Book of the Week, books, romance

Book of the Week: Next-Door Nemesis

Ok, so this is a slight cheat because I finished it Monday, but I know you’ll let me off, it’s been a long year and I’m only making myself problems for next week by doing this.

So as I said in my release day post, this is Alexa Martin’s latest book and it’s an enemies to lovers romance. Collins is back in her childhood bedroom after her professional life fell apart. On a trip to the coffee shop she runs into Nathaniel – her nemesis for years of high school. And it seems like nothing has changed – she’s still annoying him and he’s definitely still annoying her. And that’s how Collins ends up running against him to become president of the HOA of the subdivision she swore she would never come back to. Because they really, really hate each other – right?

I’ve already told you this is a romance, so you know they’re not going to hate each other by the end, and once you get past some pranking and mean behaviour towards each other (and you know I have a problems with pranks) it’s really good. I was a little worried about what the backstory was going to turn out to be on Collins and Nate in high school and how that could lead to a satisfying resolution but it actually worked really well in the end, for reasons that I can’t explain without it being a massive plot spoiler and you know I don’t do those.

I’ve been on a big old run of enemies to lovers contemporaries recently, and this is another good one to add to the list. I’m a Brit so Home Owners Associations are really not a thing here and only know them through books and home renovation shows when they are sucking their teeth about the HOA demanding they paint the house one of three colours or have dues that might affect whether buyers will go for a property, but I did really like the community that Collins is living in and her family are fun too.

I had my copy pre-ordered, so it’s out now in Kindle and Kobo and audiobook and paperback, although the price on Amazon suggests that it may be a US import rather than a UK version.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: November 20 – November 26

Given that I went out three evenings last week – and had a busy weekend, I’m surprised the list is as long as it is! Anyway a fairly mystery heavy week of what there was. There’s less theatre and more train time this week, so we’ll see what that means for next week’s list!

Read:

False Colours by Georgette Heyer

He Who Whispers by John Dickson Carr

Puppies in Paradise by Kathi Daley

The Poisoning in the Pub by Simon Brett

Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery

The Hippopotamus Pool by Elizabeth Peters

Started:

Blotto, Twinks and the Ex-King’s Daughter by Simon Brett

Still reading:

Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Three ebooks bought. Restrained…

Bonus photo: Christmas is coming and I have a tiny tree that came in the post as a gift!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

Book of the Week, Book previews, books, books on offer, historical, new releases

Book of the Week: Silver Lady

Back to historical romance this week – and this one isn’t actually out until next week, but I’ve already finished it, so I’m going with it today – sorry and all but you can at least preorder it if you like the sound of it.

Silver Lady is the first in a new series from Mary Jo Putney and is set in a lightly magical version of Regency Britain where some people are “gifted” – which means they have special skills that border on magic. Bran Tremayne is one of this – his powers of perception have made him an excellent investigator for the Home Office. But he finds himself drawn to Cornwall, where he was born before he was abandoned by his birth parents. When he is there he meets a mysterious woman who has had her memories suppressed. As she recovers her memories in his care, Bran discovers that Merryn is at the centre of a dangerous plot – can they survive the danger to get to a happy ending?

I mean it’s a romance novel, so I think you know the answer to that, but this is a fun read – it’s got some peril and adventure and the world building is pretty good – the “dangerous gifts” of the title are explained very well and naturally as part of the plot of the book . I’m not usually a lover of amnesia storylines, but this one makes sense within the framework that you’re given for the world and Merryn is less of a damsel in distress than I was expecting her to be. I’ve had a bit of a mixed record with Putney before, but I enjoyed this and will look out for the sequels when they come along.

Silver Lady is out next week – you can preorder it on Kindle and Kobo and if you’re in the US you should be able to get a paperback too.

Happy Reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: November 13 – November 19

Well, two nights at the theatre meant less time for reading, but I did finish a couple of things off and there’s an audiobook on there too as well as a comic, but actually it all worked out ok and I even think I have something to write about tomorrow!

Read:

Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth

Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney*

The Stage Kiss by Amelia Jones*

Rare Flavours taster by Ram V et al

Fangirl: the Manga, vol 3 by Rainbow Rowell et al

Murder on the Caronia by Edward Marston

Started:

Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin

Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Two books and two ebooks and one ebook preorder

Bonus photo: Christmas decorations going up in Fitzroy square. What would Maisie Dobbs think I wonder.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

Book of the Week, books

Book of the Week: Devil in Winter

Yes, this was one of my impulse purchases while compiling the Kindle Offers post; yes, I read it immediately; yes it’s now book of the week. I’m predictable like that.

Sebastian, Lord St Vincent is licking his wounds after a failed abduction of a potential bride when Evangeline Jenner finds him to make him a proposal: marry her to save her from the machinations of her relatives. A marriage of convenience seems to be the solution to both of their problems. But it’s never actually simple is it and feelings get involved that means that shy wallflower Evie comes into herself and her own power and a notorious womaniser is tamed.

This is the third in a set of four novels and I’m pretty sure if you’ve read the previous two (which I haven’t yet!) you have seen Sebastian being pretty awful – I mean the woman he abducted is one of Evie’s friends and is engaged to his best friends – so this is a reformed rake resumption story on a par with Eloisa James’s Villiers. Add into the mix a gaming hell and a bit of the seamier side of regency life and it’s incredibly readable and a lot of fun.

Devil in Winter came out back in 2006 when the historical romances tended to stick much more to the haute ton, Almacks and house party side of things – so Lisa Kelypas was doing interestingly new things at the time even if it might be more common now. If you’ve read Sarah MacLean (and I’ve told you to enough) and haven’t read this, then go back for this immediately – it’s even on offer to make it easier for you!

