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Mini-Reviews: Dreams, Daring, Undone

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Sarah Adams, In Your Dreams

Madison Walker has always seen herself as the “failure” among her successful siblings. She’s just graduated from culinary school in New York, but she’s no longer sure cooking brings her joy, and she doesn’t love the big city like she thought she would. Still, when family friend James Huxley offers her the executive chef position at his new restaurant, she jumps at the chance to move home to Rome, Kentucky, and prove that she can succeed at something. Little does she know that James has been secretly in love with her for years, and he may finally be ready to do something about it. I enjoyed this light, charming romance and felt Madison’s insecurities and issues with her (loving but imperfect) family were relatable. James is of course a bit too perfect as a romantic hero, though I liked that he had a conflict with his brother, Tommy, that was partly (or even mostly) his fault. It looks like this is the last book in the Rome series, but is it weird that I kind of want Tommy’s story now?

Joanna Shupe, A Daring Arrangement

Lady Nora Parker is a spirited young Englishwoman who’s fallen in love with an unsuitable artist. Her father has sent her away to New York to find a better match, but Nora just wants to return to England. She decides to find an outrageously unsuitable American man to pose as her fiancé, so her father will object to the match and summon her home. Wall Street tycoon Julius Hatcher seems like the perfect candidate; his lavish parties and scandalous paramours are the topic of every gossip column. But as Nora and Julius spend more time together, an inconvenient attraction sparks. I love the fake relationship trope and was excited about the Gilded Age setting of this romance, but ultimately the plot just doesn’t work. Nora wants Julius to help her create a scandal, while he is trying to use her to get into high society, so their desires are opposed from the start—why does either of them think this arrangement is a good idea? That said, I do think they have good chemistry, so I enjoyed the romance aspect. Overall, the book is fine but didn’t knock my socks off.

Cecilia Grant, A Gentleman Undone

Will Blackshear is a soldier who has returned from the Napoleonic Wars with visible and invisible wounds. He needs money to support the widow of one of his men, and he hopes to win it at the gambling tables. There he meets Lydia Slaughter, a prostitute who once worked in a brothel and is now a gentleman’s mistress. She also happens to be a genius at cards and agrees to help Will cheat in exchange for a share of the take. They are drawn to each other almost immediately, but they know that acting on their attraction would be a huge mistake: Will can’t afford to keep a mistress, and Lydia’s entire livelihood depends on her current protector. I finished this book thinking, “Now this is how you write historical romance!” Will and Lydia are both such complex characters, broken in many ways, convinced they’re unable to love and unworthy of being loved. Every interaction between them is fraught with tension, and while I don’t usually like books with a lot of steam, the sex scenes here are crucial to the development of character and relationship. If you want superior-quality historical romance, I can’t recommend Cecilia Grant highly enough!

Mini-Reviews: Bend, Redfern, Knew

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V.S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River

This novel depicts a pessimistic view of life in postcolonial Africa. It’s narrated by Salim, a young Indian Muslim who decides to move away from his family on the east coast and settle in a small town in the interior of Africa. There he observes the various struggles he and his neighbors face, from the petty corruption of local officials to large-scale political violence. Salim’s aimlessness and confusion mirror the experience of the town, which seems doomed to corruption and decay no matter who is ruling it. This is my first encounter with Naipaul, and while he’s an excellent writer, I didn’t much care for the book. As a novel, I don’t think it works; there’s not much plot, and Salim is an incredibly passive and unsympathetic character. Based on cursory internet research, Naipaul seems to be widely viewed as racist and sexist; the character of Salim certainly is both. But I didn’t read this as a pro-colonialist novel, as some have claimed. The fictional town here seems doomed to corruption and decay no matter who is ruling it. Regardless, this type of book isn’t for me, and I don’t plan to read more by Naipaul.

