#avon and harper voyager

[lilibetbombshell]

[triviareads]

ARC Review of The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy

Summary:

Raya Darwish unexpectedly inherits her late cousin's castle, much to the displeasure of Anthony, the Duke of Strickland. Stick's father should have passed the castle onto him, but instead chose to leave it to his wife, who left it to Raya, an American interloper. Now Raya and Strick are forced to work together to bring the crumbling castle and the lands surrounding it back to life...

My review:

First, as a daughter of Asian immigrants, I deeply appreciated the Arab-American rep we got with Raya and her aunt. Raya was born and raised in Brooklyn and is pretty American in her attitudes (as Strick derisively points out every time she brings up ways to monetize the estate), but she also holds onto the Palestinian culture of her parents. I appreciated the references to the food she enjoyed back home, as well as her describing how her parents took care to protect their daughter's modesty, something that is culturally very important from my understanding. Raya's Auntie Majida reminded me fondly of all the aunties in my life, particularly in the way she melds her Arabic and English when speaking (Diana Quincy also wrote Majida's accent into her dialogue), as well as her attitudes towards certain, uh, *improprieties* lol.

Regarding the romance of it all, I enjoyed this variation on the enemies to lovers trope. The management and ownership of the castle and its surrounding estate is the main point of contention between Raya and Strickland— which is not so lighthearted as a petty grudge, but neither is it something super intense or horrific. And it makes sense: Of course Raya's entrepreneurial American spirit would clash with Strick's aristocratic English attitudes, but they're forced to work together anyway. Which leads to an abundance of sexual tension between them.

There's this particularly great period of time between them where there's just.... unmitigated horniness on both their parts (but of course they don't act on it minus the time he's like "show me your tits" and she's like "...yeah why not") where Strickland keeps trying to use his sexual wiles on her to persuade her to marry him, and Raya keeps inadvertently turning him on by using business lingo. He delivers what might be the most and yet the least persuasive proposal in HR history which goes something like this: "I want to fuck you so bad it hurts. I cannot wait to be inside of you. Ergo, marry me."

Luckily, Raya is a smart gal and before agreeing, she takes care to secure her legal right to the castle using an actual solicitor thanks to property right laws that have changed recently. See, this is why I like historical romances set in the Victorian era (this is set in the 1880s): there's far more potential for racially diverse characters, as well as feminist themes, even if they're subtle. Raya getting a legal agreement on paper and making Strickland sign it to protect her rights absolutely counts.

There is also a mystery aspect to the plot, though it doesn't pick up until more than halfway through the book. Raya's late cousin died under mysterious circumstances by falling off the top of the castle, and this is related to Strickland's missing artifacts (which he's passionate about excavating and collecting). In addition, there's a bunch of will-related issues which also serves to drive a wedge between the couple. Does Strickland also attempt to use sex to grovel? Absolutely. Speaking of which—

The sex:

This book has solid sex scenes, and Diana didn't skimp on the foreplay (I'd argue the foreplay was the best part). I really liked this scene where in order to "seal" their bargain, Strickland asks to see Raya's tits (like I mentioned earlier) and goes to town on them. Specifically, the wording here is that he "clawed" at her bodice and tbh I find that level of desperation very hot.

The standout sex scene is probably when he covers her in Anglo-Saxon-era gold jewelry and then proceeds to finger her while making her watch them in the mirror. That being said, the unsung hero sex-wise might be Strickland's dirty talk. Like, man has some hits including "your quim wants to be friends", "I'm going to enjoy your sweet tits every day until we're old and grey", and "I'm going to keep burying myself in you until I'm too old to move". The future-forward dirty talk really did it for me. Bravo Anthony.

Overall:

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, and specifically anyone looking to start their historical romance journey. This is your quintessential "enemies to lovers" historical romance complete with a smart, plucky heroine, a hero that's initially arrogant and suspicious of the heroine but falls HARD for her later on (and that's after him panting after her for a good chunk of the story), and a plot that really makes you reassess the role of the aristocracy by this time period. Like, no longer are dukes infallible beings; they have to deal with money loss, railroads buying them out, possibly opening their homes up to tourists, and so on. For me, it was this aspect of the plot, combined with the dynamic between the hero and heroine, that really sealed the deal for me.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

[thegirlwiththelantern]

More 2024 Fantasy Books

A lot of beloved authors have made it onto this list. As well as quite a few names I haven’t heard of before but who really excite me. Born of Scourge by S. Jean | 27 / 02 / 24 The lies legends always tell. Legends say when the skies grow dark and scourge starves the land, a star will fall in order to save humanity. Only when the star is sacrificed at the end of their journey will light…

[libertyreads]

Book Review #34 of 2024--

The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton. Rating: 4 stars.

