searchingforhappilyeverafter's reviews
79 reviews

Since the Surrender is book three in the Pennyroyal Green series by Julie Anne Long. Captain Chase Eversea has returned to London after being banished from Sussex. He receives a mysterious message from an unknown sender. Soon after, we find out it's from Rosalind March, a woman from his past. Rosalind's sister is missing, and she needs Chase's help to find her. Together, they embark on a journey to solve this mystery, finding old sparks reignited.

This story is fantastic and has really great characters. Julie is amazing at writing character descriptions. For example, Chase observes a woman from behind and is able to recognize her as Rosalind just by the subtle way she tilts her head and rolls her shoulder, showing Chase's military background and enhanced observational skills. It’s tiny details like this that make this book stand out!

A pleasant surprise was how much I enjoyed the street urchin Liam! He has completely captured my heart. Liam is incredibly clever and so lovable. His interactions with Chase and Rosalind are endearing.

The mystery adds an intriguing element to this romance, and I really enjoyed it!

I had such a fabulous stay at The Grand Palace on the Thames! Delilah and Angelique are the best hostesses. They, along with Dot and all of the other guests, especially the charming Captain Tristan Hardy, made my stay so fun and interesting.

Lady Derring Takes a Lover, is the first book in Julie Anne Long’s Palace of Rogues series. This is such an entertaining and unique story. Upon her husband’s death, Delilah Swanpoole, Countess of Derring, learns her husband led a secret life. She inherits an abandoned building and decides to live life her way and never again be at the mercy of a man. Captain Tristan Hardy is on a mission to track down a smuggler. His mission leads him to the newly opened boardinghouse, The Grand Palace on the Thames, run by Countess Derring and Mrs. Angelique Breedlove.

This is such an entertaining and unique story. The heroine, Delilah, is strong and courageous, and I love her optimism. Her husband died and left her penniless except for an old building, and Delilah found out he had a mistress. However, Delilah is still so optimistic about everything, even after meeting said mistress, Angelique Breedlove. She develops an unlikely friendship with Angelique, and together, they get to work fixing up the derelict palace. Even in such extreme circumstances, Delilah doesn’t give up hope! She is a remarkable heroine, who genuinely enjoys making people feel welcome and happy. Along with being incredibly kind and friendly, she is also really clever and witty.

The hero, Captain Tristan Hardy, is absolutely dreamy! He’s strong and ruthless and is a perfect match for Delilah. Tristan doesn’t open up to people very easily, but he can’t resist being drawn to Delilah. The two of them set off sparks right from their hilarious first meeting. Tristan mostly keeps himself under control, but when he lets go and allows Delilah to see his fun and teasing side creates some of the most memorable scenes in this book.

While this may be a romance, it’s also a story about friendship and found family, focusing on the relationship between Delilah and Angelique. At first, I wasn’t sure I would like Angelique’s character, but as she’s telling Delilah her story, I just really wanted to give her a hug. My heart really broke for her. Delilah and Angelique naturally start off a little uncertain about each other, but over time their bond grows stronger. The friendship that develops between the two of them is just so beautifully written.

The smuggling ring investigation, the history of the Palace of Rogues, and the mysterious man with the token offer some intrigue and excitement. The epilogue was fantastic! And I’m so glad I already have the next book so I can find out more about Mr. E!

Also, I enjoyed the variety of secondary characters and the setting! The Grand Palace seems like its own character and really comes to life in the descriptions.

Angel in a Devil’s arms, is the second book in Julie Anne Long’s Palace of Rogues series.

Lucien Durand was thought to have drowned in the Thames a decade ago. However, he mysteriously shows up at The Grand Palace on the Thames one night and is out for revenge. Angelique Breedlove, one of the boardinghouse’s proprietresses, is not willing to risk her heart ever again. But along the way to discovering the truth, these two give in to the explosive passion brewing between them.

Angelique is introduced in the previous book. She is the former mistress of the late Lord Derring. She meets Derring’s wife, Delilah, and strikes up an unusual, but strong friendship with her. They are now the proprietresses of The Grand Palace on the Thames. Angelique is such a strong character. She has a really heartbreaking past. She lost her family when she was quite young and tried living a respectable life on her own, but a couple of men took advantage of her. Eventually, she became Lord Derring’s mistress. Now, she has found a family with Delilah and the rest of the crew at The Grand Palace. She’s an awesome heroine! Over the course of the story, we see her learn to forgive and admire her younger self. She is a survivor and loves her new family fiercely. However, she’s unwilling to take a chance on men again.

Lucien’s only objective is to seek revenge on those who betrayed him. I really enjoyed his character arc. He starts off as a man who just wants revenge, but grows into someone who is open to letting go and making amends. He realizes that he just wants to live an ordinary life with Angelique. Some of the most enjoyable scenes are when Angelique and Lucien are trying to be friends. Watching them fall in love is so heartwarming. And Lucien says so many romantic lines that my e-book is full of highlights!

