Undercover Attraction by Katee Robert

Dangerously sexy and addictive

Two years ago, I read the first in this series, then completely missed the next three until this one came up for review (it is Book 5). I’m now eager to fill in the gaps because I forgot how good these were. Book 1 (the Marriage Contract) detailed the start of the splintering of the O’Malley siblings but in Undercover Attraction, we get to see the family start to rebuild bridges that were burnt when I wasn’t watching.

I don’t know how much of the back story came up in other books but I found it easy enough to follow along. Charlie is an ex-cop who was framed for accepting bribes then abandoned by everyone she knew. Aidan O’Malley is the head of the O’Malley crime family, willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family – even faking an engagement with the daughter of a fed.

I loved how Charlie built relationships with the O’Malley siblings and her utter fearlessness in calling Aidan out in a way no-one else can or would. Her relationship with Keira is particularly lovely to see unfold. Aidan was a bit more of a puzzle, but his determination to do what was best for the family as nicely tempered by his love for his siblings.

Katee Roberts successfully manages to make crime lords sympathetic and blurs the lines between right and wrong for both Charlie and the reader. Her characters are flawed but vibrant, their conflicts often deadly. Undercover Attraction can be read as a standalone but I now want to read all the others in the series, especially the upcoming Book 6.

Five criminal stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once Upon a Time Travel by Sariah Wilson

Hilarious and romantic slow burn

Emma Damon falls in love with a painting then falls into the past to meet the man himself. He’s handsome, annoying, and seriously weakening her resolve to get back to the 21^st Century.

Jaxon, Earl of Hartley, is trying his hardest not to fall for his brother’s mail order bride (it makes sense in context) as he tries to make her acceptable to polite society, but her unconventional ways are making it difficult and it seems like his entire family are bent on playing matchmaker for the wrong brother.

This book is hilarious. I laughed out loud at several pieces of dialogue, from walking into the linen closet to kicking over an urn. Emma is so delightfully awkward and perfectly made to drive Hartley up the wall. I did feel that the constant dissection of modern slang got a little wearying, especially when it didn’t seem that obscure (seriously, a 21^st Century co-worker would understand ‘hang out and hook up’, even if she’s British, right?).

I loved how the relationship grew from a mutual attraction to a genuine connection over time; the scene where Hartley is praising Emma to his brother is really sweet. While I don’t normally go for jealousy as a dating tactic, it was handled deftly enough to be endearing than infuriating.

The mystical element came a little out of left field, but hopefully there will be more books to explore it a little further. Hartley certainly has enough siblings for a series and we see just enough of them to be interested. Aunt Charles is also, hands-down, the best, even if her matchmaking was so blatant it makes Hartley look oblivious.

Five timey-wimey stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Romancing the Scot by May McGoldrick

Star-crossed Regency with a sprinkling of intrigue

Judge Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greyneil, pries open the crate of his new hot air balloon to find a crumpled figure inside. Grace Ware, daughter of a Napoleonic general, feigns amnesia when she realises where she is. I’ve never read a Regency with a French-aligned heroine, so this is a nice change. Of course, the two of them fall in love, but Grace’s secret and shadows from her past threaten to drive them apart. The intrigue adds a nice layer to the novel without feeling forced.

Despite seeing through Grace’s eyes, I don’t feel like I really got to know her over the book – we see people react to her and grow to love her, but we don’t really see why. Hugh, meanwhile, I found a lot more fleshed out and proactive.

All in all, it’s a good Regency romance and I am keen to see Hugh’s sister Jo find her own happy ending.

Four forgetful stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dance with Me by Alexis Daria

Sexy, funny, and emotionally satisfying

When I reviewed Take the Lead, the first book by Alexis Daria, I mentioned hoping Tash would get her own book. Not a month later, Dance with Me hit my inbox and it’s even better than the first. It’s the story of friends-with-benefits who don’t realise the other also wants more from the relationship, but it’s also the story of self-worth and following dreams.

Tash’s insecurity and desire to prove herself really resonated; it was awesome to see her reach out for help, even as I wanted to toss a book at her head to make her do so. Dmitri was totally-swoonworthy: talented and hot, but the primary goal of looking after his family? It almost makes up for his terrible foot-in-mouth syndrome. Their physical attraction is off the charts so the book focused on emotional intimacy, where they help each other reach for the stars and find love along the way. I loved reading this book and I suspect you will too.

Five glittering stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cherish Hard by Nalini Singh

Adorable but emotional contemporary romance

I loved this book. I loved Sailor and Isa, I loved meeting their messy families, I loved that there was no big misunderstanding but there was a big damn declaration of love. There was a great cast of characters and conflict that didn’t rely on a villain. The business ideas were really interesting and I would love to see Sailor’s dream come to life for real.

It’s so refreshing to read a contemporary where the leads actually talk to each other to work through their problems together. There are many roadblocks to Sailor and isa’s love that are mentioned and dealt with – class differences, age differences (though interestingly, no race gap, which I think speaks to the New Zealand setting). The main problem is the one on the cover blurb – different life goals – and its resolution leads to this gem of dialogue that had me swooning:

“I love you, Ísalind Rain. You are the most important part of my dream.”

I don’t want to give away spoilers but that entire conversation had me holding my breath.

If I had one quibble, it would be that there are so many characters, it got a little messy. I wanted dramatis personae, a family tree, and like a hundred other books to see them all get a happy ending, starting with Nayna and Raj. Nalini has created a world full of people who I want to know and I can’t wait to read more.

Five down-to-earth stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Irredeemable Billionaire by Lexxie Couper

Childhood enemies to lovers

Life hasn’t been good to Grace. She’s survived an unexpected pregnancy to become a paramedic, but the death of her husband has left her completely off-kilter and beaten down.

Sebastian is a successful movie director who doesn’t expect his community service to put him back into contact with the girl he spent their teens clashing with. She’s now a widowed single mother and he’d do anything to put that spark back in her eyes.

I loved Seb. His dialogue was hilarious and it was great to see him realise what a jerk he had been, then work to make up for it and be a better person.  Grace was awesome and the little details about her job – the exhaustion, the despair, but also the drive to help others – made it real and intriguing. Cody (Grace’s son) was irrepressible and totally believable.

The snappy dialogue was hilarious and the fast-paced plot kept me up past my bedtime. If you’re looking for a fun billionaire romance, this one is a great choice.

Four richly-deserved stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Framing Fan Fiction by Kristina Busse

Fascinating Collection of Papers

As a fan involved in fandom and with many online friends who do the same, I found this collection of papers absolutely fascinating. I enjoyed the melding of academic literature and exemplary fanfic from a wide variety of styles and fandoms. Of course, some chapters appealed to me more than others – the middle section on Canon in particular, as well as chapter 9 on the Geek Hierarchy.

Given the ever-changing nature of fandom, it is unsurprising that some of the content feels a little dated, but the conclusions are still robust and applicable to modern times. The academic style of these papers did make them quite heavy reading, but no more so than any other academic paper. I would recommend these to anyone with more than a passing interest in fanfic, literature, media studies, or any combination or derivative of the above. Fanfic as a field is varied and interesting, and as diverse as this collection is, it makes clear there is still so much more to study.

Four fannish stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.