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oracleofmadness · 7 months

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This was such a delight! Gwen is a princess at Camelot, years after Arthur Pendragon has turned to myth. Arthur is her betrothed. However, neither is looking forward to their future together because both are queer.

Gwen has spent years falling for the one and only female knight that takes part in the tournament every summer while Art is falling for Gwen's brother. This story is not only romantic but is full of meaningful moments. The dialogues, the banter, is so funny and enjoyable.

The ending completely surprised me. I thought this would never get too serious, but the ending is intense!

Out November 28, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

#book #bookish #books #bookworm #book review #currently reading #read #bookblogger #reading #ya romance #ya romcom #ya books #romcom #historical romance #lgbtq+#lgbtq books #lgbtqia #gwen and art are not in love #lex croucher

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nothwell · 2 months

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Letters to Half Moon Street by Sarah Wallace

Queer. Cozy. Comfort. Truly a book that puts the romance in romantasy. Reading this felt like sinking into a hot bubble bath. A wonderfully immersive experience with some delightful surprises.

For those who enjoy…

historical fantasy

queernormative worldbuilding

hurt/comfort

First in a series and I cannot wait to read the rest.

(Also, guess what? The ebook is permafree!)

#gay romance #historical romance #mm romance #mlm romance #queer romance #regency romance #historical fantasy #book review #romantasy #letters to half moon street #meddle and mend #sarah wallace

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megaeralwrites · 3 months

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Honestly? 100% accurate. This may not be the most rave review my book has gotten so far, but it's definitely one of my favorites. Read the whole thing here.

#the shabti #ghost stories #historical fantasy #queer fiction #2024 debuts #ancient egypt #lgbtqia books #writing community #supernatural thriller #my art #goodreads review #hermann goschalk #gay character #jewish characters #m/m romance

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tintededges · 1 year

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Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams)

Historical fiction novel about the impact of colonialism on Wiradyuri people and country Content warning: racism, colonialism, natural disaster, sexual harassment I have read a few books by this author and I was really excited when her new historical fiction novel was released back in 2021. I picked up a copy from Read on Books in Katoomba while my significant other was running an…

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#aboriginal and torres strait islander #anita heiss #Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray #book reviews #books #Historical Fiction #River of Dreams #romance #Wiradyuri

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jessread-s · 5 months

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✩🧚‍♂️📔Review:

I adored this cozy, atmospheric read from start to finish!

“Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries” follows Emily Wilde, a genius scholar and meticulous researcher, as she journeys to a small town to write the world’s first encyclopaedia on faerie folklore. Not too long after, her handsome and charming academic rival Wendell Bambleby arrives and gets in the middle of her research. As she gets closer to discovering the secrets of the hidden ones, she begins to question who he truly is and what he really wants.

Epistolary novels (works of fiction written in the form of journal entries, letters, or other documents) are few and far between these days, so I am ecstatic I love this one as much as I do! I enjoy this style of writing because it reveals so much in the way of characterization. For example, Emily’s thorough account of her time in the field complete with footnotes shows just how dedicated she is to her research and studies. Her entries also showcase some of her quirks—like how she prefers the company of books, her dog, and the fae to other people—which made me love her all the more.

Wendell Bambleby is one of my favorite characters of all time. Seriously. He begins as Emily’s academic rival, but throughout the novel he wins her, and the reader, over with his irresistible charm. He is the sunshine to Emily’s grumpy and his attachment to her is incredibly endearing. Additionally, his good-natured teasing, sewing hobby, and neat freak personality, keep the book light while also making his character stand out.

The romantic relationship that develops between Emily and Wendell is definitely a subplot, but I actually appreciated that it wasn’t the book’s focus because Emily wouldn’t be Emily if her research didn’t come first. I enjoyed getting the opportunity to explore her brilliant mind and absorb her vast knowledge on the fae through her journal.

Fawcett really created something special and I know I’m not alone in saying that I cannot wait for what comes next!

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

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b-andherbooks · 5 months

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2024 Historical Romance MUST READ

finally, finally a 2024 debut historical romance i am legit excited for! and with a clinch cover i'm obsessed with.

big persuasion meets poldark vibes!!

if you enjoyed the "oh shit he's back from the dead and his former affianced is married to someone else now" and "i'm so mad he picked her over me i'll never forgive him" angst & ennui, let me tell you this is delicious.

