September 2023 MBR The Romantic Fiction Shelf

The Romantic Fiction Shelf

The Long Game
Elena Armas
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781668011300, $18.99, PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Game-Novel-Elena-Armas/dp/1668011301

Synopsis: Adalyn Reyes has spent years perfecting her daily routine: wake up at dawn, drive to the Miami Flames FC offices, try her hardest to leave a mark, go home, and repeat.

But her routine is disrupted when a video of her in an altercation with the team's mascot goes viral. Rather than fire her, the team's owner (who happens to be her father) sends Adalyn to middle-of-nowhere North Carolina, where she's tasked with turning around the struggling local soccer team, the Green Warriors, as a way to redeem herself. Her plans crumble upon discovering that the players wear tutus to practice (impractical), keep pet goats (messy), and are terrified of Adalyn (counterproductive), -- and are nine-year-old kids.

To make things worse, also in town is Cameron Caldani, goal keeping prodigy whose presence is somewhat of a mystery. Cam is the perfect candidate to help Adalyn, but after one very unfortunate first encounter involving a rooster, Cam's leg, and Adalyn's bumper, he's also set on running her out of town.

But banishment is not an option for Adalyn. Not again. Helping this ragtag children's team is her road to redemption, and she is playing the long game. With or without Cam's help.

Critique: A clear candidate for being turned into a Halllmark Rom-Com movie, "The Long Game" by novelist Elena Armas is a fun read from cover to cover. Original, deftly crafted characters, memorable plot twists, "The Long Game" will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in contemporary romance laced with genuine humor and a 'happy ever after' finale. While highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Romance collections, it should be noted that "The Long Game" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797164311, $42.74, CD).

Editorial Note: Elena Armas (www.authorelenaarmas.com) is a Spanish writer, a self confessed hopeless romantic, and a proud book hoarder. She hopes her stories make your heart skip a beat or two, your palms a little sweaty, and your cheeks flush in that rosy pink that makes other people want to peek at the page you are reading.

A Beautiful Disguise
Roseanna M. White
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241819, $29.99, HC, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Disguise-Imposters-Roseanna-White/dp/0764241818

Synopsis: Sir Merritt Livingstone has spent a decade serving the monarch in the field, but when pneumonia lands him behind a desk in the War Office Intelligence Division just as they're creating a new secret intelligence branch, he's intent on showing his worth. He suspects an aristocrat of leaking information to Germany as tensions mount between the two countries, but he needs someone to help him prove it, so he turns to The Imposters, Ltd. No one knows who they are, but their results are beyond compare.

Left with an estate on the brink of bankruptcy after their father's death, Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother open a private investigation firm for the elite to spy on the elite. Dubbed The Imposters, Ltd., their anonymous group soon becomes the go-to for the creme of society who want answers delivered surreptitiously. But the many secrets Marigold learns about her peers pale in comparison to her shock when she and her brother are hired to investigate her best friend's father as a potential traitor.

Lady Marigold is determined to discover the truth for her friend's sake, and she's more determined still to keep her heart from getting involved with this enigmatic new client -- a man who simply cannot possibly be as noble as he seems.

Critique: Deftly combining romance, history and mystery, "A Beautiful Disguise" by novelist Roseanna M. White launches 'The Imposters' -- a new historical romance series starring private investigators and set in an Edwardian era England. An original and fun read from start to finish, "A Beautiful Disguise" will be of special interest to fans of 20th Century historical Christian romance novels. While highly recommended, especially for community library Historical Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Beautiful Disguise" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780764240928, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a Christy Award winning author of numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new Edwardian British series.

Someone Just Like You
Meredith Schorr
Forever
c/o Hachette Book Group
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781538754801, $16.99, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Just-Like-Meredith-Schorr/dp/1538754800

Synopsis: New Yorker Molly Blum knows everything about her lifelong nemesis, Jude Stark. With their families so close, they should have been best friends. Instead, she thinks he's a too-charming slacker, and he thinks she's allergic to fun. After years of one-upping each other's pranks (chocolate-dipped cat treats are not as delicious as they appear), one high school joke went too far, and they stopped speaking completely. But now that they're supposed to help plan a massive party for their parents together -- and there's no better time to resume their personal war.

And it is on. Only somewhere between all the sniping and harmless hijinks, a reluctant friendship develops, along with an unexpected spark of sexual tension. It might have to do with the fact that she's been dating Jude-lookalikes and he's been dating Molly doppelgangers. Or the fact that neither of them is nearly as horrible as they thought. All Molly and Jude know is that they've mastered the art of hating each other.

Falling in love, on the other hand, is a whole new battlefield.

Critique: An original, extraordinary, and simply fun read from beginning to end, "Someone Just Like You" by novelist Meredith Schorr is the kind of romance that Hallmark Channel Rom-Com Movies are made. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99), "Someone Just Like You" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Meredith Schorr (https://meredithschorr.com) is a born and bred New Yorker and lifelong daydreamer who fueled her passion for writing everything from restaurant reviews, original birthday cards, and even work-related emails into a career penning romantic comedies.

Madly Deeply Wildly
Katherine Turner
https://kturnerwrites.com
Josha Publishing
https://joshapublishing.com
9781955735117, $17.99, PB, 378pp

https://www.amazon.com/Madly-Deeply-Wildly-Katherine-Turner/dp/1955735115

Synopsis: Renata is a writer. Or... she was. After finding the courage to leave her abusive fiance, Damien, and move back to her hometown, Renata realizes she has lost not only her words but herself. She navigates life with a caution she never knew before and doesn't let anyone too close.

Inspired to honor her promise to her late father to always follow her heart, she takes a job at a local cafe and sets her sights on reviving her love of writing. With the cafe's friendly owner, Fern, and upbeat barista Caroline, Renata discovers much about life, friendship, and love. Renata's life is looking up, and when she hits it off with handsome baker Chad, she believes she may finally find her happy ending.

But her relationship with Chad triggers wounds from her past, which she hides from him while grappling alone with the resultant fear, trauma, and shame. Chad may not forgive Renata once he discovers she's been lying to him, and after a dangerous appearance from Damien further jeopardizes their relationship, the decisions she makes will determine the course of their relationship. Can Renata escape Damien for good and learn to trust again? Or will echoes of her past destroy their future?

Critique: A deftly crafted contemporary romance laced with drama, "Madly Deeply Wildly" by novelist Katherine Turner will have a very special appeal and interest to fans of contemporary romance. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library romance fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Madly Deeply Wildly" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

Editorial Note: Katherine Turner (kturnerwrites.medium.com) is an award-winning author, and a life-long reader and writer who grew up in foster care from the age of eight and is passionate about improving the world through literature, empathy, and understanding. In addition to writing books, Katherine blogs about mental health, trauma, and the need for compassion on her website www.kturnerwrites.com. She can be follow on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @kturnerwrites

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review