Holy Candy Canes!!! Upcoming Historical Romance!!!!

 November 30, 2020

Authors with an asterisk*, I'm picking up! Authors with **asterisks have either fallen off my radar or new to me, and I'm might read them this time around. Release dates mostly between December 15, 2020 and January 14, 2021. For more Upcoming Releases that aren't historical see HEY DELIA!!

 

Series indicates a series, spin-off, sequel, trilogy, brother/sister, secret society/spies, good friends who attended Oxford/Eton, vampire/werewolf - anything that has something continuing - even if written 20 years ago. Anthology/novella/short stories could be an anthology or a bunch of books in one print or novella - one tiny book or an anthology with a bunch of novellas - could be a short stories by one author, could be short stories by multiple authors - could be - I'm getting a headache. Ebook, only sold electronically for now. Debut - congratulations!

By the way, it is not my fault if a publisher changes the release dates - just so you know, they do not consult me. Let me also add this warning - since I am now using different sources, I am finding that one person's genre isn't necessarily another persons - sorry if your book is in the wrong genre. 

 

Cover alerts: There are a number of headless men, shirtless guys, and women in prom dresses in this group. Notice in particular the difference between Heather Boyd's red prom dress and Sandra Sookoo's little red number with the small puffed sleeves. If these dresses represent the Regency period, then only Ms. Sookoo's is a success. And, it's still sexy!

Historical Romance

	Adele Clee http://www.adeleclee.com/ Valiant Gentlemen of the Order series December 22
	Alexandra Benedict http://www.alexandrabenedict.ca/ The Ruby Slippers Scandal The Jewels of London series December 20
	Amanda McCabe* http://ammandamccabe.com/ His Unlikely Duchess The Dollar Duchesses series December 29 – paper, January 1 - ebook
	Amy Jarecki https://amyjarecki.com/ The Duke's Privateer Devilish Dukes series January 5
	Annabelle Anders http://www.annabelleanders.com Earl of Tempest Regency Cocky Gents series January 12
	Bronwyn Scott http://bronwynswriting.blogspot.com/ Portrait of a Forbidden Love Rebellious Sisterhood series December 29 – paper, January 1 - ebook
	Caroline Lee http://www.carolineleeromance.com/ The Pirate's Angel Highland Angels series January 7
	Catherine Tinley http://www.catherinetinley.com A Waltz with the Outspoken Governess The Dollar Duchess series December 29 – paper, January 1 - ebook
	Chasity Bowlin https://www.chasitybowlin.com The Other Wife, novella The Dunne Family series December 15
	Christi Caldwell http://www.christicaldwellauthor.com A Groom of Her Own, ebook Scandalous Affairs series January 12
	Christina Britton http://christinabritton.com/ Someday My Duke Will Come, ebook Isle of Synne series January 12
	Christine Merrill http://www.christine-merrill.com Lady Margaret's Mystery Gentleman Secrets of the Duke’s Family series December 29 – paper, January 1 - ebook
	Donna Fletcher http://www.donnafletcher.com/ Highlander Oath of the Beast Highland Promise Trilogy January ? 2021
	Erica Ridley http://www.ericaridley.com The Governess Gambit Wild Wynchesters series January 2
	Elina Emerald https://elinaemerald.com/books Pledged to the Wolf Reformed Rogues series December 31
	Eliza Knight http://www.elizaknight.com Truly Madly Plaid Prince Charlie's Angels series December 29
	Ellie St. Clair http://www.prairielilypresscom/ellie-st-clair Risking the Detective, ebook The Bluestocking Scandals series January 5
	Eva Devon aka Maire Claremont The Wallflower's Wild Wedding Wallflower Wins series December 25
	Heather Boyd http://www.heather-boyd.com His Perfect Bride Distinguished Rogues series January 5
	Golden Angel https://www.goldenangelromance.com A Season for Treason Deception and Discipline series January 12
	Jane Ashford* http://www.janeashford.com Earl's Well That Ends Well The Way to a Lord's Heart series December 29
	Jenni Fletcher http://jennifletcher.com Unexpectedly Wed to the Officer Rebellious Belles of Bath December 29 - paperback, January 1 – ebook
	J. R. Salisbury http://www.jamiesalisbury.com/ Once a Lady Mayfair series by J.R. Salisbury January 12
	Julia London http://www.julialondon.com/ Wild Wicked Scot The Highland Grooms series January 11
	Kate Bateman https://www.facebook.com/kcbatemanauthor/ The Princess and the Rogue Bow Street Bachelors series December 29
	Kathryn Le Veque http://www.kathrynleveque.com WolfeSword Wolfe Pack Generations series December 29
	Lauri Robinson http://www.laurirobinson.blogspot.com A Family for the Titanic Survivor December 29 - paperback, January 1 – ebook
	Lisa Berne** http://www.LisaBerne.com The Worst Duke in the World The Penhallow Dynasty series January 12
	Minerva Spencer aka S M LaViolette http://minervaspencer.com/ A Portrait of Love The Academy of Love series December 29
	Paula Quinn http://pa0854.wix.com/paulaquinn Forbidden Heart Hearts of the Highlands series December 15
	Sandra Sookoo** http://www.sandrasookoo.com Graced in Scarlet Colors of Scandal series January 12
	Stacy Reid http://www.stacyreid.com Her Wicked Marquess Sinful Wallflowers series December 29
	Susan King http://www.susanfraserking.com Laird of Rogues Whisky Lairds series December 22
	Tammy Andresen http://tammyandresen.com/ Earl Of Baxter Lords of Scandal series January 5
	Wilma Counts https://wilmacounts.wordpress.com/ Rules for an Unmarried Lady Once Upon a Bride series December 29

