Lieutenant Colonel Ezra Hart finds himself in urgent need of a wife—inheriting the viscountcy relies on it! But while he’s dutifully spinning the Season’s jewels around Society’s ballrooms he finds himself desiring the one woman he shouldn’t covet…
French émigrée Seraphine Mounier is as beguiling as she is vivacious, but Ezra knows she has no interest in the marriage mart. What’s worse, she represents the very enemy he fought at Waterloo. As an undeniable connection sparks, resisting Seraphine seems one battle Ezra’s destined to lose!
Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old, romantic movies recommended by her grandad, or devouring love stories from the local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Berkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, her two daughters and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over 20 years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Mills & Boon. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy ever after. You can contact her via @sarahrodiedits or sarahrodiedits@gmail.com or at sarahrodi.com
With a return ticket in a few weeks, whatever you do, don’t fall for someone
Synopsis
Happy ever after’s don’t apply to me…
I have six weeks left of my sabbatical in LA before I go home to my family and our business. I’ve spent months traveling, surfing and working on my tan but I get bored easily and I needed more. So that’s what led me to my temporary job at S&M gyms – and Violet West. The most hypnotically beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, whose killer curves and sharp tongue rock my world.
But the clock is ticking and my return ticket is booked. I need to be careful I don’t fall too hard. I need to keep my composure when she temps me to take a leap of faith with her, when she gets me so hot and bothered I end up in the emergency room. When she invites me into her home and convinces me to break my self-inflicted sex-ban… But the biggest risk? When she shows me what it feels like to be really loved, something I know nothing about. And now I don’t want to leave. But I know good things never last… right?
My review
Lincoln has almost finished his sabbatical in LA, and is ready to head back home to Scotland. His sabbatical was not only to get his mind of the family business, but also to stop his previous behaviour with women. That resulted in a self – inflicted ban from getting involved with women. But just with a few weeks left, he meets Violet West at his temporarily job… And his resolution starts to crumble, as Violet is just impossible to resist. Violet herself is ready to take a chance with Lincon, and enjoy the weeks that he is still in L.A., no strings attached. But with the clock ticking, and both Lincoln and Violet learning what it feels to be loved, where will they end, as a split is inevitable?
In life, there are many rules, self-inflicted or not. And it is also generally known that having something with someone you work with, is perhaps not the smartest of the ideas. I am not saying that it is bad, but just that perhaps there is a lot of extra to think about before taking that road. And of course sometimes, the attraction (physical or not) is just to hard to ignore, and the heart takes over.
But what when there is a limited timespan? What when you want to give in, but you know that whatever is simmering, will end anyway, no matter what the feelings are, are becoming or even have been? That’s when a book gets even more interesting!
I have never been on a sabbatical, and for the moment, I haven’t had the need to have one. But I understand that there are people that do have had need, that urgence, to leave their known world behind for a period, and get away from it all. And in books, it’s often that the story starts with a character taking off, and we see the start of a brand new journey.
And I liked it that the author took a spin on this storyline, and gave a unique twist to it, by letting us meet Lincoln when his sabbatical is almost over.
We know that Lincoln comes with money, yet he doesn’t show or flaunt it, like many others would. He isn’t afraid to just take a ‘normal’ job, even if it’s just temporarily. Furthermore, he is not only well off and handsome like hell, but he is also a smart person, with many ideas to make improvements, and sees what works and what doesn’t.
And yes, in a way I found it also admirable that he managed to hold on to his self-imposed ban from women. 🙂
HIs first encounter with Violet, couldn’t it be more hilarious? Talking about making assumptions! I for sure laughed out loud because I know that despite Lincoln’s good intentions, he messes up so greatly! 🙂 And it was funny to read how Violet let him get away with it, for just a moment though 🙂.
Now, I need to say one thing… When Violet falls after that meeting, I found her particular situation a bit strange and awkward. But that can be all also put on me, as I could never imagine me walking around like Violet does without feeling awkward all the time, and even a bit afraid of showing too much. But on the other hand, it shows her confidence, strong attitude and – excuse my language – her balls!
However, besides Violet’s strong entrance, we also quickly see a vulnerable side of her. With Lincoln, she cannot stop by acting out of character. Out of character, for as much as Violet knows who she is and what she truly wants…
It needs to be said, that both characters don’t have an easy background… While Lincoln is very close with his father, he is clearly still carrying the pain and hurt from his mother leaving them. And while he hides it from everyone, and even from himself, for the reader it couldn’t be any clearer that it is still haunting him, and making him even afraid of finding and making a deeper connection with someone. That is what scares him from that connection with Violet, and how despite his feelings, he cannot completely open up to her.
But also Violet is struggling, as while she also has a deep and wonderful connection with her father, she also feels very alone and lonely at moments. The relations with her sister is very strained, to put it kindly, and it angered me to see that. As I am very close with my own brother, I cannot grasp the fact that someone can be so evil and nasty and selfish towards their own sibling… And it also felt that most of the time, she was proving something to her family, showing her worth…
This book for sure isn’t afraid to get very heated, very steamy. Lincoln and Violet match each other perfectly, and I don’t even know if heated is hot enough! Yet it is also great to see how that physical connection starts to become something deeper, more important and significant. Even if that terrifies the both of them!
Now, of course there has to be a conflict, somehow. And I didn’t expect it to be what it turned out to be. Not only was I just as shocked as the characters, but I was shocked about how blasé the involved party acted about it, while the contrast couldn’t be any bigger. While I didn’t agree wit how Lincoln acted, I could understand the turmoil he was in…
I know that in books there is a great appreciation and love for grand gestures. And I love them too. But while of course here the grand gesture for sure counts greatly, I don’t know if I would appreciate that kind of gesture myself. Perhaps, and just maybe, it was a too grand of a gesture? But again, it could be totally just be my issue, so just deal with it Tizi 🙂.
