Tag: england

Mini-Reviews: Blue, Nothing, Wish

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Lia Louis, Dear Emmie Blue

Emmie has been best friends with Lucas since high school, and lately she’s been hoping they can become more than friends. So when Lucas plans a nice dinner at their favorite restaurant with a big question to ask her, she’s ecstatic—until he asks her to be “best woman” at his upcoming wedding. Emmie is devastated, but ultimately she agrees and tries to suppress her feelings. Meanwhile, she finds herself unexpectedly growing closer to Lucas’s brother, Eliot, who helps her with some difficult family issues of her own. Has she been in love with the wrong brother all along? This was a reread for me, and I still enjoyed it this time around. There’s nothing groundbreaking about the plot, but I like that Emmie has important relationships and problems that don’t involve her love life at all. And without spoiling the romance, I’ll just say I enjoy a man who pines!

Jodi Taylor, The Nothing Girl

Growing up in the shadow of a strict aunt and malicious cousins, Jenny Dove has always faded into the background. Now she’s dissatisfied with her small life—always at home, never allowed to pursue an education or career—but doesn’t know how to change it. Enter Russell Checkland, a chaotic artist who’s just been rejected by the love of his life. He shocks Jenny by proposing a marriage of convenience: Her money (inherited from her parents) will help restore his dilapidated estate, and in return he’ll help her to try new things. But Jenny’s growing confidence and delight in her new life are threatened when it seems that someone is trying to kill her. There is so much plot in this book, and I didn’t even get to the magical talking horse! But this is a delightful little fairy tale, somewhat in the vein of The Blue Castle but with a modern setting and a bit more spice. I loved it, and it will definitely be in my top 10 books of the year!

Louise Allen, His Housekeeper’s Christmas Wish

Alex Tempest runs (literally) into Tess Ellery on the streets of Ghent and causes her to miss her boat back to England. He therefore offers to escort her to London, where she hopes to find employment as a governess or companion. Unfortunately, a society matron spots them together on the boat and assumes Tess is Alex’s mistress, ruining her chances of a respectable job. With no other options, Alex hires Tess as his housekeeper, but their mutual attraction makes everything more complicated, especially when Alex is forced to visit his estranged family at Christmas. Louise Allen’s historical romances have been hit or miss for me, and unfortunately this was one of the misses. I found the plot contrived and unrealistic, and I never really bought Alex and Tess’s romance. I also don’t love stories where family dysfunction is magically healed just because it’s Christmas. Not a terrible book, but definitely not a keeper for me.

Mini-Reviews: Physicians, Trickerie, Promise

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Lois McMaster Bujold, The Physicians of Vilnoc

Penric is summoned from his cozy home in Vilnoc with wife Nikys, baby daughter Florina, and mother-in-law Idrene to deal with a mysterious disease that’s broken out in the local army camp. It’s nothing the army healer or Penric has seen before, and they can’t figure out how (if at all) the illness is passed from person to person. As the cases and fatalities multiply, Pen begins to despair—but timely assistance from his god brings new insight and helps turn the tide of the disease. This novella came out in 2020, and while Bujold’s “outroduction” says she started writing it before Covid was on her horizon, it’s certainly an impactful coincidence of timing! I think she does a great job of illustrating a healthcare worker’s experience of a pandemic, though obviously it’s not fun to read about. A well-written but somber installment of the Penric and Desdemona series; I’m hoping the next one will have a little more lightness and humor!

Rosanna Pike, A Little Trickerie

In the year 1500, Tibb Ingleby and her Ma are vagabonds in search of a permanent home. When Ma’s plans to get them a roof go awry, Tibb is left on her own and must navigate her way through a challenging and hostile world. Her adventures include living off the land with a troubled friend, performing with a group of traveling players, being kidnapped by a dangerous man, and faking a miracle (the “trickerie” of the title). I have mixed feelings about this book. I really liked Tibb’s irrepressible and unique voice—the author was definitely going for A Style, and I think it mostly worked. But I wasn’t a fan of the chapters told from another character’s POV; they took me out of the story, and I always found myself wanting to get back to Tibb. Also, the Catholic Church (and religion in general) doesn’t come off well in this book, which rubs up against my biases as a Catholic myself. Still, lovers of historical fiction will likely find a lot to enjoy here, and I’m glad I ventured a little bit outside my comfort zone for this one.

