From a quirky comedy-of manners series and historical adventure to rom-com and females sleuths in post WWII London, here are some of the books we’ve been enjoying lately . . .
Anne here: In the last month my reading has been limited to rereads and the discovery of a new-to-me author who I enjoyed very much. The rereading was inspired by an author friend posting some photos of Rye in the UK, so I reread Mapp and Lucia by EF Benson. It is part of a fun, gently satirical series that I discovered many years ago when I was in Rye. The book is set in the fictional village of Tilling, which is based on Rye, in which the author lived, and part of the enjoyment for me is being able to visualise the places mentioned. It’s a wonderful comedy of manners, as Miss Mapp and Lucia constantly battle to achieve social supremacy in their small but delightful quirky village group. Then I was talking to a friend about the books — she was a huge fan as well — but she’d never heard of the Tom Holt “Lucia” books. He wrote two and they’re both very good. So I reread them too. But if you’ve never read EF Benson’s Lucia books, start with them, because Tom Holt’s books built on them.
Next was Let It Snow by Beth Moran. Set in a small English village near Sherwood Forest, it’s about local weather girl Bea Armstrong who is going home for Christmas. Her parents run a school for “difficult” kids in their old family home, and they’re in dire needs of funds. Among those staying is Henry Fairfax, a quiet nerdy man who was a quiet nerdy boy that she’s known most of her life — and doesn’t much like. When a fabulous job opportunity comes up, which involves a several day interview in the Scottish mansion of a media multi-millionaire, Bea is desperate to go. But she has no car, so how will she get there in the snowy December weather? Henry Fairfax steps forward, and they’re off on a journey that will change them both.
I thoroughly enjoyed LET IT SNOW, (which, BTW was only $1.99 on kindle) and have since read and enjoyed two more of Beth Moran’s books.
Pat here: The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella. Confession: I love Kinsella’s humor and frantic pacing and even some of the insanity—but I generally want to kill her OTT heroines who just keep digging their holes deeper and never grow up. So it was a lovely surprise that—after the first chapters where the heroine is so stressed she literally runs into a wall rather than talk back or quit—I could read the whole book with enjoyment without wanting to kill.
In this one, stressed-out Sasha takes a break at a beach she remembers from childhood. It is, of course, a relic of its posh days and filled with entertaining characters who keep trying hard to make the hotel what it once was. And of course, because this is romance, there’s Finn, another burnout, occupying her beach and her space and… Well, they get over that. In the process, they find themselves, they find community, and eventually, each other. Lovely humor and lots of warm feels.
Christina here: with two recommendations this month.
The King’s Messenger by Susanna Kearsley
This story is absolutely fabulous and I simply couldn’t put it down! Susanna just gets better and better, and whenever I pick up one of her books I know I’m in for a treat. Set in 1613 during the reign of King James I (and VI), the intrigues kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s the story of Andrew Logan, one of the King’s Messengers, who is sent north to arrest a man suspected of killing prince Henry, the popular eldest son who should have inherited the throne eventually (instead of his younger brother Charles, later Charles I). The suspect is Sir David Moray, once Prince Henry’s trusted courtier, and readers of Susanna’s stories will recognise his family from previous books. Andrew has to bring Phoebe Westaway and her father along on the journey as the latter is supposed to take notes but is old and ailing. For various reasons, Phoebe can’t stand Andrew, but there have been many misunderstandings between them and when they are forced to spend time together while travelling, she sees a different side to him – a resourceful man of honour. And when there is treachery and injustice, they have to work together to defeat their enemies and those who would prefer that the truth never comes to light. The slow-burn romance is simply perfect and the characters stayed in my mind long after I finished the book. Highly recommended!
(This book is not out in the US yet but can be pre-ordered and if you want to know more about it you can read my interview with Susanna here.)
