Review: The Apothecary’s Assistant (Enduring Legacy #6) by Sandra Sookoo

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

The Apothecary’s Assistant by Sandra Sookoo

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

When destiny calls, you can run, or stand and fight for what you’ve always wanted. Either way you’ll have no choice but to change.

Mrs. Ava Southerly, apothecary assistant and widow, lives in fear. She’s become an expert at hiding to keep second sight visions at bay. In the year 1885, such things as witches surely don’t exist anymore, regardless of her ancestry. If she doesn’t emotionally engage her heart, those otherworldly powers will stay dormant and the people she cares for won’t be hurt, but she longs for acceptance and romance.

Douglas Wallace, an American doctor and descendant of a Scottish witch hunter, is in London to deliver a series of lectures on new medical advancements and techniques. As he meets the passing glance of a blonde beauty in a restaurant window, he’s compelled to follow her, as if their lives are linked on a supernatural level. Though he believes in logic and the evidence of his own eyes, spending time in Ava’s company shows him how wrong his thinking is.

When a three-hundred-year-old evil spirit possesses Douglas in an effort to kill Ava due to her witch status, she and the doctor must find a way to thwart the threat from beyond the grave despite personal peril. As their relationship evolves into something deep and abiding, they’ll discover just how powerful a force love truly is.

If you are looking for a great chilling romance to get into the Halloween spirit then this is it. Fate brought them together to create a powerful force to stop something of pure evil. I couldn’t put it down from the start with her vision and had no clue how it would play out. A glance through a window was all it took to spark the romance between them. The spirit will send chills through you especially when he reveals his true reasons. Sparks really fly between them and help them stop it for good.

Ava has tried to bury her power and heart for years since it’s caused such pain. She didn’t know how powerful she could be until she found love. I loved seeing her get stronger and embrace her power.

Douglas doesn’t from run from anything and won’t let her hide any longer. I loved how he understood her and didn’t think her crazy. He fought hard to stop the spirit and help her find love.

 

Advertisements

Review: A Deceptive Bargain (The Beckett Files, Book Five) by Laura Beers

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

A Deceptive Bargain by Laura Beers

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ Spice Level: 💋💋

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Hiding from the horrors of her past, Miss Martha Haskett is content living her days serving as a lady’s maid to her friend Eliza, the Marchioness of Lansdowne. But then her father, the new Earl of Waterford, shows up, with the shocking news that she is now a titled lady. Further turning her life upside down, he proposes a bargain. She will have a single Season in London, and if she does not marry by the end of the Season, she will be gifted with her dowry and a small estate. Despite her mistrust of her father, Martha accepts his offer, but can’t seem to let go of the anger that has been festering inside of her, or her discomfort with a position in Society where she feels she does not belong.

Dr. Emmett Maddix is tired of the frivolity of the ton and spends his time atoning for his past sins by providing medical care to the poor. His life takes an unexpected turn when he is recruited to be an agent of the Crown. He is assigned to run a charity hospital as a front to collect information about a vicious band of smugglers known as The Cursed Lot, who have managed to overtake the entire town of Gravesend with a reign of murder and oppression.

As Emmett delves further into The Cursed Lot’s domain, he quickly discovers that not everything is what it seems, and it will take far more than one new agent to take down this ruthless gang. While the tangled web of intrigue begins to unravel, Martha and Emmett battle an undeniable but unspoken attraction that grows between them. But before either can be ready to share their hearts, they must overcome their past mistakes, and find their own reasons to keep fighting. With more than just their hearts at stake, surviving the mission will be more difficult than either of them could ever imagine.

This one will rock you to your core. It’s a journey to love through some shocking twists and learning to let go of blame. It’s a really nice change to see the hero be the one to saving someone from the dark they’ve put themselves in. Their relationship was very different and really took time to turn from friendship to love. I had a feeling to what her father was up to but had no clue to what everything was going to be. I didn’t see who was behind everything coming at all or the twist of the bow street runner. I got Musketeer vibes in the one scene and loved it! As always I love scenes with Shadow and her bow and when the others mention their name or her’s. I was holding my breath near the end. I was so excited to see what happened for them afterward.

