I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
I barely squeaked in and read my goal of 120 books in 2020. Whew! There were some really great books released this year. It was SO hard to narrow it down, but here are my top twelve that I loved. (And it was super hard to choose which is why I have 12!)
The Doctor and the Midwife by Sarah Alva
Roommaid by Sariah Wilson
Forget-Me-Not by Sarah Eden
A Captain for Caroline Grey by Julie Wright
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I was so excited to see that Karen Tuft had a new release out! And we're almost twinners with books that have nearly the same titles! (I have The Marquess Meets His Match and hers is The Duke Meets His Match.) In this one we meet Susan Jennings who is nearly thirty years old and definitely "on the shelf." She's fine with her circumstances, though, until she receives an invitation to London that she cannot refuse. Once there, she meets a man named George, the Duke of Aylesham, who she's already had a negative encounter with years ago. He's still arrogant and rude, and Susan doesn't mind letting him know her opinions. But when political intrigue rears its ugly head, George and Susan are thrown into a set of circumstances that will have life-changing consequences. I loved this enemies to lovers romance. It had great characters, witty repartee, and a pull-you-in plot to round out this fantastic story. I loved all the political intrigues and seeing George's reactions to dealing with a spoiled monarch and a woman who stirs his heart and tries his patience. Susan was such a great character as well, with her strength and vulnerabilities and how she finally started to see the real George. Their romance was so sweet! I do wish Susan's ex-flame would have gotten his comeuppance and I wish the book could have gone on a bit longer, but other than that, Karen Tuft never fails to deliver a story I can get lost in. I think The Duke Meets His Match is one of my favorite historical romances this year! Get your copy here Here's the back copy: At thirty years of age, Susan Jennings has long been considered a spinster. Exceptionally intelligent, she has little tolerance for London and the dreaded Season—if that’s how one is expected to find love, it’s not for her. But when an invitation arrives that cannot be ignored, Susan leaves her comfortable life in the country and enters the fashion and frivolity she most despises. She quickly discovers, however, that there is more to loathe in London—and his name is George Kendall. George, Duke of Aylesham, has learned to keep his distance from cloying females chasing the title of duchess. Susan Jennings, however, proves an entirely different challenge—a woman who has pushed him to the limit of his patience with their every encounter. But their simmering hostility is disrupted by a thoughtless slipup: to avoid a marriage of political strategy, George claims he is already betrothed. And when pressed for the name of the lucky woman, only one name comes to mind: Susan’s. Their forced betrothal proves advantageous, but when their verbal sparring must change in order to be convincing, the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither expected: love. | ||
One of our favorite family traditions at Christmas is watching The Forgotten Carols. The story is so heartwarming and sweet, with some truly funny moments and lots of great music.
This year, we couldn't watch it be performed on stage, but there is a 2020 Theatrical version of it! I wasn't sure I would love the DVD version as much as seeing it live, but I did! The sets were great and there were a few changes to the show with some new music and new dialogue in some scenes. Michael McLean is amazing, as always, and the actress who plays Constance really shines. All of the extra touches, combined with the story and acting, really added to the overall charm of the show and finding the true joy of the season. Our whole family enjoyed it!
This is a timeless classic and one you'll definitely want to have in your family's library.
You can get your copy here
See the movie trailer here
Here's a little more about the show:
The Forgotten Carols stage performance tells the story of Connie Lou, a nurse whose empty life is changed when Uncle John, a new patient she is attending, recounts the story of Christ’s birth as told by little known characters in the nativity story. The accounts from the Innkeeper, the Shepherd and others help the nurse discover what the world has forgotten about Christmas, ultimately encouraging her to open her heart to the joy of this special season.