Review: Mistletoe Christmas!

Review: Mistletoe Christmas: An Anthology by Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, Erica Ridley

From four beloved writers—Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley—comes a hilarious tale of a Christmas house party that serves up love and scandal in equal measure!

The Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry is famous throughout the British Isles for its plays, dancing, magical grotto… not to mention scandals leading to the marriage licenses he hands out like confetti.

But not everyone welcomes a visit from Cupid.

Lady Cressida, the duke’s daughter, is too busy managing the entertainments—and besides, her own father has called her dowdy. Her cousin, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire, is directing Cinderella and has no interest in marriage. Lady Caroline Whitmore is already (unhappily) married; the fact that she and her estranged husband have to pretend to be together just makes her dread the party all the more.  But not as much as Miss Louisa Harcourt, whose mother bluntly tells her that this is her last chance to escape the horrors of being an old maid.

A house party so large, that mothers lose track of their charges, leads to a delightful, seductive quartet of stories that you will savor for the Season!

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Review: This was a 5 star short story collection! I loved how all the stories tied together (But also stand completely on their own.). My favorite stories were Eloisa James tale of Cressie and Elias, A Mistletoe Kiss, and Erica Ridley's tale of Louisa and Ewan, Mischief & Mistletoe! But I thought all the stories were wonderful. Overall, this was a delightfully festive historical romance collection that I would highly recommend reading!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Review: No Ordinary Christmas (Mistletoe, Maine #1)!

Review: No Ordinary Christmas (Mistletoe, Maine #1) by Belle Calhoune

The quaint New England town of Mistletoe is thrilled to welcome back one of their own, Dante West. Now a famous Hollywood action star, Dante is filming a movie in town to help the local economy, as well as make amends with the people he hurt when he abruptly left Mistletoe all those years ago.

Librarian Lucy Marshall isn't thrilled to see Dante. He was once her best friend and first love until he left her behind without a word of goodbye. When Dante makes her an offer she can't refuse -- use of the library as a filming venue in exchange for a lucrative donation, Lucy finds herself spending a lot of time in Dante's company. With the magic of Christmas in the air, Dante and Lucy begin to forge a new bond. But can two people leading such different lives find lasting love the second time around?

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Plot: This was a great second chance romance! Reading about Lucy and Dante finding their way back to each other was nice, and I loved all the Christmas in the book. It felt just like a Hallmark movie, which is a big compliment! It was all delightfully festive! (Um, Hallmark? Please make this into a movie!)

Characters: Lucy was a great main character! And even though I got frustrated with Dante at times, I quite liked him. Both of their families were fun, and I loved how big a part they played in the book. Lucy's little sister was adorable! And I liked the other characters, too!

The Cover: It's cute!

Overall: This was a fantastic book, and I loved reading it! And I'm definitely looking forward to more books in the series! (I have a thought about who the next book will be about, and I want to know if I'm right!) If you're looking for a festive Christmas romance, I highly recommend this book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Mini Review: A Yuletide Kiss!

Review: A Yuletide Kiss by Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries, and Mary Jo Putney

The reigning queens of Regency Romance return with another delightful Christmas collection of three sparkling holiday romances, as stranded travelers find merriment, mistletoe, and holiday romance awaiting at a quaint country inn...

An Unexpected Christmas Gift by Madeline Hunter

Jenna Waverly has closed her inn, anticipating a blissfully quiet Christmas, until a snowstorm brings the first of several strangers to her property. Lucas Avonwood, as charming as he is secretive, is on a mission to track down a scoundrel, but the inn’s lovely owner is giving him a more compelling reason to stay...

When We Finally Kiss Good-Night by Sabrina Jeffries

When Flora Younger first met Konrad Juncker, she thought she’d found her match, only to have her hopes dashed. Konrad is now a famous playwright whose plays Flora has secretly panned in reviews. But a chance meeting in a secluded inn may help them rewrite this star-crossed romance...

When Strangers Meet by Mary Jo Putney

Kate McLeod is shocked to find that a fellow guest in the snowbound inn is the dashing sea captain who may or may not be her husband. Captain Ramesh Langdon barely remembers that night in Bombay, but the desire they discover now will be impossible to forget, or to ignore...

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: This was a wonderful Christmas romance short story collection! I loved how all three of the stories tied together. The characters were all great. And I loved all three, but I think my favorite was An Unexpected Christmas Gift! Overall, I would definitely recommend reading this festive collection of Christmas stories!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Mini Review: The Duchess Hunt!

Review: The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath

New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath continues her Once Upon a Dukedom series with this lush love story of a duke who discovers what he desires in a wife may not be what he needs...

