Source: Berkley Publishing

#BookReview This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page @BerkleyRomance @PenguinCanada #ThisBookMadeMeThinkOfYou #Libby Page #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page @BerkleyRomance @PenguinCanada #ThisBookMadeMeThinkOfYou #Libby Page #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: This Book Made Me Think of You

Author: Libby Page

Published by: Berkley on Feb. 3, 2026

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 416

Format: Hardcover

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 10/10

Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart…

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her fiancé waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly because Joe died five months ago…

The gift is simple – twelve carefully-chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?

Review:

Quaint, absorbing, and sweet!

This Book Made Me Think of You is a heartfelt, uplifting tale set in Primrose Hill, London, that draws readers into the lives of Tilly Nightingale, a young widow still grappling with the loss of her husband and the all-consuming grief thats preventing her from moving on, and Alfie Lane, a bookshop owner struggling to keep his family business afloat while also trying to fulfil a dying man’s final wishes.

The prose is genuine and fluid. The characters are heartbroken, hesitant, and kind. And the plot is an addictive, alluring blend of friendship, family, life, loss, introspection, support, forgiveness, community, new beginnings, love, and the healing power of books.

Overall, This Book Made Me Think of You is a charming, hopeful, beautifully written novel by Page that showcases her exceptional ability to create endearing, multilayered characters and engaging, heart-tugging storylines that captivate from start to finish.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Libby Page

Libby Page is a Sunday Times bestselling author whose work has been published in over 20 territories around the world. Before becoming an author, she worked in journalism and marketing. She lives in Somerset, England, with her husband and young son.

Photo by Katherine Barnes Photography.

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#BookReview Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #SunkInLove #HeatherMcBreen #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #SunkInLove #HeatherMcBreen #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Sunk in Love

Author: Heather McBreen

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 27, 2026

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

A second chance at love sets sail when a couple on the verge of divorce pretends they’re still together for one last family trip, from the author of Wedding Dashers.

Roslyn and Liam met nine years ago and have been the perfect couple ever since. Through every up and down, every milestone—from Liam’s residency to the publication of Roslyn’s debut romance—they’ve been each other’s rock. Until now.

Pulled apart by the untimely death of Roslyn’s mom and the undertow of grief, they’re now navigating the final wave in their marriage: divorce.

Heartbroken and unsure how to tell her family she’s called it quits with everyone’s favorite son-in-law, Roslyn keeps the impending split to herself. But when Roslyn’s grandparents ask if Liam can officiate their vow renewal ceremony aboard a Hawaiian cruise during their annual vacation, Roslyn needs to tell the truth or figure out a way to keep her secret. A week trapped at sea with her ex isn’t ideal, but neither Roslyn nor Liam want to rock the boat, so they concoct a plan—they’ll fake it.

After five years of marriage, they can figure out how to pretend for jungle hikes and mai tais, right? But when reality and make believe starts to blur, and old feelings begin to resurface, Roslyn and Liam have to decide whether it’s sink or swim for their marriage.

Review:

Romantic, hopeful, and sweet!

Sunk in Love is a charming second-chance romance that draws you into the life of Roslyn, a floundering, grief-stricken woman reeling from the tragic loss of her mother and the decision to step away from her marriage until a trip to Hawaii with her extended family forces her to share a cabin with her husband and pretend to still be happily married.

The writing is warm and fluid. The characters are kind, caring, and endearing. And the plot unfolds as a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, healing, communication, new beginnings, tender moments, gentle drama, and heartfelt revelations.

Overall, Sunk in Love is a tender, uplifting, emotionally satisfying read by McBreen that beautifully balances poignant dilemmas with plenty of lighthearted fun, and I absolutely loved it.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Heather McBreen

Heather McBreen currently lives in Seattle, WA, but spent the best year of her life living in London where she completed an MA degree in arts and cultural management. When she's not writing or reading books about kissing, she can be found surfing the web for travel deals and plotting her next adventure. Wedding Dashers was her debut novel.

Photo by Almodine Thompson.

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#BookReview When We Were Brilliant by Lynn Cullen @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #WhenWeWereBrilliant #LynnCullen #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview When We Were Brilliant by Lynn Cullen @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #WhenWeWereBrilliant #LynnCullen #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: When We Were Brilliant

Author: Lynn Cullen

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 20, 2026

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: Hardcover

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

They were an unlikely pair—a blond bombshell and a photographer determined to be taken seriously—but Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold would make a deal that would change their lives in this dazzling new novel from the national bestselling author of Mrs. Poe and The Woman with the Cure.