Read from May 24th to 28th.

Before I get into the review, a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Stars Too Fondly is a Sci-Fi set in the near future of 2061. Following the tragic loss of the Providence I crew in 2041, the world became STEM obsessed and fearful of ever attempting to navigate the stars again. But when Cleo and her friends decide to break in to view the spaceship in person, things take an unexpected turn. Part space odyssey, part sapphic rom-com, this story combines fierce friendships, improbable love, and wonder into a sweeping adventure. The Stars Too Fondly comes out on June 11th and is available for pre-order now.

There was so much to enjoy in this one which makes me so, so glad both that Lala from BooksandLala talked about it in a video AND that the publishers let me read it early. I've been missing Sci-Fi so much lately and the absolute joy and wonder that the friend group experienced was exactly what I needed. The characters were so fun and fresh while still having their flaws. Each had their own distinct personality and their own relationships with each other (not just a friend group where everything's about the main character). I enjoyed seeing this take on intergalactic travel and how boring it can get. How completely wonderful and amazing and yet also emotionally draining being stuck in a tin can flying at near-light speed can be. I found the world they're traveling to to be so extraordinary and I wish we had more time to explore what kind of hardships they could have faced there. I know that's not the point of the novel but it would have been so much fun.

I wish there had been more of an explanation for the Other Place because, without it, the ending felt a little too deus ex machina for me. I also felt like it wasn't enough of a hard Sci-Fi for me. This one is totally a me problem and not a book problem. Since reading The Expanse, I've been really longing for a hard Sci-Fi with good character work and it's been difficult to find something similar to that. But this story had so much else going for it and there were so many other places it went that most people won't care about it being a...softer(?) Sci-Fi.

Overall, this was such a fun (and sometimes tense) read for me. If I had more available free time during the week I probably would have finished this one in a couple of sittings.

[livzletlivz]

Wilde For You - A Landscape Of Love

Tough on the outside, with a heart as big as Wyoming. Protective to the core, fairness and kindness running in blood. And when the tough have to wage a battle for love, heart and soul takes to the knees. Let’s meet the Wilde cousins running the  Dark Horse Dive Bar. Jax Wilde loves his close knit family, his ranch and the Dark Horse Dive Bar that has been in the family. A cowboy to the core and…

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb:A swoon-worthy debut queer Victorian romance in which two debutantes distract themselves from having to seek husbands by setting up their widowed parents, and instead find their perfect match in each other—the lesbian Bridgerton/Parent Trap you never knew you needed!

Gwen has a brilliant beyond brilliant idea.

It’s 1857, and anxious debutante Beth has just one season to snag a wealthy husband, or she and her mother will be out on the street. But playing the blushing ingenue makes Beth’s skin crawl and she’d rather be anywhere but here.

Gwen, on the other hand, is on her fourth season and counting, with absolutely no intention of finding a husband, possibly ever. She figures she has plenty of security as the only daughter of a rakish earl, from whom she’s gotten all her flair, fun, and less-than-proper party games.

“Let’s get them together,” she says.

It doesn’t take long for Gwen to hatch her latest scheme: rather than surrender Beth to courtship, they should set up Gwen’s father and Beth’s newly widowed mother. Let them get married instead.

“It’ll be easy” she says.

There’s just…one, teeny, tiny problem. Their parents kind of seem to hate each other.

But no worries. Beth and Gwen are more than up to the challenge of a little twenty-year-old heartbreak. How hard can parent-trapping widowed ex-lovers be?

Of course, just as their plan begins to unfold, a handsome, wealthy viscount starts calling on Beth, offering up the perfect, secure marriage.

Beth’s not mature enough for this…

Now Gwen must face the prospect of sharing Beth with someone else, forever. And Beth must reckon with the fact that she’s caught feelings, hard, and they’re definitely not for her potential fiancé.

