The Guest Cottage - Lori Foster (Kensington - June 2025)

Series: Firefly Summer (Book 1)
 
Marlow Heddings is starting over. She's carried the outrage of her husband Dylan's affair with a younger woman -- and the expectations of his family's powerful Chicago holdings company -- long enough. Now, after another devastating twist of fate, she's unapologetically moving on.
 
Arriving in tiny Bramble, Kentucky, Marlow revels in her freedom, swapping her executive suits for sundresses . . . and scouting places to open her dream boutique. Best of all is her new residence, an adorable cottage with gorgeous lake views -- and a breathtaking landlord, former Marine Cort Easton. Soon they're sharing dockside morning coffee and nighttime firefly gazing. Marlow's new life feels like a dream.
 
Then Pixie Nolan arrives on her doorstep. With a shocking secret.
 
To Marlow's astonishment, Dylan's "other woman" is a desperate girl of nineteen, destitute, exhausted, and disowned by her family. Defying her manipulative in-laws' demands, and surprising even herself, Marlow vows to lay down roots in Bramble and help Pixie get on her feet. Then they'll part ways. But empathy has a way of forging bonds. As Marlow grows close to the hard-working, devoted young woman, she becomes something of a big sister to Pixie.
 
Now, with each sunrise, Marlow awakens to the life she was truly meant to live, one filled with deepening connections, supportive friendship . . . and even a second chance at love.
 
Terrific book about starting over, forgiveness, friendship, and love. After Marlow discovered her husband's infidelity, she began divorce proceedings. Unfortunately, Dylan passed away before the divorce was finalized. Now she is stuck with grief-stricken and clingy in-laws and their unrealistic expectations. Ready to move on, she rents a lakeside cabin in a small Kentucky town and sets out to rediscover who she is.
 
I loved how Marlow embraced her new life. Her joy in peaceful sunrises and sunsets illustrates how she heals from the emotional turmoil of her marriage. I laughed out loud at her enthusiasm for her new job as a waitress at the Dry Frog bar. The quirky characters added another layer of depth to the story's realism. And then there was Cort: former Marine, local handyman, and her landlord. Cort is a quiet man with a big heart. I loved his interactions with the locals, who see him as a hero and an essential member of the community.
 
I enjoyed watching Cort and Marlow's relationship develop. Sparks of attraction are there from the beginning, but they don't rush into anything. Cort joins Marlow for sunrise coffee and shares the peace of evenings watching fireflies. I loved his sensitivity to her moods and how he offers quiet support when she has issues with her in-laws. I loved the steady progress of their relationship and the cautious acceptance of their growing feelings.
 
Matters become complicated when Dylan's "other woman" shows up at Marlow's house. Instead of the manipulative homewrecker Marlow expected, Pixie is a desperate young woman who was used and discarded by Dylan. My heart broke for what she'd been through. Marlow's reaction wasn't what I expected, and I loved seeing her take Pixie under her wing. I liked Pixie and loved the growing closeness between the two women. A confrontation with the in-laws brings tension, but also closure.
 
As Cort and Marlow continue their relationship, the town's unique residency requirements may put a kink in their hopes for the future. The town meeting was terrific, and I loved how they resolved the issue. I look forward to the next book and seeing what is next for the residents of Bramble.

The Duke's Champion - C.H. Admirand (Dragonblade - June 2025)

Series: Duke's Guard (Book 13)
 
Flaherty asks permission to court Mary Kate, but his jealous reaction to her gregarious nature stalls their courtship.
 
Mary Kate Donovan has had Flaherty tied up in knots from the moment he pulled her free from the duke's overturned carriage. But the lass hasn't been saving her smiles only for Flaherty—and worse, she seems to have forgotten his rescuing her, telling everyone of Garahan's earlier rescue when she was kicked to the curb by Lady Kittrick's cook.
 
Mary Kate is abducted—twice—and a misunderstanding has Flaherty leaving his position and resigning from the duke's guard!
 
