The Devil You Know by Sophia Holloway

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Faced with the bleak choice between marrying the Duke of Ledbury or testing the cold charity of the cobblestones, Catherine wisely chooses the altar. Who wouldn’t? But while she surrenders her hand, she vows to hold fast to her heart—a sensible defense given that Ledbury is a rake of the highest, most dazzling order.
Ledbury entered this union strictly for Catherine’s dowry, only to run headlong into a most inconvenience complication: he actually fancies his new Duchess.
Our dashing hero falls just as delightfully as he shines, and to his credit, he tries desperately to play the dutiful husband. But the ton, naturally, refuses to let a good drama go to waste. Between an old flame practically hurling herself into his lap—and falsely claiming his paternity for good measure—and a rogue of the realm making eyes at his wife, Ledbury’s past seems hell-bent on incinerating his future.
Grab a seat and join the fray, my dear readers, because in matters of the heart and the scandal sheet, the devil you know is always better than the one you don’t.

Witnesses: Nine Stories From The Margins Of The Gospels By Mike Casper

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

These nine fictional tales offer an intimate peek into the lives of those fortunate enough to witness—and receive—the miraculous. Each story paints a remarkably human portrait of Jesus, capturing the sheer variety of ways our hearts respond when confronted with divine grace: some eagerly follow, some linger in quiet contemplation, and others rush off to spread the glorious news.

One particularly poignant entry sees a man instructed simply to return home to his family after a long absence—a gentle, thoughtful reminder that the Lord knows our true needs far better than we do.

While scripture leaves the intimate details of these ancient healings to our imagination, this collection provides a fresh, delightfully unexpected perspective well worth contemplating. Now, I must confess, there are two stories where the author’s perspective feels a tad off the mark—though who am I to judge another’s creative liberties? It is merely a modest personal opinion. On the whole, it is a deeply engaging collection that gives us all something truly meaningful to ponder and share.

Forbidden Love and Thunder by Madeline Thornton

Frontier Romp That Overstays Its Welcome
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I take no pleasure in admitting this—as a well-documented devotee of a lively Regency romp—but transplanting the genre to the Western frontier simply does not work.
The story glibly glosses over serious historical realities, including the displacement of the Cherokee, through a heroine whose sole personality trait is chasing Elijah. She remains bafflingly oblivious to McAllister, a man who courts her one minute and wreaks havoc the next.
While the narrative opens with promise, the pacing quickly unravels. The timeline jolts wildly—snapping forward before grinding to a halt—leaving me astonished to learn two months had passed when it felt like three weeks. Worse, the delightful happily ever after refuses to know when to take its leave. Once the villain is arrested and the baby is delivered, the tension evaporates completely, leaving six agonizing chapters of post-climax drift.
Abby and Elijah may have found their happily-ever-after, but six chapters of victory laps is a trial for the rest of us. Sometimes, less is decidedly more.

The Midwife’s Forbidden Captor By Madeleine Thornton

High Action, Hard-to-Buy Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story takes some heavy turns along a fairly loose plot line. When Lottie gets kidnapped by the town’s handsome stranger, Jack, things escalate fast: Jack’s outlaw father forces her to deliver his wife’s baby under threat of death. Deciding he has finally had enough of the criminal life, Jack turns on his father to help the sheriff dismantle the gang. Naturally, nothing goes according to plan, building to a genuinely exciting climax.
Where the story stumbles for me is the romance itself. Lottie’s quick path to a happily ever after feels a bit too much like Stockholm syndrome to truly buy into, leaving the central connection feeling more forced than earned. A fast-paced read with solid action, but the romantic payoff falls short.

An Orphan in the Bounty Hunter's Arms By Madeline Thorton

 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bounty Hunter's Baby
A bounty hunter, a rescue, and a web of secrets—this story hits the ground running.
Luke tracks an outlaw when a letter from Mary, a friend from his orphanage days, alters his course. He arrives to rescue her son from a burning house after outlaws torch the farm, though Mary does not survive. Luke takes the boy to the next town and meets Clara, the local general store owner. As Clara cares for the boy, she finds herself falling for Luke.
The book moves beyond a standard romance with its mystery. Luke realizes the outlaw attacks are not random—they follow a pattern and a purpose. As the story builds to its conclusion, the motives unravel to reveal the man behind the attacks. It is a solid, well-plotted read from start to finish.

A Mail-Order Beauty to Heal the Beast By Madeleine Thornton

Summerset Stand
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The local town villain has decided certain folks simply don't belong in Summerset, and he’s pursuing this agenda via the usual high-minded methods: raiding ranches, blowing up mines, and ignoring the body count trailing behind him.
Unfortunately for him, Theodore Caden isn't packing his bags.
After losing his original fiancée—who apparently drew the line at mine-explosion burn scars—Theo decides a mail-order bride is his next best move. Enter Amy: a woman arriving with a dream of farming, a work ethic to match, and the reasonable expectation of an actual partnership.
Things get off to a rocky start. Theo plays the standoffish brooder because Amy flinched at scars she wasn't warned about. But Amy isn't one to waste time pining in a corner; she confronts him directly, demands transparency, and lays down a sharp ultimatum: they work as real partners, or she walks in thirty days. Ball's in your court, Theo.
Naturally, town bully Henry Penrose can’t leave well enough alone. But while watching the ranch is one thing, kidnapping Amy is where he makes his fatal miscalculation. What follows is a satisfying, high-energy climax featuring a twist I always love to see: a community finally deciding enough is enough and uniting to tear down the local tyrant.
Ride a horse. Stamp out bullies. A thoroughly satisfying read.

The Earl's Unexpected Family by BRIDGET BARTON

Master Manipulation and Regency Malice at Its Finest

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Easily one of Bridget Barton’s best. She turns emotional bullying into a fine art—between a father’s quiet cruelty and a society darling whose backhanded concern is pure poison. It’s manipulation at its peak: all razor-sharp, lethal implications.

Shadrack is honorable to a fault, though he has a tragic habit of jumping to conclusions—poor Adele is tried and convicted before anyone checks the facts. The climax caught me completely off guard, casting a stark light on the shadow lingering over their marriage. Worth reading for that explosive payoff alone.