The Marriage Method

 

The Marriage Method (The Crinoline Academy #2)- Mimi Matthews

Berkley

Release Date: November 25, 2025

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Well removed from London’s more curious eyes, the Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies strives toward one clandestine to distract, disrupt, and discredit men in power who would seek to harm the advancement of women—by appropriate means, of course.

When intrepid newspaper editor Miles Quincy starts to question the school’s intentions, the Academy appoints Penelope “Nell” Trewlove, one of their brightest graduates, to put this nuisance to rest. An easy enough mission, she supposes. Or it would be, if Miles wasn’t so fascinating—too fascinating to resist—and if Nell’s visit to London didn’t perfectly coincide with the murder of one of Miles’s reporters. 

When the inexorable claws of fate trap Nell and Miles in a compromising situation, they agree to an arrangement that will save their reputations while enabling them to investigate the story that led to a man’s death, as well as the surprising chemistry between them . . .

___________________________________________

When Nell ventures to London to stop newspaperman Miles Quincy from asking questions about her beloved Academy, she has no idea she'll end up married to him. But one feral cat, a crinoline skirt, and a judgy reverend mean marriage between Miles and Nell becomes necessary. They thought they would be saving their reputations, but events quickly lead to investigating kidnappings and murder- where relying on each other as equals is the only way they'll solve the crimes.

Book 2 of Mimi Matthews' latest Crinoline Academy pulls Nell from the Academy she'd never meant to leave and lets her put her theory into realy world practice. I love how Matthews shows us both sides of Nell- the strong and confident woman who knows she's been trained to take on anything as well as the emotional one who's facing upheavals she never anticipated. She never doubts what she can do and (even when it sends poor Miles into fits of the vapors) she does what's needed. One of my favorite scenes is when Nell and Effie (Rules for Ruin) go into Whitechapel searching for a missing girl and come out successfully- leaving their husbands furious for the danger they were in and having to admit they were completely capable of protecting themselves. Miles took a little teaching to understand who Nell was, I think largely because while he knew women could be hurt by men, it didn't seem to occur to him that they would learn to protect themselves. When he finally understands what the Academy is and who Nell is, the partnership they develop is one that may prove unstoppable.

Each book in the Crinoline Academy can be read alone, but Book 2 is probably fleshed out a little (as is Effie's walk-on role) if you read Rules for Ruin first. A fun, slow burn romance and mystery—with cats!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

 

Thus With a Kiss I Die

 

Thus With A Kiss I Die- Christina Dodd

 A John Scognamiglio Book

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: I’m 20-years-old and by my own design, never been wed, free as no married woman ever is. I’m beautiful, but without conceit, for Juliet, my legendary Mamma is the most gorgeous creature to ever walk the earth. Just ask Romeo, my legendary Papà. (Rumors of their deaths were premature.) I was heartwhole until I fell (literally) in love with Lysander of the House of Beautiful. But our love was not to be, for I was thwarted by Escalus, the Prince of Verona . . . who had designs on me. 

I’m trapped. 

Then! I’m presented with a solution. Escalus’s father, Prince Escalus the Elder, appears to me. He tasks that I find his killer. Did I mention Elder is a ghost?

Given that I only recently dispatched Verona’s first serial killer, I’m less than pleased. Yet Elder promises to unite me with my One True Love, so I gather clues. Meanwhile, revolution threatens, for beneath Verona society’s glittering surface lurk dark shadows—and an enemy eager to make me a tragic heroine in my own right . . .

___________________________________________________

After the events of A Daughter of Fair Verona Rosie (Rosalind Montague) was hoping for some quite time to figure out how to deal with her unwanted surprise betrothal to Prince Escalus- or even better, figure out how to get out of the betrothal. Then Escalus's father gives her the perfect solution: figure out who murdered him (yes, he's a ghost) and he'll help her out. That promise along with the fact that she can't back down from a challenge and Rosie's in. After all, how dangerous can investigating a 20 year old murder be?

Christina Dodd takes us back to Verona, where Romeo and Juliet didn't die but had a large family instead. Rosie claims to be the sensible one, but she's also headstrong and enjoys a challenge to prove she's as capable as any man. When murderers are about, some caution might be a good idea. In this book she shows some signs of growth into the role she'll inhabit as princess of Verone, and it will definitely be fun continuing to watch her drag the prince's household into her way of thinking. The signs are already clear in a few fun scenes (like when Rosie finally takes over the prince's kitchens) and she meets Escalus's grandmother, who looks like she'll be an enthusiastic participant. 

