No One but You by Brenda Novak

Novak continues the trend of taking some truly difficult characters, in this case a former prisoner (accused of a double murder) and an abused woman, and having them find themselves and each other.
Dawson Reed just wants to fix up his adoptive parents (the double murder) farm and live his life so that he can win custody of his sister.
Sadie Harris just wants to make enough money to feed and house herself and her son so that she can win custody from her sadistic husband. The husband who seems like a nice guy to everyone else. The guy who is a cop... Oh.
This poor book suffered in  part because I read the beginning of Until you Loved Me at the end of this story, realized I had the ARC and read it right after this. It is such an awesome story with characters I connected with so much more easily than these two. I also got a little overwhelmed with everything that was happening. I don't think that regular Novak readers will be disappointed, I just don't think you should read these two in quick succession.

Three Stars
This book comes out May 30
Follows Finding Our Forever
Followed by Until You Loved Me

The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen by Hope Nicholson

I was surprised but grateful to get an ARC of this book after it was already on the shelves. Especially when I saw it was advertised in O magazine. And for a good reason. This book is very well-explored but with short engaging sections that start with a brief description of the comic, a lovely quote, and then information about the creators and when the book first appeared. Not just the popular comics, this book touches on some that only ran for a few issues, ones that are... not quite ready for prime time, and some comics that are just plain weird. I was intrigued by a few of the books based on Nicholson's descriptions and added to my TBR.
As easy and fun a nonfiction book as you'll ever find.


Four and a half stars
This book came out May 2

The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander, Victoria Alexander

I was quite excited about this book and maybe set my expectations a little bit too high. It is the story of India Prendergast who is trying to find her cousin, Helen. A cousin that was involved with the Lady Travelers group. A group that hasn't been able tell India exactly where Helen is supposed to be. She has decided to infiltrate the group in order to find out exactly what has happened. What she finds instead is Derek Saunders, a man trying to help his aunt, one of the three ladies running the travel agency. He is determined to make sure that the ladies are kept safe, even from their own shenanigans.
For being a book about travel, the first half or so of this book takes awhile to get moving. India is not very likable for a good portion of the book which is hard in a heroine. And while we do get some growth from her, Derek doesn't get to do much growing at all.

Three stars
This book came out May 23
Followed by The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger

Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley

So bummed that this is the last new Jo Beverly we'll ever get. This book starts off strong with the introduction of the VERY tall Lady Ariana Boxstall. She is terrified that her brother will die before he gets an heir and that will leave she and her mother at the mercy of Ariana's drunkard uncle. She had a rather disastrous season eight years ago and has decided not to marry. Her brother says that if Ariana can get married by Christmas, he will marry in January. Ariana swallows her nerves and heads to London. She is staying at the house of Lady Cawle who has agreed to help her get started. Also at Lady Cawle's house? Her godson who unknowingly contributed to Ariana's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad season. Too bad he's a drunkard. And seems to be interested Ariana's dowry because he lost his own fortune. Or so Ariana surmises.
And this is where the story starts to crumble. All of a sudden we get all these extra characters in addition to a story that becomes a little less focused. Ariana is trying to consider other men, but she's in love with Kynaston. Or is she? And then they're in a scandal. But it's okay. Or is it? And what the heck is the Big Drama in Kynaston's background? And how hard is it to read that name?
Not one of my faves, for sure, but the beginning of this book shows the very best of Beverly, in creating characters and a sense of space. I will miss her stories.

Three stars
This book comes out May 30

Come Sundown by Nora Roberts

Bodine Longbow runs the resort side of her family's land, the Bodine Ranch. Her father and brothers run the ranch side while her mother seems to run them all. Bodine's life is interrupted by the return of one of her brother's old friends, Callen Skinner, who had been in Hollywood training stunt horses. It's also interrupted by the body of a dead woman and Bodine and Cal are the ones who discover her.
Bodine's story is intercut with that of her aunt, Alice. It seems Alice was always sort of a rebel. She ran away on the day of Bo's mother's wedding. Alice was on her way back to the Bodine Ranch when she was kidnapped and kept in a basement. We see both the lives of Bo and Alice; as Bo falls in love and as Alice slowly loses herself.
This book reminds me of a classic Nora Roberts and I think most of her faithful readers will really enjoy this book. It was one of the better books I've read set in Montana but it kept reminding me of so many of Nora Roberts' other books. A faithful Roberts reader, this book immediately hit me as a mix of Montana Sky and The Obsession; as soon as the villain was introduced, I knew who it was.I was disappointed that there were so many B-plots that took away from the main story. It seemed a bit patchwork. At least the heroine got to save herself this time.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 30

When to Engage an Earl by Sally MacKenzie

The third spinster of Loves Bridge has finally helped her two friends find love and now she gets what she wants most in the world, Spinster House. She moves out of her brother's home and into her own. Too bad she's starting to realize that a home of her own might not be what she really wants.
Alex, Earl of Evans, is also starting to realize that he might want more out of life. His heart was bruised when he was jilted (not quite at the altar but fairly close). It may be that she was just too young. He's discovering that an older woman (twenty-eight) might be the way to go.
This was a nice, gentle story but sort of elliptical. Alex likes Jane, Jane's not sure, 'round and 'round they go, spanning months.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 30
Follows How to Manage a Marquess

A Purely Private Matter by Darcie Wilde

Rosalind Thorne is still working. She's helping particular ladies in Society solve some very particular problems. This time it's one doozy of a case that has her sneaking into a gentleman's club at the opening of the book. But then she meets Margaretta Seymore. Margaretta is pregnant. But she's married, so that shouldn't be a problem. Except that her husband is getting notes saying that she's been cheating on him and that the child she's carrying isn't his. He's suing the man for... I can't remember what it's called but it's basically a cash grab. Too bad Margaretta's supposed lover, famous actor Fletcher Cavendish, is found stabbed. Margaretta's husband is the prime suspect. It's up to Rosalind to figure out who the real killer is before Captain Seymore is hanged.
This book was an oddity to me because I actually wished we had gotten to see a furtheration of the series' love triangle. There was so little of it in this book, that means it's just going to be dragged out even further. Other than that, this was not a grand-breaking mystery novel but I think regular Wilde readers will be more than satisfied.

Three and a half stars
This book came out May 2