Hugh Brinsley-Norton, the Duke of Kingsland, is in need of a duchess. However, restoring the dukedom—left in ruins by his father—to its former glory demands all his time, with little room for sentiment. He places an advert encouraging the single ladies of the ton to write why they should be the one chosen, and leaves it to his efficient secretary to select his future wife.

If there exists a more unpleasant task in the world than deciding who is to marry the man you love, Penelope Pettypeace certainly can’t imagine what it might be. Still, she is determined to find the perfect bride for her clueless, yet ruthlessly charming employer.

But when an anonymous note threatens to reveal truths best hidden, Kingsland has no choice but to confront the danger with Penelope at his side. Beguiled by the strong-willed, courageous beauty, he realizes he’s willing to risk everything, including his heart, to keep her safe within his arms. Could it be the duchess he’s hunting for has been in front of him all along?

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: I really liked this Historical Romance! My heart hurt for what both Penelope and King had been through. Their romance was wonderful, and I loved the scene at the ball at the end. I also loved that we got an epilogue with what happened to not only Penelope and King, but also other characters from the book! This book definitely had some heavy/sad moments, but overall I recommend reading it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Mini Review: Kissing Under the Mistletoe

Review: Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey, and Anna Bennett

In GREAT SCOT by Suzanne Enoch, Jane Bansil knows she will never have a fairy-tale life. But even at three-and-thirty and well past marriageable age, though, she has to admit that the architect the MacTaggerts have hired could turn even a confirmed spinster’s head.

In CHRISTMAS AT DEWBERRY HOLLOW by Amelia Grey, Isabelle Reed has no plans to ever fall in love. Certainly not with Gate, a man who doesn’t live in Dewberry Hollow. She will fulfill her duty and help him keep his promise to have his ill grandfather back in London in time for Christmas dinner. The last thing Isabelle wants is for Gate to take her heart with him when he goes.

In MY MISTLETOE BEAU by Anna Bennett, Miss Eva Tiding is determined to cheer her widowed father with the perfect Christmas gift. Even if it means breaking into the home of the rakish earl who swindled Papa out of his pocket watch and pretending to date the earl for the Christmas season.

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: All three of these short stories were fun and festive! I love Christmas books, and these stories were entertaining reads. My favorite of them was Great Scot, but I liked all of them! Overall, if you're looking for a festive Christmas short story collection, I would definitely recommend this book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Top Ten Books on My Fall 2021 TBR List!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl blog

Hi, everyone! The TTT topic this week is Fall TBR. I will be reading backlist books this autumn, plus ARCs, but to keep this list to just ten (it was hard enough to keep to just 10 new releases!), I'm only including books that release in September, October, or November here!

Top Ten Books on My Fall 2021 TBR List

Thanks for Nothing (A Little Bruce Book) by Ryan T. Higgins

Big as a Giant Snail (The World of Weird Animals) by Jess Keating, illustrated by David DeGrand 

The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo

Killer Research (Library Lover's Mystery #12) by Jenn McKinlay

How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days by K.M. Jackson

Dear Santa by Debbie Macomber 

An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire (A Lady's Guide #2) by Manda Collins 

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

Petals and Poison (A Flower House Mystery #2) by Jess Dylan

A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli

What books are on your fall TBR list? :)

Want-To-Read Wednesday: Adult Books!

Want-To-Read Wednesday is a feature on my blog, where every week I share five upcoming books I want to read based on the topic of the week. For more information about it, go here.

Hi, everyone! The topic today is Adult books. All of these books sound fantastic, and I can't wait to read them!

First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

Well Matched by Jen DeLuca 

A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli 

The Wedding Wager by Eva Devon 

What Adult books are on your TBR list? :)

Blog Tour: Spotlight On Egg Marks the Spot (Skunk and Badger #2)!

Egg Marks the Spot (Skunk and Badger #2) by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Hi, everyone! Today I'm pleased to be a part of the blog tour for Egg Marks the Spot! This was a delightful read, and I hope you'll all try it!

Buried in the heart of every animal is a secret treasure. For rock scientist Badger, it’s the Spider Eye Agate he found as a cub, stolen years ago by his crafty cousin, Fisher. For Badger’s roommate, Skunk, the treasure is Sundays with the New Yak Times Book Review. When an old acquaintance, Mr. G. Hedgehog, announces his plan to come for the Book Review as soon as it thumps on the doorstep, Skunk decides an adventure will solve Badger’s problems as well as his own. Surprisingly, Badger agrees. Together they set off on an agate-finding expedition at Badger’s favorite spot on Endless Lake.

