Series: None Listed, but this is the 3rd with the same characters
Release Date: March 17, 2026
When Eoin Aucourte, the new Duke of Foxglen comes into the Black Sheep Coffeehouse looking for help in finding his mother and sister, the proprietress, Miss Hannah Wick sees the opportunity to avenge the wrongs done to her father by the Aucourte Family and immediately offers to help. Hannah doesn’t really care for the peerage, despite the fact that her mother, cousin and several friends are nobles, but her father was wronged by the former duke and forced into a life of piracy, he found way out and made a good life for himself, but the distrust of the peerage and the desire for revenge was ingrained into Hannah. But she soon realizes that Eoin is not her enemy and the more time spent with him the more she wants and she knows she has to be honest with him about original intentions before he learns the truth.
When he was just six years old, Eoin’s father was hanged as a traitor and his grandfather the Duke of Foxglen sent his mother and sister away and raised Eoin as his heir. Unhappy with the way his own children turned out, he was brutally severe with Eoin, he refused to let him see his mother or sister, he accorded him none of the luxuries an heir would normally enjoy, he lead a solitary, joyless existence and the first thing he did when the old man died was try and find his mother and sister. His aunts and uncles have never cared for him and with their own inheritances dependent on Eoin not finding his mother, they are no help and he has no idea where to start. He turns to the people of the Black Sheep Coffeehouse who have been able to solve other mysteries and hopes they can help him. He never expected Hannah would be so willing to help and even offers to pretend to be his mistress so they can stay close. With Hannah, Eoin starts to feel alive for the first time ever and when it becomes clear that someone is trying to kill him, she stands by him, how could he not fall in love with her?
I will be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the previous books and even thought about passing on this one, but I am so glad that I decided to give this installment a go – because for me, the third time was a charm! I loved Hannah and Eoin, they are both perfectly flawed characters, each with a heart of gold. Is this story an era correct representation? No, it is completely over the top and ridiculous at times, but it is very entertaining and you can’t help but root for their happy ever after. While the author has not officially made this a series, this book is the third book with the same characters and the titles are connected, but it can easily be read as a standalone title with no issues. Overall, I am happy to recommend this title and look forward to the next installment.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Skye Stone runs a local coffee shop called Coffee Is. Like the name of her shop, she likes things simple and to the point. But she’s more than just a businesswoman in Auralia. She’s fighting for her life as an Aeon and working hard to save her town and her world. Like the other Aeons, she uses her special ability in her battle against Dark Sides. Her’s is reading auras and connecting with her ancestors for help. After all, a lot is at stake, so she can use all the help she can get. But as darkness is getting harder and harder to thrive in, she’s not sure even her ancestors can save the day.
Cooper Munson, a former bounty hunter turned Doctor of Psychology, and Aeon as well, has prided himself on being a solid member of their little band of light workers, using his ability as an empath to define truths and manage others. But the constant interaction with Dark Aspects is disorganizing his very soul. He can’t see a way through for him back to balance in light and love.
Cooper and Skye are not alone in the mission, they know. But things are getting complicated, and with darkness closing in, stronger and stronger, will they survive long enough to save the world from Dark Sides? What will they have to do to truly save their town and their world?
In the climactic conclusion of the Dark Sides series, will the Aeons prevail and change the balance between dark and light for good? Or will Dark Sides, with despair and oppression, rule take down Auralia, then world? Can Cooper and Skye go deeper into darkness and learn the truth about love and light before it’s too late?
EXCERPT:
Skye drummed her fingers on the top of the table she sat at inside Coffee Is. The morning was moving along smoothly, but anxiety churned her insides. She didn’t need to look at a calendar; she knew what the date was. This day was special and was always laced with fear that started in the pit of her stomach and rose up to the middle of her chest, chasing her heartbeat into a sprint.
She knew what she wanted. To run. Run far away fast. Hide deep in the earth where they couldn’t find her, ever. But that wasn’t the answer, she knew. Facing the day, accepting that the danger of the cult she’d grown up in was in the past, and grounding in the present was her best strategy for peace. She knew it. Staying present was a whole other thing.
“Want a warm up?”
Her employee suddenly at her side startled Skye, but she covered it. “Sure. Thank you. How is your day going?” she asked.
The young woman gave her smile. “We’re busy, but everything is going well.”
“Good to hear.” Skye nodded. “Keep up the good work. Oh, and turn down the music.”
The young woman moved to another table, and Skye sighed. She had so much to be grateful for: a great business, wonderful employees, a beautiful circle of companions in the Aeons. But this day reminded her of the terrible ordeal she and her parents had endured. It should be a day to celebrate because it is the day she escaped. It could easily signify freedom from the cult’s oppression. She’d been so young when they’d lived there, though, its teachings had embedded inside her. Even as an Aeon, the foundational conditioning of the cult remained hard to break.
Skye took a sip of her coffee and focused on its richness. The bell dinging on the door set her nerves on edge. It was not new. It told her people were coming and going. But it triggered a memory, and suddenly her inner vision clouded.
A bell ringing in the courtyard at the commune summoned members of the community to a meeting. Fear gripped her heart as she took her mother’s hand, and she looked up to see her father’s face harden. What did it mean? Was someone getting punished for trying to escape?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR BIO and LINKS:
After cutting her writing teeth as a feature writer for commercial and trade magazines, a reporter for newspapers and radio, and an executive editor for a communications company, award-winning author Lynn Crandall tuned her voracious appetite for stories to writing contemporary and paranormal romance, women’s fiction, and romantic suspense. In her books, she enjoys taking readers on emotional journeys with relatable characters who refuse to back down, and face challenges and tribulations with heart and soul. She believes every love has a story, and hers is with one handsome husband and a large, beautiful circle of family, including her cat Winter.
Skye Stone runs a local coffee shop called Coffee Is. Like the name of her shop, she likes things simple and to the point. But she’s more than just a businesswoman in Auralia. She’s fighting for her life as an Aeon and working hard to save her town and her world. Like the other Aeons, she uses her special ability in her battle against Dark Sides. Her’s is reading auras and connecting with her ancestors for help. After all, a lot is at stake, so she can use all the help she can get. But as darkness is getting harder and harder to thrive in, she’s not sure even her ancestors can save the day.
Cooper Munson, a former bounty hunter turned Doctor of Psychology, and Aeon as well, has prided himself on being a solid member of their little band of light workers, using his ability as an empath to define truths and manage others. But the constant interaction with Dark Aspects is disorganizing his very soul. He can’t see a way through for him back to balance in light and love. Cooper and Skye are not alone in the mission, but things are getting complicated, and with darkness closing in, stronger and stronger, will they survive long enough to save the world from Dark Sides? What will they have to do to truly save their town and their world?
I will be 100% honest – I didn’t read the previous books in this series and that definitely impacted my ability to understand this book. I still don’t really understand the Magic or the Aeons, the Dark Sides or the battle they have been fighting for the entire series. I was also expecting more romance / spice, but what I got was pretty much a fantasy action drama with A LOT of characters and a very complicated “magic” system and interpersonal relationships. I believe that if I had read the series in order and therefore understood the basis for the series, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more, as it stands, I would say it has promise and the author has a great vocabulary and turn of phrase, but this is not a book I would read again.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Miss Wick and the Duke Dilemma by Violet Marsh
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