A chaotic, compelling Regency romance that celebrates falling in love all over again.
A headstrong woman rebuilds her relationship with a duke on his sickbed.
After years of holding her life together with falsehoods, “bearing the brunt of scandal” is all Katherine Wilcox Palmers, the Viscountess Hampton, can do when they collapse. Her beloved Lydia now knows that Katherine is her mother, not her older sister, and Lydia’s father, Jahleel Charles, the Duke of Torrance, has discovered that he’s actually known his daughter for years—and he plans to claim her. After Lydia is whisked to the duke’s home, Katherine shows up to beg his forgiveness, knowing that Jahleel has been stricken by “the sickness that tormented and killed” her own mother. Determined to help Jahleel and repair her family, Katherine moves into the “mistress room” next to his. It’s no surprise that their sudden proximity reawakens a strong chemistry and a physical connection, despite Jahleel’s slow recovery, but both remain deeply hurt and confused. And with both prizing Lydia’s future above their own happiness, it may be too late for a second chance. This is the third volume in Riley’s Betting Against the Duke series, and readers absolutely must read the first two books—A Gamble at Sunset (2024) and A Wager at Midnight (2025)—before taking this one on. The story starts in medias res, and even with a helpful two-page recap for an introduction, readers may need several chapters to settle in. This sense of disorientation persists, perhaps intentionally, as it underscores the distressing situation that Jahleel and Katherine are living through together. Riley’s portrayal of what we now know as sickle cell anemia is the heart of the plot in more ways than one, providing a thoughtful examination of the realities of romance amid chronic illness and systemic inequity. It’s a roller coaster of a book from the start, but Riley’s fans will find it’s worth hanging on, as it’s the best of the series.
A chaotic, compelling Regency romance that celebrates falling in love all over again.Pub Date: today
ISBN: 9781420154870
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Zebra/Kensington
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.
Best friends confront feelings for each other when they take a honeymoon trip together.
Francesca Gardiner and George Saint James have always been best friends—just like Jo and Laurie from Little Women, which they both love. Frankie has a big, complicated family and George was the boy next door who’d moved in with his eccentric grandmother. Their friendship survived childhood, awkward teenage years, and living together as young adults without ever venturing into the romantic—well, except for one kiss, but they don’t talk about that. When Frankie gets engaged to an older professor named Nate, George isn’t happy and a huge fight ensues. Despite his misgivings, George shows up to be her best man, but Nate leaves Frankie right before the wedding with only a cryptic letter. Devastated, Frankie goes to a friend’s house to recuperate, but her honeymoon is already planned and paid for—so she decides to travel to Tofino, a picturesque town on the coast of Vancouver Island, with George taking Nate’s place. Frankie wants to fix her friendship with George, but now that they’re in a romantic suite in a beautiful location, things are more complicated than ever. She’d always thought a relationship would be a bad idea, but she’s slowly beginning to realize they’ll never be able to go back to being kids. Maybe the only way forward involves forging a new kind of relationship. Fortune, the author of romances like This Summer Will Be Different (2024), returns with another love story full of longing and intense angst. The many allusions to Little Women are charming, and Frankie is a delightfully headstrong, feisty character. She and George have explosive chemistry, and Fortune manages to make the “will-they-or-won’t-they” nature of their relationship feel like life-or-death stakes.
A powerfully strong romance for readers who like their love stories full of torment and passion.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9780593953242
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.
A single mom winds up fake dating an incredibly wealthy man in her hometown.
Dolly Brick is back in her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to help her dad and disabled brother manage their house and family business. As a 39-year-old single mother with multiple jobs—which now include working at the Brick Fish House—Dolly is always busy. When her mom left their family years ago, Dolly took over caring for her siblings and father and never really stopped. When she runs into Stewart Whitfield after making a shrimp delivery to his family’s mansion, she doesn’t think they could be more different. She’s had to figure out how to do everything by herself, and he can’t even change a tire. That’s why Stewart’s proposal that she pretend to be his girlfriend feels so unbelievable—but it comes with a hefty check that she desperately needs for home repairs. So she becomes the fake girlfriend of Stewart Whitfield (as in, the Whitfields her town is named after; his real fiancée just dumped him and it’s a bad time for him to be single) and experiences what it’s like to walk into fancy buildings through the front door instead of the service entrance. More than the boats and helicopter and expensive dinners, though, Dolly is impressed by what a kind man Stewart is—and how it feels to let someone else take care of her for a change. Soon, their relationship starts to feel more real than fake. Monaghan creates an impossibly winning story with a charming, lovable heroine. Dolly is capable, hardworking, and will do anything for the people she loves. She and Stewart both possess real flaws, and while their relationship begins with one of the most beloved rom-com tropes, their challenges feel like realistic adult obstacles rather than easily solved miscommunications. It’s also refreshing that, even though Dolly must learn to allow other people to help her, she never views her caretaking responsibilities as burdens. She deeply loves her family, and that love carries through the entire story.
A charming love story that absolutely radiates warmth.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9780593853979
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
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