pollyssecretlibrary

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping", by Sangu Mandanna

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 - Jul. 𝟏7𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“You’ve built a beautiful world, Sera Swan”.

Those words, sweetly uttered by Luke, the magic historian, are the perfect words to sum up Sangu Mandanna’s “A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping”, a standalone novel in a witchcore world hidden in contemporary England, very much like “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches”. This book is the perfect read for the rainy autumn days with a fresh cup of tea and a warm blanket.

When Sera Swan was 15 she was on her way to be the most powerful witch in England, an honour only to be shared with her mentor, who is a prideful man who seems to only live to gain power by bullying everyone in the witch world, Sera included. Sera’s only close relative is her great-aunt Jasmine and a sentient fox named Clemmie, and together they live in the family inn in Lancashire. All of a sudden Jasmine dies, leaving her niece alone with Clemmie, who happens to know of a spell that would resurrect Jasmine.

Sera manages to bring Jasmine back to life, but in the process she loses almost all of her magic, leaving her with only enough power to keep protecting the inn and its people. She is expelled from the Guild, an organization that governs and protects all the witches in England, and so, she becomes simply Sera the innkeeper.

The Inn is the center of the novel. This is a much deeper an darker novel than “The Very Secret Society…” but still it has the same cottage core, witch core and acceptance feel to it. A timeskip of 15 years finds Sera still keeping the inn, a safe place full of a magic that hides it from the eyes of the world except those who need shelter, comfort and a guiding light. There she lives with lovely Jasmine, Theo, Sera’s tween cousin, Matilda, a retired former ballet teacher, Nicholas, a young man who dresses as a medieval knight, Clemmie, the mischievous fox and… a rooster made of bones that Sera brought back to life along with Jasmine. Soon, two more people will join the inn, someone at the guild sends Sera help in the person of Luke, a magic historian, who brings his very young sister Posy with him.

All of the people of the inn have something in common. They have all been rejected by the people who were supposed to love them the most. For one reason or other, they find themselves forming a new family full of love, support, understanding, and above everything else, acceptance. The inn keeps them safe like a protective mother who makes tea and scones and hugs you when you’re sad. That’s what makes this book so special, that and the characters’ unique to them quirks, they’re all adorable. Sera and Luke becoming friends despite not seeing eye to eye at the beginning, their chemistry slowly turns into something else throughout the novel, a feeling that influences everyone else at the inn.

All of the characters help each other and Sera deal with depression, anxiety and the shared feeling of not fitting in anywhere but here. There are still more battles to be fought, but in the meantime, we’ll share good times with the people who chose us as theirs. This is, indeed, a comfort read full of unforgettable characters and a heartwarming feel that lingers.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Daughter of the Otherworld", by Shauna Lawless

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ❞𝐆𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠❞ 𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟒 𝐄𝐫𝐚 𝟐, 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 - Nov. 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Daughter of the Otherworld” is the second era of the “Gael Song” saga by Shauna Lawless It opens between 100 and 150 years after the first era was over, but since our main characters belong to the old peoples of Ireland, meaning that they live considerably longer than mortals and therefore don’t see the passing of the time the same way as mortals do, we could say that the story picks up where it left. That’s why there’s only so much about the plot that can be shared, for fear of spoiling the ending and many events of the first trilogy. Some characters are new, younger, some others are known to us. Some are seeking revenge, some are on the run until the tides turn. And the tides of the Irish Sea turn pretty often.

Depending on the perspective, this book is a coming of age story as well as a historical fantasy. We have a new heroine amongst the old friends and foes. Isolde is a descendant of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, one of the old peoples, who has been raised by her much older cousin Broccan. She knows nothing of the world for she has been living in an island very close to Ulaid, but isolated enough not to be concerned with the affairs of the mortals. Broccan hasn’t felt any kind of gift in Isolde and he hopes she can marry and live like an ordinary woman when she grows up. But then they receive the visit of none others than the Fomorians, and their world will never be the same again.

In “Daughter of the Otherworld” Shauna Lawless gets a new set of pieces for her chess game. She sets two queens and many pawns around them. The game is one of wars, scheming, plot, treason, revenge and cruelty. However she knows very well that chess is first and foremost a game of strategy. And no one knows strategy better than one of the queens of this game whose name I cannot give away. Once one of the queens falls, the game will be over.

