Title: Never Fall for Your Fiancée
(The Merriwell Sisters #1)
Author: Virginia Heath
Published: November 2021
Genre: Historical Romance, Romance-Comedy

Blurb:

The first in a new historical rom-com series, a handsome earl hires a fake fiancée to keep his matchmaking mother at bay, but hilarity ensues when love threatens to complicate everything.

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, ever wants is a wife. Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from across the other side of the ocean. So, Hugh invents a fake fiancée to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay. But when Hugh learns his interfering mother is on a ship bound for England, he realizes his complicated, convoluted but convenient ruse is about to implode. Until he collides with a beautiful woman, who might just be the miracle he needs.

Minerva Merriwell has had to struggle to support herself and her two younger sisters ever since their feckless father abandoned them. Work as a woodcut engraver is few and far between, and the Merriwell sisters are nearly penniless. So, when Hugh asks Minerva to pose as his fiancée while his mother is visiting, she knows that while the scheme sounds ludicrous, the offer is too good to pass up.

Once Minerva and her sisters arrive at Hugh’s estate, of course, nothing goes according to his meticulous plan. As hilarity and miscommunication ensue, while everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight, Hugh and Minerva’s fake engagement starts to turn into a real romance. But can they trust each other, when their relationship started a lie?

My Review:

What an excellent historical rom-com! Virginia Heath did it again! When Hugh is in despair to fix the mess he has created, he coincidentally finds a perfect candidate for a fake fiancée whom has very similar name like his fabrication, Minerva. Apart from the similarity, Hugh is quite astonished at her beauty which has black hair and green eyes that they mesmerize him. Being refused for the money she has earned from Mr. Pinkerton, Minerva is practically begging for it because she is totally penniless thus when Hugh offers her a considerable amount of money, Minerva couldn’t turn down the offer despite her conscience therefore she agrees.

I love how smitten when Hugh and Giles, Hugh’s good friend are with the Merriwell sisters, Hugh matter-of-factly has fallen for Minerva since the first meeting even though he always denies it because he is convinced that his ancestors are bad and he also has it within his vein. I enormously enjoyed all part of this book, Hugh begins teaching the Merriwell sisters etiquettes, and forms the Minerva he wants yet the real Minerva seems hopeless at whatever skills she has to posses. The scene when his mother arrives is beyond hilarious especially when Hugh and Minerva are in dispute and Payne, his butler tells him that men should apologize to women because it’s women’s law.

Never Fall for Your Fiancée is an absolute joy despite its little drama, unpredicted revelation and the flaw characters that kept me laughing, and the ending couldn’t be better! Thank you, Virginia Heath, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed. I totally and thoroughly enjoyed reading this!

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

 When Virginia Heath was a little girl, it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated – sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. One day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep. Follow her at https://www.virginiaheathromance.com/ or her facebook page Virginia Heath.

 

Title: The Spinster’s Swindle
(Arcane Tales #2)
Author: Catherine Stein
Published: November 2021
Genre: Historical Romance, Spiritualism

Blurb:

Revenge is in her future. But falling for her enemy’s son is one fate this spiritualist could never have envisioned.

Playwright Maxwell Millerson would rather spend his days dreaming up stories than cleaning up his father’s messes. But a trendy renovation has the family’s gaming club on the brink of ruin, and not even Max’s imagination can conjure a way out. Desperate he turns to the multi – talented – and alluringly audacious – Madame Xyla to help him spin gold from straw.

Lydia Weaver, professionally known as spiritualist Madame Xyla, has long sought revenge on the man responsible for her cousin’s imprisonment. When her enemy’s son visits her seance room seeking advice, Lydia leaps at the opportunity for vengeance. Until Max’s easy charm and poetic words threaten to turn her plans upside – down.

As their friendship grows and they give way their mutual attraction, Lydia and Max must weigh family duty with their hearts’ desires. And only when they confront old wounds and new feelings can a happy ending be in the cards.

My review:

I was charmed by Max’s charming gullible romantic characters that I could understand why Lydia fell for him despite her revenge. Max is in utter despair to fix his father messes thus he seeks Madam Xyla, a professional spiritualist to help him see the future and Madam Xyla gives him some brief insights, one of them is he requires a partner. For me, Lydia is a very unique heroine, apart from being good at gambling and being a spiritualist and her eccentric style, she is alluringly a tease that when Max encounters her and asks her as his partner, he is very tempted into her every character when they begin gambling to gain the money which apparently a trap for him.

