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Christie Ridgway

Romance

Romance: June 2019

Feature by Christie Ridgway

Starred review
Love blooms amid dangerous times in Beverly Jenkins’ latest historical romance, Rebel. Valinda Lacy leaves New York City for New Orleans to teach recently freed slaves to read. Val’s new city fascinates her, but she’s due back north soon to marry her fiancé. When threatened by a handful of men, she’s rescued by the handsome Drake LeVeq. The fortuitous encounter changes the course of her life just as her school is shut down and she’s evicted by her racist landlady. Drake is truly admirable—successful, courageous and unwilling to back down in the face of oppression—and the indomitable Val sees her situation as an opportunity to take charge and pursue love for the first time. Beyond the heated passion between the pair, Rebel stands out for its portrayal of the turbulent and violent atmosphere of Reconstruction-era New Orleans.

Romantic-comedy conventions come to life in Kerry Winfrey’s breezy debut, Waiting for Tom Hanks. Annie Cassidy awaits her Mr. Right, her Tom Hanks, an amalgamation of all rom-com movie heroes. With a freelance writing gig to make ends meet, she pens a screenplay while living with her uncle in Columbus, Ohio. When she gets a chance to assist a famous director filming a romantic comedy in her neighborhood, Annie wonders if all her dreams are about to come true. The movie’s male lead, Drew Danforth, is known for his prankster ways rather than Hanksian sincerity, but sparks fly, and Annie falls for him despite obstacles aplenty along the way. There are quirky sidekick characters and enough movie references to fill a weekend marathon in this sweet (love scenes are implied, not shown) and entertaining read.

Peril awaits accomplished healer and former battlefield surgeon Katherine Wright in A Rogue by Night. Katherine has been called upon to use her skills and help her family in their age-old trade: smuggling. Though she’s determined to build a law-abiding life for her father, her brother and herself, it will take one last dangerous mission to make that happen. Harland Hayward, physician and baron, knows what it’s like to make trade-offs in the name of helping others. His own bargain has bound him to a criminal, in a pact that now stands between him and the growing love he feels for strong, smart Katherine. With the pair’s very survival at stake, the action is made even more meaningful by Kelly Bowen’s multilayered, sympathetic characters.

Starred review Love blooms amid dangerous times in Beverly Jenkins’ latest historical romance, Rebel. Valinda Lacy leaves New York City for New Orleans to teach recently freed slaves to read. Val’s new city fascinates her, but she’s due back north soon to marry her fiancé. When threatened by a handful of men, she’s rescued by […]
RomanceFantasy Romance

Romance: September 2019

Feature by Christie Ridgway

★ Bringing Down the Duke
Evie Dunmore’s Victorian romance Bringing Down the Duke is a superior debut in every way. Annabelle Archer is smart, poor and desperate. Admitted to Oxford University through a benefactress committed to the women’s suffrage movement, Annabelle meets Sebastian Devereux, Duke of Montgomery, and tries to recruit him to their cause. The sexual tension shimmers on the page, and the pair’s sensual longing and cerebral connection make this romance seem unstoppable—although the conflict between duty and desire may prove to be insurmountable. The historical backdrop is not only well done but also integral to the plot, and the characters feel true to their time and societal expectations. Readers will identify with Annabelle and root for her to achieve all her heart’s desires. 

The Blacksmith Queen
G.A. Aiken writes fantasy romance with a grin and a wink in The Blacksmith Queen, the first in a new series. When the Old King dies, a prophecy predicts a new queen, who turns out to be the sister of talented blacksmith Keeley Smythe. To claim the title, there are battles to be fought and allies to win over, forcing Keeley to make new friends (one of them a very attractive warrior). The Smythe clan will steal readers’ hearts and have them cheering for their triumph over evil. Aiken builds a world and characters that feel real despite the sexy centaurs, demon wolves and two suns in the sky. It may be laugh-out-loud funny, but at its heart this is a story of a woman who cares deeply for both the family she has and the one she creates.

Nothing to Fear
Juno Rushdan provides nonstop action and pulse-pounding suspense in her second novel, Nothing to Fear. Operative Gideon Stone of the super-secretive Gray Box organization knows there’s a mole on the team but also knows it can’t be their cryptologist/hacker, Willow Harper. To prove she’s been set up and to save her life, Gideon and Harper go on the run. Gideon is as stony as his name, but he’s falling for the brilliant and beautiful Willow, who has an autism spectrum disorder. Her vulnerabilities and strengths make her a fascinating character and a good foil for her partner, who manages, in her arms, to find his softer side. Detailed descriptions of tactics and firefights add to the authenticity and excitement of this stellar read.

