A Bachelor’s Lessons in Love: Review

April 30, 2025April 29, 2025Leave a comment

About the Book:

Title: A Bachelor’s Lessons in Love

Author: Sally Britton

Publisher: Pink Citrus Books LLC

Release Date: April 30, 2025

Pages: 287

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency

Synopsis:

A reluctant guardian. A determined spinster. A battle of wits that might just end in love.

Former military officer Edward Halstead never imagined his quiet bachelor existence would be upended by the unexpected guardianship of a spirited young lady. When his late comrade’s daughter, Daphne Price, is placed in his care, Edward is faced with a challenge unlike any battlefield he has ever encountered, especially with her fiercely protective aunt, Felicity Price, staying in his home to ensure he doesn’t fail in his duty.

Felicity has dedicated her life to her beloved niece, and she has no intention of leaving Daphne in the hands of a gruff and emotionally distant bachelor. If Edward Halstead believes he can simply house, feed, and marry off her niece without regard for her well-being, he is sorely mistaken. Felicity will remain at Briarwood House as long as necessary to ensure Daphne’s future and to make certain Edward doesn’t ruin it. After all, she doesn’t want her niece to end up a spinster…like Felicity.

With Felicity and Edward at odds over Daphne’s upbringing, propriety, and the girl’s future, tension sparks and tempers flare. Yet, beneath the clashes and differences of opinion, an undeniable attraction grows. As Daphne’s entrance into Society looms and Edward’s past resurfaces in unexpected ways, Felicity and Edward must decide if their partnership is merely one of convenience or if love has been the lesson they’ve both been waiting to learn.

Perfect for fans of witty banter, slow-burn romance, and fiercely independent heroines, A Bachelor’s Lessons in Love is a Regency romance filled with heart, humor, and unexpected love. Part of the Bachelors of Blackstone’s series, the books may be read and enjoyed in any order.

Review:

*I received an e-arc from the author for review. Thank you for the opportunity! All thoughts are my own*

This was my second book I’ve read by Sally Britton and it did not disappoint. I loved A Bachelor’s Lessons in Love! If you enjoy a slow burn romance, witty banter and strong female characters set in the regency era, this one is for you!

Bachelor Colonel Edward Halstead unexpectedly finds himself the guardian of his former comrade’s daughter. His ward, Daphne Price, is much older than he originally anticipated and is about to make her debut into society. Her spirited Aunt, Felicity Price, has accompanied her to be sure that Halstead does not fail in his duties.

Felicity and Edward start out at odds and are continually arguing over Daphne’s upbringing, propriety and her future. They both have past experiences that have shaped their strong opinions. For the sake of Daphne, they decide to work as a team. The more they work together, an attraction sparks between them.

Is their partnership simply one of circumstance, or something more?

I fell in love with Edward, Felicity and Daphne! Both Edward and Felicity took their roles as Daphne’s caretakers seriously and worked hard to help her make her debut. It was great watching Daphne’s relationships with both of these characters change and grow. It was also amazing watching the romance blossom between Edward and Felicity. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the story, and I also cried at a couple of parts. Very heartwarming!

I highly recommend! This beautiful story is out today.

About the Author:

Sally Britton is sixth generation Texan, received her BA in English forever ago, and reads voraciously. She started her writing journey at the tender age of fourteen on an electric typewriter, and she’s never looked back.

Sally lives in Oklahoma with her husband, four children, and their overly energetic Australian Shepherds, cat, and snake named Nancy. She loves researching, hiking, and eating too much chocolate.

Wedded to His Enemy Debutante: Review and Book Tour

January 29, 2024January 28, 2024Leave a comment

Wedded to His Enemy Debutante

About the Book:

Title: Wedded to His Enemy Debutante

Author: Samantha Hastings

Publisher: Harlequin Historical

Release Date: January 23, 2024

Pages: 258

Genre: Historical Romance

Synopsis:

Enjoy this enemies-to-lovers Regency romance Signed, sealed… Seduced! Lady Frederica is the last person Samuel, the new Duke of Pelford, wants to marry! His childhood nemesis might have grown into a beautiful woman, but she’s as bold, outspoken and badly behaved as ever! Except marrying her is the only solution to the debts he’s inherited. As memories of their tense years growing up make way for a surprising desire, Samuel realizes the walls he put in place between him, and his convenient wife are quickly crumbling! From Harlequin your romantic escape to the past. 136500942

Review:

*I received a complimentary copy for review. All thoughts are my own. *

Hastings has done it again! I absolutely loved this next installment in the Stringham Family series. I feel as though Samantha continues to impress me with each book she writes. Fans of historical/regency romance please pick up this series!