That’s the trouble with matchmaking: sometimes you accidentally fall in love with your best friend in the process.

Review:

A debutante desperate to snag a wealthy husband least her mother and her end up destitute finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn't be, a fellow debutante... who's father also has a complicated history with her mother. Beth is anxious to find a husband in her last season, she needs the money to make sure her mother and her can still keep their house. Yet when she meets Gwen, a charming and beautiful debutante who has no intention of finding a husband, Beth finds herself falling for the first time in her life. To make matters a bit more complicated, what started off as friendship and hopes to get Beth's widowed mother to marry Gwen's father, a romance that had happened in their past, Beth and Gwen find themselves falling for each other. Beth and Gwen want to fix the twenty year old heartbreak between their parents yet also deal with their own complicated situation when a handsome suitor offers for Beth's hand....and Beth will be forced to choose between financial stability in a loveless marriage, or living a scandalous life but with the girl who has her heart. This was a really cute parent trap/ forbidden romance book. Beth and Gwen are both dealing with difficult situations, particularly Beth. They love each other but in a time where such a relationship would be hard to have they have to find a way to be together and find out how to make their parents happy. This was a really cute historical sapphic romance and I did love how Beth and Gwen schemed to be together and constantly fought for one another.

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[mermaidsirennikita]

The State of the ARCs: What I Gotta Read

And what I'm so excited to read, of course, but you know. Sometimes you have to keep yourself honest, even when you're excited!

Pub Date: 1/21/25

The Legend of Menaka by Kritika H. Rhao. Fantasy romance. Harper Voyager (Avon Harper Voyager). Currently reading, and it's quite good so far!

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti. Historical romance. St. Martin's Griffin (St. Martin's Press).

Boudicca by P.C. Cast. Fantasy (romance?). William Morrow.

Those Fatal Flowers by Shannon Ives. Historical fantasy romance. Dell (Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine).

Pub Date: 2/4/25.

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera. Historical romance. Canary Street Press (Harlequin Trade Publishing).

Kingdom of Claw by Demi Winters. Fantasy romance. Delacorte Press (Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine).

Pub Date: 2/18/25.

Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis. Fantasy romance. Bramble (Tor Publishing Group).

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn. Historical paranormal romance. Zando.

A Cure for the Homesick by Laura Brooke Robson. Historical fantasy romance? MIRA (Harlequin Trade Publishing).

Pub Date: 2/25/25.

The Prince's Heart by Ben Chalfin. Fantasy romance. Rising Action (Rising Action Publishing).

A Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher. Paranormal romance. St. Martin's Griffin (St. Martin's Press).

Pub Date: 3/4/2025.

A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames. Fantasy romance. Erewhon Books (Kensington Publishing).

Pub Date: 3/11/25.

A Gentleman's Gentleman by TJ Alexander. Historical romance. Vintage (Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor).

Pub Date: 3/25/25.

Exquisite Ruin by AdriAnne May. Fantasy romance. Gallery Books.

Pub Date: 4/1/25.

Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid. Contemporary romance. Avon (Avon and Harper Voyager).

Pub Date: 4/8/25.

The Gods Time Forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez. Fantasy romance. Alcove Press.

Pub Date: 4/29/25.

My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner. Contemporary romance. St. Martin's Griffin (St. Martin's Press).

When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley. Historical fantasy romance. Erewhon Books (Kensington Publishing).

Pub Date: 5/6/25.

Silver Elite by Dani Francis. Dystopian romance. Del Rey (Random House Worlds).

Pub Date: 5/27/25.

A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride. Fantasy romance. Delacorte Press (Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine).

Pub Date: 6/10/25.

If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel. Contemporary romance. St. Martin's Griffin (St. Martin's Press).

Pub Date: 6/24/25.

Cruel Summer by Maisey Yates. Contemporary romance(?). Canary Street Press (Harlequin Trade Publishing).

Pub Date: 7/1/25.

This Much is True by Vivienne Lorret. Historical romance. Avon (Avon Harper Voyager).

Of these, as far as I'm AWARE, 7 are queer romances, whereas the rest are m/f.