Ireland is always at war. That’s the one thing that never changes about her. The tensions amongst the different kings, the violence within the families, the hunger for power, gold and land… the generations of bad blood and the anger only rising with each son. And if it wasn’t enough, there are also people hungering for the green Island, this time is not the vikings, it’s the god fearing Normans that wait for their opportunity in the shores of France. And in that chaos, Isolde looks for her people, for an answer. A woman alone wandering the valleys in a world about to burn down. Once again Shauna Lawless leaves her readers without words. She reconstructs actual history and tames it to her will. Her unforgettable characters are so complex that even the one in the background will stay with the reader forever. But the best part is that she crafts her legends in a way that when the book is over, research commences. Looking up maps, history books, wikipedia, photographs… are the side effects of reading the Gael Song saga, it’s so exciting and enriching that I cannot but recommend it totally convinced that it will change your perspective in many things. Learning is a powerful tool and one learns best when we turn to legends, myths, and humanity. Especially humanity.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Rules for Ruin", by Mimi Matthews

Thank you to Mimi Matthews and her team for providing an advanced e-copy of this book “The Crinoline Academy” Book 1 Pub date - May20th, 2025 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

The Crinoline Academy is a somewhat obscure institution whose headmistress welcomes young girls of unfortunate situations and provides them with an education. Once they’re about to graduate they can make up for their fees by working undercover. These women are spies.

Mimi Matthews is an author with an elegant and precise narrative style. Her simplicity in writing and her command of words are the key to the mastery with which she conveys the growing romantic feelings of her protagonists to her ever-increasing and loyal readers. Without artifice or tendency toward drama, she not only perfectly creates a romance but also makes it appropriate to the era in which she has set her story. In the case of this book, the emphasis falls on adventure, risk, tension, and darkness as the only ingredients that transform this romance into something extremely exciting and moving. Mimi Matthews consolidates herself as one of my favorite writers with each book she writes.

This is perhaps the most obscure of Mimi Matthew’s books. It is not an eerie kind of story, nor is it a gothic romance, but the influences of both styles are undeniably there. The biggest influence of the book is the BBC series “Peaky Blinders”, not only Gabriel could pass as an alter ego for Tommy Shelby, the general environment of the book is the same as the first half of the series, even the smog can be felt behind the lines! And then there’s Effie, who only dreams of completing her mission and pay her dues so she can finally become independent. Through her we get to see the first hints at politics with women at their core. The laws of property for females are referenced there and the seed of what will be the suffrage movement a few decades later. Effie and her way of thinking are probably the most interesting aspectis of the book as well as Gabriel’s ideas of progress and betterment. Both Effie and Gabriel with their different takes on life are incredibly forward thinking for their time. But… what’s their story?

After a few years in Paris, finishing her education, the headmistress who took Euphemia in as a child has a mission for her back in London and that is to infiltrate in London balls and soirées passing as the protegée of an English lady. Her actual goal: to destroy a powerful man that years ago caused the downfall of Miss Corvus, the Crinoline Academy’s headmistress.

In a very different area of London, far from the clean and proper streets of Mayfair, dwells Gabriel Royce. A self made man that grew up in the underworld of London, in a miserable area called “The Rookery” in St.Giles. The people there have next to no hope to make something of themselves, poverty and disease are present in every corner of the neighborhood. Men drink they they don’t work and steal from their wives and children’s labor. Gabriel started his gaming hells and betting rooms when he was very young and now he’s the most powerful man in St Giles. He’s on the path of making the place livable for his people and for that, he needs to deal with the very same man that Effie is set to destroy.

Soon they understand that the attraction between them is too strong and therefore they will start to question their priorities. She stands in his way to make his people justice, he stands in her way to complete her undercover mission. Both are at risk of losing everything including their lives… both are very protective of each other so the question is, will they manage to succeed in their endeavors and, at the same time, find their happily ever after?

