As soon as I heard about Duchess Material by Emily Sullivan, I was intrigued. A historical romance with a healthy dose of mystery? Love it! And that it takes place in the 1890s is also appealing, partly because I've read so few books set in this decade. I loved seeing how different things were, especially... Continue Reading →
I've adored the Belles of London series from Mimi Matthews, so it's bittersweet to have read the fourth and final book. In The Muse of Maiden Lane, Stella Hobhouse gets her happily ever after with Teddy Hayes, a character who previously appeared in the Parish Orphans of Devon series. Stella Hobhouse has completed two seasons... Continue Reading →
I loved One Night in Hartswood, the first in Emma Denny's Barden Series, and was excited to read its sequel, All the Painted Stars. This time, the sisters get a chance at love. Jo de Foucart is due to marry, and a tournament to celebrate her young brother's rise to earldom is also a chance... Continue Reading →
For the past two years I've been excited to read One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny. Though it came out in the US a full year ago, now that its sequel is out, I figured it was time to finally dive in. Set in 1360, it follows Penn (William) de Foucart and his impending... Continue Reading →
Jane Eyre but with more spice and more dark magic? Yes please! That’s what the marketing copy for Erin Elle's The Baron’s Demons promised, and that’s what instantly had me sold. Julia Woodrow is desperate to escape her abusive father's home, but has little opportunity to do so. She's lucky when a stranger, Gabriel, Baron... Continue Reading →
Fans of Jane Austen and historical mysteries won’t want to miss Murder in Highbury, the first in Vanessa Kelly's new Emma Knightley Mystery series. Now married to George Knightley, Emma is off of matchmaking and on to... solving crimes! When she and Harriet Martin stumble across the body of Mrs. Elton, it's immediately clear to Emma... Continue Reading →
Last winter, I enjoyed reading The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke, so I was excited to read more from her. This week she released her newest novel, The Book of Witching. Divided between two timelines, it deals with a mysterious group known as the Triskele on the Orkney Islands of Scotland. In 1594, Alison... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this fall was The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley. Set in the Seattle grunge scenes of the 1990s, this dual-timeline novel is about star-crossed lovers—Elijah Hart and Jane Pyre—torn apart by fame and addiction. But when Elijah goes missing in Iceland in late 1994, Jane is forced to carry... Continue Reading →
I've been enjoying Amalie Howard's Taming of the Dukes series and was excited for Effie's love story in the third installment, The Worst Duke in London. More concerned with her animal shelter than with finding a husband (especially after becoming an outcast during her first season), Lady Evangeline Raine has sworn off the whole marriage... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated novels this summer was The Naturalist's Daughter by Tea Cooper. Though it was first published in Australia in 2017, this is its first release in the United States. What initially drew me to this book is its focus on the platypus. In New South Wales, Australia in the early 1800s,... Continue Reading →
I'm a big romance reader, but I'm also a fan of horror, mysteries, curses, and the like. So when I learned about Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan, I knew I had to read it. An enemies-to-lovers paranormal-ish romance set in a Scottish castle, it follows an American curse breaker and an English archeologist. Both... Continue Reading →
Prior to their newest release, I had read two of Casey McQuiston's books and loved both. I was excited to read their third adult novel, The Pairing, out this week. This one is a second chance romance between two childhood best friends, Kit and Theo, who had dated before a bad breakup four years ago.... Continue Reading →
Several months ago, when Alexandra Vasti announced her debut novel, I was so excited to read it. Ne'er Duke Well is out now, and it is a delight. It has matchmaking, a marriage of convenience, a secret (scandalous) library, and two kids in need of a home. This is the first in the Belvoir's Library... Continue Reading →
In the past couple of years, I've been loving the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series by Claudia Gray. The third installment, The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, just came out, and it is as engrossing as the first two. This time, instead of solving a murder, Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are... Continue Reading →
In the past few years, I've been a big fan of Lucy Foley's thrillers. Her latest is The Midnight Feast, set at the opening of a luxury resort in Dorset, a southwestern county of England. With a dual timeline between 2009 and now, a clash between classes, and four characters with their own secrets and... Continue Reading →
A new romance I've been excited for this week is The Irish Goodbye by Amy Ewing. Set in Ireland and highlighting two characters who have gone through some difficult times lately, this is a heartfelt romance with wonderful side characters. The author has previously published YA novels; this is her first foray into adult romance.... Continue Reading →
Last year, I adored Liana De La Rosa's historical romance, Ana María and The Fox, the first in her Luna Sisters trilogy. Today, the series continues with the shy middle sister in Isabel and The Rogue. Combining Mexican culture, international politics, and a steamy romance between two spies, this novel is just as stunning as... Continue Reading →
In the past few years, I've been enjoying reading Virginia Heath's historical romances. I finished her Merriwell Sisters trilogy last fall, and so was excited to dive into her new Miss Prentice's Protégées series with its first installment, All's Fair in Love and War. It's off to a fun start, and I already look forward... Continue Reading →
For many months, I've been looking forward to When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips. Her debut novel, it's set at a private school in Dublin between the late 1980s and today. As a student, Lou became caught up in a scandal known as the "Highfield Affair," and now, 30 years later, that past trauma... Continue Reading →
The last couple of years I've been enjoying Jenn McKinlay's contemporary romances. This week, she released her latest: Love at First Book. It's set in the same world as Summer Reading, and even subtly ties in with Paris Is Always a Good Idea. Here, former librarian Emily Allen decides to leave her home in Massachusetts... Continue Reading →
Two years ago, I greatly enjoyed Natalie Jenner's novel, Bloomsbury Girls. My favorite character was Vivien Lowry, so I was excited that she would be the star of the newest book in the series, Every Time We Say Goodbye. Leaving behind London for a job in Rome, Vivien is hoping to move forward with her... Continue Reading →
Last year, I enjoyed V. Castro's novel The Haunting of Alejandra, partially inspired by La Llorona. When I saw that she had a new novel coming out, I was intrigued. Immortal Pleasures offers a new side to the story of the woman known as La Malinche, who interpreted for conquistador Hernán Cortés and has a... Continue Reading →
Since reading her Gilded Age Heiresses series, Harper St. George has officially become an auto-buy author for me. I was so excited to learn that she's launching a new series, The Doves of New York, existing in the same world as the Crenshaws and their families. The first book is The Stranger I Wed, introducing... Continue Reading →
I've been a big fan of mysteries and thrillers since I was young, though I haven't read nearly as many in the last few years. Thrillers still catch my eye, especially when they weave in some supernatural or horror elements, and this is what drew me to The Hungry Dark by Jen Williams. Combining a... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 