Yesterday we held a conversation about redemption and reparation in the genre. Today we talk about the book redemptions that worked or didn’t work for us. Janine: What are some examples of books where redemption or reparation felt sincere, meaningful and satisfying? What are examples of books where you ... more >
Janine: Kaetrin and I have been reviewing Mary Balogh since her Westcott series of historical romances began eight books ago and this review continues the tradition. Someone Perfect is Westcott-adjacent and the start of Balogh’s “Friends of the Westcotts” series; its heroine, Lady Estelle Lamarr, is Viola Westcott’s stepdaughter. Estelle ... more >
Dear Ms. Bowen, I’ve enjoyed most of your NA novels; in my opinion, you write your strongest books when you focus on coming-of-age themes. So, when I saw that your first YA novel, The Accidentals, was out, I took a chance and bought it. It’s the summer before senior year ... more >
Dear Ms. Rai, Last year, I read and enjoyed Hate to Want You, the first book in your Forbidden Hearts series. This review is of the second book in the same series, Wrong to Need You. Jackson Kane has been in love with Sadia Ahmed, his sister-in-law, since they were ... more >
Dear Ms. Balogh, Let me begin by stating that I am leaving Someone to Care ungraded. I enjoyed the first 79% of this novel tremendously and was thinking this was the best new Mary Balogh book I had read in ages. Then, at the 80% mark, something was revealed that ... more >
Since we reviewed the first two books in this series together, we decided to do the same with the third. ~ Janine & Kaetrin Janine: Someone to Wed, the third novel in Mary Balogh’s Westcott series, begins with a social call. Alexander Westcott, the new Earl of Riverdale, has come ... more >