Golden Touch by Sarina Bowen
This is book two in a series (and also part of a wider fictional world the author has created around people living in a small town in Vermont) but can easily be read as a standalone. Although personally I enjoyed the cameo appearances of the characters from other stories. As always I loved it and as I’ve said before, Ms Bowen has never yet disappointed me. This book features Livia who is on the run from a violent ex, a mean biker who wants her back because she knows too much about his shady operations. She’s been living incognito in Vermont for a year and has found a job where she gets paid in cash and has free accommodation. Unfortunately she hardly ever goes anywhere as she has to stay hidden and she’s always on edge, waiting for the day her ex catches up with her. Her boss who owns the Giltmaker brewery has recently had a heart attack and has to call on his oldest son Nash for help. Since his dad has several cats and Nash is allergic, he needs to stay in the same staff house as Livia. And I’m sure you can guess how that goes … but even though they have amazing chemistry she doesn’t dare take a chance on a future there. But what if there’s a way to eliminate the threat from her ex? You’ll have to read it for yourself to see what happens – it’s great!
Andrea here: This month I snatched up Murder at the White Palace, the latest book in Allison Montclair’s delightful Sparks and Bainbridge mystery series. I really enjoy the relationship between the seemingly mismatched friends and business partners in a matchmaking service in post-WWII London. Sparks was a secret operative during the war and has an arsenal of deadly skills to go with her jaded view of humanity, while Bainbridge is a highborn aristocrat with little experience in the gritty “real world”—save for the fact that she was put in a mental institution during the war for going to pieces at the news of her husband’s death on the battlefield. The two of them get themselves involved in murder investigations with shocking regularity, and this book is no different.
When an old corpse is found walled up in the basement of a former nightclub that Spark’s gangster boyfriend is renovating, the past crime raises unsettling questions about the present . . . and suddenly Sparks and Bainbridge are drawn into a web of intrigue that entangles them and their friends in a deadly feud come back to life. (We also see a whole new facet of Bainbridge, who’s not quite as prim and proper as most people assume.) If you haven’t yet tried the series, I highly recommend it!
Mary Jo here: I just finished reading Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club, the best book I’ve read in a long time. I’m going to quote the blurb from Amazon because it summarizes the story so well:
“Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.
Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?
“Quinn evocatively balances the outward cheerfulness of the 1950s with historical observations exploring racism, misogyny, homophobia and political persecution in this sharply drawn, gripping novel.” – People Magazine
MJP again. The book is divided into eight sections, each one from the point of view of one of the main characters. There are interludes between each section in which the house itself muses on what’s going on. (I had no trouble with a point of view house. <G>) The story starts with a murder, but you don’t find out who until the end.
While the characters are front and center, their lives reflect the times they live in. McCarthy is out there with his vile Red Scare hysteria, but one of the women works for Senator Margaret Chase Smith, the first senator with the courage to stand up and speak against McCarthy. Fliss, the English nurse and mother of a small child, worries about her surgeon husband serving in Korea while most of the country hardly knows there’s a war going on. And Grace March, with her soft Iowa accent, unshockable personality, and ability to connect with people, brings everyone together in a family of choice.
I loved the characters and their stories, found the ending very satisfying, and admired the sheer craft in the way Kate Quinn wove everything together. Highly recommended.
Susan: I read and loved Funny Story by Emily Henry, a story of two opposites thrown together when their respective breakups force them to become unwilling roommates. When Daphne, an introverted librarian, is dumped by her fiancé, she has to move out, her only choice being a room in the apartment belonging to Miles, a bartender, whose fiancée dumped him for Daphne’s ex-fiancé. With just a passing acquaintance but the misery and confusion of the breakups in common, they slowly begin to get to know each other. Neither is crazy about the arrangement at first, but as they juggle jobs, friends, family, and heartbreak—or was it relief to be free of their exes?—they begin to rely on each other for support, for rides, for a cheap meal or a movie buddy, they soon discover an undeniable attraction that goes hot quickly, stunning both of them. The emotional ups and downs of a breakup recovery and the development of a new relationship is mapped in deep internal detail—both characters have their share of angst, though the story is primarily Daphne’s. It’s fun and fascinating with deeply detailed emotional progress, and steamy and adorable. I loved it—an adorably scruffy, sexy bartender and a quietly brilliant librarian, a lot of everyday, often funny situations, and plenty of connection. Great read!
So what about you ? As we end into a new month, what are YOU reading? Please share!
I love these monthly posts, Andrea. I’ve just downloaded one book from the listings and I’m contemplating getting another!
I’ve already put two on my TBR List. SO many good books out there, which is very heartening.
