The Captive Duke
by Grace Burrowes
"Poignant and uplifting romance between two (literally) tortured aristocrats"
Posted November 26, 2022

Originally published in 2014 under the title THE CAPTIVE, THE CAPTIVE DUKE is the first in Grace Burrowe’s lovely series Captive Hearts.  I read it in 2014, but much of Read more...

Our Missing Hearts
by Celeste Ng
"Chilling dystopia where Asian-Americans are demonized and hated"
Posted September 26, 2022

Celeste Ng's third remarkable novel, OUR MISSING HEARTS, is a chilling dystopian novel that nonetheless wraps us in familial love and a sense of hope.  All three of Ng's books have been knock-outs, and OUR MISSING HEARTS is Read more...

Back to the Garden
by Laurie R. King
"Tightly woven contemporary mystery with 70’s hippie commune flashbacks"
Posted September 17, 2022

BACK TO THE GARDEN is a sparkling new standalone police procedural from mystery maven Laurie R. King.  I think King is probably best known now for her Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes historical mystery series, although she's also got another fine contemporary investigative series featuring Kate Martinelli Read more...

A Truth to Lie For
by Anne Perry
"WWII lady spy novel"
Posted September 16, 2022

Book four in the Elena Standish historical mystery series, A TRUTH TO LIE FOR is another navel-gazing novel in this new WWII series by Anne Perry.  Over the decades, Perry has become less concerned with the murder mysteries Read more...

Something in the Heir
by Suzanne Enoch
"Borrowed orphans attempt to play aristocratic children to bamboozle grandfather"
Posted September 16, 2022

SOMETHING IN THE HEIR is an unexpected story from historical romance author Suzanne Enoch.  It’s billed as a “sparkling Regency romance” but I think that’s a falsehood. There is a faint romantic element in the story, but this is by no means Read more...

Husband Material
by Alexis Hall
"Sequel rom-com lacks the original’s shine"
Posted August 26, 2022

HUSBAND MATERIAL is a follow-up from the rom-com hit BOYFRIEND MATERIAL from genqueer writer Alexis Hall.  This is Book #2 in the London Calling series, and hopefully, book three will be back to the joyous tomfoolery and Read more...

A Certain Darkness
by Anna Lee Huber
"WWI British Intelligence agent Verity Kent captures evidence of treason, dodges death"
Posted August 26, 2022

A CERTAIN DARKNESS continues Anna Lee Huber's historical mystery series, Verity Kent.  This is book number six in the WWI historical series, featuring the intrepid former British Intelligence agent Verity Kent and her war hero husband Sydney.  This series Read more...

Killers of a Certain Age
by Deanna Raybourn
"Old-school lady assassins must survive targeting by their former agency"
Posted August 22, 2022

KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE is a standalone mystery thriller from the indomitable Deanna Raybourn, whose writing I adore.  She has written the Lady Julia Grey historical mystery series, which is an absolute joy, and is currently providing us Read more...

Ruby Fever
by Ilona Andrews
"Fierce action as magic Primes Catalina and Alessandro must find who attacked the invincible Warden"
Posted August 19, 2022

Ilona Andrews brings the Catalina Baylor trilogy to an epically wild closing with RUBY FEVER.  RUBY FEVER is book six in the urban fantasy Hidden Legacy series overall and the third book in a row to focus on the Read more...

Eclipse the Moon
by Jessie Mihalik
"Rocket-like action in this space opera of found family amidst war"
Posted August 5, 2022

Space adventure meets romance in book 2 of Jessie Mihalik's Starlight's Shadow series, ECLIPSE THE MOON.  ECLIPSE THE MOON takes off like a rocket from the point where the Read more...

You Were Made to Be Mine
by Julie Anne Long
"A spymaster tracks an earl’s escaped fiancée and discovers his own true love"
Posted August 5, 2022

YOU WERE MADE TO BE MINE is the fifth story in The Palace of Rogues series by the marvelous Julie Anne Long.  Long is a very favorite historical romance author of mine Read more...

Dance with the Devil
by Kit Rocha
"Band of mercenary librarians and supersoldiers decide the time for a revolution is here"
Posted August 5, 2022

Book three in the post-apocalyptic urban fantasy Mercenary Librarians series by Kit Rocha is the delightful DANCE WITH THE DEVIL.  I will happily devour anything that Kit Rocha (the writing duo of Bree Read more...

What Moves the Dead
by T. Kingfisher
"Delectably disturbing tale of rot, madness, and exquisite tension"
Posted July 6, 2022

T. Kingfisher blows my socks off with her retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” in WHAT MOVES THE DEAD. I am not normally a fan Read more...

Remember Love
by Mary Balogh
"NYT bestseller’s new Regency romance series is classic Balogh goodness!"
Posted July 6, 2022

New York Times bestseller Mary Balogh starts a new Regency romance series, Ravenswood, beginning with REMEMBER LOVE.  This book feels more like the old Balogh that I knew and loved in years Read more...

Soul Taken
by Patricia Briggs
"Shapeshifters must defeat a soul reaper wielding a lethal fae artifact"
Posted June 17, 2022

It’s a toss-up whether the Mercy Thompson series or the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs is my very favorite Read more...

Kiss Hard
by Nalini Singh
"Two athletes turn fake dating into a real romance"
Posted May 21, 2022

International bestseller Nalini Singh has now dropped book 4 in her contemporary romance series Hard Play.  KISS HARD brings us a rugby player and a paralympic runner.  I love how inclusive Read more...