Tag: romance

Review: A Captain for Caroline Gray

Published on by Erica

Synopis:

Description

Regency London

Caroline Gray’s third season in London society ends as badly as her first two—no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it’s because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband.

However, her family’s dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn’t work, Caroline cannot return home.

Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the “Fishing Fleet,” he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away.

The trips have always been routine and uneventful—until this trip’s first night’s dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty.

The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott which quickly draws them closer.

Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother’s wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met—thus securing a future for her and her mother—or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?

Review:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I read this over two days. What a delightful story. At first, I wasn’t sure if I would like as much as the previous book I read by Julie Wright. But I think I may love this one a little more. Even the kissing scenes were delightfully written! I do wish I hadn’t let this one sit in my TBR pile for as long as I did.

I’m really grateful for the ARC copy I received from Shadow Mountain (despite my delay in posting a review.) Keep up with the wonderful clean stories.

Romance Book Fair

Published on by Erica

Fall is coming and that means Book Fair Season. (Do you remember the Scholastic Books at school? This is better because it comes to you, where ever you are. The fairs are hosted by Bookfunnel, so expect to do some clicking. (For your ease, when you click a link it will open into a new window.)

Please enjoy browsing the fair (And let us us know if you find a book you love!) Come back often as new fairs are added!

LEt’s Fall in Love this september…

new! Sept 16th
new! Sept 16th

And just to let you know, if you see one of my books in the fair and opt to buy it DIRECT on my shopify or Etsy store, it’s 50% off a limited time.

Roxbury books on etsy

Happy Reading!

Review: A Bright Heart

Published on by Erica

Blurb:

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes.
 
Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.
 
As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.
 
Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.
 
But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined. 
 
She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love? 
 
Master storyteller Kate Chenli introduces a singular YA heroine in this vividly rendered and utterly original new fantasy series. 

My Review:

The cover caught my attention as I love Asian based fantasy.

I waver between a 3 and a 4 star on this one, but by the end, I really loved this book.

Mingshin wasn’t that likable in the beginning. Yes, she’d been wronged. And she had good character growth. By the end, she was both likeable and admirable. (And I really really want to read the next book.) And I was rooting for Jeih from their first meeting.

Things to be aware of:

First is the minor foul language. (The a and b words.) There was only a few usages, thankfully. Does not really support the setting or feel of the story, but you understand why.

Secondly, too many lines went into what could have been epic kisses. Less is more.

This story does hint at a lesbian romance between Yunle and Fei, but it is both respectfully and tastefully handled.

Now, I think the next book will be an epic conclusion. If it’s anything like current C-dramas, and with the talent this author has for storytelling, I expect it even. (Don’t let me down!)

I received an ARC via Netgalley.

New Release: One Thousand Winters

Published on by Erica

When fairy Jingyi goes to pick a divine peach that grows once every ten thousand years, she discovers a wounded man. Mistaking him for an immortal she aids him, only to learn later he’s the dragon prince, Deng Longwei.

She has always been told that dragons are the enemy. But when she’s in trouble Longwei’s the first to save her. When love grows between them, will it be enough to stop a war?

Multi-retailer link
You can also read on Kindle Vella

November Book Fairs

Published on by Erica
click the image to visit the fair

click the image to go to the fair

click the image to go to this FREE book fair!

click the image to go to the fair

@roxburybooks

#fantasyromance #books #magical #fatedmates #fatedtoloveyou #forcedproximity #enemiestolovers #ninetailedfox #justkisses#redstringoffate #fairies #booktok

♬ Love You Like A Love Song – Selena Gomez & The Scene

Roxbury Books is on Tiktok!

New Release: It Started with a Lie

Published on by Erica

A Just Kisses Reverse Harem

However, he forgot to tell her he’s a 9-tailed fox. As the pair spend time together, their feelings grow. However, lies and jealousy will lead Gemma to the land of dragons, where she enters the palace of the third prince, a dragon named Ryu. Loving one man is hard enough. What happens when there are two?

First Reader Review

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If you prefer, you can read this title on Vella.

Review: Spin the Dawn

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia makes the ultimate sacrifice and poses as a boy to take his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors in a cutthroat competition for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the unthinkable final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the sun, the moon, and the stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this fantasy novel is not to be missed.

My Review:

This is the second book I’ve read by Elizabeth Lim. I really like her writing growth between this one and Six Crimson Cranes. I also grabbed the Unravel the Dusk to start reading.

Spin the Dawn is a beautiful story about love and family. I knew straight from the opening that this would have an epic romance. I was not disappointed. Maia would give up the sun and moon for Edan, and he would do the same for her.

I can’t wait to see where the next book takes me.

Content alert: There is a scene with off-the-page/fade to black sex. And another scene with heavy kissing and necking.

Review: Love Over Kpop

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

Trish Russo moves to LA as a new assistant for an American Kpop agency. When she convinces the moody kpop star, Woo In-ho to come out of his trailer at a video shoot, she is asked by the agency to accompany him up the California coast for a special personal event. During the drive, Trish gets to know Woo In-ho. Her feelings start to become entangled with him making her jeopardize her career. Will she be able to keep her job while being involved with the Kpop star she’s assigned to oversee?

My Review:

I stumbled on this little story on accident. And found myself continuing it in one night. it has some cute little romantic moments. There were a few times that I was a bit concerned that it wasn’t going to be a clean read suddenly and turn erotic due to the references to wanting to kiss In-ho again and maybe something else. Love isn’t lust and it gets tiring reading romance storylines that don’t realize this.

I really hope the author finishes writing this story.

Review: Hey, Nicky!

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

Remi Lucas isn’t afraid to go after what she wants, and she wants Nicolas Savage; the brilliant, hot, serious, emotionally unavailable nerd at school. Remi is gorgeous, smart, the head cheerleader, and the most popular girl in school; so, why is he playing hard to get? Does he think he’s going to ignore her? Not if she can help it. See if she’ll get her guy in this cute romantic comedy. Fans of the drama “It Started With a Kiss” will love this story.

Genre: Romance/Teen and Young Adult

My Review:

I know this story isn’t finished. It is a vella story, after all, but it is fun. Taking place in high school, two childhood friends have grown apart That’s often part of life, right? Except Remi loves Nicholas, and Nicholas is crushing on Remi. What’s the problem you wonder? Well, Nicholas is relying on playing hard to get because a book told him so.
Full of embarrassing confession moments, longing thoughts and glances, this book will keep you going. So stock up on those tokens, you’re going to need them.