The Duke's Reluctant Bride by Clara Wynn

 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Legacy of Danger and Intrigue
Clara is tasked with delivering a sealed package to the Duke of Ravenshire, but what should be a routine delivery quickly turns into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Someone is willing to put everyone’s lives on the line to intercept the paperwork, forcing Julian Thorne to step in and handle the threat to the Ravenshire legacy.
The resulting hunt for the truth takes Clara and Julian on a fast-paced trek filled with mystery, emotional intrigue, and a growing connection. Julian carries the story as an honorable hero whose nobility shines from the first page to the last, and the couple must learn to build real trust amidst the rising danger. It is a satisfying historical romantic suspense about duty, danger, and finding love in the middle of a crisis.

Prospecting For Love: (Flint Creek Valley Brides Book 1) by Karla Gracey

 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Love at First Sight

Francesca trades an arranged marriage to a man forty years her senior for the isolation of the American West. Finding work helps, but the loneliness lingers, leading her to answer a mail-order bride ad. Months of letters lead to a face-to-face meeting, and Andrew drops everything to come to her—delivering instant love at first sight.

The immediate spark is sweet, but real life catches up fast. Between overbearing parents and Andrew's little white lie—claiming to be a humble prospector rather than a wealthy mine owner—the pair have to navigate some significant secrets before securing their happy ending. An inspirational Western romance about taking a leap, admitting the truth, and finding exactly what your heart needs.

A Duke for the Unseen Wallflower: (No Longer Invisible Book 1) by Martha Barwood

 

Rating: ⭐⭐
Excellent Plot Dragged Down by Repetitive Dialog
The plot and storyline are excellent, but the book is a redundant read due to the dialog. The back-and-forth between the two main characters—both on the spectrum—becomes endless and repetitive.
Charlotte is invisible to everyone until they need help and hates crowds, while the Duke hides away to avoid small talk. Their meeting in a hidden room leads to Charlotte solving a complex ledger fraud that the Duke’s own accountants couldn’t figure out. It’s great seeing two wallflowers find love, but if the Duke wanted her, he shouldn't have had to play the games this story puts them through. Both characters take time to realize their feelings, but letting outside influences dictate their relationship comes at an unreasonable cost for people who supposedly love each other.
Great storyline, but the repetitive dialogue really holds it back.

One Dreams: (Silas McKay Suspense Series Book 6) by Luana Ehrlich

 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Action-Packed with Great Character Dynamics
Silas promises a client he'll find out who is following him, only to have the man turn up dead the next morning. As he investigates Elias's death, Silas has to juggle Ashley hassling him about her new business issues, introducing Lillian to her new job while learning to work alongside her, and making time for a weekend visit with his daughter Marissa—which Ashley pushes her way into.
It's an action-packed adventure, but the true hero in this story is Tyler Hudson, the finance director at DCSS, who discovers the key financial clues that uncover the murderer.
I'm happy with the direction Silas's love life is starting to take, because I'm hoping he realizes Ashley isn't the mature and generous person he needs. Her actions in this novel are self-serving, showing no consideration for his time or how he's doing. Lillian, on the other hand, is mature, generous, and considerate—which really shows in her actions toward Elias's wife after the shooting.
Regardless of my personal feelings on the characters, it's an excellent read.

The Spy's Song (The Swans of Paris Book 3) by Giovanna Siniscalchi

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Spy’s Redemption on the Battlefield of Love
This is a deep and moving tale following Robert de Monfort, a dual spy for both England and France, who is tasked by Talleyrand with retrieving Louise Bonnecheix—née Bonaparte—Napoleon’s daughter from his first marriage. What begins as a high-stakes kidnapping to return Louise to her father becomes a perilous trek from London across the Channel, through France, and into Brussels on the eve of battle. Along the way, Louise proves herself every bit a Bonaparte, matching the danger of their journey with true grit.
Having believed his soul died with his sister's suicide, Robert finds himself utterly unmoored by his growing feelings for Louise. He cannot fathom why his heart and body now beat only for her, until he discovers that even a hardened intelligence officer cannot guard against love. The narrative shines as love releases the spy's long-silent song, delivering a beautifully written romance rich with history, danger, and deep emotional resonance.

A Wallflower for the Disguised Earl by DAPHNE PIERCE

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Background Check

Sometimes a story just has a terrible plot, and this is one of them. To be honest, it tells me what type of man Edward really is, and I would never trust him. He is supposed to be courting one sister, only to fall for Corinna—the plain bluestocking who spends her energy getting to know what she thinks is the Earl’s secretary, who is actually the Earl himself.

The story is well written and the characters are well developed, but that cannot overcome the awful plot. My only advice is to do a background check before beginning a relationship.

A Native Remedy for the Doctor's Heart by LESLIE HALES

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Greed, Remedy, and Ruin

The story is intense. The Native American community’s problems stem from one man’s greed. A doctor brought in by this man is amazed when her remedy cures a condition he cannot treat. He falls in love with her nursing skills and realizes the community poses no threat to the townspeople. It is a well-written story with a few flaws and an overwritten villain. Prejudice is everywhere, but nothing drives it more than pure greed for their land.