Having spent most of my life in the Midwest, I know a little (or a lot) about growing up in a small-town environment. When I was younger, I was annoyed by all the things I now find charming about this genre of romance books. The nosy neighbor, the know-it-all jock, the downtrodden wallflower? Stereotypical but oh-so-real. I have written several series set in small towns and have come to love them all. It’s now my go-to genre when I want to sit and relax.
One of the things a series starter has to do is build a world readers want to revisit. Chelle Sloan has done an amazing job of that with this book.
I loved the characters and universe, which is crucial for drawing me into the rest of the series. This book is perfect for readers who adore witty characters and swoony romance, which I absolutely do!
I think so many of us can relate to the day-to-day life of Charlie, a single mom just trying to make it one more week. Charlie is charming with the perfect level of quirky.
One of the things I love about small-town romance is how the community comes into play. I love that his book has an amazing balance of that as well as a steamy romance between Charlie and Reid.
Can a free-spirited country girl navigate the world of intrigue, illicit affairs, and power-mongering that is the court of Louis XIV—the Sun King--and still keep her head?
France, 1670. Sixteen-year-old Sylvienne d’Aubert receives an invitation to attend the court of King Louis XIV. She eagerly accepts, unaware of her mother’s…
I adore Karice Bolton’s ability to weave romance and women’s fiction—a genre focused on telling the woman’s story.
I loved that these characters are mature and well-developed and found this to be a comfortable world for me to walk into. The emotions run high in this one, and it’s absolutely perfect. I liked the balance of character development mixed with romance.
Love and War in the Jewish Quarter
by
Dora Levy Mossanen,
A breathtaking journey across Iran where war and superstition, jealousy and betrayal, and passion and loyalty rage behind the impenetrable walls of mansions and the crumbling houses of the Jewish Quarter.
Against the tumultuous background of World War II, Dr. Yaran will find himself caught in the thrall of the…
I mentioned before that I love how the community becomes part of the story in small-town romance. That has been masterfully achieved in this book.
I enjoyed how the characters were resisting their feelings despite what was obvious to everyone around them. In this Rivals-to-Lovers take on small-town romance, the attraction is strong, the feud heated, and the characters easy to like.
I thought this book had a fantastic balance that kept the story from feeling too heavy.
There are things readers come to expect from small-town romance: downtrodden residents, a close-knit community, and that one nosy neighbor who knows everybody’s business. You’ll find all of these in this book, as well as a sweet romance between the local bookstore owner and a budding author with big dreams and a bigger heart.
Ginny DePowell and Ben Weaver navigate the ups and downs of getting to know each other in between running her store, helping her ailing mother, and avoiding the prying eyes of the local newspaperman who seems to think he has the inside scoop on everything.
A traditional mystery with a touch of cozy, The Alchemy Fire Murder is for those who like feisty women sleuths, Oxford Colleges, alchemy, strong characters, and real concerns like trafficking, wildfires, racism, and climate change. This book especially works for those fascinated by myth and witches in history. Read for…
