Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Emily Schneider

Emily Schneider is a multi-award winning author who grew up in Minnesota where she spent most of her life studying music and singing, which ironically has nothing to do with writing fantasy novels or rom-coms.

While music had always been a passion, Emily could never get away from her love of reading and writing books full of dragons, Fae, monsters, magic, and romance.

When she is not writing about dragons and romance, you can find Emily chasing around her two dogs, Pixel and Frodo, playing Mario Kart with her husband, or watching The Lord of the Rings for the one-hundred-and-eleventh time.

Emily is the author of the best selling Ash & Smoke trilogy, winner of the '21 and '22 Best Indie Book Awards. Emily is also winner of the 2022 Minnesota Author Project in YA Fiction.

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Mood reading is a thang y'all. When I get in the mood to read a particular trope, I will not stop looking for books until I find at least one. Grumpy/sunshine is what lead me to finding Emily Schneider and I just have to tell you... I am SO glad that it did! From the moment I started reading The Heart Shot, I could NOT put it down and I wanted ALL my bookish friends to read it! This book had all the swoony feels that I have come to love and crave in books. I'm not going to lie, this is definitely one of my top 3 books of the year. It. Is. Amazing!

Two strangers. One couple's photoshoot. What could possibly go wrong?

I’m Elsie Faren and I hate love.

Err, not hate, exactly. More like I no longer believe in it. After watching my parents divorce, then dumping my deadbeat boyfriend, I realized the idea of love is a fantasy.

For four years I’ve been perfectly content to remain single and alone, but now my best friend has tricked me into doing a couple’s photoshoot with a stranger.

Unfortunately, that stranger, Jameson Beck, has somehow managed to worm his way into my life, convincing me to go on three dates with him.

I was so certain that my hardened heart would be immune to his sunshine demeanor and kind soul. Little did I know that between all my fears, our flirting, and some flying donuts, there would be a sizzling spark between us…one that would have my heart begging to be let out of its cage.

But I’ve seen the effects of broken love—and I can’t risk it—not even for Jameson.

…Right?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Jules Barker

Jules Barker is a sweet romance writer with an M.Ed who loves quirky heroines, swoony heroes, and emotional thrills. She knew by eighth grade what she wanted to be when she grew up: an English teacher and a novelist. She’s been teaching secondary English for sixteen years and is thrilled to now be sharing her writing with the world. She still doesn’t feel like a grown up, though.

Jules was raised on a mountain making up stories about the towns in the valley below and singing at the top of her lungs thinking the neighbors couldn’t hear. Poor neighbors. She’s a Korean Drama addict, a mom of two beautifully goofy daughters, and a life-long “hopeful romantic”.

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I actually discovered Jules from Trish LeBaron. You see, there's a group of friends who decided to come together and create the magical world of Moonrise Cove. I loved my visit there so much that I just HAD to keep going back for visits!

Sometimes it's hard to decide which book of an author's I'm going to feature. But the moment I started working on this post I knew it just HAD to be Melt my Heart! Why? Well, there's this epic kiss that had me swooning like there was no tomorrow! Y'all. It. Was. Amazing! And that's all I'm going to say about it because a kiss like that needs to be experienced on your own! 😉 Hehe.

Vera Penwythe never thought she’d go for another relationship so soon, and certainly not a fake one. She’s moved back in with her Gran for the holidays after a humiliating break up left her in debt to her two-timing ex. But when a charming neighbor begs her to pretend to be his girlfriend until his mom recovers from heart surgery, she can’t resist. She yearns to feel needed and be part of something, even if it is all fake. Besides, this way she’ll get the benefits of companionship without the expectations and heartbreak of a real relationship. Vera may have the power to create frost with her hands, but she wishes she could freeze her heart to keep it safe.

Harry Levine never thought lying to his mom would lead to the best mistake of his life. But when his parents’ excessive PDA and a tumbling tower of ice cream tubs lead his parents to assume that Vera is the long-term girlfriend they’ve never met, Harry begs her to go with it. He can’t bear to tell his sick mom that he’s broken up with his girlfriend. Instead, he enlists Vera’s help to keep up the ruse until his mom is on the mend. That just means a few family parties, shared shifts at his dad’s magic-themed ice cream parlor, and—oh yeah, passing Vera off as the picky girlfriend he’s told them about. But what do you do when the lie you started becomes the best thing that’s ever happened to you?