★ Bringing Down the Duke Evie Dunmore’s Victorian romance Bringing Down the Duke is a superior debut in every way. Annabelle Archer is smart, poor and desperate. Admitted to Oxford University through a benefactress committed to the women’s suffrage movement, Annabelle meets Sebastian Devereux, Duke of Montgomery, and tries to recruit him to their cause. The […]
RomanceFantasy Romance

Romance: October 2019

Feature by Christie Ridgway

★ Once a Spy
Love and danger breathtakingly intertwine in Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney. Following Napoleon’s abdication, world-weary soldier Simon Duval resigns from the British army and tracks down his second cousin’s widow, Suzanne. Feeling an instant connection, Simon suggests a marriage of companionship. Simon and Suzanne are mature characters who have experienced the world and its tragedies, making their growing romance both moving and sweet. When danger threatens their lives, readers will root for this couple and their hard-won wisdom and open hearts. Putney’s depiction of the days surrounding the Battle of Waterloo is thrilling and adds just the right amount of historical detail to this superlative romance.

Faker
Debut author Sarah Smith pens a fresh and charming take on enemies-to-lovers in Faker. Emmie Echavarre tries to maintain a tough persona at work, including keeping a stoic expression around her co-worker Tate Rasmussen. As much as she finds him physically appealing, he excels at annoying her from his office across the hall. But all that changes when an accident gives Tate the opportunity to show Emmie who he really is—and sparks of a different sort fly between them. Told in Emmie’s energetic voice, this romance depicts all the complexity and awkwardness of getting to know another person. Emmie and Tate must fight off misunderstandings and past hurts to truly become a couple. This egalitarian office romance feels both contemporary and classic (and the steamy love scenes give it an extra edge).

The Orchid Throne
An enchanting world awaits in The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy. It’s the story of Euthalia, queen of Calanthe, who has bought her people’s independence by promising to marry a brutal emperor. But that promise is threatened when the rebel King of the Slaves, Conrí, arrives to tell Euthalia about her part in a fateful prophecy. With detailed world building and an intriguing cast of characters—especially a warrior woman and an enigmatic and amusing wizard—this captivating story will have readers holding their breath while Lia and Con come to terms with a partnership that neither expected. This is a fantasy romance with an exciting and entertaining blend of politics, swashbuckling and sensual fire.

★ Once a Spy Love and danger breathtakingly intertwine in Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney. Following Napoleon’s abdication, world-weary soldier Simon Duval resigns from the British army and tracks down his second cousin’s widow, Suzanne. Feeling an instant connection, Simon suggests a marriage of companionship. Simon and Suzanne are mature characters who have experienced the […]
Romance

Romance: November 2019

Feature by Christie Ridgway

★ Angel in a Devil’s Arms
Scandal and passion go hand in hand in Julie Anne Long’s historical romance Angel in a Devil’s Arms. Angelique Breedlove believes she’s escaped her past and her bad luck with men. Then Lucien Durand, the bastard son of a duke, walks into her boarding house. After being presumed dead for a decade, Lucien has revenge on his mind, but the lovely Angelique just might distract him from his goal. Their attraction could lead to trouble, so the pair strive for a friendship that perhaps brings them closer than if they’d become lovers. Yet their every encounter shimmers with sensuality. Readers will sigh as Angelique and Lucien share their emotional wounds, and well-drawn supporting characters serve as an amusing counterpoint to the poignant central narrative. Filled with deep longing, this story is a stellar example of the genre.

The Devil in the Saddle
A Texas princess falls for a contemporary cowboy in The Devil in the Saddle by Julia London. When her wedding is canceled due to her cheating fiancé, Hallie Prince finds a friendly face in her childhood friend, ex-Army Ranger Rafe Fontana. Rafe has been in love with Hallie forever but assumed he never had a chance with the town’s golden girl. What follows is a slow-­building friends-to-lovers romance, the tension provided by two cautious hearts. London’s characters are good people with grown-up problems, and readers will root for them to take a chance on each other. This is an emotionally mature modern-day romance with a touch of Texas sparkle.

