Genre: Historical Romance

Making Merry by Kerrigan Byrne | Book Review

Posted December 13, 2023 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

Making Merry by Kerrigan Byrne
Series: Goode Girls #1.5
Published by Oliver Heber Books on December 1, 2020
Genres: Historical Romance, Holiday - Christmas, Romance
Pages: 113
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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There’s no room at the Inn…

Sprightly Victorian spinster, Vanessa Latimer, is stranded for the holidays in the Scottish Highlands by a relentless winter blizzard. She takes refuge at a centuries-old inn where the only available room is haunted by the ghost of a warrior who fell at Culloden Moor.

One who refuses to give up his side of the bed.

Johnathan de Lohr awakens to find a siren bathing in the chamber of sorrows that keeps his restless spirit imprisoned. Though he’s the ghost, John knows that the captivating woman will be the one to haunt him.

Unless they can figure out a way to set his tormented soul free.

Making Merry is such a charming, romantic, magical little story! I loved both Vanessa and Johnathan. Their connection, conversations, and banter were just delightful! They have a really sexy meet-cute, and things take off from there. I loved it when Vanessa taught Johnathan about what life is like in her time, and his surprise was so sweet. He’s so honorable, too. Such a gentleman. The romance takes place over one night, which would normally not be believable for me but it’s Christmastime so all bets are off. And Kerrigan puts a bit of a spin on the usual ghostly romance, which means readers get a little steam. Novellas often feel too short or rushed for me, but this was a very satisfying read! It could have been longer, but it was also perfect the way that it was. Both main characters were well-developed, with full backstories and actual personalities. I really liked the supporting characters, too. The ending is super lovely, and left me smiling. I want to read the rest of this series now. All in all, a win for me!

How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James | Book Review

Posted July 20, 2023 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James
Series: Would-Be Wallflowers #1
Published by Avon on March 29, 2022
Genres: Historical Romance, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Miss Cleopatra Lewis is about to be launched in society by her aristocratic grandfather. But since she has no intention of marrying, she visits a costume emporium specifically to order unflattering dresses guaranteed to put off any prospective suitors.

Powerful and charismatic Jacob Astor Addison is in London, acquiring businesses to add to his theatrical holdings in America—as well as buying an emerald for a young lady back in Boston. He's furious when a she-devil masquerading as an English lady steals Quimby's Costume Emporium from under his nose.

Jake strikes a devil's bargain, offering to design her “wallflower wardrobe” and giving Cleo the chance to design his. Cleo can't resist the fun of clothing the rough-hewn American in feathers and flowers. And somehow in the middle of their lively competition, Jake becomes her closest friend.

It isn't until Cleo becomes the toast of all society that Jake realizes she's stolen his fiercely guarded heart. But unlike the noblemen at her feet, he doesn't belong in her refined and cultured world.

Caught between the demands of honor and desire, Jake would give up everything to be with the woman he loves—if she'll have him!

Historical romance might just be my favorite genre, which is so surprising to me! I loved it as a teen, and it was actually my first adult romance genre so maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised! I’ve been discovering a lot of new-to-me authors in this genre over the last year, and this year I’m rediscovering Eloisa James. I read a fairytale retelling of hers a couple years ago and enjoyed it, but I never picked up anything else by her until I received How to Be A Wallflower for review. I was looking for more books for lovers of Lisa Kleypas and fell down a bit of a rabbit hole that led to me finding out that Eloisa and Lisa are friends, and that they love each other’s writing! That got me even more excited to jump back in to Eloisa’s titles and I’m so glad I did! Right after I finished this one I read another one of hers, and both were so much fun! I’m hopeful I’ve found another author to love! As always, my main points are bolded.

1. Right off the bat I knew I’d like Cleo. She’s a spicy spitfire, and I loved watching her put people in their place. I loved her personality. Not every lady would take pride in being the owner of a company that makes commodes (toilets), but she does! Her mother pushed the boundaries of society and lived her best life, and Cleo is following in her footsteps now. She doesn’t care that she doesn’t fit in, she just owns who she is and loves herself. She has no interest in settling down with a man and handing everything she’s worked for over to him, so she sets out to become a wallflower–someone no man would pay any attention to. She designs the most unattractive wardrobe for herself and is ready to blend in while she joins her grandfather in London. But no, she will pay for her own lodging because she’s an independent woman. She’s reluctant to start a relationship with Jake because her mom couldn’t commit to just one man and Cleo doesn’t want to hurt him. I loved this unconventional role reversal, and I just loved her!

