Cassandra Dean, Silk & Scars

The setting of this very short novella—more like a short story, really—is early Victorian England, and the plot is a version of Beauty and the Beast. Gwendolyn Parkes is (implausibly) a scribe in a law firm who accidently sends a personal letter, meant for a friend, to one of the firm’s clients: Edward, the Duke of Sowrith. Intrigued, Edward replies, and the two soon strike up a friendship via correspondence—but when they meet in person, his scars from an old injury and her lower social status hinder their romance. The best thing I can say about this story is that I didn’t pay any money for it. The plot strains credulity, the characters are two-dimensional, and the writing is clumsy. I did feel a flicker of charm when Edward, searching for something to write about, can only come up with, “The weather is nice.” But overall, I don’t recommend this one and won’t read more by the author.

Cara Bastone, When We First Met

After a series of mishaps in her life, elementary schoolteacher Cat is looking for some fun. She’d love to have a fling with her hot neighbor, Jared, but every time she tries to get him alone, she ends up talking with his roommate, Quentin, instead. Meanwhile, Quentin’s had a crush on Cat for months but knows she sees him as just a friend. But the more time they spend together, the more Cat finds herself noticing Quentin’s attractive qualities—and the more he hopes their friendship might evolve into something more. I’ve really enjoyed Cara Bastone’s Forever Yours series this year, and this prequel novella is no exception (and it can definitely stand alone). Cat and Quentin are super charming, individually and together, and I was happy to watch their relationship grow. And I was very pleased to see that a secondary character, who could have been a stereotypical “crazy ex-girlfriend,” turned out to have some nuance and depth. I’m really enjoying Cara Bastone’s contemporary romances and can’t wait to read more!

Claire Delacroix, The Christmas Conquest

Rhys and Catherine made a marriage of convenience two years ago, exchanging her wealth for his title and status. Now Catherine is madly in love with her husband but fears he doesn’t feel the same way, as he never pursues intimacy with her. As a result, she’s considering a separation and accepts an invitation to a friend’s house party to make her decision. Little does she know that Rhys does return her feelings, but he fears a family curse that will cause her to die in childbirth. When he attends the house party as well, Catherine—with a little help from a saucy instruction manual—decides to seduce her husband. This was another free e-book for me, and it was just okay. The couple has decent chemistry, but they spend way too much time not communicating for very silly reasons. There’s also a subplot with the courtesan who wrote the seduction manual, which I found utterly boring. Not recommended, but I’d consider trying the author again.