Vera doesn’t trust her bad-guy radar and she doesn’t trust love. But Christmas at Moonrise Cove has a way of working its magic and soon her walls begin to melt. Will she be able to risk her heart to believe that something fake could ever become something real?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Trish LeBaron

Trish LeBaron is a studious writer and bookish tea-drinker. She’s also a Storymakers First Chapter award winner having placed in 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2020, her short story, The Weaver’s Tale, was published as the overall winner of a Utah anthology. When she’s not attending writerly conferences to sharpen her storycraft skills or enjoying a book while eating chocolate hand over fist, she can be found biking trails with her three kiddos and helping her pastry chef husband perfect sourdough.

Trish lives in a happy valley and has exactly zero pets.

Learn more about Trish and her debut novel, Magic in the Mix, by visiting MoonriseCoveBooks.com. You can also connect with her more directly by following her handle @writeawaytrish on Instagram.

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Y'all. I love food fiction! Like LOVE it! I also love urban fantasy. So imagine my surprise and utter delight when I discovered an author who wrote an urban fantasy food fiction romance. I. Was. In. Heaven! I quickly fell in love Moonrise Cove and, if this was a real place, I'd be packing my bags and moving there! I also fell in love with all the yummy deliciousness of this book! And I'm not just talking about the Hunky-Chunky chocolate cupcake. 😉 Y'all. I WILL recreate that baby one of these days. If you are a lover of food fiction and/or urban fantasy then I highly recommend grabbing this book! It's another MUST read! 😍 

Pastry Chef Lucy Crowthorne has no room for romance in her life. Running her bakery, making trendy pastries, and mixing potions takes up all the space on her proverbial plate. Using her craft to spread good vibes in her secret magical community is both fun and keeps her focused—until a tall, dark-eyed, and extremely distracting someone begins poking his nose around her kitchen.

Food columnist Devin Dawson can’t ignore his inbox any longer. Loyal customers of Pastries and Potions want foodie magazine PastryLit to get the scoop on this young baker and her desserts that are wowing the Oregon coast. He checks out the pastry shop and can’t deny her mousse cakes and caramel bars are worth repeat visits. But it’s the pastry chef behind the bakery case that he’s having undeniable cravings for.

Lucy’s been burned in the past, figuratively of course. Revealing her magical identity to her ex-boyfriend was her worst adulting decision ever and led to the “Clint Catastrophe” her family won’t let her forget. Now let’s be clear, Devin Dawson is nothing like Clint. So why can’t Lucy shake the feeling that if Devin discovers her secret it will lead to catastrophic heartache?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Remi Carrington

Remi Carrington is the figment of Pamela Humphrey's imagination. She loves romance & chocolate, enjoys disappearing into a delicious book, and considers people-watching a sport. She was born in the pages of the novel Just You and then grew into an alter ego.

She writes sweet romance set in Texas. Her books are part of the Phrey Press imprint.

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Anyone want to take a guess on how I discovered Remi Carrington? If you guessed I found her while searching for small town romances then you are correct! I adore small town romances! I will live in a small town one day. 😉

The moment I saw the cover of Three Things I'd Never Do, I just had to check it out. I hadn't even finished the first chapter before I was downloading the rest of the books in the Never Say Never series. I absolutely ADORE this series! I had the hardest time choosing which book to feature but finally decided on Two Risks I'd Never Take Again. Y'all. This series is a MUST read!

Picking up a stranger off the side of the road is risky. Falling in love with him is . . . not going to happen. Probably.

My life is all doughnuts and sprinkles, and I can’t lie to save my life.

None of that is a problem until I find a man beaten up on the side of the road. In the dark. In the rain. And even though I promised I’d never again pick up a stranger, I load him into my car—not an easy task—and drive him to a hospital. I couldn’t just leave him there.

That’s how I end up spending a week in a luxurious house, soaking in a hot tub, gazing at the stars, and playing nurse to Garrett. Besides the bandages and bruises, it’s a recipe for romance.

Except I want no part in anything romantic. Dating will land my heart on the butchering slab, and I refuse be hurt again.

He’s interested. I wish I could lie and say I’m not.

Instead, I suggest we just stay friends. What’s the risk in that?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Julie Christianson

Born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Julie Christianson loves her hilarious family, three crazy rescue dogs, and laughing at her own jokes.

She dreamed of being an author the first time she held a crayon, and she became a published novelist back in 2016. Last summer, after the library where she worked closed, Julie decided to shift her writing focus to sweet romantic comedies. The world had pretty much shut down by then, and she figured everyone could use more reasons to smile.

Julie is a former English teacher and lapsed marathon runner, the mother of two great kids, and the wife of one very funny man. Her goal is to write books that make you laugh out loud, fall in love, and live happily ever after.

