Deck the Halls: Unusual Historicals for December 2023

Hey, so it's December. Don't ask me how we all got here. What I'll remember most about 2023 is the hazy blur of exhaustion I seemed to live with. 2024 might be the year that I finally need to knuckle down and take better care of myself - but that covers all the very not-fun stuff like nutrition, exercise, the buzzword du jour "mindfulness." It's all so bothersome, truly. In the meantime we're going to ring out (OK, more like kick out...) 2023 with the final Unusual Historicals post of the year. Once again, many thanks to AztecLady for uncovering a good chunk of these for me.  December is traditionally a pretty slow month in publishing and we have six books this month!

Whiskey War by Stacy Lynn Miller

At the height of Prohibition and the dawn of the Great Depression, lesbian couple Dax and Rose look forward to a clandestine life together in Half Moon Bay, hiding a treasure trove of stolen whiskey.

To save their floundering restaurant, Dax tries to offload the barrels in San Francisco, only to rouse her estranged brother-in-law, Logan. He sniffs out their stash, and soon they all get a taste of the dark side of bootlegging.

Enter Grace Parsons, Rose's glamorous ex and Hollywood elite, offering a way out. But her intervention ignites a violent feud that puts everyone at risk. Can Dax and Rose survive the whiskey war they never wanted?

Prohibition! San Francisco! My apologies folks, but this is actually the second book in a series featuring Dax and Rose, but now that it's on all our radars, we can back-track to book one if we so desire. Per the author's bio, she's former military and likes to infuse her stories with suspense as well as romance - also looks like there will be a third book in this series.

The Knight's Substitute Bride by Melissa Oliver

 

Could the wrong bride…

Be right for him after all?

For the sake of his family name, Lord Robert must marry to seal an alliance with an Irish clan. Only, the woman at the altar isn’t who he was promised! Instead, it’s her sister, Lady Mairenn! The sharp-tongued Irish beauty is as reluctant to wed as Robert, but as friction turns to fire between them, she’s further derailing Robert’s plans for this purely pragmatic arrangement…

Ah, the ol' I show up at the altar and it's not my intended but her sister instead trope. But alliances are alliances, and come hell or high water, a marriage there will be.  This is the second book in the multi-author Brothers and Rivals series, the first book being featured in November's Unusual Historicals post.

Art of the Chase by Tracy Brogan

Above the glistening waters of Trillium Bay, the majestic Imperial Hotel awaits its first guests. It’s the summer of 1888, and names like Carnegie, Astor, Pullman, and Bostwick line the premier resort’s registry as society’s elite gather on its grandiose front porch to see – and be seen.

But Chase Bostwick isn’t interested in being seen. As the second son of a wealthy financier, he’s only interested in work – in Chicago – so being tasked by his father to chaperone his wearisome mother and boisterous little sister during their Michigan summer holiday is Chase’s personal purgatory masquerading as paradise – for never was a man more ill-suited to leisure.

Emerson McKenna isn’t interested in being seen, either – but she does want her artistic talents to be noticed. As the illegitimate daughter of a renown portraitist more infamous for his romantic dalliances than for his work, Emerson has schemed her way into a position at the hotel teaching doe-eyed debutantes to paint. She says her goal is to commission enough portraits from the resort’s wealthy patrons to finance her dreams of studying in Paris.

But Chase has his suspicions…

Thinking to ease his ennui, he sets about to unravel the mysteries of this enigmatic Miss and her tattered satchel full of secrets, but what he learns – from her questionable marital status right down to the potentially felonious embellishment of her artistic credentials – leaves him feeling captivated. And protective. When his misplaced chivalry sets in motion events which may do more harm than good, Chase and Emerson must work together to keep her safe – and in his arms.

OK, not gonna lie - I'm really intrigued by this one. For one thing it's set in my home state of Michigan and for another, it's set at a hotel. Boardinghouses and hotels in historical romance flip a switch for me.  Throw in an artist heroine with secrets to hide and well, I'm only human.

An Unlikely Match for the Governess by Lauri Robinson

The most unlikely match…

might be the best fit!

After the young twins she cares for are orphaned, their governess, Aislinn, will do anything to stay with them. So when their maverick uncle—aristocrat turned rancher—Luke returns to England determined to gain guardianship, she proposes a convenient marriage! As an unexpected connection develops between them, Aislinn begins to long for a real future with Luke. But his home is in Montana… Could it be hers, too? 

