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Dukes, Magical Realism, & More

Tiffany Girl

RECOMMENDED: Tiffany Girl by Deeanne Gist is $1.99! This is an American historical romance. Redheadedgirl read the book after hearing about it on a panel at a previous RT conference, and she gave it a B+:

I loved this and chewed through it like someone was going to take it away from me, and I’m totally going to check out more of Gist’s work.  She writes specifically American historicals, which are kind of sparse on the ground lately, and are a refreshing change of pace from the English historicals.

As preparations for the 1893 World’s Fair set Chicago and the nation on fire, Louis Tiffany—heir to the exclusive Fifth Avenue jewelry empire—seizes the opportunity to unveil his state-of-the-art, stained glass, mosaic chapel, the likes of which the world has never seen.

But when Louis’s dream is threatened by a glassworkers’ strike months before the Fair opens, he turns to an unforeseen source for help: the female students at the Art Students League of New York. Eager for adventure, the young women pick up their skirts, move to boarding houses, take up steel cutters, and assume new identities as the “Tiffany Girls.”

Tiffany Girl is the heartwarming story of the impetuous Flossie Jayne, a beautiful, budding artist who is handpicked by Louis to help complete the Tiffany chapel. Though excited to live in a boarding house when most women stayed home, she quickly finds the world is less welcoming than anticipated. From a Casanova male, to an unconventional married couple, and a condescending singing master, she takes on a colorful cast of characters to transform the boarding house into a home while racing to complete the Tiffany chapel and make a name for herself in the art world.

As challenges mount, her ambitions become threatened from an unexpected quarter: her own heart. Who will claim victory? Her dreams or the captivating boarder next door?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Tastes Like Shakkar

Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma is $1.99! It’s the second in the If Shakespeare Were an Auntie series. We recently recommend this one in a Rec League on Shakespearean Retellings. Did any of you pick this one up?

In the hilarious follow-up to the breakout rom-com Dating Dr. Dil, Nisha Sharma adds shakkar and mirch to Shakespeare’s iconic comedy Much Ado About Nothing for one sweet and spicy love story.

Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her way:

1. The egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and

2. Someone is trying to sabotage the wedding.

With aspirations of taking over her family’s event planning business, Bobbi knows that one misstep in managing the Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) party, along with the other weddings on her plate, will only give her uncle another reason not to promote her. That means Kareena’s big day and Bobbi’s future career are on the line.

Bunty will do anything for his best friend, even though he has his hands full in finding a new location for his next restaurant while also playing mediator between his brother and father, the celebrated Naan King. When Prem asks Bunty to help with the wedding menu, he agrees, especially since it puts him in close proximity to the delicious Bobbi Kaur. When a mystery shaadi saboteur starts leaving threatening notes, and cancelling cake orders, Bunty and Bobbi have no choice but to call a truce and face the volatile attraction they have for each other.

Through masquerade fundraisers and a joint bachelor-bachelorette trip to Vegas, this chef and wedding planner explore their growing connection all while trying to plan a wedding at Messina Vineyards in a time crunch. But once the shaadi saboteur is caught and the wedding is over, will their love story have a happily ever after?

With the return of the meddling aunties (who are scary good at finding information) and a lot of hilarity and hijinks, Bobbi and Bunty’s romance is an event you don’t want to miss.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Cartographers

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd is $1.99! We had a guest review of this one and Marion gave it a B:

It’s a gloriously geeky thriller, and would certainly appeal to readers who like characters who solve a mystery with extreme amounts of competence while revealing the details of a little-known field of work.

From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of M, a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history.

What is the purpose of a map?

Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.

But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence… because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.

But why?

To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps…

Perfect for fans of Joe Hill and V.E. Schwab, The Cartographers is an ode to art and science, history and magic—a spectacularly imaginative, modern story about an ancient craft and places still undiscovered.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Duke Starts a Scandal

The Duke Starts a Scandal by Sophie Jordan is $1.99! This is book four in The Duke Hunt. We mentioned this one on a previous Hide Your Wallet because of its eye-catching reverse clinch cover.

A duke with secrets.

Lucian, the newly minted Duke of Penning, has much to prove– to himself, his family and the ton. Craving spotless respectability, he must find an aristocratic wife. Unfortunately, he can’t keep his eyes–and thoughts–off his deliciously distracting housekeeper. Such a dalliance can only mar the facade he’s constructed to protect his sisters’ future from the demons of his past…but this fiery passion is a temptation he cannot resist. While Susanna may not the bride he needs, she is everything he desires.

A woman with a past.

As the housekeeper to one of the grandest estates in England, Susanna Lockhart has worked determinedly to become all that is proper and efficient, and she never steps over the line. Romance is an indulgence for the upper class, not for her–and most especially not with her employer. But every smoldering glance from the surly, handsome duke calls to the long-buried reckless wanton inside Susanna. A love between them can never be, but will Lucian and Susanna risk being together…

Even if it starts a scandal…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Duchess by Sophie Jordan

The Duchess
CW/TW?

CW: Domestic violence (in the past, but discussed in some detail in flashbacks), some violence

Sarah: This book is extraordinary in that the cover copy, the plot, and the characters all hinted at many potential delights, and delivered on none of them. When Lara messaged me about the book since I’d mentioned it in a recent Hide Your Wallet, we decided to review the book together. 

The cover copy mentions that this is a “new high concept series, The Scandalous Ladies of London, which chronicles the lives of a group of affluent ladies reigning over glittering, Regency-era London, vying for position in the hierarchy of the ton.” This sounds interesting. There’s a subtle alignment with fantasy opulent reality tv like the Real Housewives – at least, I thought so anyway. It seemed like there might be some exploration of the development and deployment of social power structures, and the limitations on the women inside them. Nope.

They are the young wives, widows, and daughters of London’s wealthiest families. The drama is big, the money runs deep, and the shade is real. Life is different in the ton.

All of those things might be true, but they’re not in this book.

