Plot Trysts

This novella is the latest entry in the Preston series and it was a lot of fun packed into very few pages. We enjoyed it, though it was surprisingly hard to keep from spoiling what happened during the episode.

The Wynchesters are at it again, but this time "at it" means Marjorie spends 10 hours in a room with a super hot dude just... talking.

This book is super heavy on the Pretty Woman references. Laine missed all of them.

Ok, so there's a secret society of lords who are sworn to protect the monarch (think Kingsman, but only 4 of them) and one of them is pretending to be a treasonous bastard to catch a bad guy, but he gets hit by a flying wasps nest because this girl is cursed so they have to get married. YEAH, we had fun.

Meg and Laine disagree, for those of you who see that as a selling point! Meg thought this was a book that exceeded her expectations. Laine is an old codger telling Cassie to get off her lawn.

This book has a ton of potential and we're definitely going to be reading what comes next from Lydia Lloyd. Did we have some minor and major quibbles? Yes. The friends seem kinda irredeemable. Did we have a good time overall? Also yes, very much.

Meg has very strong opinions on the right kind of starchy hero learning to question authority. Laine just likes it when badass women get a stoic dude hot under the collar.

Vasti has done it again with another pitch perfect novella. This time Laine is head over heels while these two romp through London deciding that announcing they're married is fine in the effort to annul their unintentional marriage. It's sexy and perfect and don't worry about it.

The prequel novella takes place entirely within one day (other than the prologue and epilogue of course) and we we so very charmed by that, and the events of the book. If you're looking for a quick read with a lot of heat, we highly recommend this. Just don't think to hard about Forever Your Rogue while reading it.

Darcy gets taken in by this great employer who pays well but everyone warns her about him, and she concludes it is quite possible he kills people. She decides he's too hot and into her for her to fret over a little thing like murder. We are not the intended audience for gothic romance, apparently.

I think four protagonists in a polycule is just too many to give each character and relationship the depth it requires to be compelling. Meg argued this book is a point of transition for the series, which is fair. However, it seems to be transitioning into more "weird politicking" and less "hot avatars of Greek Gods getting it on" so do with that what you will.

Laine and Meg kick off Holiday Novella season with this entry from Courtney Milan. Milan managed to include a lot of detail and characters in a way that totally works. The themes are a bit darker than we're used to for the holidays, but the love story is as sweet as you expect.

Buckle up people, because this book is B.A.N.A.N.A.S. There are a ton of terrible ideas with no consequences. and convincing yourself that your brother's widow giving you a hand job (while believing you're her husband) (because you're pretending to be him) is for HER benefit is the king of dick logic that makes us lol.

If you can't make the BFF you've been in love with fall in love with you in Italy, where can it happen? This is basically both of the main characters' plan. Yes, we loved it.

We really loved this entry into the palace of rogues series, and not just because it spends so much time with old favorite characters. Not you, Delacourt.

Secret pen pals meet in real life but don't know it, because she's THE secret author of erotic poetry trying to overcome her family's scandalous reputation. We liked it and think the author has a ton of potential.

We both really loved this book even though there are some elements and themes that aren't usually our favs.

This heroine is a working courtesan and the hero is the stereotypical second son meant for the clergy. The set up and the twist were both extremely unique. Meg took a while to read this one but ultimately enjoyed it. Laine was mostly frustrated that the characters weren't smarter.

This series about exiled French royalty is going to be right up our alley. It was less fluffy than we've come to expect from Michaels, but it was super enjoyable.

We say a goodbye, at least for now, to the Ice Planet Barbarians series with this review of Barbarian's Mate. There are a lot of themes here that we've already seen in this series, but this one introduces a slow burn. Given these books are about sentient dildos, we were not expecting that.

Are the hero and his friends a little too historically-accurate gross and misogynistic? Yes. Did we have a lot of fun? Also yes.

Meg and Laine talk about childhood chess trauma, how to do tropes well (hint: this book is the answer), and good secondary characters.

If you love Lorraine Heath, please tell us which of her books are a must-read and skip this episode. Meg and Laine just didn't get these characters or their choices or why they were having sex? I know, blasphemy.

We did not expect this story about a widow using an old friend who'd never grown up to retain custody of her kids would be scorchingly hot. But it was.

This book hit allllll of the right notes for us. There's communication, a believable conflict, and a ton of palpable sexual tension.