The Spook in the Stacks, by Eva Gates

Looking at my NetGalley shelf recently, hoping to tackle the embarrassingly large backlog there, I realized that I have ARCs for several titles in this series; with the tenth book releasing this week, I decided to start with the earliest installment I have.

Single Dads Club, by Therese Beharrie

Once more with feeling: despite having at least four other titles by this author in the TRB cordillera of doom, this ARC is my introduction to her writing.

Beware: explicit sex; backstories for both protagonists include emotional abandonment; social anxiety.

The Dueling Duchess, by Minerva Spencer

I started reading this ARC, after being reminded of its impending release via SuperWendy’s Unusual Historicals post for May, but stopped when I realized how much of the beginning is intertwined with the events of the first book in the series. So I read that first, then came back to this one.

Beware: explicit language; explicit sex on page; death of a parent on page; brief incident of fatphobia; mentions of miscarriage; newborn death.

The Boxing Baroness, by Minerva Spencer

I have a number of Minerva Spencer’s books in the TBR, and for the life of me I can’t say why I haven’t read any of them before; after reading this ARC, I am officially hooked, so it’s a good thing that there’s a sizable backlist waiting for me. (footnote ¹)

Reader beware: explicit language, explicit sex on page; killings on page; all the following as character background: miscarriage; death in childbirth; infidelity; marital rape; attempted suicide; death of children due to smallpox infection.

Also: this review is long, even by my standards.