Lady Federica Stringham has blossomed into a beautiful young woman, but she is the last person that Lord Samuel Pelford wants to marry. She is still bold, outspoken and mischievous. Federica doesn’t exactly want to marry her childhood nemesis either. Their two families however have always wished that the two would marry. Marriage seems to be the solution for the debts that Samuel has inherited and plans that Federica has for her future. The two reluctantly agree to marry, and as they spend more time together, some of the walls that they have put up between them begin to slowly crumble.

I thought it was fascinating that this took place during the Napoleonic wars. The story starts off in England, and then quickly moves to Belgium/France. Samuel is an officer under Wellington, and Wellington requests that Lady Federica assist Samuel on his intelligence mission. Federica agrees adventurer that she is. She and her mother find a home not far from military quarters. I found it so thrilling Federica was able to help on a spy mission! Things really amp up between Federica and Samuel as the story progresses and I could feel the attraction between them coming off the pages. The chemistry was *chefs kiss*! On another note, I appreciated that the story was able to show the terrible toll that a war takes on people.

I really hope that there are more books in this series, as I can’t get enough of the Stringham family adventures! Wedded to His Enemy Debutante captivated me from start to finish, with adventure, intrigue and a scorching enemies to lovers romance. Highly recommend!

About the Author:

Samantha Hastings has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Reading (Berkshire, England), and the University of North Texas. She met her husband in a turkey-sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, eating popcorn, having tea parties, and chasing her kids. She writes cozy mysteries under Samantha Larsen. 6927274._UX200_CR0,35,200,200_

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Visit each stop for a chance to win one of 3 paperback copies!

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The Cash Countess: Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway

July 2, 2023June 27, 2023Leave a comment

About the Book:

Title: The Cash Countess

Author: Samanta Hastings

Publisher: Scribbling Pens

Release Date: July 1, 2023

Pages: 289

Genre: Historical Romance, Mystery

Street Team Sign-up! (1) (1)

Synopsis:

Rapunzel meets “Downton Abbey” in this sweet Gilded Age romance! 156346931

Miss Cordelia Jones is an American Princess, but her story is no fairytale.

Eighteen-year-old Cordelia Jones is locked in her tower until she promises to marry Lord Thomas Ashby, the eighth Earl of Farnham. Cordelia doesn’t want to leave her American home or Stuyvesant Bradley, whom she has loved since childhood. But Stuyvesant leaves on a trip and Cordelia is pressured by her overbearing mother to marry a stranger.

Coerced into a loveless marriage, Cordelia finds herself an alien in a decaying English country house where customs and manners are so different from home. Worst yet, accidents seem to befall her at every corner. The more she begins to care for her husband, the more perilous her life becomes. Is she unlucky, or is someone trying to kill the newest cash countess?

Review:

*I received an e-arc of this book from the author for review. Thank you to the author and publisher. All thoughts are my own*

I was hooked on this book from page one and could not put it down! I LOVED this one, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to read and review. Samanta Hastings stories get better and better! If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, Rapunzel, Historical Romance and a HEA, this one is for you!

Eighteen-year-old Miss Cordelia Jones is an extremely wealthy American heiress. She lives the life of a princess, but her story is no fairytale. Her mother locks her in her room until she promises to marry Lord Thomas Ashby, the eighth Earl of Farnham. Cordy doesn’t want to leave her home or her love since childhood, Stuyvesant Bradley. When Stuyvesant leaves on a trip and hasn’t returned, she feels pressure from her overbearing mother to marry a complete stranger.

After being coerced into marrying Thomas, they head to his home in England. He lives in a decaying English country house and the customs and manners are so different from home. Unusual accidents begin to befall Cordy around every corner. As she begins to fall for her husband, things become even more dangerous. She begins to wonder if she’s just unlucky, or is someone actually trying to kill her?

It was fascinating to read about the history of society during this time period. I felt like I learned something new about the American cash countesses. With all of the riches and prestige that these people had, they actually were prisoners of societal expectations. I thought this book was well researched, and I appreciated the author’s note at the end.

I loved Cordelia and the journey she went through from being a spoiled rich girl to someone who dove into her new role and embraced her new life as best as she could.