Here’s the complete cover copy, so you don’t have to click and look it up:

The thrilling second book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s amazing new high concept series, The Scandalous Ladies of London, which chronicles the lives of a group of affluent ladies reigning over glittering, Regency-era London, vying for position in the hierarchy of the ton. They are the young wives, widows, and daughters of London’s wealthiest families. The drama is big, the money runs deep, and the shade is real. Life is different in the ton.

“I liked my husband well enough … but I like him even better dead.”

It’s been a year since her wretched cad of a husband died and Valencia, the Dowager Duchess of Dedham, is finally her own woman. Flitting from party to party, freedom is sweet and life should be perfect. Until the new duke surfaces.

Nothing like the haughty noblemen who populate the ton, Rhain, the newly minted Duke of Dedham, is a big brawny Welshman with an accent that makes Valencia’s knees go weak as he boldly moves into her home with his six wild unwed sisters. The rude and humorless usurper thinks her vain and spoiled. But with a pittance to her name, Valencia needs his support to remain in London and enjoy all the pleasures her new position as a merry widow has to offer.

So a bargain is struck. Valencia will usher his sisters into Good Society and see them happily betrothed. In return, he’ll give her the financial security and independence she craves. But the more time they spend beneath the same roof, the more she realizes it’s not safety she wants but the dangerously seductive Rhain. Valencia has vowed never to risk marriage again. And yet how can she resist the tempting man when he might be the greatest adventure of her life?

The story opens with Valencia, the widowed dowager Duchess of Dedham, heading to a party on a barge. There are hints that her late husband was terrible (he was) and she’s ready to finally emerge from mourning (indeed). She falls into the Thames (ew) and is fished out by some gentlemen, including one surly, scowly dude who is surly and scowls at her (that’s a lot of his personality, alas) and, wet and deflated and very unhappy, she heads home.

She wakes up to mayhem in her home the next morning. The new duke has arrived. His name is Rhain, he is a massively sized dude from Wales who is barely interested in his new title, and has 12 (Twelve. TWELVE.) sisters, six of whom must make their entrance into society. Is he also Mr. Surly and Scowly from the night before? Of course he is.

The best part of this opening mayhem is Elin, who announces her backstory:

“A month ago I was in trousers and fishing at the local pond with lads from the village. Now I’m rubbing elbows with blue-blooded prigs and standing next to paintings that belong in a museum.”

Got it!

Lara: I picked up this book because it promised DRAMA. I anticipated something like Dynasty but set in Regency London, but alas! (Side note: if someone has read a book like that, please drop the title in the comments!)

This book promised so much. The cover? Lush. The cover copy? Decadent. But no delivery on that promise, like Sarah said. I did read a particularly scathing Goodreads review before starting this book and that definitely prompted me to keep reading when I otherwise would have given up. I needed to get to that ending that had the reviewer up in arms. More on that ending later.

The one thing the book kind of offered me was an acknowledgement of the strictures placed upon women at the time. This was a kind of frustrated side note with not much unpacking or further development. Valencia herself was acutely aware of the ways in which her life was shaped by the men around her. Sadly, given the context, it was not Valencia who stepped up and shaped her destiny. Rather it fell to Rhain to be the knight in shining armour when the estate agents were making decisions for Valencia.

There is a secondary character that I was curious about: Valencia’s stepmother, Hazel – a younger woman married to Valencia’s misogynistic father. Hazel had worked as a courtesan and had been Valencia’s father’s mistress until she married him. This was a story that we had small snippets of and I would have dearly loved more of it.

Sarah: Yes, there were many places where I thought a side plot or character would develop that didn’t. I thought there was going to be a lot more to the story. The cover copy and the narration from Valencia’s point of view in just the first chapter dropped interesting hints and made, I thought, promises of some potentially juicy situations. But the characters themselves and their dialogue, the plot, and the details are all very obvious, almost ham fisted.

The tension of someone not raised within the ton finding themselves within it, and from such a social position that they cannot be rejected outright (dukedoms have uses) is a very tempting lure for me. The distance between a character and the expectations placed upon them, whether that person is a dowager widow or a newly inherited duke, or one of the chaotic sisters of said duke, is part of what I was hoping to read about. There’s barely even a makeover – and there was the potential for SIX. SIX makeovers!

The tension of transforming six young women from rural Wales into people who know what to do in the various, intricately weird social gatherings of the upper class? Hardly present. I’m so bummed. There is a lot of exploration of Valencia’s marriage, which indeed was terrible, but Valencia and Rhain have a whopping case of insta-love, and as a person who adores internal conflict, I disliked that immensely.

Social barriers and class structures are tricky and complex and nuanced. The book seemed to promise some navigation of that complexity, and delivered so little.

Lara: The first three quarters of this book is really a damp squib. It is rare that a book that involves a trip to a sex club can be described as dowdy, but this one is. It just really underdelivered on its promises. There was one relatively hot sex scene, but otherwise just kind of boring kisses. The sex club trip had one solitary kiss for our leads!

I’m open to insta-love in certain contexts, but this example of it fell really flat for me. I really missed the dynamism of two complex characters growing both individually and together. This felt very “paint by numbers”.

Now the ending, which I shall hide behind a spoiler because it was a surprise, I’ll say that, but not in a good way.

Herein lie spoilers.

In the final 10% of the novel, Valencia is kidnapped by an enemy whose identity I shall protect.

Sarah: It’s Elin. She got some fishing line and made a big ol’ snare. (I’m kidding.)

Lara: While there is some tension built in the flashback scenes to Valencia’s husband’s death, this kidnapping felt very out of the blue.

Sarah: It was very unexpected and so different in tone from the rest of the novel that I said, out loud, ‘What is HAPPENING right now?!’ while I was reading.

Lara: It is as though the book makes a dramatic jump from romantic drama into mystery or thriller, and there wasn’t really the build up to show that that jump would be taking place.

Sarah: Yes, that’s exactly it. It was like a completely different genre ending was tacked on. The romance between Rhain and Valencia didn’t have much build, either. And to build suspense or tension, whether that’s in a crowded society gathering or between characters or in an overall plot, there have to be some stakes, and I didn’t feel like there were many here – until the whiplash of the last 15% or so.