I enjoyed the audio of Wench Susan’s ‘The Angel Knight’. Its about the ongoing conflict of Scots and English in the 14th century. The cruelty of King Edward is highlighted with the caging of the heroine but the hero rescues her and helps recover her castle and fortune in Scotland. A rousing story. But alas there are only 2 audio books available.
On a different note I tried the JD Kirk Hoon thrillers. Hoon is like James Bond on steroids, there is never a dull moment and I smiled a lot at some of the over-the-top situations. Its not a romance and the villains are subjected to much violence and bad language. If you can accept the later then a roller coaster ride is guaranteed!
Lots to tempt me with in this month’s selection …. I fancy the Susanna Kearsley one for starters …. Thanks. 🙂
Over the past month ~
— Quite enjoyed Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto. This features a violinist and a cellist.
— reread the Claimings series by Lyn Gala. The first four books in this series are amongst my favorite books; they feature Liam, a linguist, and Ondry, an alien trader.
+ Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts
+ Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities
+ Affiliations, Aliens, and Other Profitable Pursuits
+ Expedition, Estimation, and Other Dangerous Pastimes
+ Kensho
— also reread newer favorites ~
+ Lucky by GiGi DeGraham
+ JFH: Justin F**king Halstead by GiGi DeGraham
— The Martian by Andy Weir was another comfort read which I enjoyed once again. (Can you tell I was sick?)
— I don’t often read books of essays, but I read Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed. This was an enjoyable collection with both laugh out loud and poignant moments; the author began reading at age two and is now a professor teaching creative writing.
— I reread a few more old favorites/comfort reads namely Stray, Lab Rat One, and Caszandra (Touchstone series 1-3) all by Andrea K Höst. [Stray is FREE for Kindle readers.]
— completed my reread of Andrea K. Höst’s Touchstone series with Gratuitous Epilogue, In Arcadia, and Snow Day. I enjoyed them all.
— For my local book group, I read The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows. I initially found this a challenging read because it gave me a feeling of impending doom (which was not ultimately realized). It is set in the South in the nineteen thirties. We had quite a lively discussion about the book which I enjoyed. If the author’s name looks familiar, you might recognize her as co-author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or author of the Ivy and Bean books.
— spent several late nights “just one more chaptering” as I read through the enjoyable Death’s Lady: The Complete Trilogy by Rachel Neumeier. I read the first book, The Year’s Midnight, three years ago so reread that, but the remainder was new to me. I found the first book in a Reddit thread asking for recommendations of fantasy books that contained a character undergoing therapy; the second and third books were VERY different books. While the first book was set in our world, the others were not. I see that there is a fourth book available (featuring a secondary character) that I hope to read.
— enjoyed One Perfect Night by Lisa Henry, a short story set in Australia during world war two. I would happily read more featuring these two men.
— succumbed and purchased the fourth book I mentioned above. I stayed up late reading Shines Now, and Heretofore (Death’s Lady Book 4) by Rachel Neumeier and then finished the book the next day. I enjoyed the book, but it would make little sense without reading the three earlier books in the series.
— purchased two issues of a magazine that I found in my library’s Friends of the Library sale area. These were the Winter 2023 and Spring 2024 issues of Oh Reader, a magazine of which I was totally unaware. The magazines each had some dozen or so essays on topics that are reading related along with some other odds and ends; there was lots of white space and relatively few ads. I can’t recall the last time that I read a magazine from cover to cover! Anyone here familiar with Oh Reader?
— enjoyed yet another fantasy by author Rachel Neumeier, Tuyo. This book is unrelated to those above. Ryo is left as a tuyo when his tribe of moon people retreat after unsuccessful battle with troops of sun people. A tuyo is a sacrifice that might be beaten, tortured, or killed; he is not.
— enjoyed browsing through The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. This book has beautiful art and poetry; it’s a record of the author’s year in 1906 England. It’s well worth seeking out a paper copy of this book.
— read Tempting as Sin by Rosalind James which was an enjoyable contemporary romance set mostly in Montana. I’ve noticed that this author tends to have extreme events in her books (a previous book had a shark encounter and poisoned food); this book had a grizzly attack.
— also enjoyed reading You Will Be Able to Collage by the End of This Book: More than 30 projects to spark your imagination by Stephanie Hartman. I was looking for inspiration for the collaged bookmarks that I make and did see one interesting idea.
