Review: The Prince and the Player by Nora Phoenix*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the The Prince and the Player blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Prince and the Player
Author: Nora Phoenix
Genre: LGBTQIA+ Romance

Trigger warnings:  References to death of a parent, References to a car accident, References to drink driving, Brief references to a guy trying to take advantage of an intoxicated girl

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door) 

I’m determined to win over the one guy who hates me…but I never expected to fall for him

Being a prince may seem like a fairytale, but to me, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. That’s why I’m excited when I get permission from my uncle—the king of Norway—to go undercover as a student at an American college for a year. And I’m even more ecstatic to be selected for their football team. Soccer, I mean. The only problem? Farron, the team captain, dislikes me on sight. Determined to win him over, I start a charm offensive, but nothing works. He only hates me more.

Until the animosity comes to an explosive release…and we end up kissing each other. How did that happen when neither of us has ever been attracted to a guy before? Farron wants to let it run its course and get it out of our system, but I doubt that’ll work. I’m falling for him hard, but he has no idea who I really am. I fear that if he finds out, he’ll never speak to me again…

The Prince and the Player is the first book in the Prince Pact series and features an undercover, sunshiney prince and a grumpy, handsome soccer captain, two guys who mistake hate for attraction, a double bi-awakening, and two opposites who attract each other like magnets.

The royally romantic, enemies-to-lovers college romance for fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall and Jax Calder.

The Prince and the Player is the latest steamy M/M romance from author Nora Phoenix. This is an enemies to lovers, opposites attract, double bi-awakening royal romance set against the backdrop of college football/soccer.

This was my first time reading anything from Nora Phoenix but I was quickly hooked by her engaging storytelling and fast-paced narrative.

Farron and Tore had a fantastic grumpy x sunshine dynamic. Their enemies to lovers romance was brilliantly crafted, best summed up with the line “I don’t like you. But for some reason, I do like kissing you.” I couldn’t get enough of the story and was glued to my kindle throughout the book as the initial tension between the two of them quickly progressed into sexual tension. The way their relationship evolved was beautifully written and felt really real, which was great to see.

This bi-awakening romance is packed full of spice, which again was really well written. The way they gradually worked their way up through the different intimate acts felt authentic to people exploring their sexuality for the first time, which I really liked. The coming out scenes were heartwarming and beautifully crafted, particularly (*mild spoiler alert*) when they come out to the rest of their football team and receive a response quite different from the toxic masculinity fuelled response you might stereotypically expect to see from a sports team, particularly in a sport where there’s still so few openly queer professional players.

The college setting worked really well for the story, as did the chapters we had in Farron and Tore’s respective hometowns which allowed us (and them) to really get to know the both of them on a deeper level. Both of our protagonists were well crafted complex characters, particularly Farron who had a really interesting backstory with him becoming a father figure and having to provide for his siblings from a young age.

Overall, this is a brilliant royal M/M romance, which is full of heart. It’s one of my favourite bi-awakening stories I’ve ever read, particularly with it being a double awakening which was really well developed.

Review: I Knew You Were Trouble by Sandy Barker*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the I Knew You Were Trouble blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: I Knew You Were Trouble
Author: Sandy Barker
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Cheating/Affair

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (Closed Door)  

Don’t get mad. Get even.

Kate Whitaker has always believed in love, but when a stranger named Willem shows up on her doorstep, the news he has to share isn’t as exciting as his god-like looks might suggest. He’s come to tell her that Kate’s fiancé is also engaged to his sister.

Kate doesn't know how she didn’t see the red flags: Jon’s work as an airline pilot having him flying around the globe, the postponed dates, the huge rock of an engagement ring that isn’t her style at all.

Overcome with fury – and entranced by the Nordic god’s piercing blue eyes and quiet allure – Kate agrees to accompany Willem to his hometown of Amsterdam to help break the news to his sister. Yet what begins as a simple gesture of support soon twists into a deliciously devious plan to get back at Jon.

Kate is drawn into a world of retribution, revenge and – unexpectedly – romance. Because sometimes the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else…

A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about broken trust, sweet revenge, and the surprising places we find love. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry.

