Finally, here in the Southern Hemisphere, Spring was in the air. Flowers bloomed early and we basked in warmer-than-average temperatures with little rain. Television was wall-to-wall sport, so it was a great time for a non-sports lover like me to be reading.
As usual, it’s a mixed bag of books I knew I wanted to read and those that caught my eye.
The Frosty Duke by Lila Di Pasqua.
Love and Order 1
When a mathematician seeks the aid of a rake, things may not go to plan… A fun, extra-steamy, utterly scandalous, romantic holiday novella.
Spinster Lady Luella (Ella) knows a lot about mathematics but is completely out of her element when it comes to men. To right a terrible wrong, she has until the Christmas ball to learn as much as she can about the art of seduction. Determined to enlist the help of an expert, she has set her sights on a handsome stranger who frequents the notorious pleasure club, L’Anonyme.
Lewis, Duke of Ansford, wants nothing to do with Christmas, the woman who stole her way into his cab, or her mad plan. A winter storm has stranded her in his home. All he wants is peace and solitude during the holiday. Not a woman who disrupts his tranquillity—and a mutual attraction that burns white-hot.
Keep the smelling salts nearby.
Previously published in Duke in a Box.
82 pages, Kindle Edition. Published November 1, 2023
My Review.
I enjoyed this steamy short romance. Ella is naïve about men, but not stupid and her plan shows daring and courage. How can she know what passion she has unwittingly inspiring? A fun read!
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman.
Thursday Murder Club 4.
Shocking news reaches the Thursday Murder Club.
An old friend in the antiques business has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.
As the gang springs into action they encounter art forgers, online fraudsters and drug dealers, as well as heartache close to home.
With the body count rising, the package still missing and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out? And who will be the last devil to die?
My Review.
Shocked by the death of his old friend, Ibraham enlists the others to help make sense of this disappearance. Elizabeth isn’t her usual self, as she comes to terms with Stephen’s dementia diagnosis. Surprisingly, Joyce steps up and by dint of asking herself, “ What would Elizabeth do?” She proves quite effective. They are dealing with dangerous people, who are prepared to stop at nothing and to double-cross each other.
Warning For anyone who has or had, a loved one with dementia this book may be difficult to read, although the topic is handled sensitively.
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman.
A high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an ‘old maid’ to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.
Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.
The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan.
Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins.
464 pages, Paperback
My Review.
Well, I’m just basking in the glow of having finished Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman. It pleased me on so many levels- mature-aged heroines (42) ill-advised adventures, a dashing hero/anti-hero. An ‘obstinate headstrong girl,’ in this case one of the heroines. Exploration of social conditions that are genuinely shocking and the potential for more books. Oh yes, please! In good news, it has been confirmed that a further book is underway.
Talk To The Heart By Rachael Johns.
How hard can it be to resist temptation?
Adeline Walsh never thought she would give up her worldly possessions – her iPhone, her make-up and even her successful life as a dog breeder – to join a convent on the other side of the country. But after the discovery of a shocking family secret she feels called to a life of poverty, chastity and obedience. Life at the Smallton convent is nothing like Adeline expected. The other sisters quickly become like family and Adeline feels like she’s found her place in the world. Until she meets Holden Campbell, a man as tempting as the devil himself. Due to a devastating accident in his past, Holden is not interested in any relationship or even a friendship with Adeline, but when their dogs keep bringing them together, he reluctantly accepts her help to organise a charity event. An accidental kiss tests both their resolves, but they are determined to fight the attraction raging between them. Holden doesn’t believe in love and Adeline isn’t going to risk everything she’s just found. Can they resist each other while continuing to work on a cause they both passionately believe in? An emotional and uplifting story about overcoming your past from bestselling author Rachael Johns.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
My Review.
There is a lot to enjoy in this book. It has a genuine feel-good vibe. I enjoyed the relationship between Holden and Ford his brother. The story of how they were named. The foster family of boys and the dogs, and even the small-town community, all were heartwarming. What I couldn’t get past was Adeline joining the convent- it felt hopelessly unrealistic to me. I am not a religious person. I felt the potential of a relationship between Adeline and Holden was well explored and believable. I received an Advance Copy through Net Galley.
The Writer Laid Bare: Emotional Honesty In A Writer’s Art, Craft and Life by Lee Kofman
The Writer Laid Bare is a book for everyone who loves the craft of good writing. Be they a voracious reader wanting to know more or an emerging writer themselves, best-selling author and writing coach Lee Kofman has distilled her wisdom, insight and passion into this guide to writing and emotional honesty.
A combination of raw memoir and a professional writing toolkit, Lee examines her own life, rich in story and emotion to reveal how committing to a truthful writing practice helped her conquer writer’s block and develop her own authentic voice.
‘Show don’t tell’ has never been so compelling.
Inspired by her popular writing courses, Lee also offers practical advice on drafts, edits and how to achieve a life/writing balance. How combining her writing with motherhood led her to recognise that ‘the pram in the hall’ issue is real.
Plus the ultimate reading list of books you really should read, from Chekhov to Elena Ferrante and Helen Garner.
‘The Writer Laid Bare takes us on an intimate journey into the magical, and often challenging, terrain an author inhabits. Kofman courageously shares with the reader her own probing writerly journey of self-discovery.’ – Leah Kaminsky
374 pages, Kindle Edition
My Review.
A fellow writer recommended this to me, as I was stuck with what I was writing. I read it from cover to cover. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel a spark of recognition or inspiration. It’s not my book. It may be yours
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix.
A girl’s quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of teen fantasy, Garth Nix.
In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn’t get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.
Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.
Susan’s search for her father begins with her mother’s possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.
Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan’s. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.
My Review
I saw this in a library display and both the title and the concept appealed to me. How could I resist a tagline like that?
I’m pretty much guaranteed to read any book with library, bookshop or book-seller in its title. This went along at a fast pace; with the sort of mythic structure you’d expect in this kind of book. The setting and action were both well conveyed and Susan is a character who is set for more adventures. Most probably with Merlin and Vivian. I’d happily read book two.
The Regency Abduction Club anthology and its sister publication The Regency K’dnappers Club were released on October 5th. You can read them for free with Kindle Unlimited, or they are $4.99 to buy and will only be available for a strictly limited time. Best grab them now
https://books2read.com/knapp – Sweet one
https://books2read.com/Abdu – Sexy one
| In more exciting news over fifty authors have donated stories to appear in the anthology Love For Maui. It’s priced at $5.99 US or $5.99 Australian and all proceeds will help the rebuilding effort after those tragic fires in August. Available from your favourite book retailer. November has begun and thousands of people worldwide are attempting NaNoWriMo-National Novel in a Month. The aim is to kickstart a writing project and complete at least 50,000 words in the month. I’m using it to kick start a secret project and also to brainstorm ideas for my next Regency novella which is due early next year. |
Sonia Bellhouse- Author. 