Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Love at Midnight by Nola Saint James

On By TracyIn Christmas, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Non-Traditional Romance, Paranormal / Fantasy, Romantasy, Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

Love at Midnight: A Regency Christmas RomantasyLove at Midnight: A Regency Christmas Romantasy by Nola Saint James

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: October 16, 2025

When Miss Grace Cooper, daughter of the late Viscount & Viscountess Shelbourne and heiress learns that her estate trustees are planning to marry her off sight unseen to a man of their choosing in just a few months, she knows that she will have to take matters into her own hands if she wants to marry her true love. The real problem is she doesn’t know who her true love is! Her housekeeper has been like a surrogate mother to her and vows to help her find her true love and suggests she meet with Mommia Ravenal, a Roma lady with the gift of sight, perhaps she can point Grace in the direction of her true love. Mommia does give her good news, her true love is near, but Grace will have to find him on her own.

Harold Picton AKA Hal Ravenal is the Earl of Langafel, however, he was not raised to be the earl. His parents eloped as their families didn’t approve of their love, sadly both his parents died shortly after his birth, and he was raised by a childless couple in the village. When he turned 18 his foster parents told him of his family – his father was heir to the Earl of Langafel and his mother was a member of the Roma Ravenal clan. He tracks down his mother’s clan and learns he has a gift with horses. He is happy to be reunited with his mother’s family and is content to build a life with them, but when Mommia, the matriarch of the clan demands he attend her, he knows this life is about to change. He learns that his paternal grandfather has died and he is now the earl. Being the earl means leaving the clan, but Mommia tells him that he won’t be alone, his true love is near and when he finds her, she will be the helpmate he needs to take up his title. Now he just needs to find her…

This was not your typical romance story, but it was an interesting story with very likable characters, not all of whom are human. The main characters don’t meet right away and there are a lot of things going on aside from Grace and Hal trying to find their true loves. Interwoven in the love story is a Norwegian legend about animals speaking to humans on Christmas eve as well as the Ravenal paranormal gifts. I liked this story, but it meandered all over the place, personally, I would have preferred the focus of the story to be the romance and have more of a connection between Grace and Hal, rather than relying on the love at first sight / true love trope. Overall, it was a unique read and if you are looking for something a bit different, you might want to give this book a try.

*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. *

The Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews

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

The Marriage Method (The Crinoline Academy, #2)The Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews

Tracy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Crinoline Academy #2

Release Date: November 25, 2025

After spending most of her life tucked safely behind the gates of Miss Corvus’s Benevolent Academy for the Betterment of Young Ladies, Penelope “Nell” Trewlove has finally been given a mission. It is actually a two part mission, first, she is to meet with Miles Quincey, the relentless editor of the Courant to answer questions about the Academy, without revealing any of its secrets and second and more importantly, she is to find Miss Flora Brent, a young lady who failed to arrive at the academy days ago and who seems to have disappeared. But nothing goes as planned and it quickly becomes clear that Nell’s first mission may well be her last, when she finds herself and possibly the Academy ruined by a feral cat and a crinoline!

Miles Quincey is a self-made man, raised in the Rookery by his single mother, a former governess who was determined to give Miles a chance to make something of himself. Though hard work and determination, he has risen up the ranks and is now the Editor in Chief of one of London’s most successful newspapers. Or at least it used to be, with subscriptions dwindling since printing an expose that brought down a prominent and much liked nobleman, Miles needs to find a story that will bring readers back. On top of this, the reporter who writes his gossip column – the column that is keeping the paper afloat has gone missing. But all that fades to black when the most beautiful woman he has ever seen arrives at his office and ends up his wife!

OMG! I loved this book, LOVED IT! I was a bit apprehensive at the start and worried that it might end up being a story of misandry disguised as feminism, but thankfully that was not the case. This was a wonderful story of strong women and men working together and falling in love. It is not a man-bashing story with a hero who has to bow to the heroine, it is instead a story of two people who have had hard lives, yet rather than wallow in self-pity have made something of themselves and try to make the world a better place. They work together and encourage each other and learn to trust each other. So, if you like a love story with a good mystery, strong characters, marriage of convenience, mild love scenes, no prolonged misunderstandings, secrets, cats, found family and a happy ending – you need to read this book! 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. *