Do you hear that sound, Reader? That sound is silence. My notifications have been off for the past few days, and I’ve ignored the world while reveling in good (and yes, a few trashy) books and puttering happily about my home. Oh, what a lovely feeling! We have a bit of variety for you this week – although, again, mostly romances, but of different enough flavors to keep things interesting. And, as always, just a dash of murder, too.
Whose Body? (“Lord Peter Wimsey” #1) by Dorothy L. Sayers: I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Peter Wimsey books, and this did not disappoint! The mystery was intriguing, the way the characters investigated entertaining, and the characters themselves… more refreshing than you might expect from a book almost one-hundred years old. Sayers’s characters are beautifully nuanced and fallible, endearingly human and tender at times, so that the pleasure of the book is as much about the plot as it is about watching the characters sort through the mystery and the questions it raising in themselves.
“Man Hands” #1-3 by Sarina Bowen and Tanya Eby: After I read Bowen’s Hard Hitter last week, my friend Panda recommended her “Man Hands” series, which is… a wild ride. It’s quirky, dramatic (but you always know it will turn out okay), and really, ridiculously smutty. I mean, actually ridiculous. But in a fun way? If you’re simpled-out and ready to turn your brain off for some laughs and smut, they’re a good time. Boy Toy, though, comes out as the clear winner. I can only recommend the first two with a lot of caveats, but #3 was good, heartfelt fun on top of the silly.
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin: I was caught up in the first half, loving the characters and the questions raised, but ultimately, the book’s origin as a Pride and Prejudice retelling held it back, forcing the plot and characters in directions that felt inorganic. I would love to see what Jalaluddin can do when she lets her characters be themselves, in their own stories, without trying to follow someone else’s blueprint. Recommended, with caveats.
“Chance Sisters” books 1-4 by Anne Gracie: Y’all, I really loved these books! There was a little more variety in the plot than in Gracie’s “Marriage of Convenience” series (which makes sense because she isn’t using the same trope for each romance this time), and the characters are all lovable and entertaining. And very, very funny, even in the midst of drama. Once again, though, the older characters stole the show, and Lady Beatrice, Featherby, and William will live forever in my heart.
–b
Book It With Becca 