A suitor who cannot take no for an answer, despite Mary Kate's insistence that she and Flaherty are courting, causes a rift between the two, leaving Flaherty to doubt Mary Kate's feelings, until he regains consciousness bound hand and foot next to her…in a burning barn!
 
It will take the patience of a saint—which Flaherty isn't—and the understanding of the woman he loves to straighten out the situation that threatens the very fiber that holds the men in the duke's guard together.
 
Danger stalks in the night, but it will have to get past the Duke's Champion before he will let harm come to those he has sworn to protect with his strength, his honor, and his heart.
 
Another outstanding story about members of the Duke's Guard. Seamus and Mary Kate have been secondary characters in several earlier stories, with their on-again-off-again relationship simmering in the background. I've looked forward to seeing them get their act together.
 
Mary Kate's sunny personality is a result of feeling safe after her recent trials and tribulations. Her habit of bestowing her smiles on everyone (including other men) stirs up Seamus's jealousy. His quick temper, combined with his jealousy, causes him to doubt Mary Kate's feelings for him. Their relationship, complicated by something he said under the influence of fever-related delirium, drives her away from him.
 
Both Mary Kate and Seamus suffer from their separation, each doubting the other's feelings. I laughed a bit at Seamus's moping and the hard time he gets from his cousins. His shock when they revealed what he had said to her was genuine, and I loved his realization that he needed to make amends. Meanwhile, Mary Kate's self-doubts intensified after the incident. I loved the support she received from her friends and how they helped reunite the couple.
 
However, another man wants Mary Kate for himself and refuses to accept her rejection. His actions put Mary Kate in life-threatening situations that kept me glued to the pages until they were resolved. But the aftermath of this event creates a strain between Seamus and his employer, the viscount, that leads to Seamus making a drastic decision. I loved the support he received from his cousins and brothers. I loved seeing the efforts made to resolve the situation. As usual, it seems that the ladies play a significant role in resolving thorny issues.
 
The epilogue was fantastic. It's always fun to get a peek into the futures of these fantastic characters.

 
 

A Touch of Steele - Cathy Maxwell (Avon - May 2025)

Series: Gambler's Daughters (Book 3)
 
From the moment the enigmatic Mr. Steele "almost" kissed her on a Dublin street, her world was forever altered. He commands the respect of rogues and nobles alike... and Gwendolyn owes him a favor. 
 
She believes he owes her a kiss.
 
Beckett is a lone wolf. However, he needs Gwendolyn to discover the secrets of his past. He has no choice but to seek her help -- even though she threatens the walls he has carefully erected around his heart. 
 
He doesn't need a woman in his life; she knows he can't live without her.
 
Together, they must navigate a world of deception, where love defies the odds and secrets threaten to unravel everything they hold dear. Will they find a future together, or will the past tear them apart?
 
Good conclusion to the Gambler's Daughters series. I've looked forward to Gwendolyn and Beck's story since their first meeting at a Dublin gambling hell. Ever since that first meeting and the kiss that almost happened, Gwendolyn has known he is the man she wants. Those feelings grow with every encounter over the first two books in the series.
 
Many people respect Beckett, from members of London's underbelly to the highest echelons. I'm still not sure exactly what he does, other than help people solve problems. This frequently involves them owing him favors, which he then calls in when needed for future activities. Gwendolyn is one of those who owes him.
 
The book opens as Beck investigates a personal mystery. The opening line, "He'd asked for the oldest whore in the house," was a unique hook to pull me into the story. Beck is a man searching for the truth about his past. A wartime injury stirred up long-buried memories, and he is determined to discover the truth. To do that, he needs Gwendolyn's help.
 
Gwendolyn is happy to help, but she intends more involvement than Beck is willing to accept. She is a strong-willed woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. I loved their interactions as Beck attempts to keep her safe, and Gwendolyn fights to help the man she loves. I enjoyed seeing how she chips away at his "go it alone" attitude by refusing to step back. Her understanding and support also crumble the walls he had around his heart, and he begins to believe that he might be worthy of her love. My heart broke for him and the past he uncovered.
 