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Y'all. I have never been able to say this before and I'm kind of excited to say it now. 

Fun fact. Julie Christianson lives near me! I have never lived near an author I adore before but it's kind of fun. I love seeing names of businesses in our area show up in her books. The Bread Basket in My Own Best Enemy? It's the name of a delicious bakery right down the street from me. Y'all she had me craving their Zebra cookies for weeks! Haha. 

I know what you're probably thinking. I discovered her because she's in my area, right? Wrong. I actually discovered her while I was searching for clean small town romance books. I had been scrolling through books for about 5 minutes before The Mostly Real McCoy jumped out at me saying... pssst... pick me! I read two words in the synopsis (single dad), downloaded the book and started reading. Y'all. She had me at the food fight! 😂 You'll have to check out the book to see what I'm talking about... 😉

Single-dad Mac needs a temporary nanny for his daughter, Daisy. I need a second job until my promotion kicks in. Since our arrangement is only for one month, I am positive I won’t get attached. Medium positive. Okay, I’m negative.

This is a terrible idea.

Because I can’t give Mac and Daisy what they need, and I won’t risk breaking their hearts, but his green eyes and her crooked pigtails have me dreaming about forever. And who can resist a dad buying pink ballerina tights after a day spent in a hard hat?

The thing is Mac is a fixer, and I need to repair my own life. Better yet, I don’t want to feel broken. So it’s a good thing the worst has already happened to me. Nothing will hurt more now. Water can’t get wetter. That’s what I keep telling myself.

Too bad I’m all wrong...

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Sara Jane Woodley

Sara Jane Woodley is a Sweet Romance author who is obsessed with Happily Ever Afters!

Inspired by the mountains, Sara Jane writes love stories set in the beautiful nature she hikes, bikes and skis in. Her clean romance books always feature sassy, strong female heroines and fun-filled, playful relationships.

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I discovered Sara Jane Woodley while I was searching for clean small town romance books. The moment I saw this cover, I wasted no time in downloading a sample. From the beginning, I was swept away to the small town of Aston Falls where I fell in love and never wanted to leave. I became an instant fan of Ms. Woodley's and I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us next!

I decided that since it was More Than Second Chances that introduced to Ms. Woodley, that it would be the one I would feature. Y'all. I loved this book! It was super cute! If you haven't read it yet, then I highly recommend it! 

My life as an NFL quarterback was everything I thought I wanted... Married to a beautiful model, on the verge of winning a championship, and making more than enough money to look after my mom and grandpa.

It was perfect… until it wasn’t.

And now that everything’s falling apart, I’m returning to Aston Falls.

It’s been ten years since I’ve been back to my small, quirky hometown. Ten years since that fateful night when I told my best friend’s sister I loved her. Right before I left her.

I broke Grace’s heart that night, as well as my own. I had no choice.

When an accidental run-in forces us back into each other’s lives, I do my best to keep my distance… but I can’t.

Will Grace ever find a way to forgive me for what I did?

Because all I want is a second chance.

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Jess Mastorakos

Jess Mastorakos writes clean military romance books that feature heroes with heart and the strong women they love. She is a proud Marine wife and mama of four. The happy family is currently stationed in Hawaii. She loves her coffee in a glitter tumbler and planning with an erasable pen.

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Ever since I discovered Rebecca Deel, I've had my eyes open for more military and/or personal security books. *Newsflash* The majority of the ones out there are NOT clean. It was a VERY happy day when I discovered Jess Mastorakos through another author's newsletter. Please don't ask me who it was because I am racking my brain and cannot remember! Haha. But whoever it was, I will be forever grateful for them featuring her. She was quickly added to my favorites and auto-buy lists. 

I was going to feature the first book in the series in my post but then I read Believing in You. I hadn't even finished the book before I decided I was switching out the books. You will definitely thank me.. I promise! And if you don't? Well.. then I don't know if we can be friends. 😉

How do you make a long-distance relationship last? Don't fall for your brother's best friend.

While on deployment, Jake Murphy takes to online dating hoping to find someone to share forever with back home. His connection with a beautiful kindergarten teacher is everything he was looking for. That is, until he realizes she's his best friend's sister.

After being dumped by her high school sweetheart, Ivy Brooks gets pushed into online dating by her well-meaning friends. Despite her reluctance, she hits it off with a handsome Marine. Too bad her brother would never be cool with her dating one of his friends... especially after what happened last time.

