Jingle All the Way: Unusual Historicals for December 2024

I hope that wherever you are reading this that December has managed to not suck out your will to live and whatever holiday madness you may celebrate that you can sit back, relax and enjoy it. I'll have Christmas Day off, but will otherwise be working this week and the last two things on are my to-do list are 1) buy rolls on Tuesday morning on the way to the office and 2) cook the actual holiday meal on Wednesday. I also hope I can take a moment to enjoy some holiday cheer before I'm back to work (it's a librarian's life for me!) on Thursday. Publishing typically ghosts us in December, but all things considered we still have a nice mix of Unusual Historicals debuting this month. Happy Holidays to you and yours and here's to a 2025 that doesn't suck (hope springs eternal...)

The Secret Daughter by Anne Gracie 

Orphaned Zoë Benoît has spent the last three years in Paris learning how to be a lady. But Zoë is torn—as an independent spirit and a talented artist, she cannot help but want more than the tightly controlled life of a society lady.

On an impulsive visit to the château where her mother lived, Zoë, disguised as a maidservant named Vita, meets a handsome wandering artist, known simply as Reynard. One blissful week with the charming Reynard convinces Zoë that this is the man and the life for her—until she discovers what he’s been hiding from her, and she flees, heartbroken.

Longing for the chance to redeem himself, Reynard searches far and wide for the woman he knows as Vita, to no avail. Disheartened, he returns to England to reluctantly resume his role as Julian Fox, the Earl of Foxton. However, when he sees one of Zoë’s paintings, he realizes she’s in London, and becomes desperate to find her before it’s too late. But even if they reunite, can he convince Zoë he’s worthy of her trust and prove to her that, with him, she can be a free-spirited artist and a countess?

This is the fourth book in Gracie's Brides of Bellaire Gardens series and features an artist heroine, masquerading as a servant, falling in love with another artist while visiting a French chateau. Not realizing, of course, he's actually an Earl. Oops.

No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt

Cold and brooding, Julian Greycourt, the heir to the Windemere dukedom, has always known that his uncle the duke was responsible for his mother’s death. Now he’s determined to exact revenge against his uncle—if he can find the proof. But Julian hides a secret so explosive it will destroy him if it’s ever revealed, and the duke is watching. The last thing he needs is a distractingly sensual woman whose very presence threatens to destroy his plans.

 Sunny and cheerful, Lady Elspeth de Moray doesn’t know why her brother and Julian fell out all those years ago, but she can’t let the autocratic man get in the way of her mission: to retrieve an ancient family text that she believes is in one of the Windemere libraries. Locating the tome, however, proves trickier than she anticipated, and at each turn, she’s thrown together with the maddingly mysterious Julian. And the temptation to give in to her family’s greatest enemy grows stronger with each intriguing encounter…

The third book in Hoyt's Greycourt series has been four years in the making and features the heir to a dukedom bent on a revenge (aren't they always?) and a heroine determined to find a missing family text she thinks just might be in one of his libraries. The question is where? Like Hoyt's backlist, we're back in Georgian-era England for the various hijinks.

A Tempest of Desire by Lorraine Heath

After surviving a horrific railway accident, Viscount Langdon retreats to his private island to recover and conquer the nightmarish memories that continue to haunt him. The very last thing he wants—or expects—is for London’s most infamous courtesan to wash up on his beach. 

Marlowe is known for her bold flirtations, but her most daring exploits involve flying in her hot air balloon. When a storm blows her off course, she discovers herself alone with the isle’s only inhabitant. The gorgeous, seductive lord tempts her beyond reason, but giving into temptation would lead to her ruination because the all-consuming liaison would demand complete surrender. And she has secrets to protect.

Langdon finds the captivating beauty near impossible to resist, but he can’t risk her learning the true reason behind his isolation. However, a powerful tempest of desire is swirling wildly between them, urging them to give in to the perilous passion that could destroy them . . . or perhaps show them the way to love.

Heath continues her Scandalous Gentleman of St. James series with a plot so absurd it intrigues. A Beastly hero hiding out on his own private island (as you do) rescues a hot air balloon flying heroine, who happens to be a courtesan, when she washes up on his shores, thereby disturbing his pity party. The unmitigated gall of some people...

The Lady's Snowbound Scandal by Paulia Belgado

A spinster, a scrooge 

…and only one bed! 

American industrialist Elliot has a plan to ensure his sisters will marry well—find a London society wife to elevate the family name! What’s not part of his plan is falling for the shy spinster who has no intention of marrying at all… 

Lady Georgina believes Elliot to be a heartless scrooge! Still, she needs his help to save her beloved orphanage in time for Christmas. So, in exchange, she offers to help him find a respectable wife. But when they’re scandalously snowed in at a coaching inn, their simmering attraction has no place to hide…

He's an American industrialist (eww, he's new money and he works?! How gauche!) determined to take a London society wife to better elevate his sisters' prospects and instead...he falls for a shy spinster. Because of course he does. 

Murder in Moonlight by Mary Lancaster

On a personal quest, Constance Silver, who runs Mayfair’s most exclusive brothel, has lied her way into Greenforth Manor, home of respectable and charismatic provincial banker, Walter Winsom. She feels quite safe from recognition until Solomon Grey joins the party.

Aloof and strangely exciting, Solomon is one of the wealthiest men in London, so what does he want with any of the small players gathered at Greenforth? More immediately, will he give Constance away? He saved her life once, with most disturbing effects on her, and she is still magnetically drawn to him. But he is one of the few men she cannot read or influence.

When they discover their host’s murdered body together, they have to overcome distrust of each other to investigate. Everyone in the house seems to have had both motive and opportunity to kill him, so Constance and Solomon must uncover many secrets and set a dangerous trap in order to reach the truth.