The scenes with Rosie and Escalus are a lot of fun, the two have good chemistry even if Rosie doesn't quite recognize that's what it is, and when Cal (as she starts calling him) gets off his dignity the two work really well together. Elder's ghost didn't contribute much to help solve the mystery but he is good comic relief.

The writing is mostly modern with some very comic one-liners: you should find yourself having some laugh out loud moments!

An excellent sequel to A Daughter of Fair Verona, I think I enjoyed it even more. A fun and fast summer read that will keep you entertained!

Rules for Ruin

Rules for Ruin (The Crinoline Academy #1)- Mimi Matthews

Berkley Publishing

Release Date: May 20, 2025

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: On the outskirts of London sits a seemingly innocuous institution with a secretive aim—train young women to distract, disrupt, and discredit the patriarchy. Outraged by a powerful politician’s systematic attack on women’s rights, the Academy summons its brightest—and most bitter—pupil to infiltrate the odious man’s inner circle. A deal is struck: bring down the viscount, and Miss Euphemia Flite will finally earn her freedom.

But betting shop owner Gabriel Royce has other plans. The viscount is the perfect pawn to insulate Gabriel’s underworld empire from government interference. He’s not about to let some crinoline-clad miss destroy his carefully constructed enterprise—no matter how captivating he finds her threats.

From the rookeries of St. Giles to the ballrooms of Mayfair, Euphemia and Gabriel engage in a battle of wits and wills that’s complicated by a blossoming desire. Soon Euphemia realizes it’s not the broken promises to her Academy sisters she should fear. . . . It’s the danger to her heart.

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Raised in a girl's school that teaches women to think for themselves- along with teaching a few select students more useful life skills like picking locks- Effie Flite is ordered by the school's headmistress to take down a viscount standing in the way of a Parliamentary bill that will mean married women get to keep control over their own property. It's an assignment that appeals to her not only as a woman, but as a way of gaining her freedom and making her own way in the world, and Effie is willing to take it. After all, the viscount isn't exactly an innocent man.

But Gabriel Royce needs those secrets to stay hidden so he can blackmail the viscount for his own ends. The most powerful man in St. Giles, Gabriel has plans and he needs a few rich politicians to achieve those plans. When Gabriel and Effie meet, each knows a worthy opponent when they see one. And the longer their battle of wills and wits continues, the more they realize they may just be each other's perfect match. 

I absolutely fell in love with these two. Effie and Gabriel are dedicated to their respective causes, stubborn, intelligent loners and absolutely sure they are hardened cases against the outside world. Put them in the same room and BAM! Sparks ignite before either one knows what's happened. Effie challenges Gabriel as no one ever has, refusing to back down from her own agenda and forcing him to rethink his own plans. Gabriel is overprotective, finds intelligence in a woman total catnip, and is willing to put himself in situations that could get him rejected to make sure Effie is ok without even thinking about it. They share bone-melting kisses and her poodle Franc likes him. Clearly, these two are meant for each other.

A clash of business and personal interests, strong personalities, delightfully barbed wits, and high-stakes adventure, this is a romance not to be missed! Perhaps Mimi Matthews best book yet!

If you like women who believe knowledge is power, you'll love the women of the Crinoline Academy.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Muse of Maiden Lane

 

The Muse of Maiden Lane (The Belles of London #4)- Mimi Matthews

Berkeley/Penguin

Release Date: November 19, 2024

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis:  Stella Hobhouse is a brilliant rider, stalwart friend, skilled sketch artist—and completely overlooked. Her outmodish gray hair makes her invisible to London society. Combined with her brother’s pious restrictions and her dwindling inheritance, Stella is on the verge of a lifetime marooned in Derbyshire as a spinster. Unless she does something drastic…like posing for a daring new style of portrait by the only man who’s ever really seen her. Aspiring painter Edward “Teddy” Hayes knows true beauty when he sees it. He would never ask Stella to risk her reputation as an artist’s model but in the five years since a virulent bout of scarlet fever left him partially paralyzed, Teddy has learned to heed good fortune when he finds it. He’ll do anything to persuade his muse to pose for him, even if he must offer her a marriage of convenience.   After all, though Teddy has yearned to trace Stella’s luminous beauty on canvas since their chance meeting, her heart is what he truly aches to capture….