I’ve never heard of Oh Reader, but it sounds really intriguing. Will have to track down a copy.
And as always, your list is fascinating!
I’ve read The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady many, many years ago. It was quite fascinating.
I agree, Vicki, and the art is so lovely!
Quantum, it was a wenchly reader who first put me onto JD Kirk’s crime novels, of which the Hoon series are an offshoot. I really enjoy his humour and the interplay between the various characters — and yes, there’s loads of violence and bad language, but it doesn’t worry me. If you enjoyed Hoon, try the other series.
Yes, I’m really looking forward to Susanna’s new book, too. But we have to wait for a while here in the States.
This is always such a dangerous post as I now want to read half of the books mentioned above! And I have little doubt that there will be more temptation to come in the comments.
Your list just by itself is always dangerous, Kareni!
Every month you authors and your readers list books they enjoyed. And there are always books that appeal to me.
Again, y’all have a lot to answer for when it comes to books. And when there is a headline ” WOMAN KILLED BY FALLING PILE OF BOOKS IN HER HOME” you will need to hang your heads and say “We did that.”
I admit, I am a book addict. I like many genres and many authors and …..well I like books.
Thanks for your lists. In spite of everything, I did find books that I have already downloaded. What can I say? I am weak!
Ha, ha, Annette! (Please don’t get too close to that towering TBR pile!)
But yes, this list is dangerous! My wallet is saying “ouch!”
A couple of books in series that I am reading came out this month. Masque of Deceptions by Stella Riley. A marriage of convenience story between different classes with an interesting but not intrusive setting of porcelain manufacturing in the 18th century. Then Anger which is Book 4 of Mary Kingswood’s current series. This was a fascinating book as at the outset the heroine was a horrible character but the author did a great job of letting the reader understand how this had come about and allowing the heroine to develop into something better. Also a new book by Jayne Davies ‘An Improper Correspondence’. Jayne Davies’s books are charming but also regularly put the so called upper class under a microscope, where their snobbishness is shown to be without any basis. It was also very interesting in covering the plight of prisoners of war in the Napoleonic era. I read for many reasons but the educational aspect is definitely one of them. And as usual with this thread, my Kindle is filling up again 🙂
What an interesting list, Alice. Thanks for sharing. “An Impr0per Correspondence” sounds really intriguing.
I’m with Annette – my TBR pile continues to grow; my kindle library is way too large; and I just got back from my local library, where the two desk ladies smiled at each other and then one said to me, “We always know we’ll see you when the Wench list comes out!”
Must second the praise for Beth Morgan’s Let It Snow, and her other books, too. It was a first read last Christmas; will be a re-read this year. Also second praise for Sarina Bowen’s Golden Touch – I found this one even better than most of hers, and I read them all!
My own list for the month includes more than usual, surprising me:
– Read all 5 books in Mimi Matthews’s Somerset Series – had read the first 2 a while back, so re-read them and enjoyed them anew. While connected by a family feud and some major misunderstandings, each could be a standalone read, with strong characters and a great sense of place. Since I read mostly Regency, I’m always surprised at the Victorian constraints on women!
– The Mysterious Marquess by Grace Burrowes – #2 in The Bad Heir Day Tales – Burrowes never disappoints and this new series is terrific. In this one, an apparently long-missing marquess returns to find that the woman he loves but believes doesn’t love him is about to become engaged to a supposed hero of the Peninsula. Unwinding all the secrets, Lucien and Penelope became one of my favorite H&H pairs in a long time!
– Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen – all of the expected banter and steam from this author, set in a new series called True North, in a small town in Vermont. If you support farmers’ markets, like apple cider, care about sustainable farming, AND want a good contemporary romance, this is it!
– Royal Weddings Invitations series includes 4 books: Falling for Charming by Sophie Weston; Best Made Plans by Jessica Hart; If the Shoe Fits by Liz Fielding; and Miss You More by Anne McCallister. Contemporary romances, connected by the friendship between 3 of the heroines and relationships among the heroes. Not awkward transitions at all – hard to believe it was 4 different authors.