I'll admit it, I have baggage. In the early aughts many a good historical western author defected for across the pond, but before that it was like publishing was setting us up.  The cowboys were now going to England or the blue-blooded daughters were the fish out of water in Texas or some such state. Eventually the pretense was discharged and historical westerns got rarer than hen's teeth.  Harlequin Historical was about the only outfit still publishing them, but they killed them a few years back.  But dare I hope? Maybe this new one by Robinson is Harlequin's way of testing the waters on westerns again - even if it's the story of "a spare" coming back to England after setting up shop in Montana.  People, I'm desperate. This one goes on the pile.

The Gentleman's Gambit by Evie Dunmore

Bookish suffragist Catriona Campbell is busy: An ailing estate, academic writer’s block, a tense time for England’s women’s rights campaign—the last thing she needs is to be stuck playing host to her father’s distractingly attractive young colleague.

Deeply introverted Catriona lives for her work at Oxford and her fight for women’s suffrage. She dreams of romance, too, but since all her attempts at love have ended badly, she now keeps her desires firmly locked inside her head—until she climbs out of a Scottish loch after a good swim and finds herself rather exposed to her new colleague.

Elias Khoury has wheedled his way into Professor Campbell’s circle under false pretenses: he did not come to Oxford to classify ancient artefacts, he is determined to take them back to his homeland in the Middle East. Winning Catriona’s favor could be the key to his success. Unfortunately, seducing the coolly intense lady scholar quickly becomes a mission in itself and his well-laid plans are in danger of derailing...

Forced into close proximity in Oxford’s hallowed halls, two very different people have to face the fact that they might just be a perfect match. Soon, a risky new game begins that asks Catriona one more time to put her heart and wildest dreams at stake.

Let's be honest here - this book could go either way. It could be good (Suffragette heroine! Hero with secrets! Oxford!) or it could be a hot mess (historical romance doesn't have the best track record with "exotic" characters - including the use of the word exotic...).  Also chatter I've read on this series in particular has been all over the map.  Readers seem to love them or loathe them, with not a lot in between. But so many of them have fallen under the "unusual" banner that I really need to give one of these a whirl via my library.

Second Duke's the Charm by Kate Bateman

The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford—and still a virgin. Now she and her two best friends investigate London’s most scandalous crimes, and while Tess longs to experience physical pleasure for herself, she can’t risk losing her treasured independence...

Cynical shipping magnate Justin Thornton never expected to inherit a dukedom, but he’ll do his duty. When the ravishing woman he kissed at a party turns out to be the Dowager Duchess, Justin sees an obvious solution: a marriage of convenience that will suit them both.

But the passion that sparks between them is anything but convenient. As Tess works on a new case at the request of Queen Charlotte, her increasingly suspicious behavior makes Justin question her motives—and her past. The infuriating woman clearly can’t be trusted, but Justin doesn’t believe in love, so there’s absolutely no danger of him falling for his own wife...is there?

VIRGIN WIDOW! I figure half of you are already one-clicking while the other half are all "no thank you ma'am."  What intrigues me here is the premise of three best friends (all women) investigating crimes and shenanigans.  Oh, and a hero who inherits a dukedom he hadn't planned on thinking the heroine and a marriage of convenience is the solution to all his problems.  Oh, you poor deluded man. Also, while I haven't been able to find confirmation, this smells like the start of a new series.

Whew! I hope you all enjoy a happy, healthy end to this hellscape year and that many fantastic books, including Unusual Historicals, await all of us as we step into 2024.

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?

Giving Thanks: Unusual Historical Picks for November 2022

We're somehow nearing the finish line on 2022 and right on cue I seem to be hitting a malaise with reading. The books aren't bad I'm just tired. I'm at that point where my energy levels consist of lying in bed and starring at the TV watching a Law & Order episode I've seen 50 times. But I'm so close to my reading goal for the year, so I'm trying to suck it up - and browsing for unusual historical romances is a good place to start.  November is fairly light but there's two intriguing entries from Harlequin Historical and a reprint for a good book I reviewed back when it debuted in 2008!

