Best Books to Read Now - February 2019

Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading. 

If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with  my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.

I have fewer books this month that I can talk about because I had to finish up my Rita judging books - and those I cannot talk about! But these are all soooooo good! I can’t wait for you all to snatch them up!

The Woman in the Lake - Nicola Cornick
Amazon || Apple Books

I listed Nicola Cornick’s last book, The Phantom Tree, as one of my favorite books of 2018 and this one also just knocks it out of the park. Something about her writing and her creative genre-blending of English historical fiction, time-traveling mystery and romance seduces me. I’ve been haunted by this book much like The Phantom Tree and I can’t wait to dig deeper into her backlist.

The Psychology of Time Travel - Kate Mascarenhas
Amazon || Apple Books

I saw this book on Netgalley and requested it as soon as I read “Hidden Figures-type story about the female pioneers in time-travel.” UM, YES. And that was a good description but also it was so much more. When I tell you this is a twisty time-travel mystery, it IS but that’s also not doing it justice. There are diverse characters, multiple POVs, multiple time-periods, deeper themes and an exploration of mental illness all smushed together in a page-turning well-written speculative fiction whodunit. Which is ALL my catnip. If you read it, I’d love to know what you think!

For the Duke’s Eyes Only - Lenora Bell
Amazon || Apple Books

I picked this one up when I saw Jenny from Wicked Wallflowers posting about it on Instagram. I’ll just quote her - see if you can tell why I instantly one-clicked: “Enemies to lovers, a badass lady archaeologist and witter banter for days.”

…Right?

It was the best historical that I’ve picked up in a while. LOVED it.

Dear Writer, You Need to Quit - Becca Syme
Amazon || Apple Books

Now I know this nonfiction book might not be a book that a lot of you want to read, but if you are a working author, you definitely want to take a look at this. I’ve taken three courses with Becca and I can attest that she’s a fantastic coach with career advice that is down-to-earth yet also inspiring. (Listen to me interview Becca on the Women With Books podcast here.) If you’re interested in other recommendations of books that are about writing / creativity check out my list here: HBIC Creativity Books.

What I’m Reading Next: My real-life book club picked Pretend I’m Dead by Jen Beagin for our next book. I don’t know anything about this and I have no idea if I’ll like it (or if you’ll like it.) But the good thing about book clubs is it exposes us to new things, right?

Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!

And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved lately or what you’re looking forward to reading next!  If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2019!

Best Swoony Historical Romance Books!

Updated for 2025!

In honor of V-Day, I am bound by the ancient romance author code to recommend romance books.  Of course, it’s hard to narrow that down. Romance is a huge genre and has been around since Helen of Troy’s face inspired a slightly emo love triangle.

So I sat down and really thought about what I would like to read on a day devoted to eternal passion and devotion (and chocolate hearts!) and the answers came rather quickly. Passionate, swoony historical romances!  It’s one of my favorite sub-genres and I have re-read all of these at least three or four times.

*UPDATED with my new favorites for 2025*

Want to know what to read after Bridgerton on Netflix? Keep Reading!
***

Almost a Scandal – Elizabeth Essex

Amazon || Apple Books

All of Elizabeth’s heroines are intrepid and all of her heroes are masculine yet not jackhole-y so you could start anywhere in her backlist but this is the one that I got started with and the one that I recommend to anyone who likes a bit of spying, naval warfare and adventure on the high seas with their swoons.

As You Desire – Connie Brockway

Amazon

I’ve re-read this 4 or five times. The way that Harry loves Desdemona…. The literal definition of S W O O N. This book gets my heart every time but there’s also an Egyptian archaeology sub-plot that will scratch your adventure/ The Mummy itch.

If you’re young and haven’t seen The Mummy yet, it’s on Netflix and why haven’t you?!?

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished – Sarah MacLean 
Amazon || Apple Books

Everyone has a favorite Sarah MacLean and this one must be mine because I’ve re-read it several times (and not just because of the ENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)  If you’re new to the series, please start with the 1st (A Rogue by Any Other Name) and then work your way to this one, the third. TRUST ME. I know that’s mean of me to suggest the 3rd book and then tell you to start two books back, but… it’s Valentine’s Day. Treat yourself. (Check out my interview with Sarah on the Women With Books podcast here.)

Treat yo self to 3 (or 4) Sarah MacLean novels!