Lara: Grading this is a tough one for me because I did read the whole thing over a couple days. I think I land firmly in the D category. It’s not great, but it’s still a readable book even though I didn’t particularly love the reading experience and it was peppered with groans of exasperation rather than sighs of joy.

Sarah: I think one reason I jumped on the opportunity to review this with you, Lara, is that it allows me to talk about everything without a lot of waving my arms around and making noise. I was so tempted by the mentions of “scandal” and “vying for position” and there really wasn’t much of what I had been expecting?

And originally I thought the problem was me! Maybe my expectations were incorrect, or maybe I read the copy wrong or drew the wrong conclusion. It’s a relief to know I’m not alone in thinking this book would be much more soapy and effervescent than it was. Like you, I would love to read a dishy, scandalous romance with socially fluent and powerful women constantly renegotiating their limited power. That sounds awesome.

Lara: We are in perfect harmony on many fronts!

Sarah: I would land on a C- for this book after much examination of my own very interesting navel (I am a blogger at heart, after all). A lot of my frustrations aren’t necessarily the fault of the book, but are the fault of the copy and the marketing. The book not matching its marketing is not a problem with the book itself, but the bizarre addition of a late-third-act tone and genre shift along with some worn tropes and backstory-laden dialogue were problems for me.

 

Hide Your Wallet: March 26th Release Week!

Hide those wallets because March is ending with a bang!

On average, I feel like we have 6-7 books between all of us that we’re looking forward to in a release week. This week, we’re at eleven! And the start of April is looking equally as busy.

What new releases are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

A Governess’s Guide to Passion and Peril

A Governess’s Guide to Passion and Peril by Manda Collins

Author: Manda Collins
Released: March 26, 2024 by Forever
Genre: ,
Series: Ladies Most Scandalous #4

Two friends reunite—and discover hidden feelings—while investigating a murder in this sensual, witty historical romance.

Jane Halliwell once dreamed of a home of her own—but those dreams (and her dowry) died with her father. Now, she works as a governess, preparing her charge for a future no longer within her reach. When her employer is murdered during a house party, however, Jane is forced back into the world of the ton. But stepping in as hostess will require working with the same lord who once broke her girlish heart.

Lord Adrian Fielding was too consumed with his job at the Foreign Office to pay young Jane much heed, but he always considered her a friend. Which is why he’s confounded by her icy demeanor now. More troubling still is his desire to melt the tensions between them. But his mentor’s murder means he must first find the culprit—and ensure Jane’s safety as she manages a house full of foreign dignitaries.

Only Jane insists on joining the investigation, and Adrian, despite all his diplomatic skills, finds himself seduced by her sharp wit and sparkling eyes. But with a vicious killer circling ever closer, will it soon be too late for their chance at forever?

The next book in the Ladies Most Scandalous series.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Cover Story

Cover Story by Rachel Lacey

Author: Rachel Lacey
Released: March 26, 2024 by Montlake
Genre: , ,

Natalie Keane is one of Hollywood’s top leading ladies, but she’s paid a steep price for her fame. After she was stalked eight years ago, the ensuing media frenzy almost broke her. So when a new threat arises, Natalie agrees to extra security, but she wants to keep it under wraps. The last thing she needs is another tabloid spectacle, especially during awards season.

Taylor Vaughn has made a career as a bodyguard to the stars, but an injury has kept her sidelined for the past three months, jeopardizing her future in the job she loves. When an opportunity arises to work for Natalie Keane, Taylor jumps at the chance—even before knowing the details of the assignment.

From the moment they meet, Natalie knows this could Taylor, the bodyguard, masquerading as her girlfriend. The perfect cover story. But as circumstances push the two women closer, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur.

Elyse’s pick!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Duchess

The Duchess by Sophie Jordan

Author: Sophie Jordan
Released: March 26, 2024 by Avon
Genre: ,
Series: The Scandalous Ladies of London #2

The thrilling second book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s amazing new high concept series, The Scandalous Ladies of London, which chronicles the lives of a group of affluent ladies reigning over glittering, Regency-era London, vying for position in the hierarchy of the ton. They are the young wives, widows, and daughters of London’s wealthiest families. The drama is big, the money runs deep, and the shade is real. Life is different in the ton.

“I liked my husband well enough … but I like him even better dead.”

It’s been a year since her wretched cad of a husband died and Valencia, the Dowager Duchess of Dedham, is finally her own woman. Flitting from party to party, freedom is sweet and life should be perfect. Until the new duke surfaces.

Nothing like the haughty noblemen who populate the ton, Rhain, the newly minted Duke of Dedham, is a big brawny Welshman with an accent that makes Valencia’s knees go weak as he boldly moves into her home with his six wild unwed sisters. The rude and humorless usurper thinks her vain and spoiled. But with a pittance to her name, Valencia needs his support to remain in London and enjoy all the pleasures her new position as a merry widow has to offer.

So a bargain is struck. Valencia will usher his sisters into Good Society and see them happily betrothed. In return, he’ll give her the financial security and independence she craves. But the more time they spend beneath the same roof, the more she realizes it’s not safety she wants but the dangerously seductive Rhain. Valencia has vowed never to risk marriage again. And yet how can she resist the tempting man when he might be the greatest adventure of her life?

Sarah: The Scandalous Ladies of London series looks very fun – the pitch worked on me: “I liked my husband well enough … but I like him even better dead.” She didn’t kill him, but he sucked.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Emperor and the Endless Palace

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang

Author: Justinian Huang
Released: March 26, 2024 by MIRA
Genre: , , , ,

“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”

In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor—but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue.

In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead.

And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they’ve met before.

Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them.

As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power that transcends time itself…but one that might consume them both.

An unpredictable roller coaster of a debut novel, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a genre-bending romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love.

This one has been getting so much buzz!