2. Jacob Astor Addison, rugged American businessman, wants to buy a clothing shop and take it to America to change the world of theater. I loved Jake, too. He’s so burly and strong and he won a fight with a bear, for crying out loud. An actual bear in the wild. He falls very quickly, and boy does he have it bad for Cleo. Like so, so bad. He loves her so much that he’s willing to parade about London in the brightest colors and the boldest prints because she helped design his wardrobe for him. He insists on moving to her floor at the hotel she’s staying at so he can make sure she’s safe (since she lives there alone). And yes, he rents out the entire floor so it’s just the two of them. In their own suites. He befriends her grandpa. He worms his way right into her heart and patiently allows her to fall a little, back away, fall a little more, get scared, and ultimately fall head over heels, all on her own time.

3. I loved the friendship these two form on their way to love. They sit around and have stimulating conversations over meals. The banter is amazing. They are such wonderful communicators, and we know how that makes me soar. They’re both so open with their fears and emotions and wants, and they get to know one another on a very deep level. It just felt like this romance was built on a stronger foundation than many others in this genre.

4. The romance is just amazing. The pining on his part, and the trepidation on her part. The things he thinks about her and says to her face had me swooning. I loved that Jake let Cleo drive the romance at her own speed. They kissed when she wanted it. They did… *ahem* other things on her terms. He respects her feelings and her wishes, and is such a flirty cinnamon roll gentleman that he left me weak in the knees. The story is just so romantic.

5. The entire story is very sweet and low stakes, which was so refreshing. There was little to no angst, no big miscommunications or misunderstandings, no villains. Just two people working their way to each other.

6. I loved the supporting characters. All of them.

7. The humor! Perhaps parts of this story are a little outlandish and unbelievable, but I didn’t care! I loved the humor, and had so much fun reading this.

All in all, I highly recommend this book and am excited to continue with the series! I took a little detour and went to an older release, My American Duchess, because I heard it’s the love story of Jake’s best friend, Merry. I loved her so much in this book that I absolutely had to go read her story. It was amazing, and my review should be up in the next few weeks! I can’t wait to read more from Eloisa James!

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid | Book Review

Posted January 26, 2023 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 2 Comments

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid
Series: Sinful Wallflowers #1
Published by Entangled Amara on December 31, 2019
Genres: Historical Romance, Romance
Pages: 375
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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Miss Katherine Danvers is a desperate wallflower. Her family is on the brink of financial ruin, and it is up her to save her mother and sisters from a life of indignities. So she transforms herself into the incomparable Kitty Danvers, the fiancée of the enigmatic and reclusive Alexander Masters, Duke of Thornton—once dubbed the mad, bad, and dangerous catch of the Season.

Ten years ago, society and the woman Alexander Masters loved called him a monster, after a tragic accident left him scarred and confined to a wheelchair. His heart exists in cold, lonely exile, until he learns he has a fiancée—a deceptive, clever, and utterly intriguing woman he's never met. Miss Danvers will now learn the consequences of engaging herself to the beast, for Alexander is determined to make her his. Soon, they are involved in a chase, a clash of wills, and though he once vowed to never love again, he burns for the enchanting Miss Danvers. And denying his heart may cost him an exquisite love that happens only once in a lifetime.

I’ve been on the hunt for more historical romance series to love since I discovered (and devoured) Lisa Kleypas’s books last year. So naturally, I went to Twitter and asked the romancelandia masses what I should do. Someone recommended Stacy Reid’s Sinful Wallflowers series, and since they’re on Kindle Unlimited I decided to give it a shot! My Darling Duke was a very fun book, and I’m definitely interested in continuing on with this series. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. Beauty and the Beast storyline! I love B&B retellings, so this was a major bonus for me. I think my favorite part of the entire book was Alexander’s meddling staff. They were more like family to him, and I loved eavesdropping on their gossip, whisperings, and orchestrations. They reminded me so much of Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, and Cogsworth.

2. I loved the premise of the book. Kitty proclaiming to the entire ton that she’s engaged to the beastly recluse who nobody has seen in years was a unique spin I haven’t read before. I enjoyed watching her try to figure out how to pull this off, especially once Alexander found out he’s engaged to someone he’s never met. It was such a lighthearted, fun way to force these two characters together.