I really hope that you’ll give this one a try and add it to your TBR!

About the Author:

*Win one of 3 paperback copies! Visit each stop to enter.

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Bridgerton: The Duke and I: Review

March 9, 2021March 7, 2021Leave a comment

About the Book:

Title: Bridgerton: The Duke and I

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: December 1, 2020 (First published January 5, 2000)

Pages: 464

Genre: Adult Historical Romance

Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn comes the first novel in the beloved Regency-set world of her charming, powerful Bridgerton family, now a series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix.

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable…but not too amiable.

Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.

Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule…

This novel includes the 2nd epilogue, a peek at the story after the story.

Review:

After binging the Bridgerton series on Netflix in two days back in December, I knew I had to read the books! This is the first book of what I believe is an eight book series. I’ve heard that this is the “worst” book in the series, so I’m definitely hopeful that the series gets even better. I really want to learn more about the other Bridgerton siblings!

What I liked about the book, was that we get to know the characters a little more, and there are conversations had that weren’t explored as much on the show in my opinion. I really love the Bridgerton family, and Daphne’s brothers had me laughing a lot throughout the book. What I didn’t like about the book, was that I felt that “that scene” was much more problematic in the book than on the show, as Simon is under the influence. I think that this storyline is what ruins the best parts of the story for me, as it’s SO not okay. I also didn’t like how Simon was so controlling. I feel like he was better in that respect on the show.

I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed the book as much if I hadn’t seen the show first to be honest. Overall, a fun and entertaining romantic read.

About the Author:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don’t read (or write) romance, and and if you watch reruns of the game show The Weakest Link you might just catch her winning the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code. 63898

A graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, Ms. Quinn is one of only sixteen members of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. Her books have been translated into 32 languages, and she lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

The Bridgertons, her popular series of historical romance, is currently in production by Shondaland as a Netflix original series starring Julie Andrews, Phoebe Dynevor, and Rége-Jean Page.

From Blood and Ash (Book 1):Review

February 7, 2021Leave a comment

About the Book:

Title: From Blood and Ash

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher: Blue Box Press

Release Date: March 30, 2020

Pages: 625

Genre: Adult Fantasy, Adult Romance

Synopsis:

Captivating and action-packed, From Blood and Ash is a sexy, addictive, and unexpected fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laura Thalassa.

A Maiden…

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty…

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor 71bH9PgPr4L bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom…

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

Review:

I first became familiar with Jennifer L. Armentrout when I read and loved the Lux series a number of years back, and I have lots of her books on my TBR. A friend and I decided to do a buddy read of From Blood and Ash, and we jumped right in. Completely obsessed! It was hard to put down. My friend and I would message each other that we needed to read more chapters for the day, lol. It definitely lived up to the hype for me.

Poppy is chosen at birth, and her life has never belonged to her. The Maiden has a very solitary life, and can never be touched, looked upon, spoken to, or able to experience pleasure. As she waits for her Ascension, she would rather be fighting with the royal guards against the evils that took her family, instead of preparing to be worthy for the gods.

The fate of the whole Kingdom rests on Poppy’s shoulders, although she’s never asked for this. Hawke enters her life as a guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension. Things begin to get complicated, as Poppy begins to question everything that she’s ever known, and as she is tempted with the forbidden.

A fallen kingdom is rising once more, and is determined to take back what they believe is theirs. As the shadow of those cursed draws near, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is on the verge of being found unworthy to the gods, losing her heart, and losing her life as her world starts to come apart at the seams.

I absolutely loved the banter between Poppy and Hawke! They reminded me of some of my other favorite bookish couples, and I can totally get behind the comp to Sarah J. Maas.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and adult romance, than I highly recommend this book! I loved the setting, the characters, the romance, and the intrigue. There are lots of twists and turns, and I enjoyed figuring some of them out, and being completely surprised by others. That ending! Can’t wait to start book two, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire. I need to find out what happens next.

About the Author:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction 4476934 by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more

The Ex Talk: Review

December 27, 20202 Comments

About the Book:

Title: The Ex Talk

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 26, 2021

Pages: 336

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon’s sparkling romantic comedy debut.

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can’t imagine working anywhere else. But lately it’s been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who’s fresh off a journalism master’s program and convinced he knows everything about public radio.

When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it’s this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it’s not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts.