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The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Sutanto

Author: Jesse Sutanto
Released: March 26, 2024 by Berkley
Genre: , ,
Series: Aunties #3

What should have been a family celebration of Chinese New Year descends into chaos when longtime foes crash the party in this hilariously entertaining novel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

After an ultra-romantic honeymoon across Europe, Meddy Chan and her husband Nathan have landed in Jakarta to spend Chinese New Year with her entire extended family. Chinese New Year, already the biggest celebration of the Lunar calendar, gets even more festive when a former beau of Second Aunt’s shows up at the Chan residence bearing extravagant gifts—he’s determined to rekindle his romance with Second Aunt and the gifts are his way of announcing his courtship.

His grand gesture goes awry however, when it’s discovered that not all the gifts were meant for Second Aunt and the Chans—one particular gift was intended for a business rival to cement their alliance and included by accident. Of course the Aunties agree that it’s only right to return the gift—after all, anyone would forgive an honest mistake, right? But what should have been a simple retrieval turns disastrous and suddenly Meddy and the Aunties are helpless pawns in a decades-long war between Jakarta’s most powerful business factions. The fighting turns personal, however, when Nathan and the Aunties are endangered and it’s up to Meddy to come up with a plan to save them all.  Determined to rescue her loved ones, Meddy embarks on an impossible mission—but with the Aunties by her side, nothing is truly impossible…

We’re onto the third adventure of Meddy and her aunties!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

How to Solve Your Own Murder

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

Author: Kristen Perrin
Released: March 26, 2024 by Dutton
Genre:
Series: Castle Knoll Files #1

For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club , an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate…. Now it’s up to her great-niece to catch the killer.

It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?

As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.

Amanda: This sounds like such a quirky, fun mystery!

Sarah: I’m very curious about this one, in particular because it’s probably going to have several generations of gossip and secrets.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Icarus

Icarus by K. Ancrum

Author: K. Ancrum
Released: March 26, 2024 by HarperTeen
Genre: , ,

Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, this suspenseful queer YA romance from critically acclaimed author K. Ancrum reimagines the tale of Icarus as a star-crossed love story between a young art thief and the son of the man he’s been stealing from—think Portrait of a Thief for YA readers.

Icarus Gallagher is a thief. He steals priceless art and replaces it with his father’s impeccable forgeries. For years, one man—the wealthy Mr. Black—has been their target in revenge for his role in the death of Icarus’s mother. To keep their secret, Icarus adheres to his own strict rules to keep people, and feelings, at Don’t let anyone close. Don’t let anyone touch you. And, above all, don’t get caught.

Until one night, he does. Not by Mr. Black but by his mysterious son, Helios, now living under house arrest in the Black mansion. Instead of turning Icarus in, Helios bargains for something even more dangerous—a friendship that breaks every single one of Icarus’s rules.

As reluctance and distrust become closeness and something more, they uncover the gilded cage that has trapped both their families for years. One Icarus is determined to escape. But his father’s thirst for revenge shows no sign of fading, and soon it may force Icarus to the escape he’s dreamed of, or the boy he’s come to love. Reaching for both could be his greatest triumph—or it could be his downfall.

Dahlia: K. Ancrum is one of the most brilliant and interesting authors in YA right now and I can’t wait to see what she does with the myth of Icarus, especially knowing this one has rare intersex representation.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Manila Takes Manhattan

Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman

Author: Carla de Guzman
Released: March 26, 2024 by Afterglow Books by Harlequin
Genre: ,

Fans of Jasmine Guillory and Helen Hoang will adore this irresistibly engaging story of two Filipino celebrities caught between everything they want…and everything they are.

How do you follow your heart when it’s in two places?

Filipino musician and producer Mon Mendoza has been in New York for less than a day. Just long enough to feel like he doesn’t belong despite landing a life-changing opportunity. All he can do is set a date night for just himself and some pancit canton. Which, as it turns out, is the only invitation his gorgeous Pinoy neighbor needs…

Actress Olivia Angeles can wear a character like a well-fitted dress. It’s her real self she’s having a hard time fitting into, craving a niche in Hollywood that doesn’t compromise her identity in the name of success. And right now, all she wants is comfort in the form of tasty noodles and her outrageously hot new neighbor. One night. Just enough to lose herself in his touch and the feel of his lips…

Only their sexy little tryst isn’t quite what they signed up for. Because for the next month, Mon and Olivia are working on the same movie. Together. Now they’re discovering they have a lot more in common than Pinoyness and sizzling chemistry. But how do you find yourself and your person when you’re caught between two different worlds?

Aarya: Excited to try books by the new Harlequin imprint Afterglow Books!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Maya’s Laws of Love

Maya’s Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja

Author: Alina Khawaja
Released: March 26, 2024 by MIRA
Genre: ,

A bride-to-be convinced she’s cursed in romance finds her luck changing—at exactly the wrong time.

Maya Mirza is so convinced she’s unlucky in love that she’s come up with a list of laws to explain it. Most importantly…
•Maya’s Law #1: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

But that’s about to change. Maya’s headed to Pakistan for an arranged marriage with a handsome, successful doctor who ticks all the right boxes. First comes marriage, then comes love—she’s sure of it. Except…
•Law #4: When you think you’re lucky, think again.

From the start, Maya’s journey is riddled with disaster, and the cynical lawyer seated next to her on the plane isn’t helping. When a storm leaves them stranded in Switzerland, she and Sarfaraz become unlikely travel companions through bus breakdowns and missed connections.
•Law #6: Trips are never smooth sailing.

And before long, Maya’s wondering whether she’s just experienced the ultimate in misfortune—finally meeting the right man a few days before she marries someone else. And Maya might just be the worst person to keep a secret.
•Law #18: If you’re overtired, you’ll always spill your guts.

But maybe, if she’s willing to bend some laws, this detour could take her somewhere totally—and wonderfully—unexpected.

This contemporary romance and its “road trip” element sounds super cute!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Other Side of Disappearing

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

Author: Kate Clayborn
Released: March 26, 2024 by Kensington Books
Genre: ,

Hairstylist Jess Greene has spent the last decade raising her younger half-sister, Tegan—and keeping a shocking secret. Ever since their reckless mother ran off with a boyfriend she’d known only a few months, Jess has been aware that he’s the same accomplished con man who was the subject of a wildly popular podcast, The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore.