This Earl of Mine
A book that begins with a Regency heiress seeking a bridegroom in Newgate Prison promises daring adventure, and Kate Bateman gives readers just what they’re looking for in This Earl of Mine. Georgiana Caversteed seeks to secure her inheritance by marrying a man sentenced to death. However, Benedict Wylde, coerced by his jailers to marry the beauty, is actually an aristocratic Bow Street agent in disguise. Later, upon meeting at a London society gathering, Benedict’s identity is revealed—and sparks fly. The fast-paced plot still finds room for sensual romance to blossom, and charismatic, roguish secondary characters abound. This Earl of Mine is pure fun.

 

★ Angel in a Devil’s Arms Scandal and passion go hand in hand in Julie Anne Long’s historical romance Angel in a Devil’s Arms. Angelique Breedlove believes she’s escaped her past and her bad luck with men. Then Lucien Durand, the bastard son of a duke, walks into her boarding house. After being presumed dead for […]
Romance

Naughty and nice holiday romances

Feature by Christie Ridgway

It takes a special blend of cozy holiday magic and realistic romantic tension to stand out from the yearly haul of Christmas love stories. These five romances deserve to be at the top of your wish list.

★ A Christmas Home
You can almost smell the Christmas cookies while reading A Christmas Home by Marta Perry. After a decade away from Promise Glen, helping her widowed father raise her siblings, Sarah Yoder returns to the Amish community of her birth. She hopes to live a fulfilling and independent life surrounded by her extended family. Her grandmother already has an idea for Sarah’s employment—working as a bookkeeper for neighbor Noah Raber’s furniture-making business. Noah’s wife ran off years ago and left him with twin boys, now 6 years old, who quickly clamor for Sarah’s attention and capture her heart. Noah finds his way there, too, even though there’s seemingly no hope for him and Sarah to wed, as Noah is technically still married. In A Christmas Home, love becomes an end unto itself, something to be celebrated even though its complete promise might never be fulfilled. But this is a romance novel after all, and Perry writes a deeply felt and deeply pleasurable kisses-only story in perfect keeping with the season.

The Highlander’s Christmas Bride
Christmas in the highlands turns romantic in The Highlander’s Christmas Bride by Vanessa Kelly. After the man she’d been promised to chooses someone else, Donella Haddon retreated to a convent. But the sisters don’t want her as a nun either, so a handsome stranger is sent to serve as her escort home. Widower Logan Kendrick and his young son make Donella reconsider her plan to find a new religious retreat, and soon she is immersed in family and seasonal celebrations. With the attraction she and Logan feel for each other, Donella acknowledges she may have found a new direction in life—if old secrets and clan gossip don’t get in the way. Kelly’s charming characters make every page feel like a party, and a dash of suspense adds spice to this enjoyable historical tale.

The Merry Viscount
A few days before Christmas, a snowstorm forces stranded stagecoach riders to lodge with a Regency aristocrat known as “Lord Devil” in The Merry Viscount by Sally MacKenzie. Caroline Anderson leads the beleaguered group to the residence, as the owner was her childhood friend. But years have passed, and the man who opens the door is not the boy she remembers. Nick intended to spend the unwelcome holiday with friends, and he’s displeased that the orgy he planned is interrupted by the newcomers. But he soon finds himself captivated by Caroline. The lightness of this holiday romp is anchored by the emotional baggage of the leads—Caro with her well-earned trust issues and Nick’s memories of unhappy holidays past. Steamy bedroom scenes in which Nick proves to Caro that her fears of intimacy are unfounded are complemented by those giving the viscount a new understanding of his painful family history. The Merry Viscount is bawdy and romantic fun.

Puppy Christmas
A dog trainer explores her fun side in Lucy Gilmore’s Puppy Christmas. Lila Vasquez, the responsible oldest of three sisters, helps prepare a single dad and his daughter for life with a service dog. Ford and his 6-year-old daughter instantly warm to Lila, who in turn is surprised by Ford’s charm and chatty nature. Soon they’re trading spicy quips and saucy banter. Though Lila regards herself as a “fun sponge,” she loosens up and begins to reveal another side of herself. Ford realizes he’s going to have to drop his flirtatious mask and risk getting real with Lila if he wants her in his life. Readers will enjoy Lila’s sisters, Ford’s neighbors, the cute kids and cuter puppies—this book leaves no doubt that Christmas is the cuddliest time of year.