But all is not as it seems at Campsite #5. Fisher appears unexpectedly. Then a chicken arrives who seems intent on staying. Something is up!

Indeed!

Secrets, betrayals, lies

. . . and a luminous, late-Jurassic prize.

-summary from Goodreads

Amy Timberlake, author photo.

Jon Klassen, author photo.

Doesn't this book sound fantastic?! It has delightful characters and illustrations, I hope you'll try it! And thank you to the publisher for having me be a part of this blog tour! :)

Review: Egg Marks the Spot (Skunk and Badger #2)!

Review: Egg Marks the Spot (Skunk and Badger #2) by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Buried in the heart of every animal is a secret treasure. For rock scientist Badger, it’s the Spider Eye Agate he found as a cub, stolen years ago by his crafty cousin, Fisher. For Badger’s roommate, Skunk, the treasure is Sundays with the New Yak Times Book Review. When an old acquaintance, Mr. G. Hedgehog, announces his plan to come for the Book Review as soon as it thumps on the doorstep, Skunk decides an adventure will solve Badger’s problems as well as his own. Surprisingly, Badger agrees. Together they set off on an agate-finding expedition at Badger’s favorite spot on Endless Lake.

But all is not as it seems at Campsite #5. Fisher appears unexpectedly. Then a chicken arrives who seems intent on staying. Something is up!

Indeed!

Secrets, betrayals, lies

. . . and a luminous, late-Jurassic prize.

-summary from Goodreads

Review: This was a delightful read, with great illustrations and whimsical characters that I would definitely recommend reading!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Top Ten Books With Numbers In the Title!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl blog

Hi, everyone! I thought I would have a difficult time trying to find books for this weeks TTT, but it was actually really easy?! I never really thought about how many books have numbers in the title before now. All of these books are on my TBR list, and they all sound fantastic! :)

Listed in no particular order.

Niki Nakayama: A Chef's Tale in 13 Bites by Jamie Michalak and Debbi Michiko Florence, illustrated by Yuko Jones 

A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan 

Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis 

First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel

Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words by Annika Sharma 

How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days by K.M. Jackson

Two Truths and a Lie by April Henry

One True Loves by Elise Bryant 

Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto

One for All by Lillie Lainoff

What books are on your TTT list this week? :)

A Look At 2022: Graphic Novels!

Hi, everyone! Today is the last post on the 2022 series, and it's Graphic Novels! I was thinking about how many amazing sounding books are releasing next year, and wanted to share the books I'm looking forward to with all of you! So I thought, why not make a series of posts about them?! Posts about Picture Books (Here.), Middle Grade (Here.), YA (Here.), Adult (Here.), and Graphic Novels are all going up this week. I usually include them all in one post, but I thought it would be fun to break it down into multiple days this time. (And of course I'll be posting my 2022 books post on January 1st, with everything together!) 

I hope you'll find some books to add to your TBR list from these! And please tell me what books you're looking forward to reading! I'm always looking for more books to add to my TBR list. :)

These are not the only books I'm looking forward to reading next year! There are more books I'm interested in, but I only included books that have Goodreads pages here. And I know I'll learn about more books before 2022. (Trust me, when I put up the 2022 list on January 1st, there will be a lot more books on it.) Also, I tried my best to make sure all release dates, titles, covers, etc. are correct. If I got something wrong, I apologize, and please tell me! I'll fix it if I'm able.

For the last A Look At 2022 post, it's Graphic Novels! I love Graphic Novels so much. All of these sound absolutely fantastic, and I can't wait to read them!

Batter Royale by Leisl Adams

Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

Scout Is Not a Band Kid by Jade Armstrong

Twelfth Grade Night (Arden High #1) by Molly Horton Booth and Stephanie Kate Strohm, illustrated by Jamie Green

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

Star Knights by Kay Davault

Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo

Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks 

Greater Secrets by Ananth Hirsh and Tess Stone

Operation Parent Trap by Victoria Jamieson

Apple Crush (Peapod Farm #2) by Lucy Knisley 

Unhappy Camper by Lily LaMotte, illustrated by Anne Wu

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee 

Saving Chupie by Amparo Ortiz and Ronnie Garcia

Scaredy Squirrel Gets a Surprise by Mélanie Watt

Anne of West Philly: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Anne of Green Gables by Ivy Noelle Weir, illustrated by Myisha Haynes

Grace Needs Space! by Alison Wilgus and Rii Abrego

Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson, illustrated by David Wilson

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

What 2022 Graphic Novels are on your TBR list? :)

A Look At 2022: Adult Books!

