Kristen Britain, The Dream Gatherer

This book is a collection of two short stories and one novella that Britain wrote to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Green Rider’s publication. The stories aren’t part of the Green Rider series per se, but they’re set in the same world and include some characters from the series. The book also contains some illustrations by Britain and a foreword from her friend and fellow fantasy writer Julie Czerneda. To me, this collection is nothing special, with the two short stories especially being quite forgettable. It feels like an attempt to pacify fans who’d gotten impatient of waiting three-plus years for each new book. I haven’t felt that same impatience, as I didn’t start the series till last year and am not a hugely invested fan. So I was neither excited nor disappointed; this volume is fine, but it’s unnecessary filler that does nothing to move the series forward. I was happy to have a little break from the usual 800-page tomes, though!

Charlotte Stein, My Big Fat Fake Marriage

Connie’s never had much luck with men, and the seemingly nice ones always turn out to be the biggest jerks. So she’s deeply suspicious of her neighbor, Henry Samuel Beckett, who appears to be the kindest person on the planet. Turns out, Beck does have a secret: He’s single, but because of a coworker’s bullying, he’s invented a fake marriage. And when he needs to prove his story, Connie volunteers to pose as his wife. Having enjoyed Stein’s When Grumpy Met Sunshine, I was eager to read this one, which features Mabel’s BFF. I really liked both Connie and Beck, both of whom have been constantly devalued by most of the people in their lives. As a result, they’re deeply insecure, and they have trouble standing up for themselves—but immediately leap to defend each other. There’s no plot to speak of, just enough scaffolding to get them to the fake marriage/only one bed premise. There’s also a lot of steam, which I’m not a fan of, but it’s par for the course with Stein. Overall, I did enjoy this one but would recommend looking at an online sample to see whether the writing style works for you.

Stella Riley, The Shadow Earl

Christian, the earl of Hazelmere, vanished three years ago on his Grand Tour. Now he’s suddenly reappeared in London, but he won’t disclose what happened to him while he was missing. He’s also not quite the same gentle, carefree young man he once was—a fact that dismays Sophie, who was informally betrothed to him before he disappeared. Will Christian heal from his traumatic experiences enough to find happiness with Sophie? I really like Stella Riley’s novels; you’re always going to get good writing, likable leads, and a historical setting that’s not just window dressing. But this book lacks any sort of dramatic tension. We learn what happened to Christian early on, and the bulk of the “plot” is he and his friends seeking revenge. I kept waiting for a surprising revelation or twist, but none came. The novel does, however, provide tons of sequel bait; there are at least six or seven supporting characters who could have their own books. Of course, I will read those sequels if/when they materialize! But I still prefer Riley’s Rockliffe books.