The Christmas Dare
Childhood summer sweethearts find a second chance in Lori Wilde’s The Christmas Dare. Twilight, Texas, is known for its romantic Christmases. When Kelsey James is left at the altar, she goes there with her BFF Tasha on what was supposed to be her honeymoon. It’s Tasha’s idea, because there’s always been that one “what if” guy in Kelsey’s life: Noah MacGregor, who now lives in Twilight and runs a small hotel there. The pair meet again and sparks fly, but there’s their unhappy past breakup to get over and Kelsey’s domineering mother waiting in the wings. Can Noah give Kelsey reason to sever toxic family ties? The Christmas Dare is full of heart and holiday fun as the couple seeks their happily ever after while enjoying imaginative Christmas-themed festivities. 

It takes a special blend of cozy holiday magic and realistic romantic tension to stand out from the yearly haul of Christmas love stories. These five romances deserve to be at the top of your wish list.

Romance

Romance: January 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

A contemporary love story, small-town romantic suspense and a Gilded Age treat top the month’s best romance releases.

★ Love Lettering
Contemporary romance takes on a distinctly urban flair in Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn. Professional hand-letterer (think invitations and personalized planners) Meg Mackworth is facing a creative block when Reid Sutherland enters her life. Love blossoms between Meg and Reid, but also between Reid and New York City as Meg shares her feelings for her adopted home with him. But their attraction seems doomed, since Reid is on the brink of leaving his Wall Street job. Written in a wry but vulnerable first-person voice, Love Lettering moves at a stroll, but readers will be happy to enjoy the scenery of the city and the interactions between Meg and her friends. With smart characters and authentic dilemmas, this is a very special romance to both smile and sigh over.

The Vanishing
Jayne Ann Krentz offers an exciting and spooky tale in The Vanishing, Catalina Lark and Olivia LeClair grew up in the remote town of Fogg Lake, where residents possess psychic abilities due to a past event of murky origins. The pair now runs a private investigation service in Seattle. When Olivia vanishes, Catalina is immediately on the case and is joined in the hunt by Slater Arganbright, a member of a mysterious group known as the Foundation. Catalina and Slater learn to trust each other and appreciate their different paranormal talents—which are believably rendered in smooth prose. Krentz is a master at creating highly entertaining and immersive reads, and her latest doesn’t disappoint.

The Prince of Broadway
Joanna Shupe’s utter treat of a historical romance, The Prince of Broadway, is set in 1890s New York City. Society beauty Florence Green wants to buck convention and open a casino for women. She approaches Clay Madden, the ruthless proprietor of an exclusive casino who’s fought his way to the top, for advice. He’d normally send a privileged young woman on her way, but she’s the daughter of a man he seeks to ruin, so he agrees to mentor her. Although he’s open about his plans for revenge, Florence doesn’t balk; Clay is just that compelling, and perhaps she can foil his plan. Their competing interests only serve to fan the flames, resulting in sizzling, fingertip-singeing scenes. It’s easy to root for Florence as she rails against the strict precepts of the time, and rough-and-ready Clay appreciates her frustration as well as her hunger for more.

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Kate Clayborn about Love Lettering.

The best romances of January 2020.
RomanceFantasy Romance

Romance: February 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

From a fantasy kingdom to a scientific outpost to a not-exactly-dream wedding, these five new romances feature settings to sink into.

★ A Heart of Blood and Ashes

Milla Vane tells an engrossing, epic story of warriors, gods, leaders and lovers in A Heart of Blood and Ashes. Commander Maddek learns of his parents’ wrongful deaths and seeks to avenge them while finding a way to keep an alliance of countries together. At his side and at his mercy is the daughter of the very king involved in the murders. Yvenne claims Maddek’s mother had approved their marriage before her father betrayed them, but he’s unconvinced someone so small and weak could be his mother’s choice. But Maddek comes to realize that Yvenne may be his own choice for a life partner—if they can survive. The characters walk through the pages with heart, soul and courage, and are matched by Vane’s equally stellar world building, which weaves seamlessly with thrilling action scenes. Be aware that Vane’s fantasy world contains some raw, grim elements, but this Heart is one to sink into!
 

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Whiteout

Thrills and (literal) chills are hallmarks of Adriana Anders’ Whiteout. Antarctica serves as an exciting location for this romantic suspense story in which a chef and a scientist must survive a life-and-death trek to safety. Angel Smith has been eyeing glaciologist Ford Cooper during her gig at a remote research station, but she’s made no headway with the “Ice Man” as her return to the U.S. approaches. But after a sudden attack on the station, Angel and Ford are left alone to trek for miles through the unforgiving landscape. With only each other to rely on, the pair finds a passion that keeps their bodies heated and their will to live primed. Riveting action and fascinating glimpses into life at a research station and what it takes to survive the harsh climate make this superb page turner stand out.