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"The Devil's Own Duke", by Anna Harrington

I read this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review “Dukes of Darkness” series Book 4 Publishing date - Apr 29th, 2025 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Anna Harrington comes back with a gothic romance set in Regency England, more specifically after the Peninsular wars. Chase is a duke who fought in Spain as a mercenary and fell in love with the country especially since the male figure he loves as a father settled there. It’s been three years since a shipwreck in the coast of England took his wife and young son, three years since he moved to Spain, leaving all friends and relatives behind, feeling the guilt and the impression of having been a terrible husband and father. Now Chase is back in England, just for a while, and he intends to sell all of the properties that are not entailed. But he soon finds out that his late wife’s cousin Tessa is now a woman with very little prospects of finding a good husband.

Tessa’s and her sister Winnie’s reputations are dire straits due to their late father being discharged from the Army without honors and retributions. Apparently he ran away from battle although he never spoke of that and he took his truth to the grave. Now Tessa needs to find a husband to support her and young Winnie. Due to their circumstances, not many eligible bachelors will ask for their hands, so the first self made man to ask for her hand, will have to do. The truth is, Tessa has loved Chase since cousin Eleanor married him, the very same duke who now begs for her help classifying and selling his menagerie at the castle. Then he will leave for Spain never to be back again. The problem is that the castle has ghosts…

The first few pages of this book were just ok. I had the impression that I was going to have a good time and that was it. But soon enough Anna Harrington proved me wrong with the direction I never expected she would be taking. Mind you, I never pay much attention to the synopsis of the books before reading them so I never expected this one to be a gothic romance. What a pleasant surprise when they were cleaning here and there in the castle and then, GHOSTS! And when the ghost started to hount our main characters the pace of the book picked up. Or was it perhaps my heart? Also the setting, what a remarkable description of the environment around Chase and Tessa, more than a photography of the castle and its surroundings, it was the feeling of it having its own weather what really made me want to know more and more about their pasts. You know those movies with always stormy castles surrounded by always sunny villages? That was exactly what this book was giving me. I was so excited especially reading at night, try it! The recipe wouldn’t be complete without Chase’s heavy burden in the shape of years-long guilt, his broodiness, his reluctance to love and being loved despite being desperately in love, the mystery, the reminiscence of old classic gothic novels and most especially Jane Eyre (this might be me, projecting), the forbidden love (or is it?), the pining and the tragic fate added to the investigation of Tessa’s late father’s past, the intrigue and the friendship that come to help last minute, a classic! I had so much fun reading that I was happy with the book as it was and yet I had unforeseen plot twists that came as a gift. Happiest ending granted for me. This book is part of a series but it can be read as a standalone for it doesn’t give away anything about the stories that came before, just old friends being happy for each other. As it should be.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Finding Faith", by Matilda Madison

I read this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review “Seduced in Scotland” series Book 2 Publishing date - Apr 5th, 2025 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Angst, banter, adventure, love and family in the Highlands. Matilda Madison comes back with a new book, the second in her “Seduced in Scotland” series that started with three English sisters moving to Scotland with their great-aunt. Our second sister is Faith, she’s quite happy living with her sisters, her magnificent great-aunt Bella and her new brother-in-law. She thinks she’s run away from her scandalous past but when she learns that the artist that once promised never to sell her almost nude portrait has broken his promise and that the new owner is precisely Logan Harris, their nearest neighbor and Graham’s best friend she thinks up a plan to infiltrate the man’s house, destroy the painting, and disappear forever. But how could she have foreseen that Logan Harris, a war hero & hater of Englishwomen would fall in love with her almost at first sight?

Logan’s and Faith’s stories is pure entertainment. I honestly had a lot of fun reading the book and the pages flew in my hands. It has that element, that “je ne sais quoi” that makes you keep reading, wanting to know what happens next or what kind response will they get everytime they talk to one another. Plus there’s this magnificent character that is aunt Belle and her machinations behind the scenes, she has no shame and doesn’t pretend to have shame. I wish we had more of her, more scenes with her wit and her apparent lack of restraint. She’s probably my favorite character. Having said that, both Logan and Faith are quite loveable, especially her. Her mistakes and her regrets could feel relatable. They are very human, with failures and burdens, strenghts and weaknesses. They are not afraid be vulnerable when they are alone together, yet they wear armors in the presence of others.

I only wish the book had more pages, especially towards the end. As it is, it is quite enjoyable, it leaves you wanting more and it sets the premise of the next one, which I predict is going to be wild.

