Diana Quincy returns with a steamy affair between an Arab-American woman who inherits a run-down castle in the English countryside and the duke who asserts the castle is his, in the first book in a brand-new Victorian historical romance series.
Anthony Cary, Duke of Strickland, inherits his spendthrift father’s title and can finally restore the family castle to its former glory. But at the reading of the will, Strick is stunned to learn that his father has secretly disentailed him, leaving the family manor–home to twelve generations of dukes–to Strick’s American stepmother. Everyone knows Strick detests the dowager duchess, and when she dies mysteriously, damning rumors start to surface.
When Raya Darwish unexpectedly inherits her glamorous late cousin’s castle in the English countryside, she clashes with the charismatic young duke who insists the castle is rightfully his. The estate is practically bankrupt, so she must find a way to work with the duke in order to save both of their futures.
The two cannot stand each other, but mutual disdain soon gives way to desire. When questions arise about how her cousin died, Raya cannot help wondering if Strick’s sudden unbridled passion for her is part of a scheme to get his castle back…
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Misogyny, racism, xenophobia, attempted murder
TL;DR: The Duke Gets Desperate was not what I expected in the best way! I have to admit that this got off to a bit of a rocky start for me but my feelings (thankfully) changed along the way. Raya and (eventually) Anthony were so easy to root for. I love it when an MMC falls first and this man falls hard and fast for Raya and not in an instalove way because they properly couldn’t stand each other to start. And the mouth on him was quite a surprise! 😂🥵 Overall, this was a feisty and sexy historical romance and I’m excited to read more by this author.
When a personal trainer agrees to fake date her client, all rules are out the window in this delightful romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Boyfriend Project!
When it comes to personal training, Taylor Powell kicks serious butt. Unfortunately, her bills are piling up, rent is due, and the money situation is dire. Taylor needs more than the support of her new best friends, Samiah and London. She needs a miracle.
And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. There’s just one catch — no one can know what they’re doing. But when they’re accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor’s game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win… or is he playing for keeps?/em>
TL;DR: The Dating Playbook was my first book by Farrah Rochon and it won’t be my last. It’s funny, sexy, and smart but it also tackles some big issues like learning disorders and mental health. I loved the rep, the romance was fantastic and the girl-boss friendships between Taylor, Samiah and London were fantastic! The banter was also incredible and I loved TayJar together—even though their ship name could do with a bit of work, lol! Overall, this was a fun and satisfying romance to read and I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
The Neighbor Favor Publisher: Penguin Pub Date: 28 February 2023 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Panda Rating: (3.5 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
Sometimes love is closer than you think… Fall head over heels with this charming and heart-fluttering romantic comedy.
Lily Greene has already found her perfect man: her favourite fantasy author. But after months of correspondence, he ghosts her – and she’s left broken-hearted.
Nick Brown has just moved in next door. Charming and attractive, he’s the perfect date for Lily to take to her sister’s upcoming wedding.
Little does Lily know that Nick is the very author she’d been talking to. And Nick has no idea that Lily is the shy, bookish woman he slowly fell in love with…
But he refuses to complicate things even more.
And yet when he sets her up with someone else, he can’t seem to get her off his mind…
TL;DR: I ended up having quite mixed feelings about The Neighbor Favor. It started off strong—I was immediately reeled in by the set-up and their email exchanges. However, following that, I feel like the story slowed down too much and my interest kind of waned with it. Despite liking these two characters on their own and appreciating their journeys, I found their chemistry together lacking. No matter how much my serendipity-loving heart loved the idea of them finding each other in a city as big as New York, it wasn’t enough to sell me on their connection. For sure, there were sweet moments but I just wanted to feel more! That said, I’m looking forward to reading about Lily’s sisters and can’t wait for the next book.