I Knew You Were Trouble is the latest fun romance from author Sandy Barker. This book follows a duped fiancée as she plots revenge against her cheating fiancé whilst finding herself finding love in a very unexpected place. We get to return to the Ever After Agency in this fifth instalment of the series, reuniting with some of the much-loved characters from earlier books as they help Kate with her revenge plot but can’t resist doing a bit of matchmaking for her along the way.

This is a very easy read you could easily get through in a single sitting. Sandy Barker nailed the blend of romance and the revenge plot point and the whole narrative was really well paced.

Whilst the book is mainly set in London, Kate does travel across Europe to find out the truth about her fiancé. Sandy Barker’s brilliant storytelling really immerses you in the settings and I particularly enjoyed the chapters set in Amsterdam as someone who visited recently.

Kate and Willem had great chemistry. Theirs is very much a slow-burn will they, won’t they romance with lots of yearning which was all really well written. There was a great forced proximity element to the story but I particularly loved the bit of meddling from the other characters which gave us a brilliant only one bed moment. This is a closed door romance but it doesn’t completely shy away from any spicier references, it’s more of a fade to black which worked well.

There’s also some brilliant supporting characters. If you like strong female characters you’ll love this book as there’s a brilliant girl power aspect as they seek revenge on the man who wronged them. Margot in particular had a brilliant personality and I’d love to return to her story in some capacity later in the series.

Overall, this is a fun and easy read and a great new addition to the Ever After Agency series.

Review: What Happens in Paradise by Olivia Spring*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the What Happens In Paradise blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: What Happens In Paradise
Author: Olivia Spring
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To Death Of A Parent, References To Death Of A Partner

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)  

What happens in paradise… stays in paradise!

Hotel guest relations manager Jasmine, also known as a Love Alchemist, adores her job at the exclusive Spanish Love Hotel. She prides herself on helping guests meet their perfect match. But matchmaking is absolutely forbidden between staff. And so Jasmine must resist the attraction she feels every time she’s around delectable sous-chef, Alejandro. The problem is, she knows the feeling is mutual. But she cannot jeopardise her job or break the rules.

Because all her hard work is about to be recognized when she’s asked to set up the new branch of the hotel in Jamaica. With an ocean between her and temptation, Jasmine is ecstatic. This is just the distance she needs to keep her feelings under control. But there is one kink in her plan… Alejandro has been asked to join her. For two whole weeks!

Under the sultry Jamaican sun, keeping it strictly professional becomes impossible when romance is literally all around them! So they agree a (secret) holiday fling may help satisfy their desires and then they can move on. After all, what happens in paradise stays in paradise… right?

What Happens in Paradise is the latest romantic comedy from author Olivia Spring and the second instalment of her ‘The Love Hotel’ series. This is a fun and spicy romance which blends the workplace romance and forbidden romance tropes perfectly, set against the beautiful backdrops of sunny Spain and Jamaica. Add in a reverse age gap (she’s older, he’s younger), the only one bed trope and a whole lot of forced proximity and you have this brilliant romance which will make the perfect beach-read for 2025.

I took part in the blog tour for the first book in the series ‘The One That Got Away’ last year (click here to read my review) and fell in love with the premise of the matchmaking hotel so I was eagerly awaiting the release of this book and it certainly did not disappoint.

This is a really easy quick read with short and snappy chapters and a perfectly paced narrative. We have a dual POV first person narrative and this worked perfectly for the story. I particularly loved the Jamaican setting and Olivia Spring’s vivid descriptions of the beautiful landscape instantly transported me there.

So many of our beloved romance tropes have been packed into this story and they all worked perfectly. I’ve not read too many reverse age-gap books (where the FMC is older – in this case in her late 30s - and the MMC younger – in this case in his late 20s) but this worked really well. The combination of it being a forbidden romance but there being such an intense forced proximity element with them having to attend romantic excursions together created such a brilliant plot that I just couldn’t get enough of.

There’s palpable sexual tension between Jasmine and Alejandro which was so perfectly crafted and had me absolutely hooked. And the ‘fuck it’ moment we finally got was so worth it, as was the brilliant spice in the chapters which followed. Their chemistry was electric and the romantic scenes between them – both spicy and just sweet – were really well written.