There is a scene in the book that could have been inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” though from another point of view. I don’t know if it’s intended or something that happened by chance, but I loved it and it made me feel like I was home. And there is lots and lots of rain and little horses. We’re in the Highlands after all.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Duke of Pryde", by Mariah Stone

An advanced reader’s copy of this book was offered to me by Grey's Promotions on behalf of Mariah Stone. My hereby review is spoiler-free and completely honest.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

While Mariah Stone is a new to me author, she’s not a newcomer in the job at all, she has been writing historical romances since 2019 and in the lapse of roughly 6 years she has built an extended and varied bibliography with Higlanders, Vikings and English dukes and nobles as heroes and heroines of her many series.

“Duke of Pryde” is her latest book which will come out very soon. It is the third book of her “Seven Dukes of Sin” series which is guided, as you might guess, by the seven deadly sins. Since this is my first book of hers that I read I won’t be able to talk about the development of her writing but I can tell you this, I have adored this book despite that the main plot is about keeping secrets and I hate the miscommunication trope, usually.

Constantine, the Duke of Pryde, has lots of secrets that he has mostly inherited from both his parents. But above all he has inherited an iron will of being always proper, and never let scandal taint his name or worse, his title. One day a young woman knocks on his door claiming that the baby she’s carrying in her arms is his. Knowing himself he’s sure that the young woman is lying. But in less than two days he receives a letter from an anonymous source trying to blackmail him for having a baby out of wedlock and letting the mother die in chilbirth. In that moment he finds the woman who’s looking after the baby and to save himself from scandal, he asks her to marry him for the sake of the baby.

Modesty is the young daughter of a poor vicar whose life is dedicated to helping others. That’s why when a pregnant woman claiming that her husband is dead and she has nowhere to go, they take her in. The baby is born and the poor mother on her deathbed confesses that the baby is the heir of the Duke of Pryde. Modesty swears to protect and look after that child no matter what, that’s why when the Duke comes back to her proposing marriage, she says yes. For the baby’s sake.

What none of them could imagine is that the moment they said “I do” their destines would be only one, together with the little one, forever. But before that there’s a long way of secrets to keep, rumors to navigate and the massive pride that was instilled on Constantine must disappear. How? Read this book to know.

Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. I fell instantly in love with both Modesty and Constantine, and I was on their side from the first word. It’s true that secrets and ‘on dits’ have a lot of weight in this book and miscommunication especially on Constantine’s part, was key to the development of the story, but they felt so human, so full of dreams and fears, strengths and weaknesses that the lack of total honesty with one another didn’t feel unreasonable. They’re truly honest about who they are to one another but not who they represent to the rest of the world and that’s why it works, mostly because the origins of those secrets lie in fears and uncertainties. Pryde’s pride comes from pain and I could not but understand where he stood. Once again love is thicker than blood, stronger that lies and harder than pride so, of course Modesty will love Constantine no matter what and he will love her in return, because she’s the one who deserves it all, she deserves everything.

Of course there’s so much more to them and to their story and my only recommendation is that you read this book and get to know them. The pages will fly in your hands and you will finish it before you know it! It won’t disappoint you, trust me.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Hope in the Highlands", by Matilda Madison

I read this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review “Seduced in Scotland” series Book 1 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

It was the Season, all of London seemed to be at the ball when all of a sudden Hope’s life turned from one of mild satisfaction and content to one of uncertainty and loss. It all happened in a matter of hours, perhaps not even an hour; Either Grace or Faith or both are involved in a scandal at the ball, Hope’s not-yet-official fiancé, the very proper, very social aware Malcolm Pennington, broke with her when she refused to dissasociate with her sisters and, on arriving home, Grandmother is dead.

Not very long after, great aunt Lady Belle, who lives in the Highlands, is visited by a neighbor, Graham McKinnon. McKinnon’s father put his house on the table at a game of cards while at the same time his son was being born. Belle was the one who won the game and therefore the house. Nevertheless Graham never held grudges towards the older woman and remained friendly with her. But now Belle is about to become the guardian of her sisters’ granddaughters, and Hope being the eldest will become her heiress. What better oportunity for Graham to recover his old family house and at the same time Belle finding someone to look after the girls whenever she’ll be gone? It’s the perfect solution for both! But when she tells him about her plan, Graham refuses to be manipulated. Little did he know that he’s going to fall in love with the very woman he’s refused to marry.

