Category: Top Pick – Highly Recommended

Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise

On By TracyIn Debut Novel, Part of a Series, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)4 Comments

Never Blow a Kiss (Secret Society of Governess Spies, #1)Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Secret Society of Governess Spies, #1

Release Date: January 23, 2023

Emily Leverton is not your typical governess, she is not a genteel lady fallen on hard times, no, she is a rough and tumble girl who was raised on the streets. But she was determined to have a better life and escaped the streets as soon as she was able. She knows she is a terrible governess, but she does her best and is shocked when she is summoned to meet the owner of the most prestigious governess agency in England – Perdita’s Governess Agency. She meets with the “Dove” and is offered a unique opportunity, she will be trained as a governess and spy. The Dove wants information on the elite upper classes who often get away with heinous crimes, she wants to make sure they pay for their crimes like anyone else, and having a spy in the household to gather information is invaluable. Emily agrees and hopes by helping the Dove bring down corrupt members of the ton she will be making amends for the sins of her past. While working for the Earl of Eastmoreland’s family she is called upon to deliver a forgotten fan to Lady Minnie, the earl’s eldest daughter at the ball she was attending. It is there that she spies a man being besieged by a marriage-minded mama and her daughters, when she catches his eye, she spontaneously blows him a kiss before exiting the ballroom, never expecting to see him again. But to her complete shock, he follows her and makes his interest known. Emily would love nothing more than to accept his attentions, but she has secrets; big secrets that would ruin them both. She tries to brush him off, but when she learns that he is working on a case for the police, she changes her mind and decides that helping him helps her too. She just needs to remember to keep her distance and guard her heart from wanting what she can never have.

Zachariah “Zach” Denholm was born and raised in Whitechapel as the son of a butcher. He made his fortune through smart investments and is now one of the richest men in London. Never one to laze about, Zach works as a Detective Constable for the Metropolitan Police and is currently working on a case involving the brutal murders of prostitutes in the Bethnal Green slums. The press has dubbed the killer the “Evangelist” and mentions Zach’s participation in the case, making him even more popular in the ton – which is the last thing he wants. When a cheeky governess blows him a kiss, he is intrigued and when he meets her, he is snared. He knows she is not what she pretends to be and that just makes him want her more. The more time they spend together, the harder he falls, and though she denies it, he is sure she is falling too. But Emily is not like any woman he has ever known and winning her will not be easy but he is sure the extra effort will be worth it. But when her big secret is revealed, Zach feels a moment of doubt, and that is all Emily needs to walk out of his life. Will he realize his mistake before it’s too late or has he lost her forever?

OMG, OMG, OMG – I LOVED this book! I am so impressed by this new-to-me author, I love her writing style and the fact that she nailed the titles and proper address was just a surprise bonus for me. Emily and Zach are wonderful characters and so easy to like, and even though there is technically adultery in the book – I didn’t even care – I KNOW, I can hardly believe it myself, but the way the author handled it was perfect and it was a complete non-issue for me. The book has so much going on but it never felt “busy”, it was close to perfect and definitely a keeper. The book has secrets, murder, witty banter, lots of emotion, great secondary characters, more than one villain, a mysterious benefactor, steamy love scenes, a bit of heartache, a couple of nail-biter scenes, a few tears, and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. I cannot wait for the next book and I think I might actually read her upcoming contemporary paranormal romance that is coming out this fall – If you know anything about me and the books I read, you will be floored by that statement – Needless to say, I highly recommend this title, it is the first book in a new series and in my opinion, is a must-read!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

View all my reviews

Snowed in with the Scoundrel by Kat Sterling

On By TracyIn American Historical, American Progressive Era, Christmas, Historical Rom-Com, Novella, Part of a Series, Standalone Title, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Snowed in with the Scoundrel: A Steamy, Ex-Childhood Friends to Lovers Historical RomComSnowed in with the Scoundrel: A Steamy, Ex-Childhood Friends to Lovers Historical RomCom by Kat Sterling

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: December 18, 2023

When budding photographer Imogen “Genie” Radford is very publicly jilted by her fiancé, she decides to take refuge in her family’s cabin, far from the prying eyes of Seattle society. She expects peace and solitude, with time to lick her wounds from both the jilting and a poor showing at a recent photography exhibition, but what she finds is a very naked man in her bed! It only takes a minute to realize that she knows this man – he is her childhood best friend and first love, Tommy Solberg, the son of her family’s former cook and the man she has not seen since the night five years ago when he broke her heart. With recognition comes anger and suspicion, she wants him gone, but under it all she still feels something for him, all the more reason for him to go. However, the weather isn’t cooperating, and no matter how angry she is, she can’t send him out in a storm that would surely kill him.

Tommy can’t believe that this is happening, he needs to get to Seattle as soon as possible, everything he has done since the night he broke her heart has led to this moment and his future depends on it. He isn’t sure how he is going to be able to stay in the same cabin with the only woman he hasn’t been able to forget and a woman he can never have. At first, they avoid each other, and things are awkward, but eventually, they figure it out and soon it’s like they never parted and the need to get back to Seattle doesn’t seem as urgent any longer. But once they cross the line between friends and lovers, he knows that he will have to walk away because just like years ago, he knows he isn’t good enough for her, no matter how much he wishes it wasn’t true. It isn’t until he walks away that he realizes he has made a huge mistake and hopes it isn’t too late to fix it.

This was a lovely story of childhood friends, second chances, and supporting the dreams of one you love. This story is filled with laughter, photography, books, steamy love scenes, lots of snow, second chances, and finally the promise of a happily ever after. The story is a relatively short novella, but Ms. Sterling executes the book perfectly by beautifully filling in the backstory between Genie and Tommy, so the reader completely understands how they met and what drove them apart, as well as what they have each been doing since they last saw each other. I loved this story and devoured the book, reading it in one sitting, and hated reaching the end because I didn’t want it to be over! This was a standalone title by a new to me author and I am hooked and can’t wait to check out her backlist!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*