In 1952, Norma Jeane Baker follows documentary photographer Eve Arnold into a powder room on the night they first meet. She has a proposition for her. Norma Jeane created Marilyn Monroe to be photographed, and she wants Eve to do it. Eve is better than anyone she’s seen at capturing a person’s inner truth. Together they can help each other. Together, she says, they can make something brilliant.

Skeptical of this cipher of a young woman, Eve demurs. She’s looking for more serious subjects than this ambitious starlet. But she keeps getting drawn back into Marilyn’s orbit, and the women come to recognize something in each other—something fundamental. Nothing will get in the way of what they want, and when Marilyn’s star takes off to teetering heights, neither will ever be the same.

A lavish and transporting novel, When We Were Brilliant captures the halcyon days of an icon and the grit of women determining their own futures as it explores the exceptional and complicated friendship between Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold.

Review:

Fascinating, captivating, and rich!

When We Were Brilliant is an insightful, immersive novel set in the 1950s that draws readers into the lives of photographer Eve Arnold and her most famous subject and close friend Marilyn Monroe, through their unusual, evolving bond, the highs and lows of fame and fortune, the pressures of marriage, the ache of loss, and the toll of living under constant public scrutiny.

The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are hardworking, devoted, and passionate. And the plot is a compelling tale of life, love, friendship, family, glitz, glamour, jealousy, scandal, uncertainty, infidelity, ambition, and the many complexities of stardom.
 

Overall, When We Were Brilliant is a vivid, absorbing novel by Cullen that showcases her impressive research and deep understanding of both a pioneering photographer and a brilliant, misunderstood actress whose life was tragically short and painfully complicated, yet who is unfortunately too often remembered only for her beauty and sex appeal.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.

             

 

Thank you to Berkley for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lynn Cullen

Lynn Cullen’s bestselling novels, including The Woman with the Cure, The Sisters of Summit Avenue, Mrs. Poe, Twain’s End, The Creation of Eve, and Reign of Madness, have been translated into seventeen languages and are the recipients of various honors, including NPR Great Read, Oprah.com Book of the Week, People magazine Book of the Week, Indie Next List selection, and Atlanta magazine Best Books of the Year. She lives in Atlanta.

Photo by Megan Cullen Cayes.

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#BookReview Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Story @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #DandelionIsDead #RosieStory #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Story @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #DandelionIsDead #RosieStory #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Dandelion is Dead

Author: Rosie Story

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 13, 2026

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Literary Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Hardcover

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.

When Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a charming stranger in her late sister’s dating app, she makes an impulsive choice: She’ll meet him, just once, on what would have been Dandelion’s fortieth birthday. It’s exactly the kind of wild adventure her vivacious sister would have pushed her toward.

Jake is ready to find something real—and not least because his ex-wife’s twentysomething boyfriend has moved into their old family home. When he meets the intriguing woman who calls herself Dandelion, their connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else.

As their relationship deepens, Poppy finds herself trapped in a double life she never meant to create. Every moment with Jake feels genuine, electric, and totally right—despite the fact they’re tangled in deceit. As the lines between grief and love blur, Poppy faces a choice: keep her sister’s memory alive through her lies, or risk everything for a chance at her own happiness?

With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places.

Review:

Witty, tender, and touching!

Dandelion is Dead is a layered, perceptive tale featuring the heartbroken, grief-stricken Poppy who has been contemplating her life and masking her sorrow after the loss of her big sister, and Jake the single dad who seems like the perfect mate except for the fact he doesn’t know her true identity and she happens to have a fiancé at home.

The writing is heartfelt and direct. The characters are lonely, quirky, and adrift. And the plot is a lighthearted, touching blend of life, love, loss, introspection, friendship, grief, guilt, awkward situations, sweet moments, dating woes, misunderstandings, communication, intimacy, deception, and moving on.

Overall, Dandelion is Dead is an astute, moving, sincere novel by Story that is the first book I’ve read by this author, but certainly won’t be my last.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.

             

 

Thank you to Berkley for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Rosie Story

Rosie Storey grew up on a farm in the south of England. She left her corporate career to finish her debut novel, Dandelion Is Dead. She holds a master’s in creative writing, lives in East London, and works as a writing coach.

Photo by Sophie Davidson.

#BookReview Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #AxeAndGrind #TaylorHutton #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #AxeAndGrind #TaylorHutton #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Axe and Grind

Author: Taylor Hutton

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 6, 2026

Genres: Dark Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 7.5/10

In this decadently dark romance, a virtual dating experiment spins into a deadly web of obsession, greed, love, and passion.