Tessa Arlen, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders

It’s 1942, and Poppy Redfern is the local air raid warden in her village of Little Buffenden. Excitement has recently come to the village in the form of an American airfield; the Yanks have arrived to help win the war, and at first the locals embrace them with open arms. Some of the village’s young women begin dating the dashing American soldiers; but when two of the women are murdered, suspicion immediately falls on the outsiders. But Poppy, wondering whether someone from the village might be responsible, decides to investigate for herself. I enjoy a good historical mystery, and this one was fine, but nothing particularly stands out about it. Poppy is a fun narrator, but many of the secondary characters are flat and two-dimensional. I also felt there was a lot of info-dumping about life in England during World War II, which will be redundant for most people. Overall, this was an easy, pleasant read, but I’m not desperate to pick up the sequel.

Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew

This novel follows two sisters as they face new challenges in their lives. Jenny, recently divorced but trapped in an unwanted “friendship” with her ex and his new wife, has moved back to her hometown for a fresh start. There she meets her attractive neighbor, Leo, who flirts with her but is adamant that he doesn’t want a relationship. Meanwhile, Jenny’s sister, Rachel, channels all her energy into being the perfect wife and mother—until she discovers that her husband cheated on her. Will she forgive him or forge a new path for herself? I enjoyed this book quite a bit; both Jenny and Rachel, who take turns narrating, are relatable and sympathetic characters. The serious issues in the book are leavened by humor and by a satisfying romance that develops throughout the novel. I stopped reading Higgins’s books after a while because they got too miserably depressing, but this one is a fun and uplifting read.

Mini-Reviews: Ready, Ruined, Christmas

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Cara Bastone, Ready or Not

When Eve unexpectedly gets pregnant after a one-night stand, her stable and predictable life suddenly gets a lot more complicated. She doesn’t have parents to lean on, and her best friend, Willa, is struggling with infertility and finding it hard to be supportive. Fortunately, Willa’s brother Shep, whom Eve has known since childhood, is showing up in a big way—and suddenly Eve is seeing him in a whole new light. But are her feelings real, or is this just a hormone-induced infatuation? I continue to be a fan of Cara Bastone’s contemporary romances, which tend to star real people dealing with real problems, and this one is no exception. Eve’s narrative voice is fun and down-to-earth, and I bought her as a character, as well as her friendship with Willa and her developing feelings for Shep. Shep himself is wonderful, perhaps a little too perfect (the pining!), but a great example of the golden retriever hero. Definitely recommended if you like this premise, and I look forward to my next Bastone book!

Alyssa Everett, Ruined by Rumor

Roxana has been engaged to the dashing Major Wyatt for five years, waiting patiently while he served in the Napoleonic Wars. Now that he’s back, she’s ecstatic finally to set the wedding date—but Wyatt suddenly breaks things off, and a devastated Roxana turns to her neighbor, Alex Ayersley, for comfort. Little does she know that the proper, stuffy Alex has been in love with her for years; when he attempts to give her a consoling hug, they end up kissing passionately. When he learns that their kiss was observed, and Roxana is the target of vicious gossip, he proposes marriage to save her reputation. But will she be able to return Alex’s love, especially when Wyatt comes back into the picture? This is a reread for me, and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time. Alex and Roxana are both terrible communicators, but their reasons for not being direct made sense to me. And the denouement, while a bit implausible, is extremely satisfying!

Alexandra Benedict, The Christmas Murder Game

Lily Armitage is summoned to Endgame House to participate in the family’s traditional Christmas Game. She hasn’t attended in years, ever since her mother’s suicide on the grounds of the estate. But this year, her aunt begged her to come, hinting that her mother was actually murdered. Moreover, the winner of this year’s game will inherit Endgame House. But tensions are high within the Armitage family, and as they start to play the game, it’s evident that everyone is hiding something. And then the players begin to die. This book had all the elements that should have appealed to me—a country house murder mystery set at Christmas, complete with anagrams and puzzle clues—but it never really clicked. The characters felt flat and predictable, and honestly the villain’s identity was pretty obvious. In theory, I liked the author’s inclusion of a scavenger hunt for readers (finding anagrams of the Twelve Days of Christmas within the book), but in practice it just distracted me from the story. A cool premise, but unfortunately the execution didn’t live up to it.

