I’ve started doing a thing where I’ll read the first 50 pages of an ARC to see if I really want to get into it. I went the distance with two of today’s new romance releases, the other two I’m on the fence about. Thanks to Forever, Avon Sourcebooks Casablanca, and author Tati Richardson for the ARCs. All books below are available today.
BOOK 3 in the SERIES — Fake engagement, a heroine who’s been living a double life, a sister accused of murdering her own husband, a secret society, and maybe the softest, most considerate duke you’ve ever read? Need I say more?
After fleeing her family and a stepfather who was forcing a fiancee on her, Poppy Delamere’s been working for Kate and Caro for the last two years as a secretary under an assumed name. But when her sister is accused of murdering her own husband, Poppy must return home and reveal herself in the process to get to the bottom of it. After a bit of bad luck at the train station, she’s rescued by the Duke of Langham who happens to be on his way to his country estate for a house party hosted by his grandmother.
Poppy’s a delightful heroine who holds her own and Langham…this guy is just nice. And how often can you say that about a duke? I love that eventually we get the gang back together with appearances from Eversham, Val, Kate, and Caro. Plus, this one sets up really nicely for more stories (fingers crossed) as we meet Langham’s siblings. These two fall for each other pretty quickly, but it’s less steamy than the last installment in the series.
If I were to rank this one within its series, I’d put A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes at #2. Caro and Val from An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire, are still my favorite.
3.5 stars (only 3.5 stars? I liked it enough to buy my own copy).
GET A SPINSTER’S GUIDE TO DANGER AND DUKES from The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | Amazon | Apple Books
Check out my reviews for the first two books in the Ladies Most Scandalous series.
If you’re looking for a contemporary romance between two grown people, pick up Tati Richardson’s debut, The Build Up. I loved this workplace romance between Ari and Porter, two architects at a Black-owned firm in Atlanta. Getting involved with someone at work is a non-starter for Ari, but when they’re paired on a soccer stadium project, the chemistry is hard to ignore.
Richardson serves up the on-page sizzle (it’s steamier than its cover lets on) along with a cast of memorable characters you want to spend more time with (please say Jamal gets a book). And it’s an absolute delight to read a confident woman who knows she’s good at her job and mostly has her act together.
While this is a contemporary, it’s the rom-com-ish flourishes that put an extra big smile on my face. Perfect for fans of Farrah Rochon’s Boyfriend Project series.
4 stars
CW: alcoholism, workplace sexism, fat phobia, colorism, death of a parent, epilogue kids
GET THE BUILD UP at The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | Amazon | Apple Books
In so many Regency Romances, the meddling mamas making matches are typically background characters, but they’re taking center stage in Sophie Jordan’s new series, The Scandalous Ladies of London. Tru, the Countess of Chatham, is working on finding a proper suitor for her daughter, but her husband, who she rarely sees and cheats on her constantly, has other ideas. He’s already identified Jasper Thorne as the man for his daughter. But as the blurb tells us, the attraction between Tru and Jasper is undeniable…and unacceptable.” And although divorce was basically impossible for women to initiate, infidelity is a deal breaker in romance for me personally. So I’m not sure this one is gonna be for me.
GET THE SCANDALOUS LADIES OF LONDON: THE COUNTESS at The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | Amazon | Apple Books
Loosely based on the Hatfields and McCoys, Right Girl, Wrong Side features Evita and Ryan who knew each other in high school, but whose mothers are warring real estate agents. They haven’t seen each other in years, but bump into each other again when the two families have won the same vacation rental in Nantucket. If you’re looking for a sweet romance with Puerto Rican rep, you can check it out at the links below.
GET RIGHT GIRL, WRONG SIDE at The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | Amazon | Apple Books