Josie Greene has always been a glass half-full kind of girl. But after a messy breakup, she’s broke, betrayed, and barely getting by. Even her trusted tarot cards point to chaos in her future. And they’re Axe MacKenzie needs her help.

As part of the tech CEO’s latest covert mission, Axe has been developing a simulator to create any user’s “Perfect Match,” and bubbly Josie is the ideal woman to test his product. When the gorgeous, reclusive billionaire makes her an offer—fake date him so he can launch his groundbreaking AI dating app—Josie’s in no position to refuse.

But Axe’s two worlds collide as the criminal underworld corrupts their experimental fling. What started as steamy role-play quickly spirals into a very real threat, leaving both Josie and Axe no choice but to uncover their well-buried pasts. With her life on the line, Josie will have to trust the man who has created the ultimate virtual illusion—and who might be hiding the most sinister truths of all…

Review:

Seductive, edgy, and menacing!

Axe and Grind is a tantalizing, provocative tale that plunges readers into the lives of Josie Green, a hardworking, spiritual young woman shaped by hardship and heartbreak, and Axe MacKenzie, a tech CEO who spends his days building an AI-driven dating app and his nights moonlighting as a vigilante, exacting brutal justice on society’s most depraved.

The writing is intense and charged. The characters are troubled, impulsive, and vulnerable. And the plot weaves an alluring mix of friendship, family, drama, danger, expectation, desire, vengeance, self-discovery, and lingering childhood trauma.

Overall, Axe and Grind is a tight, erotic, sinister novel by Hutton that is dark, layered, and entertaining.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Taylor Hutton

Taylor Hutton is the pseudonym of a pair of writer friends, one of whom has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award and the other who is a New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award finalist. Between the two of them, they have written over forty books. When they are not passing their latest sexy thriller back and forth on Google Doc, they are browsing bookstores, sending each other ridiculous memes, walking their dogs Trudy and Potato around their Los Angeles neighborhood, and making their children cringe with their TikTok videos.

Photo by Indy Flores

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#BookReview Overruled by Lana Ferguson @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #Overruled #LanaFerguson #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Overruled by Lana Ferguson @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #Overruled #LanaFerguson #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Overruled

Author: Lana Ferguson

Published by: Berkley on Jul. 1, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

Two divorce lawyers determined to share only beds but not hearts discover that love is something that can’t be overruled in this steamy contemporary romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Game Changer.

Danica Pierce has one great love in her life: work. As one of the top divorce lawyers in Austin, Danica lets her caseload keep her warm at night and has no problem being married to her job, not when love only ends in hurt. When the biggest case of her career gives her a shot at making partner, it seems like nothing could possibly stand in her way…except for her infuriating secret: she’s sleeping with the enemy.

Ezra Hart is known for charming his way in and out of a courtroom. In the matter of winning Danica Pierce’s heart, however, he’s been far less successful. With her verdict to keep things purely physical with no chance of appeal, Ezra struggles to show Danica he’s more than the insufferable playboy she’s pegged him to be–especially since they find themselves on opposing sides of Danica’s most important case to date.

While Dani and Ezra battle it out in the courtroom, the real trial is the one happening between them. When Dani realizes that everything she knows of Ezra might be hearsay–and that she’s not the only one with emotional baggage–she must choose between her fear of trusting again and the feelings blossoming between her and the man she thought was her worst enemy.

Review:

Heartfelt, spirited, and romantic!

Overruled is a sweet, amusing tale that takes you into the life of the devoted, workaholic Danica and the arrogant, successful Ezra as they discover that there may be more to their relationship than heated banter, pretend feelings, and occasional hookups.

The writing is fun and light. The characters are hardworking, complex, and supportive. And the plot is a charming tale bursting with heart, humour, self-discovery, secrets, chemistry, attraction, sexy times, and familial strain.

Overall, Overruled is a steamy, touching, uplifting tale by Ferguson that I adored and absolutely devoured from start to finish.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lana Ferguson

Lana Ferguson is a sex-positive nerd whose works never shy from spice or sass. A faded Fabio book cover found its way into her hands at fifteen, and she’s never been the same since. When she isn’t writing, you can find her randomly singing show tunes, arguing over which Batman is superior, and subjecting her friends to the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings. Lana lives mostly in her own head but can sometimes be found chasing her corgi through the coppice of the great American outdoors.

