Lively St. Lemons is a small village with intense political rivalries between the Whigs and Tories. But that’s a side note to the intricacies of the population therein.

1. Sweet Disorder: Phoebe Sparks is such a unique heroine in the historical romance genre. She’s plus-sized, hot-tempered, has intense maternal desire, and a dirty mind. She has layers is what I mean and doesn’t fit neatly into tropes. Same with the MC, Nicholas Drymond who is the black sheep in the political heavyweight Whig family. He has a limp from the war as well as intense insecurities in trying to please his family, his acquaintances, everyone he meets that he’s unsure of what he really wants. I really enjoy how Lerner explores the nuances of toxic family members, and the caregiving role Phoebe hoists on herself. Same with the new take on a complicated former marriage that has left Phoebe uncertain she wants to marry again. Plus it has political intrigue, and steamy scenes (he’s a sub! I know, another rare thing in historical romance but fits perfectly with his fears of not disappointing anyone and wanting someone to give him direct orders). It’s just a unique gem in the genre with great characterization.

2. A Taste of Honey: For only a novella, Lerner packs a lot of feels and spice in a pastry shop. Robert Moon is the adorkable owner of the local confectionary who’s in danger of becoming bankrupt. Betsy is his loyal right-hand who wants him to realize she can shoulder the struggles of the pastry shop as a helpmeet, not a burden of a wife. Set over the course of a week, things move fast, but Lerner creates an easy intimacy, different sort of sex scenes that take advantage of the setting, and make one root for this genial couple to make it work.

3. False Pretenses: Most of these stories deal with the members of the Whig party, but the second book follows Lydia Reeves, hostess and patroness of the Tory party as she falls for a Jewish swindler, Asher Cohen. The scandal, but as Ash is trying to go straight, you can believe their connection is real while keeping on the edge of their seat as Lydia that maybe it’s not as real as it could be. The reason it comes third is because Ash may be Jewish, he is very divorced from it, so it didn’t feel as much of a deal as it could be. Which is the point as he often points out he passes as a gentile as long as he has a gentile name and doesn’t pull off his pants. There are mentions tat Lydia is suddenly interested in helping Jewish charities but it’s also off-page, and just feels like if Lerner’s going to add that to a MC’s identity, they could go further with it.

4. Listen to the Moon: The saucy maid, Sukey, and stuffy valet, John Toogood were interesting supporting characters in Sweet Disorder, and their opposites attract vibe in a marriage of convenience makes a good spark, but it could fan the flames of a 300 page book. They were interesting by themselves, but the novel didn’t interest me. It felt like a drag, and could have ended 100 pages earlier.