[a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit]

Book Review: The Hurricane Wars (The Hurricane Wars #1) by Thea Guanzon

The Hurricane Wars is a heady, political, action-packed fantasy with two characters who are forced into an alliance (aka: an arranged marriage) even though they're heirs poised on opposite sides of a decades-long war, and despite having started out intent on destroying one another. Talaysn is a wily solider who can access light magic. Alaric is an inscrutable prince of the Night Empire who can summon shadows. Similar to The Bridge Kingdom, the two of them are brought together by circumstance and necessity, forcing them to band together for the peaceful survival of The Continent.

However, things are never as simple or as smooth as they seem. Not only are there secrets to unravel, political schemes to dodge, and rustling feelings to subdue, but there is a magical storm brewing in this world that Talaysn and Alaric must learn how fight. Not to mention win. And soon...or else they'll all be doomed.

I found this to be engrossing for the most part. I particularly liked the Filipino history that was infused into the setting and climate. There was also some satisfying commentary on the sacrifices of war, the degradation of colonization, the drive to protect and preserve culture. I liked the enemies to reluctant allies to lovers of it all too, of course. That's my literary catnip!

I did struggle to fully settle into the world building, though. It felt a little helter-skelter at times, with there being too much information dispensed at once sometimes and then at other times not enough. The bare bones of the magic system were there, rife with names, with functions, with potential, but it never took off or developed to the extent that I was hoping it would. That made it hard to fully immerse myself in this world.

That said, this was an enjoyable read overall and it had a lot of tropes that will resonate with folks. And that cliffhanger! Oof! You'll be clamoring to know what happens to Talaysn and Alaric next!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Tastes Like Shakkar Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❝ "As a wedding planner, I have learned to appreciate blunt honesty. I mean, what's sexier than that? Being completely transparent and straight with another person takes a kind of fearlessness, doesn't it?" ❞

❓ #QOTD What's your favorite Shakespeare play (or retelling)? ❓ 🦇 Bobbi Kaur is eager to plan a blow-out, unforgettable wedding for her best friend. Unfortunately, she's paired with Benjamin “Bunty” Padda to complete the task; the groom's best friend and man who derailed her career as a wedding planner. After Bunty refuses to cater a previous wedding for her, Bobbi's boss and uncle loses his faith in her ability to one day manage the business. The Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) wedding could be her chance to prove herself and win an account with one of the biggest venues around. To make matters worse, someone is trying to sabotage the wedding. Despite their constant bickering and the shaadi saboteur's best efforts, can Bobbi and Bunty call a truce and (with the help of a few sleuthing, meddling aunties) turn the Vermann wedding into a happily ever after?

💜 How do I bottle up all my love for Nisha Sharma, Bobbi, and Bunty in a concise review? Oh, let me count the ways... (whoops, wrong play). "There's a skirmish of wit between them" is far more accurate. Tastes Like Shakkar picks up from the scene we missed in Dating Dr. Dil, when Bobbi and Bunty speak alone at Kareena's birthday party. A moment of misunderstanding flares into hostility, even though Bobbi and Bunty have more in common than they realize. Sharma does a stunning job of pulling from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing while staying true to her Punjabi-American characters. So many books are categorized as romcom more for the situational comedy than actual laugh-aloud moments, which Sharma brings in spades. Bobbi and Bunty have all the wit and sass of their Shakespearian counterparts, but they bring the heat, too. This sweet, sassy story has a flare of spice that's bound to get your blood pumping. Whether Bunty is cooking up a storm in the kitchen or not, there are plenty of mouthwatering moments to spare.

💜 Bobbi's independence and ferocity are inspiring, while Bunty's foodie notes, text, and willingness to SHOW he's falling first are heartwarming. The layers of similarity between them—taking on familial obligations while trying to prove themselves—bring Bobbi and Bunty together when internal and external forces try to drag them apart. The aunties are, as always, a hoot, and Bobbi's curvy representation (and better yet, PRIDE) warmed my heart.

🦇 As much as I loved the story's mystery element, I pegged the shaadi saboteur the moment Bobbi chooses her first suspect. Sharma leaves plenty of little breadcrumbs for readers to follow. Though there's a TON of sizzle and spice (I'm fanning myself at the thought of that throne scene), I do think it was rushed, almost entirely resolving the animosity between them with smut.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Shakespeare retellings, @sonali.dev / Sonali Dev's The Rajes series, or @saradesaiwrites / Sara Desai's The Marriage Game series! Any rom-com lover is bound to fall in love with Bobbi and Bunty!

