Jane Litte's Blog, page 39

REVIEW: Codename Charming by Lucy Parker

Note: Mild spoilers for Battle Royal follow.

Dear Lucy Parker,

The second book in the Palace Insiders series, Codename Charming follows Petunia (Pet) De Vere, the sister of the hero from the first book, Battle Royal, and a bodyguard who works with her in the palace, Matthias Vaughn. By the end of the first book, Pet had commenced work as a PA to Johnny Marchmont, then-fiance of Princess Rose. She had also thwarted an attack by a stalker upon Johnny and had been seriously injured in the process. ...

REVIEW: What Never Happened by Rachel Howzell Hall

Blurb: It’s murder in paradise as a woman uncovers a host of secrets off the rocky California coast in a gripping novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall.

Colette “Coco” Weber has relocated to her Catalina Island home, where, twenty years before, she was the sole survivor of a deadly home invasion. All Coco wants is to see her aunt Gwen, get as far away from her ex as possible, and get back to her craft—writing obituaries. Thankfully, her college best friend, M...

Review: We Could be so Good by Cat Sebastian

[image error]

Nick Russo has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood to a reporting job at one of the city’s biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can’t let anyone into his life. He just never counted on meeting someone as impossible to say no to as Andy.

Andy Fleming’s newspaper-tycoon father wants him to take over the family business. Andy, though, has no intention of running the paper. He’s barely able to run his life–he’s never paid a bill...

REVIEW: Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman

London, 1832: Isabelle Lira may be in distress, but she’s no damsel. Since her father’s death, his former partners have sought to oust her from their joint equity business. Her only choice is to marry—and fast—to a powerful ally outside the respected Berab family’s sphere of influence. Only finding the right spouse will require casting a wide net. So she’ll host a series of festivals, to which every eligible Jewish man is invited.

Once, Aaron Ellenberg longed to have a family of his own. But a...

REVIEW: Pet by Catherine Chidgey

Dear Catherine Chidgey:

This book was mentioned to me by the esteemed Janine, who has more than once (or twice) directed me towards smart thrillers, even though it’s not a genre she reads herself. Pet ended up being very smart and unexpectedly dark.

Justine Crieve is a 12-year-old in 1984 Wellington, New Zealand. Her mother has died recently after a long struggle with breast cancer, and her father, who owns an antiques shop, drinks and grieves. Justine attends the local Catholic school, and vac...

REVIEW: Mrs. Porter Calling by A. J. Pearce

London, April 1943. A little over a year since she married Captain Charles Mayhew and he went away to war, Emmy Lake is now in charge of “Yours Cheerfully,” the hugely popular advice column in Woman’s Friend magazine. Cheered on by her best friend Bunty, Emmy is dedicated to helping readers face the increasing challenges brought about by over three years of war. The postbags are full and Woman’s Friend is thriving.

But Emmy’s world is turned upside down when glamorous socialite, the Honorable ...

REVIEW: The Maid of Honour (updated) by Dinah Dean

In 1666, plague and fire will pull them asunder. But love will overcome.

In a privileged role as Maid of Honor to the Queen of England, Miss Mary Hook should be content, but her companions’ lack of morals makes her miserable. When the plague forces the Royal court to leave London, Mary is happy to leave the vice and frivolity behind… Only to find that the reputation of light-skirts follows her, regardless of how wrong the assumption is.

Back home in the countryside village of Woodham, Mr Franci...

Open Thread for Readers for August 2023

Got a book you want to talk about? Frustrated with a book or series? In love with a new one? Found a buried treasure? An issue that keeps popping up in the books you are reading? Just want to chat about stuff in general? Post about it here!

REVIEW: Arthur, Prince of Wales by Gareth B Streeter

For too long, Arthur Tudor has been remembered only for what he never became. The boy who died prematurely and paved the way for the revolutionary reign of his younger brother, Henry VIII.

Yet, during his short life, Arthur was at the centre of one of the most tumultuous periods of England’s history. At the time of his birth, he represented his father’s hopes for a dynasty and England’s greatest chance of peace. As he grew, he witnessed feuds, survived rebellion and became the focal point of a...

REVIEW: The Baron and the Lady Chemist by Alissa Baxter

Their chemistry creates a chain reaction . . . but will love be the final result?

Dorothea Grantham has always been fascinated by chemistry and spends most days conducting experiments in her laboratory at Grantham Place, staining silk with gold, silver, and other metals using chemical processes.

Thea embroiders the beautiful gold and silver silk shawls she creates and enjoys wearing them, but her grandmother, Lady Longmore, advises her not to reveal to anyone outside the family circle that she...