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The final book in Mimi Matthews' Belles of London series features Stella Hobhouse, a brave rider and friend who knows if she doesn't marry soon she'll find herself buried in the quiet countryside forever. Thanks to her odd gray hair and lively personality, she's had more trouble than her friends when it comes to finding a suitor. Thinking if men could just look past her hair to her they might give her a chance, Stella decides to be daring and dye her hair while attending a houseparty with her friend Lady Anne, since noone else will know her there. 

Edward "Teddy" Hayes is a fustrated artist who briefly met his muse at a museum, only to lose her to his blunt speech. Now he's at a house party he doesn't want to attend and only knows his sister and brother-in-law. Deciding to spend most of his time painting and hiding away to avoid people and dealing with the annoyance of his wheelchair, he's as surprised as Stella when they meet again. 

Muse is a slow burn romance very different from what readers might generally expect- both from Matthews' normal books or traditional romance in general, but I thought it worked very well. At the heart of the story, both Stella and Teddy want independence. They want to discover who they are, what they are capable of in life. While they each start off thinking they need to chart their paths separately, by the end they've discovered that love can make them stronger together. Both have wanted to be truly seen for who they are and what they are capable of beyond their physical appearance- Stella's hair and Teddy's wheelchair. Even early on it is clear (to the reader anyway) that they see each other for who they are. The question is, how long will it take them to figure it out? The suggested marriage of convenience comes late in the book, which might annoy some people. After all, traditionally you have an early marriage of convenience and then love grows from that. But I enjoyed how Matthews played with the expectations and turned the idea into something new- rather like Teddy and his fellow painters were trying to do with what we now call Impressionist art!

One of my absolute favorite things in this book is how Teddy encourages Stella to be herself. Not to be small and quiet, but to be whatever she feels she is, because once they are married they only have to please themselves. That's the kind of support I want in a partner!

This is a story of two people finding their own way, discovering friendship and strengths within themselves that allow for a beautiful, trusting partnership of a loving marriage.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Daughter of Fair Verona

Daughter of Fair Verona- Christina Dodd

Release Date: June 25, 2024

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended ( badly). Only here’s the That’s not how it ended at all.

Romeo and Juliet are alive and well and the parents of seven kids. I’m the oldest, with the emphasis on ‘old’—a certified spinster at twenty, and happy to stay that way. It’s not easy to keep your taste for romance with parents like mine. Picture it—constant monologues, passionate declarations, fighting, making up, making out . . . it’s exhausting.

Each time they’ve presented me with a betrothal, I’ve set out to find the groom-to-be a more suitable bride. After all, someone sensible needs to stay home and manage this household. But their latest match, Duke Stephano, isn’t so easy to palm off on anyone else. The debaucher has had three previous wives—all of whom met unfortunate ends. Conscience forbids me from consigning another woman to that fate. As it turns out, I don’t have to . . .

At our betrothal ball—where, quite by accident, I meet a beautiful young man who makes me wonder if perhaps there is something to love at first sight—I stumble upon Duke Stephano with a dagger in his chest. But who killed him? His late wives’ families, his relatives, his mistress, his servants—half of Verona had motive. And when everyone around the Duke begins dying, disappearing, or descending into madness, I know I must uncover the killer . . . before death lies on me like an untimely frost.

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 If Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet didn't end in death, what would have happened? The "happily ever after" everyone wanted. Then 20 years later, we would get The Daughter of Fair Verona. Romeo and Juliet now have 6 kids and another on the way. The oldest, Rosaline (call me Rosie) is practical, hates poetry, and has managed to get out of her previous betrothals by matchmaking the men with women they were better suited for. She's smart, can do math, studies alchemy with the Friar who married her parents and promises he doesn't make those pesky sleep-like-death potions anymore. But when Duke Stephano insists on a betrothal, Romeo can't say no and Rosie doesn't know how to get out of it. It's rumored the man has murdered each of his three wives, no one likes him, so what is Rosie to do?

Nothing as it turns out. He's found dead at their engagement party, a knife in his chest. Which would be great, especially since Rosie meets a guy she's sure is her True Love the same day. But people start thinking she's the one who killed the Duke. More bodies follow and Rosie, her Nurse (who's gotten a lot tougher since her days trying to keep Juliet in line) and Prince Escalus need to find out who is killing people before Rosie is attacked by a mob- or gets killed herself. Rosie wants to be able to marry her love Lysander and not get killed, Prince Escalus really doesn't want a mob in his city, and Nurse was hoping at some point her job would involve less drama. Will anyone get their wish?

