Title: Death and Deception: A Victorian Book Club Mystery
Author: Callie Hutton
Published: December 2022
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery

Blurb:

After almost a year of marriage, Lord William Wethington and Lady Amy Wethington have put aside their sleuthing skills to prepare for their first child. T’would be an easy thing except to their dismay, dead bodies are once again popping up.

A corpse discovered floating in the Roman Baths was startling enough, but the unfortunate victim turns out to be Amy’s and her sister-in-law Eloise’s midwife. Mrs. Rita Fleming.

“Do not get involved,” Lord William warns.

“We are ordering you not to entangle yourself,” incompetent Bath Police Detectives Carson and Marsh state.

Lady Amy reluctantly agrees and takes up a questionable hobby that William swears will eventually poison him.

Then another body shows up.

Now, really, what’s a bore mystery writer to do?

My Review:

I never knew Callie Hutton could write such an interesting mystery story. It was an easy read but also made you ponder and guess who could be the suspect among the characters.

William and Amy are preparing the born of their first child, and William also demands Amy to cease thinking of her mystery book and focus on the baby but as soon as the ill-mouthed midwife, Mrs. Fleming appears, I had an inkling something is going to happen to her.

Well, my instinct told me right, she is dead and the mystery begins here. William is so protective of Amy and he wants her to stay out of the case so does the Police detectives who were helped by them during the prior case.  When she can’t stay still, Amy and her best-friend aka sister-in-law begin sniffing and interviewing some close acquaintances and the more they are deep into investigation, the more I got intrigued in. 

It’s apparently not the only murder. Some acquaintances of Mrs. Fleming’s are found dead and it just makes the bored Amy with no idea for her mystery story comes up is more drawn despite the warning therefore William is inclined help to solve the mystery so that Amy can solely focus on their baby.

Despite its title, the mystery is easy to absorb and I loved reading it through and through. All the characters that appear have their own roles to make the readers entertained especially Amy and William’s family. It’s a page-turning mystery and massively entertaining. 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

Title: The Wrong Way to Catch a Rake
Author: Lara Temple
Published: December 2022
Genre: Historical Romance, Mills & Boon Historical, Harlequin Historical

Blurb:

Enjoy this exciting Regency romance set in Venice.

Can she unmask the rogue…

…among the canals of Venice?

So far Phoebe Brimford’s experience of Dominic, Lord Wrexham, is that he lives up to his reputation as dissolute rake. But he’s also frustatingly charming and distractingly attractive! And while undercover spy Phoebe knows entangling herself with such a character is the wrong way to go about her mission, the closer she gets to Dominic, the more she suspects he’s not as lost as society seems to think he is…

My Review:

It’s a story of Dominic, friend of Lord Sherbourne’s from The Lord She Should Never Desire, but it’s also a standalone book. Well as impressed as the first book, I couldn’t express how I loved this book.

Set in Venice, Dominic went to Italy four years ago, I thought he was an exile Lord, but apparently I was mistaken. For Phoebe, Dominic is an utter rake which is good for nothing except for his charming, attractive physique and appearance. He is infamous for his drinking and gambling habit, yet Lara’s splendid writing led me to construct those preconceived characters when in fact he isn’t.

Phoebe is very much irritated by Dominic’s habits because it reminds her of her uncle. She attempts to evade him. Unfortunately, Dominic has taken an interest towards her as her remarkable words etch within his mind through their lighthearted banter.

For Phoebe, it’s so highly unlikely if Dominic is attracted to her. She always admits that she is merely a plain unattractive lady companion yet for Dominic, she looks so different compared to the ladies he meets. She is intelligent, observant and annoyingly captivating.

From the very first page, Phoebe and Dominic had enticed me. Their witty banter and outsmart-mouthed opinion kept me amused over and over, especially how Lara’s writing contrived its story, its meticulous historical detail, mouth-watering food, their emotional and sexual attraction and also its steaminess which emanated particularly when half-naked Dominic playing football made me curse (because I could envision how perfect his feature was).