Olivia Spring writes thoroughly loveable characters and Jasmine and Alejandro were no exception. They both felt really real and relatable. Through each of them we explore the concept of starting a new chapter in their lives and learning to love again following divorce and the death of a partner respectively and this was really well written, particularly Alejandro’s grief.

Overall, What Happens In Paradise is another fun and spicy read from Olivia Spring. It’s perfect if you want something you can read in a single sitting as you lounge by the pool somewhere sunny with a cocktail in hand (bonus points if it’s rum based as that’s so on theme with this book).

Review: The Confessions of a Lady by Darcy McGuire*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the The Confessions Of A Lady blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Confessions Of A Lady
Author: Darcy McGuire
Genre: Historical Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To Physical Abuse By A Parent, References To Alcoholism, Violence, Assault, Drugging, Kidnap, Guns, References To Sex Trafficking

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)  

Dare she risk her secrets?

In the world of upstairs/downstairs, Housemaid Penny Smith anticipates her employer’s needs and blends into the background making her the perfect spy for the prime minister against a suspected member of the Devil’s Sons. There’s only one problem. When she meets the guilty marquess, his actions don’t match the evidence against him. Lord William Renquist defies her every expectation and sets her traitorous heart racing.

Lord William Renquist, Marquess of Stoneway and secret spy to Queen Victoria, must infiltrate the Devil’s Sons, tearing the brotherhood apart from the inside. His mission – to bring evil men to justice while atoning for the sins of his family, proving honour is stronger than tainted blood. There’s only one problem. A canny maid who is always in the right place at the wrong time and who deliciously challenges his every order.

Liam and Penny are unknowingly playing a dangerous game from opposite sides of justice. And at a masked ball, forbidden attraction burns into something far more complex as their secrets spin into daring confessions. This battle against their enemy will only be won if Penny and Liam can work together. But can a maid from downstairs ever trust an upstairs marquess?

The Confessions Of A Lady is the latest historical romance from author Darcy McGuire and the third instalment of her series The Queen's Deadly Damsels. This is another brilliant spicy Victorian romance with a fantastic crime element to it too.

Darcy McGuire has quickly become one of my favourite historical fiction authors as she has an incredible storytelling ability and always crafts a perfectly paced narrative which beautifully blends romantic moments with the high tension crime elements that are also central to the plot.

At the heart of this series is really strong female characters and Penny was no exception. She was a total badass and I really liked the choice to make her illiterate because she was really smart and this really showed that there’s so much more to intelligence than literacy. The scene where Penny demands that Liam treat her as his equal – far from the norm in Victorian society – was particularly impactful and showed beautifully how much she grew in the novel into an even stronger woman who really understood her own value.

I’ve said it before but the absolute feminist icon that is Lady Philippa Winterbourne, the mentor to all of the Queen’s deadly damsels, is one of my favourite strong female characters to have ever graced the pages of a historical fiction novel. I didn’t think it was possible but I fell in love with her even more in this novel. Although this book works well as a standalone story, I’d recommend also reading the rest of the The Queen's Deadly Damsels series as the protagonists from both earlier books feature heavily within this one and I personally really enjoyed being familiar with them prior to reading this book.

Liam was also a brilliant MMC, who I challenge any reader not to fall completely in love with particularly if you’re a fellow sucker for the ‘touch her and you die’ trope.

Penny and Liam had brilliant chemistry and there was a great dynamic between the two of them. I’ve not read anything focusing on this upstairs/downstairs trope before but found it really interesting and it worked really well in the context of this book.

We have several brilliant spicy scenes and they navigated the contrast of experience between Penny as a virgin FMC and Liam as a more experienced and older MMC very well. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on consent, which was great to see within a historical romance and very important given the power imbalance that naturally existed with Liam being Penny’s employer.

Overall, this is yet another incredible historical romance novel from Darcy McGuire and a must read for fans of the historical romance and historical crime genres alike, particularly if you’re after something with an overall really feminist feel.