Historical Fiction

	Anita Abriel https://www.anitaabriel.com Lana's War January 12
	Charles Belfoure http://www.charlesbelfoure.com The Faberge Secret         January 5
	Helen Bryan The River Valley Trilogy series January 5
	Jennifer Robson https://jennifer-robson.com/ Our Darkest Night January 5
	Judithe Little http://www.judithelittle.com/ The Chanel Sisters December 29
	Julia Kelly http://www.juliakellywrites.com The Last Garden in England      January 12
	Marie Benedict http://www.authormariebenedict.com The Mystery of Mrs. Christie      December 29
	Megan Chance MeganSChance@twitter.com  A Splendid Ruin January 2
	Melanie Benjamin http://www.melaniebenjamin.com The Children's Blizzard January 12
	Molly Greeley https://www.mollygreeley.com/ The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh, January 5
	Nuala O'Connor https://nualaoconnor.com/ Nora: A Love Story of Nora and James Joyce January 5
	Sadeqa Johnson http://www.sadeqajohnson.net/ The Yellow Wife January 12

Duke I'd Like to F... by Sierra Simone, Joanna Shupe, Eva Leigh, Nicola Davidson, Adriana Herrera

November 16, 2020

I need a cleansing bath

You know how sometimes you don't listen to your gut? You think, oh look at that title, it’s kind of funny, and maybe it's not as hard-core as I think. Maybe it will be cute and cuddly. Well some of us need to listen to our guts, and remember alllll of our hot buttons. I thought I was safe, after-all I was familiar with the writings of Eva Leigh, and Joanna Shupe. Sorry to say, I had a hard time with this collection of short stories. These stories were filled with tons of my hot-buttons. But the topper was the “almost” pedophile moments between an 18-year old girl and 41-year old man. I guess that’s why the heroine was 18. We wouldn’t want to be accused of any illegal, child-abuse moments, would we? I could not finish any but one of the stories in Duke I'd Like to F.... The only story in the book I liked was The Duke Makes Me Feel...by Adriana Herrera. At least in her story there was some character building, a storyline, and the sex scenes contributed to the narrative. All Ms. Herrera’s story really needed was a good copy editor. But the rest of the stories in this collection were not my cup-o-tea. I'm sure there is an audience for this type of book, and that's fine. But for the most, part it was an overload of mind-numbing sex-capades, characters I didn’t like, and disturbing moments. Adriana Herrera’s story was the only one I was able to finish, sorry to say, the rest were DNFs.

