My Favorite Romances of 2020
Presented here are some of my favorite romances of 2020. I have starred those by the authors I interviewed and linked to their interviews. I am sure they would love to hear from you. All books are in alphabetical order by title.
Find all my book recommendations and reviews at Goodreads.
Captain Easterday’s Bargain by Kathleen Buckley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Seeped in carefully researched historical detail, Captain Easterday’s Bargain is a delightful romantic adventure. When a young woman inherits her father’s shipping business, she realizes she needs help. Up steps Captain Easterday, a shipping firm owner who has recently been unlucky in love.
Kind and gentlemanly, but most importantly, fascinated by the feisty Olivia, he provides just the right amount of aid at just the right moments.
At first his interest is curiosity and the desire to help, but when a rival of questionable background seeks Olivia’s hand, they decide to fake a betrothal. Easterday starts to think of making the betrothal real. But the question is does Oliva feel the same way he does?
This novel gives a different view of London society than found in most Regencies that focus on dukes and duchesses and the beau monde. Here we meet well-to-do ship owners, busy shipping clerks, and an assortment of average middle class and working people, all well-delineated by the author’s masterful prose.
Read my interview with Kathleen Buckley
Counterfeit Viscountess by Barbara Burke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The accidental assignment to the same room at the inn, leads two unlikely people into a web of tangled lies, half-truths, and finally, a happily every after. Plenty of light-hearted moments as well as tense conflict between a viscount and an unchaperoned young lady make this a great read.
Read my interview with Barbara Burke
The Dream Hunter by Laura Kinsale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Written in Kinsale’s beautiful flowing prose, this book is based on the life of Lady Hester Stanhope and imagines what her daughter, if she had one, would be like if transported from the desert of the Arabian Peninsula to a manor house in England. Throw in a reticent English Lord, happy on a camel facing death, but petrified to speak with a woman, and an unexpected child, and the stage is set for high conflict. A marvelous read as are all her books.
Eight Nights to Win her Heart by Roni Denholtz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The hero of this story has been neglecting the woman he loves. She’s ready to call it quits. He has one chance to win her back. Set during the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah), this soft glowing romance shows that no matter what, love will always win.
Every Last Breath by Juno Rusdan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an exciting, sit-on-the-edge-of-your seat thriller. A lethal bioweapon is about to be released in Washington D.C. and only two former lovers can stop it. It doesn’t help that they can’t stand each other, but are still attracted. This sets in motion a tense, high conflict romance story that will keep you racing through the pages. Highly recommended.
Read my interview with Juno Rusdan
Forbidden Kisses by Sha Renee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When two naval officers unwittingly fall in love, their careers end up on the line. Watching these two people so deeply in love and yet trapped by the rules of their chosen careers is gut-wrenching and emotional. Sha Renee has created a hot, sexy story which draws in the reader and keeps you turning the pages. Can they make this impossible relationship work or will everything unravel in the end?
Read my interview of Sha Renee
Fortune Favors the Wicked by Theresa Romain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved the blind hero of this book. He is a wonderful person with astute senses and a rich resource of knowledge. The courtesan heroine is feisty and charming and hemmed in by society’s rules. Their interaction overshadows the search for the missing treasure that they both want. But that is okay. It is the unlikely, but growing, romance between them that is the real story.
Haunted Serenade by Anna M. Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Atmospheric and haunting, this is a story of broken hearts and rediscovered love. Separated from her husband, the heroine lives for her daughter and avoids her past. Invited to her estranged mother’s home, all her old fears return. When her husband shows up, she is sure, the worst is about to occur. Can love blossom amidst such fear? The story reaches into the soul with images and characters who are unforgettable. Highly recommended.
Read my interview with Anna Taylor (Michal Scott)
Hidden Magic by Tena Stetler
Hidden Gypsy Magic by Tena Stetler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Set in Salem, Massachusetts, Hidden Gypsy Magic is a fascinating love story between an animal rescuer with magical ties to animals and the local vet. As they explore an old haunted house, they learn more about themselves and the history they come from. A fantastical, heart-warming read.
Read my interview with Tena Stetler
Let Us Dream by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Women had a long hard fight to win the vote in the United States, especially women of color. This romance shows what that fight looked like for working women in Harlem living in a society that did not see them as equal in any way. This history is deftly woven around the burgeoning love between an illegal immigrant from India and the owner of a dance hall with secrets of her own. If you are at all interested in women’s fight for suffrage, this book is a must read. Highly recommended.
Love’s Recipe by Mila Nicks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Driven away by her mother, the heroine of this story returns home, her dreams lost. But then she meets the hero, a man striving to get through the day after the passing of his mother. He has no desire to keep the family restaurant going. But that soon changes. With two daughters the same age who bond as friends, and the heroine’s desire to make a go of the restaurant and her life, a happy ending is sure to come. Great foody book. Great read.
Magnar by Mary Morgan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Be spirited back in time to the Orkadian Islands and ancient Scotland. Based on the author’s travels in the region, the story is rich in landscape and historical detail. The romance develops slowly. Werewolf Magnar is on a quest of his own to find his brother. Elspeth has vowed vengeance on the men who killed her brother. Forced into marriage, they must travel a treacherous path to love. If you love alpha heroes and know-their-own-mind women, you will enjoy this book.
Read my interview with Mary Morgan
The Prince’s Son by Delsora Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A prince and a nanny go head to head in this contemporary western romance. Under pressure from his father to be something he doesn’t want, the prince is a prickly character. But despite his being a rival of her family, a local rancher’s daughter takes pity on his young son in this enemies to lovers romance. A satisfying read.
Read my interview with Delsora Lowe
Regency Christmas Anthology by Susan Payne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Three wonderful stories set at Christmas time in the Regency period. In the first story a young woman sacrificing for her brother ends up with the best reward. In the second, a lord finds love in an unexpected way. In the third, a hard-working cook is discovered by an eccentric lord. Payne writes with humor and emotion. If you love sweet holiday tales these stories are for you.
Read my interview with Susan Payne
Secrets of the Ravine by Brenda Whiteside
My rating: 5 of 5 star
When the dead ringer for a long lost love walks appears at the start of a novel, you know you will be immersed in a twisting, amazing mystery. Set in a fictionalized Arizona ghost town, the past of the wild sixties settlers weaves into the thriving tourist community of today. Romance blossoms between an older shopkeeper and a young lawyer as they try to clear her father of a long ago murder. There is something for everyone in this slightly magical mystery romance. And yes, there is a logical explanation for the doppelganger. But you will have to read Secrets of the Ravine to find out.
Read my interview with Brenda Whiteside
Th eir No-Strings Affair by Charlotte O’Shay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The opening scene sets the stage for a heart-twisting romance between a small town girl newly arrived in New York and an Italian security expert with mama problems. After a disastrous meeting, that involves smashed dishes and more, career-focused Honey and over-protective Jake hit all the wrong buttons, but can’t fight their attraction in this fun and sexy light-hearted romance. A great read.
Read my interview with Charlotte O’Shay
Under a Gilded Moon by Joy Jordan-Lake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A richly detailed historical novel set at the Vanderbilt mansion Biltmore House in North Carolina. There’s a murder, hanky-panky, snobbery, racial conflict, and some interesting historical twists and facts. Well worth a read.
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Did you read a great romance of 2020?
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