I absolutely loved Ten Rules for Marrying a Duke by Michelle McLean. It had the forward-thinking heroine that bucks tradition to find a happy life. It had the rogue-ish gentleman that’s really kind at heart (and also a rich duke, which doesn’t hurt). There were good and supportive friends and family, as well as a bit of a grumpy grandfather to even it out.

Arabella’s scheme to find a husband and save the family name is to marry a man that doesn’t want a wife. It may sound backward, but her logic is sound, and she does a very good job of explaining it to Silas. Such a good job that he actually agrees to her scheme. But they have to lay some ground rules first. And here is where things get really interesting.

These rules for their marriage are amazing and hilarious, and somehow quite appropriate. And watching them hash out the rules, especially the ones regarding more intimate moments, was very well done. It gave such a great look into their personalities. I really did fall in love with both of them right then and there.

Now rules are made to be broken, bent, and rewritten, and this couple quickly realizes their rules weren’t as perfect as they first thought. And then they just might go and actually fall in love with each other! Their insecurities about how they feel and how the other feels about them were just enough to make you root for them without becoming tedious.

I really hope Michelle McLean decides to write about a younger sister or friend or someone else in this family so I can check back in with Arabella and Silas, or else I will miss them very much.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Beneath the Willow Tree by Abby Burrus was a quick, thoughtful, and entertaining short story. I enjoy short stories since they are great for a quick start to finish in an hour or less type of book. However, I think this one could have used a little more length. I wanted to know more about the land and how the marks appeared. I think that as a fantasy reader, I expect a little more world-building and details to my stories, but as an inspirational or Christian reader, I don’t always expect that. Beneath the Willow Tree straddles those worlds for me so I keep going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to be longer.

I really enjoyed how the message is obvious, but not preachy. (I really dislike preachy books.) There is no missing it, but it’s woven in as such an integral part of the story that you just absorb it along with all the rest and it just fits very well.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Rogue King by Abigail Owen reads as equal parts fantasy/adventure as paranormal romance. There are some classic fantasy characters, but they feel a little unique in the way they interact and in the history they have lived. Brand especially has quite the back story, and it is revealed through the pages as Kasia learns more about him. And it is very interesting. He has lived a life different than most dragons, and his past has really shaped who he is now.

Kasia also has a bit of a past. I guess when dealing with near-immortal creatures you’re bound to have some crazy stories to tell. Her story is of a fight to survive and stay hidden from the world. She trusts no one, and Brand will need to work very hard to prove himself to her. I didn’t quite understand why she was so willing to go on this trip to marry a strange dragon-king that she has never met. It seemed a little out of character to me, but it made for a good reason to keep Brand and Kasia together in close quarters.

The last third of the book is extremely exciting, full of battle, betrayal, and epic decisions. Everything is so chaotic, but it comes together gradually in a way that just seems to fit for everyone – or almost everyone. There are some big wins and victories, but the bigger battle isn’t quite over yet. My fantasy-loving heart loves the epic feel of this series starter, and I hope it continues to grow into a bigger story in future books.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

My Mother’s Gift by Steffanie Edward is the story of a family finding a new way, a family coming together and drifting apart, of past arguments and joys forgotten. And while there are some very sad and heart-breaking scenes, the story overall feels more like a love story between a mother and daughter.

Erica returns to St Lucia to visit her mom every year, but this year it’s a lot different. Ione’s Alzheimer’s has progressed quickly, and she doesn’t even seem to be the same person most of the time. There are wonderfully sweet moments for mother and daughter to share that quickly deteriorate into manic episodes of violence and rage. Author Steffanie Edward did an amazing job showing how this disease can tear families apart. She artfully showed the real trauma experienced by both Erica and Ione.

The family that lives in St Lucia didn’t always agree with Erica’s decisions, and sometimes I didn’t either. But they all shared one common goal – doing what was best for Ione. Did they make the right decision in the long run? Maybe. It’s hard to say, and the book makes sure that this is very clear. You never know what the best choice at the end will be, you can only choose what your heart is leading you to.

There’s life outside of being a carer for Alzheimer’s too, and this was something Erica had to learn, and her family helped her learn it. Being able to lean on and depend the people around her was such a blessing.

There were a couple of inconsistencies that jumped out at me. For example, a time when she drank wine at night, then complained about being tired after her third rum and coke from the night before. But they were pretty minor. There’s life outside of Alzheimer’s too, and this was something Erica had to learn, and her family helped her learn it.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The characters in Accidentally Perfect by Marissa Clarke had me from the very beginning. Even the annoying co-worker that screws up everything – ya, I loved him too. He was the unexpected star of the book. But not so much of a star that he takes away from Lillian and Caleb’s romance.

Lillian’s introduction to Blink, Maine, was not the best. And it set up the one conflict I just didn’t quite believe. Caleb instantly dislikes Lillian, and even though the author tried to explain why – it just didn’t add up to me. It set up the whole “I can never trust a person like that” trope, but the mistrust seemed very misplaced. I just didn’t get it.

The residents of Blink were a good mix of people. A few that you would expect to see in a small-town romance, but there were also a few fresh personalities and family histories. They were a diverse mix and seemed to genuinely care for and look out for each other. And they welcome Lillian into their community, and she finds her way to contribute and help make Blink a better place.

