June 2023 MBR The Romantic Fiction Shelf

The Romantic Fiction Shelf

A Stranger Comes
Ewan Smith
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444851052, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 252pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-stranger-comes-ewan-smith/1143106034

Synopsis: Velma is a lively young widow who runs a thriving inn in the bustling port of Evenmouth. Her reputation as a hostess is unrivaled, and even Lady Osanna and Lord Durwin at the castle often seek her help when putting on their banquets. Now, she watches with interest as a curious ship from distant parts comes in with the tide. She will soon find that there is something oddly familiar about the intriguing stranger who arrives with it!

Critique: As a novelist, Ewan Smith is exceptionally adept at crafting memorable characters and a fully engaging romance plot laced throughout with unexpected twists and turns. This large print paperback edition of "A Stranger Comes" from the Linford Romance Library is a solid and recommended pick for both the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans and community library Historical Romance collections.

Editorial Note: Ewan Smith (https://www.literaturewales.org/lw-blog/from-now-on-ewan-smith) has worked as a journalist, house-husband, child-minder, teaching assistant and primary school teacher. In 2016, he retired to the seaside in North Wales where he and his wife, Anna, are currently living the dream. He writes poetry, short stories and pocket novels for women's magazines and is keenly learning Welsh. He won the poetry prize for Welsh learners at the National Eisteddfod.

Beth And The Captain's Ghost
Victoria Garland
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444851076, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 312pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beth-and-the-captains-ghost-victoria-garland/1143106033

Synopsis: After the sudden death of her lacklustre husband, Beth is desperate to get away from his overbearing sisters. Clifftop Cottage seems to be the perfect escape -- until she discovers its resident ghost, Captain Daniels! But the Captain takes a shine to Beth and her two children, and is happy for them to stay. In fact, he helps her get her life together again - not to mention giving a spiritual helping hand to Beth's fledgling romance with his grandson Mike.

Critique: With a very special appeal to fans of romance and the supernatural, "Beth And The Captain's Ghost" is an original, deftly crafted, and wonderfully entertaining story by novelist Victoria Garland. This large print paperback edition from Linford Romance Library is especially commended for inclusion into community library Romance Fiction collections and personal reading lists.

Editorial Note: Victoria Garland (http://victoriagarland.com) is a romantic novelist who lives and works in Dorset, England. She is the author of Briefs (a collection of quirky short stories) and is currently working on A Month of Secrets, a full length novel which she is writing for RoNA's New Writers' Scheme. She also writes children's stories under her maiden name - Paula Haughey.

The Boyfriend Candidate
Ashley Winstead
Graydon House
http://graydonhousebooks.com
9781525804960, $18.99, PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Boyfriend-Candidate-Novel-Ashley-Winstead/dp/1525804960

Synopsis: As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she's dumped for being too meek (in bed!) she decides she needs to change. And what better way to kick-start her new more adventurous life than with her first one-night stand?

Enter Logan, the gorgeous, foul-mouthed stranger she meets at a hotel bar. Audacious and filterless, Logan is Alexis's opposite -- and boy, do opposites attract! Just as she's about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catches fire in a freak lightning storm. In their rush to escape, Logan is discovered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. Cameras Logan promptly (and shockingly!) flees.

Alexis is bewildered until suddenly pictures of her and Logan escaping the fire are all over the internet. Turns out Logan is none other than Logan Arthur, the hotshot candidate challenging the Texas governor's seat. The salacious scandal is poised to sink his career (and jeopardize Alexis's job) until a solution is proposed: he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until election day... in two months. What could possibly go wrong?

Critique: The stuff of which Hallmark Channel Rom-Com movies are made, "The Boyfriend Candidate" by Ashley Winstead is an original and fun read from cover to cover. While unreservedly recommended and popular pick for community library Contemporary Romance collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of fans with an interest in romantic comedies that "The Boy Friend Candidate" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212658386, $41.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Ashley Winstead (www.ashleywinstead.com) is an academic turned novelist with a Ph.D. in contemporary American literature.

Seven Exes
Lucy Vine
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063299849, $17.99, PB, 432pp

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Exes-Novel-Lucy-Vine/dp/0063299844

Synopsis: Esther is nearing thirty, with a great job and a flat she shares with her two best friends, Bibi and Louise. But her life is missing that special someone. Tired of being single and sick of bad date after bad date, she thinks she's found the answer to her romance problem in an old women's magazine.

