The Best of 2018: Haley’s List
Every year when I’m ready to compile my best of the year list, I feel like I haven’t read anything for a year. That isn’t the case for 2018. I read a ton this year…it just wasn’t published in 2018. My reading habits took a shift from consuming almost entirely Contemporary Romance (with some Young Adult) to suddenly powering through the backlists of several Regency Romance bestsellers. I don’t know what happened! It did mean that my list for what I’d read that was actually published this year was shorter, but I have a handful I loved and want to share.
The Earl I Ruined and The Duke I Tempted by Scarlett Peckham
I know both of Peckham’s books have some controversy around them because they’re definitely not your typical Historical Romances, but that is part of what made me love them. I spent a lot of 2018 reading older Regency titles that were well reviewed, and after a time they start to look the same. I think Peckham has a remarkable skill for writing emotion and description, which is key in romance, so both books completely drew me in. On top of that, her characters get to break away from the traditional mold set for historical heroes and heroines, making the Secrets of Charlotte Street series a breath of fresh air.
Buy The Duke I Tempted at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
Buy The Earl I Ruined at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
The Bastard’s Bargain by Katee Robert
Robert did an incredibly skilled job of making readers want to read a book starring the villain of the rest of the series. Dmitri comes off as plain evil throughout the O’Malley’s series, yet it was clear he would eventually have his own book with the youngest O’Malley sister. The chemistry between them had been simmering in the background for some time, and once they stepped up as leads it was not a disappointment at all. I really adored this whole series and I’m still sad that it’s over, so it may be time for a reread.
Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
Making Up by Lucy Parker
If you don’t know how great Lucy Parker’s books are, now’s the time to give them a chance. I’ve loved all three books in the series almost equally, but I liked how Making Up had almost a circus feel compared to the more traditional theater predecessors. Trix and Leo were a great couple, and Trix especially stood out to me as a fun, sassy heroine. I’m already looking forward to the next installment in the London Celebrities series.
Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
I’ll probably be the millionth person to add The Kiss Quotient to a Best Of list this year, but anyone who has read it probably knows why. Hoang created a book that has both all the elements of a tropey, sexy Contemporary Romance as well as the fresh voice and inclusivity that make this book a standout. Stella and Michael jump off the page (and steam up the page), and I personally couldn’t put it down once I started reading. Some books just come along and have the right je ne sais quoi to make everyone fall in love with them, and The Kiss Quotient is one of them.
Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
Dare to Love a Duke by Eva Leigh
Eva Leigh is somewhat to blame for my return to reading Regency. I saw a tweet promoting her older title, Temptations of a Wallflower, and ended up really enjoying it. I’ve never wanted to review historical titles because I don’t read them much, but I gave Dare to Love a Duke a chance and I’m so glad I did. I just adored this book. Leigh’s writing works for me on a lot of levels, namely it’s very sexy and her heroines are strong, independent, smart women. Now that I’ve read the whole London Underground series, I’d venture to say this final book might be the best of the three, with the first giving it stiff competition.
Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
Although I’m behind on reading the sequel, I’d be remiss to not include A Princess in Theory. Cole’s voice for Contemporary is very fresh, and I really liked the inclusion of a scientist heroine. Also, I’m always a fan of Contemporary Romance where young heroines don’t just seem to have gobs of money with no obvious source or from an unrealistic job that wouldn’t pay much, like a cupcake bakery. This book is an excellent example of how to take a classic Cinderella story and make it new by both grounding it in reality and broadening who gets to be included in the happily ever afters.
Loved The Duke I Tempted, and I love that you discovered historical romance this year. This was me last year, only for me it was Tessa Dare and Elizabeth Hoyt :-). The Kissing Quotient is also a fave, so very keen to try some of your other recommendations. Thanks for your list!
EXCELLENT list. If I had more room on mine I would’ve added A Duke By Default versus APIT, but both were good. Haven’t read the Leigh but it looks amazing.
I haven’t gotten around to Duke By Default yet so I can’t say if it would have made my list or not. It’s on my TBR but I fell off the contemporary reading wagon around when it came out.
I loved The Kiss Quotient – I think it was my favorite book this year. Can’t wait for Hoang’s next book. (I’m also a Lucy Parker fan, too!) I will have to go back and read some of the other books on your list. I love these lists at the end of the year. The unread books make it on my TBR list for the next year!
Great list! The Cole and Parker are on my list as well. I really enjoyed the second Peckham. Have to read the first yet. And the Hoang.
Some of yours are on my top 20 but I’m still narrowing down my list to 10!
Based on your review, I read The Bastard’s Bargain. I enjoyed it but remain baffled by all the Mafia contemporary romances. #RuinedbytheSopranos
Dabney – I think you have to completely pretend it’s unrelated to actual organized crime which is just gross and awful. Let’s be real, there’s really nothing sexy about the actual world of human/drug trafficking, racketeering, etc.
I know–it’s just an odd choice.
Yes, precisely this has kept me from the repeatedly well reviewed series until now. I have a substantial “reluctance threshold”, on such romances, I fear they glorify this gross and awful “business”.
MC gangs, the Mafia, even pirates–my brain doesn’t seem to want to see them as settings for love.
Same boat for me. I’ll see raves about a book and then see that it’s mafia or MC and it becomes an automatic no. Mafia families and motorcycle clubs just have too much real-world baggage (drugs, trafficking women, just overall misogyny) for me to ever be able to get absorbed in a good way in a make-believe version. Definite deal-breaker for me.
That said I’ve read and liked all the other titles Haley mentions, but one, (didn’t love The Earl I Ruined), so that tempts me a little bit to give the Katie Roberts book a try, but only just a little tempts me.
Interestingly, I feel the same about motorcycle clubs but I’m willing to slot mafia into more a more fictionalized realm than those. Also I’d liked some of Robert’s books before this series so I was willing to try it.
Both the Robert and Hoang are on my TBR pile, and I absolutely adored Dare To Love a Duke. This is a fantastic list!