As a person that reads both open and closed-door romances, it didn’t even occur to me that this was closed-door until it was all over. There is so much passion and so many sparks flying between these two, that I don’t think anyone will be disappointed. This was a fantastic story, with lots of great characters and plots that I really enjoyed.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

I absolutely loved Welcome to Winterville by Carrie Elks. It mixed the fun and flirty feeling with all the wonderful spiciness of a sexy small-town romance. It was the best of both worlds. Winterville feels like a town held back in time with all the traditional values and friendliness, but it’s not doing so well financially.

When the Winter cousins find out that their parents had sold the town to a developer, they pull everyone together to come up with a plan to keep Josh Gerber and his company from tearing the town down. There are a lot of brains in the Winter cousins group, and I expected a few more ideas from them. This was really my only disappointment in the story. They seem to come up fairly empty-handed.

It seems all their hopes rest on Holly Winter rekindling a very brief fling from many years ago with Josh Gerber. it’s a pretty flimsy plan to save the town, but it leads to some pretty romantic and heated moments for Holly and Josh. The two are crazy good together and their conversations and banter had me grinning all the way through. They were amazing.

When the inevitable argument comes up between Holly and Josh, I just about screamed because I saw it coming and business got in the way. But Holly’s cousins are the heroes of her story because they were there for her through every page and every up and down. I loved it so much.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting is a light-hearted and fun-filled romance that hides some surprisingly deep moments. Avery is the sporty, athletic, always on the run kind of girl – so when a car accident takes her out of commission, it’s quite a blow. And emotionally, her sisters are also hit emotionally as their parents died in a car accident years ago.

Avery’s roommate and long-time friend, Declan, volunteers to help take care of Avery as she recovers. What no one really expects is for them to realize they’ve fallen for each other. And it’s not a good time for that to happen. Both are dealing with some pretty heavy emotional burdens that sabotage their budding relationship every step of the way. Some of Declan’s threw out some red flag alerts for me, but don’t worry, the author does a great job confronting those and not just letting them slip around without resolution.

There are a lot of hilarious scenes that definitely balance out the more serious scenes and brought the story back into the feel-good romcom territory. The relationship between Avery and her sisters made me wish I wasn’t an only child. They are everything to each other and are perfect at annoying each other and lifting each other up at the same time. Declan’s tenderness with Avery after her accident really showcases how much he cares for her (just hadn’t realized it yet), and I was so excited to see them get a happily ever after.

Starry-Eyed Love has one of my favorite couples so far this year. London and Jackson just fit so well together in an odd and unexpected way. London is an anxious woman, and the paper starts she’s known for making to keep her hands busy sound beautiful. I loved her creativity and crafty side, and I felt for her when she never seemed to have enough time to dedicate to it.

Jackson is a bit of the opposite. He’s down to business and very focused on his company. But he also never seems to take time for himself. When they first meet, it was super cute – the ultimate meet-cute – and their second meeting was delightfully awkward for London, while Jackson is business-line and completely unaware.

When they end up working together, their attraction is put on hold. But while they may think they’re doing a good job hiding it, everyone around them can see it whenever they are together. And while they seem perfect together, it would just be far too easy for them to just get their HEA without some struggle.

When London gets dragged through a social media nightmare because of their relationship, things start to fall apart, mistrust builds, and it’s only some really open and honest discussions that can save the day. But can they both put it all on the line when it really matters? Starry-Eyed Love took that dive into communication and nailed it. I can’t recommend this book enough.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

My 10yo and I read The Unforgettable Logan Foster as part of the Owl Crate Jr book box. While he isn’t a reluctant reader – he is reluctant to try new authors or series. So we made a deal that he had to read one month’s book before he could open the next box. Once he started The Unforgettable Logan Foster, he had a hard time putting it down. Superheroes combined with a kid that is “different than the other kids, like I’m a little different, but in a different way than I’m different” really drew him into the story. Now he can’t wait for more in the series.

The other part of our deal was that I would read the book when he was done so we could talk about it. What I enjoyed most with the very untraditional family unit Logan found himself adopted into. Throw in a very untraditional neighborhood friend, and all the unusual types built a beautiful picture.

Throw in a fun adventure to defeat a super villain and his friends, and you have the makings for a great MG adventure. Some of the heroes reminded me a little of contemporary comic books with a fun and colorful twist. And with a few really great surprise reveals (I didn’t see them coming at all), I found the book hard to put down as well.

You Can Thank Me Later by Kelly Harms is an Audible Original (only available there as of writing this). Sophie Dickenson is telling the story of several Thanksgiving dinners with her siblings – where is the chef and host (mostly). This is an interesting way to really capture how much can change over the course of a year. Each Thanksgiving there are changes, big and small and sometimes world-changing, that we get to glimpse as Sophie gets ready for and serves dinner.

At first I was a little hesitant about this whole concept of telling stories through Thanksgiving dinner – but Sophie won me over from the first minute when her voicemail greeting – it was a gem. And as I got to know a little about her siblings and their families through the messages they left, you could just her the love among them. But don’t worry, this isn’t a story told in voicemails, it was just enough to give me a small glimpse into who these people were before they all showed up to eat.

You Can Thank Me Later is a quick listen that really brings out all the feels. Be careful if you listen in the car, because you may tear up a few times – pull over if necessary.