Review: Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the Best Mistake Ever blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: Best Mistake Ever
Author: Christy McKellen
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Alcohol Abuse, Brief References To Past Drug Abuse

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)   

Some mistakes are worth making

Beatrice Donovan would do anything for her identical twin sister. Including stepping into her hotel management job temporarily and pretending to be her - she’s desperate. What could go wrong? A lot apparently! Because her sister Delilah has hugely understated her role – the hotel is at risk of closure and she’s promised she can turn it around. Now Bea has to find a way to fly under the radar, get the job done before anyone notices their switch up.

Sounds easy, all Bea has to do is avoid her temporary new boss Jonah. However, that’s a lot harder than she thought. Not only does he have impossibly high standards, he’s also out of this world gorgeous, an ex-rockstar with a chip on his shoulder and he's watching her like a hawk! So Bea uses her charm to keep him focussed on the job and not her. But by trying to put up boundaries and keep things professional, Bea finds herself seeing the real man beneath the grumpy façade. Yet with so much at stake, she knows she shouldn’t fall for her sister’s boss…but then again, it may just be the best unintentional mistake she’s ever made!

Best Mistake Ever is the latest sweet and sexy romance from author Christy McKellen. This is a quick and easy read which fans of the mistaken identity trope and a good workplace romance will absolutely love. Add in a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, lovely spring vibes and a sprinkle of spice and you have Best Mistake Ever.

This was my first time reading anything from Christy McKellen but I quickly sank into her easy-to-read writing style and read the book in a single sitting. Our story is told through a dual POV narrative and I loved the way this allowed us to get to know both Bea and Jonah on a deeper level.

The setting of the country hotel was really cute and worked well in the story. I particularly loved the quirky festival and the way it started to really bring Bea and Jonah together.

Bea is our FMC and I warmed to her immediately, she was the type of protagonist I just want to be friends with. Bea really comes into her own over the course of the story, really finding her purpose whilst working at the hotel, which was brilliant to see.

Our MMC is Jonah, a grumpy retired rockstar turned hotelier. I loved the character growth that Jonah had over the course of the story, even if it did require a kick in the right direction from both Bea and Delilah. The way he talked about Bea in his POV chapters made me beam from ear to ear, he was such a sweetheart.

The little hints towards Delilah’s story definitely intrigued me and made me wonder if we can expect to see another book following her in an overlapping timeline to this one. I know I’d definitely like to see it!

This is a very fast burn story, with their relationship blossoming over the course of a matter of weeks, but there was still a good amount of relationship building scenes. Bea and Jonah had great chemistry and brilliant banter. We did have a sprinkling of spice here and there and one full open-door scene which was well written and fitted well within the story.

Overall, this is a really cute feel-good romance which is packed full of charisma and a blend of some much-loved tropes. It’s perfect if you’re looking for an easy read you can devour over a spring weekend.

Review: Kindling by Bonnie Woods*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Kindling
Author: Bonnie Woods
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To Parental Abandonment, References To Domestic Abuse, Absent Parent

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)  

Sparks will fly, even without firewood… 🍂🍁🍂

A cosy autumnal retreat in the Scottish Highlands is the perfect escape for city girl, Harper… Until she is stranded in the forest with nowhere to stay.

Fraser, a gruff local woodcutter, reluctantly offers her his lumberjack’s cabin on one condition – she mustn’t distract him from his duties.

But Fraser is finding his beautiful guest annoyingly hard to ignore. And the way he chops firewood – dogged, powerful and precise – is distracting Harper too. Soon, as the flame-red leaves fall overhead, Harper and Fraser are both forced to wonder: Am I falling faster?

Kindling is a new autumnal romance from author Bonnie Woods. This is a cosy yet spicy grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity romance set against the backdrop of the beautiful rural Scottish highlands in all of their autumnal beauty. It’s the only book you need to read over the autumn months and will most definitely leave you feeling all fuzzy inside and desperate to book an autumnal getaway to Scotland.

I utterly adored this book and it’s one of my standout reads of all time, let alone just this year. The Scottish Highlands was the most perfect setting for this autumnal romance. The narrative was perfectly paced and I flew through the book as I simply couldn’t put it down.

