Weekly Reads: October 24 to 30, 2022

Another great week for historical romances! I’ve noted my fave of the week with a “🧡”

🧡 Fortune Favors the Duke by Kristin Vayden (2021)

Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, Book 1 of the Cambridge Brotherhood series. When I read the blurb on this book, I knew it was going to be younger brother inherits a dukedom, befriends his brother’s fiancee, and then there’d be a bit of a forbidden romance involved. But this book really punched you in the gut with the prologue of a carefree bunch of guys going on a bachelor hunting trip and then tragedy happening. Also, the older brother was really likeable! So you can feel the grief that our hero Quin and the not-quite-widow Catherine are feeling. I really liked this book! Though, I didn’t realize until I was 90% done that it’s closed-door and smut-free. Not my usual type of romance, but the story was compelling and kept me reading, so I didn’t even notice there wasn’t any smut until I was done with the book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

A Deal With The Devil by Viola Grey (2022)

Super short smutty historical romance. Not too much to think about with this one. A woman who has been a lady’s companion has been living in a house after the lady had passed away. The owner of the house is back today and finds her. He propositions her to be his mistress and earn her keep. And… yep. Quick and spicy.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Bridgerton Fanfic: Dressing For Revenge by fade_like_starlight

Penelope/Benedict tryst, one-shot, show-universe. Penelope shows up at one of Sir Henry Granville’s parties dressed scandalously and attracts the attentions of Benedict.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

My Dearest Duke by Kristin Vayden (2022)

Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, Book 2 of the Cambridge Brotherhood series. New duke Rowles is adjusting to his new responsibilities after the death of his older brother when he’d rather continuing being a theology professor at Cambridge. Also, he is dealing with his mother who suffers from dementia and worries over the gossip surrounding his own sanity. When he sees his best friend’s sister Joan at a ball, they dance, and she’s able to soothe his worries. But she’s got secrets of her own, like being a staunch supporter of women’s rights and being the secret decipherer of forgeries for her brother at the War Office. And then there’s the mystery of why her brother is trying to keep the two apart. I loved how supportive these two were of each other, with Rowles’ ill mother and Joan’s secret work.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.

Bridgerton Fanfic: Start Anew by utterlycliche

Kate/Anthony romance, one-shot, series-universe, plot diverts from end of episode 4. Kate and Anthony are not interrupted in the library scene after their dance, but she tells him that Edwina believers herself to be in love with him and that he needs to end the courtship. Anthony gently lets Edwina down the next day so there is no proposal before everyone journeys back to London. After awhile, Anthony seeks out Kate for morning horse rides and they begin to talk and get to know each other. Sweet and charming.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series by Jessica Radloff (2022)

Nonfiction, oral history of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. This book was not on my radar at all until I received a print copy of it from the publisher. Luckily, I received it about a week before the book was due to be published, so I ran to my library’s Overdrive website to request the ebook and audiobook copies to be purchased. Let me tell you that I was very excited to have received the ebook and audiobook from the library on the same day, and just in time for my commute home for work. I listened to maybe about the first chapter or so on audio before I realized I would enjoy it more in reading (with photographs interspersed throughout the text). I had been a casual viewer of this series for many years and was delighted to be able to read the history of the show and all the juicy behind the scenes. So, this was a really long book, but I was really captivated by the pacing and the style of the narrative and how all the transcripts from interviews with the cast, crew, writers, and guest stars were woven together. If you are a fan of this series, you will appreciate all of the reflections within this book. And I recommend the print or ebook version to see all of the photos!

Audiobook and ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by Grand Central Publishing.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

The Duke in Question by Amalie Howard (2022)

Historical romance in Victorian England, America, France, book 3 of the Rules for Heiresses series. Bronwyn, the younger sister of the duke from the previous book is now some sort of female spy known as the Kestrel, and she’s en route to America on her brother’s ship to give a warning of an abduction attempt on the president. Her brother’s best friend and former spy is also on board the ship and aggravated by her silly debutante behavior. Meanwhile, they’re both intensely attracted to each other despite their adversarial relationship. The spy/action-adventure part definitely gets the adrenaline going for these two, leading to lots of steamy scenes where their instincts have taken over logic and control. Seriously, lots of passion in this one. And then of course, the danger of it all and figuring out how everyone will end of up safe and content at the end will keep the pages turning for you.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.

Kit McBride Gets a Wife by Amy Barry (2022)

Historical Western Romance, set in 1880s Montana; Book 1 of the McBrides of Montana series. Kit is a blacksmith in a small town in Montana living with three of his brothers and a chatterbox little sister Junebug. Our dear sister is sick and tired of cooking and cleaning for her four big brothers, so she puts a newspaper ad for a wife for Kit. This whole set up is already hilarious. A sad and destitute maid from Ireland is working for a widow who answers the ad and drags poor Maddy along for the ride. When they get to Montana, the widow has run off and there’s a massive misunderstanding of identity. The writing and the characterizations are really quite funny throughout the book, but it felt like way too slow of a start for me. The main plot didn’t really get going until about 30% into the book. Also, no smut, just kissing.