“Hope in the Highlands” is the first installment of a new series set in the Highlands by Matilda Madison. I presume it will be the story of the whole family, sister after sister, although I think maybe aunt Belle will have a story too. At least she has potential. I love starting new series and imagining who is going to be paired with whom. It’s fun. This book is about Hope and Graham, an Englishwoman and a Highlander.

I loved both characters. They both have had circumstances in the past that make them believe themselves unworthy but after a first clash on meeting, they open to each other little by little and it’s the small details and their personalities that tell the reader about their enormous inner strength. But the insecurities they carry are the cause for a miscommunication later in the story that although it was well resolved, for me it was a bit frustrating. Perhaps because I don’t like that trope as it almost never works for me. In this case I could let it go because of the resolution so in the end I found the writing incredibly sweet and romantic, just like old times’ historical romances. And I’m so thankful for that.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"The Mirror", by Nora Roberts

I read this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review “The Lost Bride” Trilogy Book 2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I started this book full of hope and high expectations because it is the continuation of “The Inheritance”, which I read last year and enjoyed inmensely.

However, soon enough into “The Mirror” I had the feeling that I was making too much of an effort reading these pages, pushing myself to keep going as the plot started to drag on and on without any indication of it leading anywhere. Even though I still loved the writing and the characters, their evolution and development, just as much as I did in the first book, the plot of the second one going round and round in circles fell flat for me. It lacked excitement for it was rather lukewarm.

I don’t need a book to be action-packed to enjoy it, it’s rather the opposite for me, actually. But in this case the lack of said action, the impression that many scenes could be taken out and still work alright or better for the lack of feeling to compensate for the lack of action. The pace of the book is too slow and unbalanced in conclusion, that’s why I just liked the book but not overly enjoyed it.

And the series isn’t finished yet. So I guess there will be at least one more book.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Wild for You", by Renee Harless

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝟻𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 "𝑆𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑦 𝐵𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝐹𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑠" 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been waiting for this book to exist since I read my first book of Renee Harless, which was the first book of the series that concludes here. Andrew, the big brother of the very adorable Easterly sisters, has been my favourite side character of the series since forever and I wanted him to have a happy ending, but most importantly I wanted him to find himself at ease in the family that his mother had with the lovely Nash Easterly.

Nash married Marisol who was a widow with a young son when the boy was a child. Together they had four more daughters and even if Nash always counted Andrew as his own son, like he were is actual firstborn, the boy has never felt that he was one of them, that he deserved a place in the Easterly farm or that he had the right to carry on with Nash’s legacy.

That’s why he never found his place in the world and the reason behind his participation in underground rodeos, risking everything under an assumed name. Until one day, at the beginning of the book, his luck runs out and he falls of the horse he’s riding. He has contusions and injuries all over his body, so he must start recuperating and having physical therapy at home. Luckily, his sister Rory’s best friend Kelsey is an expert in the field and she’s out of a job thanx to her now ex-boyfriend, so she’s able to move in with Andrew and be his personal therapist for the time being. At first, our beautiful older brother is grumpy and bitter but Kelsey’s patience and sweetness, added to her competence as a therapist, wins his over…

Kelsey is takes incredibly strong woman who takes care of Andrew while she figures out what to do with her life from now on. She not only falls in love with the man but, of course with the entire Easterly family and the small town where they live, wishing in her heart that one day she could have a family quite like them, united and supportive, with the lovely Marisol as the mother she would have loved her own mother to be. But as soon as she moves to Ashfield she finds out that she’s carrying her ex’s baby…

As I said earlier I’ve wanted Andrew’s book since forever. I knew that despite his gruff exterior he was a golden retriever, a cinnamon roll, because he’s always been so caring and protective of her sisters and he’s shown himself to be loyal and reliable time and time again over the books in the series. And I loved Kelsey for him, because they fit like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and the picture they create together is one of support and love despite everything. Still, even though I loved the story between them, I think that what I liked the most is that Andrew is no longer the odd one. I loved him with Nash, who’s loved him all his life as a stepfather and father would. Andrew deserves to be the heir of that legacy as he’s the living proof of what being an Easterly really means. Love above all.

