Tag: historical romance

ARC Book Review: To Charm a Lady (The Cartwells #2) by Joanna Barker

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 312 pages
Author: Joanna Barker
Publisher: Rose Petal Press
Release Date: June 6th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Cora Atherton wants nothing more than to finally fall in love—real love, not the unrequited sort. When she is invited to attend a house party without her disapproving, overbearing mother, Cora leaps at the chance, desperate to make a match of her own. That is, until she finds that Oliver Cartwell is also attending the party. Oliver, the boy she has loved since she was a girl and the man she is determined to forget.A house party in the country is just what Oliver needs to distract himself from the shadows of his past. When he discovers that Cora, his sister’s best friend, is in need of a little matchmaking, he resolves to help her in her search for a husband. He quickly learns that no man is good enough for her, least of all himself. Why, then, does he find himself fighting his attraction to gentle, beautiful Cora at every step?As the two draw closer together, Cora is forced to confront the feelings that have tortured her for years. With her future on the line and a deadline fast approaching, can she trust that flirtatious Oliver has changed for the better—or will he leave her heart in pieces once again?

Thank you to the author for a gifted copy.

FLAWLESS.

I mean, I don’t even know where to begin with this review. When you love a book so incredibly much that you feel like no words will do it justice. This book made me actually tear up because it was beautifully wholesome and heated with the tension between Cora and Oliver. I loved how the house party was used to bring the forced proximity at the fore front and how many times Cora and Oliver got a chance to reconnect from their childhood. Cora and her unrequited crush had a grip on my heart and watching Oliver fall, and fall HARD was EVERYTHING.

There were so many moments I highlighted because this romance brings the sweeping tale of hope and change and growing into the person you want to be. I loved how low drama the plot was without slowing anything down. The will they/won’t they was impeccable and I hit that moment where I was BEGGING for a kiss to happen.

I loved all of the characters and the sweet friendships that blossomed. I loved getting to see Marigold and Tristan again. I loved the setting and atmosphere. I’m pretty sure this is my new favorite from Joanna Barker. She is a historical romance queen.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: The Secret Service of Tea and Treason (Dangerous Damsels #3) by India Holton

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: India Holton
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: April 18th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two rival spies must brave pirates, witches, and fake matrimony to save the Queen.

Known as Agent A, Alice is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that is fortunately better at espionage than at naming itself. From managing deceptive witches to bored aristocratic ladies, nothing is beyond Alice’s capabilities. She has a steely composure and a plan always up her sleeve (alongside a dagger and an embroidered handkerchief). So when rumors of an assassination plot begin to circulate, she’s immediately assigned to the case.

But she’s not working alone. Daniel Bixby, otherwise known as Agent B and Alice’s greatest rival, is given the most challenging undercover assignment of his life— pretending to be Alice’s husband. Together they will assume the identity of a married couple, infiltrate a pirate house party, and foil their unpatriotic plans.

Determined to remain consummate professionals, Alice and Daniel must ignore the growing attraction between them, especially since acting on it might prove more dangerous than their target.

NEW FAV.

I think this is my new favorite of the series! It was a lot of fun and I looooved that it had the fake marriage because we’re undercover agents trope.

I really felt the romance and chemistry between the main couple. It’s a delicious slow burn that you can feel. And I especially loved having dual POV, it rounded out the story all the more. The plot is full of the same antics that we’ve seen before. It made me laugh a good amount. I like that these books don’t take themselves too seriously. It makes for that lighter romantic read I’m craving.

Fantastic audiobook as usual. Lovely fantasy + historical vibes that is my favorite combination. These are a joy to read!! I love how light hearted they are and they are so dang quirky. It works perfectly in the world Holton has created.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Historical Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 3-4 vague open door
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Rachel Fordham
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: October 31st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Mere words can’t end their families’ feud, but the Campbell heir and the Bradshaw heiress plan to write a future together. Buffalo, NY, 1924 Laura Bradshaw adores stories with happily ever afters. But since her mother died seven years ago, the Bradshaw Shoe Company heiress has been as good as locked away in a tower. Her overbearing father cares little for her dreams, throwing himself instead into his tireless takedown of his competitor, the Campbell Shoe Company. However, Laura has been gifted with a a mysterious friend with whom she’s been exchanging letters. As heir to the Campbell Shoe Company, Isaac Campbell is a sought-after bachelor who has never felt an inkling of desire for the women who constantly bat their eyes at him. His thoughts are consumed by an oak tree in the Buffalo Zoo—or rather, the mystery woman he exchanges letters with courtesy of the tree. She’s been one of Isaac’s only joys in a life consumed by his father’s tireless hatred of Bradshaw. A hatred that, Isaac is coming to realize, may affect him more personally than he ever imagined. When Laura’s father orchestrates a match between her and an important business owner, she resolves to pursue her only chance at freedom. But Isaac believes their story isn’t bound for a tragic ending. He’s certain there’s more to the Bradshaw-Campbell feud than meets the eye. And he won’t stop digging until he uncovers the truth that might bridge the divide between him and the woman whose words have captured his heart. 

ADORED.

This was just SWEET y’all. That’s the best way to describe it. I was enchanted by the entire concept and loved how it played out. I seem to love hidden identity letter writing books and need to go find more of those.

I loved the time period and setting, the zoo content was this nice little addition. I loved the main characters (dual POV and dual narrators y’all!). Laura and Isaac clearly have this connection that is undeniable. I loved how they found a way to each other. There’s a subtle Romeo and Juliet vibe that played a distinct part in the plot that I enjoyed too. There’s lots of themes of forgiveness, hope and fighting for the truth.

This book took me by surprise in all the best ways. Highly recommend the audio. It is gentle and tender and brimming with all the good things.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: watching a parent die (car accident), loss of a loved one (WW1), consuming alcohol without consent

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ARC Book Review: All’s Fair in Love and War (Miss Prentice’s Protegees #1) by Virginia Heath

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Virginia Heath
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: May 28th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A new Regency romp of a series, about governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges, clashes with the children’s uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.

When the flighty older sister of former naval captain, Henry Kincaid, decides on a whim to accompany her explorer husband on an expedition to Egypt, he finds himself unwittingly left in the lurch with her three unruly children and her giant, mad dog. With no clue how to manage the little rascals, a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all of his attention, and no idea when his sister is coming back, Harry has to hire an emergency governess to ensure that everything in his ordered house continues to run shipshape. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls prepared to pay whatever it takes to get a governess quick sharp to bring order to the chaos.

Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledgling governess Georgina Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything that hers wasn’t, filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational et

Thank you to UpLit Reads for the gifted copy.

A MISS.

I’ve never read any books by this author so I figured why not give it a go? And unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be picking up another.

The bones of this book were fine. I liked the idea of the story and the characters, it just let me wanting in the execution. The writing style is extremely wordy and it made each scene feel wildly drawn out. I think this book could have been 50 pages shorter and much more charming.

For a romance, it didn’t bring the swoon. There’s a lot of focus on the main storyline vs. the romantic storyline (until the second half at least). Some of the banter is fun, but the spice was kind of odd too. This was a mishmash bag of things. While I liked small aspects, the over arching issues stood out way too much.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: 2-3 open door

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