3. I liked Kitty a lot. She’s brave, loyal to her family, and takes matters into her own hands to secure their future. She has absolutely no options for getting married, so she makes up an entire story and convinces everyone that it’s true! She becomes so popular and her sisters become highly sought after ladies. It’s unfortunate that life in these times was minimized to a huge popularity contest, but that’s how it was! Her making a mockery of it delighted me more than I expected it would. She’s funny and has a great head on her shoulders, too. I love how accepting she is of Alexander during a time when people who used wheelchairs were looked down upon or even feared by society. She is not at all concerned about what his accident means for a potential future and family with him, she just loves him. She never sees him as a beast, and that’s how it should be. She also calls him on his crap when he’s being frustrating, which I always applaud.

4. Alexander put me through many emotions. I loved reading about his relationship with his sister, Penny, and how kind he is to his staff. But he can also be very grouchy and self-deprecating. I empathize with him, though. His accident has left him in chronic pain and unable to be intimate with a woman, so of course he feels inadequate and unworthy of Kitty. He wants her to have the husband she deserves and he feels like he’s not good enough. I get it. Maybe I just have a problem with men who think they know what’s best for women better than women do. His constant “I want you, but you shouldn’t want me so bye” attitude was frustrating, but I suppose it’s a pretty realistic attitude to have especially when his previous bride-to-be left him because of his accident. I enjoyed watching him find confidence in himself by finally being loved for who he is. He no longer has to be ashamed of what he sees as weaknesses, but he struggles with breaking the habit of feeling ashamed. The pain he deals with, both physical and emotional, made me so sad for him. His thoughts about Kitty and his proclamations to her are very romantic, and the depth of his feelings for her had me swooning. So, lots of feelings with this guy!

5. The first part of the book was my favorite. I loved the build-up to Kitty’s and Alexander’s first meeting. The book slows down once she moves into his castle, something he insists upon for a little while if she wants him to keep up the ruse of their engagement. He wants a friend. I can see readers growing bored waiting for things to happen,.

6. The romance is a slow-burn, push and pull, high angst kind of romance. Because of Alexander’s injury, he and Kitty spend a lot of time talking instead of in the bedroom. They spend time rowing in the lake, picnicking in the trees, discussing his collection of treasures from around the world, and sitting by the fire. Kitty reads a lot. I really enjoyed their conversations and watching them go from strangers to friends to lovers. I enjoyed the moments of companionable silence. I found their conversations surrounding his injuries and how they have impacted him and how he’s altered his hopes for a future to be poignant and well done. The third-act break-up that inevitably always happens in romance novels was heartbreaking, and the angst felt so real. I could have done with more groveling, though. I love a good grovel. My biggest issue with their romance is pretty spoilery, so if you’re interested in reading my thoughts, continue. If not, jump below the spoiler warning to avoid it!

SPOILER BELOW!

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Alexander’s accident has left him impotent, but Kitty is so desirable to him that all of a sudden he finds himself getting turned on just by being around her, something that hasn’t happened with other women or even if he takes matters into his own hands (literally). And then they’re magically able to have sex multiple times a week and have the family they always dreamed of, the end. This didn’t feel realistic to me, and I wish the author had taken the opportunity to show that happily ever after looks different for many people. I would have loved an epilogue that was filled with ways they made a life together that didn’t involve sex and babies.

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NO MORE SPOILERS!

7. This book has great supporting characters. I mentioned Alexander’s staff before, but I really liked the other ladies in the Sinful Wallflowers club as well. I’m interested in reading their love stories! And I liked Kitty’s sisters, too.

All in all, I’m glad I read My Darling Duke! I enjoyed the unconventional way Alexander and Kitty met, the threads of Beauty and the Beast woven throughout, and the heartwarming cast of secondary characters. I was not completely satisfied with the romance, but it scratched an itch and I’m interested in reading the next book in the series. I hear it’s better than this one!

A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas | Book Review

Posted December 19, 2022 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas
Series: Wallflowers #4.5
Also in this series: Devil In Winter
Published by St Martin's Press on October 14, 2008
Genres: Historical Romance, Holiday - Christmas, Romance
Pages: 213
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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A scandalous love under the mistletoe.