✨ The Vibes ✨ 💞 Enemies to Lovers 🤏🏽 Forced Proximity 📜 Shakespeare Inspired 🔍 A Dash of Mystery 🪷 Desi/Punjabi RomCom 💐 Chef x Wedding Planner 👗 Plus-Sized Female Lead 📚 Second in a Series 💜 Contemporary Romance 😂 Banter & Humor

❝ "My body says 'let's go on an expedition!' while my brain is shouting 'evacuate mission!'" ❞

🦇 Major thanks to the author Nisha Sharma and publisher Avon Books/ Harper Voyager US for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[olivias-shelf]

I had been following the blog posts that Meg Cabot had been posting during the early stages of the pandemic, so I was pretty interested in reading this book, even though I don't really have much interest in reading pandemic books in general.

Overall, this was a pretty lighthearted, nostalgic read. I enjoyed the feeling that you were catching up with these characters as Mia had to navigate the progressively more ridculous situations that her friends (and sometimes her) would get themselves into.

However, while there were many challenges that Mia faced that were based in real-life problems (anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers, and protesters on mandates) that were resolved in a very fairytale-esque way. If you're looking for something more realistic, this book might not be for you.

A thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon Impulse, and NetGalley for the ARC.

[whimsyandbooks]

Caught in the Tempest of A Monsoon Rising

A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon is the second book in the fantasy series The Hurricane Wars. It is scheduled for publication on December 10, 2024. The writing is intensely luxuriant and illustrative. If you think purple prose is a bad thing, well, then that’s on you. I've been swept away by the tempest of Guanzon's words. I did have to refresh my memory on who a bunch of the little side characters are, and I honestly didn’t realize until like a third of the way through the book that sometimes a person is referred to by their title, and sometimes by their name. I ended up confusing several characters, thinking they were actually two. I think a little glossary/political hierarchy chart/character bios refresher in the book, or even on Thea’s website, would be so helpful. The pacing was much faster and easier to follow than the first book because the romance was very much at the forefront of the book. The Enemies-to-Lovers vibe remains intense in this book, and the slow burn has started to heavily consume Talasyn and Alaric! Our idiots are absolutely still denying they’re in love, and very much grappling with the fact they are planning to betray each other. With the romance at the forefront, the political intrigue is more subtle this time around. Kesath and Nenavar are solely keeping the peace until our idiots in love deal with the Moonless Dark. And whew, that cliffhanger! I am so eager to read the third installment, I can’t wait to add the hardcover to my shelf when it comes out. Thank you to NetGalley, and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with this Advanced Reader Copy.

"Just him and me and the monsoon."

Swoon.

[lilibetbombshell]

[triviareads]

ARC Review of Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma

Summary:

Wedding planner Bobbi Kaur is determined to make sure her friends Kareena and Prem's wedding goes off without a hitch, even if it means working with popular chef Benjamin 'Bunty' Padda. Bobbi and Benjamin may not have gotten off to a great start, but doesn't stop their mutual attraction. As they try to solve the mystery of who's sabotaging the wedding, they quickly fall into a relationship even as they know there's a deadline approaching...

My review:

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I was expecting based on some of Nisha Sharma's earlier books that I've read including Dating Dr. Dil, the book prior to Tastes Like Shakkar. I thought Benjamin and Bobbi were solid characters individually, I bought their chemistry, and I really liked the background cast of their friends and The Aunties.

I'm not going to lie, I initially thought a "shaadi saboteur" would make for a really hokey plot, but I was invested because I was firmly on Bobbi and Benjamin's side and rooting for their success. I think that conflict's resolution might have been a bit rushed and contrived, but until then, it worked. Also, Nisha mentioned in her acknowledgements that she wanted to explore the concept of "family managers" in Indian culture namely, when children feel like their value to the family is conflated with the help the provide which is... so so accurate. The shaadi saboteur plot really pushed that idea to the forefront of my mind while I was reading, because Bobbi was determined to prove to her value to her family and her friend whose wedding she's planning to the extent where she thinks that's all she's worth. Benjamin had a similar conflict with his own dad who, get this, runs a frozen naan empire.

