My introduction to Suzanne Allain’s work was with her novel, Mr. Malcolm’s List. I read the book in 2022 and watched the movie adaptation immediately after—I thoroughly enjoyed both! Today she is back with her latest historical romance, The Ladies Rewrite the Rules. When a young widow finds out about an offensive directory meant to... Continue Reading →
Mimi Matthews is quickly becoming a favorite author, and as the holidays rapidly approach, I wanted to read her Christmas novella, A Holiday by Gaslight. Like her other historical romances, this is set in the 1860s. Sophie Appersett's family is running out of money, so she's been engaged to a London merchant, Edward Sharpe, for... Continue Reading →
Since first reading Bringing Down the Duke in late 2019, Evie Dunmore has been one of my favorite authors. I've been loving her League of Extraordinary Women series, and now the fourth and final book has arrived: The Gentleman's Gambit, starring Catriona Campbell and a new character, Elias Khoury. I got my copy from Book... Continue Reading →
In the past couple of years, I've been loving getting into Mimi Matthews's books. While she normally writes historical romances, her one work of Gothic fiction also appealed to me: John Eyre, a gender-flipped retelling of Jane Eyre and another creepy classic. Summary In 1843, schoolmaster John Eyre is hired to tutor two strange boys... Continue Reading →
Although I had November reading plans lined up, all that got derailed when I saw this month's Amazon First Reads selections. Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher was compared to one of my favorite novels, Jane Eyre, and I was helpless to resist. And after having some health issues lately, I was in need... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I absolutely loved Constance Sayers’s debut novel, A Witch in Time. Now she’s back with her third release, The Star and the Strange Moon. Like her previous work, this one combines fantasy and horror seamlessly. It’s about a 1960s actress who goes missing, the cult horror film left behind and the... Continue Reading →
Early this summer, I enjoyed reading Amalie Howard’s Always Be My Duchess, the first in her Taming of the Dukes series. Now the series continues with Never Met a Duke Like You. It stars returning character Lady Vesper Lyndhurst and a newcomer, Aspen Drake, Duke of Greydon. It’s a childhood friends to enemies to lovers... Continue Reading →
These last couple of years, I've been loving Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters series. Following Never Fall for Your Fiancée and Never Rescue a Rogue, the trilogy now ends with the youngest sister in Never Wager with a Wallflower. With just as much wit and heart as the first two, this final installment is equally fun and... Continue Reading →
One of the books I was most excited for this year is Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman. It's the first in her Scarlet Revolution trilogy, a retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. This novel has 1790s France (vive la révolution!), secret missions, vampires, and adventure—perfect if you want a fast-paced historical fantasy to sink... Continue Reading →
Since discovering a love of historical romance four years ago, I’ve dived deep into this delightful genre. However, I’m reaching the point where I now veer towards stories with something a little different to offer, whether it’s diversity in characters or a less conventional plot. This is what drew me to Jane Dunn’s recent novel,... Continue Reading →
I’m not alone in saying that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic novels, and I’m always happy to see new retellings of it. One that I’ve 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 →
Several years ago, I absolutely loved The Time in Between by Spanish author María Dueñas. Her debut novel, it was engrossing and exciting, about a naive young woman, Sira Quiroga, becoming an undercover spy for the English during World War II. So I was excited to learn that, at long last, this stellar novel would... Continue Reading →
If you’re looking for a new historical romance series to dive into, look no further than The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy. The first in her Sirens in Silk series, it’s about an Arab American woman who unexpectedly inherits a castle in Yorkshire… much to the chagrin of the duke who was supposed to... Continue Reading →
Today marks the release of Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch. This is my first time reading this author, and it was a thoroughly pleasant experience! This historical romance almost reads like a cozy mystery when a duke and a viscount’s daughter both end up victims of a dognapper. Their black poodles, nearly... Continue Reading →
Lately, I’ve been wanting to read more classics. Despite having a bachelor’s degree in English, there are still so many well-known novels that I haven’t read (and so many I’d like to reread)! I decided to get a head start on Spooky SeasonTM by diving into one of the horror classics, Dracula by Bram Stoker.... Continue Reading →
After reading two excellent books by Emma Donoghue, I was excited to get into her newest novel, Learned by Heart. Set in the early 1800s, it shines a light on a small York boarding school for girls and the relationship that develops between two students over the course of one school year. Can this romance between... 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 →
Have you ever wanted to read a gender-flipped, Jewish retelling of Cinderella? Now is your chance. Felicia Grossman has just released her new historical romance, Marry Me by Midnight, the first in her Once Upon the East End series. Set in London in 1832, it spotlights a Jewish heiress, an overlooked custodian, and their path... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I was thrilled when an author I like invited me to read her new historical romance, written under the pen name of Delphine Ross. Ironically, The Poetics of Passion, the first in her Muses of Scandal series, is about a woman in 1870s England who secretly publishes love poetry under a... Continue Reading →
A debut romance I could hardly wait for this year was Wanderlust by Elle Everhart. When two virtual strangers win a trip around the world, they're stuck in close quarters and butt heads a lot... before slowly developing deeper feelings. But one of them is keeping secrets that could prevent a romance from fully blooming... Continue Reading →
By now I have several books by Amalie Howard on my TBR, but this summer I decided to start with Always Be My Duchess, the first in her Taming of the Dukes series. Set in 1865, it features a feisty, out-of-work ballet dancer, a neurodiverse duke, and a fake fiancée scheme that both can benefit... Continue Reading →
Today, one of my favorite recent reads hits shelves: The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue. Set in Cork, Ireland between 2009 and 2010, it follows a young woman named Rachel as she finishes college, moves out for the first time, and finds herself in the middle of a messy romantic entanglement. It is a quick... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated debut novels this year has been Where Ivy Dares to Grow by Marielle Thompson. With comparisons to Mexican Gothic and Outlander, it follows a woman struggling with her mental health and her cruel soon-to-be in-laws, the eerie presence she feels in their mansion, and an unexpected timeslip to the past.... Continue Reading →
Ruth Ware is my favorite thriller author, and I've read every novel she's published so far. She's the kind of author where I'll finish her latest book, feel elated by the whole reading journey it took me on, and then immediately feel sad that I now have to wait another year for her next novel.... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 