This was the first book I have read of this author, and it was a great first meeting. I loved the spice, I loved the banter, I loved the sweeter bits. Conclusion: I loved it all, and most of the characters (you’ll get it when you read this book yourself 🙂). As this is part of a series, I cannot wait to read more!
The first in a delightfully warm, cosy and romantic new series with a fantasy twist, for fans of the BBC series ‘Ghosts’.
Can Callie give some needy ghosts their happy-ever-afterlife, while making Rowan Vale her own forever home?
When cash-strapped single mum Callie visits the beautiful Cotswold village of Rowan Vale on a school trip with her daughter, she is enchanted. It’s run as a living museum, with a steam railway, vintage teashop, Elizabethan manor house and old water mill allowing tourists to see history in action.
But there’s more to Rowan Vale than meets the eye…
To Callie’s surprise, the owner of the village, elderly Sir Lawrence Davenport, requests a meeting with her. It appears Callie has been observed talking to several villagers she shouldn’t be able to see – as they’re ghosts.
Sir Lawrence then makes an astonishing offer: to sell Callie the whole estate for a tiny sum, if she agrees to protect the village’s present tenants and make sure the headstrong ghosts are represented too.
With a spectral lord of the manor and his imperious wife, a naughty 1940s schoolgirl and the man who once taught William Shakespeare among them, it seems Callie’s role as owner wouldn’t be easy.
And that’s without the added complication of Lawrie’s disinherited grandson, the gorgeous Brodie.
Rowan Vale and Callie may need each other. But is this a match made in heaven or hell?
Fans of the BBC’s Ghosts, or books by Lucy Jane Wood, Laurie Gilmore and Heidi Swain will love this heart-warming and magical novel.
My review
When single mother Callie helps out with going with her daughter on a school trip to the Cotswolds village of Rowan Vale, she never expected that the trip would be so life – altering. Because not only Callie realizes that her curse of seeing dead people is this there, but that when the villagers, and specific Sir Lawrence Davenport, learn about her gift (and not a curse), she gets an offer she cannot refuse. An offer that entails in her buying Harling Hall at a ridiculous price, as only someone with the gift can be residing in it, and Lawrence is the last of his family seeing the ghosts. However, running a Hall is already not easy, and Callie never had the kind of worries that a Lady of the Manor has. But seeing ghosts and ghostly issues doesn’t make things easier at all for Callie. And the help Lawrence and his grandson Brodie is only temporary, as soon they will moving not only out but also away… So how will Callie cope with all the changes in her life and new presences around her?
While I don’t believe in ghosts, I absolutely love the BBC series Ghosts. And yes, I even love the American version, as it has the same bigger picture idea, yet having an (obviously) American twist to it.
So now having a book that has the same inspiration, of course I had to read it! And I loved it!!!
There are several reasons that at the start of the book, I felt sorry for Callie. I can imagine how difficult it must to be a single mother, no matter how lovely Immi is. But Callie struggles at the start to keep all the balls in the air. Yet you cannot ignore that she does whatever she can.
I have to say, initially I thought that Callie would be at peace with her gift, and she wouldn’t be surprised by all the ghosts she would encounter at Rowan Vale. But perhaps it was better the way Sharon Booth wrote this story, about a character that always had the ability to see ghosts, but due circumstances she didn’t anymore. And I loved it how her visiting Rowan Vale reignited it all.
Obviously I could understand her shock, when she sees those first ghosts and doesn’t grasp that they are ghosts and not living people like you and me. And it causes a few funny scenes when the ghosts realize that they are being seen or when Callie keeps on assuming they are alive.
There are several kind of ghosts in Rowan Vale, and some have a bigger part in the story than others. The ghosts with their own story to tell in this story, show us a humanity that surprised me but also broke my heart. They are all so different, in so many ways. From different eras, from different ages, from different background. And while it was great to see how they have somehow evolved also through time, but in a way also got stuck in their ways.
I was truly wondering how Callie would be coping with everything that has so quickly changed for her. Not only is she now the owner of Harling Hall, and she has to work everything out, with her own struggles with it. But she also has to earn the trust and the respect of the inhabitants of Rowan Vale, the living ones and the ghostly ones. And she has to keep on being there for Immi too…
Immi, she for sure is a force to be reckoned with, as despite everything is changing around her, yet she takes it all in her stride. And even when she has a few problems of her own, she tries to not to burden her mother with them.
I liked it how this book isn’t just about Callie or just about the ghosts or about a potential romance between Callie and Brodie, but it’s an accumulation without ever getting lost in chaos. Callie does everything she can, with trail and error obviously. And it’s exactly that trail and error that made her so easy to relate with, even if seeing ghosts may not be all that believable (at least for me 😊).
Callie isn’t without flaws, and she has been through a lot even at a younger age, learning to see her gift as a curse, something to be ashamed of. And her background also made it more difficult to trust people, and to open to them.
Yet I liked it how she saw things that needed to be changed. Because it’s not because how things have been done until now, that it was the right way. We see Callie grow in not only her character but also in her ‘job’. While at first she let things be, we see how she wants to make things better for everyone.
Obviously there is a potential love interest in this book, and while it was great to read those bits, as it also shows Callie’s and Brodie’s evolution in this book, it didn’t feel like the most important part of the story. Although, the will – they – will – they – not were a bit frustrating 😊.