According to the magazine's dating column, there are seven archetypes a woman will date before finding Mr. Right. It all seems silly at first, until Esther realizes she has exactly seven exes that match the profiles: The First Love, The Work Mistake, The Overlap, The Friend with Benefits, The Missed Chance, The Bastard, and The Serious One. Is it so hard to believe that perhaps one of them is The One?

Deciding she must have left her true love in the reject pile, Esther contacts each of her old boyfriends. But finding her soulmate isn't as simple as she hoped it would be. Madness, mayhem, laughs, and tears ensue as she valiantly works her way through her past love life and faces up to her previous mistakes. It's an odyssey of the heart that will teach her a lot about herself -- and just might lead her to the man of her dreams!

Critique: "Seven Exes" by novelist Lucy Vine is an original, memorable and fun read from cover to cover -- especially for fans of contemporary romantic comedies. Exceptionally well written and oh-so-familiar to anyone who has labored hard to find Mr. Right, "Seven Exes" will prove to be an immediate and popular addition to community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated Rom-Com fans tht "Seven Exes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Lucy Vine (https://lucyvine.co.uk) is a writer, editor and the author of Hot Mess, What Fresh Hell, Are We Nearly There Yet? and Bad Choices. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages around the world, with Hot Mess optioned for a TV series. She has been nominated twice for the Comedy Women In Print Award and hosts the podcast and live event series Hot Mess Clubhouse, celebrating funny women. Her journalism has appeared in international publications, including Grazia, Stylist, heat, Fabulous, New, Now, Marie Claire, Glamour Online, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, and The Mirror.

The Secret to Happiness
Suzanne Woods Fisher
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.revellbooks.com
9780800743154, $29.99, HC, 294pp

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Happiness-Cape-Cod-Creamery/dp/0800743156

Synopsis: Fired from her dream job after making a huge mistake, Callie Dixon lands at her aunt's Cape Cod ice cream shop, hoping that in time, she'll bounce back. But she made that mistake for a reason that time won't help. When her cousin drags her to a class on happiness, the instructor (curiously gloomy and demanding) has a way of turning her feelings upside down!

Critique: Original, memorable and a fun read from first page to last, "The Secret to Happiness" showcases author Suzanne Woods Fisher's natural flair for originality and the kind of deftly scripted and narrative driven storytelling style that keeps her reader's rapt and entertained attention from cover to cover. While highly recommended for community library Contemporary Romance collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of those seeking clean and wholesome Christian romance novels that "The Secret to Happiness" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780800739485, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, 9.99).

Editorial Note: Suzanne Woods Fisher (www.suzannewoodsfisher.com) is the author of more than 30 books, including The Moonlight School, Anything but Plain, The Sweet Life, and The Secret to Happiness, as well as the Three Sisters Island, Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, The Deacon's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. She can be followed on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and on Twitter @suzannewfisher

The Front Porch Club
Michelle Major
Canary Street Press
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781335430656, $9.99, Mass Market PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Front-Porch-Club-Carolina-Girls/dp/1335430652

Synopsis: The downside to having a picture-perfect life is that there's nowhere to go but down -- and Annalise Haverford is falling fast. Once, she was the self-proclaimed queen bee of Magnolia, North Carolina. Now her husband has been arrested for fraud, and she's become an outcast in the shallow circles she used to rule. There's only one affordable rental in town, and it's owned by the woman Annalise got fired from a lucrative job.

Much as single mother Shauna Myer would like to refuse Annalise, who treated her like dirt on the bottom of her red-soled shoe, she needs that rent money. But when Shauna's first love arrives in town, unraveling secrets she'd hoped to keep, Annalise becomes her unlikely defender. Meghan Banks, an elementary school art teacher whose quiet existence suddenly descends into chaos, is thrown an unexpected lifeline by Annalise, too.

As spring ripens into a sultry summer, the three spur each other on to share their fears and dreams, face new challenges, and seize second chances. Because no matter how turbulent life may be, it's much easier to navigate those choppy waters when you're buoyed by true friendship.

Critique: Also featuring a bonus novella (A Carolina Dance), "The Front Porch Club" by Michelle Major will have an immense appeal to fans with an interest in small town/rural fiction in general, and Contemporary Romance in particular. With a decided flair for originality, creating memorable characters and the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that keeps the reader's invested from beginning to end, "The Front Porch Club" is unreservedly recommended as a popular addition to community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Front Porch Club" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212224314, $41.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Michelle Major (www.michellemajor.com) writes contemporary romance stories with a focus on hope, humor and a place to call home -- stories of new beginnings, second chances and always a happily ever after.