I wish I could persuade Renee Harless to write a prequel with Nash’s and Marisol’s story.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"The Earl Breaks Even", by Matilda Madison

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 3 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 "𝐺𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑠" 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t know if it was intentional or not, Matilda Madison will let us know someday, but the fist half of this book felt a mix between “The Age of Innocence” and “Pride and Prejudice”�� with a twist.

Mabel Meadows is a divorced woman whose husband was a French Comte who was cruel and mistreated her. He was after her dowry but never loved her, so Mabel escaped France and went back home in Philadelphia. The scandal was so spectacular that it left a mark in her. Mabel has a younger sister, Leona, who in the beginning of the book is engaged to Alfred, the sweet younger brother of an English Earl. Derek, the Earl loves his family to a fault, and he feels the responsibility of protecting his mother and two younger brothers from all kinds of perils, included scandal. At first he adores Leona as future sister-in-law, but she’s come to England with a guardian dog, her phenomenal and very outspoken sister Mabel.

If you’ve read or seen any adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” you’ll know that it all begins with a young couple very much in love. And then the friends and family seeing the unbalanced relationship between them. The story is very similar to that of Leona and Alfred, but what if their version of Lizzie and Darcy plotted to separate them? And what if… the partners in crime fell in their own trap?

Of course there’s more to the story and the second half of the book takes a different turn. But, honestly, I did not like Mabel and Derek at first. They were, in my opinion, entitled, arrogant and selfish both of them. Oblivious and borderline cruel, sometimes, to the feelings of Alfred and Leona. Even if they were totally convinced that they were doing it for the greater good. But there’s a reason for them to be like that, the key being in their respective past, so in the end the couple sees reason and the reader (or at least this reader) ended up loving and supporting them, especially Mabel. Matilda Madison touches some subjects that are very relatable, even if we’ve never experience the same troubles and tribulations that either Mabel or Derek did, for we all know people who’ve had those experiences. In the end it is very satisfying to see that everyone in the family find their happy endings and… in Christmas!

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"The Muse of Maiden Lane", by Mimi Matthews

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 "𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒆" 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 "𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏" 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 To be published November 21st ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve spent a weekend that was supposed to be boring due to being down with a cold in the highest of spirits and all because I was reading Mimi Matthew’s most recent work. Most of those who read my reviews know that Mimi’s books are one of my most precious happy places and this book in particular felt very special.

Not only I’ve returned to the author’s beautiful writing and her wonderful and instantly familiar characters, for once you start reading about them you have the feeling that you’ve known them forever, but in this particular book Mimi Mathews goes beyond her usual sensitivity, her humanity is so palpable in those lines, the way she’s created Teddy and Stella with delicacy and dedication. They are so unique that they stand out amongst all of the other character, not because they’re the protagonists and not because of their obvious uniqueness, but for their faith, their resilience, their strong wills and their mutual support.

Teddy had every right to be angry and mean and awful and back in the day he was. Because his legs lost their strength due to illness, instead he is sweet, funny, compassionate and understanding. It is true that his family is supportive and loving and that makes a difference, but he wants to be independent and show everyone that he’s just an ordinary man. Stella doesn’t have her family support and she’s much alone in life except for the support of her friends, who are also women and therefore powerless, the only way she has to become independent and free is to get married. Her hair started turning grey too early in her life and her unsupportive brother deems her unmarriageable. That’s until Teddy meets her and becomes obsessed with painting her portrait and she sees in him the companion that she thought she would never have.

I don’t know how much of herself did Mimi put into this book but I could glimpse little bits of her in Stella, especially in her relationship with her mare, but I could also see little bits of her in Teddy. I don’t presume to know her personally, of course, but if you follow her and the small things she chooses to share with us through tweets, dms or newsletters, you can see that she’s as determined and as resilient as her hero. This is a very personal book, and you can feel it from the first word.

This is a beautiful slow burn romance that is born at a Christmas party in the English countryside.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"The Duke's Christmas Bride", by Anna Bradley

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loosely inspired by “A Christmas Carol”, “The Duke’s Christmas Bride” is the story of te very cold, very unfeeling Duke of Grantham whose purpose in life is revenge. When he was a child his mother died of cosumption and his father was an alcoholic who wagered his wife’s birthplace and lost it. Max has ever since seen Ambrose St. Clair as the man who he once loved like a second father until he betrayed him and took ownership of the house. But Ambrose kept a secret and before dying he wrote a letter to Max urging him to come back and claim his treasure.