She's a brothel madam up to shenanigans and he's an extremely wealthy man who can blow her cover sky high. Then their house party host turns up dead and they need to set aside their distrust of each other to solve the murder. This is the first book in the Silver and Grey series.

The Knight's Bride Prize by Ella Matthews

Will he risk his mission… 

For her hand in marriage? 

On a secret quest to expose a traitor, Sir Hugh enlists in a tournament to win the hand of his target’s daughter, Lady Bronwen. But the clever, driven maiden jeopardizes his plans when their unexpected attraction threatens to distract him from his duty! She’s desperate to escape her father, and Hugh can protect her by claiming his prize and marrying her. Yet honor demands the noble knight keep their desire at bay, for completing his mission means betraying his new bride’s trust…

He's on a quest to expose a traitor and instead ends up falling in love with the man's daughter. For our heroine's part, she's desperate to escape her father and in waltzes the hero, seemingly the answer to her prayers. This is the second book in the Knight's Mission series and is set in 14th century Wales.

A Story of Love by Minerva Spencer

Investigating London’s most infamous rogue for a seedy newspaper is hardly Lori’s dream job. But if that’s what it takes to break into publishing, so be it. She’ll uncover the sexy nobleman’s deepest, darkest secrets. It’s just her misfortune that she’ll have to peek into his bedroom windows—at his brothel, no less—to do it…

Lord Stand Fast Severn, heir to the Marquess of Granton, needs answers. Contrary to what the ton believes, he didn’t drive his twin brother to kill himself. But finding the man who did might be tricky. Especially with a nosy—and dangerously fascinating—journalist plaguing his every move. But when her investigation lands her neck-deep in danger, Fast knows it’s up to him to protect her.

The last thing Lori wants is the handsome rake’s protection. Especially when it means being kidnapped and held in his brothel like a prisoner.

But if Lori wants to get away from him so badly, then why isn’t she trying very hard to escape?

Can two enemies, forced into close proximity, write their own story of love?

Only if they can solve a murder before a killer gets to them first…

A rake with ulterior motives (don't they always...) partners up with a journalist heroine with ambition forced to work an assignment for a seedy newspaper because....well, woman. Whatcha gonna do? A brothel and a murder promise shenanigans. This is the seventh book in the author's Academy of Love series.

The Cornish Widow by Fil Reid

When Harriet Penhallow is left widowed, she and her two children are forced to accept the charity of her late husband’s aunt. Having uprooted themselves from their life in Bath, they move into a comparatively isolated and rundown cottage on the south coast of Cornwall, nestling above a little inlet known as Prussia Cove. Little does Harriet know, but it’s the center of Cornish smuggling.

One of the ringleaders is the charismatic Jack Trevelyan, captain of The Fly and only son of Harriet’s kind new neighbor. It doesn’t take her long to work out Jack is a smuggler, despite him being a gentleman and despite the fact that she’s beginning to have feelings for him. For his part, Jack, even though he’s immediately attracted to her, suspects she might have been sent to spy on his activities.

Then, one night, Harriet's twelve-year-old son sneaks down to the cove where The Fly is anchored, and she goes after him. When they hear the crew returning, they hide—before they know it, they’re at sea and too frightened to reveal themselves. When daylight comes, they’re discovered, but it’s too late to take them back to Cornwall. They’re forced to continue on to the smugglers’ rendezvous in Brittany.

A down on her luck widow falls for a smuggler hero with a suspicious nature. Then bingo-bango, shenanigans ensure and she finds herself a stowaway on a smuggler's ship with the hero and her 12-year-old son. This is the fourth book in the author's Cornish Ladies series.

Lyon's Lover by Maggie Sims

A wastrel lord and an ex-courtesan forced together must pay the price of their past sins.

She’s planning for the future…

Having enjoyed a successful career as mistress to various members of the Ton, Isabella Rossi longs to walk away from her past. She wants a normal life with all it entails—a husband, a home, and children. Isabella seeks out the Black Widow, owner of the Lyon’s Den gaming hell who also runs a specialized matchmaking service.

He’s living for the moment…

Heir to an earldom, Luke Lynwood is addicted to drinking, gambling, and avoiding his responsibilities. But when he gambles more than he can afford, the Black Widow offers him an alternative way to repay his massive debt.

Under Isabella’s reluctant tutelage, Luke must come to terms with his lack of self-control and face his father, which might just take a Christmas miracle.

Part of the long-running Lyon's Den continuity series, we have a former mistress desperate to finally settle down and a debauched hero basically blackmailed into making an honest woman out of her. This is either going to be really good or a hot mess (the word "addicted" is used to describe the hero - so help me if all it takes is a "love of a good woman..."). Also, never let it be said I cannot be shallow during the holidays - the we've got chest hair on the cover!

What Unusual Historicals are in your immediate TBR?

Horn of Plenty: Unusual Historicals for November 2023

For those playing along at home, Amazon's search algorithm seems to be back to it's normal mess as opposed to the epic hot mess of the past several months. That said, I still found myself looking at entirely too much porn for my own good (seriously, some of the covers and titles - my eyes may never recover).  This month though I had a lot of help from AztecLady who sent me a wide swath of upcoming releases. I combed through that list, then did some of my own searching, which means this month we have a bonanza of 11 titles! 

The Lady's Scandalous Proposition by Paulia Belgado

A proposition to shock the ton

And delight her rogue

Lady Persephone MacGregor is a genius with machines but hopeless as a debutante! After a lackluster first season, this one will be her last—and her best chance to experience sensual pleasure if she’s going to be a spinster for the rest of her life… So when she meets unconventional Ransom, the charismatic yet elusive owner of a gambling den, she decides to shock him with a daring proposition!

 

Belgado is a relatively new author in the Harlequin Historical universe, and this, her third book, is her first to land within the parameters of "unusual historical." Oh sure, a heroine who knows she's bound to die a spinster but who wants to experience passion - it's been done. But said heroine is also  mechanically inclined (ahem, machines) and our hero owns a gambling den. It's also a Victorian and I can typically count on Harlequin Historical authors to write actual Victorians - not also-ran Regencies claiming to be Victorians. 

