It’s that time of year again, so in honor of the month of love, I finished my Harlequin romance reading. Plus a few others.

Silks, Swords and Surrender by Jeannie Lin (Tang Dynasty)

From USA TODAY bestselling author Jeannie Lin comes a tantalizing new five-story volume. Take a journey to Tang Dynasty China and join five unique heroines as they fight, seduce and steal their way into their heroes’ hearts. 

Rediscover four reader-favorite stories and immerse yourself in The Touch of Moonlight, the brand-new sexy novella from this highly-acclaimed author!

I accidentally picked up a anthology of Lin’s novellas that relate to her Lotus Palace series, so I was a bit confused as to who the characters were, backstories, and all that. However, I was still able to enjoy several of them like “The Taming of Mei Lin” which had two warriors coming to put down their pride, and fight back to back for love and honoring their ancestors. Admittedly, I was envisioning Mulan and Shang the whole time since it gave me the same vibe.

“Capturing the Silken Thief” was a departure from the warrior-girls that dance through Lin’s novellas as it paid homage to ancient Chinese fable of a scholar and song-girl, providing a sensual, intellectual romance that made for a satisfying ending as they navigate a way to keep their chosen careers in court while falling in love.

I believe one of Lin’s greatest strengths is how she immerses the readers into this world with his complicated rules of honor and etiquette, its lush settings, and emotions stirring underneath the surface.

A Marquis to Protect the Governess by Parker J Cole (Versailles)

Reeling from the discovery that everything she knew about her life was a lie, Isadora is forced to take up a position as a governess in the brooding Marquis de Lyonnais’s household. As she helps the marquis bond with his orphaned nephew, Isadora can’t help but be drawn to the man behind the title. But can she trust him to protect her secret…one that’s so explosive it could rock the court of King Louis XV! 

This was a fun blend of Harlequin romance with notes of Rhys’ Wide Sagrasso Sea. Maybe that’s because of Isadora’s Haiti connection, this one is not nearly as tragic as Rhys’ novel. Cole creates an exciting forbidden romance between the Marquis who has to pick up the pieces of his rakish younger brother’s life after he dies. Ie. take care of his ward and fall for the governess.

Isadora’s secret makes it a sort of Cinderella story, but this is Versailles, and while the French are more lax about people of color than England, her revealing her highborn origins might paint a target on her back by social climbers. I enjoyed seeing Isadora break down the Marquis’ more lighthearted side, and the Marquis’ succumbing to his desires to help Isadora receive her rightful inheritance and assure her that she deserves protection and happiness and love.

There is a third act break-up because Isadora jumps to conclusions which is so annoying, but I guess that’s part of the Harlequin formula. Still it was cool to see POC achieving romance in historical setting, this being more focused on courtly backstabbing than race. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton, I think.

Pickpocket Countess by Bronwyn Scott (Regency)

It’s Brandon Wycroft’s duty as the Earl of Stockport to catch the “Cat,” a notorious thief who is stealing from rich local homes to feed the poor. Discovering that the Cat is a woman, he changes his plan of action— to a game of seduction!

Mysterious and tempting, she teases him. And, as the net closes around the Cat, Brandon realizes he wants to protect her as well as bed her. But the only way to catch her is to spring the parson’s mousetrap—and make her his countess!

I’ve read a lot of Regency, but I wanted to see what Harlequin regency was like, and chose who seems to be the most prolific regency writer of the bunch-Bronwyn Scott.

She blew my expectations out of the water. Primarily since my expectation was manners and miscommunication. Not a cat thief stealing from the rich to fund the poor orphans, and the earl trying to catch her. It kinda reminded me of Batman and Catwoman, Brandon being all stern and law-abiding while Nora was always one step ahead of him as the “Cat” and in her regular life. I loved the double flirtation between their real selves, and their “on the run” selves. How Nora pointed out that the “Cat” is doing some good and he should be investigating the corrupt officials she’s stealing from, while pinning the “Cat”‘s identity on someone else. It was doubly satisfying when he did figure out the truth and ended up joining her mission. It was just a really fun book!

A Governess to Redeem Him by Lotte R. James (1830s)

Eighteen years ago, Juliana Myles fled her home and built a new life as a governess, believing her childhood sweetheart had been sentenced to death! Now Sebastian Lloyd is back from the dead and wants Juliana’s help in proving his innocence…

Sebastian has spent a lifetime running from an unjust verdict. But he’s tired of being haunted by his past. Yet working with Juliana to capture the true culprit also means being confronted by searing memories of their passionate history. And the temptation to bring their love story back to life…

The writing for this novel was unlike any other historical romance novel. James said she wanted to write in the style of the gothic romances she loved like Jane Eyre, and damn she succeeded. The purple prose, emphasize on the isolated setting, ruminations on morality, redemption, and the confusing capital F Feelings.