Mary Balogh, A Christmas Promise

Randolph Pierce, the new Earl of Falloden, is struggling to pay his predecessor’s considerable debts. A rich merchant has purchased all those debts and says he’ll write them off if Randolph marries his daughter, Eleanor. Randolph reluctantly agrees, not knowing that Eleanor isn’t happy with the match either—she’s only consenting because it’s her father’s dying wish. Initially, both Randolph and Eleanor are cold and distant, but as Christmas approaches and Eleanor’s boisterous, loving family comes to visit, they begin to see each other in a new light. I like Mary Balogh’s marriage-of-convenience romances, and this one is well done. The holiday setting is fun and not too cloying, and I enjoyed the slight secondary romance as well. Not my favorite Balogh, but probably my favorite (so far) of her Christmas romances.

Mini-Reviews: Children, Christmas, Mistletoe

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P.D. James, The Children of Men

This dystopian novel imagines a near-future world in which no human children have been born since 1995. England is ruled by a seemingly benevolent dictator called the Warden, and most people’s material needs are satisfied. But the human race is dying out, and hope is a thing of the past. Theo Faron, a 50-year-old Oxford professor, views the future with detachment and despair. But when a young woman, one of his former students, approaches him with a surprising request, he finds himself unwillingly getting involved with a resistance movement. I’m of two minds about this book. On the plus side, it’s steeped in deep questions about morality and whether good and evil even matter if the world is ending. Certain scenes are quite memorable and chilling, and the dramatic tension builds effectively even when there’s not much going on. On the minus side, the pacing is slow, the world-building doesn’t feel completely thought out, and the ending leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I’m excited to talk about this book with my office reading group, as I’m sure it will generate an interesting discussion. But for me personally, it was an unsettling read.

Martha Waters, Christmas Is All Around

Artist Charlotte has never enjoyed Christmas, and she especially hates holiday rom-coms because when she was nine years old, she had a role in the modern holiday classic Christmas, Truly, which she’d love to forget about. But when she visits her sister in England for the holidays, she finds she can’t escape her past as they tour an estate that was used as a set on the film. There Charlotte meets Graham, the estate’s handsome owner, who hires her for an art project to bring much-needed publicity to the estate. Will grumpy Grinch Charlotte find herself in a holiday rom-com of her own? I enjoyed Martha Waters’s recent historical mystery and wanted to try more of her work, so I was excited for this contemporary romance. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite as funny as I wanted it to be, and I didn’t really connect with the characters. It’s still a pleasant read – there are some fun one-liners, plentiful Love, Actually references, and cozy Christmas vibes – but this book won’t be a keeper for me.

Chloe Liese, The Mistletoe Motive

Gabriella Di Natale and Jonathan Frost are work nemeses. They’re co-managers of Bailey’s Bookstore and couldn’t be more different: Gabby is a festive ball of sunshine who loves the bookstore’s soul, while Jonathan is cold and grumpy and all about the bottom line. But as Christmas approaches, Gabby starts experiencing a strange attraction to Jonathan—an attraction that just might be reciprocated. I enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope, so I was hoping to like this holiday novella a lot more than I did. But it suffers from perfect hero syndrome: Jonathan is outrageously handsome, incredibly attuned to Gabby’s every need, and the ideal ally when she discloses her autism. And while I think it’s great to see neurodivergent folks represented in romance, autism (plus loving Christmas) basically felt like Gabby’s entire personality. She’s so mean to Jonathan, yet he’s completely devoted to her. And don’t get me started on the overly Christmassy names—there is literally a character named George Bailey. In short, I found this book frustrating, and I won’t be reading more by Chloe Liese.