 

 

My Last Duchess by Eloisa James

November 20, 2020

Would you say yes?

https://www.eloisajames.com/

Pondering. Have you ever really, and I mean really, thought about marrying a stranger? I have become so accustomed to a happy ending in romance novels, that sometimes I forget that in a lot of these books, the romantic couple are virtual strangers. Let me put this another way. What would you do if you were sitting in your car/truck/carriage, minding your own business, when a complete stranger jumps in? He then announces that his intentions are honorable. Okkkaaaay. As of today, I would probably spray mace in his face, scream, give him a swift kick, and run. Why am I saying this? Well, my little Petunia’s, it dawned on me while reading this book, that my beloved romance novels sometime require me to overlook reality. But, sometimes it’s all about taking a break from reality. Remember what Dumbledore said, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” I don’t think that quote has anything to do with the romance genre, but if you are in the mood for a little light, relaxing book, then My Last Duchess is for you. And, it’s a short story, so it’s just a few hours of your time.

My Last Duchess is Eloisa James’ prequel to the Wilde series. Yes, this is the story of Hugo, the Duke of Lindow, and Lady Ophelia Astley. You remember Hugo, don’t you? He’s the guy with eight children. A show of hands please! Who out there would react the same way? A stranger hops into your carriage because he wants to marry you…and he has eight kids!!! OMG! Feet, don’t fail me now! Watch as I run in the other direction.  This is one of those times I had absolutely no problems with the heroine turning down a proposal.

Anyway, Hugo has recently received his divorce papers. He’s sort of moping around the house, feeling sorry for himself. Then his sister shows up and drags him into the world. She forces him to see that the youngest of his eight children need a mother. So, he is off to once again marry. Soon he’s hanging out in a ballroom. Then he spots “the-one-who-is-meant-to-be” from across the room. Evidently, love at first sight is a Wilde family tradition. He instantly maneuvers through the crowd; wanting to meet the woman who has captured his eyes. But alas, she has vanished. He gives chase. And, it turns out to be a very delightful chase.

Ophelia is comfortable. She’s happy with her life. She had a contented marriage, now she’s a widow. Her husband was a nice man, and he left her well-endowed. Ophelia also has a young daughter. This child is the center of Ophelia’s life. She finds everything about her child amazing. Ophelia is pretty pleased with her life. You might call her one happy camper. She is definitely not looking for anything else. Then, at the ball, the hairs on the back of her neck start to stand up. She looks across the room, and finds a very handsome man staring at her. There are sparks behind that intense stare, and she wants nothing to do with them. She quickly flees the party. But she hadn’t planned on the snow storm outside, nor her carriage being stuck in a traffic jam. She also had no idea the intense man would turn out to be Sherlock Holmes. Well, he’s not really Sherlock Holmes. Hugo, it seems, has some of Sherlock’s abilities. He is able to deduce which carriage is hers based on his observations from the ballroom. I loved the carriage scene, and the one night stand which follows. Then he proposes. Then she turns him down.

This was a fun romance, and Ophelia and Hugo were a great couple. Were there a few hiccups? Yes, there were some things I could have done without. After Hugo’s proposal is turned down, he decides to court another woman, an older woman. This woman was rather rude, and why Hugo thought she would make a good mother was beyond me. She disliked children immensely, and I felt Hugo should have been more aware of that from the beginning. I mean, if he’s bright enough to find the correct carriage, he should be smart enough to spot a cold, dispassionate female. Even though I wasn’t fond of this female character, I also wasn’t fond of the “funny” bullying which was used to get rid of her. I thought either Hugo should have told her it wouldn’t work, or she should never have been part of the book in the first place.

There was one more thing which threw me out of the story, and I argued with myself about whether I should even mention it. The slang term “that’s cracked” was used at one point in this story. When I read it I stopped, and retraced my steps. While I pondered whether someone from Georgian times would use that slang, I decided to move on. I did spend some time trying to find references to that term. Who knows, since Ms. James teaches Shakespeare maybe it is legitimate. I just wish authors would tread lightly on using slang/expressions.

Overall, except for a few minor gripes, I enjoyed this book. I thought it was a wonderful love story. Both Ophelia and Hugo were great characters. I had no problems with Ophelia taking her time deciding on whether she should marry Hugo. Regardless of how handsome, and wealthy Hugo was, there were a number of obstacles which would trouble any woman/person. But in the end, Hugo was just too much of a great hero for any smart woman to resist. I do recommend this book, and for a short time you will find yourself in a happy place. Pour yourself a cup of hot chocolate, butter some homemade muffins, wrap yourself in a fuzzy blanket, and enjoy.

 

Time/Place: Georgian England

Sensuality: Warm/Hot