Mini-Reviews: Merry, Wallflower, Best

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Charlotte MacLeod, Rest You Merry

This yuletide mystery is set in a college town, where Professor Peter Shandy hates the tacky, over-the-top Christmas light display in which all the residents are bullied into participating. This year Peter retaliates by putting up the most garish decorations possible, then promptly leaving for a Christmas cruise. When he returns to find local busybody Jemima Ames dead in his living room, he wonders whether his prank might have somehow contributed to her death. And when he suspects murder, the college president orders him to investigate before scandal can damage the college’s reputation. I really enjoyed this vintage mystery novel (first published in 1978), which includes all the predictable elements — an intelligent amateur sleuth, multiple suspicious deaths, some seeming impossibilities, a closed circle of suspects, and even a romance — but deploys them well, with plenty of clever wit. This is the first book in the Peter Shandy series, and I’ll happily read more if I can find them at my library.

Eloisa James, How to Be a Wallflower

Cleo Lewis has come to London for the Season, but she’s more interested in running the company her father left her, Lewis Commodes, than in finding a husband. In fact, she’s determined to be a wallflower and orders her wardrobe accordingly. At the dressmaker’s, she runs into Jacob Astor Addison, a rich American who wants to buy the dress shop and transport it to New York. Cleo immediately opposes this scheme, and they become business rivals—which of course leads to bickering, bantering, and falling in love. After enjoying Eloisa James’s story in Ladies in Waiting, I picked up a bunch of her full-length novels as free/cheap e-books, but this one was just okay for me. It’s the very definition of a wallpaper historical; Cleo and Jake would never have been tolerated in high society based on their speech and behavior, and the plot is completely implausible. There’s also not much conflict in the romance; Jake’s feelings and intentions are clear from the start, and Cleo comes around pretty early on. That said, James does have a fun, breezy writing style, and I’m hoping to have more luck with her other novels!

Kate Clayborn, Best of Luck

This final book in the Chance of a Lifetime series focuses on Greer, who’s trying to complete her degree at age 27 but needs a photography class to graduate. She asks her best friend’s brother, Alex, for help while he’s in town, since he’s a well-known photojournalist. But their collaboration is complicated by a mutual attraction that seems pointless in the long term, since Alex travels for his job and hates staying in one place. I really like Kate Clayborn; a lot of contemporary romances these days seem same-y and flat to me, but hers are heartfelt and complex. I loved that both Greer and Alex are dealing with real problems, but their trauma isn’t their only defining characteristic. They’ve both fought hard for what they have, so despite their affection for each other, they’re understandably wary of how a relationship might destabilize their lives. There’s maybe a bit too much angst toward the end of the novel, but overall I really liked this one, and I’d strongly recommend the whole series to those who enjoy contemporary romance!

Mini-Reviews: Peace, Murder, Dreadful

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Leif Enger, Peace Like a River

Narrated by 11-year-old Reuben Land, this book tells the story of a tragedy and its aftermath. Reuben’s older brother, Davy, commits an act of violence and subsequently runs away. Reuben, along with his father and his sister, Swede, head west from their home in Minnesota and travel across the Badlands to find him. They encounter many dangers on their journey, from the unforgiving winter weather to the FBI agent who’s on their trail, hoping they’ll lead him to Davy. But they also find friendship and help in unexpected places. I really enjoyed this novel, which is part coming-of-age story, part Western adventure, and part pilgrimage narrative. It’s a book that feels uniquely American; I don’t think it could have been set anywhere else. I loved the humor sprinkled throughout Reuben’s narration and absolutely adored the character of Swede. Recommended if the premise interests you, and I’m now interested in trying more by Enger.

