Beneath the Burning Sea by Amanda BouchetKingmaker Chronicles #5Fantasy RomanceMay 27, 2025, by SourcebooksARC Review by Angela It's been a long time coming, but finally Bellanca and Carver's story is here! This world began in 2016 with Cat and Griffin. The original trilogy followed the same main characters and introduced this world of mythology and magic. I was satisfied with the wrap-up of the original plot arc, but did wonder if my beloved secondary characters would also receive Continue Reading
Retro Review: Showmance by L.H. Cosway
Review originally posted May 23, 2016 by Tori. Showmance by L.H. CoswayRomance ContemporaryMay 16, 2016Self Published Favorite Quote: “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to just love and be loved in return.” Fans are sure to notice the deviation in plot and characterization that Cosway takes in her latest endeavor. Showmance is a sweet, sexy, mildly angst driven romance that perfectly showcases the allure of opposite attraction by slowing building a Continue Reading
Retro Review: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Review originally posted on 5/9/2019 by Angela. The Bride Test by Helen HoangThe Kiss Quotient #2Contemporary RomanceMay 7, 2019 by Berkley Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, Continue Reading
Review: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily HenryContemporary RomanceApril 22, 2025 by BerkleyARC Review by Angela Anybody who knows my reading tastes knows I really enjoy anything Emily Henry writes. I will even admit to emailing this publisher about advanced reading copies when I couldn't find the ARC anywhere on the usual sites. So, when it finally hit my Kindle, I was overjoyed and eager to read. Great Big Beautiful Life is a romance sandwiched between the story of a powerful family. Continue Reading
Review: Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn
Kills Well with Others by Deanna RaybournKillers of a Certain Age #2Mystery/Suspense/ThrillerMarch 4, 2025- BerkleyARC Review by Angela Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are back and this time they are tasked by the head of the Museum, Naomi Ndiaye, to assassinate the son of the man who they took out years ago. Naomi believes there is a mole within the organization and that this man may be out for revenge over the death of his father. So, these killers of a certain age set Continue Reading
Review: The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn
The Bane Witch by Ava MorgynFantasyMarch 18, 2025 by St. Martin's Griffin Review by Angela Before I get to the review, I want to list the content warnings up front because there are so many. Content Warnings- domestic violence, rape, physical assault, attempted sexual assault, murder, blood, gore, kidnapping, and suicide. I first discovered this author in 2023 when her debut, The Witches of Bone Hill, released. I enjoyed it quite a bit, so when her sophomore novel came available Continue Reading
Review: The Love Simulation by Etta Easton
The Love Simulation by Etta EastonContemporary RomanceMarch 4, 2025, by Berkley Review by Melanie One of my favorite tropes in contemporary romance is forced proximity and The Love Simulation employs that trope with such an unique premise that really charmed me. Brianna, the FMC, is a middle school vice-principal. Dedicated to her students and to her job, her main goal is to upgrade the library at her school so that her students have access to more current books. Unfortunately Continue Reading
Review: Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates
Rustler Mountain by Maisey YatesContemporary RomanceFebruary 25, 2025 by Kensington Review by Angela I feel like contemporary romance hasn't really been my thing lately, but I saw a Threads post for this release, and it mentioned things like "bad boy hero who likes the library" and "good girl librarian" and also hinted at sexy library loving and I realized that maybe I should jump back on the contemporary wagon again with this opposites attract, enemies to lovers, small town romance. Continue Reading
Review: The Crimson Road by A.G. Slatter
The Crimson Road by A.G. SlatterSourdough UniverseDark FantasyFebruary 11, 2025- Titan Books Review by Angela This was one of my most anticipated books of the year- and it did not disappoint. When the book opens Violet Zennor sits at her father's bedside dreaming of his death. Then when she wakes, he is gone. She isn't too upset over his demise, after all he made her life a living hell for years and years. Yet, just when she thinks she finally has her life back, free to live as Continue Reading
Review: Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti
Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra VastiHistorical RomanceJuly 24, 2024- St. Martin's Griffin Review by Angela I fell in love with this author after reading the Halifax Hellions series as free reads on her website. I've been saving this book as kind of a "break glass in case of emergency" read, which after the last couple of months and my resulting book slump seemed to be a good plan from past me. Peter Kent, the new Duke of Stanhope, recently arrived from Louisiana, desperately wants Continue Reading