Lynn Painter, Betting on You

Charlie and Bailey first meet on a 10-hour flight, where his careless cynicism clashes with her uptight, rule-following personality. But they really get to know each other three years later, when they end up working at the same amusement park. Charlie is adamant that guys and girls can’t really be friends, but Bailey is determined to prove him wrong. As they grow closer, however, the lines between friendship and romance get confusingly blurry. The book’s cover copy emphasizes fake dating and multiple bets among the main characters, but these are both pretty minor plot points. In reality, the novel is a cute friends-to-lovers YA romance, though it also gets into some heavier issues, as both Bailey and Charlie struggle with being children of divorced parents. I enjoy Lynn Painter’s writing style; she does good banter and makes her characters feel like believable people. I also liked getting some of Charlie’s POV, though Bailey is the primary narrator. The book perhaps owes a little too much to When Harry Met Sally, but I liked it nonetheless and now want to rewatch the movie!

Evie Dunmore, The Gentleman’s Gambit

Between writing a book on female political leaders, managing her absentminded father’s household, and working for the suffragist cause with her three best friends, Catriona MacPherson is burned out. When she meets her father’s handsome new colleague, Elias Khoury, she’s immediately attracted to him but doesn’t think he (or anyone) could be interested in her. Meanwhile, Elias is on a mission to repatriate historical artifacts — legally or otherwise — to his homeland of Mount Lebanon. He doesn’t have time for romance, but Catriona intrigues him. As with the previous books in this series, Evie Dunmore tries to balance a love story with a lot of historical detail, to mixed effect. In this case, information about the women’s suffrage movement and the ethics of removing antiquities from their lands of origin overwhelmed the romance. Also, between Catriona’s negative internal narrative (she seems to struggle with some form of depression) and the Serious Political Stuff, there’s just no joy in this book. Since I want joy in my romance novels, this one didn’t work for me, and I doubt I’ll read any future books from this author.

Stella Riley, Midwinter Magic

This novella caps off the Rockliffe series and gives readers one last look at most of the main series couples. Adrian and Caroline, the earl and countess of Sarre, are hosting a Christmas party at their country estate, but complications ensue when Caroline’s vulgar mother and sisters show up uninvited. Two romances develop, one involving Adrian’s French friend, Bertrand Didier, and there’s even a Christmas miracle. This is undoubtedly the weakest installment of the Rockliffe series — perhaps unsurprisingly, since it’s a novella with few new characters and (mostly) low stakes — but I still enjoyed it overall. I wish Ralph and Elizabeth from Cadenza had made an appearance, as I would have loved to get a peek at their marriage, and part of me wanted to roll my eyes at the aforementioned miracle. But I guess that sort of thing is to be expected in a Christmas story! I definitely would not recommend this novella if you haven’t read and enjoyed the rest of the Rockliffe books, but it’s a sweet holiday treat for fans of the series.