– Murder Among the Roses; Murder Under the Mistletoe; and Murder in Bloom – the Maybridge Murder Mysteries by Liz Fielding (recommended by Wench Anne) – super characters; excellent mysteries; great slow burn romance; and will read more if they’re forthcoming, but at times did want to shake our heroine, who can find a way to blame herself for anything!
– Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn – in my kindle for a very long time, based on a Wench recommendation—and I wish I hadn’t waited so long! Just an amazing story, including one of the most wonderful love letters I’ve read! If you love fonts and design and paper and stationery stores (I do) or if you love numbers and codes and patterns (I don’t), you will be charmed by this very modern, yet very classic love story.
– The Start of the Story by Jane Lovering – another contemporary but all about the past – past history, folklore, and the damage past loves can do. A widowed folklorist and a once-burned history professor clash over the origins of a stone on a Yorkshire moor, but they also find closure and friendship and new love. And I learned a lot, too!
– And my favorite this month: Wench Anne’s Wish Upon a Christmas Candle – OK, this should count as a re-read, as I have a copy of The Virtuous Widow, this lovely novella’s original title. But I was drawn into the story immediately and didn’t put it down til I’d finished it – not a great idea when I start reading at bedtime, but so worth it in this case!
What a wonderful list, Constance! So many great-sounding books to check out. I agree that Mimi Mathews ‘s stories are delightful. And you’ve reminded me that I must go catch up on Grace Burrowes, whose writing I really enjoy.
Let It Snow is part of my kindle unlimited so I immediately downloaded that one. I read The Godmother’s Secret: The Mystery of the Missing Princes in the Tower by Elizabeth St. John. Maybe that was a wench recommendation? Always a fascinating story. Since I’m still on my Gilded Age kick I read Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great Fortune. What a story & all true. I guess you can’t make this stuff up. Now I’m reading Tasha Alexander’s latest Lady Emily Death by Misadventure. It’s set in Bavaria around Neuschwanstein. Loving it!
Another great list of books!! I’m looking forward to Susanna Kearsley’s book as I’ve loved all her others, I just need to make time for it.
I started the month with a reread of The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight by Christina. On to A Civil Contract for my Georgette Heyer group read. The Lighthouse Secret by Carmel Harrington was a great read set in Ireland. Across The Blood-Red Skies by Robert Radcliffe is set in World War I and is about the RFC and is another fantastic read. I loved it!
Family Affairs at the Orchard Cottage Hospital by Lizzie Lane is set during the 1930’s and is about a female doctor who comes to a small country town to practice. It’s the second in a series and while the first was more or less setting up the story, this one has a lot going on and is very interesting. Another I really enjoyed.
The Whispers of Wilderwood Hall by Karen McCombie is a middle grade book I picked up in a second hand bookshop because I liked the blurb. It turned out to be an interesting read and I read it in a day.
Right now I’m in the middle of The Last Hours by Minette Walters and I can hardly to put it down!! Brilliant so far.
I’d just like to throw in The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer, which I read the end of August but it just squeezed over the line into September. It was a fascinating read and it kept me guessing all the way about what was going to be the outcome. I love her books and she’s an automatic buy for me now.
Looking forward to next month’s round up already 🙂
Fabulous list, Teresa! The Blood-red Skies sounds very interesting, and neeed to go check The Last Hours. Thanks so much for sharing!
I started September off by reading Unquiet Land by Sharon Shinn. Its the 4th in the Elemental series. An excellent book. It was very suspenseful the last 60 pages. Adventure, growth and romance.
The month ended with me reading Golden Lord by Mary Jo Putney. I got it 2 days before Helene came visiting. So instead of doing weather prep, I sat down to read it in one big gulp. Grin. (Where I live, we just got brushed by the western edge. 6 inches of rain but no wind.) I really enjoyed the bok and how Tamsyn and Cade overcame their bad luck tribulations in France. Plus they managed to find a way to achieve their HEA. Yay for the library getting a copy.
In between I read some Carolyn Brown, Anna Jacobs, a Jane Feather, tons of Grace Burrowes. Plus I don’t know what else but there was lots of reading.
Y’all have some interesting lists this past month! I’ll have to go back thru the post with paper and pen in hand. Who knows…I might find one of the mentioned books at the library book sale I’m helping to set up this week.