A Trace of Hares - Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

 "Dr Nell Ward is in the lush, emerald-green hills of Ireland to attend the wedding of two dear friends at a picture-perfect farmhouse. But family tensions are running high in the days before the happy couple tie the knot. And when Nell hears a fox kill a hare in the early morning, the bad omen sends shivers down her spine. Almost like it is a sign of something to come. Then one of the locals makes a gruesome discovery in a nearby peat bog. The habitats are famous for the ancient bodies they can preserve for thousands of years. This woman, however, died much more recently and was clearly a victim of foul play. Nell and her friends are suddenly in the middle of another murder case. Can they trace the truth to unmask a long-hidden killer and save the wedding, before it's too late?"

We are back with another great installment of the Dr Nell Ward Mystery series. Yarwood-Lovett really seems to be finding her groove with these mysteries and each one is more intricate than the last.  I loved that this book is centered around one of the side characters fro the previous books and not Nell herself.  We are in a new setting, with some fresh characters, and there are new secrets to be revealed. 

Yarwood-Lovett does a fantastic job at large group murder mysteries.  She has a real knack for being able to introduce the reader to a large cast of characters in such a way that I have no trouble remembering who is who and how they are all connected.  Being able to keep track of characters is a frequent issue I run across in books with large casts and I know it is primarily a me-problem.  However, there is something about the way Yarwood-Lovett writes that really works with my brain and helps me remember which makes the reading experience so much more smooth.  We have a good mix of characters we know and love as well as some new ones mixed in.  There is a good amount of family tension due to some secrets of the past and Nell and her group, as newcomers, had a bit of catching up to do which allowed the details to be given to the reader without feeling overly info-dumpy.

The mystery itself was expertly plotted and we get a good amount of ecology/science coming into play to crack the mystery which is a main draw of the series for me. I loved that we started with just some family tension and animosity and this wasn't a murder mystery from the get-go.  Instead, thanks to the build up and background info, when the body does drop, the reader already knows the stakes and what this body means to our characters. Solving the mystery was half hard science, half behavioral analysis which I liked very much and found it to be a good balance.  Since we were in a new location, it was interesting to see the group be more on the outside of the investigation than in previous books in the series but they sure didn't let that stop them from investigating anyway. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC.  Publication was March 27, 2024.

The Sharp County Slasher - Andrew Alman

 

"If you like Dexter, you'll love this! In the quiet backwoods of Sharp County, retired detective Hilrey Higgins has spent years burying his past—both as a lawman and as something far darker. But when a new killer emerges, mimicking the gruesome precision of his own long-buried crimes, Hilrey is forced back into the game."

So like any good comp title, the Dexter comparison really drew me in to pick up this book.  I was a bit on the fence because while I love the Dexter TV show, I had some significant issues with the book (review here, if you're interested).  So I was pleased when the comparison was more on the subject matter in the book and not so much on the tone of the writing. I do think the description above makes the book seem like it will have a darker tone than what we actually get on page.  I overall had a good time and found the characters as well as the mystery plot to be well developed.

Hilrey's character is obviously the center of this read and I think he was a really interesting character to follow.  I did find the first chapter or two to be a big info-dumpy with his history - both professionally as well as his past crimes.  After those first few pages, however, we get right into the current narrative and it was smooth sailing from there. I loved that we got the details of Hilrey right from the beginning so this is one of those reads where it wasn't so much of a mystery of what happened in his past, but more so of when the other characters will find out.  Hilrey's character was well developed and had a very distinct voice which I always like in these type of reads.  While Hilrey was retired, he obviously hasn't lost his detective instincts and so following him for this investigation was interesting and I loved seeing the contrast between his history and the newer methods that are used now.  The other characters in this read are also well developed and I got a really good sense of all of their characters.  Since this is book 1 in a series, I hope we get to see more from these side characters in future books.

The mystery of the current murder that Hilrey and Dakota are investigating was really interesting and well plotted.  We get a lot of bodies dropping and a lot of different leads for our investigation team to follow.  We get a lot of leads especially when connecting the current murders with crimes in the past and I think Alman does a great job of leading the reader through these investigation points without anything feeling overly dry or repetitive. Because we had so many victims in only a little over 300 pages, I did find myself not remembering the names of each victim.  So by the end of the book, when they are going over each of the crimes and how they are connected, I couldn't really remember specifically which one they were talking about unless they noted specific details of the kill or something specific to each victim (like their job). I know that the character name issue is something I have and might not be an issue for all readers.  

