Anne Mallory’s One Night is Never Enough is as close to perfect as any love story I’ve read in recent memory. I bet it’s the best historical romance I’ll read this year and, yes, I know it’s only March. Ms. Mallory gets better and better with each novel she pens. Her last work, The Seven…
Sometimes a book doesn’t work because the plot is so outlandish that you can’t possibly believe it could ever occur. Miss Winbolt and the Fortune Hunter has the opposite problem. I could well believe that the hero and heroine’s annoying conflict and pedestrian arguments could happen. Doubtless they happen all the time to boring couples…
Allow me to begin by saying I have not read a single Georgette Heyer book in print. I have, however, listened to three of her audiobooks and, although I’m far from being proficient in all things Heyer, I can lay claim to the opinion that you can’t read just one. I’m slowly exploring the audio…
Comfort reads occupy an unusually clear-cut place on a reading shelf. These are the books of unconditional love. They may or may not be the best romances ever written, and I can count several comfort reads that do not qualify as such. But every year, or even more often, I go back to them for…
Ah, Christmas anthology season. Give me some mistletoe, maybe the odd yule log, and I’m happy. Regency Christmas Proposals is a nice addition to the holiday subgenre. With two solidly good stories – and one guilty pleasure – it’s just the sort of read I look forward to this time of year.
Maddy Woodford is the Regency version of the woman who does too much. She cares for her orphaned half-siblings as if they were her own children, she keeps her modest house spotlessly tidy, and she helps the needy in her community. But Maddy doesn’t dream of having it all—she’s given up on finding a husband….
The Viscount and the Virgin had a very old-fashioned feel to it. Not so much in the purple prose sense, but in the too many exclamation points and ridiculous misunderstandings sense. The title doesn’t help either. Imogen Hebden doesn’t really have a lot going for her. Her mother and stepfather are dead, and one of…
Never Less Than a Lady is Mary Jo Putney’s second installment in her Lost Lords series and, while it’s better than many romances on the market, as a longtime fan of the author, I was disappointed. Without a doubt Mrs. Putney is one of the greats of the romance genre, but if you’re looking for…
What is special about historical romance is that in the hands of the right author it can transport you to love in another time, another place. Carla Kelly is exactly that type of writer, able to bring the Regency Era to life and people it with honorable, amazing characters that make you fall in love…
Not infrequently, I find myself reading debut novels with heart. However, finding a brand new author who writes a first novel that not only has life, but also beautiful writing, charming characters, and attention to the small details happens far less often. In for a Penny is just such a book, and I adored it….