At the peak of scenario of Lydia’s, Max has to clean up his father mess again when his father is going to unravel mummy to attract visitors but lose it. Lydia takes the leap to help him again to ruin the gambling club. I love the mummy’s show so much, it’s rich in detail that I could imagine how it was. I had been wondering why Lydia despises Max’s father so much until the past reveals how his father treats Lydia and her cousin when they were young. However as they become more than partner, they finally succumb to their steamy temptation.

This book is brilliant! What so attracting is that you will find in every chapter the goddess’ name and its definition, the unusual spiritualist and the romantic hero. Catherine Stein’s writing has always brought my imagination into the world I have never been into. Thank you, Catherine Stein, for the ARC!

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

Award-winning author Catherine Stein believes that everyone deserves love that Happily Ever After has the power to help, to heal, and to comfort. She writes sassy, sexy romance set during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Her books are full of action, adventure, magic, and fantastic technologies. Catherine lives in Michigan with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She loves steampunk and Oxford commas, and can often be found dressed in Renaissance Festival clothing, drinking copious amounts of tea. --This text refers to the paperback edition. Follow her on Twitter @catsteinbooks.

Title: A Nun for the Viking Warrior
Author: Lucy Morris
Published: October 2021
Genre: Historical Romance, Mills & Boon Historical, Harlequin Historical

Blurb:

Forced to wed the warrior Falling for the man…

Noblewoman Amée Évreux had pledged her life to God, until her father promised her in marriage to thundering Norseman Jorund Jötunnson. After escaping her overbearing father, Amée vows never to fall under another man’s thumb, but her resistance to being Jorund’s wife turns to desire as she gets to know her intriguing new husband. For beneath his fierce exterior she’s glimpsed an unexpectedly pure heart. If only she can penetrate the fortress that surrounds it…

From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.

My Review:

A forced marriage between a very innocent nun and a giant Viking! What a captivating story! Lucy Morris’s latest book has me completely drawn to the story from the first chapter to the last. It began when a giant Viking, Jorund is trying to break the nunnery’s door to take Amée and coerce her to marry him due to her father’s contract with the King. Amée’s father owns the land called Évreux and Jorund is assigned to marry her to take the land. Yet when Jorund first sees Amée, he doesn’t expect the woman he is inclined to marry would be so small, fragile and entirely innocent.

I was so in love with Jorund, despite his Viking look, he is so tender, considerate and over-protective towards Amée however their relation is forged from preconceived assumptions that lead into terrible misunderstanding caused by their horrendous past. Besides, what so appealing from this book is that Lucy Morris again supplies the cultures and paradigm of religion and also mental concern within the history as well as the vivid and detailed description of the places, everything is so well-written and research.

Lucy Morris brings something different within this book, two complete opposite characters, one wants to be tougher and one wants to be very compassionate and tender are connected into an arranged marriage that leads into unanticipated emotional state through fulfilling closure. I so love it! Thank you, Lucy Morris, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

Lucy Morris lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two young children and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves gin, bubbly and Irn-Bru. She is a member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association and is delighted to begin her publishing journey with Harlequin Historical in 2021 with her first release ‘The Viking Chief’s Marriage Alliance’.

She adores writing strong, passionate women and the brave honourable men who fall in love with them. Weaving her fascination with the dark age of medieval Europe with her compulsion to give her characters a happily ever after. But only after they’ve had an adventure along the way. Follow her on twitter @LMorris_Author 

 

Title: His Majesty’s Hidden Heir
(Princesses by Royal Decree Book 2)
Author: Lucy Monroe
Published: October 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Mills & Boon Modern, Harlequin Presents 

Blurb:

The prince is in for a shocking revelation this secret baby romance by USA TODAY bestselling author Lucy Monroe!

The mother of his child…

…and wearing his crown?

Prince Konstantin can’t forget Emma Carmichael, who vanished after contract wedding forced him to end their relationship. A surprise meeting five years later shocks Konstantin – Emma has a son. Unmistakably his son.

Emma wants Konstantin in their son’s life – yet she’s wary. She’d had no choice but to walk away; his family hadn’t deemed her worthy of being his princess. But as their reunion stokes the flames of their passion, can she trust that this time their bond is strong enough to prove them all wrong?

From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.

 My Review:

Lucy Monroe’s latest series of Princesses by Royal Decree is here and I was truly hooked. It’s a story of the second prince of Mirrus, Konstantin (if you read the first series, he is infamous for being a playboy) who apparently has an adorable 5-year-old son. (I’m so enamored with his son).

When Konstantin was in University, he had a discreet mistress, Emma whom he had to leave because of his responsibility as a royal prince to marry Nataliya. Despite the non-string-relationship, Emma was heartbroken to hear the contract and disappeared from his life. Five years later, they happen to meet again when Emma is in a bank with their son, Mikhail, waiting in queue. Konstantin immediately recognizes that Mikhail is his thus he goes along with Emma to settle the matter.