This was a fun rom-com historical mystery. Rosie's description of what actually happened to her parents instead of Shakespeare's version in the first few pages will have you laughing out loud (you've been warned!). Rosie herself is a delightful mix of snarky humor, self-awareness, and Montague temper that sometimes overrides good sense. And while she may be a good matchmaker for others, let's just say I saw what was coming her way by the time they'd hauled the first dead body out while she didn't figure it out until the surprise scene at the end. Everyone has blind spots for themselves I guess. 

Solving the murder was a fun combination of Rosie, Nurse, Prince Escalus, Lysander, Friar Laurent, and others each combining knowledge and clues. What was kind of fun was even when you had a good suspicion of who did it, you still didn't know who did it or why until the end, even though all the clues were there for you. 

I enjoyed how Christina Dodd played with the world and the characters, allowing Rosie's parents or the Nurse to be blind to something until Rosie realizes they are just pretending to not see it. Romeo teaches all his children sword skills and Juliet pretends not to know until she gets mad at him and then says he better make sure to step up the secret training- and Romeo and the kids realize they aren't as sneaky as they thought they were! There are beautiful descriptions of what it would be like to walk down the streets, what you'd see and smell and experience, that I loved. The foods and wines leap off the pages in wonderful descriptions.

The one thing that took a little getting used to was the odd combination of more 'historic' speech with very modern language. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. I'm glad the whole book didn't go for a 'Shakespeare' feel to the language, since that would have slowed the pacing and this worked really well as a fast paced romantic comedy. The older' language tended to stay in more 'formal' situations, which worked, but sometimes it inched out into others, which didn't. The more modern language mostly stayed in casual interactions, which worked, or when Rosie is talking to us as a narrator, which worked, but then sometimes bled over into other situations, where it didn't.  That's the reason I'd give the book an actual rating of 3.5.

Overall a fun read. Fast and humorous, with entertaining nods to Shakespeare if you look but nothing that won't ruin things if you aren't a big Shakespeare fan. Definitely note- this is book one of a series. The mystery gets solved, but there will be further adventures to look forward to!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Lily of Ludgate Hill

 

Lily of Ludgate Hill (Belles of London #3)-Mimi Matthews

Berkley

Release Date: January 16, 2024

Rate: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Lady Anne Deveril doesn’t spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she’s the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother’s devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she’s tempted to run…right into his arms.

No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse—on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grandfather’s country estate. No more mourning clothes. No more barriers. Only the two of them, unrequited feelings at last laid bare.

Finally free to gallop out on her own, Anne makes the tantalizing discovery that beneath the roguish exterior of her not-so-white knight is a man with hidden depths, scorching passions—and a tender heart.

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Book 3 in Mimi Matthews' latest series finally gives us Lady Anne Deveril and Felix Hartford! They've sniped at each other in scenes throughout the last two books, so readers knew they had an unresolved past, and here things get resolved! This may be one of the best second-chance romances I've ever read: a lovers to enemies to lovers who never actually stopped loving each other and just wouldn't admit it (even to themselves) book. Think Jane Austen's Persuasion (one of my favorites) with major doses of "mistakes were made", "we were too young to be mature about things", and "prove it to me this time" going on here. 

Lily of Ludgate Hill has lots going on and keeps the hits coming to our characters. Some I won't mention for too many spoilers. But Anne is watching her friends marry and starting to wonder about her own life. She's chosen to withdraw from things like love and much of society in favor of caring for her mother, and while she isn't entirely sure how she could (especially in the past) have balanced the two any differently, she does regret that she couldn't have found a way. What's so great about Anne is that she doesn't care about what Society thinks of her to change who she is- especially when it comes to the people she loves. Early on Felix argues with her about how people see her as being in her mother's shadow, as being weak, how she doesn't seem like the girl he used to know. She tells him she doesn't care what people who don't know her think because they don't know about her life and she knows who she is. Anne may be willing to play within the confining rules of Society, and she and her friends may regret how those rules limit their actions, but she doesn't let them define her as a person. I absolutely love her!

I also love how we see Felix grow and understand Anne, and their past, and how to relate to her as an equal. As we uncover what happened between them and see both Felix and Anne work towards accepting the hurt they've done and the changes that have happened, Felix in particular has to change how he thinks about a lot of things. He comes to see that what he thought of as weaknesses can actually be strengths, and Matthews does a wonderful job of showing us this in multiple ways. But he gets there in the end because he figures out what's important to him.

