Editorial Reviews

A CEO with a blanked-out memory and a grieving cowboy with a soft spot for damsels in distress make for an explosive pair in Fighting for You by Alessa Kelly, the second book in her Fearless Lovers series. Despite the familiar amnesiac premise, the characters are vivid and endearing, though the narration is bluntly expositional and mechanical, at times, and not quite as rich as the first installment. Fortunately, the dynamic between Jesse and Camille offers a perfect odd-couple vibe – smart, uncertain, sharp-tongued, and dripping with rustic desire. The added complexity of this layered plot, namely a corporate power […]

The inferno of shifting allegiance and smoldering gazes in Burning For You make for a hot first installment of Alessa Kelly’s Fearless Lovers series. With a plot model that is becoming a trend, a big-city CEO and a country boy at heart who loves to work with his hands fall into an unlikely connection in the wilds of Montana. The flashback jumps lend themselves to excellent character development, whereas the quality of writing itself is intricate for a work of romance, particularly in its descriptive clarity and creativity. Exploring relationships from every angle – as strangers and enemies, within families, […]

A heartwarming and time-traveling adventure to the medieval past, A Most Unusual Friday Knight is a charming new middle grade adventure from author Alan Frost. Curious orphans become unlikely heroes in a time far from home, but navigate the strangeness of an Old English world with the help of one clever inventor. Despite being somewhat predictable in its plot, and the language being overly simplistic at times, even for the age range, there are valuable lessons to be learned from these amusing characters, from the duality of independence and loyalty to overcoming insecurities and standing up to bullies. All in […]

A creative work of romantic fantasy, Bared Magic by Sara R. Cleveland deftly straddles the two genres, which will be satisfying to both sets of readers. Wynne, a woman with a coveted magical talent, flees from her pursuers and lands in the arms of Callum, a handsome werebear, in this delightfully whimsical and romantic retelling of the Goldilocks story. With a charming mixture of sweet tension and suspense, the couple learns about each other while traversing an enchanting fantasy land filled with benevolent witches, malicious lords, and perilous curses. Bared Magic is a “just right” brew of fights and flirtations […]

Author Carrie Thorne once again tosses readers into a feel-good love story spiral with A New Day, the fourth book of her Foothills series. Similar in its themes to earlier tales, but notable for its more deeply developed characters, the unabashedly honest narrative tone pulls readers into a small-town whirlwind romance with the potential for so much more. Though some of the plot feels predictable, loyal readers of this series will appreciate the occasional callbacks to old characters, and the ever-expanding charm of Foothills. Ideal for a long guilty pleasure of an afternoon, fans of full-blooded romance, football, and […]

A charming and heart-pumping tale of inopportune timing, undeniable attraction, and the hardest truths to tell ourselves, A Day Late by Carrie Thorne is a quick and entertaining work of romance. Armed with snappy dialogue, longing glances, and narrative voices that are both self-aware and self-reflective, there may be something lacking in the character depth, or the emotional investment demanded of the reader, but watching a classic love triangle unfold is always entertaining, and handled here like a classic romantic comedy. Bursts of humor reveal the author’s wit, while the patient storytelling allows space for playful details and scene-crafting that […]

A laugh-out-loud hilarious guidebook of questions and answers about surviving in a subdivision, Julie Wheaton’s Which House Is Mine Again?: 80 Questions I Never Had ’til I Moved to a Subdivision is a simultaneously tongue-in-cheek and heartfelt memoir about living in cookie-cutter homes. Wheaton covers everything from negotiating with your HOA to writing holiday letters, and discloses the truth behind terms like “pool-sized yard” and “harmonious floor plans.” While obviously a niche subject, even readers who don’t have tract houses will enjoy Wheaton’s hugely comical anecdotes, and those who do will be nodding along at each rapier-sharp observation.

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A highly original YA urban fantasy, The Rise of the Raidin by Susan L. Markloff is an engaging mixture of everyday high school pressures, and the pressure of confronting mythical beasts. Jennifer Monroe may seem like a typical eighteen-year-old, but she’s actually a commanding half-dragon energy wielder in training. When dragons and a cunning villain come to Earth and mount an attack on her high school, Jennifer will uncover the truth about a prophecy that foretells her fate. The story might have one too many characters to keep track of, but the well-choreographed action scenes and snappy dialogue more than […]