Alman does not shy away from the kills in this book - both in number and severity.  The horror aspect comes in mostly from the brutality of the kills but the actual descriptions and certainly leans into a body horror sort of descriptions.  The kills reminded me a lot of the kills in the Hannibal TV show where the bodies are mutilated and displayed in certain ways.  The descriptions of these scenes is given in a sort of clinical way and not overly drawn out. 

This is being listed as book 1 in The Campfire Murders series, I wasn't sure how it would end.  There are a couple ending options that this sort of story would naturally conclude with and it somehow manages to touch on each of them.  This does not end up in a cliff hanger, which is one of the ending options I was worried it would be.  It ends in a similar way to most police procedural series where the case is solved but there are other plot points that are left open for the next book in the series. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC.  

Publication date was February 26, 2025.

March 2025 Romance Wrap-Up

 

A Five Letter Word for Love - Amy James

So I may have picked this up mostly due to the Wordle aspect but I was still pleasantly surprised at how much Wordle was integrated into the romance. This was James's debut romance and I overall enjoyed it.  I did find at parts that it focused more on the FMC's life in a way that read more like a woman's fiction and less a category romance read.  I did find our FMC a little grating at the beginning, but I liked that we quickly saw her starting to change some of her attitude about this small town.  We also get some good challenging of the beliefs of both MCs so those more cringe moments are addressed.  This was a single POV read and I desperately wanted to have chapters from our MMC because he was so quiet during their scenes together.  He is really the strong and silent type and while he shows how much he cares through his actions and our FMC does point out when she notices little changes but I would have loved chapters where we could understand just how he felt.  I think James did a fantastic job on the small town aspect and I would love if we get more books set in this town.

 Tropes: Small Town, Opposites Attract, Single POV

Standalone

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.  Publication date was December 3, 2024.

 

 

My Big Fat Fake Marriage - Charlotte Stein

I couldn't find anywhere where this was specifically noted as being part of a series, but it is in the same universe as Stein's When Grumpy Met Sunshine and we do get some cameos from those characters in this book.  If the first book was based off Roy Kent, then this one is 100% giving Ted Lasso vibes.  We have an overly adorkable and mustachioed MMC who was so polite and easily flustered.  Now listen, I love me an alphahole MMC at times but Beck (the MMC) was *chef's kiss* perfection. I absolutely adored the chemistry between our two MCs and how their opposite personalities actually worked together perfectly. There's something about their dynamic that most opposite attract trope books don't quite get to where they really feel like puzzle pieces snapping together. The fake marriage portion of the plot was fantastic and just the right amount of ridiculous for this sort of rom-com. This is the third book I've read from Stein, and she is quickly becoming a must-read author for me.

Tropes: Fake Marriage, Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract

Standalone

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.   Publication date was March 11, 2025.

 

 

 If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny - Ann Einerson

This was a really solid single parent/nanny romance but I think that trope just isn't hitting for me much any more.  I liked how our MCs knew each other before the nanny stuff came up (they are neighbors) so they had a history before the romance started.  I loved how different they both were and how they both compromised in order to work out issues.  The small town setting was great and I loved the amount of meddling that happened from the people in their lives.  We get all the typical parts of a parent/nanny romance - the adorable kid, the 'we shouldn't be doing this', the sneaking around so the kid doesn't find out, etc.  It was a well done read and I think if you like the parent/nanny romance dynamic then you will like this one.

