The Romantic Fiction Shelf

One Duke Down
Anna Bennett
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250793935, $8.99, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/One-Duke-Down-Rogues-Lovers/dp/1250793939

Synopsis: Miss Poppy Summers is determined to keep her family's fishing bus= iness afloat. Her poor widowed father has fallen ill, and her foolhardy bro= ther has moved to London, leaving her precious little time to read or pursu=
e her own dreams. But she'll do anything for her family, so she cheerfully = spends mornings in her rowboat, casting her nets. The very last thing Poppy=
expects or wants to find tangled in them is a dangerously attractive man. = Especially one with a head wound -- who's convinced he's a duke.

Andrew Keane is the Duke of Hawking, but he's having the devil of a time co= nvincing his fiery-haired rescuer of that fact. The truth is he came to the=
seaside resort of Bellehaven Bay to escape his life in London. Unfortunate= ly, someone in Bellehaven wants to kill him -- and he intends to find out w= ho. He implores Poppy to tend to his injuries and hide him on her beach, re= asoning it will be easier to find his attacker if that man assumes Keane is=
already dead. She wants no part of the scheme but can't refuse the generou=
s sum he offers in exchange for food and shelter while he recovers. It's a = mutually beneficial business arrangement... nothing more.

Under Poppy's care, Keane regains his strength and a sense of purpose. As t= hey work together to solve the puzzle of his would-be murderer, he's dazzle=
d by her rapier wit and adventurous spirit; she's intrigued by his mysterio=
us air and protective streak. Though Poppy's past gives her every reason to=
mistrust someone like Keane, the seawalls around her heart crumble in the = storm of their passion. But when clues hint at the prime suspect in Keane's=
attempted murder, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie. Torn between = the world she's always known and the one she's always dreamed of, she'll ne=
ed true love for a shot at her fairytale ending.

Critique a fun read that will have a very special appeal for those with an = interest in Regency romance novels, "One Duke Down: A Rogues to Lovers Nove=
l" by Anna Bennett will prove to be a welcome and entertaining addition to = personal reading lists and community library Historical Romance Fiction col= lections. It should be noted that "One Duke Down: A Rogues to Lovers Novel"=
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Anna Bennett (https://us.macmillan.com/author/annabennett) =
is also the author of the Debutante Diaries and Wayward Wallflowers series.

Make a Wish
Helena Hunting
Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250624741, $16.99, PB, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Wish-Helena-Hunting/dp/1250624746

Synopsis: Ever have a defining life moment you wish you could do over? Harl=
ey Spark has one. The time she almost kissed the widowed father of the todd= ler she nannied for. It was so bad they moved across the state and she neve=
r saw them again.

Fast forward seven years and she's totally over it. At least she thinks she=
is. Until Gavin Rhodes and his adorable now nine-year-old daughter, Peyton=
, reappear at a princess-themed birthday party hosted by Spark House, Harle= y's family's event hotel. Despite trying to avoid the awkwardness of the si= tuation, she can't help but notice how unbearably sexy he looks in a tutu. = Add to that a spontaneous hives breakout, and it's clear she's not even rem= otely over the mortification of her egregious error all those years ago.

Except Gavin seems oblivious to her inner turmoil. So much so that he sugge= sts they get together for lunch. For Peyton's sake, of course. It's the per= fect opportunity to heal old wounds. Or it could just reopen them. This is = one of those times Harley wishes she could see the future!

Critique: A fun read from cover to cover, "Make A Wish" by Helena Hunting i=
s a romance lover's delight. This is one of those novels that is laced with=
humor and the kind of happy ending that lingers in the mind and memory of = the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shel=
f. While very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community l= ibrary Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy collections, it should be n= oted that "Make A Wish" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,=
$7.99).

Editorial Note: Helena Hunting (https://helenahunting.com) writes all thing=
s romance -- contemporary, romantic comedy, sports and angsty new adult. So=
me of her books include Meet Cute, Pucked, and Shacking Up.