Her Warrior Captive by Michelle Willingham (Reprint) 

Warrior and woodcarver Kieran O’Brannon sold himself into captivity to save his brother’s life…but to win his freedom, he must carve the image of his master’s betrothed, spending hours each day with a woman he cannot have. 

Beautiful and haunted by loss, Iseult MacFergus is searching for her lost child. As she spends time with the powerful, brooding captive, she realizes that Kieran’s pain mirrors her own. Their loneliness turns to fierce desire, though honor holds them apart. 

When they are attacked by Viking invaders, Kieran must make the hardest choice of all—but to save the woman he loves, he must sacrifice everything…

This was originally published under the title Her Warrior Slave by Harlequin Historical in 2008, and oh look I reviewed it back in 2008! How handy is that? It's technically the start of Willingham's MacEgan Brothers series but when it was published back in 2008 it was, I think?, the fourth book to appear and was marketed as a prequel.  Willingham excels at wringing out emotion and putting her characters through their paces (glorious angst!) and these are Irish medievals. I mean, what's not to love?

Under the Mistletoe by Marguerite Kaye and Bronwyn Scott

Victorian Christmas Reunions 

Two passionate romances! 

In The Lady's Yuletide Wish by Marguerite Kaye, war nurse Isabella has never forgotten the night she spent in reporter Eugene’s arms. Years later, she’s surprised when Eugene, now an earl, asks for her help uncovering a family mystery—and that the attraction is still there… In Dr. Peverett's Christmas Miracle by Bronwyn Scott, war doctor William is reunited with nurse Honoria, and he invites her to spend the festivities at Haberstock Hall. Is it reckless folly…or the miracle he didn’t know he needed?

It's becoming a holiday tradition for Harlequin to give readers a duet by Kaye and Scott (I think this is the third one?) and both authors have previously displayed their writing chops in handling the Victorian period (not Regency masquerading as Victorian, but actual Victorian!).  Both stories lean into the Crimean War and Scott's story wraps up her Peveretts of Haberstock Hall series.

The Captain's Christmas Homecoming by Lauri Robinson

Can real life compare… 

To the love in their letters? 

When Emma first used a pseudonym to write to Captain George Weston on the front line, it was because she felt responsible for his broken engagement. Yet his letters became a light in the darkest hours, and she shared more of her desires than she ever dared before, never imagining they’d actually meet. Now that he’s home for Christmas, she longs to see him, but that means revealing who she really is…

So,  here's the thing - when you enjoy romance novels that aren't the current trend du jour (see: my entire romance reading life and historical western romances...) you can't just one-and-done authors. Yes, that first book you tried might have been meh or maybe you DNF'ed it - but there are only so many authors writing what you want so you give them second and third chances because options aren't falling like raindrops in a monsoon.  The last Robinson book I tried was a DNF but sigh - this blurb y'all. A heroine with a big secret and guilty conscience? A returning soldier hero? AND LETTERS!  OMG THEY WROTE LETTERS TO EACH OTHER?!  Bare minimum I'm crossing my fingers and reading a sample.

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to cracking open this month?

Unusual Historical Bonanza for September 2020

Publishing is a fickle mistress. Some months I’m scraping the depths of the Interwebs to find a handful of unusual historical titles and other months it’s an explosion of confetti being shot out of an air cannon. Since September is an air cannon month, I’ll stop blathering on so we can get to the goodness. 

The Hidden Moon by Jeannie Lin 

A well-bred lady and lowly street hustler team up in a historical murder mystery set during China's glittering Tang Dynasty. Part of the best-selling Lotus Palace series. 

Impetuous and well-educated, young Lady Bai has always been the forgotten daughter between two favored sons. However, when Wei-wei's older brother is tasked with investigating a high-profile assassination, he turns to his clever younger sister for assistance. 

Gao is a street-wise scoundrel with a checkered past and a shady reputation. He knows better than to set his sights on the high-born Lady Bai, but when she asks for his help, he can't refuse. 

As the unlikely pair chase down a conspiracy that reaches from the gutters of the capital to the imperial palace, Wei-wei is intent on seeing justice done, while Gao is determined to solve the mystery just for her – even if the attraction between them can never be more than a moment's longing. 

OK, so this was a very late release in August that I missed with last month’s column, but no way in heck was I not going to highlight a new Jeannie Lin historical. This is the fourth story in her Lotus Palace series, the highly anticipated romance featuring Wei-Wei and Gao. 