Hampton Court is now in ruins and Max’s intention is to tear it down as a final act of revenge. But what he doesn’t know is that 17 years ago Ambrose had adopted the four year old daughter of a friend and the man’s will specifies that Rose is entitled to half of the house while the other half now belongs to Max. Since the will also clarifies that none of them can take the other’s half by force, Max invites a few acquaintances to spend Christmas with him, but his real intention is to make someone marry Rose.

Rose of course guessed what Ambrose’s real motives were and she will see his last wish come true… but she never thought love would come knocking on her door, or rather tearing it down.

Although it is a bit early for Christmas stories, I read this book precisely when I needed it. It was such a sweet and compelling story that it warmed my heart. Rose and Max are two lonely people who find love where they least expect it even though there are other characters in the book, the moments when they are toghether building memories without being aware of doing so are the best. I loved seeing the snow through their eyes, the houses, the decorations, the ginger biscuits, the frozen lake, and how little by little, Rose’s joy and sweetness melts Max’s icy heart. Love changes him and humbles him enough to prevent him from becoming Mr Scrooge forever. If you only read one Christmas romance this year, let it be this one. I adored it.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

Hi!

I never talk here, or rather it's been a loooong time since I don't talk here. But I wanted to wish you a happy end of the week and that you are all safe and well. Cheers to you all!

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Rider's Block", by Waitlyn Andrews

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amelia is a successful romance writer who lives in South California and who has had her latest manuscript rejected by many publishers. She has decided to try a new genre for that manuscript and the problem is that she didn’t do a proper job at research, you shouldn’t write a book about the ranch and cowboy culture if you’ve never lived it. Luckily her best friend, Olivia, has relatives in the Colorado planes and through her she manages to spend a summer with the Randall family. The eldest of the sons, Eric, is a grumpy man and unfortunately he’s also the first person he meets, after she has a tyre puncture in the middle of nowhere.

Of course it’s Amelia’s and Eric’s love story but there’s so much more to this book. I don’t know how I ended up liking it because Amelia is so stupidly blind it’s not even funny (it’s not stubbornness, trust me). Eric is so clear, so straightforward and so honest about his feelings for her and telling her about them time and again that I felt that the poor guy would need to get a tattoo on his temple saying “I love you”! Actually, and because of Amelia’s voice, I wasn’t liking the book and I almost abandoned it. She is the sole narrator in the first person of the story, we only hear her thoughts and sometimes it was annoying. We never see Eric’s point of view. Also there were many moments that felt too convenient and some others that had no purpose but to add drama (the last encounter with her father could have been deleted and it would change nothing).

But I fell in love with with the Randalls and another positive aspect of the book is that I learnt a lot about ranches, cowboys and rodeos, which for me, being from outside of the USA is rare and unique. About the second half the book picked up and became more enjoyable.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"The Ruin of Evangeline Jones", by Julia Bennet

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ❞𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑱𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔❞ 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 ❞𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆❞ 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Evie is a good actress, or rather a good performer. She’s one of London’s most wanted mediums in the Victorian era. But she is a performer, she tricks her clients into thinking that their beloved departed can communicate with her, they can know what’s become of them through her… but it is a lie, and Alex, duke of Harcastle is set on unmasking her, and he is a stubborn man. However, even though Evie is a scammer, things are not as simple as they seem.

I had so much fun reading the love story between a bottoned-up medium and a gloomy duke that I read the book in less than two days. Julia Bennet’s writing is very straightforward and she sets the tone of a gothic novel in its right measure, not too dark but still obscure. And in the process she puts on the table themes like poverty, privilege, hunger, and the lengths women had to go in order to survive when they were poor and alone in life. Evie is an example of that, but there are others referred in the novel that had it so much worse. That doesn’t mean that privileged people had it easy either, so according to the writer, in the end it depends on the circumstances, and these circumstances could vary.

