Callie is entering spinsterhood, and decides she might as well start living it up, reputation be damned. She makes a list of things she wants to do - smoke a cheroot, fence, have a drink at a bar, kiss someone - and knows she'll start with the kissing. She sneaks into the home of the renowned rake Gabriel St. John, a man she has been dreaming about since accidentally seeing him seduce a woman ten years ago.
Gabriel is bamboozled by this lass, who keeps challenging both is honor and his desire.

This was super fun. I loved that Callie breaks the mold of this time and that Gabriel doesn't immediately fall for her but can't help himself as he is time and again impressed by her plucky charm. I adored MacLean's other series, but am finding this one to be a bit more light hearted, which is perfect for the mood I'm in.

I listened to the audio book for my second go through of this classic and I think I enjoyed it even more! I did have to set the narration speed to 1.5x as the otherwise lovely narrator was very. slow. There are some great sexy times scenes in this novel that had me blushing while driving (see Gentlemen's Club scene and 'checking off' riding astride), and Ralston is such a great hero. I loved how you can see MacLean's obviously influence of Lisa Kleypas's Dreaming of You, but takes all of the elements I detested in that book and turns them on their head in her work. Especially nice to see Ralston's former mistress treated sympathetically, and not as a crazy villainess.

Partially re-read for the #SummerofSarahMacLean read-a-long in 2020

"The night Godric St. John saw his wife for the first time since their marriage two years previously, she was aiming a pistol at his head."

I've come to expect great first sentences from the Maiden Lane series, so be careful opening one up "just to take a peek" because you won't be able to put it down once you start.

CW: on page violence, medical gore, child endangerment, complications of pregnancy (in past discussion of miscarriage, fears).

Margaret has decided to get pregnant, so must seduce Godric who she quickly married 2yrs ago after her true love was murdered by the Ghost, leaving her pregnant. She miscarried the day after the wedding and hasn't seen Godric since & he has a SECRET (he's the Ghost). She also wants to avenger her true love's death by finding the Ghost. DUN DUN DUN.

Godric is a salt & peppered and secretly jacked cinnamon roll who also lost his wife years ago to a devastating and long drawn out illness. He married Margaret because well, why not, and because her brother threatened to expose his secret identity. Margaret has been living with his family in the country since their wedding.

Now he's flabbergasted to have her, his sister, his stepmother, and all their people move into his shabby old estate house. And she wants a baby! Godric believes his heart will never feel again but it also seems to be having some strange palpitations around his wife. Who thinks he murdered her dead lover.

Such a delicious romance, with both Megs and Godric learning how to love again, that love can change and not be a betrayal of those who are no longer with us. I loved that Megs took matters into her own hands and made things happen, despite her sex and station. And lord Godric is h-o-t.

But, how in the heck do I keep reading romances with "get me pregnant but please no pleasure in the trying" this year? I think this is the third with that niche trope (see also Cecilia Grant's A Lady Awakened and Lorraine Heath).

check out some more of my thoughts with #bMLread2020 on Twitter!

Content warning for depiction of gun violence leading to the death of a non-primary character and threat to children, discussion of PTSD, realistic descriptions of symptoms of PTSD, cheating (not between main characters), and some physical violence.

Imagine if the sexy carpenter on the host of your favorite HGTV show fell for YOU while renovating your house. Sound good? This book will be perfect for you!

Michael and his brothers are the stars, the brains, and the brawn on a popular Canadian house renovating TV show. Their latest project, flipping an old Victorian mansion into a shop/kitchen for a home chef about to launch her own soup business, is the perfect distraction for Michael who is battling PTSD symptoms.

Michael is a hero to everyone except himself for his role in stopping a man who shot and killed his wife from also taking the lives of the children in her home daycare center. Michael is haunted by what he didn't do, which is save her life.

But, as the project commences, Michael has another little problem, namely he's utterly smitten with Emily, the homeowner and chef on this latest project. She's witty, funny, and beautiful, but also engaged. To a jerk.

For Emily, having the Knox brother's flip her nonna's home is a dream come true, the perfect jump start to her new business. Too bad her out-of-work chef fiancee is being completely unsupportive and absentee, plus host and head contractor Michael is very, very distracting.

As the demolition commences, Emily and Michael become fast friends, and more as Emily realizes Trent is not the one for her. But, just as this new romance begins, Michael's refusal to address his mental health struggles threaten to derail everything, especially as Emily offers to get him help.

While this story includes difficult topics, the author does a lovely job of making them fit within the story (not just included for shock), and never uses sex as a magical cure all. Watching Michael face his demons with support from Emily is truly wonderful.

“Constellations tell a story. Lines connecting points, making a picture. Your freckles do too. Your body does. Anne-Marie, I like your story.” He didn’t look away. He didn’t even blink. He meant it. Every word. And looking in his eyes, she felt it. She nearly shook with need.  “Make love to me.” “Yes, ma’am.”