I couldn’t tell how much I loved Lara’s book especially when she put an unexpected thrilling blew at the peak of the story. The book is so brilliant, full of geographical and historical rhetoric, and I loved when determined Dominic wants to win his future wife, Phoebe despite their accusation of one another regarding their secret identity. Thank you Lara Temple, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

Lara Temple was three years old when she begged her mother to take dictation of her first adventure story. Since then she has led a double life: by day an investment and high-tech professional who has lived and worked on three continents, but when darkness falls, she loses herself in history and romance – at least on the page. Luckily her husband and two beautiful and very energetic children help weave it all together. https://twitter.com/laratemple1

 

 

Title: An Alliance with His Enemy Princess
Author: Lissa Morgan
Published: December 2022
Genre: Historical Romance, Medieval Enemies-to-Lovers, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:

A high – stakes, Medieval enemies to lovers story.

A royal decree

That will change their lives...

Norman knight Rolant Guyarde has come to conquer a Welsh fort, but when he meets its mistress, he realizes she’s the sword-wielding “soldier” he fought en route! Despite their being enemies, he finds himself intrigued by the brave, beautiful Princess Gwennan. When they’re forced into an uneasy alliance, Rolant helps her petition the king for her parents’ release from prison. But in exchange for their freedom, the king demands a price neither Rolant nor Gwennan expects!

My Review:

What a story! Lissa Morgan did it again, wrapping the real history of Wales within a historical fictional romance.

This pure enemies-to-lovers story took all my emotional states into something I couldn’t imagine. How war not only in the past but also present has suffered so many people and Lissa Morgan wrote so very well in writing the anguish, the loss, the tragedy, the unfinished revenge and the history into a beautiful book.

During the war between the Norman and Welsh, as commander from Norman, Rolant is momentarily startled by his finding that the unconscious Welsh boy is a girl, Gwennan. He isn’t able to leave Gwennan alone in the middle of war therefore he takes her as a page. Despite his strong, muscular well-built appearance, Rolant is so tender and caring on the other hand Gwennan is spirited temperamental princess and fiercely determined to avenge and get her land back from the Norman.

The first few pages did intrigue me, despite its ugliness of war it gave some details how the war between Norman and Welsh, the pain and the interminable hatred were. The more I indulged into it, the more mysteries and pain unravelled. Both Rolant and Gwennan are the victims of the ugliness of the war. They lose their loved ones and if Gwennan wants her land and her parents to be freed, she has to do something.

This story is full of anguish, hatred and revenge yet sweet, the way Rolant cares for Gwennan. I loved how Rolant and Gwennan are trying to understand their situation better and forgive one another to let their life be happy. The epilogue couldn’t be better! Thank you, Lissa Morgan for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

Lissa Morgan hails from Wales but has travelled far and wide over the years, usually in pursuit of the next new job, but always pursuing her passion for the past along the way too. She once worked as tour guide at Hampton Court Palace where she donned her sumptuous Tudor gowns – replicas of course – in Catherine of Aragon’s chambers! Now a part-time web designer, Lissa lives in rugged north-west Wales surrounded by medieval castles that provide the perfect inspiration for her writing. Follow Lissa on her website: https://lissamorgan.com/, facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lissamorganhistoricalromance or Twitter: https://twitter.com/LissaMorganAuth

 

Title: A Christmas in Manchester
Author: Callie Hutton
Published: November 2022
Genre: Regency Romance

Blurb:

Miss Evelyn Allen has led a quiet life in Worcestershire all her twenty-one years as the devoted daughter of Pastor Joshua Allen and his wife. She always assumed she’d wed one day since her siblings had all done so, but no man had ever appealed to her in a way that she felt she could look across the breakfast table at him forever.

Until he came into her life...

The Duke of Manchester never expected to be left robbed and bleeding in the road miles from home. He knew his chances of survival were practically nil until an angel driving an old wooden wagon dragged him into her house where she and her mother nursed him back to health.

