To Have and to Hoax. By Martha Waters.

To Have and to Hoax. By Martha Waters. 2020. Atria Books (ARC ebook).

One year into their happy marriage, Lady Violet Gray and Lord James Audley had a big fight and have since spent the last four years far from wedded bliss. When an accident occurs, miscommunication escalates to outrage, confusion, feigned illness, actors, mother-in-laws, faux mistresses and facepalming friends. As the obstacles in their relationship build, the renewed sparks flying between husband and wife threaten to burn them down. Violet and James may or may not prove equal in manipulation, but can they prove equal in love?

This was a Regency romance read that managed to merge several different tropes to appreciative affect. If you are looking for a new author, pick this entertaining and romantic book up.

367 pages

Wild Wild Rake (The Cavensham Heiresses #6). Janna MacGregor.

Wild Wild Rake (The Cavensham Heiresses #6). Janna MacGregor. 2020. St. Martin’s Paperbacks. (ARC paperback).

Lady Avalon, the widowed Marchioness of Warwyk, has spent the last nine years raising her son and younger sister by herself, as well as establishing a well-respected standing in the community of Thistledown; all with little interference from her son’s guardian, the Duke of Larkton. But now, as the young lord Warwyk is of age to attend Eton and Avalon is attempting to expand her charity work, she finds that the Duke has sent his brother to spy on her under the ruse of tutoring her son in Latin. Avalon has no use for Devan Farris but it proves harder than expected to send him on his way as he quickly ingratiates himself in the parish as the charming new vicar.

Both Avalon and Devan think they know who each other are; Devan is a reputed rake, untrustworthy of Avalon’s confidences, and Avalon is cold and haughty, having jilted Devan’s best friend in the past. But they will find that they could not be more wrong.

This regency romance is set in a unique countryside parish and is full of heart and intelligently-written characters. A definite read for those looking for a determined heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, and delightful banter.

352 pages

Almost Just Friends (Wildstone #4). By Jill Shalvis.

Almost Just Friends (Wildstone #4). By Jill Shalvis. 2020. William Morrow Paperbacks (ARC paperback).

Dedicated EMT and control freak sister of two, Piper Manning is ready to leave Wildstone behind for a new home and profession. She’s got this. It’s all in her journal and the first step is already checked off.

1. Get Gavin and Winnie raised, out of the house and settled on their own √

2. Apply to a Physician’s Assistant program far away from Wildstone--Colorado will work

3. Get the lake house and cottages in good enough order to land a buyer so that there is money to pay for said program and relocation

4. Don’t fall for the new hunk staying at the marina

She so doesn’t have this.

5. So Gavin and Winnie are back, surely this is temporary

6. Gavin has a secret

7. What’s this about turning the property into a B&B???

8. Winnie has a secret

9. Missed the deadline for classes, can apply again

10. Can totally handle a fling with the marina/Coast Guard/DEA hunk named Camden Hayes

Family, fun, forgiveness and finding someone to put down roots for. Shalvis hits all the right notes. The only confusion for me was the amount of the story spent on a secondary romance between Piper’s brother Gavin and Wildstone police officer CJ. It is easily a third of the book and not a setup for the next installment. My preference would have been to have Gavin and CJ’s story as a novella despite the overlapping events. This would have given some pages to see Cam on a mission and some shenanigans of the Mannings running the B&B before the epilogue. Final verdict though is that Shalvis writes such wonderful characters and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

358 pages