Mini-Reviews: Substitute, Local, Cover

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Alice Coldbreath, A Substitute Wife for the Prizefighter

Lizzie Anderson is a “poor relation” in a respectable Victorian family. Benedict Toomes is a prizefighter with a prison record. But he’s also rich, which makes him just barely acceptable as a fiancé for Lizzie’s cousin, Betsy. Lizzie and Benedict heartily dislike each other; but when Lizzie inadvertently causes a scandal and the family casts her out, Benedict surprises himself by coming to her rescue. Already tired of Betsy, he proposes to Lizzie instead, and since she has no other options, she accepts. As she adapts to Benedict’s life as a boxer on the fair circuit, the two slowly grow closer. Alice Coldbreath is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for historical romance. I loved the detail about life as a traveling fair performer, as well as the romance between Lizzie and Benedict. It’s steamier than I normally prefer, but I loved how honest and direct they are with each other. My only complaint is that not a lot happens; Lizzie meets a lot of people who add some fun color but don’t end up being particularly important to the story. Still, I’d highly recommend this one to fans of the genre who are looking for something different in terms of setting and social class.

Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Local Custom

Er Thom yos’Galan is a Liaden from a prominent clan; as such, his duty is to make an advantageous marriage. But he’s still consumed with feelings for an old love, the Terran Anne Davis. Three years later, he resolves to see Anne once more before fulfilling his duty to his clan. But when he learns that their affair resulted in a child, his life becomes much more complicated. I’ve heard good things about the Liaden books, and this one was suggested as a good entry point. I found some of the setting and terminology a bit difficult to understand at first, but the main plot is easy enough to follow. The novel is billed as a “space Regency,” which pretty much sums up the genre and vibe. I wish more time were spent on the development of Er Thom and Anne’s romance, but they’re pretty much obsessed with each other from the start, so I’d call it more a novel of manners than a true romance. Overall, I liked the book fine, but I’m not sure I care enough to continue with the series.

Mhairi McFarlane, Cover Story

Investigative journalist Bel has just gotten a tip on a huge story: The beloved mayor of her city is preying on his young female staffers and receiving favors from a known criminal. To get the evidence she needs, Bel goes undercover, but her plan is almost ruined when her new colleague, Connor, sees her using her fake persona while talking to a potential source. To salvage the situation, Bel claims Connor is her boyfriend, even though they actually dislike each other. But as they work together to chase the story, they slowly change their opinions. I love McFarlane’s contemporary romances, and I enjoyed the ride here as well; she’s very good at writing clever banter and conveying the slow build of attraction. But in this case, I don’t believe that Bel and Connor are actually a good match. They are terrible communicators throughout the book, including at the very end when they both dither about confessing their feelings. I also felt there was a bit too much going on in general, with two of Bel’s exes creating problems that didn’t matter and Connor dealing with trauma from a previous job and relationship. I do still think this book is a good read, but it’s not one of my favorites by the author.

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: Dance, Babel, Thief

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Lois McMaster Bujold, Mira’s Last Dance

Penric’s rescue mission continues in this novella, as he flees to safety with political target General Arisaydia and his widowed sister Nikys. They need to leave the country without being discovered, which means they must travel in disguise. When their journey leads them to shelter in a brothel, Penric poses as a female courtesan, drawing on the experience of Mira, one of Desdemona’s previous riders. But this masquerade is dangerous in more ways than one, as it complicates the mutual attraction between Penric and Nikys. This series continues to be enjoyable, though this installment is very short on plot. Penric’s gender-bending disguise is the main event, and it causes Nikys to reflect more deeply on the relationship between Penric and Desdemona, and what that might mean for a possible romance. The novella ends on an ambiguous note, so I’m interested to see what happens next!

R.F. Kuang, Babel

Robin Swift is a half-Chinese boy plucked from the slums of Canton and raised to study at Oxford’s prestigious Babel Institute of Translation. Babel scholars are trained to work silver magic via their powers of translation—and this magic in turn powers the might of the British Empire. When Robin first comes to Oxford, he falls in love with the university and the people in his cohort, who are all outsiders like him because of race, gender, or both. But the more he learns about silver magic and its ties to imperialism, the more conflicted he becomes. This is a novel I really wanted to like, and I did enjoy parts of it, like the Oxford setting and all the information about linguistics. But this is a novel with a clear message (imperialism is bad and must be resisted with violence), and I felt like I was reading a polemic rather than a story. The characters we’re supposed to like are not very likable or nuanced, and the villains are absolutely pure evil. So overall, I found this book disappointing, though I think I’m in the minority with that opinion.