While this book stands alone, I would definitely recommend reading the series in order. The background of the Palace and all the relationships that begin to develop in the first book add to the enjoyment of this wonderful sequel.

If you haven't started this series yet, what are you waiting for? It’s a must-read! The next book in the series releases today!

I'm Only Wicked with You is the third book in Julie Anne Long's Palace of Rogues series.

As Angelique Durand says, romantic things happen very often at The Grand Palace. This time they center on Hugh Cassidy and Lillias Vaughn. Ambitious American, Hugh, and headstrong British heiress, Lillias, set off sparks right from the beginning. Cassidy is in England on a rescue mission. He meets Lillias and her family, who are staying at The Grand Palace on the Thames while their home undergoes renovations.

It's clear that Lillias and Hugh have different outlooks on life. But the way their relationship develops is wonderful. I love a good enemies-to-lovers story. Hugh and Lillias challenge each other and make excellent sparring partners. The tension and chemistry between the two are fantastic! Sparkling banter and moonlit confessions in the gazebo make this story so romantic and delightful.

Also, a man who is willing to risk his life for his dog owns my heart!

Most of the story takes place at the boardinghouse, and I loved seeing the characters that have become such a fixture of The Grand Palace on the Thames. The new friendships developing are so fun to watch, especially between St. John and Delacorte.

I'm so excited to find out what new guests will arrive at The Grand Palace on the Thames in the next book!

Thank you Net Galley and Avon for the ARC!

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a charming enemies-to-lovers story that takes place in the world of public radio.

Shay Goldstein and Dominic Yun are work rivals. In order to save their jobs, they have to pretend to be exes and host a new radio show about relationships. This results a lot of witty banter and plenty of steamy moments.

Shay has had a passion for radio since childhood. It was something she shared with her father, whose loss she is still grieving. She's been working at Pacific Public Radio her entire career. Dominic is the young, new hot shot at the station, which causes some tension.

I enjoyed watching Shay and Dominic go from enemies to fake exes to friends and then finally to lovers!

This story is beautifully written with a wonderfully vibrant and diverse cast of characters. I really loved the secondary characters, especially Shay's mom and Phil.

Meet my newest favorite HR couple, Maddie and Captain MacWhimsy, I mean MacKenzie.

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare is a marriage of convenience story with wonderful characters, hilarious dialogue, and an epistolary romance. Madeline is a talented scientific illustrator. But she is shy, so shy in fact that she invents an imaginary sweetheart and writes him letters. Unbeknownst to her, said sweetheart has actually been receiving her letters, and years later, shows up on her doorstep with a proposal.

Maddie and Logan’s relationship is so sweet! I love how their romance starts off with them becoming friends and conspirators in keeping Maddie’s secret. The way they get to know each other is such a fun and charming journey. Logan is amazing! It’s no wonder Maddie fell for him. He is so encouraging and supportive of Maddie’s work, and he helps her through her social anxiety and panic attacks. Maddie, on the other hand, helps Logan fight his own demons.

I love how Logan is willing to do anything for the people he cares about, especially the men he led into battle. He considers these men his family. Some of the funniest scenes, including my favorite one, involve Logan’s men.

No review of this book is complete without Rex and Fluffy, Maddie’s pet lobsters. She has been commissioned to illustrate their full life cycle. Hilarity ensues while she waits for them to mate.

Are there any fans of the TV show Friends? This book gives off major “he’s her lobster” vibes! I also enjoyed the Pride and Prejudice reference.

There is a bonus epilogue on Tessa Dare’s website!

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is book 1 of the Bellinger Sisters series and my favorite read of the summer!

Piper Bellinger, an influential LA socialite, lands in some trouble and gets sent to her late father’s hometown, a small fishing town in the Pacific Northwest. In Westport, she meets gruff and brooding captain Brendan Taggart, who thinks she and her sister Hannah won’t last even one night in the run-down apartment above the bar. However, Piper is determined to show everyone, especially herself, that she is much stronger and more capable than people assume.

Piper and Brendan’s journey is so fun and full of sparks. They set off fireworks right from their first meeting and make the pages sizzle. Their relationship is wonderful. I love how Piper brings out the best in Brendan and makes him see life in a new light. And I absolutely adore Brendan for never trying to change Piper’s personality. He loves her just the way she is! In addition to being sweet and kind, Piper is high-maintenance, optimistic, and loves fashion and social media, and Brendan not only embraces all of it but encourages it. I don’t have enough words to express how much I love Brendan.

The character arcs are so well-developed. It was amazing to see how much Piper and Brendan grew throughout the story. In particular, Piper reconnecting with her past was beautifully written. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Piper and Hannah.

If you haven’t read this book yet, you should definitely read it soon, especially if you love the sunshine vs grumpy, with a dash of enemies to lovers trope. Tessa Bailey’s writing is magical and will make you fall in love with the town of Westport and its residents. I’m looking forward to Fox and Hannah’s story in Hook, Line, and Sinker!