Tropes: Small Town, Single Parent, Nanny, Age Gap

Series: Aspen Grove #1

Dom - S.J. Tilly

I absolutely loved books 1 and 2 in this series, mostly due to the interestingly light tone despite them being mafia romances.  This book, which I still enjoyed, felt very much more like a typical mafia romance read.  The tone was more serious, the relationship between our MCs was darker and they had the captor/captive thing to get over before getting their HEA. I loved that we got to see more of the Alliance and the characters from the previous books.  I think the dynamic between our MCs was really interesting but did find some of their continued miscommunication or actively deciding to not talk about their feelings to be a little juvenile.  I wanted these two to talk it out and draw some lines in the sand given the situation but instead it felt like they were playing mind games and just trying to get under the other's skin.  Once they got past all of the annoying parts and actually started working together and trusting each other again, then I found myself being reinvested in the story and their HEA.  It felt like this book was supposed to raise the stakes on the overall plot across the series but it ended up feeling a little out of place.  I think it would have worked better if it matched  

Tropes: Mafia, Captor/Captive, Forced Marriage

Series: Alliance #3

Hans - S.J. Tilly

This was the final book in the Alliance series and we finally get to meet Hans - who was a boogeyman of sorts in the previous books. I absolutely loved that we are back to the sort of unhinged sweetness of books 1 and 2 of the series.  Hans is an absolute weirdo who is crushing on his neighbor across the street but Tilly manages to get the tone just right that he comes off swoon-worthy and not restraining order-worthy.  It helps that our FMC is crushing just as hard on Hans and that the two of them just work so well together. This is a bit more of a romantic suspense read than the previous entries in the series and I really enjoyed every bit of it. As this is the last book in the series, we do get resolutions to some on-going plot points and some cameos from the other couples.

Tropes: Mafia, Obsessed Hero, Romantic Suspense

Series: Alliance #4

Married to the Devil - Lillian Lark

This is the 5th book in the series and while it is technically a standalone, it is recommended that you read book #4 in the series first (Hoarded by the Dragon).  I did not read #4 before reading this one and while I could tell I was missing out on some of the finer details, I was never completely lost without reading that previous book - it just took me a little longer to get my bearings.  This also had a pretty significant tone change from books 2 and 3 in the series.  The previous books in the series were more removed from the political/mafia aspects that this book (and from what I could tell, probably book 4 as well) were steeped very much in.  Not that I minded it at all, I do love me some mafia romances, it was just more serious than I was expecting based on my previous experience in the series.  As in the previous books, I think Lark does a fantastic job with her multi-partner romances to show the reader each of the individual relationships between all parties.  I loved how complex the relationships in this read were and how each character had something to overcome.  The chemistry was off the charts but there was such a heaviness with the emotional stakes that I wasn't  expecting. 

Tropes: FMM, Monster, Marriage of Convenience, Mafia

Series: Monstrous Matches #5

False Comeback - Lily Mayne

I adore this series and loved how this book introduced a bit of a darker tone compared to the previous entries.  The first three books in the series were overall light and pretty fun in both the romantic and non-romantic plots.  However, our MCs in this read were so viscerally at each other's throats that I found Mayne having a lot of ground to cover to make their relationship believable.  But she did it handily and this might be my new favorite of the series.  I don't know if I've ever read anything that could be describes as hate fucking before, but the first few interactions between our MCs certainly fit that description.  But thanks to the expert character development and dual POV, we get to see just how many emotions these interactions brought out in both MCs.  I also loved the amount of backstory we got from both characters - but especially High Lord Crossbody. This is a longer romance read at 515 pages, but I think each and every page was needed in order for the relationship to feel natural and real between these two.  We also get introduced to some new wrestlers which I can't wait to see those characters more in future books in this series.

Tropes: MM, Supernatural, Enemies to Lovers

Series: Goliaths of Wrestling #4

Voyeur Cafe - Jasmine Grace

I read book 3 in this series last month and am now going back to read the other books.  Despite knowing how these two MCs end up together, I absolutely adored this read.  Grace does a fantastic job of giving us really clear characters right from the beginning.  We know exactly who these characters are along with their wants and their potential issues.  I find when you have character development that solid, the relationships almost always feel so much more natural.  I also think Grace does a great job at slowly changing the tone of the relationship overtime.  They certainly start out at a pretty antagonistic point but slowly they develop a more teasing and flirtatious relationship which just blossoms from there.

