This is my second Lisa Torquay (I read the first in the series). This can be read as a standalone. The characters from the first book make 2-3 very brief appearances as acquaintances of the hero and heroine in this book.

Lisa writes explicit sex bordering on erotica (romantica?). In both books I have tried there's been a bit of plot but most of the focus of the book is on the sex, the wanting, the feelings. While it's explicit, I don't feel it crosses any lines being more vulgar or raunchy (it's spicy vanilla sex?? lol). No bdsm. Light language used (f*** only used once and more like an expletive) so nothing crazy there. Maybe give her a try if you like things extra steamy in the bedroom. (I know some language people don't like so trying to take note of what's used)

Edwina is described as a prudish spinster. Her parents have died and unfortunately her father was in debt to Harris' company. Edwina is worried about providing for her sister and making sure she has a chance at a good marriage. She makes her own lace and sells it but it's not enough to pay off the debt. She goes to Harris to arrange a deal.

Harris starts out being kind of a jerk. He's very bossy, he expects his orders to be followed. I thought he would be a jerk straight through the book and very demanding of Edwina, but he was actually quite gentle and loving. He's an alpha hero and he retains that arrogance but he's not cruel sexually or anything.

I feel like this plot is the loosest thing to hold this book together. (I mean, she's worried about her sister making a good marriage but strikes a bargain where she goes and lives with a known rake for an indefinite amount of time like that won't ruin the whole family's reputation...) The character development is rather low. You get some emotional pull more so from the hero (for me at least.) The heroine was just there for the most part, I didn't really feel anything about her.

Still there was something about this book I liked. Probably the sex because I guess I'm that shallow hahahaha. I enjoyed reading it. I liked it more than the first and enough to probably buy and read the next in the series some time.

Fated Souls by The Romance Cafe (Authors include Barbara Russell, Belle Langtree, Chele MacCabe, Ariel Dawn, Lila Mina, Layali Grimshaw, and A Perveen)

I was very excited to get this paranormal anthology. Perfect to read a short story before bed, or with a cup of coffee before my kids wake up (or 2 or 3 stories haha!) It has been forever since I have read anything paranormal.

This anthology has lots of steam which I love! I was expecting only werewolves and vampires, but these stories have introduced me to so much more. Ghosts, liliths, werewolves, vampires, hunters, dragons...a very fun mix of plots and characters.

My favorites stories of the group include The Kiss Thief – A Royal Occult Bureau Novelette by Barbara Russell, How to Tame a Dragon by Lila Mina, and Between the Ocean and the Flame by A. Perveen. I especially loved The Kiss Thief. I am not sure what year it takes place, but it has a historical feel (my true love!) with a debutante at a ball, her strong bodyguard, and an interfering Unnatural.

Thank you, Romance Cafe for another wonderful novel that provides hours of entertainment as well as supporting Breast Cancer research and care.

So, again, I am jumping into a series midway. This is my first Collette Cameron. This story was great as a standalone. The heroine's guardian and wife, Keane and Marjorie, have their own story (book 6, To Defy a Highland Duke) and they are in this story, but not in a way that is confusing being read out of order. It might better establish how the heroine, Bethea, knows the hero, Camden, though. I'm not sure if her books are usually shorter, but this one was. Goodreads says about 150 pages.

Bethea finally is getting to enjoy the high society life in Edinburgh. Wanting to dance, flirt, and shop she is endlessly frustrated that her time instead seems to spent avoiding a smelly, pushy earl that keeps trying to force marriage on her. Trying to find a back way out of a social gathering leads her to instead be caught by conspirators and traitors to the crown.

Camden has been attracted to Bethea but has kept his distance. She is his cousin's ward after all. Being a spy also has him wanting his distance to protect his family. But when he unexpectedly finds Bethea completely caught in the middle of his mission, he will do anything to save her.

Give this story a try if you are in the mood for
-marriage of convenience
-ruined heroine
-a novella that feels perfectly developed
-story involving a spy organization
-more of a beta hero – he is not pushy or aggressive but wonderfully caring and conscious of his heroine's feelings.