In last week’s TTT post, I shared a list of 20 recommendations for the #23for23 reading challenge. Today, I’m sharing a possibility pile for what I hope to read to fulfil the challenge by the end of the year! But before we dive into this long list of possibilities, what is this challenge that I speak of?
I first heard about it on the Fated Mates podcast episode that brought the author Nikki Payne on to talk about it. The goal here is simple: read 23 books by BIPOC authors with BIPOC characters before the end of 2023.
DID YOU KNOW?
MISSION: The 23for23 initiative amplifies and elevates marginalized voices in publishing by promoting, showcasing, and celebrating the works of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color dedicated to telling stories that center marginalized identities.
Hello, friends. ✨ Today I’m excited to kick off the blog tour for A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli! Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it.
Thanks to Union Square & Co. for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!
A Bright Heart Publisher: Union Square & Co. Publication Date: 17 October 2023 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rep: Chinese Rep
Panda Rating: (3.5 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes.
Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.
As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.
Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.
But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined.
She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love?
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Death, attempted murder, mentions of blood, drowning, violence, loss of limbs
TL;DR: A Bright Heart was an enjoyable YA fantasy debut with a lot of potential! Mingshin was a fierce, determined and easy to root for character and I loved her story of vengeance and justice. Even though I’m not very familiar with Wuxia stories, I appreciated how the author brought the popular second-chance revenge story trope to a wider audience and I think she delivered an intriguing story full of court intrigue, mystery, a bit of magic and mythology, as well as a sweet slow burn romance. This is a great introduction to Chinese fantasy and mythology and I’m already looking forward to the sequel!
This week’s topic isactually Reading Goals I Still Want to Accomplish Before the End of the Year (We’ve just begun the last quarter of the year! What bookish goals would you still like to accomplish? If you participated in TTT’s Bookish Goals for 2023 topic this past January, update us on which goals you’ve achieved, which you’ve given up on, and which ones you’re still working on!) BUT I’M GOING ROGUE!
Today is my stop on the TBR & Beyond Tours for The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker. Special thanks to Inkyard Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Be sure to click on the banner above to check out the rest of the amazing bloggers on tour!
Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.
When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death… only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.
Hello, friends! I’m thrilled to be taking part in my first blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours for The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities: New Stories about Mythic Heroes by Rick Riordan, Carlos Hernandez, Roshani Chkoshi, J.C. Cervantes, Yoon Ha Lee, Kwame Mbalia, Rebecca Roanhorse, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Sarwat Chadda and Graci Kim.
Don’t forget to enter the GIVEAWAY (US only, sorry international friends)—details are at the end of my post, and don’t forget to check out the other blogs on tour in the schedule posted after my thoughts!
Special thanks to Rick Riordan Presents for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents ten new stories–including one of his own–about beloved heroes that sprang from the imaginations of some of the best middle grade authors working today.
A cave monster . . . an abandoned demon . . . a ghost who wants to erase history . . . a killer commandant . . . These are just some of the challenges confronting the young heroes in this highly entertaining anthology.
All but one of the heroes previously starred in a popular book from Rick Riordan Presents. You”ll be reunited with Aru Shah, Zane Obispo, Min the fox spirit, Sal and Gabi, Tristan Strong, Nizhoni Begay, Paola Santiago, Sikander Aziz, and Riley Oh. Who is the new hero? Read Rick Riordan”s short story to find out!
Ten bestselling and award-winning middle grade authors contributed to this collection: Roshani Chokshi, J.C. Cervantes, Yoon Ha Lee, Carlos Hernandez, Kwame Mbalia, Rebecca Roanhorse, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Sarwat Chadda, Graci Kim, and Rick Riordan, who also served as the editor.
The cultures represented by these own-voices stories are: Indian, Mesoamerican, Korean, Cuban, Black American, African, Navajo, Mexican, Mesopotamian, and Celtic.
There’s something for everyone in this collection of fast-paced and funny adventure stories that show what it takes to be a hero in any time, setting, and universe.