Martha was shattered because of what she endured and Emmett was the perfect person to help her and understand her. She needed saving from her darkness before it was too late. She was also stronger than she thought and I loved seeing her grow stronger. I cheered when she stood up for herself and used that letter opener. She wasn’t going to let him slip away.

Emmett hasn’t let go of his self-blame fully, but he saw it in her and knew he had to help her. He helped himself by helping her. He was also stronger than he thought because he showed so much restraint in many situations. I loved how he wouldn’t give up on her and didn’t push.

This book could be triggering to some as it deals with rape and trafficking. There are no detailed scenes and it’s only talked about, but trauma and aftereffects play a big part in this story.

Review: Captivated by an Adventurous Lady (Thieves of the Ton #1) by Sandra Sookoo

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

Captivated by an Adventurous Lady by Sandra Sookoo

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The quest to break a mummy’s curse turns dangerous when a peer ends up dead.

Miles Lawrence Hawkins, fifth Earl of Archewyne, is alone and the last of his line, save for a young daughter, and he’s made peace with that…Yet unexpectedly finding an attractive female thief in his library gives him doubts. Drawn into the lady’s insane plot to retrieve various stolen mummies from around London—including the British Museum—he accompanies her merely to see what will happen next. Being captivated by her quest and intrigued by her talent for skirting the law is a much needed distraction from the stress of his own life’s misfortunes.

Lady Emmaline Darling, skilled thief and only child to the Earl of St. Ives, is under a mummy’s curse. Believing herself damned due to her father’s penchant for removing antiquities from Egypt, she’s vowed to return a pair of mummies to their eternal resting place in order to save his life and her own. Being caught by Miles wasn’t in her plan, and neither was falling for his charm, but she’ll do anything to see he’s free of the curse as well, for their histories are too intricately connected for his ills to just be bad luck.

When a peer with ties to them both ends up dead and Emmaline’s jewelry is found at the scene, Miles is honor bound to offer for her and lend her his protection. Despite her refusal, desire pulls at them and scandal surrounds them, and when Miles is summoned to once more embark upon a secret mission for the Crown, he must shed everything that will become a liability, but keeping Emmaline out of trouble—and out of his mind—is easier said than done.

A perfect start to an adventurous series! It’s steamy, has a mystery, and mummies! I was drawn in from the start when they met again and never knew what was going to happen. There is a scene with a book and a dart that is movie worthy that I love. They are a unique couple from the start because they both have reason to not want to get involved in romance. I really did not expect a rival to go as far as this one did and to bring a twisted person into it. The ending definitely leaves you excited for the next one.

Emmaline doesn’t give a care to what people think and won’t be stopped on her mission. She is strong, but also a bit broken because of everything she has gone through. I loved her right away because she knew what she was doing and how to do it.

Miles will do anything to protect his daughter and live in peace. He will win you over right away with how he doesn’t think twice to help. He doesn’t care what people think and has no plans to be tricked into marriage.

 

Review: On the Edge of Daylight: A Novel of the Titanic by Giselle Beaumont

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

On the Edge of Daylight by Giselle Beaumont

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Esther Bailey is Titanic’s newest recruit and one of the first female officers of her time. Although she’s braced herself for the duties ahead, she never expected to clash with her own mentor, First Officer Murdoch.

His cool dismissal of her only turns colder as they bicker throughout their forced partnership, with Esther’s short temper challenging his own. But as Esther begins to prove her worth, blurring the line between subordinate and superior, she and Murdoch find themselves questioning what matters most: their careers . . . or the feelings they’re hiding from each other. As tragedy unfolds around them, will they overcome the sinking together and live to see daylight?

Blending fact with fiction, On the Edge of Daylight is a heart-wrenching historical romance that tells a different story of the RMS Titanic through the eyes of the crew, and shows the duty, loyalty, and sacrifice of two officers who were never supposed to fall for each other.

I’ve never had a book touch my heart and soul like this. I was in tears for the last few chapters because I knew what was coming. Giselle has the talent of making it all come to life in such detail that it’s like you are there. I couldn’t put it down and it’s one that you read slowly holding onto every detail. They had a love that everyone dreams of even when they were battling each other. I loved that others wanted them together if it meant he was happy. I normally don’t talk about the love scenes very much, but their first one was powerful after all the build-up and it made me believe they were soulmates. Thy did everything they could to help the others and wouldn’t leave each other. With a book like this with such a tragic ending overall, it does have a happy ending in its own way.

