Once Dishonored by Mary Jo Putney

Lucas Mandeville was once an officer in the Royal Navy. Then he became an apprentice to a Franciscan friar who was a bonesetter. Now, he is Lord Foxton and just reemerging into society. He is cautious because he is known as a deserter from the Navy. He was captured by the enemy and tortured but he was not supposed to escape and he finally couldn't take any more so he did. Now everyone in society looks at him askance. So he understands scandal because he sails so close to it himself. He is not afraid to approach the infamous divorcee, Lady Kendra Douglas. 

Kendra is trying to repair her reputation so that she can regain her son. She is astonished that Lucas wants to help but she accepts it readily.

We then get to see many characters from other Putney books. This book was very much in the vein of those other books but moved more quickly from meeting to bedding. This is also one of her books that leans into religion hard, like Lucas-performing-miracles hard. And I don't mind if a whole series does that but it's very disconcerting when it's every five books or so and all of the other books are so rooted in realism. 

Two stars

Follows Once a Spy

This book came out September 29th, 2020
Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

One Weekend in Aspen by Jaime Clevenger

Personal chef Emily Brookstone has been invited to a very exclusive event. Apparently something that is known throughout the lesbian community because her best friend is incredibly jealous. But she's also happy for Emily. It seems that Emily has just gotten out of a bad relationship and is on the rebound. A no-strings-attached weekend in Aspen should be a great place for her to get her mojo back. 

Alex Murphy is sort of tired of these weekends. She's been friends (and sometimes more) with Katherine, the ultra-rich hostess, for a long time but she's trying to extricate herself from the relationship. Or at least dial it back to just friendship. But Katherine doesn't want to let her go. On the other hand, Alex has just met a mysterious woman on the plane ride into Aspen. And a snowstorm diverting them to Denver gives Alex the chance to share a car with the woman and find out more about her.

I actually liked broad swaths of this story and it was hard to put down (but I needed to sleep). However, I didn't like all the sturm and drang caused by the weekend. Or, I would have liked it better had it a) been a smaller part of the story and b) not been smack in the middle of the real relationship development of the story. Clevenger is a good writer and I look forward to more of their stories.

Three and a half stars

This book comes out May 18th, 2021

Ebook from Netgalley

Opinions are my own

Independent Bones by Carolyn Haines

Sarah Booth is back again. Her partner in their investigative agency, Tinkie is about to give birth and there's a professor of Greek studies with a decidedly feminist bent in town who is stirring up... everyone. At a talk that Alala Diakos is giving, the local prototypical wife abuser calls her out and it causes a scene. Then Sarah Booth finds a gun that was pointed at Alala while she was speaking. But the professor is not the one to die, instead, she becomes the prime suspect in the abuser's murder. It doesn't help that she's been linked to at least two other murders where the man was similarly of the mind that women belonged in the kitchen. 

Sarah Booth will have to be careful because it seems that there is a group getting together who aren't afraid to use any means possible to make sure that their idealized vision of history becomes everyone else's present. And she is setting herself right in their sights.

I think these books have always been a little preachy but this one is even more so. It's a topic that I agree with but was fairly heavy-handed. I am happy that Tinkie had her baby and look forward to seeing how this changes (or maybe doesn't) the dynamic between our protagonist and one of her best friends.

 

Three stars

This book comes out May 18, 2021

Follows Garland of Bones

Followed by Lady of Bones

ARC kindly provided by St Martin's Press and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Crazy for Loving You by Pippa Grant

Daisy Imogen Carter-Kincaid is known in the tabloids as a billionaire party girl. She is footloose and fancy-free. Except that her cousin, famous for giving people one star reviews, has died and left Daisy her child. But Daisy isn't the only person left in charge of the child, so is West Jaeger, former Marine, current contractor. 

West thinks that this is one big joke. His brother Tyler is a hockey player and his team is known for their pranks. But then he figures out someone (who fired him by the way) has really left him a child. And that he needs to stick around so that the child doesn't go to his even worse paternal grandparents.

This may be one of Grant's earlier books because, while it has the absolute crazy-pants parts of the plot that she includes in all of her books, there are plot points that are thin to the point of invisibility and the character development is lacking. We hear that West and Daisy work but there isn't much explanation out of that. 

Two and a half stars

Follows Wild Open Hearts

Bluewater Billionairs #4

This book came out November 8th, 2019 (oof, not as early as I had thought)

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

Reread as Kindle ebook October 2024

I Pucking Love You by Pippa Grant

Muffy Periwinkle was introduced in a previous book as the cousin of a heroine. She is a hapless matchmaker who never quite makes the right connection. In the previous book, Muffy even set up her cousin with the ex-boyfriend of one of the cousin's friend who was a complete douchebag. So, she's not doing well. Not helping? Her mother who keeps calling her fat and spends up her credit cards. In order to make ends meet, she's even working at a Long John Silver-esque fish and chips place. And it's at that second job that she again sees Tyler Jaeger.

Jaeger is a hockey player who is in a bit of a funk. His penis hasn't been working since he and Muffy hooked up. He's not thinking she's the forever-one but he's also sort of surprised to find himself volunteering to be Muffy's date for an upcoming... thing. He's not sure what it is but he finds himself wondering whether Muffy might be the answer to his problems.

So, there's a little bit of a road trip and enough of a glimpse of his brother West and West's wife Daisy to convince me to read Crazy for You but otherwise the zaniness of this book (that Pippa Grant does so well) overshadows the actual relationship growth in this book. It was worth a read and I will definitely re-read whenever I read the whole series again but not one of my favorites.

Three stars

This book came out April 8th, 2021

Follows Charming as Puck

Followed by The Secret Hook-Up

Copper Valley Thrusters #5

Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Reread as Kindle ebook October 2024

The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews

It's Christmas and Meg Lanslow has once again been talked into "being in charge." This time, she's coordinating interior designers in a show house. Of course, while they designers are all PITAs, there is one particular fella who's causing major problems for everyone. Is it a surprise when he turns up dead? Nope. As usual, Meg is solving a mystery while getting everything else on her list done. 

A fun read and enjoyable addition to the canon. Regular Langslow readers will enjoy.

Three and a half stars

This book came out October 21, 2014

Meg Langslow 

Follows The Good, the Bad, and the Emus

Followed by Lord of the Wings

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Reread as Audible December 2022,  August 2023, November 2024 as Audible book

The Good, the Bad, and the Emus by Donna Andrews

Megan Langslow's newly discovered grandfather had decided to out local PI Stanley in the track of her grandmother. It turns out that she is dead but her cousin doesn't believe it was an accident as it has been declared. Meg's entire family becomes involved when an emu runs across the street on the way home from her first meeting with the cousin and that pulls in not only her entire family, but an army of volunteers who are willing to help her grandfather with a rescue.
A nice addition to the series. The regular cast expands a bit but otherwise regular readers will enjoy immensely.

Four stars

This book came out July 8th, 2014

Meg Langslow #17

Follows Duck the Halls

Followed by The Nightingale before Christmas

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Reread August 2023, November 2024 as Audible book