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney

Together they faced the past . . .

 

A sense of duty sends Bran Tremayne to Cornwall to confront his heritage of British nobility. Abandoned at birth, Bran wants nothing to do with the embittered remains of his family. But as a special agent for the Home Office, he senses trouble brewing along the coast. And he can’t turn away from the vulnerable woman he encounters in the Cornish countryside. Merryn’s amnesia makes her past a mystery to them both, but with her life in danger, the only thing Bran knows for sure is that the beautiful stranger needs his protection . . .

 

But would they share a future?

 

Leaning into Bran is difficult enough, but can Merryn trust the strong bond—and the powerful passion—she feels for her rugged rescuer? She has no choice once Bran uncovers that she is at the center of a plot between French agents and Cornish smugglers. From misty woodlands to stormy shores, the two join forces with a band of loyal Cornishmen to bring down a common enemy. Yet will their growing love survive the coming peril?

Cornwall! Smugglers! An amnesiac heroine in danger! Icing on the cake of Putney's latest is that it's also set during the Georgian era.

Courting Miss Emma by Linda Broday

Texas, 1868. Emma Taggart has finally found a place to belong – setting up Heaven's Door orphanage with her sister Maura was a new beginning for her – and one she will do anything to protect.

When guarded ex-army man Stone Landry buys the neighboring land and moves in - camels and all - Emma's world changes forever. He is an infuriating man who instantly gets under her skin - in ways she never dreamed possible, and despite herself, Emma starts to wonder if, just maybe, he is man enough to take on a Hangman's daughter . . . But their newfound connection is quickly tested by violent night raids, kidnappings, and underhand tricks by powerful rancher Zeke Parker, who is intent on running them out of town and taking the land he deems to be his. Can Emma find enough courage to trust in Stone and help him give her the life she's always dreamed of?

Book 2 in a series centered around sisters whose father was a hangman. Also our hero buys the land next door and moves in with some...camels? In Texas? I've read Broday in the past and she tends to infuse some humor in some of her books and I'm not a Funny Ha Ha Western fan (dark, gritty, death lurking around every corner Western fan here). This blurb certainly doesn't read Funny Ha Ha, but this is one I'll be sampling from the Day Job to see if it sticks.

Warriors in Winter by Michelle Willingham (Reprint)

Enjoy a collection of three holiday stories featuring second-generation characters from the MacEgan Brothers series!

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER

After Brianna MacEgan’s husband was killed by a Viking, she will stop at nothing to avenge his death—even if she must wield the sword herself. But when the handsome Arturo de Manzano offers to train her to fight, the Spaniard slowly begins to melt the ice around her heart …

THE HOLLY AND THE VIKING

After being caught in a snowstorm, Rhiannon MacEgan seeks shelter with a fierce Viking. She’s intrigued by the handsome warrior Kaall, but he’s holding a terrible secret. Not only is Kaall blind, he’s also her cousin’s greatest enemy…

A SEASON TO FORGIVE

Adriana de Manzano is betrothed to Liam MacEgan, a man who rescued her from captivity, but she’s hiding the darkness of her past. To save Liam’s life, she was forced to betray him. If she tells this proud Irish warrior the truth, will he ever forgive her?

Originally published by Harlequin Historical in 2012, Willingham wraps up her MacEgan Brothers self-published re-releases with this holiday themed anthology featuring members of the second generation. All three stories are interconnected and you can read my review of the original edition over at The Good, The Bad and the Unread. 

The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick

Millicent Foxboro is haunted.

Not by ghosts, but by the anguish of her past and the uncertainty of her future. After all, even in the progressive year of 1928, most people would balk at hiring a woman who’d spent two months in a mental ward for traumatic amnesia. So when an uncommon assistantship to a reclusive Professor of mythology falls into her lap with an ungodly salary attached, her desperation for stability overrides her cautious nature.

To Millie’s dismay, the widowed Professor Callum Hughes and his estate, Willowfield, are more than she bargained for. The once magnificent home, known for its sprawling gardens and dazzling parties, is falling to pieces after the death of the professor’s fragile wife. What’s more, the staff has been reduced to the only three people not frightened away by rumors of ghosts, leaving the halls empty and languishing in bitter memories.

The professor himself is a grim, intense man with unclear expectations, unpredictable moods, and hungry eyes that ignite Millie’s own dormant passions. The closer she finds herself drawn to Professor Hughes and his strange world of flowers and folklore, the more the house closes in, threatening to reveal her secrets. But the professor is keeping secrets of his own and the most dangerous of all is hers to discover.

A Gothic! A heroine recovering from traumatic amnesia, a mysterious professor of mythology and a creepy house. Just inject this straight into my eyeballs.

Where There's a Duke There's a Way by Emily EK Murdoch

Arthur Hebblethwaite, Duke of Fitzpaine is in rather a pinch. Firstly, he’s not actually a Duke.

It was such a clever idea. Pretend to be a duke, go to France, and live on the scraping and bowing of those desperate to impress a nobleman. All well and good, until someone recognizes him. Until he grabs a woman and uses her as a hostage to escape a French encampment. Until he looks at the woman and…oh, hell.

Joanna Bettencourt doesn’t know what’s worse: being a shy heiress with a father desperate to marry her off, being captured by the French and held prisoner, or being dragged onto a horse by a maniac by the name of the Duke of Fitzpaine. Pretending to have a husband ready to protect her seemed the obvious option.

But as the “Duke of Fitzpaine” and the “penniless Mrs. Epwin” arrive at the coast, desperate to return to England, they are faced with a problem: there’s only one cabin. Cue a little pretense that this time they both share. A fake marriage.