Esther was a strong woman with the mouth of a sailor that really proved herself. She overcame some terrible things in her past and while on the ship, but she never gave up. I loved her spark from the beginning and how bold she was in everything. She was willing to take the risks.

Will tried his best to treat her like any other officer and hide his feelings. He is one you have to get to know and understand but will love. When he finally let his feelings take over he was like another man. He would do anything for her and she was all he thought about.

I normally don’t comment on covers, but this one makes the story come to life even more. It gives you face to put with the people. Same goes for the artwork at the end. I also love that she includes notes about facts and fiction in the story and more info. It inspires me to research on my own.

Review: How to Tempt a Rogue Without Really Trying: Heart of an Heiress (Regency Hearts #4) by Ava Stone

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

How to Tempt a Rogue Without Really Trying by Ava Stone

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ Spice Level: 💋💋

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

AN HEIRESS FALLS FROM THE HEAVENS…
When Bermudian salt heiress Caitrin Beckett drops out of a tree in her haste to escape a brothel, she comes face to face with Lord Daniel Westham and instantly catches the rogue’s attention. Luckily, she secures his promise to help her locate a childhood friend who’s gone missing in London. Now if only she can keep from losing her heart to the charming rake in the process.

Ava can write a sweet book that is still full of passion and tension like no other. The moment she came face to face with him I knew they were going to be a fun couple. There was an instant connection between them that everyone could see. I was not expecting the ending to her search for her friend. I loved how they could understand each other and tell their secrets. I also didn’t expect what made him realize he loved her.

Caitrin has no plans to live in England or let her heart be broken again. She wasn’t afraid to do anything and could take care of herself. I loved her right away because she wasn’t going to sit in that room and wait to see what happened.

Daniel will melt your heart with how he is with his niece. He enjoyed the way he lived, but that changed when he met her. I loved that he didn’t put on an act and even with his reputation everyone loved him.

 

 

Review: The Pirate’s Stowaway Bride by Anne Stryker

The Pirate’s Stowaway Bride by Anne Stryker

My Rating: ❤❤ 1/2 Spice Level: 💋

Amazon

Sit still. Be quiet. Obey.

Adora has lived her entire life under her mother’s strict rules, but when obedience means marrying a man twice her age, something deep within her snaps. Fleeing the night of her wedding, she boards what she assumes is a trade ship and hides among the cargo she hopes won’t be touched until she’s far away from the life she left behind.

She never anticipated being found.

Or finding Fenix.

Fenix believes in freedom, expression, and adventure. When a woman in a wedding gown is found in the belly of his ship with eyes like fire and the disposition of something almost broken, he wants nothing more than to release the flames and mend the cracks.

But with her past catching up to them, he may not have the chance.

I was excited to read from page one with her hiding in her wedding dress. But there wasn’t enough background for me to get to know them. I think if it had been longer the romance could have sparked between them more. I expected a twist at some point that would bring them closer or reveal something, but it didn’t happen. I did love the scenes of them climbing, looking at the sky, and with the puppy. They were both different from what you would expect.

Adora is a strong girl to run when she did and not show fear. I really like how open she could be with others. She could fight too when needed.

Fenix is not your typical pirate and is very caring. I loved him with the puppy and how he was with his crew.

I think this would be a great quick read for younger girls that love HEA stories, but wouldn’t enjoy historical ways of speaking. So they get a feel for it without that part with the way this is written.

Review: Hell’s Belle (Devilish Debutantes Book 3) by Annabelle Anders

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

Hell’s Belle by Annabelle Anders

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ Spice Level: 💋💋💋1/2

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

There comes a time in a lady’s life when she needs to take matters into her own hands…
A Scheming Minx
Emily Goodnight, a curiously smart bluestocking – who cannot see a thing without her blasted spectacles – is raising the art of meddling to new heights. Why leave her future in the hands of fate when she’s perfectly capable of managing it herself?
An Apathetic Rake
The Earl of Blakely, London’s most unattainable bachelor, finds Miss Goodnight’s schemes nearly as intriguing as the curves hidden beneath her frumpy gowns. Secure in his independence, he’s focussed on one thing only: evading this father’s manipulating ways. In doing so, ironically, he fails to evade the mischief of Emily’s managing ploys.
Hell’s Bell Indeed
What with all the cheating at parlor games, trysts in dark closets, and nighttime flights to Gretna Green, complications arise. Because fate has limits. And when it comes to love and the secrets of the past, there’s only so much twisting one English Miss can get away with…

Hell’s Bell is the third book in the Devil’s Debutantes Series but can also be read as a standalone novel.

