Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
 |
| Pub Date: 6-23-26 Adult - Historical Romance |
Scandal of the Summer- Alexandra Vasti: Lady Ruby Ballimore has her quirks, and when she accidentally offends yet another member of the ton--thus putting her father's political ambitions in jeopardy-- she decides she's had enough. She devises a plan for her and her two best friends to escape to an estate in Cornwall, pretending to be the ladies-in-waiting to the absentee princess who resides there. Ruby is expecting a summer of not having to hide who she is, but when they arrive, the estate isn't as empty as she believed it to be. Captain Malcolm Archer makes his living as a con artist, and while he technically is the steward of the princess's estate, he and his crew mainly use it for their smuggling operations. Everything was going according to plan until Ruby showed up, and when the real princess turns up with an assassin hot on her trail, it's up to Archer and Ruby to save the day.
Yet another absolute banger from Vasti! I don't know what she puts in her books, but I inhale them. I read this in one sitting because I was in a giddy flow state. I found Ruby so endearing, and I loved how down bad Archer was for all her quirks. They had a fun dynamic, and all the secondary characters added to the charm. Like in previous books, the plot gets a little zany, but in the most fun way. I highly recommend adding it to your summer TBRs if you're looking for an entertaining, swoony beach read.
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
 |
| Pub Date: 11-19-24 Adult - Historical Romance |
Duchess Material- Emily Sullivan: Compared to the other wealthy women of the ton, Phoebe Atkinson is an outlier. Instead of setting her sights on an advantageous marriage, Phoebe chose to be a schoolteacher and live in a leaky flat rather than her parents' mansion. Phoebe has never regretted her decision and loves making a difference in her students' lives. But when one of her most promising students goes missing, Phoebe enlists the help of her sister's best friend, the Duke of Ellis. William Margrave never imagined inheriting a dukedom and is not used to the attention that comes with it. He's determined to act appropriately and not cause a stir, which means he needs to find the perfect duchess, and that most certainly isn't Phoebe. But as they begin their investigations, Will discovers that his childhood crush on Phoebe never went away, and those feelings may be reciprocated.
This was so fun! Sullivan's writing was so bingeable that I practically flew through this in one sitting. I loved the dynamic between Phoebe and Will. They both had feelings for one another for years, which made for nice tension. Their banter was also top-notch. I liked how Phoebe shook Will up a bit, and how he was a great support system for her. I liked how there was a bit of a mystery aspect to this because it kept the plot engaging. I found the whole thing very entertaining, and I'm hoping we get more books focusing on Phoebe's sisters because I just want more from these characters.
 |
| Pub Date: 3-31-26 Adult - Historical Romance |
The Scoundrel and the Siren- Christy Carlyle: Dominic Prince has always wanted to follow in his famous treasure-hunter father's footsteps, and he's well on his way to making a name for himself. When a wealthy American tycoon offers to fund his dig for a Viking hoard in Norfolk, Dominic seizes the opportunity to stake his claim. Tess Hawthorne grew up learning history at her father's knee. He instilled a deep love of the past in both of his children, and Tess has always dreamt of using her knowledge to find the wonders buried beneath her village's land, so she readily accepts working with Dominic. The pair has a different idea of what to do with the treasure they find, and that tension only adds fuel to the growing tension between them.
I enjoyed the first book in this series, but it wasn't a new favorite, and this was much the same. I liked the premise of this dig for buried treasure, and the characters were fun. I loved how intelligent and passionate Tess was. Dominic was a little rough around the edges, but turned into a bit of a simp after one look at Tess. I thought the pair of them worked well together. The chemistry was good, but a little too insta-lovey for me. I felt myself growing bored with the plot halfway through, but I'd still recommend it if you're looking for a quick read.
*This post contains affiliate links
Comments
Post a Comment