This was a funny, no a hilarious, book, where each character whether dead or alive, had their own charm. And it was a heartwarming story about fresh starts and trying to make the right choices and decisions. A story where everyone need to adapt to changes, easy ones and more difficult ones. But this was a an amazing story, also about how important it is to understand people and respect them for who they are and what they have been through.
Sharon Booth showed with this book once again what an amazing author she is, making me have the urge to read page after page after page.
Jessica is escaping to the Greek Retreat to discover if running away from a broken engagement really can lead to a happy ever after. She doesn’t believe life works that way, but her future could depend on it.
The Greek island of Kynos is an idyllic hideaway, offering its visitors the space and time needed to truly appreciate the traditional hospitality. The locals are always friendly and ready to entertain their guests, while the daily activities offer many different ways to explore the island and its heritage.
Jessica is hoping The Retreat will provide everything she needs in order to plan for a successful future, but has she left it too late?
The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.
My review
Jessica has written a successful series, but with the task to write something new, she does not know where to find her inspiration. Hoping to get over her writer’s block, she decides to head of the Greek Retreat, on the idyllic island of Kynos. The visitors are there able to find the peace and qualm they are seeking, and in Jessica’s case, hopefully a story that awaits her. The inhabitants of the island itself are welcoming Jessica, providing to all their needs and also the necessary entertainment when required. Slowly Jessica starts to write down what comes to mind, also making her wonder where her future truly lays, and if perhaps some things she left behind, she left it too late?
When I started this book, I thought that it would be about yes, Jessica trying to find inspiration to write a book, but all the while trying to overcome her own heartbreak. And as it’s been used in many other books, finding romance on the island.
So I was in a way happy that my initial thoughts were wrong, because why does a wonderful story always has to start with a heartbreak?
I am always in awe of people that are able to write (wonderful) books. I for sure don’t think that I would be able to do that, as my ideas would be like thirteen in a dozen, and I would be very repetitive. So I was eager to not only get to know Jessica better, but also to have a peek at her writing process and where she would get her inspiration from.
I have never been to Greece, although for sure it’s on my bucket list, despite the too many tourists visiting. Yes, I know I am being hypocritic, as I would be a tourist visiting the area. But perhaps the Greek Retreat would be more my thing, as it would provide me all I need of a vacation, alongside the peace and quiet I also long for.
Just like Jessica does, in order to find some kind of inspiration. Jessica isn’t facing any kind of real trouble in her life, but she feels the pressure of writing something great. And that pressure is making it not only more difficult, but makes Jessica also doubt herself. And that is something recognizable for us all, isn’t it. Haven’t we all wondered more than once that if we were good enough, if we were able to fulfil expectations. Or did we already give our best and are we just getting ready for failure?
Of course when Jessica arrives on the island, she needs to find her way around it. Even if there are some strange encounters with a few inhabitants (okay, just the one 😊), Jessica quickly makes new friends. New friends that are able to give her the right inspiration for her book.
And it was great to have a story in a story. Because we have sight into the whole writing process Jessica is going through. From having an idea, to discard other ideas, to get frustrated when they don’t coma quickly enough. To even get angry when the fictitious characters take their time for the romance to take off.
Writing a book is not an easy task, and here we get to see how difficult it actually can be, that it isn’t just a matter of putting words on paper. Even the simple task of giving your characters a name isn’t just that straightforward…
But beside Jessica getting on with her book, it is also a story about self-reflection. We see how Jessica not only finds her mojo back, but she also finds herself back. She starts to see and understand that what she has at home is a good thing, and that perhaps she needs to show her appreciation more. And perhaps that is also something we need to realize ourselves, the grass isn’t always greener, and that we have to be happy with what and who we have in our lives. And that is not just applicable in romance but in life in general. In a world where we share everything with everyone online, or to be more correct, the perfect snippets, we have to see the reality and not the fantasy. With Jessica being offline during her retreat, she sees exactly that, the reality and the beauty of that reality.
I enjoyed reading this peaceful story. It for sure was a surplus having two stories for the price of one as we get to see how Jessica’s writing story evolves. Having an insight in the process of writing a book for sure made my respect for authors increase. And of course I enjoyed spending time on a beautiful island, on a Retreat that I might need myself! 😊
Kate Whitaker has always believed in love, but when a stranger named Willem shows up on her doorstep, the news he has to share isn’t as exciting as his god-like looks might suggest. He’s come to tell her that Kate’s fiancé is also engaged to his sister.
Kate doesn’t know how she didn’t see the red flags: Jon’s work as an airline pilot having him flying around the globe, the postponed dates, the huge rock of an engagement ring that isn’t her style at all.
Overcome with fury – and entranced by the Nordic god’s piercing blue eyes and quiet allure – Kate agrees to accompany Willem to his hometown of Amsterdam to help break the news to his sister. Yet what begins as a simple gesture of support soon twists into a deliciously devious plan to get back at Jon.
Kate is drawn into a world of retribution, revenge and – unexpectedly – romance. Because sometimes the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else…
A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about broken trust, sweet revenge, and the surprising places we find love. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry.
My review
Kate Whitaker does not know what to believe when a complete stranger is at her door. Especially as that stranger, Willem, claims that Kate’s fiancé is already engaged to his sister. Of course Kate is wary of those claims, even if with Jon being an airline pilot things aren’t always easy. But with clear evidence, it’s clear that Willem is telling Kate the truth. Now Kate is plotting on revenge, but first she must do something else: go to Amsterdam with Willem, and inform his sister of Jon’s real nature. In Amsterdam Kate quickly bonds with Willem, while he is showing her around. And even when a new victim of Jon’s shenanigans arises, the pair work together to stop Jon for once and for all. But revenge is not all that is on their mind, because the more Kate and Willem are together, the more the attraction grows. But Kate cannot possibly fall that easily again for a man, can she? Even if he looks like a Nordic God and is just an amazing person in general.