TL;DR: For readers who are new to the worlds found in Rick Riordan Presents books, this will give you a wonderful taste of what lies in store when you finally dive into them head first! For those who are returning, these stories will take you on fun (mis)adventures with some of your favourite characters from your favourite stories! This was such a fun collection full of magic and it’s rich in diversity and cultural representation! Highly recommended for all readersbut especially those who love action-packed (mis)adventures, an abundance of magic, diverse mythology, most likely demons and ghouls, and lots of cheeky and witty humour!😊
I was completely immersed from the moment I set foot into this Multiverse Mansion and I was itching with eagerness to open each door to the different worlds held within. These stories are rich with diverse cultures and a wild kind of magic courses through each of the pages that hold you enthralled as the characters and their stories unfold. Honestly, these are the kind of stories that I wish had been available to younger me because it would’ve meant so much to see parts of myself in characters who look like me and have roots in parts of the world I’m from. Not to mention that it would’ve been amazing to learn about the different mythologies, too! Luckily, they’re stories that adult me can read and greatly appreciate and it makes me so happy knowing that such diverse heroic tales are available for younger generations to read and identify with!
We get small glimpses into magnificent worlds and we meet many new characters that I was eager to learn more about the minute their story ended. What makes me love a short story is when the story comes full circle, the questions are answered and it can essentially stand on its own, and the majority of stories in here did that! I often found myself going into deep(ish) dives on the interwebs to read up about the mythologies and creatures and I love when a story can pique my curiosity in that way because it makes the experience that much more unforgettable. While I enjoyed all of the stories my top three are: The Demon Drum by Rebecca Roanhorse, My Night at the Gifted Carnival by Graci Kim, and… it’s a tie between The Initiation by Yoon Ha Lee and Bruto and the Freaky Flower by Tehlor Kay Mejia(sorry, I really can’t choose)! 😜
Although I had only met the characters from one of the stories in this collection (Gum Baby forever!), I had no trouble following along with the adventures, so it’s okay to go into this without prior knowledge of the stories. I think it would be perfect for readers who want to get a taste of the worlds found in the Rick Riordan Presents books and I can guarantee that it will leave you wanting more as soon as possible!
3 WINNERS (US ONLY) WILL WIN A FINISHED COPY OF THE CURSED CARNIVAL AND OTHER CALAMITIES!
Today is my stop on the TBR & Beyond Tours for It All Comes Back to You by Farah Naz Rishi. Special thanks to HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Be sure to click on the banner above to check out the rest of the amazing bloggers on tour!
Goodreads:It All Comes Back to You Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books Publication Date: 14 September 2021 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Coming-of-Age
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
After Kiran Noorani’s mom died, Kiran vowed to keep her dad and sister, Amira, close. Then out of the blue, Amira announces that she’s dating someone and might move cross-country with him. Kiran is thrown.
Deen Malik is thrilled that his older brother, Faisal, has found a great girlfriend, even if it’s getting serious quickly. Maybe now their parents’ focus will shift off Deen, who feels intense pressure to be the perfect son.
When Deen and Kiran come fact to face, they silently agree to keep their past a secret. Four years ago–before Amira and Faisal met–Kiran and Deen dated. But Deen ghosted Kiran with no explanation. Kiran will stop at nothing to find out what happened, and Deen will do anything, even if it means sabotaging his brother’s relationship, to keep her from reaching the truth. Though the chemistry between Kiran and Deen is undeniable, can either of them take down their walls?
Happy Friday book lovers! We’re back with another First Lines Friday, a weekly featurefor book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?Here are the rules:
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!
First lines:
“For a time Vidya had not had a mother or a brother, she only had the idea of a mother and a brother: they were imaginary but real in the same way god was. For a time she had not a mother but an aunt and not a brother but two cousins who lived with her in the one room flat she shared with her father.”
Do you recognise the book these first lines come from?
dinipandareads 