Tag Archives: romance

Readalikes for The Bridgertons

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Readalikes for Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Series

The Bridgerton series begins with The Duke & I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, An Offer from a Gentleman, and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. Four others follow, along with three collections of novellas.

If you’re waiting to read some of the Bridgerton books, try these prequels first:

Because of Miss Bridgerton, The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband, The Other Miss Bridgerton, and First Comes Scandal. These are about the Rokesbys, the generation before the eight Bridgerton siblings.

Regency Romances

Ashley, Jennifer. A MacKenzie Clan Christmas

Balogh, Mary. The Proposal, A Matter of Class, A Very Special Christmas

Beverley, Jo. Forbidden, The Rogue’s Return, To Rescue a Rogue, The Secret Wedding

Britton, Christina. A Good Duke is Hard to Find

Byrne, Kerrigan. All Scot and Bothered, How to Love the Duke in Ten Days

Chase, Loretta. Ten Things I Hate About a Duke

Coulter, Catherine. The Sherbrooke Bride, The Sherbrooke Twins

Darcy, Clare. A Regency Trio

Dare, Tessa. Any Duchess Will Do, The Wallflower Wager

Enoch, Suzanne. Hit Me with Your Best Scot, Scot Under the Covers

Heath, Lorraine. Beyond Scandal and Desire, The Earl Takes a Fancy

Heyer, Georgette. The Convenient Marriage, Cotillion, False Colours, Frederica,  The Grand Sophy, Venetia

James, Eloisa. My Last Duchess, Say Yes to the Duke

Jordan, Sophie. The Duke Effect, The Duke’s Stolen Bride

Kelly, Carla. Libby’s London Merchant, Marian’s Christmas Wish, Miss Chartley’s Guided Tour, One Good Turn, Summer Campaign, The Unlikely Master Genius

Kleypas, Lisa. Chasing Cassandra, Devil in Spring, A Wallflower Christmas

Leigh, Eva. My Fake Rake, Would I Lie to the Duke?

Lorret, Vivienne. Lord Holt Takes a Bride, My Kind of Earl

MacLean, Sarah. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord, Daring and the Duke, The Day of the Duchess, How the Dukes Stole Christmas, Wicked and the Wallflower

Quick, Amanda. I Thee Wed, Wicked Widow

Quincy, Diana. Her Night with the Duke

Quinn, Ella. The Marquis and I, The Most Eligible Lord in London

Riley, Vanessa. The Duke, the Lady, and a Baby

Sebastian, Cat. Two Rogues Make a Right

Spencer, Minerva. Notorious

Waite, Olivia. The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows

Waters, Martha. To Have and to Hoax

Regency Anthologies

How the Dukes Stole Christmas

A Homespun Regency Christmas

Joy to the World: A Regency Christmas Collection

The Last Chance Christmas Ball

Seduction on a Snowy Night

Victorian Era Romances

Dunmore, Evie. Bringing Down the Duke, A Rogue of One’s Own

Garwood, Julie. For the Roses

Shupe, Joanna. A Daring Arrangement, The Devil of Downtown, The Prince of Broadway, The Rogue of Fifth Avenue

 

Happy reading!

Brenda

Return to Virgin River

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Return to Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Fans of the long running Virgin River series or the new television series will rejoice with the publication of this book. Virgin River is a tiny town set in Humboldt County in Northern California. Suspense novelist Kaylee Sloan, struggling with writer’s block while grieving her mother’s recent death, rents a house from family friends, only to suddenly need a new place to stay. Kaylee, finding a warm welcome at Jack’s Bar, the local gathering place, winds up at the guest house owned by local artist Landry Moore. Kaylee brings her laptop to Jack’s Bar most days, but gets little writing done there, so she starts a second book, a romance featuring a version of herself. Kaylee, with the help of friends new and old, finds her own happy ending, and finishes her books. Favorite characters from past books reappear, leaving fans satisfied yet still hoping for more books in the series. Readers who enjoy heartwarming contemporary romance set in small towns will also enjoy. Start anywhere in the series, or with the first book, Virgin River.