The Venetian and the Rum Runner by L.A. Witt 

New York City, 1924 

Once their paths cross, their worlds will never be the same. 

Danny Moore and his crew only meant to rob the hotel suites of rich guests. He wasn’t supposed to find himself in gangster Ricky il Sacchi’s room. And il Sacchi wasn’t supposed to wind up dead. Now Danny has the attention of another notorious gangster. 

Carmine Battaglia is intrigued by the Irish thieves who would have made off with a huge score if not for il Sacchi’s death. They’re cunning, careful, and exactly what he needs for his rum running operation. But Danny’s already lost two brothers to the violence between New York’s Irish and Sicilian gangs, and he’s not about to sell his soul to Carmine. 

With a gangster’s blood on his hands, Danny needs protection, whether he likes it or not. And that’s to say nothing of the generous pay, which promises to pull him and his crew—not to mention their families—out of destitution. 

Working together brings Danny and Carmine to a détente, then to something so intense neither can ignore it. Something nearly enough to make them both forget the brutal tensions between their countrymen. 

But the death of Ricky il Sacchi hasn’t been forgotten. And someone is determined to make Danny bleed for it. 

Criminals as romantic protagonists is always a dicey proposition for me, but it can (and often does) work for me in the Prohibition era. Plus I’d be flat-out lying if I didn’t say the prospect of an Italian mobster and an Irish thief didn’t intrigue the heck out of me. 

Sleeping with the Enemy by Jackie Barbosa 

When Mrs. Laura Farnsworth discovers the blood-stained body of a man wearing the distinctive red coat of the British army, her first instinct is to let dead dogs lie. It has, after all, been just two days since the Battle of Plattsburgh, and the disposition of enemy corpses is hardly her purview. But then the man proves himself to be very much alive by grabbing her ankle and mumbling incoherently. 

After almost twenty-five years in His Majesty’s service, Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Langston never expected to wake up in heaven, much less being tended by an angel. But when he regains consciousness in the presence of a beautiful, dark-haired woman and with no memory of how he came to be there, what else can he think? Except it’s rather odd for an angel to have an American accent.  

As the long-widowed Laura nurses the wounded Geoffrey back to health, the attraction between them heats from a simmer to a boil. Bound by his oath to the British crown, Geoffrey should be working to find his way back to his regiment and from there, to England. Instead, he’s sleeping with the enemy…and thereby committing the crime of desertion if not treason. But then, who’s going to find out? 

If only Geoffrey didn’t have a family back home who refuse to take “missing in action” for an answer. 

The fourth book in Barbosa’s Lords of Lancashire series opens up just a few days after the Battle of Plattsburgh, a decisive victory for the Americans during the War of 1812. This era is criminally underrepresented in historical romance, and we’ve got a literal enemy-to-lovers romance with some amnesia thrown in for good measure. 

Once Dishonored by Mary Jo Putney 

A man who has lost his honor has nothing . . . 

London, 1816. As a Royal Navy officer, Lucas Mandeville, Lord Foxton, has fought his share of battles on the high seas, followed by long years of imprisonment. But on this night, he’d rather be on the burning deck of a ship than in a ballroom, where it is just a matter of time before someone challenges him because of what happened on the Continent. 

A woman who has lost her reputation is nothing . . . 

When dark-haired beauty Kendra Douglas arrives, a whisper of scandal ripples through the ton. The disgraced divorcee’s entrance is an act of daring. Which is exactly why Lucas asks her to dance . . . 

A couple who stands together has everything . . . 

Unexpectedly, Lucas offers Kendra his aid in finding the evidence to regain her good name—and her beloved young son. Together they investigate the wicked conspiracy that destroyed her life, and in the midst of danger, find a deep love that will redeem them both—if only they can live long enough to build a future together. 

Dude. The heroine is wearing pants and boots on the cover. This fifth book in Putney’s Rogue’s Redeemed series features quite possibly my favorite trope EVER in romance - the heroine of dubious reputation. OMG, and she’s divorced. Just inject this one right into my eyeballs. 

Sin Incarnate by Isobel Carr (Kindle Unlimited) 

Six Nights Of Pleasure… 

Georgianna Exley's passionate nature has always been her undoing—and for this reason the beautiful young widow allows her lovers only a single night in her bed. No man will ever have the right to dictate to her; to presume he owns her. 