Lieutenant Eli Williams has his ~reasons~ and he'll grovel for each and every one of them, because Jane Bishop is ✨worth it✨. Even if Jane has calculated the odds, and they are BAD for our buttoned up sea-man.

also, i super duper appreciated discussions of money in this book. Eli's family spends all of his inheritance (because he's dead! at sea!) and Jane is a woman being supported (luckily) by an uncle who loves her, but has no guaranteed future and a brother I'd like to punch in the throat a bit. Jane's attempts to start a gambling ring amongst the richer ladies of the ton felt a bit florence of FYF fame (IYKYK) coded (hell yeah) but with more ~stakes~ because Jane has not much to fall back on if it fails.

there's also some unpacking of the horrors of war // military service.

Snap this up, histrom readers! You'll absolutely want it ASAP.

Cannot wait for more from Faye Delacour; you can preorder now for April 2024!

thank you to @sourcebooks for the early review copy

#romance books #historical romance #bookish #b.andherbooks review'

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triviareads · 1 month

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ARC Review of The Bootlegger's Bounty by Adriana Herrera

Rating: 4/5 Heat Level: 4.5/5 Publication Date: April 16th

Premise:

An MMF poly romance set in the 1920s; when the ship she's hiding in is hijacked by bootleggers, Rosalía is willing to do anything to get in the good graces of bootlegger Cam and gangster Enzo in order to secure her passage to New York City.

My review:

This is a revised, expanded version of the short story Adriana Herrera wrote for the Villain I'd Like to F... anthology in 2022. I had a lot of fun reading this queer, poly romance that not only has racially diverse characters and an interesting setting we rarely see in historicals (the Caribbean), but it was also SUPER hot. There's nine chapters plus and epilogue, and it doesn't take the characters very long to act on their attraction towards one another.

This story was initially a part of an anthology about villains so obviously Cam, our bootlegger and kidnapper, has few qualms about accepting Rosalía's offer to have sex with him in exchange for passage to New York City. And Enzo, my favorite bratty nepo baby gangster and bane of Cam's existence, has only a few more scruples. But Rosalía isn't passive in all this; she isn't afraid to express her wants and desires, and she keeps pushing when she doesn't achieve her ends. I loved the dynamic between the three of them— there's this great mix of dirty moments peppered with sweet. And while the book is relatively light on external plot, it does build up to a quick, final heist before the three of them can settle together once and for all.

The sex:

There are multiple sex scenes, all high heat and on the rougher end. I loved the initial instances of voyeurism (particularly Enzo tragically jerking off when he hears Cam with Rosalía early on lol) and a sex act near the end when they're all together that's relatively rare even in poly romances.

Rosalía is a woman who knows what she wants and I do appreciate when an fmc gives as good as she gets in terms of dirty talk. And the dirty talk is BONKERS HOT all around; the degradation, the praise, plus immaculate use of pet names, from Cam calling Enzo "boy" (derogatory) and "brat" (mostly affectionate) to Enzo's tender use of "belleza" for Rosalía.

Also, I love that Enzo is a *brat* and tbh so does Cam even if he doesn't want to admit he's into it until after multiple up-close-and-personal confrontations. Between Enzo and Rosalía, they keep Cam on his toes, like, the vibe there definitely "I can't leave you two alone, can I?" (He can't, and he shouldn't).

Overall:

I really enjoyed this book! I'd recommend it to any romance reader looking for a a quick, high-heat read that is refreshingly diverse as far as historical romances go.

Thank you to Adriana Herrera and her team for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#arc review #arc #adriana herrera #historical romance #romance novels #romance novel #book review #book reviews

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asteralien · 4 months

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this is from a review of a historical (victorian) lesbian romance whose title is taken from a taylor swift song.

#pull the trigger piglet #i don't want to do this anymore.#i'm not a writer anymore i don't want to publish books in this atmosphere #aster chat #edit: this was published by AVON !!!#AVON published a historical romance with a ts lyric as the title!!!!!!!#edit: sorry i was under the impression this was a regency romance and it is not; it is a victorian romance #the reviewer was just wrong about bridgerton #which should have been Stupid Obvious because the dresses on the (ugly) cover are VERY victorian

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eruden-writes · 9 months

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Being in romance lover groups and writer groups on Facebook, and doing research (ie: reading romance novels,) I find it interesting that Tumblr seems unique in having a preference for 2nd person.