They’re both lying to each other, and they both don’t know it—but they can’t lie for long about the heat searing between them, the affection growing as they slowly open up to each other.

A hero pretending to be a Duke and a heroine pretending to have a husband. Oh, and they're on the run in France, only to take refuge in the only cabin available to them - so now they're fake married. This sounds positively delightful!

The Countess Caper by Alyxandra Harvey

Lady Tessa Kilkenny’s ramshackle manor house is filled with mice and snakes and peeling wallpaper—as well as women with nowhere else to go. And Tessa will do anything to keep them safe.

Even steal a carriage from Roarke Noble, the Earl of Dartmoor.

As her first foray into being a highwaywoman, it has mixed results. She gets her cousin to the midwife just in time. But she also gets a marriage proposal.

Because Roarke needs a wife.

And with Tessa he gets more than he bargained for. She won’t tell him why she is fighting off housebreakers and stealing from earls and viscounts. Or why her disaster of a house is rigged with traps to discourage unwanted visitors.

But when those secrets put her life in danger, Roarke discovers he will do anything to save her.

A heroine with a scandalous past who essentially opens a battered women's shelter in Regency England, finds herself swept up by the hero - who needs a wife. The second book in a series, go forth and read AztecLady's recent review, who describes it as delightful with serious underpinnings.

One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Oxford 1360

When his sister’s betrothed vanishes the night before her politically arranged marriage, Raff Barden must track and return the elusive groom to restore his family’s honour.

William de Foucart — known to his friends as Penn — had no choice but to abandon his fiancé, and with it his own earldom, when he fled the night before his enforced marriage. But ill-equipped to survive on the run he must trust the kindness of a stranger, Raff, to help him escape.

Unaware their fates are already entwined, their unexpected bond deepens into a far more precious relationship, one that will test all that they hold dear. And when secrets are finally revealed, both men must decide what they will risk for the one they love…

A medieval featuring a double-deception plot - neither hero is being honest with the other by pretending to not be who they truly are.  Reviews for this one have been a bit all over the map. Of the folks I follow I've seen emotional swooning messes, meh it's OK I guess and this book got on my last hot nerve. I am curious but what this adds up to is me leveraging one of my library cards.

Her Warrior's Surprise Return by Ella Matthews

A surprise reunion

With the warrior from her past…

It’s been years since Ruaidhri abandoned Sorcha, and she’s no longer the woman she once was. Now leader of the Suibhne Clan, she must unite her people against invading forces. When rumors of Ruaidhri’s return to Ireland prove true, she’s unsettled at seeing him again. He offers to help her, but his past betrayal still burns, even if desire is as strong as ever. Should Sorcha trust her head…or her heart? 

 

First book in a new multi-author series (Brothers and Rivals) this one features some of my favorite medieval catnip. A heroine in need of a warrior and the only one who shows up is the hero who betrayed her in the past. 

Western Blue by Suzie Clarke

In 1868, Caroline Bluebonnet Hutching is forced to leave her Texas home and make a new life in Nevada. But the townsmen are against her, and she can’t get the help she needs. Undaunted, she advertises for female workers, only to find that each woman who answers her ad is as desperate as she is. And she’s entirely unprepared for the one who steals her heart.

When raiders attack Isabel Segura’s horse ranch and slaughter her family, she’s left with nothing—no home, no future, no hope. When she sees Blue’s ad, a new dream sparks to life. Determined to begin again, she sets out on a journey she never could have imagined.

Heroism, loyalty, friendship, and love. The odds are against this unlikely group—but never underestimate women who have nothing to lose.

Lesbian cowgirls battle Evil Rancher in 19th century Nevada. Reviews I've seen so far mention plenty of grit, well-done action scenes, yet a hopeful tone. They also mention a slow burn romance that never fully catches fire.  I adore gritty westerns and these heroines sound like my jam but this is another one going on the library lending list to try out.

A Gilded Age Christmas by Amanda McCabe & Lauri Robinson

Two festive romances set in the glamorous Gilded Age

Two short romances

Celebrate a Gilded Age Christmas!

In Amanda McCabe’s A Convenient Winter Wedding: marrying Connor O’Neill is about survival for penniless heiress May Van Der Berg. The distant self-made millionaire is far from the passionate husband she’d once dreamed of…except for that scorching kiss! In Lauri Robinson’s The Railroad Baron's Mistletoe Bride: after years of estrangement, romance blooms when Kurt invites store clerk Harper and their shared niece to spend Christmas at his mansion. But are they just a family for the holidays? 

The holiday season can be hard. You're busy, your attention span is close to snapping, but you still want to unwind with some reading. Harlequin is usually there to help me out this time of year with their holiday-themed anthologies and this one is set during the Gilded Age! 

Whew! Enjoy this bountiful harvest now folks because December tends to be traditionally fairly thin.  Also, for those who celebrate Thanksgiving here in the States - stay safe and stay healthy.  What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?

Hop To It: Unusual Historicals for April 2023

I don't know about y'all but I can't believe we're already into April. This month I broke up the monotony of work, home, sleep, with a trip north to see my niece, Lemon Drop, compete in an equestrian event.  Once she started school I stopped sharing photos of her on this blog, but long time readers will be shocked to hear she is now 13.  I know, I don't know how that happened either.  Also, SHE'S A ROMANCE READER!  She likes rom/com type stuff, so yes - all those illustrated covers her Aunt Wendy turns her nose up at because I am an old fuddy duddy.  I told her she needs to share the books she likes with me because I am nothing if not nosy. 

Will I eventually get her hooked on Harlequin Presents and Unusual Historicals?  Well, time will tell.  In the meantime, let me pique all y'alls interest with the April Unusual Historical releases that caught my eye.

 

Desert Phoenix by Suzette Bruggeman (Kindle Unlimited)

A woman with a past is not a woman without a future. 