 

Brenda

Well Played

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Well Played by Jen DeLuca

Well Played is a sweet romantic comedy set in Willow Creek, Maryland, which hosts a renaissance faire on four July weekends. Stacey looks forward to the faire all year, and this year she’s more involved in planning the faire, and helping arrange the wedding of two of her friends. A receptionist at a dentist’s office, Stacey lives in a small apartment over her parents’ garage. A former cheerleader who’s always smiling, she’s best known for her fondness for pumpkin spice lattes. A typical evening finds her home with her cat scrolling social media posts, or hanging out at a local bar with her friend Mitch. In the past, she hooked up with a hunky faire musician named Dex, and sends him a flirtatious text, which unexpectedly starts a long-distance relationship by text and email. The next July, Stacey’s shocked to learn she’s been writing to Dex’s cousin Daniel, the band manager. Well Played is the sequel to Well Met, but I will happily read them out of order. A third book is planned for 2021.
As I hoped, this is a good readalike for The Falcon Always Wings Twice, a cozy mystery set at a renaissance faire.

Brenda

 

Mistletoe & Mr. Right

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Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler

The Tuesday Evening Book Group recently read and discussed The Tourist Attraction, a romantic comedy that begins the Moose Springs, Alaska series by Morgenthaler. This is the sequel; fun, heartwarming, and full of small town Alaska quirkiness. Rick Harding runs the local pool hall/pizza joint and caters only to locals, not tourists. He lives with his nephew Diego, who reluctantly works at the town’s resort. Unexpectedly, Rick falls for rich developer Lana Montgomery, who just might be interested. Lana and her friend Zoey have taken up the challenge to find the Santa Moose, a rogue moose who has it in for the town’s holiday decorations. Lana wants her family’s company to build luxury condos in Moose Springs, but the local residents aren’t very welcoming. This is a fun, light read. A third book, Enjoy the View, is expected in January. Mistletoe & Mr. Right will be published October 6.

Brenda

Take a Hint, Dani Brown

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Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

A video that goes viral sparks the charming multicultural romance of Zaf and Dani. Zafir, a university security guard who runs a nonprofit for young athletes, is a former Rugby pro who couldn’t handle the media attention after a family tragedy. Danika teaches literature and is a Ph.D. student. A bisexual witch, her last relationship ended badly when she couldn’t commit. Dani brings Zaf coffee every morning, and they flirt mildly. A video of Zaf carrying Dani after an elevator mishap becomes a media sensation, which helps raise funds for Zaf’s foundation. Dani is looking for a friend with benefits, so they agree to fake date for a few weeks. Zaf falls hard for the surprisingly insecure academic, who he totally gets. Their very frank language is the spiciest part of this very engaging British contemporary romance. Their supportive families are a humorous bonus. Warmhearted and funny with witty dialogue, this is ultimately a joyful, rewarding read of two complex, diverse characters who belong together. The first Brown Sisters book, Get a Life, Chloe Brown is going on my to-be-read list. Book 3, Act your Age, Eve Brown, is expected next March.

Brenda

Eighty Days to Elsewhere

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Eighty Days to Elsewhere by K. C. Dyer

Romy Keene works for her uncles in their New York City bookstore, living in an apartment above the shop. When the building is sold and their rent skyrockets, Romy enters a contest to win a huge bonus and a position with a travel company. All Romy needs to do is visit the same landmarks as Phileas Fogg did in Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in Eighty Days, without taking a commercial flight. And Romy needs to be faster than Dominic Madison, whose uncle is her new evil landlord. Romy has never been further from New York City than Montreal, and is definitely not an intrepid traveler. Many adventures later, the cargo ship she and Dominic are traveling on rescues a group of Somali refugees, and the pair find a new, mutual goal. This book is perfect armchair travel reading for summer, complete with a little romance (with Dominic, of course!). A good non-fiction readalike is Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s History-Making Race Around the World, by Matthew Goodman. This novel really kept my interest, and will be published on August 11.