I'm not sure if Wattpad prefers 2nd POV, but I know I see a lot on there, too. So I'd wager they do.

I vaguely wonder if it has to do with the boom in popularity that D&D has encountered, since the 2nd POV method is ingrained with that. Maybe even the growing popularity of otome games, too. Since many are in 2nd POV, as well.

Regardless, in many of the traditionally published romance books I've encountered, it's either 1st POV or 3rd POV.

What are your thoughts on this?

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a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit · 11 months

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Book Review: Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde #1) by Heather Fawcett

Without a doubt one of my favorite reads of the year. And I mean that enthusiastically as well as unapologetically.

I saw somebody else refer to Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries as a cozy fantasy, and do you know what? I agree with gusto. It's an apt descriptor because this book is quaint, it's charming, and it's warmly whimsical in ways that had me wanting to curl up in an oversized chair to lose myself in its enchanting magic whenever I had a free moment.

The light academia vibe this emanated was another big hook for me. Emily's on a research expedition in the far north, studying faerie habits and folklore so that she can comprise it all in an encyclopedia, and she's serious about her work. Singularly focused. Which of course manifests in introversion, social reclusion, oblivion, and blunt logic. Wendell, her work colleague who also happens to be not-quite-so-mortal, shows up unprompted to "aid" in her research and is her opposite in almost every way. He's affable and full of himself, he's gregarious, he's lackadaisical about academic pursuits and participation, and he's deadpan. So. So. Deadpan. And his banter with Emily is an absolute riot! I cannot tell you how many times the two of them had me giggling.

Things do get dark-ish in moments, as Emily's curiosity and field study inclinations get the better of her while she's observing faeries, but there's always light waiting on the other side of them. (And sometimes absurd and fanciful rescues to boot!) There's not a ton of romance, but where it does dust across the plot, it is sweet and adorable enough to leave you craving more...

...Which is where I'm at now, itching to get my hands on the sequel!

4/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

#ashlee bree's book reviews #emily wilde's encyclopaedia of faeries #heather fawcett #fantasy #historical fantasy #historical fiction #romance #recs: ashlee approved!#read july 2023 #bookblr #booklr #book reviews #book recs

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sweetsavageflame · 10 months

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This is one of my favorite Robert McGinnis romance covers he created for Johanna Lindsey. The original American title is A Gentle Feuding, but that Avon edition cut off the best part.

The Spanish-language version didn't, as we can see so cheekily.

sweetsavageflame.com

#coverart #romance #retro romance #vintage romance #historical romance #old school romance #romance covers #covers #book blog #review #bodice ripper #bodiceripper #books #bookstagram #my books #paperback books #romance books #booklr

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nothwell · 3 months

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One Night in Hartswood by @a-kind-of-merry-war If you've ever seen A Knight's Tale and wished it was gayer, this is a book for you. We've got... • secret identities x2 • gory meet-cute • a misunderstanding that actually makes sense and results from the characters forming logical conclusions with the limited information they're given • hurt/comfort • angst • swordplay (both kinds) • a clever twist to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat • a gentle and lovely romance between our leads Ash is my bad boy fave and every morsel of his tragic backstory just made me ravenous for more. Lucky for me the sequel is out soon.

#gay romance #historical romance #mm romance #mlm romance #medieval romance #emma denny #one night in hartswood #book rec #book review

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richincolor · 7 months

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Title: Flower and Thorn Author: Rati Mehrotra Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance Pages: 338 Publisher: Wednesday Books Review Copy: Purchased Availability: Available now

Summary: Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily—said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat an entire army—Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life.

Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive imposter.

Irinya's fight to recover the priceless flower and to fix what she's done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she's not sure she'll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she's left behind.

Review: [Flower and Thorn contains some fairly graphic descriptions of injuries and death, including a haunting supernatural body horror moment.]

