A Brazen Curiosity by Lynn Messina

I wish I had known when I started this book that it was part of a series. I have read Lynn Messina before and thoroughly enjoyed her books, so I couldn't understand why the romance was so ploddingly slow. The hero and heroine spend barely any time together. But the beginnings of a flirtation between a plain spinster and a pedantic duke are in this story. I wish we had seen more but I understand the need for a slow burn to make it through at least two more stories.
Beatrice Hyde-Clare is unfortunate to meet the Duke of Kesgrave in the middle of the night when she's looking for a book. She doesn't notice him until after she's picked up the candlestick from the floor. The candlestick that has obviously been used to murder the man the Duke is now standing over.
Edited March 14th 2021: Upon rereading, my first instinct was absolutely correct. This book is much more enjoyable when I have no expectations. I had completely forgotten reading this story until about halfway through when I went to Goodreads and, yes, I had read it before. On the Kindle Unlimited books, you can currently read the entire series and the sum of these parts are definitely greater than the whole.

Three stars

Followed by A Scandalous Deception
This book came out September 15
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Once a Scoundrel by Mary Jo Putney

After his grandfather tosses him out, Gabriel Vance changes his last name to Hawkins and heads out to sea. He is the captain of his own ship (and his own destiny) when he's approached to help rescue Lady Aurora "Roarin' Rory" Lawrence, from Barbary pirates. She's an adventurer in her own right but she might need a little help to get out of this one.
Putney adds a lot of elements to this book, adventure, storms, kidnapping, a B plot love story. But all of that tends to overshadow the main love story. This is a good book but not one of my faves.

Three stars
This book came out September 25
Followed by Once a Spy
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Treacherous Is the Night by Anna Lee Huber

Verity and Sydney are trying to figure out the rhythms of their marriage now that Sydney has "returned from the dead." Verity is struggling because he didn't tell her that he wasn't dead and her emotions sent her into a spiral of bad decisions.
When Verity's friend Daphne asks her to attend a seance, Verity is skeptical. Just because most of the world is embracing spiritualism doesn't mean she believes that someone can talk to you after they're dead. Except that Madame Zozza singles Verity out, pretending to be one of Verity's contacts from the war, talking about things that no one knew. When Verity goes back to try and figure out what happened, the spiritualist is dead in a fire.
This sends Verity and Sydney off on an adventure where they will face their demons and have to make some hard decisions about where their marriage is going. It will also uncover men who are working to further the cause of the defeated enemies.
A steady read, this book made me uncomfortable at points because it's depiction of life after war and the peek into the Kents' marriage seemed so real. But definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Four stars
This book came out September 25
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles

Dr. Edmund Birkleigh never really loved his wife but it wasn't until a summer's tennis party that he decided to kill her. And we know that from the opening line of the book. The rest of the book takes us through the actual murder, the investigation, the trial, and the twist.
This was an okay story but not one of my favorites from the crime classics. Plodded in places and I did end up skimming quite a bit.

Three stars
This book came out September 12
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Pecan Pies and Dead Guys by Angie Fox

Inspector DeClercq is still after Frank but he makes a deal, if Verity and Frank can help him solve the mystery that's stumped him for decades, he'll get Frank a posthumous pardon. The two will have to accompany him to a local mansion where, during the course of a three-night revelry, a judge was killed. DeClercq has made the partygoers relive those nights every year since he died (or they all died? I'm not remembering if that was explained, but it didn't matter while reading). He's narrowed down the options to five people. The hosts, a couple who are their best friends, and the lover of the female best friend.
In the present day, a young woman is found dead near the pecan orchard and Ellis calls Verity in for help, even as his workmates mock him. But Verity can't find the girl's ghost.
There were some things that were glossed over in this book but I enjoyed it too much to care overly much. A nice addition to the Southern Ghost Hunter series.

Four stars
This book came out September 18
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

One Perfect Kiss by Jaci Burton

Zach Powers used to be a professional football player and now he's a high school football coach. He's hot, rich, and single in a small town. But he only has eyes for teacher Josie Barnes.
Josie isn't really interested in dating. She just wants to live her life. But Zach sure pushes her buttons. And on top of that, he's really interested in her and her life, even when her mother (not the greatest) comes to town. And he's not a jerk when she benches his players, because it's deserved.
A fine Burton addition to the Hope series, I wish we had seen a bit more of both Josie and Zach but overall a nice read.

Three stars
This book came out September 4
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Hard Sell by Lauren Layne

Both Sabrina and Matt were in the first book of the series. They have a somewhat contentious relationship. Only it's not just somewhat, it's just contentious. We learn in this book that that has also included some naked time but that doesn't prevent the animosity. But Matt needs Sabrina's help. He's been featured in the Wall Street Journal as a hard partier and it is tanking his reputation, taking him to the brink of being fired. Sabrina would be a safe bet as a fake girlfriend, making him look good, but she won't actually fall in love with him. Probably. Except that this is a romance so...
Layne is one of the few authors whose first person narration doesn't set my teeth on edge. I haven't quite figured out why that is but maybe it's because the narrators are so adult (about most things, there was a little too much "I love him but he can't love me" and vice versa). They talk about their pasts frankly and (mostly) deal with it.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series when we finally get to see Kate and Kennedy figure it out.

Four stars
This book came out September 4
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley