It’s all about historical romance this week, and while not every book is my new favorite, there were things I loved about each. We dukes and upstarts, ladies and innkeepers’ daughters, but the one thing every protagonist has in common is the search for belonging and family, whatever that means to them. If you’re in the mood for swooning and fun, maybe one of these will pique your interest!
Say Yes to the Princess (Hidden Royals #1) by Charis Michaels: When the royal family’s fixer is order to “distract” (read: seduce) an exiled French princess from her search for her lost brother, he finds that he’s actually the one distracted — from his work and his plans. The premise sounds sordid and salacious, and while there’s definitely heat, I was pleasantly surprised by how much heart this little book has. The hero falls fast and is hilariously, endearingly dismayed by it, and the heroine is equally lovable in her search for family and belonging. A charming romance with humor, heart, and just the right amount of drama. My thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Marquis Who Mustn’t (Wedgeford Trials #2) by Courtney Milan: One of my favorite recent reads, this book is a great mix of comedy, drama, and romance. I fell in love with Naomi instantly and with Kai more slowly but just as deeply, and there was never a moment when I didn’t believe in them as a team. Both leads have complicated feelings about their families, and Milan explores those layers with nuance and compassion, emphasizing that family are the people you choose — and the people who choose you, just for you. This is going on my shortlist of historical romances to recommend. My thanks to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books #2) by KJ The book starts off slow, with a lot about family squabbles and history that’s as dull to the reader as it is to the characters, but the second half picks up as the leads grow closer (Charles excels at writing chemistry and steam). I struggled, however, as Luke remained closed off from the reader to the very end, even though we spent half the book in his POV. Withholding for its own sake (or because the author can’t think how to write it without being blatantly shifty) never endears a book to me. In the end, it’s a competent and fun but frequently frustrating story. My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dreaming of a Duke Like You (Duke of Grantham #1) by Sara Bennett: When the owner of a gaming hell suddenly finds himself with a dukedom and six younger sisters, he turns to the only lady he knows, the sister of one of his debtors, for help teaching them all the social ropes. But with a scandal in her own past, they’re both convinced she’ll never be a suitable bride, and soon heart and duty are in conflict. I really loved the leads together, but this book suffers from the fact that it never convinced me their obstacles were that severe because… well… DUKE. So, there’s a lot of time spent angsting when all he needs to do is say, “screw the ton, I want happiness” and they’ll survive the initial shock. Eventually he does, and they do, but I would have been happier for them if there wasn’t so much wheel-spinning to get there. My thanks to NetGalley and Forever for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
And that’s it for me this week! What are you reading?
–b
Book It With Becca 