Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

Astrid Parker is freaking out. Her life is slowing down. Except for when she crashes into that woman. And spills coffee all down her dress. The dress that makes her ass look fantastic. And on the day that she's supposed be filming for a TV series that will help her decorating business get out of it's slump. Her mother is already on her back, her business is doing horribly, and this is just the straw that breaks the camel's back. She goes off on the woman. Too bad this is the granddaughter of the hotel owner and the leader carpenter.

Jordan Everwood hasn't exactly had an easy time of it lately. Her former wife was dealing with cancer which meant that Jordan was going through it as well. Now her family home (sure she only spent summers there but that is where she felt loved) is being turned into something she doesn't even recognize.

The two are slow to come to some sort of middle ground and I'm not entirely certain of the HEA but it was still a fun read.

Four stars

This book comes out November 22, 2022

Follows by Delilah Green Doesn't Care

Followed by Iris Kelly Doesn't Date

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Malevolent Connection by Lynn Messina

An old enemy comes to Beatrice Hyde-Clare with a ridiculous story about someone trying to kill Beatrice's husband, the Duke. Is Lady Abercrombie still scheming or is she really trying to get back in the duke's good graces so that she can return to society?

Beatrice actually does the intelligent thing and lets her husband know about the plot (so many books rely on the protagonist keeping secrets and that causing issues.) He is unruffled. So, Beatrice decides to keep a secret that causes issues when she decides to track the uncle (and presumed murderous relative) down. But, while there is a body that shows up, it is not the one that they expect. 

There are storylines that are dropped but regular readers of the series are going to enjoy this book.

Three and a half stars

This book came out November 4, 2021

Follows A Ghastly Spectacle

Followed by An Ominous Explosion

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Lothaire by Kresley Cole

Lothaire, the Enemy of Old, has never been the Big Bad in this series but he has definitely not been on the side of good. He even brought back to life a long dead goddess (who was better off dead) by stealing her ring. And he wants to raise another, the one who is going to be his fated mate. Of course, they have to figure out how to get rid of the human host so she can keep the body. But Ellie Peirce doesn't exactly want to go. The more she sticks around, the more intrigued Lothaire is. 

The drama is still dialed up to 11 in this book and got to be a little too much toward the end but I am still enjoying the series. 

Four stars

This book came out January 10, 2012

Follows Dreams of a Dark Warrior

Followed by Shadow's Claim

Hard copy I kept

Opinions are my own

The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Once again, Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly is on the road. His club's steward, Carnaby, is missing and that is throwing Anty off. Especially when he finds out that Carnaby left after receiving a telegram that warns that a curse is once again alive.

So Anty follows him to Hoy and meets none other than Inspector Wittersham on the train down. This time, the two actually have a nice conversation. When they get to Hoy, they discover that there are castle Carnabys and town Carnabys. Basically a thems-that-has and thems-that-hasn't. Except that the castle Carnabys don't have any money while the town Carnabys are doing more than fine. 

Those at the castle are especially riled because the local fog has taken the recent bride of the current head of the family. No fewer than six people saw her at the edge of the river, the fog come in, and then she was gone; and there was no way that anyone could have possibly done it. 

Four stars

Anty Boisjoly #4

This book came out November 30, 2021

Follows The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine

Followed by The Reckoning at the Riviera Royale

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder in the Cards by Sonia Parin

Evie is hosting a gaggle of playwrights in her house. It's too bad they want to use her house as a setting. Well, it wouldn't be so bad if it weren't a murder. With her recent history, it's better to avoid being associated with that particular crime. It becomes especially bad when a local busybody turns up dead. Right after having an argument with Evie's mother-in-law. 

It seems that the late Mrs. Sheffield wasn't particularly mourned but the lengths that someone went to make sure she was no longer on this plane were pretty great. There ended up being several folds in the eventual solution but it was a good ride along the way. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out June 23, 2019

Follows Murder at the Car Rally

Followed by Murder at the Seaside Hotel

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Professor Next Door by Jackie Lau

All she wants is someone with no strings to stay no strings but also just stay. Nicole Louie-Edwards is about to turn thirty-four and she can't seem to find the kind of life she wants. But she's having a lot of fun while she waits. 

David Cho is Nicole's next-door-neighbor. And, as he notes to himself, they share a very thin wall. He is very aware of how she spends her nights and it... affects him. 

The two of them meet when the elevator to their apartment stops while they are both in it. But that is a small part of the book and the two begin a more adult relationship. But, it's very possible that it will turn into something more. 

Four stars

This book came out June 8, 2021

Follows Her Pretend Christmas Date

Followed by A Very Beery New Year

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood

Three novellas are loosely connected by a circle of friends but they don't show up very much which is probably fine since the book is so short we don't get to see much of Sadie and Erik anyway. And it turns out that this is one of those books where, if one of the two had talked to the other, there wouldn't be much to the story. And the only reason they are together now is because they are caught in an elevator. 

Three stars

This novella came out March 8, 2022

Follows Under One Roof

Followed by Below Zero

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own