Jake and Ivy know they shouldn't keep talking, but late-night flirting and inside jokes leave them both glued to their phones. Their secret is bound to come out sooner or later. Will their love survive the fallout?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Jacqueline Winters

Jacqueline Winters has been writing since she was nine when she'd sneak stacks of paper from her grandma's closet and fill them with adventure. She grew up in Small-Town Nebraska, and spent a decade living in beautiful Alaska. She writes contemporary sweet romances and contemporary romantic suspense.

She's a sucker for happily ever after's, has a sweet tooth that can be sated with cupcakes, and firmly believes sangria was possibly the best invention ever. On a relaxing evening, you can find her at her computer writing her next novel with her dog poking his adorable head out from beneath the desk.

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I've had Jacqueline Winters on my radar for awhile now. But for some reason or another I just never gave her a try. While looking for small town romances, her Sunset Ridge series popped up. The title is what finally had me taking that leap. Y'all, I am so glad that I did! I devoured that series in a few days. It was SO fun! I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series. September can't get here fast enough! 

It was hard to decide which book of hers to feature. But I finally decided on My Favorite Moosetake. Y'all it was awesome! I loved it!

A sous chef with her life in limbo, the Army veteran who broke her heart, and their second chance at forever.

Sous chef Tessa Whitmore has always had it all figured out, and she’s never been afraid to go after what she wants. When she’s selected to be a contestant on the reality cooking competition show Order Up: Las Vegas, it never occurs to her that she won’t take first place.

Or that she would be betrayed.

Instead of winning the chance to run her own kitchen in a highly respected chef’s restaurant, she’s booted from the competition. Disqualified for cheating, Tessa is too mortified to do anything but hide until her innocence is proven. Unannounced, she flees to Sunset Ridge to the lodge she and her sisters inherited earlier in the summer.

But everything turns sideways when she discovers Liam is back.

Army veteran Liam Davies has never stopped loving Tessa. Eight years, three deployments, and thousands of miles of distance was not enough to erase what they had. Tired of running and ready to settle down, the only thing that made sense was to move back home.

He always knew she’d come back someday. But he didn’t expect her to show up so soon after the Whitmore sisters reopened the lodge. Now that she’s back in his life, he has no plans of letting her go a second time.

But there’s something Tessa isn’t telling him. Liam’s determined to get to the bottom of it, even though the truth might destroy their second chance at happily ever after.

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems - June 2020

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Sarah Adams

Born and raised in Nashville TN, Sarah Adams loves her family, warm days, and making people smile. 

Sarah has dreamed of being a writer since she was a girl, but finally wrote her first novel when her daughters were napping and she no longer had any excuses to put it off. 

Sarah is a coffee addict, a British history nerd, a mom of two daughters, married to her best friend, and an indecisive introvert. Her hope is to always write stories that make you laugh, maybe even cry; but always leave you happier than when you started reading.

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As most of you know, I have made it my goal to find new to me authors this year. While trying to find an author to feature this month, I had a bookish friend reach out to me recommending The Match by Sarah Adams and said, maybe she can be a hidden gem. Y'all... I hadn't even finished chapter 2 before I knew I just HAD to feature her! I could not devour her book fast enough! I have bumped her other three books up my TBR list and I'm excited to read them! Don't you just love finding new favorite authors? I know I do!

And since The Match is her book that got me hooked, I thought it was the perfect one to feature!

Having worked for Southern Service Paws for a few years now, I like to think I’m prepared for just about any client meeting under the sun. I am dead wrong.

The day I meet with single dad, Jacob Broaden, about potentially matching his daughter with one of our service dogs, I learn a few valuable lessons.

1) Always set my alarm clock.
2) Single dads are way hotter than I previously thought.
3) It is possible to go from fantasizing about kissing someone to wishing they would be run over by a truck in a matter of two minutes.

Unfortunately, I don’t hold that opinion of him for very long. Not when he shows me a different side of himself—one that’s sweet as maple syrup and hot as apple pie fresh out of the oven.

Too bad this guy is so far out of my league that I shouldn’t even be allowed to enter the game. Jake doesn’t seem to get that memo though. And after a few days of working closely with him and his daughter, he starts looking at me with fire in his eyes, making me dream of something I probably shouldn’t…

A family. 

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems - May 2020

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Marika Ray

Marika Ray spends her time behind a computer crafting stories, walking the beaches of southern California, and making healthy food for her kids and husband whether they like it or not. Prior to writing novels, Marika held various jobs in the finance industry, with private start-up companies, and then in health & fitness. Cats may have nine lives, but Marika believes everyone should have nine careers to keep things spicy.

Marika is a national bestselling author, writing steamy RomCom, sweet romances, and urban fantasies to make your heart explode and bring a smile to your face. All her books come with a money-back guarantee that you'll smile at least once with every book.