Yesterday's Tides
Roseanna M. White
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241338, $29.99, HC, 432pp

https://www.amazon.com/Yesterdays-Tides-Roseanna-M-White/dp/0764241338

Synopsis: In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where ev= ery day is the same -- until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin=
to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore =
at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries ke=
ep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS offic=
er he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to b=
e hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, an Englishman, Remington Culbreth, arrived at the=
Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa A= dair, the innkeeper's daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their re= lationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling's lives in World W=
ar II, it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again toda=
y.

Critique: An elegant and original historical Christian romance novel by an = author who is a complete master of the genre, "Yesterday's Tides" by Rosean=
na M. White will prove to be a welcome and enduringly appreciated addition =
to community library Romance Fiction collections and the personal reading l= ists of dedicated romance fans. It should be noted that "Yesterday's Tides"=
is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780764240010, $16.99) a=
nd in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a Christy Awa= rd-nominated author of numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to Am= erican-set romances to Edwardian British series.

Breaking All The Rules
Amy Andrews
Entangled: Amara
c/o Entangled Publishing
https://entangledpublishing.com
9781682815632, $16.99, PB, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-All-Rules-Amy-Andrews/dp/1682815633

Synopsis: Beatrice Archer has always done everything she's supposed to -- w= orked her ass off, ignored her non-existent personal life, and kept her mou=
th shut. Now she's over it. The rat race, respectability, the underwire bra=
s. She's taking her life back. Starting with moving to Nowhere, Colorado to=
live life on her own terms.

Now Bea gives exactly zero forks. Beer for breakfast. Sugar for everything = else. Baggy sweats and soft cotton undies FTW. Then a much younger and deli= ghtfully attractive cop is called to deal with her flagrant disregard for a= ppropriate clothing outside the local diner (some folks just don't apprecia=
te bunny slippers) and Bea realizes there's something missing from her litt=
le decathlon of decadence -- and he might be the guy to help her out.

When it comes to breaking rules, Officer Austin Cooper is surprisingly eage=
r to assist. He's charming, a little bit cowboy, and a whole lot sexy. But = Bea's about to discover that breaking the rules has consequences. And all o=
f the cherry pies in Colorado can't save her from what's coming!

Critique: An inherently riveting and fun read from first page to last, "Bre= aking All The Rules" by novelist Amy Andrews is delightfully original and w= ill have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in Women's Ficti=
on and Romantic Comedy. While highly recommended, especially for community = library Contemporary Romance collections. It should be noted for personal r= eading lists that "Breaking All The Rules" is also available in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Amy Andrews (www.amyandrews.com.au) is an award-winning, US=
A Today best-selling Aussie author who has written sixty plus contemporary = romances in both the traditional and digital markets. She's sold two millio=
n books and been translated into over a dozen languages.

Hearts of Steel
Elizabeth Camden
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241307, $29.99, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Steel-Blackstone-Legacy-3/dp/0764241303

Synopsis: When successful businesswoman Maggie Molinaro offends a corrupt b= anker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to des= troy her life's work. She teams up with charismatic steel magnate Liam Blac= kstone, but what begins as a practical alliance soon evolves into a romance=
between two wounded people determined to beat the odds!

Critique: A fun run from cover to cover, "Hearts of Steel" by Elizabeth Cam= den is especially recommended reading for anyone with an interest in Histor= ical Christian Romance novels. The novel in the author's 'The Blackstone Le= gacy' series, "Hearts of Steel" is highly recommended as a popular addition=
to community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for p= ersonal reading lists that "Hearts of Steel" is also available in a paperba=
ck edition (9780764238451, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9= ..99).