Harper was a brilliant FMC who felt relatable. I absolutely loved the portrayal of Harper as a curvy FMC, particularly with the way that Fraser adored her curves. The way she is described in his POV was EVERYTHING. And the moment where he kisses her stretch marks? PERFECT.

Fraser is our ruggedly handsome MMC who is a definite contender for 2024’s book boyfriend of the year. Seriously, if you looked up the phrase swoon-worthy in a dictionary, you’d find a giant picture of Fraser. It’s almost like Bonnie Woods has seen how many lumberjack videos I’ve liked on TikTok!

Harper and Fraser had electric chemistry and really brought out the best in each other. Their flirting had me practically kicking my feet and giggling away and the way they pined for each other was EVERYTHING. This was also one of my favourite portrayals of the grumpy x sunshine trope I’ve ever read. Harper and Fraser were the definition of opposites attract: Harper is bubbly and truly sunshine personified whilst Fraser is brooding and mysterious, it worked beautifully. There was lots of spice and it was both fantastically written and fantastically placed throughout the narrative.

One of my favourite things about this book is how inclusive it is; there is just so much fabulous queer representation. There’s particularly amazing bisexual rep as our female protagonist Harper is bi. I loved the exploration of societal attitudes towards bisexuality, it’s such an important topic which was really well written. We also have brilliant lesbian and non-binary rep through some of the supporting characters and autism rep through Fraser’s nephew Sky.

Overall, Kindling is the only book you need to read over the autumn months. It’s one of my standout reads of 2024 and I can’t wait to see what comes next from Bonnie Woods.

Review: Someone Like You by Sandy Barker*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the Someone Like You blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: Someone Like You
Author: Sandy Barker
Genre: Romance

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (Closed Door)  

What do you do when you realise you've fallen for your best friend, but he sees you as the sister he never had? And to make things worse, you're stuck in the middle of a matchmaking scheme to find him someone else!

Best friends Gaby and Raff are inseparable and know each other inside out. But with Raff's string of disastrous relationships and his newfound fame as Britain’s Best Baker, it's time to enlist the Ever After Agency to help him find true love.

At first, Gaby is all in – Raff is a catch, after all. But as she secretly helps to find his perfect match, she’s hit with unexpected pangs of jealousy. And before she can act on her feelings, Raff falls for one of his dates.

Can Gaby keep her emotions in check, or will she risk ruining their friendship to find out if Raff feels the same way?

Set in London and Seattle, this romantic and festive romcom is perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Mhairi McFarlane and Lindsey Kelk.

Someone Like You is the latest feel-good laugh-out-loud romance from author Sandy Barker. Fans of a good friends to lovers romance, this one is for you! Add in brilliant festive vibes and some of your favourite romance tropes (including matchmaking, forced proximity, found family and only one bed) and you have this perfect cute and cosy read, which feels like a Hallmark movie in book form.

This is the fourth instalment of the Ever After Agency series, all focused around the work of the matchmaking agency. This was my introduction to the series, and to Sandy Barker’s books in general, but I loved the premise of the agency. Seeing them orchestrate meet cutes in their efforts to find Raff a match was so fun. It’s made me so excited to read the rest of the books in the series!

Gaby and Raff were the textbook definition of the ‘everybody can see it but them’ trope and I couldn’t get enough of it. This is a real slow burn, perfect for fans of the trope who really have some serious patience as it’s probably the slowest slow burn I’ve ever read. But I promise the pay out is definitely worth it! There is no spice (although there are some references which sit it as more of a closed-door book than an only-kisses book) and this only helped it to feel even more sweet.

Gaby was a brilliant protagonist who felt really relatable. Her POV frames most of the narrative but we also get to see the perspective of some of the matchmaking team which was a nice addition. Raff was a total sweetheart and definitely in the rankings for book boyfriend of 2024. I fell in love with him the second he got an SOS call from one of his female best friends and turned up with food and drink for every eventuality.

The second half of the book was my favourite, with Raff spending Christmas with Gaby in Seattle. This half had lovely festive vibes and we got to see the playout of two of my favourite tropes: only one bed and forced proximity. I loved Gaby’s family and the plot point of the Christmas Eve wedding, it made the book feel even cosier.