Hi, everyone! Today is another post on the 2022 series! I was thinking about how many amazing sounding books are releasing next year, and wanted to share the books I'm looking forward to with all of you! So I thought, why not make a series of posts about them?! Posts about Picture Books (Here.), Middle Grade (Here.), YA (Here.), Adult, and Graphic Novels are all going up this week. I usually include them all in one post, but I thought it would be fun to break it down into multiple days this time. (And of course I'll be posting my 2022 books post on January 1st, with everything together!) 

I hope you'll find some books to add to your TBR list from these! And please tell me what books you're looking forward to reading! I'm always looking for more books to add to my TBR list. :)

These are not the only books I'm looking forward to reading next year! There are more books I'm interested in, but I only included books that have Goodreads pages here. And I know I'll learn about more books before 2022. (Trust me, when I put up the 2022 list on January 1st, there will be a lot more books on it.) Also, I tried my best to make sure all release dates, titles, covers, etc. are correct. If I got something wrong, I apologize, and please tell me! I'll fix it if I'm able.

At 61 books, this is the longest Adult books I've ever written! I think it's really interesting how my reading has expanded into Adult books more, (Though I'm still reading plenty of PBs, MGs, and YAs! That's not going to change at all!) and how I've found so many new books and authors to love! All of the books here sound amazing!

Earl on the Run (The Duke's Estates #2) by Jane Ashford 

Hook, Line, and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters #2) by Tessa Bailey

All Rogues Lead to London (Misfits of Mayfair #3) by Bethany Bennett

The Captive Duke (Captive Hearts #1) by Grace Burrowes

Never a Duke (Rogues to Riches #7) by Grace Burrowes

Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins 

The Rogue Goes On by Manda Collins

A Scot Is Not Enough (Scottish Treasures #2) by Gina Conkle

The Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Deibel 

Much Ado About Dukes (Never a Wallflower #2) by Eva Devon 

The Suite Spot by Trish Doller 

Fatal Flowers by Jess Dylan

Sadie On A Plate by Amanda Elliot

A Perfect Equation (The Secret Scientists of London #2) by Elizabeth Everett

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson 

A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz

Bad Luck Bridesmaid by Alison Rose Greenberg

By the Book (Meant to Be #2) by Jasmine Guillory 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron

Untitled (Skybriar #1) by Talia Hibbert 

The League of Gentlewomen Witches (Dangerous Damsels #2) by India Holton

One Scandalous Season by Elizabeth Hoyt, Kelly Bowen, and Anna Campbell 

If You Ask Me by Libby Hubscher

How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez 

The Rake Gets Ravished (The Duke Hunt #2) by Sophie Jordan 

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate 

Set on You by Amy Lea

The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes (Last Chance Scoundrels #1) by Eva Leigh 

All the Duke I Need (Desperately Seeking Duke #3) by Caroline Linden 

Last Duke Standing (A Royal Match #1) by Julia London

The Runaway Duchess by Joanna Lowell

A Lord Notorious by Joanna Lowell

Rules for Engaging the Earl (The Widow Rules #2) by Janna MacGregor 

The Siren of Sussex (Belles of London #1) by Mimi Matthews

His Lessons on Love (A Logical Man's Guide to Dangerous Women #3) by Cathy Maxwell 

(I've already read and loved His Lessons on Love, but I didn't want to leave it off the list!)

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy

Something Blue: Includes a Bonus Novella by Heather McGovern 

Never Marry a Scandalous Duke by Renee Ann Miller

Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter

Under Lock & Skeleton Key (A Secret Staircase Mystery #1) by Gigi Pandian

How to Deceive a Duke (Rebels with a Cause #2) by Samara Parish

Untitled (Palace Insiders #2) by Lucy Parker 

Say You'll Be My Lady (The Unconventional Ladies of Mayfair #2) by Kate Pembrooke 

The Most Eligible Bride in London (The Lords of London #3) by Ella Quinn 

A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence #1) by Rebecca Ross

The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale

As Seen On TV by Meredith Schorr 

The Family You Make (The Sunrise Cove #1) by Jill Shalvis 

The Bride Goes Rogue (The Fifth Avenue Rebels #3) by Joanna Shupe

In the Arms of a Highlander by Michele Sinclair

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon 

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

(I've already read How to Love Your Neighbor, but I couldn't leave it off this list! It's so good!)

In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer 

Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker

When the Crow's Away (Evenfall Witches B&B #2) by Auralee Wallace 

To Marry and to Meddle (The Regency Vows #3) by Martha Waters 

To Treasure an Heiress (The Secrets of the Isles #2) by Roseanna M. White 

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka 

What 2022 Adult books are on your TBR list? :)