You will need a fan and a cold drink with these two! The heat and tension between them leaps off the pages from the start and continues to build and explode multiple times. Fate brought them together by throwing a wrench into her plans. But they were made for each other. I never knew what they were going to get up to between experiments and the past coming up. They learned about themselves and each other as they fell deeper in love. I did not see the truth of his father’s plans coming or anything that followed. His father was a surprise with how he reacted to things. I was even holding my breath at one time near the end. The meaning behind their rings pulls at my heart. I can’t wait for the next book!

Emily is not afraid of anything and curiosity gets the best her at all most every turn. I loved her from the moment she was in the library and saw him. She noticed things that many wouldn’t and wanted to help everyone. Her meddling was always done with the best of intentions to the point she forgot about her self when it came to helping other.

Marcus has let hate and the unknown rule him for too long. He could make his own way in the world, but he needed to know the truth and listen to his heart. I have the images of him leaning against something and winking burned into my mind. All I can think of is a tall drink of water to describe him. He couldn’t hide his feelings and would protect her forever.

The chapter names shouldn’t be missed either.

ARC Review: Mrs. Brodie’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies by Shana Galen and Theresa Romain

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

Mrs. Brodie’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies by Shana Galen and Theresa Romain

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Mrs. Brodie’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies appears exclusive and respectable, a place for daughters of the gentry to glean the accomplishments that will win them suitable husbands.

But the academy is not what it seems. It’s more.

Alongside every lesson in French or dancing or mathematics, the students learn the skills they’ll need to survive in a man’s world. They forge; they fight; they change their accents to blend into a world apart. And the staff at the academy find a haven from their pasts…and lose their hearts.

The Way to A Gentleman’s Heart by Theresa Romain

Eight years ago, impoverished gentleman’s daughter Marianne Redfern fled her Lincolnshire home when her first love was forced to wed another. At Mrs. Brodie’s Academy, she learned the arts of cookery and self-defense—and as head cook, she can manage her staff, feed hundreds, and take down thieves. But she has no defense against Jack Grahame’s unexpected arrival two weeks before a dinner that will secure the academy’s fortunes.

Now a wealthy widower, Jack still has a wicked twinkle in his eye and a place in Marianne’s heart. Before long, he’s at her side in the kitchen all day and the bedchamber all night. But forgiveness doesn’t come together as easily as a sauce, and the wounds of the past could ruin Jack and Marianne’s chance at a future…

Counterfeit Scandal by Shana Galen

Bridget Lavery gave up her son Jimmy when she was sent to debtor’s prison. Now that she’s free and has found steady work at the academy as a teacher of art and counterfeiting, she’s desperate to reunite with her son—but he’s lost in the warrens of London’s streets. When she encounters Caleb Harris, a man from her past—a man she thought was dead—he agrees to help in her search. But both Bridget and Caleb have secrets. Some of them deadly…

Caleb Harris is a man with a price on his head. He knew his work during the war was dangerous, but he didn’t think it would haunt him the rest of his life. Before he left for the war, he and Bridget had a passionate affair. Finding her again means everything to him. He wants to help her and he definitely still loves her, but loving her might just be too dangerous for either of them.

The Way to A Gentleman’s Heart by Theresa Romain

My Rating: ❤❤❤ 1/2 Spice Level: 💋💋

I love a past love story and that this one was very different in how things happened. Family came first and tore them apart, but he never stopped loving her. I really liked how he came back into her life and helped in the kitchen. The story about his sister was a surprise and explained a lot.

Marianne found her own way after having her life flipped upside down. I liked that she didn’t hate him for doing what he had to for his family. I couldn’t really understand her reasons for not seeing or writing to her family.