This is a really easy read. I also partially listened to the audiobook which was also a really easy listen which was really nicely narrated. The entire narrative is really well paced which had me engrossed from cover to cover in what just felt like a big cosy hug.

Overall, Someone Like You is a brilliant cosy romance read perfect for the upcoming festive season.

Review: A Lady's Lesson in Scandal by Darcy McGuire*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the A Lady's Lesson In Scandal blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: A Lady's Lesson In Scandal
Author: Darcy McGuire
Genre: Historical Romance

Trigger warnings:  Sex Trafficking, Hanging Frequent References to Torture, Abuse By Parents,
Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Homophobia, References To Death Of A Parent, Brief References To Death Of A Sibling, Implied Sexual Abuse By A Parent (of a side character)

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door) 

Wallflower at risk of ruin…

Secret femme-fatale in training Millicent Whittenburg needs to escape her unpleasant betrothal. Taking matters into her own hands, she plans her eventual ruin! Then she can disappear from society to carry out the Queen’s deadly missions. Step 1: seduce the one man who despises marriage more than her!

However, she hugely underestimates her target. Major General Beaufort Drake. Fearsome private investigator, he’s notoriously cold and visibly battle scarred. But Millie’s scandalously public kiss awakens a deeply suppressed desire in Drake. Instead of allowing them both to succumb to shame he does the unthinkable, and offers for her hand in a convenient marriage.

Nothing prepares them for the fireworks when a fearless damsel collides with a dangerous Major General! And as their secret missions align they face their hardest test on the glittering battlefield – a week long wedding house party where there is nowhere to escape…only new and wicked lessons to be learnt!

A Lady's Lesson in Scandal is the latest historical romance from author Darcy McGuire and the second instalment of her series The Queen's Deadly Damsels. This novel is the perfect blend of the historical romance and crime thriller genres, set against the backdrop of Victorian England. Packed full of strong female characters and page-turning drama, in this beautiful age-gap romance we see a swoon-worthy ex-soldier, who bears both physical and mental battle scars, meet his match in an intelligent and witty wallflower who has her own secrets: she’s a secret femme-fatale in training for Queen Victoria herself.

This was my first time reading anything from Darcy McGuire and I was completely enthralled by her compelling writing style to the point that I could barely put the book down and read it in nearly a single sitting. Darcy McGuire has an incredible storytelling ability and her brilliant world building made the setting come alive on the page, remaining authentic to the time period in which the book is set. All of the beautifully written characters were so complex and I loved the choices to include little snippets of first-person writing throughout the narrative as insights into Millie and Beau’s internal dialogue amongst the rest of the third-person narrative, it really helped to make them really multidimensional characters we are readers could really connect with. The narrative was perfect-paced narrative which took so many unexpected twists and turns I really had no idea what would come next, particularly with regards to the crime element of the plot.

Millie was an absolutely brilliant protagonist and the definition of as strong female character. She was strong-willed, so intelligent and really fought against societal expectations of her because of her gender. I warmed to her instantly and it was brilliant to see her grow throughout the book. Our MMC is Major General Beaufort Drake, known to his friends as Beau. He was a beautifully written and very complex character I’d challenge any reader not to fall in love with immediately; I know I definitely did. He was the perfect match for Millie and I loved the many similarities we gradually began to see between the two of them, including their past traumas, and the way this formed the foundations for their relationship. They had brilliant banter, constantly verbally sparring throughout the book. If as a reader you love the trope of a MMC really looking after a FMC you will particularly adore Beau and this formed some of my favourite scenes in the entire book. This is a spicy romance and this aspect to the plot was beautifully written. I also loved how the characters navigated their different experiences levels when it came to intimacy and getting to see Beau introduce Millie to her own sexual pleasure.