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Gwendolyn knows her feelings from the start, but getting Beck to admit his was an uphill battle. She never gives up on him, and I had to laugh at some of the situations she took advantage of to chip away at his objections. Beckett fights hard against his feelings, but he's no match for her unconditional love and determination. A dangerous situation forces him to finally accept his feelings and stop pushing her away. I loved the ending and the surprise he had for her.
 
The mystery of Beckett's past intrigued me and kept me turning the pages. The twists and turns of his investigation kept me guessing at the whole truth. I figured out parts of it, but others took me by surprise. There were some nail-biter moments involving those who intended to make sure their secrets stayed buried, but the teamwork of Beckett and Gwendolyn brought them through safely. The resolution surprised me a bit, but I can see why they made the choice they did.
 
Though this book is the last of this series, I believe, I would like to see a book with Lord Elliston as its hero. He was a young man who exhibited some intriguing character growth throughout the book, and I would like to see where it leads. 

 

The Viking's Royal Temptation - Roxy Harper (HH #1863 - June 2025)

Duty vs. desire…
Which will win?
 
Princess and healer Theadora doesn't flinch at the sight of armed soldiers. Yet when another uprising threatens to disturb Constantinople's peace, and Varangian guard Erik bursts into her sanitorium, she's stunned by her body's immediate reaction to the rugged Viking…
 
After the tragic loss of his family, Erik vowed to never love again. So he refuses to let his inconvenient attraction to Thea distract him from his duty: escorting her to marry the king of Macedonia. 
 
If Thea doesn't wed, her people will suffer, so can the star-crossed lovers fight their feelings, as well as their enemies?
 
A very enjoyable romance set in a rarely explored era and location. The story takes place in 10th-century Byzantium during one of its many periods of political unrest. The main characters are Erik, one of the Emperor's Varangian guards, who buries the grief of losing his family in his work, and Princess Theadora, the Emperor's niece, a skilled healer.
 
Erik and Theadora meet when he brings an injured young boy to her for healing. The attraction between them is immediate, but Erik's past makes him resistant to risking his heart again. Theadora is wary of men after multiple attempts to manipulate her. Matters become complicated when a rebellion erupts, and Theadora must rely on Erik to get her to safety.
 
The book's pace picks up as Erik and Theadora face the dangerous journey from Constantinople to Macedonia. In the quieter moments, they have the opportunity to get to know each other. The attraction between them grows, along with the realization that there is no chance of a future together. I liked Theadora's empathy for Erik's losses and the effect it had on him. I also liked Erik's respect for Theadora's abilities and her position. Though he is considered a nobleman in his own country, here, Erik is seen as a barbarian. Meanwhile, Theadora is promised to the king of Macedonia. Their journey provides its own obstacles, from fire to bandit attacks to an attempted kidnapping. The conclusion is intense with a nail-biter confrontation, leaving Theadora and Erik with questions about their future. I loved Erik's clever solution to their romance and the epilogue that followed.
 
I enjoyed the look at life in the Byzantine Empire. We get a glimpse into the politics as the Emperor faces a rebellion, and we see how he fights back, both physically and politically. There is a little bit about the differences between the Christian Byzantines and the polytheistic Norsemen of the Varangian guard. There are glimpses of daily life, both royal and commoner. I look forward to reading more from this author. 

 

The Lyon Whisperer - Kimberly Keyes (Dragonblade - May 2025)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 81)
 
In this high-stakes game of love and marriage, when love equals surrender, who will be the victor?
 
Lady Amelia Duval is used to being indulged. The reckless daughter of an earl has evaded each and every suitor her father has put before her. She knows she's pushed him too far, however, when her litter of mud-covered puppies upends a meeting between him and the darkly handsome colonel, Lord Chase Culver, aka the "Iron Lion of Barrosa."
 