Editorial Note: Elizabeth Camden (www.elizabethcamden.com) is best known fo=
r her historical novels set in Gilded Age America, featuring clever heroine=
s and richly layered story lines. Before she was a writer, she was an acade= mic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but=
her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novel=
s have won Christy, Carol, and RITA Awards and have appeared on the CBA bes= tsellers list.

Love Through The Seasons
Tracie Peterson
Barbour Publishing
P.O. Box 719, 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781636094748, $16.99, PB, 448pp

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Through-Seasons-Tracie-Peterson/dp/1636094740

Synopsis: "Love Through The Seasons" by Tracie Peterson is comprised of fou=
r short contemporary romances, each of which take her readers to the author=
's native state of Kansas.

In "Love Through the Seasons", a single mother is braced for spring tornado=
es and Stormy Weather when she encounters her son's scout troop leader. A s= tudent finds her King of Hearts while participating in a summer Renaissance=
festival, but she may lack queenly confidence. Autumn isn't just about the=
changing of the trees for a widow living with her mother and aunts on the = family farm, it's all about Falling for Love. A wife faces Silent Nights du= ring winter as her marriage begins to crumble at Christmastime.

Critique: Judging by the body of her work over the past 30 years, novelist = Tracie Peterson is quite arguably the "Queen of Historical Christian Fictio= n". Her four short stories comprising "Love Through The Seasons" from Barbo=
ur Publishing will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest i=
n Christian Romance Fiction. While also available in both a digital book fo= rmat (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscap=
e Media, 9781666631340, $24.99, CD), "Love Through The Seasons" is an espec= ially recommended addition to community library Romance Fiction collections=
..

Editorial Note: Tracie Peterson (https://traciepetersonbooks.com) is the au= thor of over 120 books -- most of which are historical novels. Her work in = historical fiction earned her the Life Time Achievement Award from American=
Christian Fiction Writers in 2011 and the Career Achievement Award in 2007=
from Romantic Times, as well as multiple best book awards. Throughout her = career, Tracie has also worked as a managing editor, speaker of various eve= nts and teacher of writing workshops. She was a co-founding member of the A= merican Christian Fiction Writer's organization and has worked throughout h=
er career to encourage new authors.

Her Unexpected Match
Lacey Baker
Entangled: Amara
https://entangledpublishing.com
9781649373502, $8.99, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Her-Unexpected-Match-Lacey-Baker/dp/1649373503

Synopsis: Travel writer Allie Sparks has one goal: to find the story that w= ill save her career. So here she is, visiting her bestie on picturesque Cre= scent Island -- with sun-warmed beaches, the briny smell of the ocean, and = rumors of a secret astrologer-matchmaker who guarantees love. Of course, Al= lie doesn't believe in any of that stuff. If anything, she'll prove it's a = total scam.

Ryan Parker believes in love -- just not right now. He's focused on expandi=
ng his family's barbeque business, finding investors, and keeping his too-b=
ig Great Dane puppy from jumping on everyone, including his sister's pretty=
, whiskey-eyed best friend. Besides, falling for a tourist is definitely no=
t in his astrological forecast.

Allie is doing everything she can to resist the charm of the town and its b= eauty, not to mention her attraction to Ryan. But there's a lot more happen= ing on Crescent Island than anyone knows -- and when her story goes to prin=
t, this tiny, close-knit town might never be the same.

Critique: A fun read from first page to last, "Her Unexpected Match" showca= ses author Lacey Baker's genuine flair for deftly crafting clean, wholesome=
, entertaining, contemporary and original romance novels. While also availa= ble for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $5.99), this paperback edition from Entangled Amara pub= lishing is unreservedly recommended as an enduringly popular addition to co= mmunity library Romance Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Lacey Baker (https://acarthur.com/faq/who-is-lacey-baker) i=
s a Maryland native who lives with her husband and three children in what m= ost would call Suburban America, a townhouse development where everybody kn= ows each other and each other's kids. Family cook-outs, reunion vacations, = and growing up in church have all inspired Lacey to work towards her dreams=
and to write about the endurance of family. She is also the author of the = novel "Homecoming".