Man of Shadow and Mist
Michelle Griep
Barbour Publishing
1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
Oasis Audio
www.oasisaudio.com
9781636095653, $15.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Man-Shadow-Mist-Monsters-Men/dp/1636095658

Synopsis: England, 1890. Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, leastwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to drive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfolk say he is cursed.

James hates everything about England. The weather. The rumours. The scorn. Yet he must stay. His mother is dying of a disease for which he's desperately trying to find a cure -- an illness that will eventually take his own life.

When Rosa sets out to prove the dark gossip about James is wrong, she discovers more questions than answers. How can she accept what she can't explain -- especially the strong allure of the enigmatic man? James must battle a town steeped in fear as well as the unsettling attraction he feels for the no-nonsense librarian.

Can love prevail in a town filled with fear and doubt?

Critique: Deftly crafted and impressively original, "Man of Shadow & Mist" by author Michelle Griep that will have special and enduring appeal to readers with an interest in historical Christian romance novels. A fun and fascinating read from cover to cover, "Man of Shadow & Mist" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library Romance Fiction collections and is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781685924034, $37.99, CD)

Editorial Note: Michelle Griep (https://michellegriep.com) is the Christy Award-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper's Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood's Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan.

The Weaving of Life
Linda Byler
Good Books
www.goodbooks.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781680998603, $16.99, PB, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Weaving-Life-New-Directions/dp/1680998609

Synopsis: Susan Lapp is a hardworking Amish woman in her early twenties. She enjoys the financial independence that working two jobs (one as a house cleaner and the other in a local deli in Lancaster) affords her. And based on her sisters' tumultuous experiences with their husbands, she has no interest in dating or marriage. She's perfectly content with her life as it is, thank you very much.

When Susan's best friend Beth begins to date Susan's brother Mark, the couple is determined to play matchmaker for Susan. Susan begrudgingly agrees to humor them and soon finds herself caught between an undeniable attraction for one of Mark's coworkers and her unflinching commitment to staying single.

Soon, her complicated feelings take her in directions she once couldn't have imagined. She experiences hardship like she never has before, including homesickness, miserable weather in a place that feels so foreign, and an incredibly challenging job. And despite her attempts to escape romantic entanglements, she finds herself longing for the stability and familiarity of a committed relationship back home.

Still, she wrestles with fear and uncertainty. How is she to know God's will for her life?

Critique: Of special and particular appeal to readers with an interest in Christian Romance fiction, "The Weaving of Life" is the debut volume of novelist Linda Byler's 'New Directions' series. A deftly crafted, fun, and inherently interesting read from beginning to end, "The Weaving of Life" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Weaving of Life" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), while librarians should be advised that it is also available in a Library Binding edition (Thorndike Press, 9798885791502, $32.99, Large Print).

Editorial Note: Linda Byler (https://broadview.org/linda-byler-amish-author) grew up Amish and is an active member of the Amish Church today. Well known within the Amish community as a columnist for a weekly Amish newspaper, she is also the author of the Amish romance novel series, Lizzie Searches for Love.

Twelve Hours in Manhattan
Maan Gabriel
https://www.maangabriel.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781647423957, $17.95, PB, 312pp

https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Hours-Manhattan-Maan-Gabriel/dp/1647423953

Synopsis: Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours.

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min, and he's in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipity to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive.

But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time.

As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve -- and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away.

Critique: An original and fun novel by Maan Gabriel, "Twelve Hours In Manhattan" is especially recommended to the attention of readers with an interest in coming of age novels and stories of contemporary big city romance. Memorable characters set in a storyline that has more twists and turns than a Coney Island roller coaster, "Twelve Hours In Manhattan" is especially recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Twelve Hours In Manhattan" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Maan Gabriel (https://www.maangabriel.com) is a mom, wife, dreamer, writer, and advocate for women's stories in literature. She earned her BA in communications from St. Scholastica's College in Manila and MPS in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She is also the author of the novel "After Perfect".