But Ivo Dauntry has at last come home to England, and for he'll settle for nothing less than one night for every year he’s given up for her...and soon, his daring seduction becomes a sensual contest of wills Georgianna is all too willing to lose. 

But the long-ago duel that bound them forever has repercussions neither of them could ever have foreseen, and once again, Ivo must risk everything, this time to save the woman he loves… 

Originally published as Lord Sin under the name Kalen Hughes, Carr graces us with self-published editions of her lusty Georgian romances (Scandal Incarnate is also available this month). Like the War of 1812, Georgians are harder to find in the historical romance universe, a crying shame in my opinion because if Prince taught us anything it’s that men in heels can be damn sexy. 

A Forbidden Liaison with Miss Grant by Marguerite Kaye 

An unexpected encounter… 

Will change everything! 

Self-made gentleman and widower Grayson Maddox has devoted himself to his children and business, leaving no time for pleasure. Until he has an impulsive, thrillingly sensual encounter with lady’s companion Miss Constance Grant! Their passion gives Grayson hope of a happiness he never thought he’d feel again. But there’s still much in both their pasts to confront before they can turn their forbidden liaison into a new beginning… 

Kaye’s latest takes place in 1822 Edinburgh at the height of preparations for King George IV’s historic visit. The Highland Clearances also play a role in the story - the school teacher heroine now out of a job and homeless when her village is wiped out to make room for sheep. That’s all very interesting, but wait for it - there’s more. Both the protagonists are in their 40s. That’s right. No foolin’. Please for the love of all that is holy buy this on principle at the very least. 

Redeeming Her Viking Warrior by Jenni Fletcher 

He’s sworn celibacy… 

Until he gets vengeance! 

Danr Sigurdsson is indebted to the captivating, mysterious healer living alone in the wilderness who carefully tends his wounds. Consumed with anguish over the massacre that killed his family, Danr has sworn not to touch another woman until he finds those responsible. So resisting Sissa should be easy, but as they search for the truth, fighting their mutual attraction becomes the hardest battle… 

Harlequin is rolling along with the Sons of Sigurd series, with Fletcher contributing this fourth book. A hero who takes a vow of celibacy until he fulfills his mission of vengeance? And of course our lovely heroine gets thrown into his path? Gah! Sign me up! 

The Silk Merchant’s Convenient Wife by Elisabeth Hobbes 

A convenient marriage 

An inconvenient passion… 

His parents’ loveless relationship has left silk merchant Jonathan Harcourt suspicious of marriage. But in order to expand his mill and have an heir, he must marry his neighbour Aurelia Upford. Even more surprising than finding himself with a clever, beautiful society wife is the unexpected passion that flares between them, and the unsettling emotions it leads to. Sharing a bed was part of their arrangement, but can Jonathan risk sharing his heart, too? 

Hobbes takes a break from medievals to give readers an early Victorian set romance between a silk merchant (a tradesman!) entering into a marriage of convenience with a proper society heroine. I’ve enjoyed Hobbes’ medievals and can’t wait to see what she does in a very different time period. 

The Flapper’s Scandalous Elopement by Lauri Robinson 

With this ring… 

They’re temporarily wed! 

Heiress Jane Dryer will do anything to escape her controlling father and the life of domestic drudgery he decrees—even elope with the handsome stranger she meets in a speakeasy! Wealthy railroad owner David Albright needs a temporary wife and Jane needs her independence, so the plan is to marry, then walk away. Only very soon, their fake marriage feels seductively real! 

Sister #3 in Robinson’s Sisters of the Roaring Twenties series is up to bat - and our heiress heroine elopes with a stranger who turns out to be a wealthy railroad owner. I just, where do I sign up for these kinds of problems? I’m here for it. 

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?

Wendy's Unusual Historical Picks for July 2020

Since the folding of Heroes & Heartbreakers in (time flies) 2017 my monthly Unusual Historicals post has been cross-posted over at Love In Panels. Suzanne and Company are currently on hiatus to regroup, reassess, and hopefully rediscover their joy amid burn-out. I've been blogging a long time (since 2003) and have a lot of feelings about Romancelandia of late - most of them Old Man Yelling at Clouds.  Since I don't want to hijack this month's cornucopia I'll just leave you with this Romancelandia: Tired of wading through troll-ish garbage on social media to get to "book stuff?"  Want to support the "supporters" of the genre?  Start following and reading blogs again.  Also, Google Reader has been gone for 7 years now. Get over it and find an alternative that you can tolerate.  Now - on to the books!