Flower and Thorn is a book with some fascinating world-building elements. While it is undeniably a fantasy (with magical flowers that can utter ominous and cryptic comments to our protagonist), the background driver of the plot is actually the Gujarat Sultanate resisting Portuguese colonialism. The blending of fantastical and historical elements is where Flower and Thorn shines, and author Rati Mehrotra did great work in that arena. I also appreciated how Flower and Thorn tackled inequality and oppression within the sultanate at the same time it highlighted the horrors of colonialism, from sexism affecting the nobles’ preferences for an heir to how the flower hunters and their families are exploited and kept in poverty.

The magical flowers are key plot points throughout the story, both in their comparative rarity and their abilities. I really enjoyed the flower hunting scenes in the Rann. Mehrotra did a fantastic job of selling how difficult and dangerous the work could be—and how dangerous the flowers and their thorns could be in the wrong hands. I still can’t quite picture how using the silver spider lily would actually play out, but the concrete effects of the jasmine, hibiscus, and other flowers helped bolster my belief that it could topple enemies and that it desperately needed to be kept away from the Portuguese.

I had mixed feelings about Irinya as a protagonist. When it came to the adventuring side of the book, her stubbornness and determination to see things through were fantastic. The climax in the Rann and Irinya’s emotional journey there were perfection—I was delighted every step on the salt flats. I also enjoyed the romance despite the love interest being off-screen for the bulk of the book. But Irinya was so wildly out of her depth when it came to the palace intrigue portions of the plot that I found myself increasingly frustrated by her choices. The very first chapters of the book are about her being betrayed (it’s in the summary!), so I was certain she would be more cautious, be more suspicious of others, or try to gather more information before acting as we continued, and that just didn’t play out like I’d hoped.

Recommendation: Borrow it someday if you’re a fan of fantasy. The blending of fantasy and history made Flower and Thorn a highly interesting read, and I appreciated the unique magic system. The climax and conclusion of the book were very well done, and I appreciated the emotional journey even if some of the plot points frustrated me. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Rati Mehrotra’s future books.

Extras: Read the first chapter of Flower and Thorn for free here and see a map for the setting.

Flower and Thorn: A brief history of early 16th century India

#flower and thorn #rati mehrotra #book reviews #young adult books #fantasy #historical #romance #weneeddiversebooks #recommendation: borrow it someday

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jessread-s · 10 months

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✩✒️✉️Review:

“Divine Rivals” is the book I cannot stop thinking about and for that reason alone, I cannot recommend it enough.

“Divine Rivals” follows Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, two young rival journalists competing for a columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette. With her mother suffering from addiction and her brother missing after enlisting in a war among gods, Iris desperately needs to win if she hopes to hold her family together. To keep her worries at bay, she writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door. Unbeknownst to Iris, they end up in the hands of Roman and he anonymously writes her back, sparking a connection that follows Iris to the front lines.

Ross’ writing is infused with magic. Her lyrical prose and imagery contribute to her seamless world-building and instantly immersed me in the high stakes atmosphere of her world. From page one, I was sucked into the lore and mythology surrounding the gods, fascinated by their presence and role in the war. The battle is very reminiscent of both of the World Wars, so I had something familiar to cling to while reading about the front lines. The elements of realism paired very nicely with the fantastical, enriching my reading experience.

The love story in Divine Rivals is one for the history books. I loved alternating between Iris and Roman’s perspectives because it allowed me to fully grasp their character motivations, discover the origin of their respective inner conflicts, and pinpoint the moment they each fell in love with one another. Their development from rivals at the Oath Gazette to lovers desperately clinging to each other on the battlefield is well paced, emotion filled, beautifully done in every other respect.

I especially loved watching Iris and Roman fall in love with each other twice — in person and over letter correspondence. Ross includes the contents of each and every letter in full to forge their connection and make it more believable. With Iris in the dark about the identity of her pen pal, she falls in love with two different sides to Roman and eventually has to come to terms with the fact that her rival and correspondent are the same person.

You’ll have to take my word for it that this book is AMAZING because my review barely scratches the surface. If I could read it again for the first time, I would.

