Diary of a Middle-Aged Romantic

Bombshell Sarah MacLean Stars:  Excellent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (heroine is strong, smart, independent, and a total badass; amazing hero—he really is a good guy; neither of them is exactly what they seem; lots of strong women and excellent representation/diversity; mystery; issues are still germane today) Heat rating:    🔥🔥🔥🔥 ½ (see the SEX-AND-SPOILERS section) Cover rating: Oh, this cover gets an A . The red dress; the mysterious, slightly ghostly background; you think she’s holding that skirt up to be seductive, but it’s more likely she’s about to grab a weapon. She just gives off a badass vibe. Perfection! So, Sarah MacLean is one of MAR’s favorite authors—in my top 10, and possibly top 5. So I preordered this book (I always get my own copy of her books because I will read them to electronic tatters), as well as requested an ARC. The ARC gods did not smile upon this Squirrel, so I wasn’t able to do a review for MAR readers. (Note, I also tried for an ARC of the se...

Since I'm so behind on my recaps (stupid COVID), I am starting a new feature on here to get folks excited about historical romance novels (and tamp down my anxiety over behind so behind in my ARC reviews and full recaps).  So you're getting some daily words of wisdom or just plain wowza quotations from the books I'm reading.

A Duke for Diana Sabrina Jeffries   Stars:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ So, what the hell is wrong with me? I thought I published this no-spoiler review of A Duke for Diana weeks ago. I can’t even blame that on COVID fog, because I meant to put this up a month ago! Meet the Harper sisters: Eliza, Diana, and Verity. They’re social pariahs because their mother (who Sabrina Jeffries describes with probably the best line I’ve ever read in a book: “married but courting”) has eloped, abandoning the young ladies and their father. That’s bad enough, but their father is pissed, so he’s pursuing a divorce. That. Is. Not. Done. So these three young ladies are barely received and will probably never marry (Eliza was lucky to marry before the “incident,” but her husband soon scurries away to the military). So yeah, the Harper girls aren’t in a good spot. Well, a chance meeting with an American countess changes all that, and Elegant Occasions is born! Want to throw the hottest party of the Ton ? Thes...