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#BookReview Save Me by Mona Kasten @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #SaveMe #MonaKasten #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Save Me by Mona Kasten @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #SaveMe #MonaKasten #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Save Me

Author: Mona Kasten

Series: Maxton Hall #1

Published by: Berkley on Jul. 1, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

They come from different worlds, and yet they are meant for each other.

Money, glamour, luxury, power—Ruby Bell couldn’t be less interested in these things if she tried. After being awarded a scholarship to one of England’s most prestigious and expensive private schools, Maxton Hall, all she wants is to keep her head down, work hard, and get accepted to Oxford. She keeps her distance from everyone, especially the arrogant, rich, and extremely handsome James Beaufort, ringleader of the school’s party boys.

When Ruby discovers a scandalous secret about the Beauforts, she is suddenly on James’s radar. It only gets worse when James is forced to work with her to plan the school’s annual gala. Yet the more time they spend together, the more they realize they share much more than they thought.

Falling for James Beaufort was never part of her plan, yet Ruby can’t help but let her feelings sweep her away. But James must make a decision for will he choose what’s expected of him, or what he feels for her?

Review:

Captivating, spicy, and entertaining!

Save Me is an angsty, seductive tale that transports you to Maxton Hall, an elite private school for rich delinquent teens that has all the usual fare, entitled students, unrelenting bullies, sexual promiscuity, forbidden romance, naughty behaviour, innumerably delicious scandals, and a few hardworking scholarship students.

The writing is steamy and fun. The characters are rebellious, self-indulgent, and secretive. And the plot is a passionate, promiscuous, coming-of-age tale full of familial troubles, teenage angst, palpable attraction, witty banter, excessive indulgence, romance, friendship, heartbreak, and love.

Overall, Save Me is a wildly addictive, salacious, engaging novel by Kasten that immersed me so thoroughly in the decadence, lifestyle, drama, luxuries, and scandalous behaviour of the characters I didn’t want to put it down. It’s a true guilty pleasure that has undoubtedly not only left me craving for more but already counting down the days until I can get my hands on the second book in the series Save You, which is releasing on September 2, 2025.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Mona Kasten

Mona Kasten studied library and information management before devoting herself entirely to writing. She lives in Hamburg with her family and cats as well as an infinite number of books, loves caffeine in any form, long walks in the woods and days when she can only write.

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#BookReview Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #ElizaAndTheDuke #TheDovesOfNewYork #HarperStGeorge #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #ElizaAndTheDuke #TheDovesOfNewYork #HarperStGeorge #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Eliza and the Duke

Author: Harper St. George

Series: The Doves of New York #2

Published by: Berkley on Jun. 24, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

American heiress Eliza Dove was resigned to a polite marriage of convenience…until she spent one wicked night with the Duke.

All hopeless romantic Eliza Dove asked for was one night of adventure. One glorious evening of freedom to explore the dark corners of London with a mysterious stranger before a lifetime trapped in a quiet, respectable marriage of convenience. Except now she wants more. Now she wants him.

Simon Cavell is no gentleman. Known only as ‘the Duke,’ Whitechapel’s prize boxer is one fight away from achieving his goal: to safeguard his late sister’s only treasure and leave the streets for good. He cannot allow some pretty young heiress to spill his secrets, no matter how tempting she might be. In return for her silence, Simon will give Eliza a taste of the darkness…and hope he doesn’t lose his heart in the process.

But one night together could never be enough. And now Eliza has a new plan—an even more scandalous bargain that will either land the heiress her duke or ruin them both.

Review:

Witty, scandalous, and enticing!

Eliza and the Duke is a playful, seductive tale set in London during 1878 that features the intelligent, inquisitive Eliza and the roguishly handsome prize boxer Simon as they navigate the underground world of Whitechapel, an upcoming marriage of convenience, and an abundance of undeniable attraction, respect and admiration.

The prose is amusing and light. The characters are focused, determined, and passionate. And the plot is a push-pull tale of life, love, trust, expectations, commitments, support, perseverance, familial drama, and class division.

Overall, Eliza and the Duke is an engaging, entertaining, alluring read by St. George that is another adventurous, enjoyable addition to the The Doves of New York series.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Harper St. George

Harper St. George grew up in the rural backwoods of Alabama and the northwest Florida coast where her love of history began. She now makes her home in the Atlanta area writing historical fiction romance set in various time periods from the Viking Era to the Gilded Age. Her novels have been translated into ten languages.

Photo: © Harper St. George.