Yup, I started this book with one of the biggest smiles possible. Not only because it is a book of the amazing Sandy Barker, but also because I would return to the wonderful people of the Ever After Agency!
This book though not only does start off differently than the other books of the series, but is also works in a complete different way. Because Kate’s goal is not to find love, but to get even with her ex – fiancé. And while I had all the faith in Sandy and her writing abilities, I was also very curious how this story would be evolving and how the Ever After Agency would be involved, as this for sure isn’t what they normally do.
I felt sorry and I even pitied Kate at the start of this book. Because it must be terrible to not only discover that your fiancé has been lying to you, but to discover it by a stranger at your door. I can imagine her shock and the devastation.
Yet it couldn’t have been easy to agree to go with Willem to Amsterdam to break the same news to his sister. That shows that no matter how devastated Kate is herself, she is concerned about other people. And that she wants to do the right thing, no matter how difficult it may be.
She has an imminent complicity with Willem, they connect immediately, despite the circumstances they meet.
Willem… as a Belgian, my standard settings are to like the inhabitants of the Netherlands. But Willem could be even French, Chinese, African, Australian, I don’t care, as he is just a great person. He is perhaps a bit overbearing towards his sister, but it is also all done because of love. He is very protective of her, something very recognizable, as I have the same protective brother! Although I doubt he would go as far as Willem in order to protect me 😊.
But he is not only protective of his sister, as he gets to know Kate better, he shows her the same protective streaks. What a man he is! Can I get his address in Amsterdam please?
Of course as Kate has just ended her relationship with Jon one – sided, the last thing she is looking for is a new romance. But when ever did love stop because it wasn’t the supposed right time? And don’t we often say that love comes on your path in the most unexpected times and ways?
So I absolutely loved seeing Kate and Willem together, on a joined quest that is bringing them more and more together over time, in different places too.
Yet I still had one major question: how would the Ever After Agency, and the lovely Poppy fit in with the whole story?
Because let’s be honest, it is her job to match people, and not help with revenge plans. However, this is also a peculiar situation, and the sense of right and wrong is very strong with Poppy. And as there is a friendship being formed with Kate, Poppy just want to help out.
I liked reading how everyone in the agency, not only Poppy truly sympathizes with Kate and her situation, and they all want to help her out, within the lines of legality of course.
I need to say one thing, that isn’t that important in the story at all, but as a Belgian, sharing many recipes and dishes with our neighbours, I was over the moon with the appreciation of bitterballen! BITTERBALLEN FOR LIFE! 😊
Saying that I devoured this book, is an understatement. Is there a superlative of devouring? Well, whatever that word is, I did that! 😊
Sandy Barker showed us once again what an amazing author she is, adding a wonderful story to an amazing series. And with changing the storyline, she shows us not only her talent, but also that love comes in whatever form and shape it wants to come.
And my application for the Ever After Agency is still valid, as I want to find my perfect match with the help of Poppy! 😊
A little competition can bring out a lot of feelings
Synopsis
I’m determined to win over the one guy who hates me…but I never expected to fall for him
Being a prince may seem like a fairytale, but to me, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. That’s why I’m excited when I get permission from my uncle—the king of Norway—to go undercover as a student at an American college for a year. And I’m even more ecstatic to be selected for their football team. Soccer, I mean. The only problem? Farron, the team captain, dislikes me on sight. Determined to win him over, I start a charm offensive, but nothing works. He only hates me more.
Until the animosity comes to an explosive release…and we end up kissing each other. How did that happen when neither of us has ever been attracted to a guy before? Farron wants to let it run its course and get it out of our system, but I doubt that’ll work. I’m falling for him hard, but he has no idea who I really am. I fear that if he finds out, he’ll never speak to me again…
The Prince and the Player is the first book in the Prince Pact series and features an undercover, sunshiney prince and a grumpy, handsome soccer captain, two guys who mistake hate for attraction, a double bi-awakening, and two opposites who attract each other like magnets.
The royally romantic, enemies-to-lovers college romance for fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall and Jax Calder.
My review
Being a prince is not easy. Even if Tore himself is not the first in line for the throne, he still has many responsibilities. And he knows that the list will only extend. So now is the time to enjoy some freedom, and go on a sabbatical and go experience the American college life for a year. There Tore will be part of the football team, or like the Americans call it, soccer team. But he didn’t expect to be clashing with the captain of the team. For a reason Tore doesn’t know, Farron cannot stand the newest arrival. Especially when Tore shows his worth on the field. It all comes clashing in a way neither of them expected: in them kissing. Never did they think to be falling for not only the same sex, but for each other. But are they really falling for each other, or is it more a chase of getting each other out of their system? And what about Tore not telling Farron who he really is, the exact kind of person, that comes with money, that Farron despises the most?
There are plenty of stories where a royal person wants to pretend to be ‘normal’ and goes undercover in a college or university, getting a taste of that life. Both in books and movies that is a trope that has been used several times. And I have to admit, I am a sucker for such tropes. And the extra addition of this being a MM love story, well it was not only brave but even more perfect!
While growing up, we all have that fantasy that being a prince or princess is truly something special, something of a fairytale. But with age comes also wisdom, and we all know that being royalty isn’t all that easy at all. Being royalty brings a lot of responsibilities, and in a world where royalty is often seen as superfluous, it’s also a matter of surviving.
