The Best of 2020 – Evelyn’s List
This year turned out to be one in which I was extra thankful for a good book to lose myself in. January 2020 began horribly (COVID aside), and things didn’t improve much until July. Now I can happily say that 2020 was a year of miracles for me – a year that forever changed my perspective on life. Reading time was rare in 2020 so I was happy to spend it with some excellent books.
Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas.
This series continues to draw me in! I find the romance between Charlotte and Lord Ingram to be engaging and frustrating at the same time – which just makes me want to keep reading to see what happens next. The mysteries are always well plotted and I enjoy sleuthing alongside Charlotte!
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn.
This is my “drop everything” series. AMR takes Veronica and Stoker’s relationship to the next level and I can’t wait to see what that means in the next book (due out next spring).
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or shop at your local independent bookstore
A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber.
I’ve read this series from the beginning and this is (book eight) is the best so far. The mystery was perfectly plotted and Keira and Gage’s relationship is finally on solid ground. This would be a great series to start this winter!
Buy it at: Amazon or shop at your local independent bookstore
Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase.
So good! For me it was the best HR book of 2020. Loretta Chase continues to shine in this field.eed I was so ready for this book that I reread A Duke in Shining Armor while waiting for TTIHAtD. I’m so glad I did as I thoroughly enjoyed that book as well.
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall.
I did not read a ton of CR this year but I did pick this up on Caz’s recommendation. It was delightful! And the perfect way to spend a weekend. This is in the reread pile!
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
Please don’t judge but I picked this book to review based on it’s cover. It turned out to be one of my favorite reads ever and the book I’ve gifted to three friends this year. I was completely enchanted by this fantasy/romance. It’s packed full of humor and insight and a delightful romance.
This is the first list where I have read and loved every choice! I’m a huge Huber fan and I’m now reading the latest Verity Kent!
I started reading the Verity Kent books this year. They are wonderful as well!
+1 on ‘A Murderous Relation.’ I’ve read so many books this year that I’m not sure that one will make the top ten, but the series as a whole is a real winner for me. Raybourn wrote what may be my all-time-favorite vampire novel, ‘The Dead Travel Fast.’ Recommended to those who like her style.
Oh, I haven’t thought of The Dead Travel Fast for awhile. I loved that book when I read it.
I’ve mentioned this before, but this has been the year I discovered historical mysteries, and Anna Lee Huber was my introduction. I give a slight edge to her Verity Kent series, but probably because it was where I started. My tbr pile has expanded exponentially, which makes me happy because I worry (unnecessarily!) that I’ll run out of books to read.
I have the first Verity Kent book waiting in the wings! My first love was mystery books, and I actually ended up reading romances when I was introduced to mysteries with romances in them (Earlene Fowler, Charlotte McLeod, Anne Perry, Dorothy L. Sayers). From there I found romantic suspense writers like Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, and Nora Roberts. I still enjoy good RS, although I read less of that than I used to.
I am so happy to see A Murderous Relation on your list. I love the Veronica Speedwell series – each one has been great!
I love the Lady Darby mystery series by Anna Lee Huber. A friend randomly gave me book 4 a couple of years ago, and I decided to put it aside and start at the beginning. I’ve loved every one. I haven’t read this one, but my library now has it on audio, so I’m stoked! Boyfriend Material will definitely be in my “Best of” list this year. It’s a masterpiece on audio.
Hmm. I hadn’t listened to a sample of A Stroke of Malice on audio,and decided to go do that just now.I found I really don’t care for the narrator, so I’ll be checking out the ebook instead of the audiobook. Oh well, I’m still looking forward to it!
The narration makes a huge difference. This is a terrific series. The next one is coming out in April!!!
When I first heard Heather Wilds, I quite liked her and listened to her quite a bit. But eventually, I realised that the issues I had with her performances – her odd breathing patterns and intonations – weren’t changing, and after listening to her mangle the Scottish accents in the first Lady Darby series, I stopped listening to her.
Her weird phrasing and way of saying words in the middle of phrases (or even at the end of phrases) on an up note that should have been said with a consistent tone, or even said with a down beat, drove me crazy in less than the 4 minutes of the sample.