The Bright Spot A Novel by Jill Shalvis

Luna's been working on a ranch that barely scrapes by but she has gotten to work for an owner who, though incredibly cranky, has usually treated her well. Well, he did until last week when he died. So, now Luna's trying not to panic while she waits to find out what's going to happen next. She is shocked to find out that she will be the half owner, along with someone from out of town. 

Jameson Hayes is used to coming in and dismantling companies. He knows the farm has been failing and he's not impressed with what he's heard about the manager. He's only planning on being in the town for a short time but is intrigued by a lady he meets at the bar. In true romance novel fashion, the night doesn't end how he would have hoped and it's even worse when he realizes who he was chatting up.

The two will have to work past preconceived notions in order to find out what they want in the end. Neither really has a biological family and they're trying to figure it out along the way.

We get a LOT of background on Luna and her found family but we don't get to see much from Jameson. We especially get to know Luna's best friend Willow and the husband who she just can't get separated from. 

If you are looking for building friendships and in-depth characters, Shalvis is amazing. The romance is a little less well-developed but I don't think regular Shalvis readers will mind. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 16, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Christmas to Remember by Beverly Jenkins

We're getting a new character in Henry Adams, Kansas. Chef Thornton Webb is moving out of San Francisco to launch the Three Sister restaurant. We also get updates from our favorite characters. Gary Clark and Eleanor "Nori" Price are celebrating their marriage and Mal and Bernadine are the next ones up. Mal's friends aren't convinced this is the right move for him but he is.

This is a nice little book that moves the stories of many of our favorite characters along just a little bit. If you have been reading the series, you will enjoy it. If you haven't been reading the series, I recommend you start from the beginning. 

Four stars

This book comes out October 24, 2023

Follows On the Corner of Hope and Main

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy; Sierra Simone

I did not read the first book in this series and didn't feel like I had missed much except how steamy this book was going to be. I go back and forth between enjoying so much sex on the page and this was a little bit more than I could enjoy at this point in my life but this was still a really interesting story. 

Winnie Baker was a shining star of the Hope Channel. She married young, kept Hollywood thin, was a beloved TV character but her marriage still failed. Her husband has convince her that it was all her fault (of course.) Now, having gained a little wait and a very little courage, Winnie is ready to star in a slightly naughty movie for the Hope Channel's steamier side.

Kallum Lieberman was part of a boy band growing up. He was the only one who didn't get a solo deal with the group split up and has settled into a life running a number of pizza parlors and having sex with any number of bridesmaids. He is all in on starring in this movie. Too bad Winnie seems so hesitant. When she asks for help with some homework so that she can convincingly have an orgasm on screen, Kallum is all in. 

Four stars

This book comes out October 10, 2023

Follows A Merry Little Meet Cute

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

Can one moment change your life? Melody and Beat are struggling with that question. They met, briefly, when they were teenagers. Each the child of a famous duo that broke up just before they were born. It was at that moment that a spark was formed but neither ever followed up on it. Now, there is a producer hounding them to star in a reality show, one that will bring their mothers back together. 

I guess I didn't quite realize from the description that the two of them would be in a reality competition. Public-facing romances are not my favorite so I had a little bit of difficulty connecting to this book. Even if I didn't quite connect with the premise, I still enjoyed the writing. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out October 3, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot

Does anyone really want to be the Chosen One? Jessica Gold is sure shocked to find out that she might be. Especially because of the... incident... when she was a fledgling witch. But when handsome Derrick Winters shows up and says she's going to help save her town from the demons that come out every 90 years, Jessica isn't so sure but all of the evidence does seem to be pointing to the fact that he may be telling the truth. Along with the Bringer of Light, Jessica will help to save the world (or at least their corner of it.)
This was an okay start to a new series. A lot of world building meant that we missed out on the romance and that the characters weren't as well fleshed-out but it was a cute story and an okay start to a series. 

Three stars

This book comes out September 5

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager

Opinions are my own

Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik

We met both Lexie Bowen and Nilo Shoren in previous books in this series. And I do believe it would help to have read the other two books. I know I've read at least one of the two and still felt like I was missing some information. Besides, Mihalik is a fun writer and you might as well enjoy them all.

So, Nilo took a job from Lexie (and that is, frustratingly, never really talked about to clear up exactly why but maybe it was in the book I haven't read) and she's concerned he's about to do it again. Instead, he is on Valovia to save her from a trap. And they go from one adventure to the next. There is not a lot of relationship building in this story but it is still a fun read and I feel like there might be more coming in this series. 

