Ask Me to Stay by Terri Osburn

5*

Since best-selling first-time author Liza Teller has writer’s block, she accepts a ghostwriting assignment to pay the bills. As she arrives on South Carolina’s desolate Haven Island, she begins to question the judgment of leaving herself at the mercy of strangers. Little does she know that it’s not physical risk she need fear, but something potentially more destructive. She’s there to pen the memoirs of Ray Wallis, a long-time recluse who doesn’t show up in her research. The first person she encounters after disembarking the ferry is a surly bear of a man, Kendall James, who resents that she’s profiting from Ray’s story with revelations that might put him at great risk. Unsurprisingly, the passionate anger between them soon evolves into something more. 

Osburn does a masterful job of blending a suspenseful mystery with a budding romance while introducing an unforgettable cast of characters, including Amos the pit bull, and the beautiful South Carolina flora and fauna.  It’s a cautionary tale of not judging by first impressions and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love. There are moments of both sadness and joy, as well as some steamy scenes. It all adds up to an absorbing tale not soon forgotten. Highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake Romance through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Cinderella Countess by Sophia James

4*

Once upon a time (actually 1815), there was a beautiful, independent young woman of unknown origins who lived and worked as an herbalist in the worst part of London. One day, a handsome, rich aristocrat arrived at her door asking for help in curing his sister who has a “wasting disease.” Thus begins a tale that vaguely resembles the Cinderella we know with some pretty major twists. Instead of a wicked stepmother and stepsisters, Annabelle Smith lives with a kindly aunt and is being targeted for death by an unknown assailant. Lord Lytton Staines, the Earl of Thornton. is an unlikely Prince Charming who knows that falling in love and marrying a lowborn woman, especially one who is being less than truthful, is not a possibility in his world. However, he can’t ignore his natural instinct to protect her, so they keep being thrown together. What will it take to clear the path for a happily ever after?

The Cinderella Countess (the third book in the Gentlemen of Honor series) is not just another entry into the crowded Regency romance genre, but a compelling mystery and a love story with modern sensibilities. There are some instances that are less than historically accurate such as the Earl’s mother opening the front door and shouting about prostitutes and later the Earl himself welcoming Annabelle to his door because there is no servant present, the family estate being lost in a card game when these were generally entailed, and the Earl owning businesses which was very much frowned upon by the haute ton. However, these don’t detract from a story that features strong, well-defined characters, a series of attempted murders, and the mystery of where Annabelle really came from. This is a very worthy addition to the historical romance field.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin – Romance through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sorry, Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald

Charlotte is a 20-something good girl who loves her job, hasn’t had a boyfriend or a “shag” in over a year, and finds herself alone after her best friend and fiancé move to the London suburbs prior to their wedding. Her new roommates include the tall, gorgeous Tansy and reclusive, grumpy Adam. Knowing she needs to get out of a rut, she Googles “How to find love, sex and happiness,”stumbles across an old Podcast called ‘Sorry, Not Sorry” and begins to follow the advice on how to be a bad girl, leading to all sorts of adventures and complications. Will she end up finding her own happily-ever-after or find herself still “single at seventy-two?”

This latest book from best-selling author Sophie Ranald is a fun beach read that relies on well-worn literary devices such as the mean girl, love triangles, main character low self-esteem (especially in comparison to the modelesque Tansy), and more. The plot is relatively predictable with some minor twists and subplots, but foreshadowing makes it pretty easy to predict who she’ll end up with in the end. There are somewhat graphic sex scenes which might be off-putting to some readers.

Despite the somewhat slow start, over-abundance of British slang, and pop culture references that will quickly date the book (“I typed ‘US presidential erection’ instead of ‘election’ in the report I was compiling for Piers, noticing just before I sent it to him. The idea of Trump’s todger was sufficiently off-putting to drive all thoughts of sex from my mind”), it will appeal to fans of Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.