Regarding Bobbi and Benjamin's relationship, the blurb pushes the "enemies" aspect of their relationship but in actuality, they know pretty early on that they have sexual chemistry, and after the first time they have sex, they're basically in a relationship. It's fairly early on in the story, but I actually liked that. The plot took the time to explore their growing relationship and you could understand what drew them to each other, and perhaps more importantly what kept them together which, in my opinion, might have been how they handled the long-distance aspect of their relationship.

I love how Nisha wrote the long-distance relationship in an epistolary format, like, that's what convinced me they should stay together. There were texts, cute little notes, checking in on each other, Benjamin ordered Bobbi food when he knew she'd forget, and of course, there had to be phone sex. Which I thought was pretty solid all things considered. Speaking of sex—

The sex:

Here's my thing: Authors can sometimes get weird about people of color and sex, and even moreso about people of color and kink. I think it's this paranoia about how they're depicting the characters' sexuality, their bodies, and how "correct" they're being about the sex (oh and some strange detours into multilingual dirty talk in a way that fetishizes the language) that gets in the way of writing sex scenes that are actually... sexy. But I thought Nisha handled this potential pitfall really well here. The fact that Bobbi isn't conventionally skinny? It's touched upon just the right amount and her body is described during sex, but Nisha never harps on it. The fact that Benjamin enjoys bondage during sex? He explained it to Bobbi frankly, checked in with her, but otherwise it was no big deal. Their desire for one another was frank and explicit. There was no place for coyness here. I only wished some the scenes themselves could be a little longer.

Stand-out moments include:

a) First sex scene was at the 44% mark and that made me happy. It was a storage room oral moment on those decorative throne things they make South Asian brides and grooms sit on during their wedding reception which I thought was hilarious

b) A blowjob scene that surprised me because she was laying down and he like, actually straddled her chest and went for it, which I don't see in a lot of contemporary romances.

c) At one point during sex they were looking at themselves in a mirror and Bobbi likened herself to those women in old Indian paintings with their hips and stomachs out and I just thought that was really beautiful and body-affirming.

Overall:

This might be one of the best rom-coms I've read in a long time. It accomplished exactly what it set out to do: You got that desi rep (specifically that Jersey desi rep— iykyk) with a solid cast of Indian characters, a great romance that's probably as hot as any rom-com will ever get, and plot that was funny and sweet in equal measure. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who's remotely interested in this genre.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

[celticbarb]

Book:For a Scot’s Heart Only

Author:Gina Conkle

Series:Scottish Treasures, Book #3

Publisher:Avon and Harper Voyager

Release Date:April 25, 2023

Overall Rating:5 Gold Stars

Blog Rating:5 Saltire Flags

England 1753

The Scottish Treasure saga continues in the third and final book of this epic series. Therefore they continue looking for the last part of the lost Treasure of Arkaig, also known as the missing Jacobite gold.

In this book it centers around Jacobite Mary Fletcher, who cares for her younger sister Margaret, although their age difference is very great, so she is more a mother than a sister in many ways. Mary is now a corsetière who is a proprietress and owns “Fletcher’s House of Corsets and Stays” where her dying mama taught her to be an independent woman and never rely on a man ever! Mary lives a life of commitment and allegiance to her sibling, The Scottish league she belongs to, plus the Highland clan that took her and her sister in long ago. Mary pursues the service of previous league members, where they search for the gold that was stolen by Cumberland’s soldier’s during the uprising after the battle of Culloden.

Therefore these women aid the Scottish people who are living in England against their will. The league helps them by getting them any of the needed supplies like clothing, food and medical supplies which helps these suffering Scottish men, women and children. The treasure of Arkaig, gold was originally sent by the French to support Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebels. Mary and her friend Cecelia’s search a brothel looking for clues for the missing Jacobite gold. While searching, she reunites with whaler Thomas West, who saves Mary from being accosted by a drunken sea captain.

Thomas West, also known as the Sea Wolf-Whaler originally we met in “The Scot Who Loved Me.” It was obvious that previously Thomas and Mary had an immediate attraction to each other. Now Thomas has troubles of his own with his family’s inheritance being in serious jeopardy! Therefore Thomas is thrilled when he is reunited once again with the bonnie lass-Mary Fletcher, plus it is the one person who owes him a wee favor as it couldn’t happen at a more convenient time! However Thomas soon gets involved in Mary’s dangerous escapades which were no easy tasks with even sneaking illegally into a lord’s home! However their attraction soon becomes something much more. Furthermore the black hearted Lady Denton reappears where her cruelty and deception knows no bounds!