Even if Tore isn’t first in line for the crown, he still has many responsibilities, even if he is a young man with the whole world at his feet. He doesn’t know much beside the royal life, but he knows that he is living a privileged life. A privileged life, but not a free life where he can do what he wants, what he dreams of.
So I could understand how he wanted to see what a normal life looks like, now that it still all possible. Because the more time passes, the slimmer those chances are getting. It was truly a case of now or never.
I liked Tore from the very start. He may be a prince, but he is genuinely a nice guy, with a positive attitude and just goes for it. Even in a country that he doesn’t know, where even the words have a different meaning, he tries to blend in. And I liked it the most that you can take a prince out of the circle of royalty, but you can never take the royalty out of the prince. He keeps being polite, even using perhaps fancier words than needed in college.
But he blends in, makes new friends, even if he is still keeping his real identity hidden from everyone. Because he wants people to accept Tore, and not Tore the Prince.
However, not everyone is ready to accept Tore in their midst. Because Farron is not only against everyone with money, but he is also in a way jealous of the talent that Tore is on the field. Tore is everything that Farron wants to be, and he feels a real competition with him.
I could understand a little bit Farron’s feelings towards Tore, but initially I couldn’t grasp why he was feeling so deeply and so negative. Slowly, bit by bit, his upbringing and his difficulties during that upbringing were revealed, and I not understood Farron much better. But I could also understand his thoughts and why he feels the way he feels towards Tore, even if Tore himself didn’t do anything wrong to Farron.
As a reader, we of course know that their animosity will climax in a great kiss. A kiss that I was anxiously waiting for it, but shocks both young men. Not only does the realization that the ‘hatred’ is in fact something else hit home, but also the fact that the sizzling kiss is with another man, makes the both of them question, well, everything they thought they knew.
It was nice reading how different they each react to the kiss. Tore is like the Prince he is, he is stoic about. Well, in the sense that he goes with the flow, tries to understand what it all means and what his actual feelings now truly are.
While Farron has the complete opposite reaction. He is totally freaking out by the event, not understanding it at all. And while things get heated up with Tore, Farron also often shows a cowardice behaviour. But we also know that he is acting out of fear and of not understanding.
As a matter of fact, I could understand both reactions, no matter how different they are. Acting in one way or another is something very human, and we are not the same, so even our actions are not the same.
Of course it’s obvious that Tore’s secret is coming out at one point in the story, bringing down everything the pair has been attempting to build, or to understand. But after the initial shock, and the needed time to digest it all, there is also a level of maturity in the characters. A level that brings both characters in understanding each other even better than they ever did.
This is the first book that I have read from this author. And I liked it how the characters in this book aren’t the standard couple. Because in the real world, nothing is standard anymore. Standard is overrated, as it puts people in boxes, while people should be allowed to be who they are, in or out a box.
I loved this book, and I cannot wait to read what other stories and tales are waiting for the other princes like Tore!
The gorgeous and spicy new romance from Emma Orchard, perfect for everyone waiting for their next Bridgerton fix!
June, 1817
Sir Dominic De Lacy – one of the season’s most eligible gentlemen – has recently proposed marriage… to a woman he scarcely knows. But his father’s choice for him, Miss Maria Nightingale, seems amiable, and at 29, Dominic cannot live the life of a bachelor forever. He hopes he can provide a happy future for her as they learn to care for each other.
Maria, however, has other ideas. Midway through their engagement celebrations, she confesses to Dominic that she is not Maria at all, but her identical twin sister, Margaret. Maria has disappeared, and Margaret’s been persuaded to take her place until she’s found – and for that she needs Dominic’s help. The pair quickly find they make a formidable team, but with just three weeks to avoid the biggest scandal of the season, time is against them.
But even if they find Maria, can they really hope the wedding will happen? Because, as they are starting to realise, chemistry can’t be arranged – and Sir Dominic might just be engaged to the wrong Miss Nightingale…
My review
Sir Dominic De Lacy might be the most eligible gentleman, but his mind isn’t set at getting married at all. That is until he hears from his mother that it was his father’s last wish to see him marrying Miss Maria Nightingale. So even if he doesn’t know the young lady at all, he cannot ignore his father’s wish. And he hopes that one way or another he can give Maria a happy marriage, especially as after a first encounter, he finds Maria rather amiable. But the person he has met, isn’t Maria at all, but her twin sister, Margaret. Margaret is posing as her twin sister since Maria disappeared. And Margaret doesn’t want anything more than finding her sister. Even if that means confessing to Dominic who she really is. Deciding to join forces, they are on a quest to find Maria and why she disappeared. But it’s also a race against the clock, as the wedding date is set, and coming closer and closer. Will they find Maria in time for the wedding? Or will the joined forces cause a scandal the pair of them didn’t foresee at all?
There are plenty of Regency – stories in the world. There are also plenty of swapping places stories in the world. But the combination of these the two? Well, I am not that sure that there are that many. And add a layer of steaminess, and I am sure that a search would not give many results.
Luckily, we have Emma Orchard who took matter in her own hands, and gave us an amazing story, with exactly all the above!
In Regency, things aren’t done like they are done now. Marriage isn’t about love, but about gain. And even in this book, the initial arrangement is more about what to gain than two people that love each other.
But where in many books, in arranged marriages, there is a party that is just wrong and even evil, it’s clear that both parties in the arrangement are both lovely characters, forced to wed for reasons outside their own volition.
Of course, as a reader, we know that Maria is in fact Margaret, impersonating her twin after Maria just went missing. And I liked that about Margaret, the lengths she is going to not only cover for Maria, but how she also wants to find her sister.