Nevada's gold country, 1901. 

No longer young or fresh, Tempa is staring face to face with the whore's unholy trinity: alcoholism, drug abuse and suicide. While her best friend, Belle, has chosen laudanum, Tempa finds escape in literature, which she shares with the illiterate prostitutes in a book club-like setting at the cribs. Forced into prostitution as a girl after losing her family to yellow fever, Tempa also retains a sense of self-worth by using her knowledge of herbs to heal others. 

When she nurses Henry—a good-natured, young German immigrant on the run from a man who has reason to want him dead—Tempa sees a future she longs for but cannot allow herself to claim. So when the noose tightens around Henry's neck, she ransoms her life for his. 

At once a sweeping love story and a harrowing account of the harshness of the American Old West, Desert Phoenix is the tale of a middle-aged, crib prostitute who gains an unlikely ally in her struggle for physical and emotional survival. Based on local history and family stories passed down from Bruggeman's grandfather, this engaging and evocative novel for fans of Kristin Hannah and Kate Quinn interweaves Tempa's rise from the ashes of her old life with Henry's turbulent passage into manhood.

There are a lot of self-published historical westerns out there and to be honest I'm naturally wary unless I've got some sort of "history" with the author.  So I'm really happy that AztecLady posted a review for this one recently.  Y'all I want to read the hell out of this book and I've already downloaded it.  

Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa

A forbidden love between a Mexican heiress and a shrewd British politician makes for a tantalizing Victorian season. 

Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, and the perfect representative of the powerful Luna family. So when Ana María is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge from the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox. 

Gideon Fox elevated himself from the London gutters by chasing his burning desire for more: more opportunities, more choices. For everyone. Now, as a member of Parliament, Gideon is on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all—a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore. 

But when Ana María finds herself in the crosshairs of a nefarious nobleman with his own political agenda, Gideon knows he must offer his hand as protection . . . but will this Mexican heiress win his heart as well?

Publishers seem determined to move historical romances into trade paperback and slap illustrated covers on them no matter how much I dislike the trend.  Yes, yes, profit margin blah blah blah - my blog = all about me.  Anyway, the cover is at least pretty (I love the colors and it's a clinch even if it is illustrated...) and it's a Victorian (I love this era for historical romance).  Also the back cover blurb evokes some actual history - which isn't always a guarantee in historical romances.  It's also the first book in a new series and De la Rosa's debut with big boy Berkley / Penguin Random House.

Bound to the Warrior by Ella Matthews 

A tense battle of duty and desire in this Medieval romance 

Wed to a stranger 

Awakened by his touch 

As the new wife to stoic knight Benedictus Monceaux, innocent Adela finds herself in a whole new world… Their union is one of convenience and power, but her feelings for the warrior unsettle and excite her. Hiding an inner strength, Adela knows she can be a strong ally to her husband—but she must walk a fine line between duty and desire, both at court and in the bedchamber…

At this point I could literally not read anything but Harlequin Historicals for a year and I'd still have plenty in my TBR.  Matthews is a relatively newer writer for the line and this is the fourth book in her second series for them. Seriously, if you love medievals, Harlequin Historical is more than happy to keep you in a steady supply.

A Manhattan Heiress in Paris by Amanda McCabe 

Step into the roaring 1920s Parisian music scene 

Leaving Manhattan… 

For a secret Parisian affair… 

New York darling Elizabeth Van Hoeven has everything…except freedom. But now Eliza’s traveling to study piano at the Paris Conservatoire and falling for jazz prodigy Jack Coleman in the process! A love like theirs is forbidden back home, and as they make beautiful music together under the Parisian lights, Eliza and Jack face a difficult choice: the life they’ve always known, or the possibility of a life they never could have imagined…

McCabe is a prolific writer and she's certainly bitten off quite a bit with this latest release. 1920s! Paris! Music! But also a really complicated relationship between an heiress and a jazz musician that will undoubtedly face many, many challenges (especially "back home").  I've always found McCabe to be a very solid writer so I'm giving this one a whirl.

At the Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs (Reprint)

Feisty orphan Pippa de Lacey lives by wit and skill as a London street performer. But when her sharp tongue gets her into serious trouble, she throws herself upon the mercy of Irish chieftain Aidan O'Donoghue. 

Pippa provides a welcome diversion for Aidan as he awaits an audience with the queen, who holds his people's fate in her hands. Amused at first, he becomes obsessed with the audacious waif who claims his patronage. 

Rash and impetuous, their unlikely alliance reverberates with desire and the tantalizing promise of a life each has always wanted—but never dreamed of attaining.

The final book in Wiggs' Tudor Rose trilogy bows this month with yet another new cover iteration. This book was originally published in 1996 under the title Dancing on Air and it's first appearance under the new title of At the Queen's Summons debuted in 2012. I really need to read this trilogy this year because they all sound fantastic. Also I've had the original print editions in my TBR for an embarrassingly long time....

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?

Unusual Historicals Spotlight September 2022: Small, But Mighty

Publishing, she's a fickle mistress. Some months are a bonanza for unusual historicals, see August 2022 which had 7 titles (7!) that caught my eye.  September 2022? Just three. At least the lighter months slow down the exponential growth of Ye Olde TBR - that's something right? 

Her Highlanders for One Night by Terri Brisbin 

Claiming the warrior 

For one night of pleasure! 

When Glynnis had to make a noble marriage, Iain Mackenzie Cameron’s illegitimacy stood in the way. She married another—but now she’s returned to the clan a widow, and Iain is an assured warrior, the chieftain’s heir. Glynnis would make him a more than suitable bride—except for her inability to produce heirs. Iain must marry elsewhere…but only after she claims one precious impassioned night with him!