Who will win this game of cat and mouse with danger at every corner? Will these Scottish female treasure hunters seek the missing treasure they desire? Is Mary and Thomas’s love a fleeting thing or a love that lasts forever? Read and find out the conclusion of this spectacular series finale!

Readers won’t be disappointed with this riveting action packed, page turning romantic mystery! It kept me glued to my seat. A book I absolutely loved! This is my third consecutive book in this magnificent series and another I absolutely loved. It has all the elements readers love. Furthermore it blends true historical facts with a fictional romantic adventure that will touch readers hearts.

The Complete Scottish Treasures Book Series

1. The Scot Who Loved Me

2. A Scot Is Not Enough

3. For a Scot’s Heart Only

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader’s copy from Avon and HarperCollins Publishing. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair review and blog through Netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

[fuzzjump]

The Do-Over by Suzanne Park

Closed door, second chance, women's fic is usually not my jam. But Park takes it up a notch by addressing imposter syndrome which is something I struggle with every day. Other than that, it was an okay read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC for a honest review.

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Les personnes arrivant au Royaume-Uni en provenance de Chine ne seront pas tenues de s'isoler si elles sont testées positives pour Covid-19, a déclaré le secrétaire aux Transports.Les cas de Covid en Chine continuent d'augmenter après la décision abrupte de Pékin de mettre fin à la plupart de ses sévères restrictions pandémiques.Le gouvernement britannique a déclaré que les compagnies aériennes seront tenues de vérifier que les passagers en provenance de Chine ont un test Covid négatif avant le départ, les voyageurs devant montrer la preuve de leur résultat négatif.La décision n'affectera que l'Angleterre, car les voyages sont une question décentralisée. Cependant, tous les vols directs en provenance de Chine atterrissent en Angleterre.La commande est conçue pour s'aligner sur la politique américaine et est prise parce que le gouvernement estime qu'il y a un manque de données fiables en provenance de Chine.Interrogé mardi si les voyageurs arrivant au Royaume-Uni en provenance de Chine qui ont été testés positifs pour Covid seraient tenus de se mettre en quarantaine, le secrétaire aux Transports, Mark Harper, a déclaré à LBC : « Non, car ce que nous faisons, c'est que nous collectons ces informations à des fins de surveillance."Mais, regardez, une personne sur 45 au Royaume-Uni a le Covid en ce moment."Il a ajouté: «Nous gérons Covid maintenant en nous assurant d'avoir des niveaux de vaccination très élevés, c'est pourquoi les personnes à risque, les membres plus âgés de la communauté, par exemple, devraient s'assurer qu'elles reçoivent leur quatrième rappel cet hiver. C'est ainsi que nous protégeons les gens de Covid, c'est notre première ligne de défense."La politique concernant les arrivées de Chine consiste principalement à collecter des informations que le gouvernement chinois ne partage pas avec la communauté internationale."Harper, un critique virulent des restrictions sur les coronavirus depuis les banquettes d'arrière-ban au plus fort de la pandémie, a déclaré que le gouvernement avait créé une "proposition sensée et équilibrée" pour faire face à la propagation potentielle de Covid depuis la Chine.Il a poursuivi : « Il s'agit d'un pays, la Chine, qui ne partage pas les données de santé avec le système de santé mondial, ce que nous attendons de tout le monde. C'est pourquoi nous avons mis en place cette mesure de précaution temporaire alors que la Chine ouvre ses frontières.«Nous faisons deux choses – nous exigeons que les personnes qui voyagent en provenance de Chine subissent un test avant le départ afin qu'elles doivent montrer qu'elles sont négatives avant de monter sur ce vol, et lorsqu'elles arrivent au Royaume-Uni, le UK Health L'agence de sécurité prélèvera un échantillon de passagers et les testera.Inscrivez-vous pour Première éditionNewsletter quotidienne gratuiteArchie Bland et Nimo Omer vous guident à travers les meilleures histoires et ce qu'elles signifient, gratuitement tous les matins de la semaine