To Distraction by Stephanie Laurens

Deverell, Viscount Paignton, would like to find a wife. He seeks counsel from his aunt Audrey. Born several years after her brothers, she is closer to him in age and knows him well. Her recommendation is one of her many goddaughters. The woman's name? Phoebe Malleson. She is a little older than some of the current crop of unwed ladies and the reasons she is unmarried, according to Audrey, are what makes her perfect for Deverell. 

For her part, Phoebe has decided that she would rather not wed. Deverell's interest is therefore not welcome, especially since she's heard that he was involved in the government somehow and some of her pursuits are not quite... legal. 

Deverell is determined to make Phoebe trust him. He is anxious to start his future, one that includes the woman he was instantly entranced with.

Three and a half stars

This book came out August 29, 2006

Follows A Fine Passion

Followed by Beyond Seduction

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Intentional Leadership by Rose M. Patten

Patten believes that some leaders are natural, they just know what to do. But, leaders can also be made. they can learn to plan for the long-term. Using real-life experiences by leaders from across industries, Patten goes through the Big 8 capabilities that people need to be successful leaders in today's world because, today, it is harder than ever to be a leader. The world is changing quickly and we can't rely on the tried and true methods of yesterday working the way they used to. 

Patten doesn't just dive into the 8 capabilities. Instead, we learn about the problems facing leaders today. We see the myths about leadership that still exist as well as the new problems that are facing leaders as the working world evolves.

The 8 capabilities are further divided into three sets which really resonate with the current workplace: Mindset (personal adaptability, strategic agility, self-renewal); Personal Values (certainty of character, empathy); Connecting (contextual communication, spirited collaboration, developing other leaders.) Patten goes through each of the 8 capabilities in the later chapters and explains more about what they are and why they're needed. 

Overall, a lovely book though there are a lot of mentions of subsections and other leadership ideas which can be a little confusing at times. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 7, 2023

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and University of Toronto Press

Opinions are my own

The Difference Between Us by Rachel Higginson

Molly Maverick is happy for her BFF, Vera. Vera's in love and getting married.  It's just too bad that Vera's fiance comes along with HIS BFF, Ezra Baptiste. Model-gorgeous, Ezra is a multi-bazillionaire who seems to have a fascination with Molly. Apparently, nobody else in his life tells him "no" and the fact that she did means that she is unique. So he basically strongarms her into helping him, even after a pretty decisive turn down from Molly by doing an end run and hiring the firm she works for as a designer and specifically requesting her. And Molly already has enough to deal with given the fact that her boss's son doesn't seem to have gotten the memo on the things that constitute sexual harassment. And there is a LOT of this book that is devoted to the description of that harassment. Which would have been fine had it not all been resolved in a couple of sentences. So much build-up for so little in return. Higginson's writing saved this from being a DNF for me and she handled Molly's reactions and why she acted the way she did pretty well but I wanted more on-page justice.

Two and a half stars

This book came out 

Follows The Opposite of You

Followed by The Problem with Him

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

A Fine Passion by Stephanie Laurens

Jack Warnefleet is trying to escape the matchmaking mamas of London by escaping to his country manor. There, he finds that in his absence as a spy for the Crown, Clarice Altwood, a marquess' daughter who escaped London after she refused to play by society's rules, has been acting in his place. After getting over their initial opinions of each other, they realize that they are actually very attracted to each other. But they still have to work with each other to try and overcome a recurring character from the Bastion Series who is trying to paint Clarice's cousin as a traitor.

One of the better Stephanie Laurens (possibly my favorite in this series) before she really starts getting into character's "true selves."

Four stars

This book came out in 2005

Follows A Lady of His Own

Followed by To Distraction

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson

Vera has made a mess of her life. She had set out to be a famous chef but had sidetracked her life  in a massive mistake. Now she's back home, taking care of her dad who had cancer. She's also decided to open a food truck. Too bad the five star chef across the street has decided that she's competition, or something. He seems personally affronted that her food truck is across the street. Plus, he's taken up writing notes about how her food could be better. Even worse, he's usually right.

This was a great read even if I didn't quite  get how the two clicked together. Am excited to have found a new series.

Four stars

This book came out March 30, 2017

Followed by The Differences Between Us

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

A is for Audra by John Robert Allman, Peter Emmerich

This is one of the books from NPR's Best Book that intrigued me. And it's a delightful book though I think you need some Broadway knowledge to really appreciate. Going from A to Z (with a couple of stretches), this book lauds the divas of the Great White Way. The poems are short and easy; the illustrations are delightful. 

Four stars

This book came out November 12, 2019

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

A Lady of His Own by Stephanie Laurens

Probably my favorite in the series (though the next book in the series is up there as well), Charles St. Austell goes home to help find a spy and ends up falling in love. Penelope Selborne was his one-time lover twelve years ago but he has never really gotten over her. Now, she is sneaking around his house in the dead of night and he's wondering why. And why won't she tell him more about what she is doing? Is she protecting herself, or someone else?

Spies, murder, intrigue and romance. Who could ask for more?

Four stars

This book came out January 1, 2004

Follows A Gentleman's Honor

Followed by A Fine Passion

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own