The Tapestry of Grace
Kim Vogel Sawyer
WaterBrook Press
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780593194386, $17.00, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Tapestry-Grace-Kim-Vogel-Sawyer/dp/0593194381

Synopsis: With classes paused for the planting season, Alexandertol's schoolteacher Augusta Dyck is glad for some meaningful work to occupy her time. She even knows exactly who their town's benevolence society should help first: quiet, reserved widower Konrad Rempel and his young twin sons.

Konrad Rempel, however, is adamant that he doesn't want help. His boys are mischievous but good-hearted. And though Konrad may be struggling, he doesn't want anyone else sticking their nose in and telling him what his sons need. Or what he needs.

For her part, the charity's founder Martina Krahn is relieved to have a reason to spend time outside her unhappy home. It even occurs to her that she may, through her work, encounter a boy in need of a family and so find a son for her husband since they have no children of their own.

Augusta, Konrad, and Martina each have deep needs and desires, and each imagines how they should be met: by reaching out or by being left alone. But God, indeed, knows best. Will the competing agendas of Alexandertol's residents prevent them from receiving God's help? Or will the members of this small Mennonite community find the answers to their prayers in the very last place they expect -- in one another?

Critique: An impressively written novel of historical Christian romance by veteran author Kim Vogel Sawyer, "The Tapestry of Grace" is the stuff of which Hallmark Movies are made and is unabashedly recommended reading for the growing legions of Kim Vogel Sawyer fans. While with the highest recommendation, "The Tapestry of Grace" will prove a welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Tapestry of Grace" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a large print edition for "The Tapestry of Grace" (Thorndike Press, 9798885788694, $33.99, Library Binding).

Editorial Note: Kim Vogel Sawyer (https://kimvogelsawyer.com) is a highly acclaimed author with more than 1.5 million books in print in seven languages. Her titles have earned numerous accolades including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.

Love Buzz
Neely Tubati Alexander
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063292918, $17.99, PB, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Buzz-Novel-Neely-Tubati-Alexander/dp/0063292912

Synopsis: A wretched maid of honor. A hangover from hell. Raucous Mardi Gras crowds. There isn't much Serena Khan is enjoying about this four-day New Orleans destination bachelorette party for her semi-estranged cousin, the bride-to-be.

That is until sparks fly with a handsome stranger, at the ladies' last stop of the evening in a Bourbon Street bar. He (like her) is also from Seattle. After their conversation is cut short, Serena is overwhelmed by the desire to find the charming man with the brooding eyebrows, but her list of clues is pretty short -- His name is Julian. He lives on Chamber Hill. He works at a tech company. He loves Lil Wayne and Nirvana.

The need to find him is, for Serena, both irresistible and totally irrational. In a few short weeks, her college alumni magazine is featuring her in a "Life at Thirty" feature, cementing her as a success story. She will have officially achieved the safe, stable life her late mother insisted upon. Julian is not part of the plan.

As she combs Seattle for her New Orleans flame, stripping away the perfectly curated life that would have made her mother proud, Serena must decide if the pursuit of real passion is worth it, and fast, before she destroys the life she always thought she wanted.

Critique: Funny, thoughtful, original, and romantic, "Love Buzz" is an deftly crafted novel by Neely Tubati Alexander that will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in Rom-Com style contemporary romance. The stuff of which Hallmark Movies are made, "Love Buzz" is unreservedly recommended for community library Romance Fiction collections and is also readily available for the personal reading lists of dedicated Rom-Com fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Neely Tubati Alexander (https://www.neelytubatialexander.com) is the author of women's fiction with rom-com feels you can escape into with a smile.

Come November
Scott Lord
https://scottlord.com
Greenleaf Book Group Press
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9798886450521, $28.95, HC, 424pp

https://www.amazon.com/Come-November-Scott-Lord/dp/B0BZNNNHZ1

Synopsis: November 1947: Jeanne and John, two newspaper journalists, fall in young love as they travel from Chicago to New York to witness the momentous vote of the United Nations to partition Palestine and create the State of Israel. When they discover an assassination plot meant to swing the outcome, they must put their personal lives on hold and race the clock to stop it, uncovering elaborate details of international politics along the way.

Fifty years later, having gone their separate ways, the two reconnect in Italy. Set against a stunning pastoral backdrop, Jeanne and John relive those turbulent days together and explore whether their love has stood the test of time.

Critique: "Come November" by novelist Scott Lord will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in an operatic Italian romance, politics, family bonds, misunderstandings, and second chances, and international thrillers. With more plot twists than a Disneyland roller coaster, "Come November" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Romance and Suspense Thriller collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Come November" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, 16 Hours, 5 Minutes).