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As most of you know, I have made it my goal to find new to me authors this year. I spent an entire day trying to find new authors but I was striking out left and right. Out of nowhere I stumbled across Markia Ray. I downloaded a sample of Lines We Cross and crossed my fingers that this one was going to be a successful find. And guess what?! It was! I quickly fell in love with the small town of Nickle Bay. I can't wait to read the rest of the series! 😊

And since Lines We Cross is her book that got me hooked, I thought it was the perfect one to feature!

Small towns were made for second chances--even if it’s your best friend’s sister.

Skylar Rae

I’m getting by just fine on my own when the boy who stole my heart and ran away twelve years ago shows up in town again. He’s a big shot baseball player now, needing my help to rehab his knee. If he’d just lay off the flirting and the dimples he throws with each grin, I might be able to do my job. Good thing I’m not dumb enough to fall for him a second time.

Max

I promised my best friend I would never make a move on his little sister. I kept that promise—if you don’t count that one kiss senior year—but now that we’re adults and I’m moving back home, all bets are off. Skylar Rae isn’t the same person I knew twelve years ago and neither am I. It’ll take a lot more healing than I expected to see if she and I can cross that line again.

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems - February 2020

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Kacey Linden

Kacey Linden is a coffee-fueled romance author from Oklahoma. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and still misses the trees, the mountains, and yes, even the rain. She believes in the power of a good story, and loves the holidays almost as much as she loves horses, kind-hearted heroes and happily-ever-afters.

When she's not dreaming up her next romance, you'll probably find Kacey reading, baking, or enjoying the outdoors with her family.

Kacey also writes fantasy and science fiction under the name Kenley Davidson.

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I discovered Kacey Linden when I was searching for clean Christmas romance books. I had been on a small town kick and thought Echo Creek sounded like the perfect place to spend some time. I was pleasantly surprised when I was hooked from the first page. I absolutely adored Echo Creek! 😊

I decided Christmas in Echo Creek would be the perfect book for me to feature since it's the one that hooked me on her books. 

Can the magic of a small town Christmas convince her that love is worth the risk?

When Willow Renner ends up stranded in the quaint little town of Echo Creek, she intends to lay low until she can pay for car repairs and get back on the road. But the locals can’t seem to stop trying to help her, and their obsession with Christmas cheer makes her want things she never thought she’d have. Home. A family. Maybe even a chance at love with a certain handsome sheriff’s deputy…

Deputy Cale Matthews was planning to skip Christmas, until a quiet newcomer makes him rethink everything. Willow is clearly hiding something, but she’s also beautiful, courageous, and in desperate need of hope. It doesn’t take long for Cale to decide he wants more than just friendship, but Willow’s been hurt too often to trust easily.

With the help of a meddling matchmaker and a little mistletoe, will Cale be able to convince Willow to take a chance on love, or will the shadows of her past tear them apart forever?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Hidden Gems - January 2020

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Mimi Matthews

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper historical romances set in Victorian England. Her articles on nineteenth century history have been published on various academic and history sites, including the Victorian Web and the Journal of Victorian Culture, and are also syndicated at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, two Shelties, and two Siamese cats.

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I discovered Mimi Matthews when I had 3 different bookish friends recommend her books to me when I was in one of those dreaded reading ruts. I hadn't even finished the first chapter in The Matrimonial Advertisement before I found myself heading straight over to Amazon and purchasing the rest of her books. Ms. Matthews quickly became one of those auto buy authors for me. 😊

I decided The Matrimonial Advertisement would be the perfect book for me to feature since it's the one that hooked me on her books. 

She Wanted Sanctuary...

Helena Reynolds will do anything to escape her life in London, even if that means traveling to a remote cliffside estate on the North Devon coast and marrying a complete stranger. But Greyfriar's Abbey isn't the sort of refuge she imagined. And ex-army captain Justin Thornhill--though he may be tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome--is anything but a romantic hero.

He Needed Redemption...

Justin has spent the last two decades making his fortune, settling scores, and suffering a prolonged period of torture in an Indian prison. Now, he needs someone to smooth the way for him with the villagers. Someone to manage his household--and warm his bed on occasion. What he needs, in short, is a wife and a matrimonial advertisement seems the perfect way to acquire one.

Their marriage was meant to be a business arrangement and nothing more. A dispassionate union free from the entanglements of love and affection. But when Helena's past threatens, will Justin's burgeoning feelings for his new bride compel him to come to her rescue? Or will dark secrets of his own force him to let her go?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!