It wouldn’t be so strange in normal circumstances, but the more I read the book, the more I understood that there is nothing normal in Margaret’s family. Things ended badly between her father and her mother, causing a literal separation between the twins. And that also gave them complete different upbrings and a total different character development.
But it was sweet to read how despite the distance, the sisters kept in touch, writing to each other about their lives. So Maria’s disappearing without Margaret just having a clue why, for sure raised several question marks in my head too.
Luckily, Margaret finds a surprising ally in Dominic. He wants to help Margaret with her search, and not only for his own best interests. He is truly invested in finding Maria, as he wants to know her reasons, and also as he sees in how much distress Margaret is. If that isn’t a proof of his good character…
Dominic is truly a good man. While many others would have been furious about Margaret’s deception, he is ready to listen to her reasons, and shows a lot of compassion. Not only that, but he offers to help Margaret to find her sister.
Now, obviously Dominic himself has his own problems, as he cannot understand why his father’s dying wish was to see him married to Maria. That doesn’t match with the relationship he had with his father…
Slowly we get to learn that there is more than sees the eye in this book. More is being revealed about not only Maria’s disappearance, but also about the reasons for the wedding. And let me tell you, it goes darker than imagined.
Luckily, there are plenty of lighter moments too, and it was funny to see how Margaret attempts to impersonate Maria. But it was also nice reading how Dominic and Margaret are bonding during tie, no matter how pressing that time is.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that not only things heat up, but also how feelings start to develop. And I more than liked reading how the heart in fact sees more than the eyes in fact do. Because even if Dominic has no interest in Maria whatsoever, there is something he cannot deny or ignore with Margaret.
In this book we see not only an unlikely collaboration, but also developing emotions, a perhaps inexplicable connection. And of course several heated moments.
I liked it how this author put so much depth in a book, depths that perhaps weren’t expected or required. Yet it only added more to the story itself, which perhaps initially may seem like an easy read, but shows us real characters, in a setting where things aren’t that evident at all, yet makes all the characters that matter even braver and likeable.
Charlotte James prefers having her head in the stars to having her feet on the ground.
Moving around for her job as an astronomical archivist gives Charlotte plenty of opportunity to avoid putting down roots. When she accepts a post in the idyllic Somerset village of Lower Brambleton to archive an old observatory before its demolition, all that is on her mind is a chance to preserve the treasures of this remarkable place and another summer without having to settle down.
Tristan Ashcombe is managing the development of Observatory Field and as far as he’s concerned, the sooner the observatory is razed to the ground the better. The building holds complicated memories for him and his family, memories he’s ready to put behind him.
But as Charlotte’s work begins to unravel mysteries from a complex past, she realises that there’s more to Tristan and Lower Brambleton than first impressions would suggest. Will Charlotte discover more than she bargained for, will she manage to avoid losing her heart in the process or is her fate already written in the stars?
My review
As an astronomical archivist, Charlotte is used to move from one job to another, from one place to another. Perfect for her, as she isn’t ready to putting down roots anywhere. When an old observatory in Lower Brambleton is set for demolition, she accepts the job during summer of archiving everything before the building goes down. When on a walk around the premises, Charlotte meets Tristan, who is managing the development of the Observatory Field, instead of getting along, they start off on the wrong foot, for more than just one reason. Charlotte slowly learns that Tristan’s life is entwined with the observatory, in a terrible and devastating way. And that it makes sense that Tristan cannot wait to bring the whole building down. However, while working, Charlotte discovers that the past has been keeping secrets, secrets that make her understand not only Tristan even more but also Lower Brambleton itself. And could it be that the more she discovers, the more attached she become, to not only the place, but also to Tristan, no matter how badly they started off?
My knowledge of stars isn’t that great. Yes, I like to watch a beautiful starry night, but please don’t ask me about any constellation, because I know that I wouldn’t be able to find one or point it out.
Yet that doesn’t stop me from dreaming away with the stars…
I am the kind of person that rather likes to stay close to home. Even now that I live on my own, I am not that far away from my parents, and I like the ‘smallness’ of my hometown. Of course I enjoy travelling around the world (well, around Europe, never went further than that 😊) but I am also every time glad to be back home, in the comfort of what I know.
But I also know that not everyone is like me, and that there are people out there that don’t share my same feelings. And that is of course okay, nobody is the same.
In that aspect, I was curious to get to know Charlotte better, I wanted to understand her and I wanted to know why she doesn’t want to stick to just one place.
I was also curious about her job, as I wanted to learn what exactly that entails, as while reading this book, it was the first time I heard this kind of career.
While Charlotte for sure has people looking out for her, while on her ‘quest’ during the summer, I couldn’t shake of the feeling that in a way Charlotte is also a lonely person. And it felt like her inability of setting her roots in one place, was because of she hasn’t found the right people to set roots with. People that make her feel that she belongs, that people are looking after her, and caring about her.
And the moment she arrives at Lower Brambleton, everything just fell into the right place. Now, as readers, we know that someone it will, but still seeing Charlotte develop in the story and perhaps finally feeling at home somewhere, was just amazing.
I liked it how she also had an immediate connection with the observatory itself. It may sound a bit strange, to have a connection with a building, but you will understand it when you are reading this book yourself.
A connection that Charlotte doesn’t have wit Tristan when they first meet. Or on their second meeting, or third…
To say that Tristan is complicated, would be an understatement. Yes, he is grumpy and rude initially, but I could also understand him, as the observatory has been neglected and anything could happen, no matter how much you are looking out.
Yet we also quickly see a gentle side of Tristan, whenever his family is involved. He cares deeply about his family, looks out for them, and wants to protect them from anyone and anything that could possibly hurt them.