Now thirty-one, Jess didn’t bargain on Tegan eventually piecing together the connection for herself. But Tegan plans to do exactly what Jess has always feared—leave their safe, stable home to search for their mother—and she’ll be accompanied by the prying podcast host and her watchful, handsome producer, Adam Hawkins. Unwilling to let the sister she’s spent so much of her life protecting go it alone, Jess reluctantly joins them.

Together, the four make their way across the country, unraveling the mystery of where the couple disappeared to and why. But soon Jess is discovering other things too. Like a renewed sense of vulnerability and curiosity, and a willingness to expand beyond the walls she’s so carefully built. And in Adam, she finds an unexpected connection she didn’t even know was missing, if only she can let go and let him in . . .

Aarya: Not the biggest fan of podcast-centric romance, but it’s Kate Clayborn.

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The Witch Queen of Halloween

The Witch Queen of Halloween by Kresley Cole

Author: Kresley Cole
Released: March 26, 2024 by Valkyrie Press
Genre: , ,
Series: Immortals After Dark #18.5

The next spellbinding installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling Immortals After Dark series .

A demon soldier of fortune . . .
Rök Kours dives into a dangerous job, only to cross swords with the one woman who bewitched him.

A Wiccan mercenary . . .
Poppy Dyer has never let her uncontrollable magic interfere with her work, but she can barely withstand one demon’s charms.

Trapped in a terrifying lair.
If the two rivals can defeat Halloween’s worst nightmares to escape a haunted castle, can they overcome their pasts to claim a future together?

Amanda: Look, it’s not a full-length novel, but I’ll take it.

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Bikers, Best Men, & More

The Duchess Hunt

The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath is $1.99! This is book two in the Once Upon a Dukedom series and wow, she’s about to be tits out in that field. The heroine is also named Penelope Pettypeace, which is a mouthful.

Hugh Brinsley-Norton, the Duke of Kingsland, is in need of a duchess. However, restoring the dukedom—left in ruins by his father—to its former glory demands all his time, with little room for sentiment. He places an advert encouraging the single ladies of the ton to write why they should be the one chosen, and leaves it to his efficient secretary to select his future wife.

If there exists a more unpleasant task in the world than deciding who is to marry the man you love, Penelope Pettypeace certainly can’t imagine what it might be. Still, she is determined to find the perfect bride for her clueless, yet ruthlessly charming employer.

But when an anonymous note threatens to reveal truths best hidden, Kingsland has no choice but to confront the danger with Penelope at his side. Beguiled by the strong-willed, courageous beauty, he realizes he’s willing to risk everything, including his heart, to keep her safe within his arms. Could it be the duchess he’s hunting for has been in front of him all along?

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The Virgin and the Rogue

The Virgin and the Rogue by Sophie Jordan is $1.99! This is book six in The Rogue Files series. Elyse was excited about this one, but was let down. Ultimately, she gave it a D. Did you have a different experience? Or do you feel the same?

Continuing her bestselling Rogue Files series, Sophie Jordan brews up a scintillating romance about a timid wallflower who discovers a love potion and ends up falling for a dashing rogue.

A love potion…

Charlotte Langley has always been the prudent middle sister, so her family is not surprised when she makes the safe choice and agrees to wed her childhood sweetheart. But when she finds herself under the weather and drinks a “healing” tonic, the potion provokes the most maddening desire…for someone other than her betrothed.

With the power…

Kingston’s rakehell ways are going to destroy him and he’s vowed to change. His stepbrother’s remote estate is just the place for a reformed rogue to hide. The last thing he wants is to be surrounded by society, but when he gets stuck alone with a wallflower who is already betrothed… and she astonishes him with a fiery kiss, he forgets all about hiding.

To alter two destinies.

Although Charlotte appears meek, Kingston soon discovers there’s a vixen inside, yearning to break free. Unable to forget their illicit moment of passion, Kingston vows to relive the encounter, but Charlotte has sworn it will never happen again—no matter how earth-shattering it was. But will a devilish rogue tempt her to risk everything for a chance at true love?

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Best Men

Best Men by Sidney Karger is $2.99! Carrie reviewed this one and gave it C-:

I think it’s safe to say that I am not the target demographic for Best Men, a romantic comedy between two gay men in New York City. I say this not because I am a woman, nor because I live in the suburbs of Sacramento instead of in an apartment in Manhattan. No readers, I say this because I am OLD and the lives of these characters, all of whom are in their early thirties, sound exhausting.

“Bursting with laughs and so much love, Sidney Karger’s debut novel delivers a truly refreshing spin on the romantic comedy…A big-hearted, feel-good summer escape.”—Anderson Cooper, #1 New York Times bestselling author and journalist

When two best men in a wedding party fall for each other, they realize love isn’t a piece of cake in this hilarious and heartfelt romantic comedy debut by screenwriter Sidney Karger.

Max Moody thought he had everything figured out. He’s trying to live his best life in New York City and has the best friend a gay guy could ask Paige. She and Max grew up next door to each other in the suburbs of Chicago. She can light up any party. She finishes his sentences. She’s always a reliable splunch (they don’t like to use the word brunch) partner. But then Max’s whole world is turned upside down when Paige suddenly announces some huge she’s engaged and wants Max to be her man of honor. Max was always the romantic one who imagined he would get married before the unpredictable Paige and is shocked to hear she’s ready to settle down. But it turns out there’s not just one new man in Paige’s life—there are two.

There’s the groom, Austin, who’s a perfectly nice guy. Then there’s his charming, fun and ridiculously handsome gay younger brother, Chasten, who is Austin’s best man. As Paige’s wedding draws closer, Max, the introverted Midwesterner, and Chasten, the social butterfly East Coaster, realize they’re like oil and water. Yet they still have to figure out how to coexist in Paige’s life while not making her wedding festivities all about them. But can the tiny romantic spark between these two very different guys transform their best man supporting roles into the leading best men in each other’s lives?

