The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long

 After five years apart, Magnus is back in London to get closure on his marriage with Alexandra, one way or the other.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Magnus and Alexandra seemed like an odd pairing. They weren’t in love when they got married and then Magnus’s pride got the better of him and they spent many years apart. A second chance was not something either one of them anticipated or expected, so the developing attraction and romance between them was especially enchanting. I loved the “grand gesture” at the end that was understated, but very powerful. I can highly recommend this series if you like steamy historical romance and recurring characters. It’s not necessary to read them in order, but I think it will be better if you did.

Genre: Historical Romance
Published: October 22, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Book 8 of The Palace of Rogues

This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter

Will and Sara stumble onto a body while on their honeymoon.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ That was quite the dysfunctional family situation that Will and Sara found themselves in. And it is on point for the two of them to stumble onto a body while they’re on their honeymoon. I loved Will and Sara together, Faith remained one of my favourite characters, and the suspects were this mysterious eclectic mix of tortured souls. Nothing was quite as it seemed. The action and intrigue flowed fast right from the start and I couldn’t put it down.

Genre: Suspense
Published: August 20, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Subtle
Series: Book 12 of Will Trent

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

It’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ This series is pure fun. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments, smaller chuckles, and lots of smiles. Evie took charge this time and the Villain could only stand in awe. I loved how Evie reveled in her new-found “bad guy” status. She lost a lot of her naivety, but none of her sparkling personality. I enjoyed the witty writing style and the suspenseful plot, but I was feeling a tad frustrated with Evie and the Villain and their “this can’t go anywhere” feelings for each other. It is definitely best to read these books in order.

Genre: Fantasy Romance
Published: August 8, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Subtle
Series: Book 2 of Assistant to the Villain

The Striker by Ana Huang

 Asher Donovan, arguably the best footballer in the world, falls for the one woman he shouldn’t want, his rival’s sister.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ The “secretly dating my brother’s rival” trope rarely goes in a good direction, and this one went down the same expected “touch my sister and die” route. Not a huge fan, just once can the brother be more mature? But Asher and Vincent had only animosity between them, so this wasn’t all that surprising and of course, it ends well for everyone. I loved Asher and Scarlett together. They built trust and openness and helped each other to view their shortcomings in a different light. The chemistry was off the charts. I can recommend this book and any of Ana Huang’s other books if you like steamy romance with real, flawed characters and plenty of growth.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 22, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Hot
Series: Book 1 of Gods of the Game