Between Charlotte and Tristan there are initially many misunderstandings, and there is a lot of wariness. They both have high walls built around themselves, and especially in Tristan’s case, I couldn’t blame them.
Yet when Charlotte is on a discovery path, and the pair are spending more time together, those walls slowly starts to fall apart, and they start to see each other behind the façade. And them being able to finally see what we have seen from the start, was just amazing.
Charlotte and Tristan are both people that slowly learn to let people back in. That is not easy, and seeing them grow in this book, was a real treat for the readers.
There is also a little bit of mystery, as Charlotte is making several discoveries in this book, involving Tristan’s family too. That only added extra layers to the story, that already captivated me without the extra addition. But of course, more is always better, isn’t it? 😊
Even if the world of astronomy is not something that I know all that well, the world of Charlotte and Tristan for sure was my cup of tea. I loved being on the journey with them, seeing their characters evolve, open and showing their beautiful persona.
A SPICY Billionaire forbidden romance from USA Today Bestseller Amy Andrews
Cocktail waitress Kelsey Armitage needs her job on board the Callisthenes cruise ship. Nursing a broken heart and an empty bank account, her trust is destroyed and she’s vowed never to fall for a man again. Instead, she’s only in the mood for one-stands. Not Happy Ever After’s.
But when a mysterious passenger orders a drink from her, she’s powerless to resist him. And soon one night turns into stolen and illicit moments at every opportunity. But romances with the passengers is strictly forbidden… and Kelsey is enjoying breaking all the rules.
Brooding billionaire Ari Callisthenes, heir to a Greek shipping line is undercover on his own cruise liner. His standards are impossibly high but his business is underperforming. He’s determined to find out why. However, he doesn’t expect the instantaneous chemistry with sexy cocktail waitress or the whirlwind fling they find themselves entangled in. She awakens a part of himself he believed dead. But a future together is out of the question because he can’t tell her who he is…
My review
Kelsey Armitage has learned a difficult lesson. Not only is she having a broken heart, but she also has been left with an empty bank account. With the worries of her mother’s health, Kelsey is now working as a cocktail waitress on a cruise ship. No matter how overfriendly some of the passengers are, Kelsey has vowed to never fall for a man or in love again. Also, it is strictly forbidden to fraternize with guests on the cruise ship. Yet when a passenger orders a drink, trying to resist is futile, and they agree on having a one night of fun. But one nights turns into two and into more. However, what Kelsey doesn’t know is that Ari is in fact Ari Callisthenes, heir of the shipping line Kelsey is working for and is in fact working undercover, to discover why this specific cruise liner is underperforming. And no matter his own grief, he is flabbergasted by the chemistry he has with Kelsey. But he is not ready to let go of his own demons, as he already had his great love. And there is also the fact that Kelsey doesn’t know his real identity… So what will happen when the cruise is over? Will it also be the end of their fling?
When I started with this book, I thought that the story would be limited on only the cruise ship itself and the ‘action’ that would take place in the cabins. And I also thought that it would be mainly about the sexual attraction between Ari and Kelsey. Yes, of course there is a lot reading about those sparks, but it is also about hurt people, grief, overcoming that grief, and there is also room to talk about a toxic work environment.
I am not a believer when someone says they won’t give love another chance. Because no matter whap happened in the past, no matter how much you got burned, you will never know who will cross your path. So never just give up on love because of a past that broke you.
So even if I didn’t agree with Kelsey’s or Ari’s look on love, I for sure admired Kelsey and had respect for Ari for their own unique ways.
Liking Kelsey was easy. She is not in an easy position, with a mother that soon will be needing special care, yet Kelsey does not have the possibility to provide for her. Not because Kelsey doesn’t want to, but because she and her mother have been betrayed by Kelsey’s ex. But even that serious setback doesn’t stop her for being the best possible daughter she can be. Even if that means going on cruises, working hard and being away from her mother.
Yet you cannot deny that her sacrifices are for the greater picture, the dream she wants to realize for not only her own happiness but mainly for her mother’s. Let me assure you that not everyone is such a devoted child to their parent!
Not only is Kelsey a great daughter, but she is also a woman with a good sense of what is right and what is wrong. When she sees something wrong, she wants to make it right again. Already that is a wonderful treat, but what makes it even better, is that she doesn’t throw the culprit blindly under a bus. She follows the rules, hoping sometimes in vain that those in the right position will take the necessary steps and measurements.
With what happened to her, I could understand why she has sworn off love, but a woman like her deserves to have a special someone in her life, that makes her feel special…
The same can be said of Ari. I cannot imagine how terrible it must to be lose the love of your life. But his reaction to it, his grief and pain, it sounded so real, palpable… My heart truly went out to him, as it for sure is all so unfair… But isn’t that what everything thinks over a terrible loss?
As the cruise he is o, is one that is underperforming, I could understand and follow why his family wants exactly him to go undercover. We all know that sometimes going away from everything and everyone is exactly what the heart and soul need to heal even just a little bit.
When we read about billionaires, in books or even in real life, I think it’s fair to say that we have some kind of prejudice towards them. And some people/characters prove us right, while others like Ari, show us that yes, we can be wrong about them.
Ari is rather stoic at the start of this book, but I cannot blame him… Yet we also see that he is also a righteous person. When he sees an injustice, he takes matter in own hands, and does the right thing.
It’s obvious that behind his stoicism is hidden a warm, kind – hearted man. Yet he needs something, or rather someone to melt all the ice that surrounds his broken heart…
So when Ari and Kelsey cross paths, and sparks start to fly, I was happy for the both of them. Even when it just start as a one – night – stand, an itch to get rid of, it’s just impossible to stay away from each other… Even when Kelsey doesn’t know who Ari truly is, and even if fraternizing with passengers is forbidden, with a lot at stake.
