| Beauty and The Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell AllenSteampunk Romance. A plea from a desperate relative brings Lucy Pickett to Blackwell Manor, where she meets the estate's resident "Beast," the brooding Lord Blackwell. Rumored to have murdered his wife who mysteriously died a month after their wedding, Blackwell is exactly the distraction Lucy doesn't need if she's to uncover the truth behind a mysterious illness and two strange murders. Boasting an intense (but chaste) romance and a supernatural Victorian setting that blends Gothic atmosphere and Steampunk trappings, this series opener may appeal to fans of Bec McMaster's London Steampunk novels. |
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| A Promise of Fire by Amanda BouchetFantasy Romance. Despite her reputation as a Kingmaker, soothsayer Catalia "Cat" Fisa has turned her back on both the magic-wielding elite who use their gifts to oppress their subjects and the non-magical upstarts who would use her powers to further their own political agendas. She succeeds by disguising herself as an elderly fortune teller in a traveling circus until she's captured by Griffin, a warlord who needs Cat's assistance to defend his realm. Dismissing him as yet another power-hungry political player, Cat comes to revise her opinion as he defends her from assassins. Fans of fantasy romance will be pleased to know that A Promise of Fire is the 1st book in a series, followed by the forthcoming Breath of Fire and Heart of Fire. |
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| Because I'm Watching by Christina DoddRomantic Suspense. A veteran struggling with PTSD, Jacob Denisov plans to hides inside his house until he dies. That's no longer an option once Madeline Hewitson loses control of her car and plows through his living room. Known as "Mad Maddie" to the inhabitants of Virtue Falls, Madeline Hewitson has a history of erratic behavior, rarely sleeping and calling the police at all hours to complain about a mysterious stalker. At first, Jacob assumes she's seeing things, or else making up stories for attention. However, as he gets to know (and like) the troubled young woman, he discovers that Maddie is in greater danger than she realizes. Because I'm Watching is the 3rd book in the Virtue Falls series, although the novel easily stands on its own. |
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| A Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLeanHistorical Romance. Alec Stuart, Duke of Warnick, is the very Scottish heir to a very English title. Although he'd prefer not to leave his thriving distillery in the Highlands, he has no choice once his newly acquired ward, Miss Lillian Harwood, starts a scandal by posing nude for an artist. Clearly, the solution is to marry her off as quickly as possible to any man who will have her. But the more Alec gets to know Lily, the less he can bear to think of anyone else becoming her husband. Witty and engaging, A Scot in the Dark is the 2nd in the Scandal & Scoundrel series, after The Rogue Not Taken. |
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| Tailored for Trouble: The Happy Pants Series by Mimi Jean PamfiloffContemporary Romance. Is your boss behaving badly? Call Taylor Reed, whose executive training program teaches "compassionate leadership." Or would, if she could convince her (arrogant, entitled) customer base that they really, really need her services. Worse, her current (and only) client, Bennett Wade, is the man who got her fired from her previous job. Reluctantly, Taylor agrees to (attempt to) reform Bennett, who reveals himself to be a better person than his reputation suggests. Can such an unlikely couple find happiness together? Find out in Tailored for Trouble, which kicks off the Happy Pants series. |
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| The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna BourneHistorical Romance. While on the hunt for Annique Villiers, a notorious French spy known as the "Fox Cub," British spymaster Robert Grey ends up in the same prison cell as his beautiful quarry. Facing a common enemy, the traitor-to-all-nations LeBlanc, the two agree to a temporary alliance. However, once they escape, all bets are off. Sparks fly as these two undercover operatives match wits in a deadly game of double-crosses and deception. This 1st book in Joanna Bourne's Spymaster series offers "superbly nuanced characters and a high-adrenaline plot" (Booklist); the series continues with My Lord and Spymaster, The Forbidden Rose, and The Black Hawk. |
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| Shadowdance by Kristen CallihanParanormal Historical. Resurrected by the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals (SOS), the once-dead Mary Chase is now a Ghost in the Machine (GIM) who possesses the ability to leave her mechanically enhanced body and roam the streets of London in spirit form. When a serial murderer dubbed the Bishop of Charing Cross embarks on a bloody killing spree, Mary is charged with catching the killer. However, another SOS agent is already on the case -- the maddeningly attractive Jack Talent, her rival, adversary, and soul mate. Shadowdance is the 4th book in the Darkest London series, after Firelight, Moonglow, and Winterblaze. |
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| The Ghost by Monica McCartyHighland Romance. Known as "the Ghost," Joan Comyn swore allegiance to Robert the Bruce after witnessing her mother's brutal treatment at the hands of the English. Now a spy for the Highland Guard, Joan's loyalties are tested when she encounters Sir Alex Seton, the Scottish warrior who defected from the Guard to become a diplomat for the Crown -- and thus a traitor to the cause. Her oath compels her to destroy him, yet her respect for the man himself convinces her to delay the moment she strikes. However, the longer she waits, the harder her mission becomes. Although The Ghost stands on its own, it's also the 12th installment of the series; newcomers interested in medieval Scottish history may wish to start at the beginning with The Chief. |
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| Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia QuinnGeorgian Romance. Although their families have been friends and neighbors for generations, Billie Bridgerton and George Rokesby have never gotten along. She's a high-spirited hoyden (according to him), while he's the dull and pretentious heir to an earldom (according to her). They'd be a terrible match, no matter how much their parents might encourage them to marry. Funny how getting trapped on a rooftop with one's lifelong enemy can change one's perspective. Readers looking for an upbeat, charming historical romance can't do better than this prequel to Julia Quinn's long-running and popular Bridgerton series, which begins with The Duke and I. |
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