A promising return from a beloved historical romance author.
A seemingly strict nobleman submits to an unusual woman.
When they first meet in the Duke of Windemere’s library, Julian and Elspeth are both snooping. Lady Elspeth de Moray is desperate to find a long-lost book with the potential to save the Wise Women, an ancient secret society to which she’s devoted. For his part, Julian Greycourt is in his uncle’s library hoping to meet a housemaid with something to tell him that he hopes may protect his sisters from the duke’s cruel behavior. When they hear the duke approaching, they flee to the library’s upper level and hide in a corner—with Elspeth crouching between Julian’s legs. It isn’t until shortly afterwards, when the two are properly introduced at the duchess’ tea party, that they realize they should hate each other, since Elspeth’s brother is rumored to have been involved in the mysterious death of Julian’s sister. But it’s too late for that; their close connection in the library leaves both excited to see each other again. This attraction explodes into an affair when it becomes clear that the inexperienced Elspeth isn’t scared off by Julian’s need to be ordered around in the bedroom, but their intimate connection vies with the desperate need they both have to keep their secrets and care for the people they love. As it’s been several years since the earlier titles in the Greycourt series were published—most recently, When a Rogue Meets His Match (2020)—a lot of exposition is needed to illuminate the connections among characters. Unfortunately, this overload of backstory combined with a complicated and uneven plot may leave readers feeling lost, especially if they’re starting with this volume. However, the chemistry between Julian and Elspeth is spicy and intriguing from the first pages, and the tender depiction of his desire to be submissive—and her willingness to learn to dominate him—provide a compelling reason for readers to stick with it.
A promising return from a beloved historical romance author.Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781538763582
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.
After being released from prison, a young woman tries to reconnect with her 5-year-old daughter despite having killed the girl’s father.
Kenna didn’t even know she was pregnant until after she was sent to prison for murdering her boyfriend, Scotty. When her baby girl, Diem, was born, she was forced to give custody to Scotty’s parents. Now that she’s been released, Kenna is intent on getting to know her daughter, but Scotty’s parents won’t give her a chance to tell them what really happened the night their son died. Instead, they file a restraining order preventing Kenna from so much as introducing herself to Diem. Handsome, self-assured Ledger, who was Scotty’s best friend, is another key adult in Diem’s life. He’s helping her grandparents raise her, and he too blames Kenna for Scotty’s death. Even so, there’s something about her that haunts him. Kenna feels the pull, too, and seems to be seeking Ledger out despite his judgmental behavior. As Ledger gets to know Kenna and acknowledges his attraction to her, he begins to wonder if maybe he and Scotty’s parents have judged her unfairly. Even so, Ledger is afraid that if he surrenders to his feelings, Scotty’s parents will kick him out of Diem’s life. As Kenna and Ledger continue to mourn for Scotty, they also grieve the future they cannot have with each other. Told alternatively from Kenna’s and Ledger’s perspectives, the story explores the myriad ways in which snap judgments based on partial information can derail people’s lives. Built on a foundation of death and grief, this story has an undercurrent of sadness. As usual, however, the author has created compelling characters who are magnetic and sympathetic enough to pull readers in. In addition to grief, the novel also deftly explores complex issues such as guilt, self-doubt, redemption, and forgiveness.
With captivating dialogue, angst-y characters, and a couple of steamy sex scenes, Hoover has done it again.Pub Date: Jan. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5420-2560-7
Page Count: 335
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Sink your teeth into this delightful paranormal romance with a modern twist.
A vampire and an Alpha werewolf enter into a marriage of convenience in order to ease tensions between their species.
As the only daughter of a prominent Vampyre councilman, Misery Lark has grown accustomed to playing the role that’s demanded of her—and now, her father is ordering her to be part of yet another truce agreement. In an effort to maintain goodwill between the Vampyres and their longtime nemeses the Weres, Misery must wed their Alpha, Lowe Moreland. But it turns out that Misery has her own motivations for agreeing to this political marriage, including finding answers about what happened to her best friend, who went missing after setting up a meeting in Were territory. Isolated from her kind and surrounded on all sides by the enemy after the wedding, Misery refuses to let herself forget about her real mission. It doesn’t matter that Lowe is one of the most confounding and intense people she’s ever met, or that the connection building between them doesn’t feel like one born entirely of convenience. There’s also the possibility that Lowe may already have a Were mate of his own, but in spite of their biological differences, they may turn out to be the missing piece in each other’s lives. While this is Hazelwood’s first paranormal romance, and the book does lean on some hallmark tropes of the genre, the contemporary setting lends itself to the author’s trademark humor and makes the political plot more easily digestible. Misery and Lowe’s slow-burn romance is appealing enough that readers will readily devour every moment between them and hunger to return to them whenever the story diverts from their scenes together.
Sink your teeth into this delightful paranormal romance with a modern twist.Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780593550403
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
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