Gray “Quick Shot” Woodson is the fastest gun west of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, he’s ready to hang up his hat. Sure, being notorious has its perks. But the nomadic lifestyle—and people always tryin’ to kill you—gets old real fast.
Now he just wants to find a place to retire so he can spend his days the way the good Lord intended. Staring at the sunset. And napping.
When his stubborn horse drags him into a hole-in-the-wall town called Desolation, something about the place calls to Gray, and he figures he might actually have a shot at a sleepy retirement.
His optimism lasts about a minute and a half.
Soon he finds himself embroiled in a town vendetta and married to a woman named Mercy. Who, judging by her aggravating personality, doesn’t know the meaning of her own name. In fact, she’s downright impossible.
But dang it if his wife isn’t irresistible.
If only she’d stop trying to steal his guns to go after the bad guys herself.
There goes his peace and quiet...
If you want more of "something" in Romancelandia you need to take a few fliers. I love historical westerns, which means I try to buy, read and support that particular sub genre. McLean's latest being a western is enough for me, although I will admit that from the back cover blurb this sounds like it might be a Funny Ha Ha Historical Western - and admittedly those aren't my favorite. But I want westerns and here we are. Plus I'm here for the retiring gunslinger who gets more than he bargained for trope.
Betrothed by duty
To his enemy!
To strengthen an alliance between their clans, future chieftain of the mighty Cameron Clan, Robbie Cameron, must marry Sheena MacLerie. Only, she is the last person he would have picked after her betrayal years ago. Now she is as infuriatingly elusive as ever—and, worse, seems intent on breaking their betrothal! Just what is his inconvenient bride hiding? Uncovering her secrets means earning her trust…but that also ignites a simmering passion!
Brisbin is a good, solid writer and a new medieval from her is always worth a look. A hero who must marry a heroine who done him wrong and a heroine with a Big Secret. Perfect fodder for a medieval!
She arrived as a housekeeper
Will she leave as a countess?
To some, Thornhallow Hall might be tarnished by tales of vengeance and ghosts, but to new housekeeper Rebecca Merrickson it represents independence and peace from her tumultuous past. Until the estate’s owner, William Reid, the disappeared earl, unexpectedly returns… After clashing with him over the changes she’s made to the house, Rebecca slowly unearths the memories that haunt brooding Liam—and her defiance gives way to a shockingly improper attraction to her master!
James has self-published, but this is her debut for Harlequin Historical and I am ALL over this one. A housekeeper heroine, a long-lost earl returned home, and a rundown manor. Gothic ahoy!
From glittering ballrooms to London’s dark underbelly, Ash & Juliana are back on the hunt for a murderer in the second installment of this thrilling historical mystery series from L.C. Sharp.
The London ton protect their own. Even when it comes to murder.
“There’s been an incident.”
In the finer circles of 1749 London, incident is apparently the polite way to describe discovering a body with a gruesome wound and no sign of the killer. But for newlyweds Lady Juliana and Sir Edmund “Ash” Ashendon, it’s a chance to track down the culprit and right a wrong—something they are both intimately familiar with.
Indeed, it is the only thing they are intimately familiar with. For the moment.
Though their marriage may be one of convenience, there’s nothing convenient about learning the victim has ties to a name from their past: the dreaded Raven. And the Raven isn’t the only danger they face. The aristocracy protects its own, and in London’s darkest corners, no one wants to be unmasked.
With Juliana’s life on the line, time is running out for Ash to find the killer before their marriage comes to an inconveniently bloody end.
Technically speaking, Carina is marketing this series as a historical mystery and this is the second book featuring the couple. However, it definitely smells as if it has romance notes to it, and it could be a good fit for historical romance fans. Also, it's set in the Georgian period, which is never terribly thick on the ground. Book one was featured May 2021 Unusual Historical post.
Penelope Fletcher gave up everything to board the RMS Titanic.
Forced to travel to America for her father's new job, Penelope left her home in Scotland, her beloved grandmother, and even her girlfriend, who promptly got engaged to someone else. Heartbroken, Penelope isn't looking forward to the weeklong journey. Or that her parents want her to find a husband in America. To make matters worse, she also has to share a cabin with a complete stranger.
Ruby Cole, her spunky Irish roommate, is unlike anyone Penelope ever met. They become fast friends as they bond over crushing family expectations and sneaking into lush parties together. That Ruby likes women, too, comes as a surprise to Penelope, but she knows their affair can only be temporary. Because as soon as the Titanic arrives in New York, Penelope will have to marry someone of her father’s choosing.
Before long, though, they’ll both have to decide what–and who–is really worth fighting for.
A debut from a Scottish author courtesy of Entangled, an F/F historical romance set aboard the Titanic. I'm curious how our heroine (who sounds like she's of a certain station...) finds herself saddled with a "spunky Irish roommate" - which means I'm going to have to read the book, right? And in other good news, according to the author's web site she has a F/F 1920s historical in the pipeline for October 2021.
What unusual historicals are you looking forward to?
4 comments:
I am intrigued by the premise of the first one, but I wanted to check a sample to see if the writing voice grates or no, and...no sample. Which. um.
On the other hand, I liked the sample on the James book.
I hear you on the swimming. I keep trying but find myself angry and frustrated a lot. Historicals help me escape for a while, so I'll probably end up with several of these in digital or audible. Thanks for continuing to showcase them.
AL: That's an Entangled book so I thought perhaps maybe they don't do samples? But no - that's not it. The Titanic book is also Entangled and there's a sample option on AMZ. So....yeah. That's weird. The James book is in the immediate TBR. The plan is to read that one soon.
Dorine: I've been in and out of reading slumps since the pandemic started and yeah, same. Historicals seem to be the one sub genre consistently keeping me engaged. That and mystery/suspense.
I'm with you on the slump, Wendy. Although, I'm having more of a review writing slump than a reading slump, lately. I'm determined to get caught up in the next month, though. I did add The Housekeeper of Thornhallow Hall and The Highlander's Inconvenient Bride to my digital TBR. A recent audible purchase that I thought sounded interesting is Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony. Not a new release, but it sounds intriguing.
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