So I've had Stardust languishing on my TBR pile for way too long. Way too long. BUT I guess it was waiting for me when I truly needed it because wow, I absolutely loved it. My entire jam. A golden boy, a scoundrel who is so confident in his looks and merit, is completely bowled over by the jaded divorcee next door.

Not only is the romance absolutely swoonworthy, the 1960s setting was a refreshing change of pace. Commander Kit Campbell's desire to go to space, the mission itself, and the cast of characters at the NASA-esque project, and the exploration of the role of women and the problems they ran against during this time period, all added depth and an immersive reading experience.

While one of the female "computers" is Black, race and racism was not explored at any length.

That said, one of my new favorites!

I finished reading an ARC of About a Rogue this morning! Competence porn, so much pottery, a man who loves to dress up fancy, and some Vauxhall debauchery to boot!

I reviewed for Library Journal and will post the link once it is live.

Thank you to the publisher and LJ for the advanced reading copy.

A quick age gap erotic romantic story that ends in a slight cliff hanger. Shae is on her dream Italian vacation but discovers her boyfriend of many years is actually kind of the worst. She ditches him to enjoy her dream day of eating all the pizza in Naples and leaves with the memory of delicious carbs and a delicious encounter with an older Italian man.

I'll look forward to seeing where this series goes! Short, quick, and dirty, but also poignantly sad in some parts.

Read partial in 2020 for #SummerofSarahMaclean

In which we meet Nicholas, on the search for his frenemy's runaway sister (who goes on to lead [b:Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover|17828895|Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover (The Rules of Scoundrels, #4)|Sarah MacLean|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1402596750l/17828895._SY75_.jpg|24942717]) and in the pursuit comes across a household of feisty women who only want to keep their refuge a secret.

Running the house is Isabel, who has been gambled away to various suitors by her horrible gambling addicted drunkard of a father (who is now thankfully dead). All she wants is enough money to keep Athena House running and when notorious eligible bachelor Nicholas saves her from death by carriage, the best opportunity has basically fallen into her lap.

He thinks she is trying to catch him by scandal; she wants him to buy her fancy marble statues. Of course, sparks fly, and oh the sexy times.

Super fun. I really love Sarah MacLean!

Nurse Devyn Echols is finishing up her training to become a Nurse Practitioner, but her internship position means she has to work with Dr. Joseph Wright, a man as frustrating as he is handsome. Their personalities clash but Devyn soon finds out it is because Dr. Wright is very very attracted to her.

I really enjoyed the interplay and banter between Joseph and Devyn, and we get to see some of the characters from the previous book that I fell in love with too! Workforce dynamics are explored as well. I really need a story with Devyn's brother who starts dating her pregnant coworker!!!

Listened to on audio to fufill the Ripped Bodice Bingo Square "Health Care Professional"

There are some plot points I would like to mention for those who need the CWs:

Abusive ex-boyfriend character who is fatphobic, physically assaults Devyn, violates HIPPA, and slut shames
Pregnancy (of side characters and at the end)
Medical gore (surgery/blood/injections/fainting)

Juliana is no wallflower; she's the hot-headed Italian half-sister of the St. John twins. Rocked by scandal due to her parentage and her temper, she is no way a proper prospect for the VERY proper Duke of Leighton. Despite their initial attraction, the Duke tries to resist Juliana but of course, sometimes scandal is worth the risk.

You can see the seeds to the darker Rules of Scoundrels series, with many of those characters making an appearance. Lots of tempestuous behavior and so super steamy.

2020 re-read for #SummerofSarahMaclean
9 Rules and Eleven Scandals are my favorites of this particular series, and that stood the test of time. Loved getting glimpses of some of my future favs (Georgiana!!) but picked up on some fat-phobic comments made by Juliana this read. The ache Juliana feels about being unloveable and unwanted is so poignant on the page, and I just wanted to throttle Simon for being so cold and callous. It takes him a while to figure out his bullshit but I'm glad he does because Juliana deserves her HEA.. He's not one of my favorite heroes, but this is still a great story to read, I glommed it all up today in one sitting.

Another great installment from my new favorite romance series, we finally see the Duke of Wakefield, Maximus Batten, meet his match in Artemis Greaves, a companion to the woman he think's he'll marry.

From her sharp wit to her bare toes, Maximus is challenged by Artemis who does not simper under his mere ducal presence (Big Duke Energy here). She's accepted her lot in life and while she too finds her cousin frivolous and silly, she does want to see the purple eyed Penelope happy. Artemis also wants her brother, falsely imprisoned in Bedlam, to survive and perhaps even escape from that awful place, especially when he lingers close to death after being beaten by some of the guards.

Artemis has also discovered Maximus is none other than the Ghost of St. Giles (yet another one) and uses that knowledge along with his attraction to her, to convince him to squirrel her brother out of the asylum.

But when a huntress and a vigilante go toe to bare toe, hearts are also on the line, polite society be damned.

Not one of my favorites, but still super fun to read. Felicia Grossman said it best, these are two people who are the "get things done" characters. They don't usually get to be center stage, but Hoyt puts them there with aplomb.

Cannot wait for The Beast!