Sebastian isn’t as much of a jerkass as Rochester, just tortured by guilt and haunted by his past as the summary says, wanting nothing but to clear his name to Juliana. However, he fears those same capital F feelings may ruin her. Meanwhile, Juliana thinks she’s literally haunted by ghosts, so that’s another issue. There’s not much governess, but I think that is also homage to Jane Eyre where the child is more of a prop for the plot as Juliana and Sebastian figure out where they stand and who accused Sebastian so many years ago.

The twist of whodunnit also fits into the Gothic’s twisty, psychological, intense F feelings theme as well, and it’s just amazing how well James recreated the gothic style for modern times. Highly recommend.

A Viscount for the Egyptian Princess by Heba Helmy (1870s)

Viscount Louis Wesley is captivated by the beautiful woman he meets at the Louvre. He never expects to see her again, but then he arrives in Egypt for his royal best friend’s wedding and discovers she’s the bride, Princess Mervat! Learning it’s a convenient match that both intend to avoid, Louis vows to help. The stakes may be high, but Louis’s biggest challenge will be resisting falling for the princess himself!

This was probably the most simple. No big twists or dramatic confrontations, but that is in the book’s favor as it allowed the novel to breath. Helmy does an excellent job in describing mid-modern Egypt, the disparity between the court and the bustling daily life in the streets of Cairo. The joy of unveiling new inventions like the train and the pushes for Egypt to build alliances and stand out in the Middle East. The hypocrisy of the court that wants to be modern, but is still ruled by an iron fist by the Sultan and his desires.

She also allows for a lovely bond between the creative, romantic Louis although he doesn’t realize it. He’s so focused on trying to get a good position and rich wife so he can help his estate, but love finds a way of asserting its importance.

Also who couldn’t fall for sweet and passionate Mervat. I know nothing about archeology, but I also admired her earnest love for tracing artifact genealogy and researching how its history represents greater context on the individual and societal level. She has a moving personal arc about trying to form a bond with her mother, and finding the boundary she won’t cross when it comes to compromising her own happiness.

A very sweet romance.

These next ones aren’t part of the Harlequin company line. I just thought that since I read a Muslim historical romance, and will be reading a Jewish centered one when Grossman’s next book comes out in June, I should give other religious protagonists a try.

A Lady of Her Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter (Christian Regency)

Miss Amelia Stalwood may live in London at her absent guardian’s townhouse, but she’s never actually met any nobility; instead of aristocrats, her closest friends are servants. Quite by happenstance, she’s introduced to the Hawthorne family and their close family friend, Anthony, the reformed Marquis of Raebourne. They welcome her into their world, but just as she’s beginning to gain some confidence and even suspect that she may have caught Anthony’s eye, she’s blindsided by an unexpected twist in her situation accompanied by nasty rumors. Will she lose her reputation when the world that has only just accepted her turns its back on her, or will she rest in the support of the friends who’ve become like family and the man who’s shared his faith and captured her heart?

This was a wholesome novella about finding a family who is invested in you, and standing your ground for them. Also it’s about redemption. Amelia made quite a plucky protagonist who embodied those values of kindness, obedience and behaving your best as a reflection of your family. She’s also a bit awkward, being raised only by servants and not among people her own age, so it’s sweet to see her wide-eyed joy at her first ball.

I don’t know if this is because this is a prequel novella, but they won’t say what exactly Anthony is trying to atone for and become a Christian. It’s heavily implied he was a rake, drinking, gambling, lust, all that, but they never say it. I can’t tell if this is because again, prequel or its this Christian thing about referring to a sin and describing the sin but never say the words “drunk” or “alcoholic.” I know they did that in Louisa May Alcott books in the 1800s, but I didn’t know they still did in this age.

It’s just very distracting, same with how Anthony is so transfixed by her pureness and naivety. Still it had a solid theme of redemption and forgiveness despite past transgressions, and I liked the family dynamics of the Hawthornes.

Seduced in a Storm by Royaline Sing (Hindi Regency)

On this year’s Holi festival, feisty Malini Thakur has arranged an innocuous but flawless revenge on the man who broke her sister’s heart. But when the revenge is accidentally enacted on the Earl of Dashwood — the man who broke her own heart five years ago — Malini sees only one way to avoid further embarrassment and heartbreak. She must run away. Again.

Aditya Bose, the Earl of Dashwood, is done running from the scorching kiss and Malini’s past rebuffs afterward. Even after five years of law practice in India, he couldn’t forget her. So when he learns of wedding bells for a certain Miss Thakur, to his own younger brother, he has to rush back to England for Malini. There is undoubtedly only one way to convince her he deserves another chance: run after her.

But when the rainstorm rages and traps them in a cottage, would he gather the courage to make his case? Would she be brave enough to face heartbreaking answers? Or will they choose to leave the past behind and seduce each other into love?

A sweet childhood romance to lovers. There is the miscommunication trope, but because of its short form, its aggravating. Rather the majority of the story is about flashbacks interwoven with Indian traditions which further connected them in a predominantly English society.

Finally, Hall’s Winner Bakes All trilogy comes to its conclusion.

Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot by Alexis Hall

Audrey Lane is perfectly fine. Really. So what if she left her high-powered job as a Very Important Journalist—and her even higher-powered long-term girlfriend—to live a quiet life as a reporter for the second-biggest newspaper in Shropshire? And so what if she keeps hearing the voice of that same higher-powered long-term now-ex-girlfriend in her head night and day, constantly judging just how small Audrey’s allowed her life to become?

She’s fine. She’s happy. She’s perfectly within her groove. Do not-in-their-groove people get weekday drunk and impulsively apply for the UK’s most beloved baking show?

All right, so maybe she’s not completely fine, but being on Bake Expectations is opening her world again in ways she never anticipated. First through fellow contestant Doris, whose personal story of queer love during WW2 captures Audrey’s heart, imagination, and journalistic interest like nothing has in ages. Then through Jennifer Hallet, the most foul-tempered (and fouler-mouthed) producer, woman, and menace Audrey has ever met. Jennifer should be off-limits, but her fire lights something unexpected inside of Audrey, making her want to burn back a million times brighter. A million times hotter. A million times more herself than she’s been in a long, long time.

I’ll admit I was going to skip this one because I simply wasn’t feeling it. Hall’s books tend to be long, and though they’re labeled contemporary romance, it’s more protagonist going through character development with a side of romance. But I’m a completionist and that part won out. Nonetheless, it was fun getting back into the world of this psuedo-Great British Baking show with its familiar hosts and formula. However, it had a twist with Lane’s behind the scenes knowledge of media as she accidentally lets the other contestants in on how the show forms their arcs and fits them all into archetypes. There’s nearly a meltdown from there.

In my opinion, while this behind the scenes deconstruction of Britain’s coziest reality show was interesting, it did lessen the comfortable familiarity present in the other books. It made me less immersed, and the show was distant through the director’s seat. Which was the point, I see, but made it less enjoyable.

As for the characters themselves, they were fine. Audrey Lane is perfectly sweet, albeit insecure and I believe her arc of learning not to let her ex’s voice ruin her current happiness is a worthwhile one. However, the big snag is that Lane’s voice was too much. It’s too present, and distracting. At times, it feels like Hall is trying to pad the book with Lane’s interior monologue, wanting to show how clever they are with constant asides, and thoughts, and its too much! I don’t want to know every single, trying-to-hard-to-be-snarky-and-quirky thought!

There is a particularly annoying trait Lane has that not only does she hear what her ex would think about her current choices, but also refers to what “10-minutes ago Audrey wouldn’t have done this, but 5 years ago Audrey would have been proud of her while current Audrey is absolutely befuddled.” This conceit gets confusing at times, and again, feels like padding. Sometimes a little exposition is fine. This book could have probably cut 150 pages if they got rid of the monologue.

Also I just didn’t understand what Audrey was supposed to learn on this journey. In previous novels, Rosaline learned to stand up for herself, and unlearn her classism bias. Paris had to take control and find healthy ways of dealing with his anxiety.

I don’t know what Audrey got out of this besides a new girlfriend. I mentioned that she eventually silenced the voice of her ex-girlfriend, but that happened naturally when she got with Jennifer. She didn’t do work herself. Nor was there any introspection why she’s drawn to verbally abusive, commanding women that demean her. I mean, Jennifer stops demeaning her (sort of) when they get together and respects Audrey’s less ambitious plans, but Audrey didn’t state her own boundaries or get there herself. It just sort of happened. For a moment it seemed the lesson that Audrey was going to learn was not to project her own stories onto other people or that she isn’t always right, but that also gets dropped. Audrey’s story just felt very reactive, and not character driven. Rather she serves as a device for other events to happen like comforting or triggering the contestants, being an ear for Doris’ story.

Which brings me to Doris’ story. This is sort of a two romance in one book deal as Doris is the older contestant described in the blurb who tells Audrey her brief, forbidden romance in the 40s-50s to the rich, eccentric daughter of the mansion. Those were my favorite chapters as Hall transports readers back in time, rouses the confusing, complicated feelings of first love with a someone who may not love you with the same fervor, and is in unequal position. Plus it had no damn interior monologue like Lane’s.

But even that story is diluted because Doris’ love interest, Emily, is one of those rich, does what they like no matter who it hurts people and why she surely had a difficult time as a closeted person in the 40s, she still had a power advantage over Doris being her employer, and richer than her, and unwilling to say “I love you” back. It is referred to in the story as Audrey wonders if she connects with Doris so much because they were both in love with selfish people. It serves as a parallel, but Doris remains steadfastly in love with her, and they run off into the sunset so. . . I guess we love who we love no matter what without introspection, I guess.

Oh, I forgot to mention Jennifer. She’s pretty consistent to who she was in the other novels. There is a little vulnerability peeking through and I like her no-nonsense demeanor, but there is not much else to her. I’m still not sure why she got stuck on Audrey to be honest or Audrey with her.

So yeah, I finished the trilogy, but I think this is a case where first one is best.