 Trouble & Strife by Lara Kinsey (Kindle Unlimited)
Novella

Elizabeth Percival is sweet. Professionally. She left behind a life of stifling luxury to work in Cadwell’s chocolate shop. After over a decade, she’s itching to take over. She’s not about to let some broad-shouldered brawler mess it up. Even if he does have shoulders to die for.

Sidney Chance isn’t an enforcer…anymore. After a decade of smacking heads together in the name of the Chance Brothers, he’s lieutenant to the city’s most powerful family, but he’s not sure what to do with himself. Sid’s made some bad choices, but maybe the worst is mooning over a girl who keeps making good choices for him. Suddenly he has clean socks and wooly sweaters, and he’s not sure he minds, exactly, but it’s not doing his fearsome reputation any favors. But one taste of sweetness isn’t enough.

Can Sid convince Elizabeth he’s worth the trouble?

I just finished the first novella in this series and was intrigued by Sidney, who is described as in recovery and a bit haunted.  So much so that it's his younger brother acting as "CEO" of the family business.

Winner Takes All by Anna Harrington
Novella

Four years ago, Jackson Shaw left the employment of Viscount Darlington to strike out on his own as a horse trainer—and escape the temptation posed by the viscount’s beautiful daughter, Francesca, a woman he could never have. But success as a trainer has proved elusive, and the only hope for saving his indebted farm is to win the famous Epsom Derby.

Francesca Darlington is desperate to win the Derby for her own reasons. She’s managed to cajole her father into an agreement: if her colt wins the Derby, then she’ll earn the freedom to marry whomever she wants. But if she loses, she’ll marry the man her father has chosen for her—a man she will never love.

When an accident at the track brings Frankie back into Shaw’s arms, old desires return, and Frankie realizes that Shaw is the only man she wants to marry. But only one of them can win the Derby and seize their dream for the future, while the other is racing for a fall.

A working class hero and a romantic couple who both need to win the same horse race for different reasons.  Oh, and all those old complicated feelings getting in the way.  

Rhapsody for Two by Theresa Romain (originally published in How to Ruin a Duke anthology)
Novella

Simon Thorn is on the run from his past. A onetime metalworker who’s transformed himself into a Renaissance man, he’s worked as an actor, a tutor, and a musician. Blessed with a glib tongue, he’s never met a stranger—but he fears seeing a familiar face.

Rowena Fairweather is facing a difficult future. She’s the last in a line of brilliant luthiers—builders of stringed instruments—and her illustrious family legacy is about to fall prey to debt.

When the scandalous novel How to Ruin a Duke brings Simon and Rowena together, the solution to her problems just might lie in his mysterious past. These unlikely allies soon become lovers…but will Simon surrender his heart to Rowena, or take to his feet again?

This was previously published in a duology with Grace Burrowes so check your TBR before one-clicking.  There's so much "unusual"  here it's hard to know what I'm more intriguing by! The Renaissance man hero? The heroine who makes stringed instruments? Unlikely allies turned lovers? Gimme!
 
The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite

When Agatha Griffin finds a colony of bees in her warehouse, it’s the not-so-perfect ending to a not-so-perfect week. Busy trying to keep her printing business afloat amidst rising taxes and the suppression of radical printers like her son, the last thing the widow wants is to be the victim of a thousand bees. But when a beautiful beekeeper arrives to take care of the pests, Agatha may be in danger of being stung by something far more dangerous…

Penelope Flood exists between two worlds in her small seaside town, the society of rich landowners and the tradesfolk.  Soon, tensions boil over when the formerly exiled Queen arrives on England’s shores—and when Penelope’s long-absent husband returns to Melliton, she once again finds herself torn, between her burgeoning love for Agatha and her loyalty to the man who once gave her refuge.

As Penelope finally discovers her true place, Agatha must learn to accept the changing world in front of her. But will these longing hearts settle for a safe but stale existence or will they learn to fight for the future they most desire?