 

This book immediately jumped up several spots in my TBR queue after finishing the previous book in the series, The Highlander's Inconvenient Bride, just last week. Glynnis was featured prominently in that story, assigned to the heroine betrothed to the future laird to help get her settled in, make her feel at home etc. Glynnis was not an evil other woman in that book but she was seen as something of a paragon, the type of heroine raised from the cradle to make the ideal nobleman's wife. And wouldn't you know it? She's in love with the guy born on the wrong side of the blanket. I'm expecting a lot of pining and angst and OMG CANNOT WAIT!

Secrets of Her Forbidden Knight by Ella Matthews 

She’s rescued a knight 

Now she needs the favor returned… 

When widowed Lady Johanne happens upon an injured knight, she sees an opportunity to form an alliance and protect her home, Castle Brae, from her enemies. The betrothal she proposes might be merely for appearances, but the very real attraction between her and Sir Alewyn thrills and disturbs her. For it’s clear he’s hiding something… 

Can she trust him with so much at stake?

Nothing gets me from the jump quite like a resourceful historical romance heroine. The kind of gal who is very much aware of how the world operates around her and finds a way to circumvent those challenges.  In other words, I like sneaky, resourceful heroines. And Lady Johanne here sounds right up my alley. There are enemies. Her home is threatened. So naturally when she stumbles across an injured knight she sees a potential solution to her problems.  This is the third book in The King's Knights series.

Countess of Scandal by Amanda McCabe (Reprint)

As children, Eliza Blacknall and William Denton ran wild over the fields of southern Ireland and swore they would be friends forever. Then fate took Will away to England, while Eliza stayed behind to become a proper Irish countess. 

Years later, Will finally makes his way home-as an English soldier sent to crush the Irish uprising. When he spies the lovely Eliza, he is captivated by the passionate woman she has become. But Eliza's passions have led her to join the Irish rebel cause, and Will and Eliza now find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous conflict. 

When Ireland explodes in bloody rebellion, Will's regiment is ordered to the front lines, and he is forced to choose between his duty to the English king and his love for Eliza and their Irish homeland.

This former RITA finalist was originally published by Hachette in 2010 under McCabe's Laurel McKee pseudonym and is the first book in her Daughters of Erin series. Set in Ireland in the late 18th century, y'all need to ignore the fact that Amazon has this currently listed under subject headings for Victorian and Regency (Go home Amazon, you're drunk. Also time periods and eras should actually mean something...) Ahem, anyway. An Irish hero who leaves behind a childhood sweetheart and comes home to quash a rebellion in the name of the enemy while the heroine is on the other side of the fence. My own personal catalog (yes, I'm a nerd) tells me I have a print copy of this buried somewhere in the TBR Mountain Range of Doom. It's probably past time for me to unearth it.

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to this month?

Bloomin' April: Unusual Historicals Poppin' in April 2022

Y'all, it's April. April?! I'm not sure how this has happened but 2022 seems to have picked up all the steam of a runaway freight train.  Case in point, I dragged my feet just a wee bit on culling through the Unusual Historicals offerings for this month and good Lord this post took me forever to draft. I mean, LOOK AT ALL THESE TITLES?!  It's a cornucopia.  Grab yourself a nice beverage, sit back and enjoy!

 

Death of a Sorcerer by Jeannie Lin (short story, Kindle Unlimited)

The sequel novella to The Hidden Moon and prequel to Red Blossom in Snow. 

Newly married Constable Gao and Wei-wei have just begun their lives together when they're faced with the death of a Taoist sorcerer during Ghost Month. 

As mysterious occurrences arise during the investigation, are they truly receiving a message from the spirit world? Or is Gao's dark past finally catching up to them, threatening their chance for happiness?

Let's start off this month's post with a gift from Jeannie Lin - yes, it's currently only available via Amazon, but even if you don't have KU, it's currently free (at the time of this posting). This short story is tucked in the middle of the Lotus Palace Mysteries timeline, being a sequel to The Hidden Moon.

Jack of All Trades by Kate Pearce

When the brash railway contractor Elijah Hepworth and his rowdy crew of navvies arrive in Millcastle the town is divided between those who embrace the possibility of change and those who want things to remain the same. Alice Collins, who has recently come to live at Grafton Hall, knows which side she’d prefer to be on, but Mr. Hepworth obviously has other ideas. When the comfortable, safe existence Alice hoped for is snatched from her grasp, will she accept an offer from a man who never claims to be a gentleman, but who might be what she needed all along? 

I could write something pithy here about this fourth book in the author's Millcastle series, but why not crib what the author herself wrote on her website about this book?  "I loved writing this one because the hero isn’t an aristocrat, and he has no desire to become one. He’s hardworking, brutally honest and when he decides he wants something he’ll go all out to achieve his aim. The nice thing is that the heroine is so much more than he bargained for, and he has to grovel quite a bit at the end to get his HEA." 👀

Crying Wolfe by Kerrigan Byrne

He’s the man with the Midas touch… 

Elijah Wolfe is just as ruthless and aggressive as his name suggests. Born in harsh Nevada desert, he used his sharp wits and sharper fists to fight for survival mining ore for terrible men... Until one day he struck gold, literally. Despite his unimaginable wealth, his heart is empty of trust and his world full of enemies. He’s come to England searching for a priceless treasure once stolen from him and is prepared to ruin anyone who gets in his way. 

She’s a thief with a heart of gold… 

Rosaline Goode’s callous father left her nothing but a legacy of shame. Instead of worrying about the women gossiping behind their fans, or the cruelty of eligible men, she spends her nights avoiding society and mapping the stars. That is until absurd circumstances find her, nearly naked, in the home of the famously unscrupulous, lethal American whose name is on everyone's lips. 

The promise of plunder… 

Succumbing to a shotgun wedding is the worst thing Eli can imagine, but if it is what he must do to get what he wants, then so be it. Except now, all the arguments he’d made against the marriage are becoming enticements. His new wife is too young. Too small, sheltered, soft, and sensitive for a man forged in the mines and tempered in the desert heat. If theirs is a Devil’s bargain, then why does her shy touch take him to heaven?