It’s Christmas time in London and Rafe Bowman has arrived from America for his arranged meeting with Natalie Blandford, the very proper and beautiful daughter of Lady and Lord Blandford. His chiseled good looks and imposing physique are sure to impress the lady-in-waiting, and if it weren’t for his shocking American ways and wild reputation, her hand would already be guaranteed.

Before the courtship can begin, Rafe realizes he must learn the rules of London society. But when four former Wallfowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen. And winning a bride turns out to be more complicated than Rafe Bowman anticipated, especially for a man accustomed to getting anything he wants. However, Christmas works in the most unexpected ways, changing a cynic to a romantic and inspiring passion in the most timid of hearts.

2022 will go down as the year of Lisa Kleypas for me! I have read 18 Lisa Kleypas books this year, which is wild to me, because I haven’t read 18 books by another single author, much less 18 books by one author in a single year! I think I can officially crown her as my favorite author, and what better way to wind down this year than with her Christmas novel. I have loved the Wallflowers series so much, and A Wallflower Christmas is such a lovey cherry on top. It was so much fun to catch up with all the original Wallflowers and see a bit of an extended epilogue for them all. Each one of their love stories was so wonderful, and seeing how they’re all doing now was really fun and felt like coming home. I loved how they all took Hannah under their wings and dubbed her an honorary wallflower. Each woman had their hand in Hannah’s love story, and it was heartwarming to see that kind of love and support be poured down upon her. I love a book with strong female friendships, and the Wallflowers are some of the strongest friendships I’ve read about.

I quite liked Rafe and Hannah both together and individually. Rafe is the brother of Daisy and Lillian, two of the Wallflowers, and it was fun to see them so invested in his love story. Rafe is a rake with a heart of gold and a soft core. He’s sentimental and sweet and so romantic. Some of the things he does and says (and writes) had me fanning myself and getting teary at the same time. He’s come to meet Natalie, who he’s essentially been assigned to marry, but he’s much more interested in her companion, Hannah. Hannah is strong and kind, and one to root for for sure.

I loved returning to Stony Cross Park for Christmas. I adore a strong Christmas theme in historical romance novels because I’ve always been a huge fan of the traditional Christmas preparations. The way Christmas is celebrated in these novels, with candles and real greenery brought it from outside, traditional foods and carols… it just makes me feel so cozy to read about. Hannah chooses to read “A Christmas Carol” to the children in the library each night by a roaring fie. It was so sweet reading about her interactions with them, and their excitement over the story warmed my heart. I love the way Lisa Kleypas was able to wind a new romance, an update on so many beloved characters, and the magic of Christmas into one tale. I wish it had been longer! Oh, how I will miss these Wallflowers and the men in their lives.

When She Was Naughty by Tessa Dare | Book Review

Posted December 15, 2022 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 2 Comments

When She Was Naughty by Tessa Dare
Published by Self on December 24, 2020
Genres: Historical Romance, Holiday - Christmas, Romance
Pages: 67
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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A Christmas Eve ball.
A light-hearted beauty.
An earl who needs to come in from the cold.

All year long, Chloe Garland’s been trading witty remarks and heated glances with her nemesis, the arrogant Lord Cheverell. But when Chloe tricks him into wearing a hideous waistcoat—complete with sequins, pompoms, and jingle bells—to her family’s Christmas Eve party, she may have gone too far. Her penalty? A single, scorching kiss—and a Christmas gift she never expected.

Love.

I love Tessa Dare, and I’ve been ~~suffering~~ patiently waiting for her next release so I was excited to stumble upon this short story that I had heard absolutely nothing about! When She Was Naughty is a cute, festive, bite-sized story that’s perfect to curl up with on a snowy night! Our heroine, Chloe, tricks Lord Cheverell into wearing the ugliest Christmas waistcoat ever to her family’s fancy ball because she thinks he hates her. The description of this thing is just wonderfully horrible, and I love it so much! In reality, he’s been in love with her for months and this trick has him thinking she hates him. There’s not a lot of depth or angst, just some witty banter, a prank gone wrong, some misunderstandings, a few swoons, and a big dose of festive cheer.

I left this book with a big smile on my face, and that’s really all I ask of a Christmas book. Do I wish it was longer and more developed? Yes. But I wholeheartedly enjoyed what I was given. I highly recommend checking out When She Was Naughty if you need a little pick-me-up and a reminder that Christmas is the most wonderful (and romantic) time of the year!