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#BookReview Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #BeforeDorothy #HazelGaynor #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #BeforeDorothy #HazelGaynor #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Before Dorothy

Author: Hazel Gaynor

Published by: Berkley on Jun. 17, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

Chicago, 1924: Emily Gale and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago behind for the promise of their own American dream. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have made a life in the warmth of the community of Liberal, Kansas, and among the harsh beauty of the prairie. Their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and their much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the what is the true meaning of home?

Review:

Insightful, inspiring, and atmospheric!

Before Dorothy is an enchanting tale that sweeps you away to Chicago and Kansas during the 1920s – 1930s when the country is reeling from the great depression, the farmers are struggling to maintain their livelihoods, identities, and health through the relentless heat, devastating wind storms, and catastrophic droughts, and the childless Emily Gale suddenly becomes the guardian of her eight-year-old niece Dorothy.

The prose is evocative and smooth. The characters are strong, resilient, and hardworking. And the plot is a captivating, emotional tale filled with life, loss, self-discovery, motherhood, familial drama, poverty, tragedy, heartbreak, community, courage, romance, friendship, and survival.

Overall, Before Dorothy is a creative, touching, heartwarming tale by Gaynor inspired by L. Frank Baum’s classic The Wizard of OZ that does a beautiful job of blending historical events with compelling, imaginative fiction.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Hazel Gaynor

Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Irish Times, and internationally bestselling author known for her deeply moving historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. Her most recent novel, The Last Lifeboat, was a Timeshistorical novel of the month, an Audie award winner, and was short-listed for the Irish Book Awards. Her work is published in twenty-seven territories to date. She lives in Ireland with her family.

Photo by Fran Veale.

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#BookReview Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle @acebookspub @PenguinRandomCA #RealmOfThieves #KarinaHalle #ThievesOfDragemore #AcePub #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle @acebookspub @PenguinRandomCA #RealmOfThieves #KarinaHalle #ThievesOfDragemore #AcePub #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Realm of Thieves

Author: Karina Halle

Series: Thieves of Dragemore #1

Published by: Ace on Jun. 10, 2025

Genres: Fantasy

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Two thieves vie for dominance in the illegal dragon egg trade, putting both their lives and their hearts on the line in this scorching romantasy from New York Timesbestselling author Karina Halle.

For Brynla Aihr, crime and survival have always gone hand in hand. Ever since she escaped the fanatical dragon-worshipping cult that controls her homeland, she’s had to carve out a life doing the unthinkable: stealing dragon eggs. Egg theft is illegal and, in most cases, fatal. To breach a dragon’s nest means a harrowing journey through the ancient wards spelled to keep the monstrous beasts confined. Dragons can’t get out and only those with a death wish can get in.

Despite the risks, dragon eggs are highly coveted for their magic. An illegal trade flourishes under competing criminal empires, and Brynla’s loyalty has always been to the highest bidder. Until she finds herself kidnapped and blackmailed by Lord Andor, a formidable lieutenant of House Kolbeck, and thrust into the dangerous political games of rivaling dynasties.
 
Brynla and Andor clash at every turn, sparking heat in ways Brynla’s never felt before. But in a world that’s prophesized to return to the dragons, and rife with betrayal and secrets at every turn…how close to the flames is she willing to stand?

Review:

Riveting, spicy, and action-packed!

Realm of Thieves is a suspenseful, passionate tale that takes us to a world where dragons are trapped, dangerous, and their eggs are in high demand, and where the orphan, Brynla, with her ability to steal the eggs has lived quite an independent life until her her world gets turned upside down when she is kidnapped by Lord Andor, and the the attraction between them is hot enough to burn them both.

The prose is intense and seductive. The characters are complex, gifted, and unique. And the plot is a fierce tale full of twists, turns, passion, angst, fury, loyalty, heartbreak, duty, sizzling tension, violence, secrets, tormented pasts, and supernatural abilities.

Overall, Realm of Thieves is a gripping, imaginative, highly entertaining tale by Halle that is bursting with determination, grit, battles, heat, adventure, sexual chemistry, politics, rivals, and other magical elements. It kept me invested and engaged from the very first page and has left me counting down the days until I have the opportunity to read the next novel in the Thieves of Dragemor series to discover whether the dragons will once again rule the world. 

 

This novel is available now.

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Thank you to Ace for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Karina Halle

Karina Halle is a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Realm of Thieves, River of Shadows & The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever you're into, she's probably written an HEA for it. When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their not-haunted condo in Los Angeles.

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