The layers to the characters and the plot were beautifully and masterfully done, and I imagine I'll discover more nuances next time I read the book! You don't necessarily need to have read The Siren of Sussex or Belle of Belgrave Square to enjoy The Lily of Ludgate Hill, but you'll enjoy watching the characters develop throughout the series, and Belle and Lily do overlap a bit at the beginning. And this book has definitely planted the seeds for Stella's book for us to look forward to!

Not That Duke

Not That Duke (Would Be Wallflowers #3)- Eloisa James

HarperCollins/Avon Books

Release Date: July 25, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚

Synopsis: Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors--which definitely doesn't include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her "Specs" as he chases after elegant rivals.

And then--

The worst happens. Marriage.

To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.

How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he's fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she's in love--but not with that duke.

Not with her husband.

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This was a book I definitely had mixed feelings about. On the one hand, I loved Stella and felt for her throughout the entire book. Stella is short, plump, red-haired, freckled, wears glasses, doesn't hide that she's smart, and doesn't play the games the superficial women of Society play. She's no one's first choice and her aunt is always harping on about what she needs to do differently if she wants to get a man to propose to her. She has no friends, and is miserable all the time. Kind of like what I imagine I'd be like if I were dropped into a Regency ballroom. But she also doesn't let any of that affect how she treats other people. She's kind instead of cruel or bitter, even though privately Stella watches the beautiful people like Lady Yasmin and her ardent suitor the Duke of Huntington and wishes she was like them. Or that the Duke would look at her the way he looks at Yasmin. 

The Duke, Silvester, was harder to get my mind around and I'm still not actually sure if I liked him. He spends the first half of the book chasing Yasmin and when she marries Silvester's best friend, Silvester decides to marry Stella instead. Why? Maybe he realizes he never really had more than superficial feelings for Yasmin and at least is in serious lust for Stella. He does like the conversations they have when they play chess and that she actually challenges him and sees him as a person and not as a way to be a duchess. Are these reasons to basically blackmail her into marriage? No. Why doesn't he court her the way he did Yasmin? Show Stella that he actually cares for her? No idea. Since we see things mostly from Stella's point of view Silvester seems to go from tolerating her while he pursues Yasmin, to saying cruel things about her to make Yasmin laugh, to apologizing and treating her as if they are siblings, to kissing her, to running off with Yasmin, to coming back and proposing to her. Then he doesn't even have the decency to listen to her when she says no and work on courting her- he goes to her aunt, tells the aunt they've kissed and now must marry, running over Stella's feelings on the subject. Once and a while he seems to panic at the idea that he might be in love with Stella, though we never find out why, and he shoves the idea away and decides it must be lust instead. 

So there were lots of questions here and I felt like Stella kind of deserved more. But I was proud of her- she stands up to Silvester and tells him she deserves to be first for someone. That she won't settle for less than anyone else, no matter what she looks like. I also loved that it wasn't just Silvester and his rather obvious appreciation for Stella's body that made her feel more confident in herself but her friend Merry and Silvester's mother and their positive and obvious love for Stella as she is that helped her begin to feel confident in herself. 

On their own, there were pacing issues and Silvester issues that made this not my favorite of James' books. But in the end, it is Eloisa James' sparkling, witty writing that won the day and charmed me with this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

 

 

The Bride Wore White

 The Bride Wore White (Burning Cove Series)- Amanda Quick

Berkley

Release Date: May 2, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Being Madame Ariadne, Psychic Dream Consultant, wasn’t Prudence Ryland’s ideal gig, but it paid well which was reason enough to do the work—until she realizes that her latest client intends to kill her. But Prudence, a master at reinvention, finds a new job and home as far away as possible and is finally able to relax—which turns out to be a big mistake. Letting her guard down means being kidnapped and drugged and waking up in a bloodstained wedding dress in the honeymoon suite next to a dead man. With the press outside the hotel, waiting with their cameras and police sirens in the distance, it’s obvious she’s being framed for the man’s murder. Prudence knows who is responsible, but will anyone believe her?

It doesn’t seem likely that rumored crime boss Luther Pell or his associate, Jack Wingate, believe her seemingly outrageous claims of being a target of a ruthless vendetta. In fact, Prudence is convinced that the mysterious Mr. Wingate believes her to be a fraud at best, and at worst: a murderer. And Jack Wingate does seem to be someone intimately familiar with violence, if going by his scarred face and grim expression. So no one is more shocked than Prudence when Jack says he’ll help her. Of course, his ideas for helping her involve using her as the bait for a killer, but Prudence feels oddly safe with Jack protecting her. But who will protect Prudence from her growing fascination with this enigma of a man?