Delano Ames, Murder Begins at Home

English couple Jane and Dagobert Brown are on holiday in the US and find themselves in New Mexico, where Miranda Ross, an old friend of Dagobert’s, now resides. He manages to obtain an invitation to Miranda’s house for the weekend, and he and Jane soon feel that something is off about the seemingly happy, prosperous household. The next day, Miranda is murdered – but who could have wanted to kill a woman who was (apparently) universally beloved? Last year I read and really enjoyed the previous book in this series; this book is a decent follow-up, but it didn’t have quite the same sparkle for me. Jane is the narrator, and her snarky voice is one of the novel’s highlights. Her relationship with Dagobert is often fun, though I occasionally found myself thinking she’s way too good for him! The mystery is fine but didn’t really grab me. I did love that the seemingly ignorant county sheriff is much shrewder than he lets on! Overall, this is a pretty good read, and I do plan to continue with the series.

Caitlin Rozakis, Dreadful

This novel opens with a man who has lost all his memories (and his eyebrows). He appears to be trapped in a dark wizard’s lair, which is worrisome – until he realizes he is the dark wizard, the Dread Lord Gavrax. He’s kidnapped a princess, and he’s in league with three other dark wizards to do some kind of evil ritual. But Gav isn’t sure he actually wants to be evil anymore. Can he hide his memory loss from those around him, thwart the evil ritual, and learn how to be a good person? I really enjoyed this charming comic fantasy, which raises some surprisingly complex moral questions as Gav tries to fight his evil tendencies. He’s a flawed but sympathetic character whom I found extremely relatable, and I just wanted good things for him. His goblin minions are wonderful as well, as is the princess, who’s more than she appears to be. Definitely recommended for those who like a spin on the usual fantasy tropes.

Mini-Reviews: Fake, Falling, Prisoner

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Lynn Painter, Fake Skating

Every summer, Dani used to visit the small town of Southview, Minnesota, where she and her best friend, Alec, were inseparable. But then she moved away, and their friendship came to a painful end. Now Dani’s back in Southview full-time for her senior year, but the sweet, dorky Alec she once knew seems to have disappeared. The new Alec is a popular hockey star who wants nothing to do with Dani. But when circumstances force them into a fake-dating arrangement, they need to confront their shared past and deal with their true feelings. Lynn Painter excels at banter and great chemistry between her main characters, so the romance between Dani and Alec really worked for me. They’re obsessed with each other to a possibly unhealthy degree, but since they’re teenagers, I’ll give them a pass. 🙂 The setup to the fake dating is pretty absurd, and some peripheral plot lines and characters didn’t totally gel for me. But I’ll forgive a lot in a romance if I like the central couple together, so overall I really enjoyed this one!

Kristen Britain, Falling in a Sea of Stars

In this eighth novel of the Green Rider series, although Sacoridia has defeated Second Empire, its troubles are far from over. Mornhavon the Black, growing ever stronger in Blackveil, summons an evil wraith to find Karigan—who is also being harassed by an enemy she thought she’d already defeated. Moreover, she’s trying to deal with her merchant clan’s business while her father is off rescuing Laren Mapstone, as well as decide what to do about her feelings for King Zachary. I was hoping this would be the last Green Rider book, but alas, there’s clearly still more to come. This book is 650 pages of not much happening, and while some storylines are fun (the Berry sisters), others are tedious and repetitive (everything at the D’yer Wall, Karigan’s mysterious enemy, the threadbare love triangle). I do still have some curiosity to see how things turn out, but since it’ll probably be at least three years till the next book, I feel reasonably confident in saying I’m done. I can always read a spoiler-filled review of subsequent books if I really need to know what happens.

