Mrs. Brodie's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies by Shana Galen, Theresa Romain

I can't remember why I put this on my wishlist in 2018 but I finally got this book this year. It was... fine. Not worth the wait though.

In the first story, Jack and Marianne were childhood sweethearts. He married someone else and now he's hunted her down for... reasons? Closure? She's a cook at the school and he's there to sweep her away from a life that she basically enjoys. He's an ass and she's not much better. 

In the second story, Bridget and Caleb were sweethearts (a theme) but he left her to pursue his career as a spy. He's not even really back right now but, when he finds out they had a son, he's ready to help her find their boy and head for a new life in Canada.

I can see how this would have been an amazing series but was woefully underdeveloped in two short stories by authors I normally enjoy.

Two stars

This book came out September 14, 2018

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

How to Find a Duke in Ten Days -- anthology

Three men decide to help a retiring mentor, Professor Peebles, prove that his life's work isn't a myth.

The Will to Love by Grace Burrowes
Philomena Peebles, the professor's daughter, decides to go out for a job helping Seton Avery, Earl of Ramsdale, decipher his uncle's will. His uncle was the professor's archnemesis and left a fairly convoluted will in Latin. The two quickly realize that they are just as interested in each other as unraveling the mystery.

Not a lot of time for relationship development even though the two have known each other before.
Three stars

How to Steal a Duke by Shana Galen
In the group, there is one person-duke (as opposed to the four folios also know as "dukes" or the Duke) and he is the one who intercepts a cat burglar one night. Well, she jumps on the roof of his carriage to evade the clerk in the jewelry store she was robbing. He decides she will be the perfect way to steal the Duke from it's rumored place in a house on top of a hill. Or something. This story didn't hang together very well but it was short.

Two and a half stars.

The Viscount's First Kiss by Carolyn Jewel
The longest of the three novellas, Viscount Daunt works with his country neighbor and long-time friend, Magdalene Carter to go through the contents of several libraries he bought just to look for the Duke. At one time, Magdalene's now-deceased husband had been accused of stealing one of the manuscripts so she is anxious to help and clear her name
A nice story but muddled by the introduction of a villain that was completely unnecessary and added nothing to the story.

Three stars

Three stars
This book came out October 3, 2017
Opinions are my own

The Rogue You Know by Shana Galen

Since Lady Susanna's brother married Marlowe, a former pickpocket, her invitations to social events haven't dried up completely, but there's a noticeable lack of opportunities. Especially since her mother has clamped down even more. Susanna can't even go to the bathroom alone.
Until the night a man, Gideon Harrow, dives through her window. He's just stolen a necklace that is supposed to get him out of the same gang Marlowe was part of. And now Susanna has it. And she wants adventure in exchange for its return. And adventure she gets, not least because he's run off with the necklace he was supposed to turn over to Beezle (a baddie we saw in the last book) and the necklace's last "owner" is out for his blood as well. 
An okay book. At least "bubbies" were only brought up a couple of times in this one.
Three stars.

Follows: Earls Just Want to have Fun

Earls just want to have fun by Shana Galen

A pickpocket and housebreaker, Marlowe has dim memories of a time before. A time with a woman who sings to her and loves her. But she thinks that is just something she made up to comfort herself while growing up in her hard-knock life.
Lord Dane's brother is a private investigator who is currently trying to figure out Marlowe and he pulls Dane in. Now he's trying to help Marlowe, a girl who has spent her whole life trying to fig in with the boys, figure out how to deal with society.
A premise we've seen before, the lost heiress, but with an Oliver Twist...twist (sorry, couldn't not put that in.) Did we have read about her bubbies on ever other page? Drove me nuts. And, yet another heroine who eats a lot with impunity.
I think that Shana Galen's frequent readers will enjoy this book, even if it wasn't one of my favorites.

Followed by: The Rogue You Know

If You Give a Rake a Ruby by Shana Galen

Why, oh why, do I have a beer and then request books on NetGalley that I'm not sure I'll like? Obviously, because I have good taste.
I didn't read the first book in this series so I felt like I missed some of the byplay, but it wasn't absolutely necessary to have the full background.
Fallon No-Last-Name is one of three "Jewels of the Ton." Beautiful courtesans with mysterious pasts who were actually sponsored (not... quite... the right word, but the closest I can get) by an earl and his countess. But Fallon is now in the sights of Warren Fitzhugh. Not because he wants her for his mistress. No. He thinks she has information that will lead to the man who is threatening to kill his friends. He quickly discovers that, not only is she not one of the baddies, she's actually someone he could spend the rest of his life with.
Fast, fun read that took a little bit to get into but was something I fell into quickly.