Four stars

This book comes out June 20, 2023

Follows Eclipse the Moon

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyage and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Reluctant Countess by Eloisa James

There is a surprising amount of this book that is dedicated to the "villain" of the piece rather than Yasmin and Giles. There is so much that it leaves a little less room for our h/h and for their eventual reconciliation after the Big Misunderstanding. 

Yasmin's family is already notorious with her mother being Napoleon's mistress. Then, she runs away with a gentleman who claims they were married but he actually tricked her in order to get money from her father in order to hush it up. Now, in England and living with her grandfather, she spends her day attending society parties and trying to avoid her attraction to Lord Giles Lilford. 

Giles is also trying to avoid Yasmin as she is loud, brash, and full of fun while he tends to be a little more straitlaced. Even when he starts to realize the inevitability of their attraction he's always trying to rein her in. And it leaves me not liking him when his stodginess keeps him from being run over by his sister. 

Three stars

Follows How to be a Wallflower

Followed by Not That Duke

This book comes out November 29, 2022

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai

This book is a lot of wacky and requires a LOT of suspended disbelief but, if you can buckle up for the ride, it's awfully fun. 

Amira Patel (actually, Mira) ran away from most of her family, changed her name, and became an upstanding citizen. Of course, not having a "good family" is hindering her matchmaking prospects. In the past two years, she's been out with thirteen men, all introduced to her by Hema Auntie, one of Los Angeles's premier Indian matchmakers. She was accepted because her good friend's mother is a former client of Hema's and vouched for her. She dumped all of the first twelve but now the thirteenth has dumped her. She knows she's not getting any more matches. Not from this matchmaker. Which stinks even worse because the one family member, her aunt, that she was in touch with has just died leaving her alone in the world. Mira is shocked to hear her aunt left a will and even more shocked when the attorney ends up being her first match. The one she dated for six months and then basically ghosted after a short text.

Naveen Desai is shocked to see Mira in his office. He thought they were done for good. He's even more shocked when she is attacked in the parking garage and the attackers take him as well. 

This starts Mira and Naveen off on an adventure that will have them running all over Las Vegas, dodging shady FBI agents, and uncovering Mira's past. There is a lot going on in the book and, if I think about it too closely, there are a lot of thing that were left dangling but I really enjoyed the read. 

Updated to add that the audiobook is absolutely amazing. The narrators are just... perfect. 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out October 18, 2022

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook January 2023

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

Vivi's cousin Gwyn meets her match in this book and it's Rhys's brother Lwellyn, better known as Wells. He is the oldest brother, the Golden Child of their father's eye. But being the Golden Child is wearing on him and he is ready to escape. Why not to Graves Glen? It's a place he can convince his father that it would be good to have a Penhallow (obviously Rhys doesn't count since he married a Jones woman) and it's not like the pub in Scotland is even getting any customers.

In Graves Glen, Wells first finds a bachelorette party in his family home (invited there by his brother.) Then he engages in a not-so-friendly rivalry with Gwyn when he sets up a true witch shop (as opposed to her... plastic pumpkins) right across the street, and he also encounters a face from the past who may or not be evil.

This was, overall, an enjoyable story though it meandered and crossed over itself without seeming rhyme or reason. I never really did understand why Gwyn and Rhys would be drawn to each other but, for folks looking to get into the Halloween season, this is a great read.

Three and a half stars

This book comes out September 20, 2022

Follows The Ex Hex

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyage and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews

This is basically a non-stop action book from the first page to the end though it does mellow out a bit in the Epilogue. A lot of loose threads are wrapped up in this book which was nice especially as Andrews have said on their blog that they are not sure whether there will be more books in this series. I'm not sure I loved all of the threads but it was mainly a grand trip. Definitely need to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one fully; lots of history and a whole lot of people. 

It's time for a final confrontation with Arkan and Catalina is not ready... but it needs to be done. And an illusion mage named Konstantin (who is both related to Alessandro and part of the Russian Imperium) brings everything to a head but Catalina is also dealing with a lost spider that is worth a quarter million dollars, the loss of her mentor Linus (he's not dead but someone sure tried to make him that way), becoming the Acting Warden of Texas, buying new property, her fiance's family coming to visit, and just trying to stay alive as an early-twenties head of her House. 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out August 23, 2022

Follows Emerald Blaze

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Reread as Libby Audiobook September 2023

How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James

Cleopatra Lewis might be the granddaughter of a viscount but she had a very unusual upbringing. She's also been lucky enough to have inherited a fortune, one that she is using to help others in need (while also growing it larger). The book opens with Cleo buying a costume company out from underneath the nose of Jacob Astor Addison, an American. He wants to move the company to America and the current owner, Martha, really prefers that not to happen. 
Jake is fairly incensed that the company was stolen out from under him so he devises a plan to put it out of business. He denies an interest in Cleo; he wants a restful wife. Someone like practically-his-fiancee Frederica. So what if she seems overly interested in cows? 

Cleo isn't interested in being presented but her grandfather would like to acknowledge her. She does have fun with Lady Yasmin, another woman on the fringes of society but that doesn't mean that she wants to be a success. She strikes a bargain with Jake that they will order each other's wardrobes. She will get half-mourning and he will get outlandish colors. It's too bad that they are so attracted to each other otherwise this might be a great friendship.

This was an okay story but didn't feel like it had the depth that a James story usually has.

Three stars

This book comes out March 29, 2022

Followed by The Reluctant Countess

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Bombshell by Sarah MacLean

Lady Sesily Talbot is well-known in the ton. She cut a swath with her four sisters as the daughters of a coal merchant. Now, her sisters are all married off while Sesily uses her time working with a group of women to take down unscrupulous men. Is it dangerous? Yes. But she feels strong that it is the right thing to do. Would she love to get married? Maybe. But there is only one man who holds her interest. 

Caleb Calhoun is an American in business with Sesily's sister Sera. He has just returned to England after two years away. He was most definitely avoiding Sesily. But now he's back to help Sera and their business partner Fetu while she gives birth. He knows that his past will cause a problem but he just can't stay away from Sesily. And when his past crosses with her present, it may mean that he will never see her again.

MacLean has written another amazing novel. I thought that the wrap up was a little too swift but the book was otherwise enjoyable. Sesily was capable and Caleb recognized that. I am very hopeful that Lady Imogen, resident chemist, will get a story with Bow Street Runner Thomas Peck. 

Four stars

This book comes out August 24th, 2021

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

This was a fast and furious romance. "No sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved..." and all that rot. I didn't like that aspect of it and the end wrapped up with rather a whimper but the more I thought about that, the more I appreciated the twist from what romance readers might normally expect. 

Lady Merritt Sterling is the daughter of Lillian and Marcus of the Wallflower series. If you haven't read other books in this series, I suspect there may be a rather lot of names in this book. I've read all of the Wallflower books and all of the Ravenels (I've even reread the latter series recently) and I had trouble keeping up. But most of the romance occurs between Merritt and Keir McRae, a whiskey distributor. The book opens with the two meeting after McRae's shipment through her company is sent to the wrong port, potentially subject to extra taxes if it's not where it's supposed to be in the next day, and some of the men that she's hired to offload said shipment spilled a cask on McRae himself.

Now, Merritt has flaunted tradition by running a shipping company so she's already on shaky ice by society's standards. Now, she's thinking of taking up with a man with no history (he's literally an orphan with no hint of his past except a golden key) because he's hot. With icy blue eyes. And she wants to go to bed with him. And apparently the night is transcendent because not even being stabbed nor social conventions can make McRae stay away. But being stabbed isn't the only way someone tries to kill him and it may take a lot of cunning and some inventive stories to keep McRae alive and for the two to find their HEA.

Three and a half stars

This book comes out July 27th, 2021

Follows Chasing Cassandra

Followed by Devil in Spring

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase

Outspoken Cassandra Pomfret has just arrived back in London and she's already gotten her father's back up. In fact, her latest stunt means that her sister Hyacinth, who absolutely loves the social whirl, can't go out until Cassandra is married. And that is completely antithetical to anything that Cassandra wants. So she runs away. Or tries to. But she's throw off track (and off her carriage) when the Duke of Ashmont discharges a gun as she is riding by.

Lucius (more often called Ashmont) is disgustingly drunk. He almost killed his best friend over pride. And frustration. Because Ashmont went to all the trouble of finding a woman, courting her for weeks, and then Ripley stole her. On their wedding day. I can see how that might be frustrating. But now there's this redhead and she's traveling with the famous Tom O'Keeffe. The same O'Keeffe who was almost trampled to death on the racetrack who is now struggling to breathe because Ashmont wasn't sober. Luckily, Ashmont and his two friends often raise hell in the town and they have a doctor more or less on retainer (in fact, the whole town tends to forgive them because they overpay for any mischief that they cause.) And that means that Ashmont has more time with Cassandra. But that doesn't mean that Cassandra wants more time with him.

I loved that Chase circumvented the obvious route of Cassandra being ruined by Ashmont. At least the first time. I didn't love Ashmont. I think it was true to character for him to be a little slow on the uptake (he had never really had to work for anything before) but he was a little annoying throughout most of the book. A nice addition to the series... now hopefully we'll finally figure out what's going on with Alice.

Three stars
Follows A Duke in Shining Armour
This book comes out December 1st

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley

Opinions are my own