Category: Part of a Series

The Heartless One by Emma Hamm

On By TracyIn New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Heartless One (The Gravesinger, #2)The Heartless One by Emma Hamm

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: The Gravesinger #2

Release Date: March 3, 2026

This book is continuing the tale of Princess Jessamine and Elric (the Deathless One). Now that Elric has been restored to his mortal form, Jessamine and Elric work together to reclaim her stolen throne and prepare their newly formed coven of witches for the looming battle against the kingdom’s forces. As unrest spreads and the usurper seeks to harness the powers of other gods, Jessamine is forced to confront the difficult reality that fighting for her kingdom may mean standing against it.

Elric, known as the Deathless One, is restored from immortality to a mortal form in “The Heartless One,” Elric’s journey is marked by his intense and worshipful devotion to Jessamine, as well as newfound vulnerability and insecurity stemming from his past. While he flips between embracing his godly identity and wanting to be simply Elric, his love for Jessamine is unwavering and devoted, creating a complex blend of power and human emotion. This transformation, along with his passionate yet sometimes inconsistent behavior, makes Elric both compelling and flawed as he and Jessamine prepare for the looming battle to reclaim her throne.

I will admit that having not read the first book, I was at a disadvantage, but I was also a bit surprised at the relationship between Jessamine and Elric, it lacked the tension and drama I would have expected in the second book of a trilogy. Their romance, although passionate, sometimes feels too perfect and the character development was somewhat inconsistent. The overall pace of the book felt uneven, with long stretches of setup and a climax that feels rushed and underwhelming. Those things aside, the book was an entertaining, easy read and sets the reader up for what should be a satisfying finale. I think the fact that I did not read the first book made this book less satisfying than it could have been, and I would recommend reading the series in order, but that aside, if you are looking for a cozy, low-stakes fantasy romance this book should check all the boxes.

*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. *

 

A Scoundrel for the Suffragist by Melissa Oliver

On By TracyIn Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

A Scoundrel for the Suffragist (The Disreputable Marsden Brothers Book 2)A Scoundrel for the Suffragist by Melissa Oliver

Tracy’s Rating: 3 / 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Disreputable Marsden Brothers

Release Date: February 24, 2026

Cecily Duddlecott is not your typical Victorian heroine; she was one of the first women admitted into Oxford and is a pioneer in the suffragist movement as a founding member of the Women’s Enlightened Reform Movement (TWERM) which supports the right to education for all women. She is passionate about education, but after a scandal that forced her to leave Oxford before she earned her degree, she had to return to her brother’s home and tried to give the appearance of conformity. It isn’t until her brother marries that things become difficult and her brother pushes her to marry newspaper mogul Samuel Millington. And if that was not enough, her best friend’s annoying brother-in-law, Dominic Marsden, seems to be stalking her!

After being raised as golden boys of the ton, only to be cast out of society after their father died and the truth of his bigamist marriage to their mother came to light, Dominic “Dom” Marsden and his brothers lost everything. But instead of giving up, the brothers fought back and created an empire of their own in the form of Trium Impiorum, an exclusive and wildly successful gaming club, and Dominic enjoys his new persona of scoundrel. The last thing he expected was to be dragged into service of the Intelligence Office, Sir Algernon Pendle has commanded Dom to keep his eye on Cecily, as her brother is a known cohort of Samuel Millington, who is suspected of treason. But Dominic never anticipated developing feelings for Cecily or that she would insist on putting herself in harm’s way to help him complete his mission.

I am not sure how I feel about this story; I liked the idea of the book and found both Dominic and Cecily to be relatable and likable. But I struggled to stay immersed in the story due to the author’s use of overly descriptive explanations, for example, there is almost a whole chapter about how to play the game of Loo, while interesting, this information did nothing to move the story along and was boring. There are other instances of this throughout the book, and it made it hard for me to stay focused on the real story. This book has a bit of mystery, a bit of spice, a smart and strong heroine, a hero with a true heart of gold, a book that has been thoroughly researched, a surprise twist and finally a happily ever after. Overall, I liked the story and found some of the history to be very interesting, so while I am glad, I read the book, I don’t think I would read it again. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems.

*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. *