Lois McMaster Bujold, The Prisoner of Limnos

Penric has finally gotten General Arisaydia and his sister, Nikys, safely out of Cedonia and into the friendly country of Orbas. But then they learn that Nikys’s mother has been taken prisoner, which means Penric and Nikys—and Desdemona—must return to Cedonia and rescue her. As they attempt a prison break from a fortress sacred to the Daughter’s order, Penric and Nikys also consider whether they have a future together. This series continues to be delightful, and of course I’m a fan of the romance, which takes a step forward in this novella. I also love the well-thought-out and convincing theology of this world; Nikys’s encounter with the Daughter, and her subsequent conversation with Penric about it, is one of the highlights of the story. I’m still happy to be continuing with the series—although I do hope we get to see Inglis and Oswyl again at some point!

Mini-Reviews: Contract, Fortune, Index

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Georgette Heyer, A Civil Contract

Adam Deveril, Viscount Lynton, has just inherited a derelict estate and needs a lot of money fast. He must marry an heiress—but he’s already in love with Julia Oversley, who doesn’t have the requisite fortune. Reluctantly, Adam pursues Jenny Chawleigh instead, the plain and commonplace daughter of a rich tradesman. After they marry, Adam is frequently frustrated by his vulgar father-in-law and pines after Julia; but as he and Jenny build a life together, he finds himself surprisingly contented. I adore Georgette Heyer but had never reread this particular novel before, probably because it’s one of her least romantic romances. It’s a marriage of convenience that arguably never deepens into true love, though by the end Adam and Jenny do share a firm friendship and genuine affection. I do appreciate this book’s realistic look at love and marriage, but it’s never going to be one of my favorite Heyers—I guess I like a little more fantasy and escapism in this genre!

Richard Osman, The Impossible Fortune

***Warning: SPOILERS for previous books in the series!***

It’s been a quiet year for the Thursday Murder Club, which has allowed Elizabeth to grieve her husband’s death and Joyce to focus on her daughter’s wedding. But at the reception, a new case comes their way when the best man, Nick, tells Elizabeth that someone is trying to kill him. Shortly thereafter, he disappears. The gang discovers that Nick and his business partner, Holly, are the only two people with access to a hidden fortune; did someone kidnap or kill Nick to steal the money? Meanwhile, Ron deals with a threat to his family, and drug dealer Connie Johnson experiences personal growth. This series continues to be delightful, and after the last book was such a tearjerker, it was nice to read a comparatively lighthearted story. I enjoyed Joanna and her new husband being brought into the fold, and I thought the mystery itself (involving codes) was pretty clever. Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book and am glad the series is continuing.

Christopher Beha, The Index of Self-Destructive Acts

This novel charts the downfall of the wealthy and prominent Doyle family during the course of a single baseball season in New York. Patriarch Frank Doyle is a prominent baseball writer and political commentator; his wife, Kit, works in high finance; son Eddie is at loose ends after leaving the army; and daughter Margo is theoretically getting her PhD but actually not doing much of anything. As the summer of 2009 unfolds, all four characters make choices that will have long-lasting consequences for their and their friends’ lives. I read this novel for a book club with some of my colleagues. I never would have picked it up otherwise, but I was glad to be pushed slightly out of my comfort zone, because I found it well written and thought-provoking. However, I can’t say I enjoyed it; none of the main characters are particularly sympathetic, and it’s frustrating to watch them repeatedly make the worst possible decisions. Overall, I’m not sorry I read this book, but it’s definitely not a keeper for me.

Mini-Reviews: Luck, Bar, Summer

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Kate Clayborn, Luck of the Draw

Winning the lottery has enabled Zoe Ferris to quit her job as a high-powered lawyer, but she’s felt stuck in her life since then. After a tipsy night spent thinking about her regrets, she decides to apologize to the people she feels she’s wronged. At the top of the list are the O’Learys, whose son overdosed on prescription pain meds; Zoe’s firm represented the pharmaceutical company and settled the case out of court. When Zoe shows up at the O’Leary house, she’s confronted by their other son, Aiden, who isn’t interested in her apology. He does, however, need someone to pose as his fiancée for plot reasons; Zoe, viewing this as her penance, agrees. But as she and Aiden spend more time together, they form an unexpected bond. I really liked this book and read it in a day. Clayborn excels at writing believable, nuanced characters, and I was rooting throughout for Zoe and Aiden, who are both lonely and dealing with a weight of grief and guilt. So this isn’t a light, fun read by any means, but I liked it a lot and look forward to reading the final book in the trilogy.

