JayneB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsclass-difference / Crusade / fathers and daughters / medieval / Medieval Romance / Middle East / POC / strong heroine / War / MilitaryNo Comments

“This is the story of Rodriga de Perolles; of how she rescued the bastard renegade Marco from death and was rescued herself by the squire Piers; of how she joined with her father, the penniless and independent Sir Landry, in search for witnesses that would bring Piers his rightful inheritance; ... more >

JayneB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsdisability / disabled hero / enemies to lovers / English heroine / forced-marriage / French hero / Historical / Napoleonic wars / Regency / revenge / Switzerland7 Comments

Mary Burns is travelling through Europe with her friends when war resumes between Britain and France in 1803 and Napoleon orders the arrest of all British subjects on French territory. Their fate is to be decided by Captain Armand Dufour, who has bitter personal reasons for taking vengeance on the ... more >

JanineConversationsbad outcome / bodice rippers / breakup / character death / HEA / reader expectations / reader response26 Comments

There was recently a hullabaloo about Devil in Disguise, Lisa Kleypas’ historical romance, around the time of its release in July. Here’s what one Goodreads reviewer said in her review: Fourteen years ago, I drove like a madwoman an hour away to my nearest B&N with a cranky teething baby ... more >

JayneB- Reviews / Book Reviews / C+ ReviewsAtlanta / category length / Christmas / fake girlfriend / family relationships / Magic / Marriage-in-Trouble / novella / POC / POC author / TexasNo Comments

Rockin’ Around That Christmas Tree by Donna Hill Denise has always been the faithful wife and dutiful mother for the twenty-plus years she’s been married to Edward. But now, she’s ready to live a few dreams of her own. When Denise drops the bomb at Thanksgiving dinner that she is ... more >

JayneB- Reviews / Book Reviewsanxiety / friendship / graphic novels / Magic / middle grade / self discovery2 Comments

With humor, heart, and an unusual heroine who is braver than she realizes, Bree Paulsen’s colorful and cozy debut graphic novel is a farm-fresh tale that reminds readers to believe in themselves—and that strangers are not always as scary as they seem. An enchanting debut graphic novel to give to ... more >

KaetrinB Reviews / Book Reviewsballet / ghosts / Historical / Paris / PNR5 Comments

Dear Diana Biller, Last year, your debut book, The Widow of Rose House was on my top reads list so I was excited to read your latest, which again features the eccentric Moore family – this time focusing on Benedict – Ben – the second son. I should have realised ... more >

SiriusB Reviews / B Reviews Category / B+ Reviews / Book Reviewsdepression / m/m romance / mental health / panic attacks / POC / reality show2 Comments

Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his ... more >

JayneB Reviews / Book Reviewscats / children's book / music / picture books5 Comments

Ric Ocasek’s rock and roll classic, “Good Times Roll”—one of the Cars’ hit songs—leaps off the page in this exhilarating picture book. “Let the good times roll Let them knock you around Let the good times roll Let them make you a clown . . .” Good Times Roll is ... more >

JayneA- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readschildren's book / found family / friendship / Paris / picture books4 Comments

A boy befriends a baby gargoyle in this magical wordless story in graphic-novel style from award-winning creators Jo Ellen Bogart and Maja Kastelic. Anthony’s house is full of family photos — of his parents’ trip to Paris, his great aunt, and Anthony himself as a toddler, holding his favorite rock. ... more >

JayneB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Reads17th-century / 18th-century / dual-timeline / First-Person / Historical / historical-Scotland / investigation / Jacobites / Scotland / second chance at love / Slains11 Comments

In the autumn of 1707, old enemies from the Highlands to the Borders are finding common ground as they join to protest the new Union with England. At the same time, the French are preparing to launch an invasion to bring the young exiled Jacobite king back to Scotland to ... more >