The romance doesn’t come clearly on the page until the second half of the book, of course there’s attraction and crushing, but I didn’t feel the sentiment until later. That can be both good and bad; good because a slow development gives it a natural aspect, bad because a badly written transition could make it hard to believe. In this case I think Julia Bennet has a reason to not show and tell early because it’s a forbidden love, the class difference is so wide that it’s natural that both Alex and Evie keep their feelings a secret to each other until they need to keep the secret between themselves. Them against the world and the status quo.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"Rewitched", by Lucy Jane Wood

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I honestly fell in love with the covers of this book and the vibes they have. It looked like the perfect witchy rom-com for the season… only that it isn’t actually a rom-com, but that’s more than ok. I loved an enjoyed reading this book all the same.

This is the story of Belladonna “Belle” Blackthorn who has been a witch since she was 15, and now that she’s turning 30 she must pass a trial in which a jury of witchfolk will decide if she’s worthy of her powers or not. Of course nothing is ideal for she is an introvert and a very insecure person especially concerning her own capabilities both as a witch and as a human, she is very special and a gifted bookseller, but she doesn’t have a lot of faith in herself.

Since the trial’s outcome cannot come to a conclusion about her magical powers and the way she uses them, she’s assigned a one month training with a mentor and from that moment on, the adventure of learning magic and discovering her own real strengths and weaknesses begins.

This is not a rom-com but there is romance in this book, only there are two themes to the story that have more weight and give some sort of support to the romance. But the main goal isn’t the fulfillment of a love story, it is one of the results of the journey for our protagonists. Before anything, Belle needs to find her true worth, she needs to put herself  and her magic first for once in her life or she might lose everything that is good and well in her life. The amazing love and support from her mother, Bonnie, and her best friend, Ariadne… and the two lovely gentlemen she becomes friends with. Well, actually only one of them is really lovely and charming, the other one is broody and mysterious, one is a father figure of sorts, or rather a grandfather figure, the other one is… just Rune. Rune the protector, the watchman and her shadow.

I love that this book is more focused about the protagonist’s self assurance and growth than about romance in itself. It’s a well balanced plot, but there are more ingredients in the cauldron. Darkness, obscurity, moments of doubt, friendship and love, realizing that we’re not alone in the world, respecting and giving value to the lessons taught by the people who came before us, family and the safety net that they provide when all else fails, the support given to us when everything goes well too, the road to maturity and acceptance. All with lovely characters, coffee, sweet recipes, humor, lots of spells and incantations… and a cat!

[pollyssecretlibrary]

"The Land of the Living and the Dead", by Shauna Lawless

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 - 𝐒𝐞𝐩 𝟏𝟕𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t know how Shauna Lawless to balance character driven and plot driven writing, yet she’s done it again. After two books and two novellas, the third and final book of the “Gael Song” series dances between the two concepts like she would dance an Irish jig. She makes it look easy from the outside but it is actually a very complicated goal to achieve. In a way, it is like trying to untangle a Celtic knot.

I recognize that I was a bit afraid of this book before reading it, mainly because I am deeply emotionally involved in these characters and their development. Knowing that Irish legends, myths, and songs almost always have a gloomy or tragic feel beneath the words and the melodies I was prepared for something great in terms of storytelling but I had no hope of a happy ending (which isn’t a bad thing per se). A few months prior to reading this book Shauna herself without unveiling anything plot-wise, had warned me that I would probably cry. And she was right. But you know, there are tears of sadness and rage and there are tears of joy as well, what kind of tears I shed I won’t tell so don’t take anything for granted before the end of this book.

The only certainty is that Fódla’s and some other characters’ stories end here. Forgive me for keeping the plot of this third book a secret, but I believe that these secrets and tribulations are for you to unveil, just know that it’s so worth the while. I can guarantee that the “Gael Song” books leave a tattoo in your heart and your soul, that’s all you need to know. As for the end of the series, well, it is an end. Some doors are closing here but also some others are opening, there’s hope for the future and some of the characters’ paths are only beginning. Something new, as fearsome and as hopeful as the day that Fódla started her own journey, is being born. Ancient legends and myths never end, they just become other people’s stories, tangled with other stories in the unfihished tale that is History, combined with folklore, magic, and fantasy. After all, this is how legends are born. How lucky we are that we have a master storyteller to guide us through the darkness into the light.

This is not over. YET.