But the heart wants what it wants, and it for sure causes several heated moments. But not only heated moments in the you – know – what – I – mean but also in the sense that it makes the ice melt around both their hearts, it makes the walls crumble around their hearts.
This was indeed a steamy romance, but it goes deeper than just that. Because we see here two people totally broken by love. They have to learn to open their hearts again, to let love again back in. And yes, perhaps it goes all rather quickly, but is there a correct timespan? Especially with Kelsey’s and Ari’s background… I really enjoyed reading this book, as it shows that no matter what happened to you in the past, no matter how much love has hurt in the past, you and everybody, and love itself also, deserve a second chance.
Can a fresh start chase away the demons of the past?
Synopsis
Spring is in the air in Starr’s Fall, and for two people, love may be just a roll of the dice away…
As the frozen earth gives way to the first spring crocuses, pushing their way into the warmer air, Maggie arrives in Starr’s Fall. She’s looking for a new start, with her lovable but painfully shy teenaged son in tow.
It feels like the odds are against her, but she’s determined to come out winning this time, and to fulfil her dream of opening up a board game café. But not everything’s a game, and when she finds herself attracted to a man who’s known as a different sort of player, she worries she’s setting herself up to lose.
Zach is funny, surprisingly geeky, and, most importantly, bonds with her son. But Zach is also drop-dead gorgeous, has a reputation around town, and is also ten years younger than her.
When he asks her out on a date, Maggie is totally thrown. She can’t deny she’s attracted to him. But is she ready to risk her heart with another roll of the dice?
A totally gorgeous, unmissable, small town romance, perfect for fans of the Gilmore Girls and Virgin River, from million-copy bestselling author, Kate Hewitt.
My review
After losing her husband, Maggie and her son Ben need a fresh start. As Starr’s Fall is the one place that holds happy memories, the broken family decide to make the move. With Ben as inspiration, Maggie wants to open a board game café, hoping that it will allow Ben to become less shy and a happier teenage boy. The community of Starr’s Fall is not only a curious one, but everyone is also rooting for Maggie. And Zach is not only rooting for them, but he is also ready to help them out. With a shared gaming interest, quickly a bond is made between him and Ben. But that is not the only bond, as he also shows an interest in Maggie and even asks her out on a date. However, Zach has the reputation of being a player, not taking relationships seriously. And then there is also the fact that he is ten years younger than Maggie. So many red flags that make Maggie doubt about his intentions. But she cannot deny that she is in a way also attracted to him. But is she ready to take a risk, when it’s not only her own heart at stake?
It took me a minute to get reacquainted with Starr’s Fall. But once I did make the connection, I was completely back in. And I loved returning to this quaint place and reading this wonderful, heartwarming, heartbreaking and even inspiring story.
My heart went out to Maggie and Ben, as they have endured a terrible loss, and their grieve is very palpable. But it’s also clear that beside Maggie losing her husband, and Ben his father, there is something else haunting this broken family. Something that will take time to be revealed, yet I already had an indication of what that could be rather quickly.
Yes, it may seem strange reading how a new home was chosen based on a place they visited twice on holiday. But let’s be honest, many stranger things have happened in books, hasn’t it?
Yet that didn’t take away the fact that I admired Maggie for the choice and decision she made. It may not be easy to leave your home behind, even if it is filled with painful memories. That shows her dedication as a mother, as she would anything for Ben.
Opening a board game café may not be that evident, especially with a world where everything is getting digitalized. But I liked reading how Maggie wants to find a way to make it work, and how ‘old-school’ games and digital games find a perfect blend in this book. Even if greatest part of the mentioned games didn’t ring a bell to me 😊.
While perhaps Ben isn’t a main character in this book, it for sure felt that he is of great importance. Not only because he is the reason for moving, but also because he is the reason for Zach and Maggie getting closer.
Zach is from the start a great character. He is kind, understanding and helpful. And even if this is just a book, I could just see his gorgeousness. But he is also perhaps the most misunderstood person of Starr’s Fall. Because everyone has a certain image of Zach, the image of him being a player.
And I felt confronted by that. Because what someone did in his past, is just that, in the past. Yet nobody sees the man that Zach is now, a man that gave up perhaps his own dreams, a man that has many great ideas but is facing the stubbornness of his own sister. A man that is looking not only for something that makes his heart beat faster, but also for someone that makes him feel like that.
But it was so heartwarming to see the connection between Zach and Ben. How a game can bring two people together, people in complete different stages of their lives. And how an outsider is able to let a shy teenager, with many struggles and demons to fight off, to get out of his shell.
I liked it how the author added another extra layer to this story, by making Maggie the older character of the romantic pair. A woman that has already been through a lot, and is initially not ready to take a new chance at love.
It’s true that there are many prejudices in the world about a woman and a younger man. But does age truly matter? Isn’t the most important thing love? Age doesn’t make someone more mature or wiser, it’s life experience…
Of course there are several ups and downs in this book, but that is also they beauty of the book. Because a fresh start doesn’t mean a new life without struggles, or erasing the past. It doesn’t mean that that characters aren’t making new mistakes. But it all depends on how they handle those ‘downs’, and how they are during the ‘ups’.
This was a real heartwarming story, showing the strength of people, but also some weaknesses. But those weaknesses can turn us into stronger people. Stronger people ready to start over, to be welcomed in a beautiful community with great people, ready to help out. I loved reading this book, as it can be used as an inspiration, because no matter how many lemons life throws you, there is always the opportunity and the help to create an amazing lemonade!
Tizi’s Book Review 