The Worst Best Man

A wedding planner rom-com is the very definition of romantic fun, and Mia Sosa doesn’t disappoint with The Worst Best Man. Three years ago, Max Hartley had to explain to his brother’s bride, Lina Santos, that the wedding was off. Fast-forward to the present, and the pair must work together to secure a lucrative new business deal for them both. Lina, who has built walls to contain her emotions, vows that nothing will stand in her way, and Max is sure his easy-breezy personality will see them through. But as they work together toward a common goal, Max begins to see Lina as more than just a business partner, despite their tangled pasts and her determination to protect herself. Sosa’s romance also addresses issues of work and family, and touches on the challenges facing women of color in business. The pages smoke from time to time, but this is essentially a sweet, light confection for the Valentine’s Day season.

Seduce Me With Sapphires

A Victorian-era aristocrat breaks through class walls in Seduce Me With Sapphires, the second book in the The London Jewels Trilogy by Jane Feather. The Honorable Miss Fenella Grantley secretly takes acting classes and is surprised when a playwright, Edward Tremayne, the illegitimate son of an earl, wants her to star in his new work. But Fenella never backs down from a challenge, though she finds Edward both fascinating and irritating. Their physical attraction propels them quickly into bed, allowing Fenella more new experiences, but the divide between the noblewoman and the man scorned by society because of his birth still remains. Feather’s love scenes burn, and readers will hope this intrepid heroine and brooding hero find their way to a bright future as they fight and make up, only to fight and make up again. 

Mermaid Inn

Small-town contemporary romance is iced with extra charm in Mermaid Inn by Jenny Holiday. The romance genre is beloved in part for its tropes, and this story not only includes a character returning home but also a clause in a will that forces the two leads together. Eve Abbot inherits her great-aunt’s inn, which means spending time in the proximity of her first love, who is now police chief of Moonflower, aka Matchmaker, Bay. Sawyer Collins once broke Eve’s heart, and she’s determined not to let him have another chance at it now, but there’s that pesky will and the pesky matchmaking neighbors and her pesky feelings for Sawyer that haven’t gone away. A picturesque locale, delightful citizens and some smoking-hot love scenes give this book all the feel-good joys one expects from the small-town romance subgenre.

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Milla Vane about A Heart of Blood and Ashes.

From a fantasy kingdom to a scientific outpost to a not-exactly-dream wedding, these five new romances feature settings to sink into. ★ A Heart of Blood and Ashes Milla Vane tells an engrossing, epic story of warriors, gods, leaders and lovers in A Heart of Blood and Ashes. Commander Maddek learns of his parents’ wrongful deaths and […]
RomanceWestern Romance

Romance: March 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

Ride into the sunset of a happily ever after with this trio of new romances, featuring couples who've fought hard for their futures.

★ A Cowboy to Remember

NYC glamour meets Southern California dude ranch in Rebekah Weatherspoon’s A Cowboy to Remember. Suffering from amnesia after an accident, chef Evie Buchanan flies west to recover with the dazzling, successful Pleasant family, with whom she lived as a child. The three handsome brothers are eager for her to recover, and she has eyes for one, Zach, in particular. She suspects that she and Zach could’ve had something before she left for culinary school, but Zach is slow to own up to their past—or his mistakes. Readers will root for Evie to reclaim her life, but it feels wrong to leave behind a blossoming romance. However, Evie has fought hard for her achievements, and walking away from them isn’t a win either. This is a pleasurable ride to happily ever after.

Engaged to the Earl

Lisa Berne offers a charming Regency romp with Engaged to the Earl. Beautiful and determined Gwendolyn Penhallow believes she’s the luckiest girl in the world when she finds herself engaged to the Earl of Westenbury, the most handsome man she’s ever laid eyes on. She is even more delighted when an old friend and former neighbor, Christopher Beck, arrives in London. He’s soon brought into their social circle, and she finds herself as drawn to him as she was in her childhood. Since she’s promised to another, she can be content with a platonic closeness with Christopher—or can she? Humor abounds in Berne’s witty, tongue-in-cheek romance. And her choice to tell the story through multiple viewpoints puts the reader in the center of the action, adding to the fast-paced fun. 

