorced, Garland Moore accepts some new friends' invitation to stay at their sleepaway camp. While there, she runs into the man that got away... but when she rooms... Continue Reading →
A new book that's sure to get a lot of much-deserved attention this season is The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman. Set in Regency London, it follows adult twin sisters, an unlikely comrade-in-arms, and a mission to not only protect women from abuse, but also prove a wrongfully convicted man's innocence. This... Continue Reading →
Last year, I loved reading Jenn McKinlay's 2020 novel, Paris Is Always a Good Idea. Now she has a brand new book, Summer Reading, and I was thrilled to be included in the book tour for it. With a neurodivergent heroine, a librarian hero, and a focus on family, this is a sweet and inclusive romance.... Continue Reading →
Last year, Claudia Gray began a new Regency mystery series with The Murder of Mr. Wickham. As you may have surmised from that title, the story is inspired by Jane Austen and indeed features characters from all six of her novels. It also introduced several new characters, including our sleuthing protagonists, the respective children the Darcys... Continue Reading →
Last year, I loved Carley Fortune's debut novel, Every Summer After. Now she's back with another atmospheric romance, Meet Me at the Lake. Ten years ago, Fern and Will spent 24 incredible hours together, and they vowed to meet up again at the same place exactly one year later. Only Fern showed up. Now 32,... Continue Reading →
Laura Hankin is an author whose books all appeal to me, and it's about time I actually read one of them! Her latest release is The Daydreams, about the cast a popular teen show from the early 2000s getting a chance at a reunion special. But the four stars of the show are very different... Continue Reading →
Do you enjoy reading historical fiction about real-life people? Do you have an affinity for fashion and cosmetics? If so, you'll definitely want to read Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Reneฬe Rosen. Set in New York City in 1938, it follows Gloria Downing as she tries to disappear and reinvent herself. She meets another young... Continue Reading →
Susan Meissner is an author I've been planning to start reading, and now that she has a new book out, that urge is even stronger. Today, her novel Only the Beautiful hits shelves. It follows two timelines: In 1938, newly orphaned Rosanne moves in with the owners of a California vineyard. When she becomes pregnant,... Continue Reading →
Today, one of my most anticipated books this April comes out: Life and Other Love Songs by Anissa Gray. It follows a Black American family in the wake of a father and husband's disappearance. What happened to him? How will his wife and daughter carry on in the years that follow? Life and Other Love... Continue Reading →
A new book that's on my radar this month is When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder. It follows two siblings, Nan and Heath, who've been abandoned by their father and end up in the streets. Nan is rescued by a kind gentleman and lives in luxury; Heath must fend for himself. Years later, both siblings... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books out this month is Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman. It walks the line of women's fiction and suspense, starting when three best friends enjoy a summer in Greece. But their vacation ended in tragedy, and only two of the girls made it home. Now, ten years after... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 