A ruthless hero obsessed with reclaiming a priceless treasure finds himself leg-shackled to a heroine that society loves to snicker and gossip about. The latest in the author's Goode Girls series, features some catnip many romance readers are helpless to resist - the Alphahole hero knocked upside the head by love.

Lady Armstrong's Scandalous Awakening by Marguerite Kaye 

Hers was a body of marble… 

Until he brought it to life 

After her tyrannical late husband ruined her reputation, Lady Mercy Armstrong is longing to reinvent herself. The perfect opportunity presents itself when rebellious self-made man Jack Dalmuir has a daring proposition—a fake dalliance that will change society’s view of her! Only, cavorting with the handsome Scotsman ignites a passion that could change both their lives forever…

This second book in the author's Revelations of the Carstairs Sisters series sounds like it should be subtitled: How the Victorian Lady Got her Groove Thang Back.  Although from the sounds of it, she never had much of a groove to begin with. Added bonus that our hero is a self-made man!

Winning Back His Duchess by Amanda McCabe 

An invitation to Venice… 

To save their marriage! 

Suggesting divorce to her estranged husband, Jamie, Duke of Byson, takes all of Rose Wilkins’s courage. Years of distance and heartbreak have taken a toll—she needs a new start. But Jamie won’t hear of divorce, because of the scandal alone. His counteroffer is a trip to Venice… 

Might discovering Venice’s delights together rekindle the still-simmering desire that drew Rose to Jamie as a starry-eyed young American heiress?

Y'all I am HERE for Victorians and this third book in McCabe's Dollar Duchesses series gives us a not-often-seen Marriage in Trouble trope in a historical, and a trip to Venice in a last ditch effort to save a crumbling marriage and themselves from ruin.

The Knight's Tempting Ally by Ella Matthews

A knight’s enemy...

Becomes his closest ally… 

Knight Theo Grenville will do whatever it takes to discover who’s plotting against his king. So befriending—and even romancing—his target’s middle daughter, Medea, is merely part of his sworn duty. But what isn’t? Falling under the spell of a woman who’s anything but plain in his eyes! Yet every day they become closer, the more torn he is between his allegiance to his king and his heart…

Matthews' second book in her The King's Knights trilogy features a spin on the Big Secret trope I can never say no to - the hero on a mission to uncover the truth who slithers his way next to the heroine to gain access to the information he needs (unbeknownst to her).  Added bonus if the heroine is described as plain, overlooked, and/or generally dismissed out of hand by those around her. 

The Highlander's Stolen Bride by Madeline Martin

From dutiful bride… 

To the laird’s unwilling hostage! 

Kidnapping Elspeth MacMillan on her way to an arranged marriage is the only way for new laird Calum Campbell to avoid more bloodshed and bargain peace for his people. Calum expects her fury but doesn’t expect the feisty lass to break through his defenses into his heart. With war waging between their families, will they ever be able to yield to love?

 

The final book in the multi-author Highland Alliances trilogy finds our hero kidnapping the heroine in a bid to broker peace (OK, sure my dude) and getting more than he bargained for when he starts falling for her.  Will these romance heroes never learn? The surest way to find yourself hitched is deciding to kidnap someone. If you won't to stay single, just don't do it!

Conveniently Wed to a Spy by Helen Dickson 

A daredevil rescue… 

An unexpected reunion Imprisoned during the French Revolution, English spy Lord Laurence Beaumont is finally rescued—by the courageous, beautiful Delphine St. Clair. Back home in Cornwall, Laurence has no interest in the convenient marriage offered by a local landowner—until he discovers the bride is Delphine! With intense memories of their liaison dangereuse in Paris, Laurence knows theirs will be an unconventional union…but can he keep his promise never to be a spy again?

And finally, brace yourself kidddies - a stand-alone book!  I know, it's a little shocking!  There's not a lot of 18th century romances these days, and when you do see one it usually involves Scotland and the Battle of Culloden.  Here we've got the French Revolution (!) and a heroine with enough moxie to save the hero from certain death. 

Whew! That was a marathon!  What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?

No Tricks, All Treats: Unusual Historical Spotlight for October 2021

So you've probably noticed that this blog hasn't exactly been a hotbed of activity lately (even less so than usual - which is just super sad).  Can I blame work? I'm totally blaming work. Also after a particularly dreadful spat of reading I fell down the comfort reading rabbit hole - which for me means mystery/suspense. The upcoming Loren D. Estleman, relistening to a few Sue Grafton's (N, B and J), the next book in Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone series that I'm working my way (slowly) through. All series featuring tried-and-true characters and Wendy knows exactly what to expect.  One of these days though I'll try reading something new, which means it's time for my monthly browsing for the latest unusual historicals to catch my eye.  Here's what intrigues publishing in October 2021:

 

The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley

In the autumn of 1707, old enemies from the Highlands to the Borders are finding common ground as they join to protest the new Union with England. At the same time, the French are preparing to launch an invasion to bring the young exiled Jacobite king back to Scotland to reclaim his throne, and in Edinburgh the streets are filled with discontent and danger. 

Queen Anne's commissioners, seeking to calm the situation, have begun paying out money sent up from London to settle the losses and wages owed to those Scots who took part in the disastrous Darien expedition eight years earlier—an ill-fated venture that left Scotland all but bankrupt. 

When the young widow of a Darien sailor comes forward to collect her husband's wages, her claim is challenged. One of the men assigned to investigate has only days to decide if she's honest, or if his own feelings are blinding him to the truth.

This is the third book in a series that started with The Winter Sea - and has Wendy read any of them? Of course not.  Anyway, Kearsley writes the kind of meaty historicals I like to lose myself in and Miss Bates (who writes stellar reviews) just gave this book a great one.