Forbidden Promises

Synithia Williams’ Forbidden Promises lives up to its title. India Robidoux’s visit to her family home was supposed to be a temporary stop in her career as a touring violinist. But her brother is in the middle of a political campaign, and soon she’s sucked into the family drama. That means facing her sister’s ex, Travis Strickland, an attorney from a humble part of town who is working on the campaign. Emotions, relationships and business are tangled in this soap opera-esque tale, and readers will find themselves unable to look away from Williams’ well-drawn and larger-than-life characters. It’s impossible not to enjoy this entertaining glimpse into a world of wealth, political ambition and familial loyalties.

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Rebekah Weatherspoon about A Cowboy to Remember.

Ride into the sunset of a happily ever after with this trio of new romances, featuring couples who've fought hard for their futures. ★ A Cowboy to Remember NYC glamour meets Southern California dude ranch in Rebekah Weatherspoon’s A Cowboy to Remember. Suffering from amnesia after an accident, chef Evie Buchanan flies west to recover with the […]
Romance

Romance: April 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

A clever comedy of manners, a tuneful contemporary romance and sexy shapeshifters top the list of April's best new romances.

★ To Have and to Hoax

Debut author Martha Waters delights with a clever Regency comedy of manners, To Have and to Hoax. Lady Violet Gray and Lord James Audley married in haste, madly in love. Five years on, they’re barely speaking. James’ fall from a horse could break the ice, but when Violet arrives at his side and finds him perfectly fine, she gets her revenge by pretending to be gravely ill. At the center of this ever-escalating war of words and wits is a broken partnership, and Waters makes readers eager for Violet and James to fight their way back to trust. The London Season, complete with dance cards and theater outings, serves as the setting, which will further please fans already delighted by the beloved trope of an estranged married couple reuniting at last.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Martha Waters tells us why her cat, Puffin, deserves absolutely no credit for helping her write.

The Happy Ever After Playlist

A grieving woman falls in love with a musician on the rise in The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez. Sloan Monroe meets Jason when she rescues his dog. They’re instantly attracted, first via texts and calls and then in person, but Sloan is leery of their connection. Obstacles litter the path to true love in the guise of a vengeful ex and the pressures of fame. Sloan thinks a breakup is for the best, but Jason is impossible to get over. He fixes leaky pipes! Donates bone marrow! Writes love songs dedicated to her! The dazzling and very public finale to the story is no surprise, given the title, but readers will enjoy this enchanting and unabashed romantic fantasy, complete with the perfect playlist, all the same.

Bears Behaving Badly

MaryJanice Davidson follows shifters on the brink of trouble in her new paranormal romance, Bears Behaving Badly. Bear shifter Annette Garsea teams up with her secret crush, fellow werebear David Auberon, to protect some at-risk juvenile shifters. Davidson doesn’t clobber the reader with world building, yet it’s easy to slip into the reality she’s conceived, where the bears are always hungry for sugary snacks. Annette and David have very human doubts about getting involved with each other, and only by relaxing their guards can they find happiness. This madcap adventure is written in an irreverent, tongue-in-cheek style, with the author occasionally addressing the reader directly. The language and lovemaking are gritty, and the wordplay is nonstop in this fun read.

A clever comedy of manners, a tuneful contemporary romance and sexy shapeshifters top the list of April's best new romances. ★ To Have and to Hoax Debut author Martha Waters delights with a clever Regency comedy of manners, To Have and to Hoax. Lady Violet Gray and Lord James Audley married in haste, madly in love. […]
RomanceWestern Romance

Romance: May 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

Travel to the Georgian era, outer space and the Old West in May's best new romances.

★ The Rakess

Seraphina Arden, a notorious women’s rights advocate, retreats to Cornwall to write about the past that “ruined” her in Scarlett Peckham’s passionate Georgian romance, The Rakess. Widower Adam Anderson is an architect with ambitions, and consorting with a scandalous woman might hinder his goal of securing a good life for his young children. So Seraphina and Adam embark on a secret affair to assuage their mutual hunger. Their appetites are lustily described, but it’s how their hearts are affected that will keep the reader turning the pages. Peppered with Seraphina’s well-reasoned arguments on gender relations, Peckham’s print debut is unique, dramatic and vastly entertaining.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: How women’s rights activist Mary Wollstonecraft inspired Scarlett Peckham's “alpha heroine.”