As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

Review:

*I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was an amazing adult romance debut for Rachel! I absolutely loved this adorable story. With the enemies to lovers premise, I knew it would be something I would enjoy.

Shay Goldstein has been working in public radio for about ten years and can’t imagine doing anything else. Lately, she’s been clashing with her newest coworker, Dominic Yun, who thinks he knows everything about public radio as he just got a master’s degree in journalism. The radio station is struggling, Shay proposes a new idea and gets the green light from her boss. On the Ex Talk, two exes will give advice live on the air. There’s only one catch, her boss wants Dominic to be her cohost and pretend to be her ex. They’re not crazy about the idea of working together, and lying to all of their listeners, but it’s either cohost or lose their jobs.

The show really takes off, and they resonate with their audience. Shay and Dominic soon find that their lies might be catching up to them. They start to fall for each other, and in an industry that values truth, they may lose their jobs if they’re caught and more.

I loved the witty banter between Shay and Dominic! They had such chemistry, and I found myself wanting them to get together so badly. This book was like a ray of sunshine, and I was soaking it up. Definitely recommend. It’s releasing on January 26, 2021, so be sure to add it to your TBR.

About the Author:

Rachel Lynn Solomon writes, tap dances, and collects lipstick in Seattle, Washington. Her romance and YA novels include Today Tonight Tomorrow, The Ex Talk (1/26/21), and We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This (6/1/21). Once she helped set a Guinness World Record for the most natural redheads in one place.
Her short story “Aftershocks” appears in the anthology It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories.

Make Up Break Up Review

September 6, 2020Leave a comment

About the Book:

Title: Make Up Break Up

Author: Lily Menon

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Release Date: February 2, 2021

Pages: 336

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Love, romance, second chances, fairy-tale endings…these are the things Annika Dev believes in. Her app, Make Up, has been called the “Google Translate for failing relationships.”

High efficiency break-ups, flashy start-ups, penthouses, fast cars…these are the things Hudson Craft believes in. His app, Break Up, is known as the “Uber for break-ups.” It’s wildly successful—and anathema to Annika’s life philosophy.

Which wouldn’t be a problem if they’d gone their separate ways after that summer fling in Las Vegas, never to see each other again. Unfortunately for Annika, Hudson’s moving not just into her office building, but into the office right next to hers. And he’ll be competing at the prestigious EPIC 9781250761996 investment pitch contest: A contest Annika needs to win if she wants to keep Make Up afloat. As if it’s not bad enough seeing his irritatingly perfect face on magazine covers when her own business is failing. As if knowing he stole her idea and twisted it into something vile—and monumentally more successful—didn’t already make her stomach churn.

As the two rival app developers clash again and again—and again—Annika finds herself drawn into Hudson Craft’s fast-paced, high velocity, utterly shallow world. Only, from up close, he doesn’t seem all that shallow. Could it be that everything she thought about Hudson is completely wrong? Could the creator of Break Up teach her what true love’s really about?

Review:

*I received an e-arc from Netgalley, the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Sandhya Menon is now writing adult romance under Lily Menon. Her debut adult contemporary romance was so hard to put down, and I just wanted to keep on reading. Can we say hot, but I’m not talking about the weather?! There’s such a romantic spark between the two main characters, there’s witty banter, and there’s overall fun! Just like all of Menon’s books, I got that warm, fuzzy feeling I needed.

Annika Dev is a hopeless romantic and the CEO of her own app, Make Up, that she hopes will help people to find their happily ever after. She started the company with her best friend, June. Hudson Craft, has an app called Break Up, and it’s known as the “Uber for breakups” and is the exact opposite of what Annika is trying to achieve with her app. Hudson just so happens to move into the office next door to Annika’s. What also complicates things is that they have a past history, as Annika and Hudson had a summer fling in Vegas. The two begin to prank each other and bring on the competition. Things really heat up as they compete for the EPIC investment pitch contest, which Annika is desperate to win as her business is having some financial difficulties. Despite the two clashing constantly, Annika finds herself drawn to Hudson. As she gets to spend time with him, she finds that there may be more to him than his shallow public personality. She begins to wonder if she could have been completely wrong about him.

If you enjoy a good contemporary romance, then this book will be right up your alley. Lily Menon really knows how to write chemistry, and some of the scenes were absolutely smoking! This book is releasing in February, right before Valentine’s Day, so add it to your TBR now.

About the Author:

This is Lily Menon’s debut adult contemporary romance, which releases in February 2021.

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