I read this on Kindle, but it’s also on Kobo and it’s on offer for 99p there too. You may be able to get hold of a paperback too if you look in the right places. And if you read this and want some more reformed rakes then I have a post for that too!

Happy reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: November 6 – November 12

A fairly steady week of reading all things considered. Some Christmassy stuff is creeping in now, and a mix of new releases and a dash of things I thought while writing the Kindle offers! This week is looking busy though so we’ll see what that does to the list next Monday.

Read:

Murder on the Marmora by Edward Marston

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

A Holly Jolly Ever After by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy

Dancers in Mourning by Margery Allingham

Fancy Meeting You Here by Julie Tieu

The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen

Begin with You by Petra Velezboer*

Started:

Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth

Still reading:

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Two preorders – one paperback, one kindle – arrived but that was it.

Bonus photo: is a gingerbread alpaca too cute to eat (hint: no, it was delicious)

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: October 30 – November 5

Well, I may have fallen a little behind in October, but the start of November has gone ok so far. Fingers crossed it continues!

Read:

Somebody at the Door by Raymond W Postgate

Intruder in the Dark by George Bellairs

The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters

Luke and Billy Finally Get a Clue by Cat Sebastian

Dancers in Mourning by Margery Allingham

Picture Perfect by Jeevani Charika*

Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern

Death in Fine Condition by Andrew Cartmel

Started:

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney*

Murder on the Marmora by Edward Marston

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

I may have bought a few books because of the fresh batch of Kindle offers. More on that on Wednesday…

Bonus photo: watching Lover Come Back on Saturday afternoon

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

Book of the Week, books, romance

Book of the Week: To Swoon and to Spar

It was a long list last week, and there were a couple of options for this post, but I settled on To Swoon and to Spar because it’s really fun and it’s been a while since I picked a historical romance!

Viscount Penvale has spent his adult life trying to buy back his family’s home in Cornwall. When his uncle finally agrees to sell it to him, there is one condition: Penvale must marry his ward Jane. The two meet and although first impressions aren’t the best, both agree to a marriage of convenience. What Penvale doesn’t know is that Jane has been spending months persuading his uncle that Trethwick is haunted so that he would move out, and she’s going to use the same tactics to try and rid herself of her new husband. What could possibly go wrong?

This is the fourth book in Waters’ Regency Vows series, and Penvale was a side character in the other book in the series that I’ve read and given how close he seems to his friends I assume also the two that I haven’t, so I suspect I’ve read the series you’ll have some feelings about him already. And of course the faux haunting made it a good book to read in the run up to Halloween. It rattles along nicely and the plot has enough turns to keep you wondering what will happen next. I had a few minor niggles with some of the language choices – at one point Jane is surprised Penvale is still hungry as he’s eaten “an entire rasher of bacon” at breakfast – and I’m not sure Jane really would be surprised that Penvale hadn’t read a novel, but I enjoyed it enough that I let it off. Although I suppose as I’m mentioning it here, I haven’t really have I?! Anyway, there is a fifth book in the series coming next year and I’ll keep an eye out for that, and if any of the two I haven’t read come my way I wouldn’t say no to reading them.

My copy of To Swoon and to Spar came from that trip to The Works, so it hasn’t even been on the pile for very long which is unusual for me, and means you should be able to get hold of the paperback fairly easily I think. And it’s also available in Kindle and Kobo.

Happy Reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: October 23 – October 29

A really busy week in reading. Lots of books read – and lots of different genres. The audiobook re-listen is now deep into Albert Campion, which is fun. And we’re nearly at the end of October which means all the usual things for the blog this week.

Read:

Tis the Damn Season by Kimi Freeman*

Death of a Ghost by Margery Allingham

Mystery in Provence by Vivian Conroy

A Christmas to Remember by Beverly Jenkins

Flowers for the Judge by Margery Allingham

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa*

The Case of the Late Pig by Margery Allingham

Death on the Down Beat by Sebastian Farr

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Walters

Started:

Somebody at the Door by Raymond W Postgate

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

One pre-order arrived but that was it.

Bonus photo: this is the curtain call (they said we could film and photograph it) at the Coliseum on Wednesday for the final night of the ENO’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe. My first Gilbert and Sullivan and it was really good and much funnier than I expected – not least because someone from my favourite comedy theatre company was in it!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

Book of the Week, books

Book of the Week: Duke Actually

Bit of a marginal choice this week, but I thought I’d do something different and throw in a rare Royal Romance read that’s also a Christmassy one – even if we’re not past Halloween yet!

Dani Martinez is a professor hoping for tenure. She’s also hoping her ex-husband will sign the divorce papers and has sworn off love completely. Trouble is, she’s about to be an attendant at a royal wedding and this involves some contact with the playboy duke the bride dumped for Dani’s friend. Max has issues of his own: his parents are awful, he’s finished his studies and doesn’t have a job, and now his engagement has been broken off, his parents are trying to find a replacement fiancée for him, stat. Dani and Max become unlikely friends, but it can never turn into anything more – can it?

This was absolutely delightful until about the 80 percent mark at which point it just didn’t quite stick the landing. I’m not quite sure what went wrong – whether it was too much to do in not enough time, if I just didn’t like the way Jenny Holiday decided to resolve the conflict/tension in the relationship or if it was a combination of the two but after an absolutely cracking unlikely friends, vanquishing the evil ex, rebuilding sibling relationships ride, it just didn’t quite end as well as I wanted it too. But it’s still pretty good – and better than a lot of the other romances I’ve tried lately, many of which haven’t even made it on to the list because I didn’t get further than 50 pages before I gave them up in a rage. And not always in a Sunday afternoon funk either!

This one is on offer on Kindle and Kobo at the moment, and it’s the second book in a trilogy of related romances which are also on offer. Enjoy!