Millie is just one of a whole host of strong female characters we see throughout A Lady's Lesson in Scandal and a particular shoutout must be given to Lady Philippa Winterbourne, Millie’s mentor and one of my favourite characters I’ve ever met in a book. I also particularly adored young Billy as a supporting character and he had me smiling every time he appeared in a scene. Darcy McGuire also writes antagonists incredibly well. Whilst I won’t go into detail about some of the antagonists and risk spoiling the whodunnit element, I will say that the character of Patricia was particularly vile. She is Millie’s cruel, heartless and abusive stepmother (please see the content warnings at the beginning of this review) who made me shudder every time she appeared on the page.

Although this is the second book in the The Queen's Deadly Damsels series, this was my introduction to it and to Darcy McGuire’s writing as a whole. It does still work fantastically as a standalone story but it has also made me really excited to read the first book ‘The Secret Life of a Lady’ to delve deeper into the romance of Lady Hannah Simmons and Duke Robert Killian, who both played supporting roles in the plot of this book. I am also now eagerly anticipating the release of the third book which is due to be published next year. I do already have my predictions for who this next book will feature as a protagonist and I’m very excited to see where Darcy McGuire takes the rest of the series.

Overall, A Lady's Lesson in Scandal is bar far the best historical romance we’ve seen this year and an absolute must-read for fans of the genre, especially those who are also partial to a crime thriller plotline that keeps you on your toes throughout.

Review: Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Let The Games Begin
Author: Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Death Of A Parent, Anxiety/Panic Attacks

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (Closed Door)  

It’s the Athens 2024 Olympics and Zeke and Olivia are there to win.

Zeke Moyo is the star athlete of Team GB. He’s in Athens to claim the title of fastest man in the world.

Olivia Nkomo has landed a career-making internship, finally earning her seat at the table.

Then Zeke and Olivia collide – literally – on the first day of the games, and something unexpected begins.

But the competition is stirring up uncomfortable memories from Zeke’s past. And Olivia’s dream job is turning into a nightmare.

Will love become a hurdle? Or could running beside the right person change the whole game?

Let The Games Begin is the debut romance novel from author Rufaro Faith Mazarura. Set against the backdrop of the 2024 Olympic Games – but a fictional version set in Athens rather than the Paris games we’ve just seen – this fun, flirty and fast-burn romance is the perfect summer read for 2024.

Olivia was a fiery, head-strong and determined FMC who I really want to be friends with. Zeke was a charming and funny MMC who I fell in love with very quickly. I liked the pairing of the two of them, especially the mild enemies-to-lovers plot and the fact that Zeke fell first and harder. They had good chemistry, great banter and I loved that they could both be their authentic selves with each other. The forced proximity chapters where they (mild spoiler alert) get trapped in a lift together were some of my favourites in the book. I would however have liked to have seen more interactions between the two of them to build their relationship further. They didn’t really spend that much time together on-page and this made it hard at times to fully root for their relationship.

Through Zeke’s character we have anxiety and panic attack representation and it was honestly one of the best portrayals of panic attacks in particular that I’ve ever read. As someone who has experienced panic attacks and anxiety for over fifteen years, this is a subject that is very close to me and it warms my heart when it’s represented well in fiction. I particularly liked the exploration of the physical effects of panic attacks; this was very powerful. Zeke also attends therapy throughout the book and although he’s reluctant about it at first, he opens up to the idea and the benefits of therapy over the course of the book. We love to see therapy representation within fiction, especially therapy-positive representation so this was a brilliant inclusion. It’s also really impactful to see mental health difficulties affecting all people, even athletes at the top of their game.

There is also a great cast of supporting characters. I loved both Aditi and Haruki who are Olivia and Zeke’s best friends respectively. Olivia and Aditi had a brilliant strong female friendship and were fiercely supportive of one another. Haruki was a total sweetheart who was also a brilliant friend to Zeke. We also have some good LGBTQIA+ rep through one of the characters. Whilst I won’t name them in this review to avoid spoilers, I will say that they are one of the athletes competing in the games. This was particularly impactful as it provided a commentary on the fact that, although the Paris 2024 Olympics has reportedly set a record for having the most athletes who are openly LGBTQIA+, we still have a long way to go in truly opening up the world of professional sport to the queer community. The book also explored the idea of privilege through the character of Lars, who truly made me physically angry every time he appeared.