The Sisters of Sea View
Julie Klassen
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764234279, $26.99, HC, 448pp

https://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Sea-View-Devonshire-Shores/dp/0764234277

Synopsis: When their father's death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers=
and her genteel sisters fear they will be forced to sell the house and sep= arate to earn livelihoods as governesses or companions. Determined to stay = together, Sarah convinces them to open their seaside home to guests to make=
ends meet and provide for their ailing mother. Instead of the elderly inva= lids they expect to receive, however, they find themselves hosting eligible=
gentlemen. Sarah is soon torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious=
Scottish widower and duty to her family.

Viola Summers wears a veil to cover her scar. When forced to choose between=
helping in her family's new guest house and earning money to hire a maid t=
o do her share, she chooses the latter. She reluctantly agrees to read to s= ome of Sidmouth's many invalids, preferring the company of a few elders wit=
h failing eyesight to the fashionable guests staying in their home. But whe=
n her first client turns out to be a wounded officer in his thirties, Viola=
soon wishes she had chosen differently. Her new situation exposes her scar=
s (both visible and those hidden deep within) and her cloistered heart will=
never be the same.

Critique: Historical Christian romance at its very best, in "The Sisters of=
Sea View" by Julie Klassen takes her readers along as the Summers sisters =
on the Devonshire coast as they discover 'the power of friendship, loyalty,=
love, and new beginnings'. A deftly scripted story of faith, intrigue, sib= ling bonds, "The Sisters of Sea View" debuts a new Regency era romance seri=
es set along the Devonshire coastline and will leave the reader looking for= ward to the next Julie Klassen novel! While highly recommended for communit=
y library Historical Romance collections, it should be noted for personal r= eading lists that "The Sisters of Sea View" is also available in a paperbac=
k edition (9780764234262, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.= 00).

Editorial Note: Julie Klassen (www.julieklassen.com) is a three-time recipi= ent of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Pa=
rk was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has a= lso won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's Best Award and has=
been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University=
of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes f= ull-time.

Lola Delphine
Naomi Barker
Bowker
https://www.bowker.com
9798985353105, $14.99, PB, 386pp

https://www.amazon.com/Lola-Delphine-Naomi-Barker/dp/B09WPZC2DS

Synopsis: British fashion designer Lola Delphine pulls up to the Casino de = Monte-Carlo. Unbeknownst to her, she has been followed by established art d= ealer Jack Alistair, her first love. They have not spoken in twenty-three y= ears due to an overheard secret about Lola's past. Not realizing it is Lola=
until she steps out of the car, he is intrigued. Then he sees the crescent= -moon-shaped scar on her leg.

Set against the glamorous backdrop of the C=C3=B4te d'Azur and London's hot= spots, this is a modern love story with adventure, mystery, a sprinkling of=
cheeky British humour, and quite a lot of naughtiness. It's a VIP pass to = the fast-paced world of art, music, and fashion taking place in exotic loca= les.

The story follows the journey of Jack and Lola. Both are running from broke=
n hearts while resisting temptations from an American film star, a French s= upermodel, a famous rock star, and Annika Barinov, a femme fatale Romanian = billionaire. Signs and symbols from the universe guide them in the right di= rection.

Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Lola Delphine" is = author Naomi Barker debut as a novelist, it will have a very special appeal=
for readers with an interest contemporary romance novels with the theme of=
'people finding their inner truths and discovering who they are and what t= hey want'. A love of art, music, travel, fashion, and all things rock and r= oll have inspired Naomi to make "Lola Delphine", as genuine a read as possi= ble. While unreservedly recommended as an addition to community library col= lections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lola Delphine=
" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Naomi Barker is a British writer who has lived on four cont= inents but currently resides in the U.S. Naomi comes from a creative backgr= ound and has a history in equestrian sports.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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