Starbreaker

Strap in for a rollicking ride with Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet. Tess Bailey and Shade Ganavan continue their quest to thwart the evil Galactic Overseer. The pair encounters challenging and surprising obstacles as old friends and old enemies pop up to create problems or become unlikely allies. And while Tess and Shade share a bed, issues still cast doubt on their romantic future. Tess learns of secrets from her past, and Shade must accept that he can never return to his previous life. This is a high-octane adventure with life-and-death stakes. Sci-fi romance must satisfy on many levels, and Bouchet proves she’s up to the task. Her characters are witty and wise, and her world building is first-rate.

Stages of the Heart

Jo Goodman’s Stages of the Heart is rich in detail and plot. Laurel Morrison—independent, tough and determined—manages a station that provides meals and accommodations along the stagecoach route. When a mine’s payroll goes missing from her station, she needs to solve the mystery to ensure her success. Enter quintessential Western hero McCall Landry, a laconic man with steely nerves and a shadowed past. McCall is looking for work and takes on the task of determining who stole the strongbox from the stagecoach. The couple is intrigued and attracted, but Laurel doesn’t expect forever—maybe McCall’s just passing through. The author of some 50 books, Goodman has a true storyteller’s voice that will have you feeling the dust on your boots and the wind in your hair. 

Christie Ridgway is a lifelong romance reader and a published romance novelist of over 60 books.

Travel to the Georgian era, outer space and the Old West in May's best new romances. ★ The Rakess Seraphina Arden, a notorious women’s rights advocate, retreats to Cornwall to write about the past that “ruined” her in Scarlett Peckham’s passionate Georgian romance, The Rakess. Widower Adam Anderson is an architect with ambitions, and consorting with […]
Romance

Romance: June 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

Whether duke, werewolf or software engineer, the heroes in these engaging romances have met their match.

★ Wolf Under Fire

In Wolf Under Fire, Paige Tyler introduces the Special Threat Assessment Team, an international group tasked with stopping threats by supernatural creatures. While tracking down a kidnapped child, alpha werewolf Jake Huang’s team, including FBI-trained Jestina Ridley, uncovers a possibly world-­destroying plot. Along the way, Jake and Jes struggle against physical temptation while bullets fly and creepy creatures do not die. Are they perhaps fated mates as spoken of in werewolf lore? And how can Jes trust a dangerous man who isn’t fully human? This well-balanced blend of sizzle, supernatural intrigue and suspense is also imaginative: One team member is a “technopath” who can communicate with electronics. Wolf Under Fire is superb, exciting and escapist fare.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Paige Tyler explains why she plans out all her books at P.F. Chang’s.

Say Yes to the Duke

Eloisa James takes us back to Georgian times in Say Yes to the Duke. Viola Astley, step-member of the infamous Wilde clan, must make her debut before she can declare herself a spinster for life. But she soon encounters the enigmatic and autocratic Duke of Wynter, who’s in search of a wife and thinks a Wilde daughter would be perfect—which means he must overcome Viola’s innate shyness to persuade her to become his bride. The delightful Wildes light up the story with humor and energy. James’ vivid descriptions of fashion are a treat, allowing readers to immerse themselves in this very satisfying romance. A professor of English literature, James often freshens a plot with something unique; in this case, it’s the production of a medieval biblical play. This romance is enchanting in every respect.

The Boyfriend Project

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon is a thoroughly modern workplace romance with a bonus handful of scene-stealing friends. Successful software engineer Samiah Brooks goes viral when she confronts a cheating boyfriend, which leads her and the two other women he deceived to swear off dating for six months. Of course, this is exactly when Samiah meets new hire Daniel Collins. She resists her attraction as long as she can, but soon they’re both succumbing, even though Daniel has a secret that could spell disaster. Samiah’s struggles to balance work, dreams and love will resonate with readers of this clever, pleasurable read.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Farrah Rochon on why romance should celebrate female friendship.

 

Whether duke, werewolf or software engineer, the heroes in these engaging romances have met their match.
Romance

Romance: July 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

Practical work to build a long-lasting romance leads to a guaranteed HEA for the couples in these three love stories.