________________________________________________________________________

Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right career. Usually, those tries don't involve attempted murder or being framed for murder, but that's the sort of time Prudence Ryland has been having. Fed up with the attempts to have her murdered/arrested for murder, she calls Luther Pell to find out who has it in for her. Luther assigns Jack Wingate to her case. The two don't exactly hit it off but Prudence doesn't have many options. Now if only they can keep from killing each other long enough to solve the case.

I loved Prudence. She's a great character. Doesn't put up with anything from the men around her, has her goals strictly in mind, and doesn't apologize for who and what she is. Her end goal is to open a bookstore focused on paranormal publications and things like dream reading just pay the bills- until they almost get her killed. Unlike many other main heroines, she doesn't intend to solve the case herself. She's happy to give it to the professionals and expects that to be that. Instead, the professionals keep her involved. Jack wants to use her as bait and while Pru isn't thrilled, she sees the logic. Jack is fascinated by Prudence for a number of reasons and it is a lot of fun watching him deal with it all. He wants to keep things professional and detached, but with every fight they have he gets drawn a little closer to Prudence.

There was something very old Hollywood movie feel about this one. Not just the location, because obviously that's the glitz and glamour of Burning Cove at its finest. The pacing, the characters, the fighting, the dialogue, all felt like an especially fun movie-maybe an old Katherine Hepburn movie. While the mystery itself was pretty predictable as it played out, that wasn't really the point for me. The point was watching Jack and Prudence working together, overcoming their initial reactions to each other, and becoming both an excellent team and couple. Watching both as individuals also sort themselves out and settle into perhaps more of who they were supposed to be as well. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this newest installment of the Burning Cove Series. Fun, fast paced, and enjoyable characters made it a great book to read!   

Return to Satterthwaite Court

 

Return to Satterthwaite Court- Mimi Matthews

Perfectly Proper Press

Release Date: April 11, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Lieutenant Charles Heywood has had his fill of adventure. Battle-weary and disillusioned, he returns to England, resolved to settle down to a quiet, uneventful life on an estate of his own. But arranging to purchase the property he desires is more difficult than Charles ever imagined. The place is mired in secrets, some of which may prove deadly. If he's going to unravel them, he'll need the assistance of someone as daring as he is.

At only twenty, Lady Katherine Beresford has already earned a scandalous reputation. As skilled with pistols as she is on horseback, she's never met an obstacle she can't surmount-or a man she can't win. That is, until she encounters the infuriatingly somber Lieutenant Heywood. But Kate refuses to be deterred by the raven-haired soldier's strong, silent facade. After all, faint heart never won handsome gentleman.

From the wilds of rural Somersetshire to the glittering ballrooms of early-Victorian London, Charles and Kate embark on a cross-country quest to solve a decades' old mystery. Will the greatest danger be to their hearts-or to their lives?

________________________________________________________________

Years after the characters of Mimi Matthews' wonderful A Work of Art and Gentleman Jim had their happy endings, their children meet. The moment Charles Heywood and Lady Katherine (Kate) Beresford see each other, there's something there. Something more than a small, half-feral dog attacking Kate's skirts. Charles may have too much on his mind at that moment to know how to follow up on his mystery lady, but fortunately, Kate is able to track him down. And fortunately, their families live close enough to each other in the country that she can pursue the accidental meeting, and Charles, to make sure he's what she has bee looking for all Season. A man interested in her for more than her looks or her money. One who might treat her as an equal, even make her happy.

Charles is adorable in his confused reaction to Kate's pursuit. He doesn't know what to make of her, let alone the fact that she invites herself into his investigation of the mystery of Satterthwaite Court, his mother Phyllida's family home. Entail broken, the home is up for sale, but the owner won't sell it to Charles for any amount of money. At first Charles is a little too overwhelmed with his own family issues of going into the Navy without his parents' blessing and now, almost ten years later, leaving it, plus Satterthwaite Court, plus trying to decide his future to know what to do about Kate. Is she serious or is this a game to her? He's been away from Society long enough that he can't tell.

Kate is delightful. She chafes at Society's rules and we see several good examples of how those rule almost seem designed to hurt women instead of help them here. But Kate is adventurous, strong-willed, and confident, and when she is sure of something, she doesn't want to waver from her path. Her few moments of self-consciousness and doubt are all the tougher to see in such a strong woman, but remind readers that we are all allowed to be a mix of strong and emotional, solitary and in need of support.