The Earl Who Sees Her Beauty by Marguerite Kaye 

Unaware of her beauty… 

Until he awakens her. 

Prudence Carstairs knows her scars leave her with no romantic prospects—instead, she’s content revolutionizing her employer’s home with her technological marvels. Then he unexpectedly perishes and his mysterious younger brother, dashing Dominic Thorburn, reluctantly takes over. In the new earl, Prudence finally finds someone who meets her gaze without flinching. Might he see the beautiful, intelligent woman beyond her scars?

Kaye has taken her victory lap as co-author of Her Heart for a Compass with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and is back to give readers a brand new series, of which this is book one.  While we've got a typical titled hero (an earl) what caught my eye with this book is the heroine who is "revolutionizing her employer's home with her technological marvels." A smart, resourceful heroine?  Yes, please!

Of Trust and Heart by Charlotte Anne Hamilton 

The Great War changed everything for Lady Harriet Cunningham. Instead of being presented at eighteen, she trained to be a nurse and shared forbidden kisses with her colleagues. 

But now in 1923, at the age of 24, Harriet is facing spinsterhood. 

It's not such a ghastly prospect to her, but as the daughter of the Earl of Creoch, there's a certain expectation that she must meet. So, in a last attempt to find a match for their daughter to see her safe and secure, they send her to her aunt and uncle in New York. 

Only when she gets there, she and her cousin, a man who, like her, suffers from the weight of expectation from his father, decide on one last hoorah as a memory to hold close to their heart in their later life. 

But when they arrive at the speakeasy hidden beneath a small bookstore, Harriet finds herself entranced by the singer. No matter how hard she wants to please her family and do her duty, she finds that there's something about the woman that she can't stay away from — that she can't ignore her heart. Which is loudly calling for Miss Rosalie Smith.

OK, I want both of these dresses in my wardrobe. Think they'd be too much for say the library or grocery shopping?  Surely not!  Look, I know World War I was a major downer, but the 1920s were a really interesting time for women and it's a big reason why I'm always drawn to that era for historical romance. You've got a modern heroine expected to do her familial duty by marrying well, except for the minor detail that she's a lesbian.  Also, a speakeasy hidden beneath a bookstore? As soon as I win the lottery I'm building myself one of those.

The Knight's Maiden in Disguise by Ella Matthews 

Risking her life

To save a knight! 

Disguising herself as her late twin brother keeps Avva Carpenter, and her family, safe. Until Sir William Devereux arrives in her town. As the castle’s stable master, Avva can’t avoid the knight—or the desire he instantly stirs in her. He’s everything she never knew a nobleman could be: honest, kind, brave. When danger surrounds them, the only way to help William is to reveal her true identity, but can she trust him enough?

Turn up your nose all you want, but I know plenty of readers who can't get enough Chick In Pants stories. This medieval features a heroine (obviously in some sort of danger) disguising herself as her late twin brother.  Then the hero shows up and makes her all tingly in her girly bits.  Ain't that always the way?  This is the start of a new series for Matthews.

The Larks Still Bravely Singing by Aster Glenn Gray 

Kindle Unlimited at time of this posting

The Great War cost Robert his left leg and his first love. 

A shattering breakup leaves Robert convinced that he is a destructive force in romantic relationships. When he finds himself falling in love with David, an old friend from boarding school, he's sure that he shouldn’t confess his feelings. But as their meandering conversations drift from books and poetry to more intimate topics, Robert’s love deepens - and so do his fears of hurting David. 

Since he was wounded, David has been batted from hospital to hospital like a shuttlecock, leaving him adrift and anxious. His renewed friendship with Robert gives him a much-needed sense of peace and stability. Slowly, David opens up to Robert about the nervous fears that plague him, and when Robert responds with sympathy and support, David finds himself feeling much more than friendship. But he’s afraid that he’s already a burden on Robert, and that asking for more will only strain their developing bond. 

Can these two wounded soldiers heal each other? 

Content warning: period-typical homophobia and ableism (probably less than is strictly period typical, but this is a romance novel, not a historical essay), implied/referenced suicide

I knew nothing about this book until it crossed my timeline thanks to GoodReads friends and some bloggers. Post-World War I, former boarding school friends reconnect as wounded soldiers.  The author describes this book as "tenderness after a time of suffering," and I'm not gonna lie - I may have swooned.

The Brightest Star in Paris by Diana Biller 

She never expected her first love to return, but is he here to stay? 

Amelie St. James is a fraud. After the Siege of Paris, she became “St. Amie,” the sweet, virtuous prima ballerina the Paris Opera Ballet needed to restore its scandalous reputation, all to protect the safe life she has struggled to build for her and her sister. But when her first love reappears looking as devastatingly handsome as ever, and the ghosts of her past quite literally come back to haunt her, her hard-fought safety is thrown into chaos. 

Dr. Benedict Moore has never forgotten the girl who helped him embrace life after he almost lost his. Now, years later, he’s back in Paris. His goals are to recruit promising new scientists, and maybe to see Amelie again. 

When he discovers she’s in trouble, he’s desperate to help her—and hold her in his arms. When she finally agrees to let him help, they disguise their time together with a fake courtship. Soon, with the help of an ill-advised but steamy kiss, old feelings reignite. Except, their lives are an ocean apart. Will they be able to make it out with their hearts intact?

OK, honesty time. I haven't read Biller's much lauded debut - mainly because it was published by Macmillan and landed at that moment the publisher decided to be a butt to libraries. On top of that, what I learned about the book at the time led me to believe that the marketing of it was a mess. Honestly though, the butt to libraries thing was enough to turn me off.  Of course now it's been hyped to the hills so who knows if I'll get to it - but maybe this second book is the place to start? The Franco-Prussian War isn't exactly well-trod territory in historical romance, plus we have a ballerina heroine and a doctor hero.

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?