Carla's Book Crush

The Baron’s Daughter by Laura Beers 
Series: The Beckett Files – Book 6
Publisher: Independent
Publication Date: January 27, 2021
Pages: 366
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

Lord Morgan Easton is, first and foremost, an agent of the Crown. To achieve his purposes, he has become Society’s golden boy, and a renowned rake. When it’s discovered that notorious French spy, Genet, is attending a house party in a small seaside village, he is tasked to infiltrate the gathering and arrest the spy. But first, he must convince a certain woman to become his partner and pose as his wife. The challenge is that she would rather see him dead.

Miss Josette Northcott guards her secrets fiercely, trusts few, and enjoys the anonymity that goes along with being the headmistress of a private school in the rookeries. When Lord Morgan offers her a deal she can’t refuse, she makes it clear that this is nothing more than a business arrangement. No man, no matter how charming or infuriatingly handsome he is, can know the truth of her sordid and twisted past.

As a nefarious plot begins to unfold, threatening the stability of two countries, Morgan and Josette must learn to trust each other in order to stop the assassination of both the King of France and their own prince regent. However, trust does not come easily to either agent, and when the truth of Josette’s past is finally unveiled, will they be able to accept that not only is their mission on the line, but their hearts, as well?

Beneath the Blackberry Moon Part 1: the Red Feather 
by April W. Gardner 
Series: Beneath the Blackberry Moon
Publisher: Big Spring Press
Publication Date: January 14, 2016
Pages: 442
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

As weapons rise and loyalties divide, two lives are forever changed by love, faith, and the fight to survive.

Adela McGirth has always known the land her father claimed was never truly theirs. So when Muscogee warriors rise to reclaim it, their attack—swift and merciless—feels more like justice than surprise. Captured and dragged into an unfamiliar world, Adela clings to her faith and her plan: escape, save her ailing mother, and make it home.

But nothing prepares her for him.

Totka Hadjo is a warrior with something to prove—to his people, to his leaders, to himself.
But Adela, with her fierce spirit and quiet strength, stirs something unexpected in him. As tensions escalate and soldiers draw near, Totka is caught between duty and desire… and a choice that could cost him everything.

Bound by war. Divided by faith.
Hope and love dare to rise.

The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: October 15, 2024
Pages: 332
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

Everyone in Wilbeth Green has something to hide, but she’s about to uncover their secrets.

1956: In a quiet English village, the smoldering ruins of Rosemont Abbey have set the residents’ tongues wagging, and everyone is quick to accuse troublemaker Paul Everly of the crime of arson. Paul has vanished without a trace, leaving only his plucky twin sister, Louisa, certain of his innocence. Fueling her conviction is an inexplicable connection–she felt her twin’s death an hour before the abbey went up in flames.

Armed with nothing but her wit and her keen sense of intuition, Louisa embarks on her own investigation, challenging the dubious townspeople and the disdain of her aunt and uncle. Even Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, once Paul’s closest friend, warns Louisa to abandon her pursuit. But Louisa is determined to solve a murder no one else believes was committed, even if it means unraveling secrets that could shake Wilbeth Green to its core.

Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden 
Series: The Blackstone Legacy
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: August 31, 2021
Pages: 346
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

Her gilded world holds a deeply hidden secret. 

After years of tragedy, Gwen Kellerman now lives a quiet life as a botanist at an idyllic New York college. She largely ignores her status as heiress to the infamous Blackstone dynasty and hopes to keep her family’s heartbreak and scandal behind her.

Patrick O’Neill survived a hardscrabble youth to become a lawyer for the downtrodden Irish immigrants in his community. He’s proud of his work, even though he struggles to afford his ramshackle law office. All that changes when he accepts a case that is sure to emphasize the Blackstones’ legacy of greed and corruption by resurrecting a thirty-year-old mystery.

Little does Patrick suspect that the Blackstones will launch their most sympathetic family member to derail him. Gwen is tasked with getting Patrick to drop the case, but the old mystery takes a shocking twist neither of them saw coming. Now, as they navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger, Patrick and Gwen will be forced to decide if the risk to the life they’ve always held dear is worth the reward.

Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: September 3, 2024
Pages: 204
Review
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

The Nutcracker and Edwardian-Era England combine to weave a magical tale of love and friendship at Christmastime.

As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn’t seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed their friendship would kindle into something more, but that was before she heard Cyril was courting the cruelhearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to welcome him as a friend and pray he will be the heir her stepfather needs, but she’ll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste.

Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself caught between his affection for her and her family’s misunderstanding of his attachment to Lady Pearl. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to win Mariah’s hand by Christmas. Will the magic of the holiday season help lead to the discovery of true love, or will duty to country leave all longing for what could have been?

Dear Lord Wycliffe by Gigi Lynn
Series: Rebel Heart
Publisher: Independent
Publication Date: December 7, 2024
Pages: 462
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

It was just a small deception.

Except even one letter to an unrelated gentleman was a grave impropriety. But Lady Corinna Capener had a question, and she used her brother’s name on the correspondence. Lord Wycliffe thought the letter came from a man. Surely, he would never find out. Neither would her brother.

But once was not enough. Lord Wycliff asked her opinion and cared what she thought. He shared his experiences in revolutionary France. He encouraged her scholarly pursuits. She cherished each letter.

Of course, it had to stop. A friendship, or anything more, was impossible. Then Lord Wycliffe added a complication. He asked her to help his associate, a French viscount, who was smuggling endangered aristocrats out of France. Corinna couldn’t say no. With the help of her dearest friend, Lady Georgiana, Corinna started down a twisted path of intrigue and danger.

And then, without warning, Lord Wycliffe returned home. And he was even more captivating in person than in Corinna’s dreams. But could he ever see past her lies and unladylike presumption? Or would her feelings remain forever unrequited?

Discovering Dahlia by Jennifer Moore 
Series: The Blue Orchid Society – Book 5
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Pages: 208
Review
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

A Victorian Romance

Following a painful public humiliation, Dahlia Lancaster was left heartbroken, friendless, and shunned by London Society. But rather than dwelling on the balls she’ll never attend, Dahlia has turned her attentions to her unconventional inheritance—a steamship company. After a year of work, she’s preparing to launch The Aurora, a luxury ocean liner that promises to revolutionize travel. The invitation list is exclusive: Dahlia’s closest friends—the Blue Orchid Society—as well as a few influential individuals from her old life whose presence will ensure the success of her endeavor. Unfortunately, not all have the best interests of Dahlia or her shipping line at heart.

Lord Meredith has loved Dahlia since their first meeting. But after her fall from grace, she has evaded his every attempt to see her—until she extends an invitation to join her on The Aurora. Once aboard, Lord Meredith and Dahlia’s tentative rekindling of their friendship is interrupted when things begin to go terrible wrong. Mischievous dealings take on an ominous tone, and it’s clear that someone is intent on humiliating Dahlia again or worse—but she will not be sunk so easily.

Heart of Beauty by Danielle Grandinetti
Publisher: Hearth Spot Press 
Publication Date: February 11, 2025
Pages: 186 
Review
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

Discover the origin of Crooked Tooth Ranch in this 1870s western retelling of Beauty and the Beast

How can a beauty save a beast?

Blue Spruce, Montana, 1871—When Caleb Orson’s prize stallion escapes his ranch, Sal Beauregard rides to the rescue, revealing her true identity as a one of the few eligible females in town. She’d do it again if it meant saving an animal from the cruel retaliation of Brendan Doran. The man has no respect for women or God’s creatures.

But the sun’s early setting strands her at Caleb’s ranch. Worse, Sallie’s father unceremoniously leaves her there under Caleb’s protection. However, Doran refuses to lose again to Caleb—first a horse, now a woman. He wants Sallie as his wife, and not even the reclusive ogre of a cowboy can stand in his way. No matter Sallie’s opinion.

Choosing to make the best of a difficult situation, Sallie takes over the gentling of Caleb’s stallion. She believes she can reach Caleb as well. Only, the first blush of friendship grows into something … more. Something that threatens the desires of Caleb’s enemy. And if Doran cannot have a beauty like Sallie, neither can a beast.

A Tale of Tenacity, Romance, and Peace

Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar
Series: Lone Star Redemption – Book 2
Publisher: Wild Heart Books
Release Date: March 25, 2025
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she’ll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her.

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves.

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle’s house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?

Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill
Series: The Art of Love and Danger – Book 1
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: March 11, 2025
Review
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her.

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall’s only lead is Lydia’s fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the “Killer Queen of Romance.” Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself.

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati’s citizens, but for their own hearts too.

Do you prefer your historical fiction
with a touch of romance, suspense, or both?

Thank you to The Artsy Reader Girl for hosting Top Ten Tuesday!