Brenda

 

The Tourist Attraction

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The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

In this quirky debut romantic comedy, Zoey Caldwell meets grumpy Graham Barnett on her first night in Moose Springs, Alaska. Graham reluctantly serves tourists from a nearby luxury lodge at his diner, The Tourist Trap, but he’d rather be spending time with his dog or making sculptures with a chain saw. Zoey has been saving her tips for years to afford a two-week vacation in Alaska, and is happy to sleep on the sofa in her friend Lana’s suite at the lodge. Determined to see as many Alaskan attractions as she can, Zoey’s day trips are with a budget company and she goes whale watching in heavy seas, and gets an uncooperative horse on a trail ride. Graham is part of a long-running local versus rich tourist feud, but introduces Zoey to his dog, his friends, and takes her to a local favorite bakery for giant cinnamon rolls. Graham is a bit too ready to get into a fight for my tastes, but clearly has a soft spot for Zoey and her friend Lana. Funny and engaging, with a great sense of place, this novel will have readers eager to visit Moose Springs, Alaska, ASAP. Fortunately, the author’s second book, Mistletoe and Mr. Right, will be published this October. Other reviewers suggest books by Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, Robyn Carr, and Debbie Macomber as readalikes. The Tourist Attraction will be our virtual book discussion selection on August 25.

Brenda

Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café

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Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café by Jodi Thomas

I picked this book because of the gorgeous cover. In reading the novel, I enjoyed a pleasant visit to a small Texas town with plenty of secrets, a possible ghost, and not quite enough descriptions of breakfast at the café. Sam Cassidy gets an unexpected request to be interim pastor in Honey Creek. Sam, while a seminary graduate, is a pilot and firefighter, but is drawn to Honey Creek for a personal reason. Mayor Piper Jane is late to welcome Sam and give him a tour of the town because she’s distracted by another newcomer, Colby McBride. Colby is undercover, investigating the disappearance of a man whose car was found in a nearby river. Two seniors graduating from the local high school are also drawn together; hardworking Pecos and sweet, popular Kerrie. In this contemporary novel, appealing characters, some humor, and a little romance make for a heartwarming story. More Honey Creek stories are planned.

Brenda

Small Town Life

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Small Town Life

These are novels set in small towns, usually with a contemporary setting, many featuring a woman coming home again to start over, often with strong female friendships, and a bit of romance. Character driven, these books are usually heartwarming or cheerful in tone. All of these titles are available at the library and at Media on Demand.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson
Country Guesthouse by Robyn Carr
The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck
Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber
Sisters by Choice by Susan Mallery
Herons Landing by JoAnn Ross
Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis
Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne

Enjoy! Brenda

 

Ever Faithful

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Ever Faithful: A Vintage National Parks Novel by Karen Barnett

This novel set in Yellowstone National Park in 1933 has a wonderful sense of time and place. Nate Webber has dyslexia and can barely read, but loves to learn. Elsie Brooks, daughter of a park ranger, is saving money for college as a hotel maid in the park when she gets the chance to teach Nate’s Civilian Conservation Corps crew part-time. Elsie’s friends Mary and Rose welcome the chance of a summer romance, while a young park ranger is interested in Elsie, who’s hiding a secret of her own. The city boys of the CCC, many from New York City, find the hard work in the park challenging, but settle in quickly. A couple of small fires had me suspecting a character of arson, but this mildly inspirational story isn’t as predictable as I thought. Warm-hearted, relaxing, and thoroughly enjoyable, this trip back in time has me looking forward to reading Barnett’s other novels set in Yosemite and Mount Rainier National Parks.

Brenda