I would say that this book does overall read as more of a YA novel than an adult romance. Although both protagonists were in their mid-twenties, they generally read as younger and I’d also say that the fact that this was a closed-door romance didn’t help with this. But this didn’t impact on my overall enjoyment of the novel at all, it’s just a note for any other potential readers.

Overall, Let The Games Begin is a fun and flirty romance which is an easy-read, perfect for a beach-read this summer. It’s a great debut from Rufaro Faith Mazarura and I can’t wait to see what comes next from her.

Review: Regally Binding by Rebecca Chase*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity.

Title: Regally Binding
Author: Rebecca Chase
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings:  Bomb Threats, Death Threats, Cancer, Death Of A Parent, Drugging, References To Bullying, References To Being Kicked Out By Parents As A Teenager

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)

Liss is an average twenty-something woman with a regular job working in a bar...until the day she learns during a televised broadcast that her grandma had an affair with the king decades ago and she might be his granddaughter.

The dying king's announcement throws Liss into a world of paparazzi, royal parties, and death threats. But it also gives her hope that she could finally be part of a family, something she's wanted her whole life and especially after her mum died when Liss was nineteen. Now she has to decide if she's ready to give up her privacy, safety, and independence to be a princess.

To protect Liss in all this danger and stress is her swoonworthy new bodyguard, Bear. He’s cheeky, grumpy, and has secret tattoos beneath his suits. He’s also stubborn and bossy and clashes with Liss constantly. But Bear has a soft side too. He sits with Liss when she sleeps to make sure she doesn’t have nightmares and buys her stunning ballgowns to make her happy.

It's not long before all the bickering and tension morphs into sizzling hot chemistry. Both Liss and Bear know that giving into their attraction is a terrible idea...but it's getting harder and harder to fight their feelings for each other.

Will Bear keep Liss alive long enough for her to decide her future? And what if the one person keeping her safe is the same person she can’t live without?

Regally Binding is the latest romance novel from author Rebecca Chase, and the first in her new Closest Protection series. Fans of forbidden love, enemies to lovers, forced proximity and a good bodyguard romance, this is the book for you! Add in a found family, a fantastic ‘fuck it’ moment, a protective swoon-worthy ‘touch her and you die’ MMC and lots of banter and you have Regally Binding, a new spicy British romance, perfect for fans of The Princess Diaries and The Bodyguard.

The narrative is very well paced and I easily read the majority of the book in a single sitting. The plot of this book is very well crafted and more complex than your average romance, with Liss not only having to navigate suddenly becoming part of the royal family and her evolving relationship with her bodyguard but also becoming victim to death threats. There’s a mystery element with them trying to work out the identity of the person harassing Liss and also navigating concerns about the health of the king. Rebecca Chase found the perfect balance between these aspects to the plot and the romance, making for a really compelling story. I also loved how very British the story was!

Liss was an excellent protagonist who I really wanted to be friends with! I loved how normal she was, which made the plot of her suddenly being thrust into the royal family and the limelight even more compelling. This book explores grief through Liss having lost her mother – who was a single parent – to cancer. There is also fantastic anxiety and panic attacks representation through Liss and this was one of my favourite things about the book. As a someone who has had both for 15+ years, this representation felt really authentic so it was really powerful.

Bear was a swoon-worthy MMC to say the least. I very quickly fell head over heels in love with him but can you blame me? I particularly loved that he was such a complex character rather than just being the sexy love interest with surface-level characterisation you can often see in romance books, particularly spicy ones. Bear has a really great dynamic with Strike and the exploration of Bear’s backstory and how he found a family with Strike and his parents was really emotive.

Liss and Bear were a brilliant match and the banter between the two of them had me giggling throughout. Their romance builds at a good pace, with lots of sexual tension before the much-anticipated ‘fuck it’ moment. Their chemistry was electric and the spicy scenes were some of the best I’d read in a long while. Dirty talk fans, you’ll eat this up!

You will love Regally Binding if you fancy a read which is the perfect combo of sweet and spicy, especially for those who loved The Princess Diaries as a teenager but now fancy something with (A LOT) more spice!