Ngaio Marsh, Death at the Bar

In this Golden Age mystery, a game of darts at the pub turns deadly when one of the players is hit by a dart—and almost immediately dies of cyanide poisoning. A trace of cyanide solution is found on the dart, but who had the opportunity to put it there? And why should anyone want to murder Luke Watchman, a celebrated London barrister? I’m continuing to enjoy the Inspector Alleyn series—this is the ninth installment—but I find that the beginnings of the novels are stronger than the endings. The first several chapters of this book are entertaining as they establish the various characters and relationships. But once the death occurs, Alleyn and his associate Fox spend most of their time interviewing suspects and searching the pub (but not telling the reader what they discover). So the second half drags a bit, and the slight romantic subplot among secondary characters isn’t terribly convincing. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book overall and will certainly continue with the series.

Naomi Novik, The Summer War

Celia is 12 years old when she inadvertently curses her oldest brother, Argent, to a life without love. Argent leaves home and soon gains renown as a great knight, but Celia is racked with guilt about the curse and knows she must find a way to break it. But that means entering the summerlands, the fairy realm bordering her kingdom, where many dangers await. I’m a big fan of Naomi Novik in general, and my favorite of her books are the ones with fairytale elements: Uprooted and Spinning Silver. This novella has a similar flavor, and there are some enchanting scenes and bits of world-building. But I wanted so much more from this world and these characters. Celia herself is pretty passive for most of the story, as well as being a child—I want to know what happens after she grows up! I’d love to see more of her overlooked middle brother, Roric, as well. So on its own, this novella isn’t fully satisfying, but I’d love to see it expanded into a full-length novel!

Mini-Reviews: Style, Hemlock, Scene

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William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

I somehow made it through an English degree and almost a decade as a professional editor without reading this book, which is a classic (maybe even the classic) American work on writing and grammar. I expected it to be stuffy and out of date — and it is, a bit. The authors resist using “hopefully” to mean “it is to be hoped,” but that ship has definitely sailed at this point. And their brief mention of that newfangled invention, the word processor, is adorable. But most of this book is still helpful and relevant, and I was surprised by how funny it is too! “Prestigious. Often an adjective of last resort. It’s in the dictionary, but that doesn’t mean you have to use it.” Overall, I think this book would be useful for students or anyone whose job requires a lot of writing, editing, or both (notice how I didn’t use “and/or,” which the authors call “a device, or shortcut, that damages a sentence and often lends to confusion or ambiguity”). It deserves its classic status.

T. Kingfisher, Hemlock & Silver

Since childhood Anja has been obsessed with poisons and their antidotes, and now she’s expert enough that the local townspeople turn to her for help with poisoning cases. Nevertheless, she’s shocked when the king himself comes to her with a problem: His 12-year-old daughter, Snow, is sick from no obvious cause, and her condition is worsening. Anja travels to Snow’s residence and attempts to discover if and how the princess is being poisoned. What she actually discovers is a portal to a mysterious other world; but will she be able to thwart the evil lurking there and save Snow’s life? I’ve loved every one of Kingfisher’s books that I’ve read so far, and this one is no exception. Blunt, tactless Anja is a delight, and her narrative voice keeps the book from being too dark or scary despite a few horror-adjacent moments. I also really liked the desert setting, which evokes Mexico or the American Southwest rather than the traditional quasi-medieval-European fantasy kingdom. There’s a bit of romance too, which is always welcome. Definitely recommended if the premise appeals to you!