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Going Down on One Knee

Going Down on One Knee by Christina Hovland is $2.49! This book sounds kind of bananas in the best way. The hero is a bike and a rockstar, who is then tasked with playing wedding planner. Yep, a biker rockstar wedding planner. Readers liked the opposites attract romance, but as you can tell, there’s a lot going on.

Number-crunching Velma Johnson’s perfectly planned life is right on course.

That’s a lie. Sure, she’s got the lucrative job. She’s got the posh apartment. But her sister nabbed Velma’s Mr. Right. There has to be a man out there for Velma. Hopefully one who’s hunky, wears pressed suits, and has a diversified financial portfolio. He’ll be exactly like, well… her sister’s new fiancé.

Badass biker Brek Montomery blazes a trail across the country, managing Dimefront, one of the biggest rock bands of his generation. With the band on hiatus, Brek rolls into Denver to pay a quick visit to his family and friends. But when Brek’s sister suddenly gets put on bed rest, she convinces Brek to take over her wedding planning business for the duration of her pregnancy.

Staying in Denver and dealing with bridezillas was not what Brek had in mind when he passed through town, but there is one particular maid-of-honor who might make his stay worthwhile.

Velma finds herself strangely attracted to the man planning her sister’s wedding. Problem is, he ticks none of the boxes on her well-crafted list. Brek is rough around the edges, he cusses, and doesn’t even have a 401(k). But trying something crazy might get her out of the rut of her dating life—so long as she lays down boundaries up front and sticks to her plan…

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Pop Stars, Vampires, & More

Bridgerton Collection Volume 2

Bridgerton Collection Volume 2 by Julia Quinn is $4.99! The first collection has been on sale before and if you’re looking to slowly accrue these books on your e-reader, this is good deal. Do you have a favorite Bridgerton novel?

An enchanting collection containing books four, five, and six of #1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn’s beloved Regency-set Bridgerton novels—Romancing Mister Bridgerton; To Sir Phillip, with Love; and When He Was Wicked—now a series created by Shondaland for Netflix.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend’s brother from afar for forever—until she stumbles across Colin Bridgerton’s deepest secret and fears she doesn’t know him at all. Meanwhile, Colin is tired of his reputation as an empty-headed charmer and of the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown. Upon his return to London, he discovers everything has changed—especially Penelope Featherington! The girl who was always simply there suddenly haunts his dreams. When he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide . . . is she his biggest threat or his promise of a happy ending?

To Sir Phillip, With Love

Sir Phillip knew that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster, and so he’d proposed, figuring she’d be timid and desperate to marry. Except . . . she wasn’t. And all he wanted to do was kiss her . . . As for Eloise, she couldn’t marry a man she had never met! Yet, she found herself in a carriage on her way to meet her perfect match. Except . . . he wasn’t. Despite being handsome, Phillip was a large, ill-mannered brute. But when he kissed her, the world simply fell away… could this imperfect man be perfect for her?

When He Was Wicked

After a lifetime of smiling slyly as women chased him, Michael Stirling, London’s most infamous rake, took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell hopelessly in love. Unfortunately for Michael, Francesca’s surname was to remain Bridgerton for only a mere thirty-six hours longer—they met at a supper celebrating her imminent wedding to his cousin. But that was then . . . Now Michael is the earl and Francesca is free, but she still sees him as a dear friend. Michael dares not profess his love . . . until one dangerous night, passion proves stronger than even the most wicked of secrets . . .

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Stars Collide

Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey is $2.49 at Amazon! This is a lesbian romance between two musicians and I’m inferring a bit of an age difference. I know the Bitchery has enjoyed Lacey’s books before.

Eden Sands has been a star for twenty years, but it’s lonely at the top. Her mediocre marriage just ended, and her inner circle is smaller than ever. The stage is the only place she’s ever felt like she truly belonged, and yet, her last album flopped, and her upcoming tour hasn’t sold out. Eden’s desperate for her star to shine bright again, but when her team suggests a collaboration with an up-and-coming young star to give her a boost, she balks.

Anna Moss is pop music’s rising star. She’s idolized Eden Sands for most of her life—so it’s a dream come true when she’s invited to perform with her at the Grammys. Anna’s tired of being defined by her bubbly persona. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, and a duet with Eden could be just what she needs.

As Anna and Eden rehearse, they soon realize they have more in common than their musical talents. Now they just have to decide if what is between them is a one-hit wonder or the making of a romance worthy of one of the greatest love songs of all time.

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All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan is $1.99! This has the ol’ “heroine is the sister of the hero’s best friend” trope. Apparently, the heroine also throws punch in the hero’s face, which I’m all about. Some readers had mixed feelings about the chemistry between the main couple. Some also found the banter to be fiery and playful, while others thought it was just plan mean at times.

There was once a lady who loathed a lord…

Lady Aurelia hasn’t always hated Max, Viscount Camden, her brother’s best friend. In fact, as a besotted girl, she thrived under his kind attention – sure that he was the most noble and handsome man in the land. Until her young heart discovered what manner of rogue he really was. Now, though she enjoys nothing more than getting on his last nerve, she can’t deny Max drives her to distraction—even if she tries to pretend otherwise.

…and a lord who was confounded by a lady.

Max cannot recall a time when Aurelia did not vex him. If she was not his friend’s sister, he would stay far away from the infuriating vixen. Unfortunately, they are always thrown together. At parties and family gatherings…she is always there. Infuriating him, tossing punch in his face, driving him mad…until one night, she goes too far and he retaliates in the only way he can: with a kiss that changes everything.

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A Duel with the Vampire Lord

A Duel with the Vampire Lord by Elise Kova is $2.99! This is book three in the Married to Magic series and I believe Elyse mentioned this on Hide Your Wallet. I love these covers and especially the short-haired heroine here.

On the night of the blood moon, the Vampire Lord must die.

Floriane’s position as the forge maiden of Hunter’s Hamlet is one of reverence, for it is her skill that arms and protects the vampire hunters. She knows her place and is a faithful servant to the Master Hunter and her community… until the night of the blood moon. Until her brother is dying at the hands of the Vampire Lord Ruvan.