The first book in this series was one of my favorites of 2019 so I've really been looking forward to this one (although why Avon can't seem to find someone who is halfway competent in Photoshop is beyond me...). A printer heroine on the brink of bankruptcy and a beekeeper heroine. When was the last time any of us read something like that? Like, never!

 
The Rebel Heiress and the Knight by Melissa Oliver

She must marry the knight

By order of the king!

Widow Eleanor of Tallany Castle knows her people are broken by the taxes demanded by King John. So when she’s ordered to marry Hugh de Villiers, a knight loyal to the king, she’s furious—even if he is handsome! As gallant Hugh begins to heal the scars of Eleanor’s abusive first marriage, she’s even more determined to keep her secret: she is the outlaw the king wants to send to the gallows!

Melissa Oliver is the latest in a string of authors who have benefited from Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write initiative - and this debut novel is the first in a two book contract.  Is there a better medieval villain that King John?  Go ahead, I'll wait.  Plus this one has a sprinkling of Enemies To Lovers and a big dash of a Heroine With a Big Secret!


 
The Flapper's Baby Scandal by Lauri Robinson

Her undercover life…

Her secret child

Dancing in speakeasies at night is dutiful heiress Betty Dryer’s only escape from her father’s tyrannical control and marriage plans. There she meets mysterious FBI agent Henry Randall. Drawn into his investigation—and to emotionally scarred, lone-wolf Henry himself—Betty gives in to her desire, believing this could be her only chance at love before she’s forced to wed. Until she discovers she’s pregnant with Henry’s baby!

Book two in Robinson's Sisters of the Roaring Twenties series, our heroine is dancing the night away throwing back Gin Rickeys (OK, that might be poetic license on my part....) when she falls into the arms of an FBI agent and whoopsie-doodle ends up pregnant. Well that will certainly put an end to the party - but alas, true love will certainly be on the horizon.


Conveniently Wed to the Viking by Michelle Styles

Strangers on the run

Now they must wed!

Sandulf, youngest of the famed Sigurdsson brothers, is on the trail of the assassin who murdered his family. On his way, he meets Scottish runaway Lady Ceanna, a prickly, wary woman trying to escape a forced marriage. Her beauty and courage make Sandulf realize there may be more at stake than his revenge… As the threat of her family follows them, there’s only one way to keep her safe—marriage!

Styles' latest is the third book in the multi-author Sons of Sigurd series featuring a bevy of hunky Vikings. A hero bent on revenge finds himself inconveniently wed to a runaway bride with a less-than-stellar family hot on her heels.  Ooooh, road romance!

A lot to choose from this month to fill out Ye Olde Shopping list.  Hopefully there's something here to pique your interest.  Take care of yourselves Romancelandia, be good to each other, find some tiny moments of joy - and Lord above, keep wearing your face masks and washing your hands like Lady Macbeth.

Unusual Historical Highlights for April 2020

Somehow we’ve ended up in April. I’m not sure how it happened but one moment I was looking forward to burying 2019 out in the desert like a Las Vegas mobster and then the next I’m trying to figure out how to do my job in a post-COVID-19 world. On the bright side, I’m past a string of books I was obligated to read for various reasons and I’m diving head first into comfort reading. For me that means category romance, mysteries and historical romance. Because nothing will take me away faster than a time period I’m not currently living in. Here are some of the unusual historicals landing in April that caught my browsing eye.

Forbidden Warrior by Kris Kennedy

An Irish warrior takes an arrogant heiress captive to ensure a debt is paid. What could possibly go wrong?  

Irish warrior Máel has come to a grand tournament to collect what's due him from a scheming noble lord. When the baron cannot--or will not--pay, Máel takes the one thing the man holds dear: his beautiful, arrogant daughter, Cassia.  

Lady Cassia d'Argent has no time for warriors.  

Heiress to a barony, she knows her value: a pawn. She intends to make the most of it. Her wily father plans to wed her off to the highest bidder at the tournament, and Cassia will finally achieve her dream: a chivalrous knight in glittering armor to honor and esteem her.  

Only Máel is nothing like her dreams. He is bold, outspoken, has furs on his bed, and awakens a desire inside her more dangerous than a thousand swords.  

What if this man becomes the dream she never dared to dream?  

What if her father never pays the debt?  