Tropes: Rivals to Lovers, Age Gap, Coworkers

Series: Heartbeats in the Heat #1

Every Move You Make - Sloan Spencer

 This read exemplifies everything I love about poly romances - everyone has a crush on everyone else and it just works out perfectly in the end.  This is a read for everyone who (like me) discovered rugby through the Olympics and Ilona Maher.  Rugby is integral to the plot but Spencer does a good job of giving a glossary of terms up front as well as working in some pretty good explanations into the book itself.  I loved how the dynamic between all of the character pairings are so different but just work together so well.  I do wish it was a little longer so we could see some more scenes of the different dynamics between our three MCs. 

Tropes: FMM, Sports (Rugby), Virgin MMC, Friends to Lovers

Series: The Rugby Lovers #1

  

Riley Thorn and the Blast from the Past - Lucy Score

We're back with Riley, Nick, and the whole crew for another great installment in this series.  I really enjoyed that the mystery in this one hit closer to home and we get some answers to questions that have been brought up over the past 2 books.  I love a lot of Lucy Score's romances, but I think she could 100% branch off into full cozy mysteries and I think she has really hit her stride with this one.  I loved being back with this wacky cast of characters and since this mystery was so close to home, I really feel like we got some good character details and development from our main cast. We also got a good amount of information and development on Riley's psychic powers and how the overall psychic abilities in this world work. I can't wait to read on in the series!

Tropes: Cozy Mystery, Supernatural

Series: Riley Thorn #3

 

Keep Me - Sara Cate

 

I absolutely loved Cate's Salacious Player's Club series and I love the marriage of convenience trope so I thought this read was going to be a slam dunk.  However, the hate to love aspect of it was just not my jam.  I thought this was going to be more of a grumpy enemies to lovers sort where our grumpy MMC didn't want the FMC there and I absolutely love that.  But I did not expect them to spend so much time absolutely screaming at each other and it really felt like they legitimately hated each other for like months.  I don't like bully romances or full hate to love because I need to see so much character growth over time in order for me to believe that these two even get back to neutral ground about each other, much less love each other. I thought both of our MCs were wonderfully complex characters and we get some great "my wife" energy going on but I couldn't reconcile the flip flopping of that with the screaming names at each other. I will absolutely be continuing on in the series and hope this was just a not for me blip.

Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Hate to Love

Series: Sinful Manor #1

 

Beef Cake - Jiffy Kate

This was a fun read and I always love being back in the Green Valley universe.  Like many of these 'extended universe' books, there are multiple references that new readers might not immediately get but Kate does a good job of giving any new readers a quick run down.  I loved that this one explored the nuances and intricacies of fighting sports and how they can be similar or different to other types of violence.  Our MCs have very different reactions to seeing violence, for their own reasons, and for a while I was worried these differences would end up getting waved away.   However, I was pleased when they did get taken seriously and discussed in a healthy way. This read had a good mix of fluff and heavier topics that I think Kate balanced well.

Tropes: Sports (Fighting), Small Town, Opposites Attract

Series: Fighting for Love #2

 

American Traditional - E.M. Lindsey

 Another great installment in this series.  We get introduced to Sage and Will's friendship in the previous book in this series so it was nice to get to follow them now.  Lindsey does a good job tackling a difficult or sensitive topic in each of the previous books, but this one felt extra heavy.  We have multiple deaths, abusive relationships, and trauma on all sides.  However, I think that Lindsey does a great job of navigating these topics in a realistic way and since it is a romance, the reader knows it will all work out by the end.  I liked that this one was a bit more of a slower paced romance so it gave both of our MMCs time to find their new normal and decide what they want for themselves and a potential relationship. 

Tropes: MM, Single Parent, Love After Loss, Friends to Lovers

Series: Irons and Works #3

 

Mated to the Monster - Sarah Spade 

This was a solid monster romance and a good first entry into the series.  We get a lot of interesting world building and I loved how Spade was able to give the reader details without it feeling overly info-dumpy.  I wanted more time with our FMC before she summoned the MMC to really get a good sense of her character and what she wants.  This book was pretty fast paced I think due to the fated mates mechanic.  I haven't read a lot of fated mates/instalove sort of romances because I do enjoy following as the feelings evolve over time.  Spade does a great job of setting up the world and leaving the door open for the next books in the series so if book 1 is your jam, I think the whole series would be.  For me, this was more of a one and done situation, but I still enjoyed it.

Tropes: Monster, Size Difference, Supernatural, Fated Mates

Series: Sombra Demons #1