Mimi Matthews once again creates a delightful set of characters who learn how to come together to make the perfect couple. They learn when to give and when to stand, to bring out the best in each other and to support each other along the way. Return to Satterthwaite Court is a lovely, fast-paced book that will make you smile until the last page. You don't have to have read A Work of Art or Gentleman Jim to enjoy this spin off, but they are great books by themselves and I highly recommend them.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Ana Maria & the Fox

Ana Maria and the Fox (Luna Sisters Book 1)- Liana de la Rosa

Berkley

Release Date: April 4, 2023 

Rating: 📚📚📚

Synopsis: Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, and the perfect representative of the powerful Luna family. So when Ana María is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge from the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox.

Gideon Fox elevated himself from the London gutters by chasing his burning desire for more: more opportunities, more choices. For everyone. Now, as a member of Parliament, Gideon is on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all—a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore. 
 
But when Ana María finds herself in the crosshairs of a nefarious nobleman with his own political agenda, Gideon knows he must offer his hand as protection . . . but will this Mexican heiress win his heart as well?

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Seeking safety from the French occupation of Mexico, Ana Maria and her two sisters are sent to London while her powerful father remains in Mexico to help the government fight for freedom. In London they experience their first taste of freedom from their father's strict rule, and set out to charm London Society in the hopes of making a good impression that might help Mexico. Gideon Fox, grandson of an escapes slave, is determined to use his position as an MP to end the Atlantic slave trade forever. He doesn't have time for anything but work- especially not distractions like a beautiful woman. But Ana Maria and Gideon can't seem to stay away from each other, so will that help or hurt their causes?

There were things about this book that I really enjoyed, and things that didn't work as well for me. I loved the cover and whenever Ana Maria is describing Mexico to Gideon, or missing Mexico and thinking about it, this cover and its beautiful colors hit perfectly. Ana Maria could describe what she was missing and you could feel the warm sun, smell the food, the colors were vibrant- everything was lovely and alive. So very different from how she and her sisters experienced England! I also loved learning a bit about a different part of history than what we normally see in an 1860s romance- between the book and the author's note I really want to go find some nonfiction books to fill in even more about Mexico and the French occupation etc. at this time.

For the most part, I found Ana Maria didn't stand out as much for me as her sisters did. Maybe this was the eldest sister still trying to be what her father wanted, even when she was trying to be her own person, but I never quite figured out who Ana was beyond a devoted daughter, a fierce protector of her sisters, a person who wanted to help others, and someone who was drawn to Gideon. Maybe that would have been enough if she wasn't being contrasted to her fiery little sister Gabby or her bookish and secretive, quiet sister Isabel, both seemed to overpower her personality at times. Gideon also seemed like someone who didn't want to stand out. He was so devoted to his work and his cause he seems to have forgotten he was also supposed to have a life of some sort and always felt guilty thinking about anything but work. Admirable compared to some of the young men you meet in these books who do nothing but drink and gamble- there's never a doubt that Gideon is a good man. But the hot and cold waffling that he and Ana Maria do through most of the book got old pretty fast for me. They clearly enjoy spending time together, they like talking, but Gideon worries any time he spends with her will damage progress on his bill in Parliament. And it loops like this over and over. The end result is a slow burn until we finally get to the marriage of convenience about 70% through the book, in a way that felt more hurried and forced than I had expected. 

The general pacing of the book was slower than I tend to like, dragging in the middle. It picks up any time Ana talks about Mexico and does an excellent job highlighting the lack of focus on the world outside of England usually seen in books like this-from lack of mention of the war in the newspapers to some of the sisters' admirers not knowing that Spain and Mexico aren't the same country- and really celebrates the potential for more multicultural options in historical romance books moving forward. The idea was great, but I have to admit the execution of plot and characters needed a little more work for me. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 

What Happens in the Ballroom

 What Happens in the Ballroom (Designing Debutants 2)- Sabrina Jeffries

Zebra Publishing

Release Date: March 28, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: A young military widow, Eliza Pierce is enjoying both freedom and financial success as part of Elegant Occasions. When her late husband’s best friend, Nathaniel Stanton, the Earl of Foxstead, hires Elegant Occasions to help another young widow of an officer become part of high society, Eliza wonders why. Is the woman a relative? Or is she the earl’s mistress and her adorable toddler his child? If so, why does he take Eliza in his arms every chance he gets . . .