Worse...what if he does?  

Can she rely on an outlaw to be more chivalrous than a knight? 

Kennedy is a criminally underrated historical romance author with an RWA Golden Heart on her resume. She writes what I call Very Medieval Medievals - which is to say the only way she’d know wallpaper is if she moonlighted as an interior designer. This is the first book in a multi-author series, so more medieval tournament fun is on the horizon.

The Hidalgo’s Wife by Genevieve Turner

He wants a lady, not a temptation…  

When Alejandro Vasquez sends for a wife from Mexico City, the glittering capital of New Spain, he imagines a lady of refinement and breeding—not an enchantress who tests his iron will. With secrets to protect, he’s determined to resist her allure and keep his carefully constructed life from falling to pieces.  

The California frontier is nothing like home…  

Josefa expects to find adventure and a long-awaited family to call her own when she agrees to marry Alejandro. But Alta California is shockingly unrefined—no society, no watercolors, no books. At least her husband is the perfect gentleman… and utterly distant and unapproachable, in and out of the bedroom. Josefa refuses to settle for anything less than the passionate union of her dreams, and she’ll do whatever it takes to set her husband’s heart free.  

But secrets and danger lurk, threatening to tear their newly formed bonds apart. Will they cling to their safe illusions about what love should be or dare to seize a future beyond their wildest imaginings? 

A lady used to the refinement of Mexico City and eager for family finds herself in backwater California with a distant husband. No matter, we know that these are mere bumps in the road for an intrepid romance heroine! Turner writes in an era of California history that has largely been ignored in historical romance - western fans should take note. 

The Flapper’s Fake Fiance by Lauri Robinson

 An inconvenient attraction…  

To her convenient fiancé!  

Patsy Dryer may be a biddable heiress by day, but nothing will stop her from dancing all night in Hollywood’s speakeasies—or fulfilling her dream of becoming a reporter. She’s investigating the mystery of an escaped convict with brooding, handsome newspaper editor Lane Cox…until they must pretend to be engaged! With their scoop linked to Lane’s tragic past, dare Patsy hope for a happy ending for their own story, too? 

Good girl with a rebellious streak finds herself in a pretend engagement in order to ferret out a story. Heroine reporters can go wrong in a lot of ways, but I see promise in this back cover blurb (it sounds like the heroine knows how to play the game!) and a brooding, handsome newspaper editor with a mystery attached? I’m in.

The Thief by Bonnie Dee

Street hustler Jody plays any role that will win the confidence of a mark. His sights are set on Lord Cyril Belmont, a potential ticket to financial freedom that could change Jody’s life. With a fake investment scheme in mind and larceny in his heart, he sets a snare for the wealthy gentleman.  

Cyril Belmont may have a title but he’s as broke as a china plate and on the verge of selling his dilapidated country estate to start a new life in America. When his quiet, solitary life is invaded by a bright, passionate man who sets his head spinning, Cyril is ready to share whatever he has with the electrifying stranger—including the deepest recesses of his heart.  

As Jody begins to cultivate inexplicable feelings for the sweet, gentle man who raises rare orchids, he intends to end his seduction and slink back to the ghetto. But then his cover is blown and the budding romance is crushed.  

It takes an ocean voyage and several unexpected twists of fate to bring two strangers to a true understanding of each other and the very real bond they share. 

Set in the early 20th century, a conman hero falls for his not-so-wealthy mark. This one promises plenty of intrigue, secrets and there’s a ton of potential angst dripping between the lines of this back cover blurb. Plus there’s an ocean voyage! 

The Warrior Knight and the Widow by Ella Matthews

Protected by The Beast…  

Undone by the man  

Racing cross-country pursued by danger, widow Lady Ellena Swein isn’t pleased to be taken back to her father’s castle. But with his knight Sir Braedan Leofric, also known as The Beast, as her captor, she has little choice! Ellena is surprised by his honorable and protective nature, even if she shouldn’t trust him. And when all seems to conspire against them, Braedan’s secret could either extinguish the spark between them—or make it burn brighter...

Another medieval for April, this one from debut author Ella Matthews. This is book 1 in a two-book deal with Harlequin Historical and features an Beauty & the Beast trope with a dash of enemies-to-lovers and road romance for good measure. All of it Wendy Catnip.

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to this month?