Lord Culver stays calm in the face of disaster—such as when his uncle informs him of the fortune-crushing bet he lost in the notorious Lyon's Den. To satisfy the debt, Culver must marry Lady Amelia Duval, a woman he's glimpsed only once, and bring her to heel—or the loss doubles.
 
The stern tactician's simple plan to tame the raven-haired beauty by any means hits a serious snag when he finds himself reluctantly drawn to his wife's tender heart and unladylike eccentricities.
 
Quickly softening toward her magnetic and oddly scandal-averse new husband, Amelia struggles to reign in her less-than-proper tendencies, and with little success.
 
When she confesses she's fallen head-over-heels in love with Culver, she unwittingly dismantles his entire scheme and achieves the unthinkable, garnering the Iron Lion's unconditional surrender.
 
Knowing the terrible secret he guards would destroy her, he will bet everything to protect the woman who owns him, heart and soul, even if it means losing her forever.
 
Will his gamble on love win them a happily-ever-after, or cost them both all they hold dear?
 
Fun story where a high-stakes card game brings two people together - Colonel Lord Chase Culver, a man who prefers order and stability, and Lady Amelia Duval, a free-spirited young woman whose antics concern her father.
 
After Chase's return from the war, he concentrates on revitalizing the property awarded to him by the king. He also finds himself attempting to make his uncle's properties solvent again after the man's gambling debts bring him close to bankruptcy. He has no interest in marriage until everything is in order. But when his uncle loses a substantial amount to Amelia's father, the two men decide that if Chase marries Amelia and turns her into a "proper lady," the debt will be fulfilled. If he does not, Chase's uncle will owe twice the amount.
 
Though not entirely happy about the forced marriage and its requirements, Chase is intrigued by Amelia. He met her briefly a few days earlier and hasn't been able to forget her. With his reputation for bringing order out of chaos, he anticipates little trouble in fulfilling the earl's demands. Amelia doesn't give in easily. I loved seeing her confront Chase with her own demands.
 
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Amelia's sunnier attitude nicely balances Chase's seriousness. Though Chase is initially disturbed by Amelia's seemingly reckless actions, it doesn't take him long to see that it is her soft heart that motivates her. I laughed to see him fall under her spell, with the pup Roddy wiggling his way past Chase's walls. I especially enjoyed seeing Chase's growing appreciation of Amelia's differing viewpoints and his willingness to stand up for her. Amelia quickly loses her heart to Chase despite his occasional attempts to rein her in. Neither can deny the sparks of attraction between them, which help bring them closer together.
 
There is a bit of suspense included in the story. Someone is setting fires on his property, destroying the timber he sells to get his finances back in order. Chase is determined to stop the culprit and is none too pleased when Amelia gets involved in the investigation. Some interesting developments provided a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.
 
I especially enjoyed the puppies in this book and how they affected some of the plot points. Roddy was my favorite. It was fun to see his effect on Chase. 

 

Hunting the Amish Witness - Dana R. Lynn (LIS #1190 - Aug 2025)

Series: Amish Country Justice (Book 20)
 
A witness in hiding.
An enemy with a vendetta.
 
After discovering her best friend's dead body, Miriam Troyer knows two things: the killer is the same man who murdered her husband…and he wants her dead. With the culprit in pursuit, Miriam goes on the run with her baby and seeks refuge in the Amish community she left behind. However, after an attack leaves Miriam with no memory, Caleb Schultz, a man from her past, must step in to protect her and her daughter. But the criminal is determined to silence Miriam for good and will stop at nothing to get his revenge.
 
Fast-paced story that grabbed my attention in the first pages and kept me hooked to the end. We first met Miriam in Amish Witness to Murder, as Beth's sister, who had left the Amish community, briefly reappeared and then disappeared again. The book opens as she witnesses a second murder by the man who killed her Englisher husband. She flees the scene with her baby, heading for the only place she feels safe - her old hometown. The murderer is hot on her heels, and she barely survives the hit-and-run attack that leaves her with no memory.
 