Foxstead’s family situation makes it difficult for him to marry, so his visceral attraction to his best friend’s widow is an unwelcome complication. Burdened by family secrets and those of his commanding officer, he’s determined to do his duty even when it means being around Eliza every day. But how can he resist when the fetching Eliza keeps tempting him to break his own rules? For if he dares to expose the truth, will she ever forgive him? Or will she banish him from her life forever . . .

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This was a fun, quick book continuing Sabrina Jeffries' series of three sisters trying to make a living by running a small but elegant business of catering parties and helping debutants. This time eldest sister and widow Eliza meets her match with Nathaniel, Lord Foxstead, when he asks Eliza and her sisters to help his ward Jocelin enter society in order to find a husband. While Nat and Eliza have known each other to some degree for years through her husband, spending more time together because of Jocelin leads to a slow burn romance. Neither is quite ready for marriage- Nat because of his duty to Jocelin and Eliza because her marriage and her parent's example has turned her off the idea. But the more they try to convince themselves a brief affair is all they need, the less they believe it!

I enjoyed this story, and how strong Eliza was despite what she's been through before we meet her. She works to be the strong one in the family and refuses to admit when she needs anything, even to herself, so she finds enjoying Nathaniel's company a surprise. I admire how she grew after her emotionally and psychologically abusive husband went off to war- even if he had come back I don't think he would have found her so easy to manipulate as he did when she was young and impressionable. She did what she needed to do- like start a business- because she and her sisters knew they couldn't rely on anyone but themselves. The fact that three young women were strong and smart enough to do that is great. Nathaniel knows he's emotionally attracted to Eliza early on, but he makes things complicated. By the end you understand why and from his point of view I get it. But he ended up doing quite a bit of lying- or at least playing fast and loose with the truth. He thought he was protecting people, and he was. But he had to learn that sometimes you can protect one person while trusting another at the same time. I loved that Eliza never let him get away with anything, and he had to really think and learn from his mistakes. I wish for Eliza's sake he hadn't had to make quite so many along the way, but  you were quite sure he wasn't going to repeat any of the ones he did make!

A light book about learning to trust others with your heart and becoming partners in all senses of the word, with some steamy scenes and delightfully romantic moments. Can't wait for Verity's turn!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Spotlights for November 2022

 Here are a few of the new releases from November of 2022 that I didn't write a blog post on, but a spotlight through Goodreads reviews:

Better Than Fiction- Alexa Martin

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Release Date: November 8

Romance-Comedy

An adorable romcom about a bookstore owner who doesn't like to read and a romance author. Opposites attract in the best ways possible as Drew and Jasper explore a surprise relationship, supported by her friends and a book club of meddling readers determined to have a happy ending.

The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd-Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos

Rating:📚📚📚

Release Date: November 8

Biography

Discovering the true story of the untold family life behind privateer/pirate Captain Kidd, this is the life of Sarah Kidd. A woman who sailed to New York when it was a new colony of England, married four times for very different reasons over the course of her life, saw the best of times and the worst of times, and was probably the last living person to know the hiding place of Kidd's treasure.

Raven Unveiled- Grace Draven

Rating: 📚📚📚

Release Date: November 8

Fantasy

Book Three in the Fallen Empire fantasy series follows shade speaker Siora and former cat's paw Gharek as they go from enemies to uneasy allies in a quest to save Gharek's daughter and the ghosts Siora sees. Generals are fighting for the newly empty thrown and an evil supernatural entity is stalking the land, eating both the dead and possibly the living- and Siora may be the only one who can save them.

Some Dukes Have All The Luck- Christina Britton

Rating:📚📚📚

Release Date: November 8

Historical Romance

Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, needs a woman interested in a marriage of convenience to take over the raising of his three wards. Bronwyn Pickering needs a husband, preferably titled, to free her from her overbearing and domineering parents. She'll be free to continue her etymological studies on the Isle of Synne and he'll be free to stay in London running his gambling hell. As long as inconvenient emotions don't enter into the equation.

The Queen: Her Life- Andrew Morton

Rating: 📚📚

Release Date: November 15

Biography

A new biography on Queen Elizabeth II by Andrew Morton, best know for his biographies of Princess Diana. 

The Final Year of Anne Boleyn- Natalie Gruenineger

Rating:📚📚📚📚📚

Release Date: November 30

Biography

An in-depth look at the final year of Anne Boleyn's life, Natalie Gruenineger explores how relationships between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII changed as politics, Thomas Cromwell, and Jane Seymour altered the landscape and offers a compelling argument for why she believes Henry VIII knew Anne was innocent of the crimes she was charged with, but had to die anyway.