★ About a Rogue

A marriage of convenience becomes more in About a Rogue, the latest historical romance by Caroline Linden. As one of three men in line for a dukedom, Maximilian St. James is exhorted to rehabilitate his reputation. Max, wallet empty and ever the pragmatist, offers marriage to the elder daughter of a successful ceramics maker. But after his intended elopes with someone else, he ends up “I do”-ing with her younger sister, Bianca. Watching them go from cool companions to passionate husband and wife is warmly satisfying. There is no hot flash of insta-lust or even the slow burn of banked longing. Instead, true regard grows naturally as Max and Bianca learn about each other through work, friends and shared interests.

Just a Heartbeat Away

Cara Bastone delivers a cozy and charming Brooklyn-set romance in Just a Heartbeat Away. After his wife’s death, Sebastian Dorner shifted his life to focus on his young son. While serving as lunch monitor at his son’s elementary school, he’s surprised by the sparks that fly between him and school counselor Via DeRosa. But she’s got a boyfriend, and Seb’s convinced their 15-year age gap is a deal breaker. However, the pair bumps into each other so often at school and in their shared neighborhood that the attraction grows unstoppable. Bastone explores universal themes of grief, love and parenthood through Seb’s and Via’s relatable fears and hang-ups in this heartwarming story.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Vanessa Riley opens up about what she’d like to see more of historical romance.

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby

A secret group dedicated to helping ill-­treated widows takes up the case of West Indian heiress Patience Jordan in A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley. Patience is determined to reunite with her infant son and return to her island home. But the arrival of her son’s guardian, a heroic soldier and powerful duke named Busick Strathmore, means she must masquerade as the child’s nanny until she can secure their escape. Riley opens up the world of Regency romance by depicting a heroine whose society views her as the Other and pairing her with a powerful man whose war wounds now cause him to see himself differently. There’s wordplay and swordplay in this not-to-be-missed romance, plus subtle love scenes that prove Patience and Busick’s mettle as helpmeets and lovers.

Practical work to build a long-lasting romance leads to a guaranteed HEA for the couples in these three love stories. ★ About a Rogue A marriage of convenience becomes more in About a Rogue, the latest historical romance by Caroline Linden. As one of three men in line for a dukedom, Maximilian St. James is exhorted to […]
RomanceWestern Romance

Romance: August 2020

Feature by Christie Ridgway

Impish fun, heart-tripping danger and a cowboy to remember can be found in the pages of August's best new romances.

★ Would I Lie to the Duke

An ambitious woman with a family business to save falls for an aristocrat in the Regency historical romance Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh. Hoping to secure an investor, Jessica McGale, posing as “Lady Whitfield,” finagles her way into an elite group that includes Noel, the Duke of Rotherby. They’re immediately attracted, and Jess impresses him with her intelligence, common sense and ability to treat him as a man rather than a title. Their romance is charming, their conversations witty and sly, and their love scenes are positively scorching. But all good masquerades must come to an end, and Noel feels betrayed by Jess’ deceit, despite its good cause. There are well-rounded characters, drama and some impish fun—one man pitches what sounds very much like an impractical version of Twitter—but the satisfying sense of female empowerment makes this a standout.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Eva Leigh shares which 1980s movies inspired Would I Lie to the Duke.

Say No More

A horrific past shadows the heroine of Karen Rose’s Say No More. Sexual abuse survivor Mercy Callahan returns to Northern California to reunite with her brother and uncover details of the dangerous cult that raised them. Police detective Rafe Sokolov can’t help but admire Mercy’s grit as they team up to stop recent killings that may be connected to the cult. Mercy is no isolated damsel in distress, and Rafe is no driven lone wolf. Loyal family and friends step in to help the protagonists, and it’s a richer story for their presence. There’s lethal, heart-tripping danger, but the tender love story and powerful friendships provide a positive emotional core to this exciting thriller.

Wild Cowboy Country

Park ranger Lacey Montgomery suffers a concussion while protecting a wolf den from harassment by teenagers at the beginning of Erin Marsh’s Wild Cowboy Country. But she and the cubs are saved by one of the teens and his uncle, rancher Clay Stevens. Mutual respect and then romantic feelings follow as Clay and Lacey trade views on wolves and ranch management. Another star of the story is the local zoo, as sections are told from the points of view of various four-legged inhabitants. What are the thoughts of a capybara, honey badger and camel? Find out here! Whimsy, a bit of suspense and a whole lot of heart make this a super summer read.

Impish fun, heart-tripping danger and a cowboy to remember can be found in the pages of August's best new romances. ★ Would I Lie to the Duke An ambitious woman with a family business to save falls for an aristocrat in the Regency historical romance Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh. Hoping to secure […]

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