Review - The Duke Goes Down by Sophie Jordan

 

I finally finished Sophie Jordan’s The Duke Goes Down! I started this one a while ago, but then I had a bunch of library holds come in so I stuck it on the back burner, but it’s seriously so good!

Perry Butler was the Duke of Penning until it was discovered that he wasn’t actually legitimate. Now he’s living with his mother and trying to find an heiress to marry in Shropshire, which would be significantly easier if it weren’t for the salacious rumors circling about him. Imogen Bates is the vicar’s daughter, and can’t forget how cruel Perry has been all her life. The ladies of her father’s flock deserve better than to be married solely for their money.

This is a delicious slow-burn, enemies to lovers book. Sophie Jordan does such a fantastic job of telling a story expertly, layering emotions and exposition and action seamlessly. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

5⭐️

Review - The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

 

So I know I’m a couple weeks behind on gushing about The Ex Hex, but I seriously loved it so much!

If you haven’t read it, Vivi is a witch living in a small witchy town in Georgia. Rhys is a Welsh witch whose ancestor founded the town, and nine years after he and Vivi spent a whirlwind summer together, he’s back to recharge the ley lines. Problem is, Vivi and accidentally put a curse on him in a vodka and heartbreak-fueled mishap, and now the whole town has gone haywire.

There were so many things that I loved about this book! It’s a second-chance romance, but the catalyst for the initial breakup isn’t really anything too unforgivable, in my opinion. She shows how after nine years, they have neither one ever forgotten the other, and the the chemistry is off the charts. It’s also very spooky; there were times I was a little nervous!

Overall I’d definitely recommend!!

Review - The Devil's Own Duke by Lenora Bell

Devil’s Own Duke is the latest in Lenora Bell’s Wallflowers vs Rogues series, and is so much fun! Hetty is the only child of a duke, and when a man turns up claiming to be the long-lost heir her father insists they marry. Ash Ellis is a gaming hell owner and scoundrel who wants to turn Hetty’s beloved vineyards into stables, and the two have absolutely nothing in common. Except for intoxicating attraction, of course.

I loved the repartee between the main characters, although the “falling” did seem a little fast. The inclusion of their very opposite cars was fun, as was the ‘mystery’ woven in to the plot. Overall I very much enjoyed this book, and can’t wait to read the next in the series!

Review - When You Wish Upon a Duke by Charis Michaels

When You Wish Upon a Duke is Charis Michaels' second fairy-tale inspired romance, this one featuring Tinkerbell. Isobel Tinker runs a travel company, which she is very good at. She has successfully buried her unsavory past, which is just how she likes it. When North, the Duke of Northumberland, comes seeking her assistance with rescuing a wayward cousin from Iceland, she is scared of what returning to that place might do.

This story feels almost like fantasy, which I'm sure is exactly what Michaels intended. There are pirates and plots and the northern lights. The romance plot is wonderful, and I really enjoyed the whole book. I can't wait to read what Michaels writes next!

Review - Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lisa Kleypas can do no wrong, honestly. Devil in Disguise is a fun, witty book that was a joy to read. This is the seventh book in the Ravenels series, and I really don't think you need to have read any of Kleypas' previous books to enjoy this one, it definitely helps.
Widowed Lady Merritt Sterling is happy enough running her late husband's shipping company, and is doing a fantastic job. Until, that is, she meets Keir MacRae. The big, burly Scotsman shouldn't be so darn tempting, but something about him invites Merritt in, and sparks fly. Quickly, though, they learn someone is out to kill Keir, and Merritt must do what she can to keep him safe.
I really loved this book. There is an amnesia plot done so very well, and the dynamic between Merritt and Keir is exquisite. I also loved all the Wallflowers characters that made an appearance, although I admit it felt like maybe a little too much Kingston? Overall wonderful though, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

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Review - Exposed by Kristen Callihan

Exposed by Kristen Callihan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to the first three books in this series on audiobook, and from the first time Rye and Brenna were together, sniping at each other, I knew I wanted their book. Luckily, Exposed released just weeks after I finished listening to Managed, so I didn't have long to wait!

Kristen Callihan knows these characters so well, and makes them so real that they jump off the page to yell at you. It's overwhelming and amazing and so so much joy to read.

Rye is the bassist for Kill John, the biggest rock band in the world, and Brenna is their PR manager. They've known each other for years and bickered constantly. Brenna is aloof and guarded, and Rye is the "fun guy". (Almost grumpy-sunshine, except they are both so much more nuanced than that.) When Rye overhears Brenna confessing that she is craving intimacy without strings, he knows he wants to be the one to satisfy all of her cravings.

However, what they both know but neither want to admit is that what's between them is so much more than physical, if they can only be brave enough to ask for it.

AAAA the pining and longing in this book tore me apart! Callihan does such a great job putting so much in to her books and unpacking such difficult themes so deftly! She doesn't pull punches, and it's wonderful.

I loved this book, would definitely recommend!

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Review - Ensnared by Innocence by Larissa Lyons

Ensnared by Innocence by Larissa Lyons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The premise of this book, Ensnared by Innocence, was what drew me in. The heroine, Francine, needs to be betrothed for a few months until she reaches her majority and takes control of her inheritance. She asks one of the ton's biggest rakes, Lord Blakely, to pretend to be her fiance for that long. He agrees, but he has a secret - he turns in to a lion.

The story was delightfully bonkers, and for the most part I enjoyed the plot. My biggest issue with this book was the language. The author stated that she tried to keep all terminology, etc. period-appropriate, and it's obvious they did a lot of research toward that goal. My problem is that I'm not reading this book in 1812, I'm reading in 2021 and I don't know what a lot of those words mean. The phrasing really slowed down the pace of the book and made the writing feel "clunky", whereas I think if she had just written what she meant directly it would have came across a little easier.

The introduction of Blakely's brother near the end of the book felt abrupt and a little shoehorned in, and while I appreciate that the author was setting him up for his own book, it was still very unexpected, and I wish the characters had explored that a little more.

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