Editorial Note: Scott Lord (https://www.audible.com/author/Scott-Lord/B0C36JNHNY) is a longtime Los Angeles trial lawyer, writer, and librettist. He is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University School of Law.

In This Moment
Gabrielle Meyer
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241796, $29.99, HC, 390pp

https://www.amazon.com/This-Moment-Timeless-Gabrielle-Meyer/dp/0764241796

Synopsis: Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861 Washington D.C., 1941 Pearl Harbor, and 2001 DC. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives (and everyone she knows in them) forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

Critique: A deftly penned and strikingly original novel that will have a special appeal to readers with an interest time travel romances, "In This Moment" by Gabrielle Meyer will prove to be a an inherently fascinating and simply riveting novel and one that will be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "In This Moment" is also available in a paperback edition (9780764239755, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Gabrielle Meyer (www.gabriellemeyer.com) has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she's a busy home schooling mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope.

One More Seat at the Round Table
Susan Dormady Eisenberg
https://www.susandeisenberg.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639888023, $17.99

https://www.amazon.com/One-More-Seat-Round-Table/dp/1639888020

It's unusual to see a blend of Broadway music history and romance, but One More Seat at the Round Table offers both, icing its story with an attractive tone and drama that bring to life the creation of the stage production Camelot. One More Seat at the Round Table surveys the history of the American musical's development as it follows two characters whose growth and romance develop in conjunction with the advent of a special form of musical theater that cements their connections and advances their professional careers. Susan Dormady Eisenberg creates interplay between real-world facts and scenarios, from the streets of New York City to actors Julie Andrews and others, whose efforts contributed to the play's creation.

At the heart of these events are Jane and Bryce, who face their own separate challenges in overcoming expectation and precedent to make their marks on life in ways nobody before them has achieved. Eisenberg's dance between romance and full-flavored life challenge not only gives this story its realistic edge, but provides a satisfyingly complex evolutionary structure that departs from any notion of formula romance writing. This creates a saga that is as strong in its artistic, historical, and cultural influences as it is in the psychological developments that motivate and drive the main characters. Readers familiar with actor prompts, challenges in getting into character, and the special charge of bigger-picture thinking in translating script to stage will be especially delighted by the time Eisenberg takes to recreate the process of bringing a play to life.

Between its detailed pursuit of a production that will change the face of American stage and Jane's first-person revelations about her choices and what she stands to lose by making a name for herself, the story excels in both historical and psychological revelations: "I couldn't predict when I'd find the courage, but my darkest fear was that I'd already lost him. And if this was the case, I thought, trudging back up to stage left, I might never recover. Worst of all, I'd have no one to blame but myself." These concurrent struggles of the heart, art, and career make for a memorable, involving story that teaches much about stage efforts and living the show and life "moment by moment." Libraries and readers seeking a story that gives equal strength to performances that lead to growth and new realizations both on and off stage will welcome One More Seat at the Round Table, recognizing it as both a romance story and an exploration of the foundations and processes of a pivotal point in Broadway history.

Reluctant Hearts
Linda Griffin
Wild Rose Press
https://wildrosepress.com
9781509248827, $16.99 Paper/$3.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Hearts-Linda-Griffin/dp/150924882X

Reluctant Hearts is a romance story that arrives with the added twist of coming from not the usual singular perspective; nor even a couple's insights, but from four different viewpoints. Four couples represent different facets of love under challenging, seemingly impossible situations. Their disparities and attractions receive satisfying descriptions that contrast their lives and choices in a story that evolves to follow the growth of very different people. As the characters interact, so readers will find that "all the pieces fit together perfectly." This contrast in lives and hearts works because Linda Griffin takes the time to trace the fears, reluctance, and possibilities each person brings to the table of love.

From women's friendships that evolve against the backdrop of shifting lives and new connections to gender disparities revealed during realistic conversations, Griffin's attention to detail produces discussions that will lend to book club debates as well as individual enlightenment. Romance evolves in different ways under different circumstances and perceptions. Reluctant Hearts is as much a story of awakening and discovery as it is a psychological profile of very different people brought together by circumstance, chance, and their own visions of what love looks like. Romance readers receive deep psychological inspection, interludes of sexual exploration, and love stories that are thoroughly engrossing and thought-provoking.

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Midwest Book Review