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

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b-andherbooks · 5 months

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romance books with ~great~ filthy talk

#contemporary romance #romance books #b.andherbooks review'#bookish #books and reading #historical romance

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triviareads · 22 days

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ARC Review of Isabel and the Rogue by Liana De la Rosa

Rating: 4.25/5 Heat Level: 3.5/5 Publication Date: June 4th

Premise:

Isabel Luna is conscripted by Mexican officials to spy on possible French sympathizers while she and her sisters are in exile in England. She keeps running into Captain Sirius Dawson, who is also tasked with a similar mission, and the two of them agree to work together despite Isabel being a bookish wallflower, and Sirius being a rake.

My review:

This book has everything I have wanted from recent historical romances: The characters are diverse and the heroine is a woman of color from Mexico who has indigenous ancestry, the plot is centered around political intrigue complete with spy shenanigans, it brings an international perspective beyond England, and the romance is the perfect blend of sweet and sexy.

There is no space for ignorance in Isabel and the Rogue; where other historical romances gloss over British colonialism and the imperialism of the era, this one confronts them head-on. The prevailing attitudes of the British upper-classes that we tend to blindly accept as historical romance readers do not escape the scrutiny of the Luna sisters. It's 1865, France has invaded Mexico, and President Juárez's government is in exile, which is why the Luna sisters are sent to safety in England. They face a great deal of judgement within the ton, and there's a conversation early on about the perception of anything non-European being "backwards" and English superiority. I recall a similar conversation in Ana María and the Fox where an equally ignorant white woman espouses racist and imperialist sentiments, and our heroines quickly set them straight.

There is another discussion during an event at the British Museum about priceless cultural artifacts and Britain's willingness to take them from their homes in the name of "protection", but far less willing to aid the people of these lands. As someone who has seen countless Indian artifacts behind the glass walls of the British Museum and the V&A among others, I don't think any of this comes across as preachy, but rather, I applaud how Liana De la Rosa was extremely pointed while writing these dialogues.

If the strong anti-imperialist themes weren't reason enough to engage with this book, I would also recommend it because of the romance itself. I really enjoyed the build-up between Sirius and Isabel; both are initially weary of each other— Isabel because the first time they met, Sirius was seducing another women on the desk she was hiding under (lol), and while Sirius does find Isabel attractive, he does not know her very well and nor does he receive much encouragement from her. Isabel considers herself the "forgotten" Luna sister, both as a point of pride and chagrin, and she uses this to conduct her spying activities. Sirius on the other hand uses his social acumen to charm men and women (especially women; you get the sense he actually isn't much of a rake at all and seduces mostly for the sake of his job) into getting him information for the Home Office.

Things start to heat up as they Sirius and Isabel both set their eyes on the same possible French sympathizer. What's really funny to me is just how much of an abject failure both of them are at espionage initially, BUT because they keep meeting while spying, they get to know one another a lot better. Add a suitor into the mix and what we get is an inordinately jealous Sirius, which leads to my favorite seduction scene in this book.

The sex:

SPEAKING of seduction, I loved the build-up in attraction between Sirius and Isabel; for all that Isabel is the shy, quiet sister, she certainly has no qualms about expressing her desire, starting with a classic STOP SQUIRMING moment while they both hide under a desk of the person they're spying on and she's in his lap. Obviously she doesn't stop, as she shouldn't. Liana De la Rosa has definitely increased the heat levels (and number of sex scenes I think) in this book compared to Ana María and the Fox.

They also have a thing for clandestine encounters because the next time they meet, he's dragging her into a back room in the British Museum and eating her out while demanding to know if she's actually into her suitor, a possible sympathizer, or she's just encouraging him for the sake of motherland. And look, Sirius might not be much of a rake, but he's a smooth smooth man who says things like "Do you need to be soothed? You know I can give you what you need" and I'm completely inclined to believe him, and so is Isabel.

Overall:

I adored the note this book ended on; it wasn't what I was expecting but I thought what Sirius eventually does to reunite with Isabel was so romantic and pretty unique as far as historical romances go, since they tend to be very Britain-centric and fairly patriarchal. I would strongly recommend this book to any historical romance reader, and I'm looking forward to bratty-younger-sister-who-knows-way-more-than-she-should Gabby's romance with the Duke of Whitfield!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#arc #arc review #netgalley #liana de la rosa #berkley publishing #historical romance #romance novels #book reviews #books

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