I so love Emma’s characters, after what she had been through, she becomes really strong and independent and doesn’t show her vulnerability in front of Konstantin, she keeps her outrage in control yet when Konstantin accuses her of what had happened, she is enraged and reveals how she lived her life. I could feel the sentiment of the rage that emanates from Emma particularly when she unwraps the evidences however for the sake’s of their son whom is thrilled to have a father, she lets Konstantin to be involved in her and their son’s life. For me, Mikhail has a crucial role within this story apart from being utterly charming he succeeds in reconciling his parents to become a family.

Lucy Monroe has again successfully created a different royal story which made me hooked. His Majesty’s Hidden Heir is another pleasing and compelling emotional story which involves heartwarming feeling at the end. I cannot wait the story of the third prince of Mirrus! Thank you, Lucy Monroe, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed, it is a really enjoyable reading.

 Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

USA TODAY bestselling author Lucy Monroe lives and writes in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest. While she loves her home, she delights in experiencing different cultures and places in her travels, which she happily shares with her readers through her books. A lifelong devotee of the romance genre, Lucy can’t imagine a more fulfilling career than writing the stories in her head for her readers to enjoy. Follow her at https://www.lucymonroe.com/ or twitter @lucymonroe.

 

Title: A Rose for Laura
(The Rose Room Rogues Book 3)
Author: Callie Hutton
Published: September 2021
Genre: Historical Romance

Blurb:

Keniel Singh, a bi-racial by-blow of the former Earl of Huntington is unknown to his three brothers. He was born to Chloe Singh, an artist mother who was Jamaican. She had a brief affair with the former Earl of Huntington when he was there to check on one of his plantations. 

On her deathbed she tells Keniel of his heritage and encourages him to find his family. He sets out for London and is soon employed at The Rose Room, while his brothers, the owners, do not know who he is.

Miss Laura Benson is an almost spinster who champions children on the London street. She’s raised enough money to rent a house for an orphanage. She is upset to learn that a Mr. Keniel Singh has put in a bid to buy the house for himself. She visits him and finds a young, handsome, charming man who won’t give up the purchase of ‘her’ house.

Keniel is attracted to the spirited, beautiful woman, but holds back, sure she would never consider any sort of relationship with him because of his heritage. However, to keep her in his life, he refuses to break the contract for the house. Instead, he offers to help her find another one.

Laura is equally attracted to the man, but his refusal to allow her the house that she deems perfect for the children, and the fact that he manages a gambling house patronized by the very men who produce these cast off children warns her to keep her heart close. 

As Keniel’s feelings grow, can he change her mind?

My Review:

What a fabulous book with a satisfying epilogue! Keniel Singh and Laura Benson are encountered in a leased property where Laura requires it for her orphanage meanwhile Keniel requires it for his permanent residence. Keniel irritates Laura because he doesn’t want to withdraw his intention to purchase the house that it always leads them to dispute the property.

Throughout their search for finding the house, they both have compelling attraction that they couldn’t resist. What I love the most from this series is the Rose heroes couldn’t hide and keep their hands off of the heroines including Keniel. Keniel wants to have more than friend relationship with Laura however his insecurities of his heritage and the status quo make him evade Laura because she is an heiress of successful businessman and is welcome in the ton whereas he isn’t but he cares for her and wants her to be happy.

Callie Hutton did amaze me over again with this latest series, not only does this book tell how the volatile of the cast off children in the past matters but also how the racial issue arises. Nevertheless I was overjoyed when Keniel and Laura conquer the status quo. What an enjoyable reading with the unusual hero and all the issues arise within this historical romance, I personally recommend this! Thank you, Callie Hutton for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

My historical romances are full of heat, and quirky characters. I’ve always loved history, which was my college major. Things of the past fascinate me. Not those boring history classes in high school, but the history of people. How they lived their lives, what they ate, what they wore, the challenges they faced, what they worried about.

I have recently delved into Historical Cozy Mysteries. My very first one, For the Love of the Baron, a Historical Suspense novella, spurred me to try a full length, non-romance focused cozy mystery. A study in Murder released this year from Crooked Lane Publishing, and the reviews have been very good. The second book in that series, The Sign of Death, will release in April of 2021.

Although those books are not strictly romance, the main characters, William, Lord Wethington, and Lady Amy Lovell have formed a friendship while solving a murder mystery. Who knows where that will take them?

Take a look around my website and check out some of the books I write, and their lovely covers.

Please consider signing up for my newsletter to keep up to date on new releases, sales, and special offers. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! (This text refers to the Amazon edition). Follow her on http://calliehutton.com/newsletter/ and Twitter @Calliehutton