Wanting to defend her home at all costs, Floriane fights the vampire lord, ready to give her life if it means taking his. But Ruvan doesn’t want to take her life… he wants her.

Kidnapped and brought to the vampire castle, Floriane is now blood sworn to the vampire lord. She is bound in mind and body to her worst enemy. But Ruvan isn’t the fiend she thought he was. She learns the truth of the vampires: They are not mindless monsters, but a proud people, twisted and tortured by an ancient curse.

Ruvan believes that Floriane might be the key to ending his people’s suffering. All Floriane wants is to defend her home. Loyalties are tested and the lines between truth and lie, hate and passion, are blurred.

When her dagger is at his chest, will she be able to take the heart of the man who has claimed hers?

A darkly-reimagined Snow White meets inspiration from Beauty and the Beast in an epic fantasy world of hunters, vampires, and curses that run deeper than blood. This stand alone is complete with a “happily ever after” ending. It’s perfect for fantasy romance fans looking for just the right amount of steam and their next slow-burn and swoon worthy, enemies to lovers story.

While it is set in the Married to Magic universe, readers can start with this book.

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Hide Your Wallet: October 24th Release Week!

It’s Tuesday, which means dozens and dozens of new books are hitting the shelves and ereaders!

This week we have some spicy contemporaries, historical romances, and even a YA romance inspired by a classic rom-com.

What’s your TBR pile looking like this week? Anything you’re really excited for?

The Duke Starts a Scandal

The Duke Starts a Scandal by Sophie Jordan

Author: Sophie Jordan
Released: October 24, 2023 by Avon
Genre: ,
Series: The Duke Hunt #4

A duke with secrets.

Lucian, the newly minted Duke of Penning, has much to prove– to himself, his family and the ton. Craving spotless respectability, he must find an aristocratic wife. Unfortunately, he can’t keep his eyes–and thoughts–off his deliciously distracting housekeeper. Such a dalliance can only mar the facade he’s constructed to protect his sisters’ future from the demons of his past…but this fiery passion is a temptation he cannot resist. While Susanna may not the bride he needs, she is everything he desires.

A woman with a past.

As the housekeeper to one of the grandest estates in England, Susanna Lockhart has worked determinedly to become all that is proper and efficient, and she never steps over the line. Romance is an indulgence for the upper class, not for her–and most especially not with her employer. But every smoldering glance from the surly, handsome duke calls to the long-buried reckless wanton inside Susanna. A love between them can never be, but will Lucian and Susanna risk being together…

Even if it starts a scandal…

The latest in The Duke Hunt series with an eye-catching cover.

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The Innocent Sleep

The Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire

Author: Seanan McGuire
Released: October 24, 2023 by DAW
Genre: ,
Series: October Daye #18

For one bright, shining moment, Tybalt, King of Cats, had everything he had ever wanted. He was soon to set his crown aside; he had married the woman he loved; he was going to be a father. After centuries of searching for a family of his own, he had finally found a way to construct the life of his dreams, and was looking forward to a period of peace—or at least as much peace as is ever in the offing for the husband of a hero.

Alas for Tybalt and his domestic aspirations, fate—and Titania—had other ideas. His perfect world had been complete for only a moment when it was ripped away, to be replaced by hers. Titania, Faerie’s Summer Queen, Mother of Illusions and enemy of so many he holds dear, has seized control of the Kingdom, remaking it in her own image. An image which does not include meddlesome shapeshifters getting in her way. Tybalt quickly finds himself banished from her reality, along with the Undersea and the rest of the Court of Cats.

To protect his people and his future, Tybalt must find the woman he loves in a world designed to keep her from him, convince her that he’s not a stranger trying to ruin her life for no apparent reason, and get her to unmake the illusion she’s been firmly enmeshed in. And he’ll have to do it all while she doesn’t know him, and every unrecognizing look is a knife to his heart.

For Tybalt, King of Cats, the happily ever after was just the beginning.

The next book in the October Day series.

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King of Greed

King of Greed by Ana Huang

Author: Ana Huang
Released: October 24, 2023
Genre: ,
Series: Kings of Sin #3

He had her, he lost her…and he’ll do anything to win her back.

Powerful, brilliant, and ambitious, Dominic Davenport clawed his way up from nothing to become the King of Wall Street.

He has everything—a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, and more money than he could spend in a lifetime. But no matter how much he accumulates, he’s never satisfied.

In his endless quest for more, he drives away the only person who saw him as enough.

It isn’t until she’s gone that he realizes there may be more to life than riches and glory…but by then, it may be too late.

***

Kind, intelligent, and thoughtful, Alessandra Davenport has played the role of trophy wife for years.

She stood by her husband while he built an empire, but now that they’ve reached the top, she realizes he’s no longer the man she fell for.

When it becomes clear that she’ll always come second to his work, she finally takes charge of her life and puts herself first—even if it means leaving the only man she’s ever loved.

But what she didn’t count on was his refusal to let her go…or for him to fight for their marriage, no matter what it takes.

King of Greed is a steamy marriage in trouble/second chance romance. It’s book three in the Kings of Sin series but can be read as a standalone.

Elyse: I enjoyed the first two books in this series; they’re tropey and sexy.

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The Last Close Call

The Last Close Call by Laura Griffin

Author: Laura Griffin
Released: October 24, 2023 by Berkley
Genre: ,

A talented genetic analyst and a detective who’s haunted by an elusive cold case team up in the new standalone romantic suspense from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Forensic genealogist Rowan Healy has made a name for herself by helping investigators trace the family trees of violent criminals who have eluded justice for years. But the pressure of police cases left her burned out, and she’s shifted her focus to helping adoptees find their biological parents.

Austin detective Jack Bruner has spent his career successfully tracking down vicious criminals–with the notable exception of the West Campus Rapist, a meticulous offender in Texas who has never been identified. When the latest two victims come to light, Jack sees his target is escalating his violent behavior–and only with Rowan’s help does he stand a chance of cracking this case.

