Desert Phoenix, by Suzette Bruggeman

I requested this ARC because the cover and title caught my eye; the blurb clinched the matter. I did not, however, expect the writing to be this good–I read the second half literally overnight. Who needs sleep?

Reader beware: illness and death, on page; rape of a child, on page; murder; violence; forced sterilization; a hanging. This is most certainly a love story with a HEA, but there’s too much tragedy and too much loss, and so, while it doesn’t fit within modern genre romance, it would have fit well with the sagas of the 70s and 80s– even though there is no purple prose whatsoever.

Scoundrel, by Zoë Archer

Once upon a time, Zoë Archer (now writing historical romances as Eva Leigh), exploded into the readerly groups around which I circled, with the Blades of the Rose series. Given who was recommending the books and what they were saying about them, I promptly got them (in print) as they were released. And then I dithered for a couple of years. Upon finally reading Warrior, I confidently declared that I would read the rest in good order.

That was ::ahem:: over a decade ago.

Fortunately, SuperWendy’s TBR Challenge has come to the rescue! (again). Edited to add: the theme this month is ‘getaway’, and my brain immediately went to ‘escaping’, which this book fits perfectly.

Reader beware: explicit sex and some violence; the villains may seem over the top, unless you’ve been reading the news. Also, this book is fully 400 pages long.

Lady Sophia’s Lover, by Lisa Kleypas

In for a penny, yadda yadda, here’s another re-read. The second in the Bow Street Runners trilogy, we finally learn more about Sir Ross Cannon, the magistrate and leader of the Runners. Not coincidentally, it sets up the last book in the trilogy.

Beware of quite a bit of graphic sex, explicit language, stillbirth, maternal death, and references to child sexual abuse.

Someone to Watch Over Me, by Lisa Kleypas

I am indulging in another re-read, a historical romance. This is the first book in a trilogy about the famed Bow Street Runners of late Regency-era London. ¹

Reader beware: there’s graphic sex on the page, some adult language, attempted rape, and a fair bit of whorephobia.

Oh, and I spoil a key plot point in the review–though, if you’ve read some romance, you likely already know, from the blurb alone.