I really enjoyed this story. I think it can be hard for a story to feel well done sometimes when they are shorter but I didn't feel like I was missing anything with this one. The writing really sucked me in and I felt enveloped in the story. I really liked Bethea's character development. Something I do wish was more was done from Camden's perspective. I felt I didn't know him quite as well because of this.

Just enough balance of action, tension, danger, and kisses. The steam is medium with a few kisses and 1 full scene. For some reason I thought Cameron was a clean or fade to black author and I was happy to find that wasn't the case. She did a great job building the tension and feelings though as well.

The epilogue did kind of throw me for a loop because it has characters from this story finding a happily ever after. I'm not sure if they will have a book coming out too. It was told from Bethea and Camden's perspective but I still felt like it took the focus a bit off them and their HEA.

Definitely going to be getting my hands on more Collette Cameron in the future.

4.5 rounded to 5

Thank you netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own regarding this story.

Her Best Friend, the Duke by Laura Martin

This is a story of friends to lovers. Caroline has always been in love with her friend James. They have an unconventional friendship for 5 years (I mean who has heard of a woman and a man being friends??). James cherishes their friendship but has never looked deeper than that. Caroline is beginning to realize she wants more from life than to be a spinster and burden on her relatives. She accepts that she must marry and it might not be the true love she dreams about. James immediately is unsettled by her decision, though he hasn't really examined why. He says he will assist her by helping her practice her flirting and assisting her in finding a good match.

Give this book a try if you like
friends to lovers trope
an older hero or age gap romance. Heroine is 24 while hero is 41.
unrequited love

Sadly this story was just okay to me. I didn't really like that the hero needed everything thrown in his face to realize how he felt. And it had to happen repeatedly. I just wasn't left feeling like he was totally in love with the heroine. He is a hero that believes in that true love, the one that slams you in heart and knocks you off your feat. He didn't realize there were different kinds of love, love that can form slowly over time with a friendship and turn to passion. It was such a point of contention in the book, I just wasn't left with the feeling he fully believed and accepted this.

The heroine just left me lukewarm. She cried a lot. I kept waiting to her to do, well, something. Maybe something to show the duke what he was missing. Maybe try to entice him with their flirtation lessons. But she didn't do much. She just kept pining and crying, and staring at him and attending balls...

I do think many will find this a pleasant way to pass the time though. It's a fairly quick read with a nice mix of steam, humor, dialogue. It just wasn't a top rating for me.

Thanks netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions about this story are my own.

This book was a wonderful addition to the series. It really brought the story full circle. If you haven’t read this yet, I think you should definitely read The Highwayman (the first in the series) prior to this. The others of course are recommended, but not necessary. It’s nice seeing the characters throughout the books, and I believe you see Dorian the most.

I give this book 5 stars, though I believe The Hunter is my favorite of the series, followed by The Highwayman and then this one. I absolutely ADORED basically 90% of this book. It had everything I love. A dark hero (and I mean DARK hero, with a bloody past), a dark hero (and I mean a raven haired, black eyed hero, my favorite

This book was not my thing, at all.

I’m sad. The hero had spectacles and I loved that. The characters were sweet. But it was so, so, soooooo boring.

We have our Duke hero, Thorn, who is abandoned at the alter for his wedding. He meets the heroine, Gilly, when he’s beat up and left for dead in Whitechapel. Gilly is a tavern owner, a virgin who has never kissed another man.

The whole concept was just so beyond far fetched for me. But, I took a deep breath and read on, excited to see how the author would pull this off. There’s a lot of talking in this book. I felt no tension. It’s a slowwwww burn. Except I felt no fire. So instead it’s just slowwwww.

I give 4.5 stars.

I found this to be a lovely story! Vincys writing style was unique and I really enjoyed it. I was totally immersed in the characters and their lives. I loved the dialogue and found many parts laugh out loud funny. It pulled at my heart as well. Totally would reread this. And will definitely try her future works.