Laura Wood, Let’s Make a Scene

Cynthie Taylor is a famous actress who’s just been dumped, and press coverage of the breakup has been merciless. To turn things around, her agent suggests that she sign on to a sequel of the film that launched her career. Unfortunately, that means reuniting with her costar, Jack Turner-Jones, with whom she has a tempestuous history. Even worse, her agent wants them to fake-date each other to create good buzz for the new film. As Cynthie and Jack grow closer in the present, they also have to come to terms with the past. I love a good fake-dating rom-com, and this one is funny, well written, and pure wish fulfillment in a good way. I liked how the narrative alternates between the present and 13 years ago, when Cynthie and Jack first met; the switches happen just often enough to give context and complexity to their relationship. I also liked all the behind-the-scenes acting stuff, especially since the movies are Austen-esque period pieces—it made me wish I could actually watch them! It looks like Wood has already written a book featuring Cynthie’s friend Theo, which I’m now interested in checking out as well.

Mini-Reviews: Novel, Lake, Maid

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Ashley Poston, A Novel Love Story

Elsy is struggling in her career, friendships, and nonexistent love life. So she decides to take a vacation, planning to hole up in a mountain cabin and binge-read romance novels. But along the way, she gets lost and ends up in an idyllic small town—one she soon realizes is fictional! It’s the setting of her favorite romance series, which was left unfinished when the author tragically died. Elsy doesn’t know how she came to enter this imaginary world, but she loves seeing her favorite characters in the flesh. She even meets a grumpy yet handsome bookstore owner and dares to think she might belong in this town. I really enjoyed the concept of this novel and liked how it was resolved in the end. But otherwise, I didn’t find it particularly interesting. Elsy adores this town and its residents, but because I haven’t read the (fictional) series Elsy loves, I had no investment in the characters she meets or their problems. Elsy herself is a bit of a wet mop, with few defining characteristics apart from her sadness and her love of romance novels. I also found the prose a bit overwrought. Overall, not a terrible read, but not one I’d recommend either.

AJ Pearce, Dear Miss Lake

It’s the summer of 1944, and Emmy Lake and her friends all know that the war will soon be over. In the meantime, though, the daily grind of wartime life—battle losses, rationing, German bombing raids—is taking its toll on everyone at Woman’s Friend. Emmy is determined to stay positive and adhere to the government’s instructions about publishing upbeat stories that look forward to an Allied victory. But when she starts receiving letters from women whose husbands and sons are prisoners of war and who are unable to get any information about them, she finds a new cause to fight for. This book is a fitting conclusion to the Emmy Lake series. It has the same light tone as the previous novels while still treating the book’s more serious events with appropriate gravity. My only complaint is that my favorite character, Guy Collins, doesn’t get a story of his own—he ought to be a romantic hero in his own book! I hope AJ Pearce will write it someday. But overall, I’d definitely recommend this series to people who enjoy World War II fiction that’s on the lighter side.

Lynn Painter, Maid for Each Other

Abi works as a cleaner for Declan’s posh apartment, but they’ve never met. One night, since her own run-down apartment has a pest problem, she stays at Declan’s place, reasoning that he’s out of town and will never know. But in the morning, she runs into his parents, who have shown up for a surprise visit—and they assume she’s his girlfriend. When Declan finds out, he’s furious, but he also thinks his job would promote him more quickly if he were in a serious relationship. So he proposes a fake relationship to Abi, which she accepts once he agrees to pay off her student loans. But the more time they spend together, the more their relationship starts to feel real. I really love Lynn Painter’s rom-coms, and fake relationship is one of my favorite romance tropes, so this book was right up my alley! Painter excels at writing characters and love stories that feel really genuine and believable. The third-act breakup was unnecessary and irritating, but aside from that, I liked this book a lot and finished it with a big smile on my face.