Caleb witnesses the attack and saves her and her baby. He's stunned when he recognizes Miriam as the troublemaking girl from his youth. He steps up to protect them despite his wariness over her past. Something about her keeps him determined to stay near.
 
The suspense is intense from start to finish. The man and his companions who pursue her are determined and ruthless. The escalating attacks kept me glued to the pages as they evaded gunfire and attempted kidnapping. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with a heart-pounding conclusion.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Miriam and Caleb. Caleb is wary of her due to her past actions and her current status as an Englisher. He has no intention of leaving the Amish community, so a relationship with her is impossible. Miriam has changed since becoming a mother and tries to overcome her past actions. They grow closer, but their lives remain on different tracks. I ached for Caleb, who fell hard for Miriam. Miriam must take a hard look at her life and what she wants for her future. I liked how she was honest with Caleb about her feelings and that she took her time to be sure of what she wanted. The epilogue was fantastic.
 
I enjoyed seeing characters from earlier books, especially Steve and Miriam's sister, Beth. 

 

Lilac Time - Fern Michaels, Lori Foster, Carolyn Brown (Kensington - May 2025)

Sweet collection of stories. A favorite part is that each story had at least one animal (dog/cat) that was important to the story.
 
SWEET AS HONEY * Fern Michaels
Natalie is through with pining over her ex. If only her efforts to be social again didn't lead to repeated run-ins with an infuriating beekeeper at the local farmer's market. Yet Garrett keeps buzzing around. And as Natalie watches his patience and dedication in tending his hives, she begins to wonder if life has a sweet surprise in store.
 
After a difficult breakup with her boyfriend, Natalie was more than happy to return to her hometown to help her parents while her dad recovered from hip surgery. On her first full day, she encountered Garrett, the local beekeeper. With her current distrust of men, she makes a snap judgment of him. She spends an inordinate amount of time thinking negatively about him until she actually meets the man. I liked Garrett and his devotion to the bees, as well as his efforts to educate people about their importance. Meanwhile, Natalie contemplates moving back home for good. She and Garrett circle each other for a while but eventually show their interest in seeing where a relationship might lead.

 
EVERYTHING SHE'D EVER WANTED * Lori Foster
Annabeth can see that her neighbor's handsome nephew, Devlin, has his hands full, raising his little girl single-handed. Yet though his life is frazzled, it's full of the kind of joy and togetherness she longs for. And when Devlin's daughter and Annabeth's tiny dog fall hard for each other, it might be the start of more than one beautiful friendship.
 
Annabeth is lonely, though she tries to hide it. With no family of her own, she has sort of adopted Sony, the elderly man next door. She also got to know Sony's nephew, Devlin, and Devlin's little girl, Mia. Annabeth is a take-charge kind of woman and, as the story opens, steps in to help Devlin during a crisis with Mia. The growing relationship between Annabeth and Devlin is helped along by Uncle Sony's machinations and the love between Mia and Annabeth's adorable dog, Ruby. Annabeth has some self-esteem issues, but Devlin and his family's love and support show her the way to her forever home.

 
THE MEMORY CABIN * Carolyn Brown
Jenna Stewart loves gathering at her Texas lakeside cabin with her girlfriends. It's an annual tradition to reconnect with the women who helped her deal with her mother's passing along with the end of her marriage. But this year, lives are changing, dreams are evolving. And perhaps Jenna's heart has healed enough to welcome a new love that arrives with the first flowers of spring . . .
 
After her mother's death and the end of her marriage, Jenna moved back to the lake house that was her favorite summer memory. There, she becomes reacquainted with Carter, her teenage crush and soon-to-be park ranger. I liked how he stood by her side in support when she faced trouble rather than stepping in and taking over. Jenna also faces a crossroads in her life, as her yearly retreats with her best friends come to an end due to changing lives. I loved her friends and how they remained close even with those changes.