Category: Tracy’s Reviews

The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy

On By TracyIn America's Gilded Age (1870-1900), Movie / Story Retelling, Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Earl That Got Away (Sirens in Silk, #2)The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy

Tracy Rating: 3 Maybe 3.5 of 5 Stars

Series: Sirens in Silk #2

Release Date: September 30, 2025

Once upon a time Miss Naila Darwish met Basil Trevelyn in Philadelphia and fell in love. So in love, that when he proposed she was happy to accept, but later she was worried that her family would disapprove and ultimately rejected him. She returned to Brooklyn and tried to convince herself that she had done the right thing, but her heart never forgot. Fast forward eight years, Naila’s sister Raya is getting married to the Duke of Strickland in England and Naila and her relatives have arrived for the wedding. They are at a ball to celebrate the betrothal when Naila is introduced to the duke’s best friend, the Earl of Hawksworth, also happens to be Basil Trevelyn, her long lost love. At first, she thinks she is being given a second chance, but it soon becomes obvious that Basil doesn’t feel the same.

Basil Trevelyn never expected to see Naila again after she broke his heart in Philadelphia. No long after she left him, he learned that a distant cousin and his sons died making him the new Earl of Hawksworth, a title he never expected to inherit. Seeing Naila again makes wonder what happened to her, she is nothing like the vibrant, bold girl he met in America, and tells himself it doesn’t matter, he is over her and she is only interested now because he is an Earl. To prove to himself that he is over Naila, he tells Raya that he is looking for a bride and even agrees to host Naila and her family while Raya and Strickland are away on their honeymoon. Let the angst begin…

This is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion with a unique spin; as Diana Quincy has taken that book and made it her own by incorporating a multicultural aspect to the story. Naila is American, but comes from a traditional Arabic family, her parents immigrated to America from Palestine and have raised their family to hold fast to their beliefs – which is a big part of the reason Naila didn’t marry Basil when they first met. The story is filled with miscommunication, misunderstanding, angst, longing, regret, jealousy, flashbacks, warm love scenes, second chances, more misunderstanding, meddling relatives, and finally a HEA. I accept the fact that the book needed both the time during and after of their meeting in Philadelphia, but I felt like the alternating chapter flashbacks made the first part of the book drag, I would have preferred the story in two parts rather than mixed together. I liked this book, but not nearly as much as the first book, in fact the scenes with Raya and Strickland acting stupid in love were my favorite parts of the book.

*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. *

Ghost of a Chance by Katherine Garbera

On By TracyIn Audiobook, Contemporary, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Romantasy, Standalone Title, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Ghost of a ChanceGhost of a Chance by Katherine Garbera

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone Title

Release Date: September 30, 2025

After a long day promoting her newest book, Kirsty Henson AKA cozy fantasy mystery author K.L. Henson, needs to unwind and as luck would have it, her favorite band, the Dead Boys were playing at a club in town. Things get even better when she meets Jasper, an extremely hot guy who is also a super fan. Sparks fly between them, and they go back to his place, but too much tequila cuts their night short, and she leaves in the morning thinking she will never see him again. She returns to her hotel and gets ready for a television interview on a popular morning talk show, Live with Bri O’Brien. But while in the green room she comes face to face with her almost one night stand and he begs for her help. Jasper tells her his old college roommate Paul is haunting him via physics book, and he wants her to help him move on. Kirsty thinks he deceived her and refuses to help him, not just because she is angry, but because despite her author bio saying she is able to talk to ghosts, just like the heroine in her books, she can’t. But when Bri overhears their discussion and blindsides Kirsty during the interview by inviting Jasper to join them. When Jasper’s ghost makes itself known, Kirsty is backed into a corner and ends up agreeing to help the ghost move on. She plans to fake it until she can make it, but she doesn’t count on falling for Jasper and wanting to give him closure.

Jasper Cotton believes the ghost of his college roommate Paul is trapped in a physics textbook. In the years since Paul’s death, not only has the book has been following him but the ghost has been communicating with him via his phone’s playlist and the Judge Judy show. He is wracked with guilt about Paul’s passing and has never really dealt with his grief. Meeting Kirsty seems to be fate, not only is she beautiful, smart and has great taste in music, but she can talk to ghosts. If he can get her to talk to Paul, maybe he can finally move on with his life and maybe he can convince Kirsty to be a part of it. But first they will have to figure out why Paul hasn’t moved on and how to be honest with themselves and each other about their past experiences.

I was hooked on the first page and had a hard time putting this one down! I loved Kirsty and Jasper, both as a couple and individuals, they are both intelligent, considerate people with a lot in common. Their lives have been similar, but at the same time vastly different. Being forced to spend time together will cause them both to face themselves and decide what they want from their lives. The book is filled with emotion, great characters, witty banter, spicy love scenes, an adorable dog, frat parties, temporary tattoos, a ghost who wants to be heard, grief and healing. Overall, I found this story to be a well-written and fast-paced third person POV romance with an actual “happily ever after” ending not just a “happy for now” ending. I was lucky enough to both read the print edition and listen to the audiobook – both were great, and I would happily recommend this book to anyone who loves a dash of paranormal in their romance novels.

*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. *

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