Ellis Peters, The Holy Thief

In the penultimate book of the Cadfael series, the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud has led to the destruction of a Benedictine abbey in Ramsey. Some of its brothers come to Brother Cadfael’s abbey in Shrewsbury to request their aid. Meanwhile, a troubadour from the South of France and his entourage, which includes a beautiful young woman, are also staying at the abbey. When a saint’s relics are stolen and a witness to the theft is murdered, Cadfael must once again investigate these mysteries and determine how justice can best be served. It’s always a pleasure to escape into the world of these novels, and I liked that after taking a backseat in The Summer of the Danes, Cadfael is back at the center of the action, finding clues, interviewing suspects, and talking things over with Hugh. I also liked the callbacks to A Morbid Taste for Bones, although if you don’t remember certain events from that book, you may have a little trouble following this one. But if you love the Cadfael series, this novel won’t disappoint.

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: Blonde, Accomplice, Wager

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Ally Carter, The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold

Alex Sterling and Michael “King” Kingsley III are spies with a complicated history. In the present, they wake up in an unfamiliar pitch-black room in an unknown location, with no idea how they got there—and they’re handcuffed to each other. The book jumps back and forth in time between their present predicament and the history of their relationship, from when they first met 10 years ago to their first joint mission to the various covert ops they’ve done together. It’s clear from the outset that Alex and King have amazing chemistry, but it’s less clear that their romance could ever have a happy ending. I adored The Blonde Identity—the previous book in this series, featuring Alex’s sister, Zoe—and this book is a similarly well-written, fast-paced, enjoyable spy romance. I cared about both Alex and King as characters, and though they’re frustrating and stubborn sometimes, I was rooting for them all the way. I do think this book is less fun than The Blonde Identity; there’s a lot more drama and angst in the romance, and the stakes of the spy plot feel higher. But if you love a good romantic caper and don’t mind the constant time-hopping, you should definitely check this one out.

Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Accomplice to the Villain

In this third installment of the Villain series, the entire villainous gang is on a quest to find the magical items and people that will allow them to fulfill the Rennedawn Prophecy, defeat King Benedict, and save the kingdom. But Trystan’s magic is malfunctioning, Kingsley is losing his humanity and becoming pure frog, and there’s a traitor inside the Villain’s ranks (again). Meanwhile, Trystan tries to keep his distance from Evie because of a prophecy that they’ll destroy each other, but obviously Evie is having none of that. This book, and the series as a whole, is a hot mess. I honestly have only the faintest idea of what’s going on with the plot, and I’m not sure it matters; clearly the only thing readers are supposed to care about is the romance. And I’ll admit, I do care about Trystan and Evie’s relationship, which takes a big step forward here. And some of the side romances are also adorable (Gideon and Keeley!). Apparently the author plans one more book in this series, and I will read it just to see how everything turns out. But quality-wise, I can’t say I’d recommend this series.

Loretta Chase, Knaves’ Wager

Lilith Davenant is a widow of icy demeanor and unquestionable virtue. Julian, the Marquess of Brandon, is a notorious rake. For plot reasons, Julian wagers that he can seduce Lilith within eight weeks. But as he uses every tactic at his disposal to woo Lilith, he begins to genuinely enjoy her company. Meanwhile, Lilith dislikes and distrusts Julian at first, but as she gets to know him better, she realizes she’s seriously at risk of losing her heart. I’m a fan of Chase’s romances in general, but I think this one might be my favorite. It’s very reminiscent of Heyer in its language and plot, but with a bit more angst and drama in the romance. Love makes both Lilith and Julian better people, and Julian’s transformation from callous seducer to sincere lover is particularly great to watch. Highly recommended for historical romance fans, this one was a pleasure to reread!

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.