Jack did what he had to and never gave up on getting her back. I really like him and that he made sure her family was okay. He didn’t really let money go to his head and wasn’t afraid of work.

Counterfeit Scandal by Shana Galen

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ Spice Level: 💋💋💋

This one will suck you in from the start! The war tore them apart, but they were meant to be together. I loved that they worked together to find Jimmy and it brought them closer. There are a couple of scenes that had me holding my breath waiting to see what happened. The ending was perfect.

Bridget had a very hard life and her son his the driving force that keeps her going. I loved her right away with how honest she was with the girls about things. She put her anger aside and opened her heart again.

Caleb is always looking over his shoulder because his former work haunts him. I loved that he was determined to be honest with her and not hide anything again. He still wanted to protect her.

Review: Scottish Devil (Brethren of Stone Book 1) by Tammy Andresen

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

Scottish Devil by Tammy Andresen

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Spice Level: 💋💋💋

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

One family united by loss, driven to find love…

Known as the devil, Stone Sinclair, Earl of Alban, is carved of rock, hard and uncompromising. He bends for no man. A fiery lass with golden hair and a will as strong as his own? Surrender has never sounded sweeter.

Eliza McLaren detests all lairds. They are selfish, self-serving, arrogant men who only care for themselves and build their fortunes on the backs of their people. And Lord Stone Alban is the worst of the lot. When her father attempts to make a match between them, Eliza pledges to never give herself to a man like Stone, no matter how tempting his lips or how strong his arms. He isn’t the only one carved of stone.

After the death of their parents, six siblings unite around their eldest brother, Stone. They consider blood a binding oath and vow to protect one another. They all must face their own demons as they find love and their places in the world.

All the feels are in this story! They are both made of stone for different reasons and need each other even though they didn’t know it. I never was sure what was going to happen because of the rumors and how they both were buried in their grief. They were the perfect match because they could go head to head but also help each other. There are many scenes that I loved from the envelopes, the garden, Delia, and many more.

Eliza is a smart and strong woman who has a very good reason to think all lairds are the same. She was caught in her own grief that clouded her judgment, but her heart wasn’t going to let what happened keep her from love. She helped him when he needed it the most.

Stone is a man of stone, with a heart of gold. He is full of surprises as you get to know him and understand him. I really loved him because he’s different, but also a gentleman and says it how it is. He will win you over quickly.

I love that Tammy’s characters seem to have an instant connection and the stories can have a fairytale feel, but not be full of fluff.

Review: The Duke’s Scottish Lass (Taming the Heart 0.5) by Tammy Andresen

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a book through my link. There is no extra charge and I use these funds to feed my book addiction and keep my puppy in sweaters and toys. I only post links for books I love.*

The Duke’s Scottish Lass by Tammy Andresen

My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Spice Level: 💋💋💋

Amazon

Lady Delia Alban absolutely cannot marry the handsome rake, Roderick Maddox, fourth Duke of Manchester, despite her brother Stone’s insistence she do just that. Though he has long reformed his ways, he steals her breath away every time their eyes meet and she simply doesn’t deserve that kind of happiness. Not after the death of her brother, Reginald. She must pay penance, because, if not for her, he would still be alive.

Roderick Maddox, has known for years he would marry Delia. Before Reginald’s death, he made a promise to his friend, not only would he care for Reginald’s sister, but he would reform himself into the type of man Delia deserved. He never expected Delia to ignite such passion or to be so resistant to him. Nor did he realize he held the secret about Reginald’s death that could crush their budding feelings forever.

This one has all the fairytale feels! I was shocked by the way they first met those years ago and hooked for the same reason. That connection was instantly there between them and a nice twist was her fighting to hide her feelings where his were on full display for everyone. I love that even though it is a shorter read it doesn’t lack anything. I laughed at the other guy and how her sister in laws talked. The ending was perfect and everyone needed that closure. The scene with the baby was hysterical.

Delia has a temper and is no match for her brothers. She broke my heart with how much she blamed herself and held it not telling anyone. I loved that she said what was on her mind even if it wasn’t the most ladylike and could lead to trouble. When she remembered everything it was like she suddenly was free and a different person.

Roderick changed his ways the moment he met her and was determined to marry her. I loved how he interacted with her and his ever-growing list. He saw in her what others didn’t and knew he had to help her.