Even though she knows him for a lord by his manners and clothing, Eve has no idea that the man she is falling in love with is a Duke. A man so far above her she shouldn’t even be speaking with him.

To him, their stations matter not, but can he convince her that she is all he wants for Christmas?

My Review:

I did love the sound of Adam and Eve, and so does Adam, the Duke of Manchester when he knows that the angel saves his life is Eve. Eve is a village lass and a daughter of rector, she loves helping people in need thus when a nobleman, Adam is robbed and shot, she helps him despite her hatred towards noblemen. For me, Eve does look rather elegant driving a wagon.

As Adam is recovering during his stays in Eve’s house, their attraction is undeniable and Adam falls madly in love with Eve. I loved the heroine’s characters. She is compassionate, kind, helpful and clever particularly in chess. She also does all the household chores. At first, I didn’t seem to like the hero, Adam. He looks entirely like a rake but it changed immensely when he will do anything to make Eve his wife despite the status quo and the social stations. Their journey and love in conquering the odds mesmerized me.

Not only is this book about Christmas festivities, it’s also about a fight for the love one. It’s a fast enjoyable reading for holiday, a marvellous story that I felt like being taken into a fairytale throughout reading it. Thank you, Callie Hutton, for this ARC which I voluntarily 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

 

Title: Carrying Her Boss’s Christmas Baby
(Billion-Dollar Christmas Confession #2)
Author: Natalie Anderson
Published: November 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Presents, Mills & Boon Modern, Unexpected Pregnancy

Blurb:

Her new boss is the man she spent one night with! USA TODAY bestselling author Natalie Anderson excites with this pregnancy romance.

“You’re pregnant?”

The proof of their passion!

Ready to experience life after a childhood defined by illness, Violet Summers has left Manhattan behind...to work aboard the world’s most luxurious express train! The one thing she can’t leave behind? Her memories of one particular gorgeous if brooding stranger...

The night they shared is imprinted on Violet’s body and soul. So the arrival of her new boss, Roman Fraser, almost has her dropping an armful of festive decorations. He’s that man she couldn’t forget! Now she must drop the bombshell she’s only just discovered: their sizzling encounter hard world altering consequences!

My Review:

Unexpected pregnancy is one of my most favourite tropes and Natalie Anderson wrote it splendidly!

The grumpy and autocratic hero, Roman Fraser first encounters Violet on Halloween when he is taking half-broken wings outside his office building without any purpose on where he should put them meanwhile Violet thinks that Roman is a handsome-fallen angel when she first has a glimpse of him and knows nothing of him. Violet is a pure naive heroine who just wants to experience life without being monitored by her parents and over-protective brothers after what she had been through. On Thanksgiving, unable to forget and deny his sexual desire towards the petite sweet brunette he meets, he finds himself seeking Violet working in the adjacent shop and they commence attracting one another until they succumb into one-night stand.

Ah, I couldn’t tell how much I loved this book, when Roman finds out that Violet is pregnant with his baby on the train trip he owns, he is determined to protect her and the baby with their unstoppable banter I enjoyed. On the other hand, Violet feels profoundly irritated because she doesn’t need to be taking care of.

I’ve always been fond of Natalie’s writing. She often writes all my favourite tropes and characters especially this one, it was smartly plotted, began on Halloween, Thanksgiving then it reached the climax on Christmas day. The set on the train trip was an extra gripping plot that caught me over and over. This wonderful and emotional story kept me indulged until the last page. Thank you, Natalie Anderson, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

USA TODAY bestselling author Natalie Anderson writes emotional contemporary romance full of sparkling banter, sizzling heat and uplifting endings – perfect for readers who love to escape with empowered heroines and arrogant alphas who are too sexy for their own good. When she’s not writing, you’ll find Natalie wrangling her four children, three cats, two goldfish and one dog … and snuggled in heap on the sofa with her husband at the end of the day. Follow her at https://www.instagram.com/authornatalieanderson/ or her Instagram account https://natalie-anderson.com/