Moved by Jack’s dedication and the brutal details of the attacks he lays out, Rowan agrees to help. When her ground-breaking DNA research sheds new light on the criminal’s background and helps them zero in on a search radius, Rowan and Jack must race against the clock to find a ruthless killer who’s growing bolder the longer he evades the law.

Laura Griffin’s books have been well-received on the site, especially by Lara!

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Sleepless in Dubai

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel

Author: Sajni Patel
Released: October 24, 2023 by Amulet Books
Genre: , ,

From Sajni Patel, the author of My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding , comes this hilarious, smart, and swoon-worthy rom-com about two teens traveling to Dubai for Diwali.

In this hate-to-love teen rom-com, Nikki, an aspiring photographer, accompanies her family on a trip to Dubai to celebrate the five days of Diwali in style. It would be the trip of a lifetime, if Yash, the boy next door—with whom Nikki has a rocky history—wasn’t also on the flight.

Oblivious to the tension, Nikki’s matchmaking family encourages Nikki to get better acquainted with Yash. It turns out a lot can change on a 12-hour flight beyond just continents. But can betrayals and conflicting ambitions be set aside long enough for the two teens to discover the true meaning of the Festival of Lights?

A YA romance inspired by Sleepless in Seattle with some forced proximity on a long-distance flight.

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Books with Holidays!

Duke, Actually

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday is $1.99! This is a holiday romance and the second book in the Christmas in Eldovia series. I remember Elyse reading it and commenting in Slack that she was enjoying it. I, sadly, don’t do holiday romances. What about you?

USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday follows A Princess for Christmas with another delightful contemporary Christmas romance between a playboy baron and a woman who has said goodbye to love.

There’s a royal wedding on, and things are about to get interesting.

Meet the man of honor

Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is not having a merry Christmas. He’s been dumped by a princess, he’s unemployed, and his domineering father has sent him to New York to meet a prospective bride he has no interest in. In the city, he meets Dani Martinez, a smart (and gorgeous) professor he’s determined to befriend before their best friends marry in the Eldovian wedding of the century.

Meet the best woman

Newly single, no-nonsense New Yorker Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s the perfect partner for snow angels in Central Park and deep conversations about the futility of love.

It’s all fun and games until their friendship deepens into attraction and, oops…

Falling in love was never part of the plan.

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The Afterlife of Holly Chase

RECOMMENDED: The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand is $2.99! This is a retelling of A Christmas Carol and Carrie gave it an A-:

I was truly surprised and delighted by how this story ended up. It solved the ethical problems I had with the romance, it was clever, and I worked perfectly with everything that led up to it. I will be adding this to my holiday book box to read again next year!

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn’t.

And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge–as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . . .

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How the Dukes Stole Christmas

How the Dukes Stole Christmas is $1.99! This is a historical holiday romance anthology from some major historical romance writers. Elyse reviewed this one and gave it a C. Her main critique was that the novellas felt uneven in terms of her enjoyment.

Christmas magic is in the air… From the ballrooms of London, to abandoned Scottish castles, to the snowy streets of Gilded Age New York, four bestselling authors whip up some unforgettable romance…with a little help from some enchanted shortbread.

“Meet Me in Mayfair” by Tessa Dare
Louisa Ward needs a Christmas miracle. Unless she catches a wealthy husband at the ball tonight, the horrid, heartless Duke of Thorndale will evict her family from their beloved Mayfair home. But when her friend begs to switch dance cards, Louisa finds herself waltzing with the enemy: the horrid, heartless–and unexpectedly handsome–Thorndale himself. Now the duke’s holding her future in his hands…and he’s not letting go.

“The Duke of Christmas Present” by Sarah MacLean
Rich and ruthless, Eben, Duke of Allryd, has no time for holidays. Holidays are for whimsy and charm–the only two things his money cannot buy. Lady Jacqueline Mosby is full of both, even now, twelve years after she left to see the world. When Jacqueline returns for a single Christmas, Eben can’t resist the woman he never stopped loving…or the future that had once been in reach. It will take a miracle to convince her to stay…but if ever there were a time for miracles, it’s Christmas…

“Heiress Alone” by Sophie Jordan
When Annis Bannister’s family leaves her behind in the rush to escape an impending snowstorm, she finds herself stranded in the Highlands, left to fend off brigands terrorizing the countryside, robbing homes locked up for winter. Her only hope falls on her neighbor, a surly hermit duke who unravels her with a look, then a kiss … until she fears the danger to her heart outweighs the danger of brigands and snowstorms.

“Christmas in Central Park” by Joanna Shupe
Women all over America devour Mrs. Walker’s weekly column for recipes and advice. No one knows Rose, the column’s author, can’t even boil water. When the paper’s owner, Duke Havemeyer, insists she host a Christmas party, Rose must scramble to find a husband, an empty mansion, and a cook. But Duke is not a man easily fooled and she fears her perfect plan is failing–especially when Duke’s attentions make her feel anything but professional. To save her career will she give up her chance at love?

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Sweet on You

Sweet on You by Carla de Guzman is $1.99! This is the first book in The Laneways series and de Guzman’s books I feel skew more new adult. A few of her titles have also been reviewed favorably on the site and this one in particular was mentioned in a Hide Your Wallet.

All’s fair in love and prank wars

For barista and café owner Sari Tomas, Christmas means parols, family and no-holds-barred karaoke contests. This year, though, a new neighbor is throwing a wrench in all her best-laid plans. The baker next door—“some fancy boy from Manila”—might have cute buns, but when he tries to poach her customers with cheap coffee and cheaper tactics, the competition is officially on.

And Baker Boy better be ready, because Sari never loses.

Foodie extraordinaire Gabriel Capras wants to prove to his dad that his career choice doesn’t make him any less a man. The Laneways might not be Manila, but the close-knit community is the perfect spot to grow his bakery into a thriving business. He wasn’t expecting a gorgeous adversary in the barista next door, but flirting with her makes his heart race, and it’s not just the caffeine.

It’s winner takes all this Christmas. And more than one competitor might just lose their heart for the holidays.

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