A Lady by Midnight – Tessa Dare
Amazon || Apple Books

I have lots of favorite Tessa Dare books too, but this one is the most swoony IMO. Take a grumpy war veteran with PTSD, a sweet puppy, a quirky cast of characters in Spindle Cove and you have a perfect chocolate box of romance. (Check out my interview with Tessa on the Women With Books podcast here.)

Ignore the improbably bold naked chest pose and look at Diana Gabaldon’s cover quote! She is RIGHT about this book (and all things, probably.)

The Spymaster’s Lady – Joanna Bourne

Amazon || Apple Books

This is the only book on the list that I have NOT re-read, which I just realized makes me a liar but I couldn’t NOT include one of the best historical romances I read last year. Yes, I just got to this classic last year but OMG. It sent me into a bit of a depression, honestly, because I wasn’t sure if I could ever write a love story like this. It’s got an unforgettable voice, twists, a lot of spying and a heroine who is lovably stubborn and imperfect and who has to be dragged kicking and screaming (literally – but for good reasons) into love. (And it’s pretty obvious by now I like spying in my books…isn’t it?)

Outlander – Diana Gabaldon
Amazon || Apple Books

The first book in this series fits as a historical romance, IMO, even if Ms. Gabaldon doesn’t agree.  If you’ve been living blindfolded under a rock in the middle of a desert island and have not read this book and if you like time travel, hot Scottish men and  plucky modern heroines… well… Happy Valentine’s Day.

Lord of Scoundrels - Loretta Chase
Amazon || Apple Books

What can I say about Jess and Dain and this book that hasn’t been said 1000 times already? This is a romance classic, one where you can instantly find a kindred spirit by just saying the words, “the glove scene!” Or, “the naughty watch!” Or, “then she shoots him!!!”

Crap. I’m going to have to go re-read this now. I love it so much.

A Lady Awakened - Cecilia Grant
Amazon || Apple Books

This is such a unique one, but a delicious, delicate, deliberate exploration of two people falling love. Another classic, it’s a fantastic example of a slow burn romance even though the two main characters have a deal to get the woman pregnant as soon as possible. The fact that Cecilia Grant can put all that together…

Mr. Impossible - Loretta Chase
Amazon || Apple Books

Yes! Another Loretta Chase book! Another book set in Egypt with strong The Mummy vibes. What can I say? I have a type! And I know what I like!

Destiny’s Captive - Beverly Jenkins
Amazon || Apple Books

I’ll never forget the first time I saw this cover (RWA San Antonio). I gasped, loudly. Also… pirates! Rebels! Smugglers! And this tag line: “She stole his ship… and his heart.” I enjoy everything Beverly Jenkins writes because I really love American-historical romances but this one has that adventure and that nautical spirit that I also love (if you can’t tell by now…)

Unclaimed - Courtney Milan
Amazon || Apple Books

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-read this one by Courtney Milan. Like the rest of these authors (Sarah Maclean, Tessa Dare, Beverly Jenkins) she’s so prolific and everyone has a favorite and this one is mine. It features a chaste hero and a courtesan heroine and the slow burn… (there’s that phrase again… wow. My reader wheels are fully evident, aren’t they?)

A Wicked Kind of Husband - Mia Vincy
Amazon || Apple Books

I think I gushed enough about this book throughout 2019 that it deserves to be put on this list. It’s funny, it’s fresh, it made me sob. What more can you want from a romance? Find more about the book (and Mia Vincy!) here: Women With Books Interview.

Bringing Down the Duke - Evie Dunmore
Amazon || Apple Books

If you are a historical romance reader, do not let this cover confuse you or stop you from picking it up. This is a terrific Victorian romance set amongst the suffrage movement that also made me have all feels and I cannot WAIT until the next one comes out later this year (HINT HINT ARC GODDESSES…)

And for more book recommendations, follow my Best Books tag here!

Best Books to Read Now - January 2019

Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading. 

If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with  my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if we’re simpatico con los libros. 

Scandal Above Stairs - Jennifer Ashley

Amazon || Apple Books

The second book in the Kat Holloway historical mystery series (or 3rd if you count the prequel novella?). I enjoyed going back to the world of Victorian London cook Mrs. Holloway and following along as she helped solve another mystery - this one involving stolen artifacts. 

Becoming - Michelle Obama

Amazon || Apple Books

If you’ve ever day-dreamed about being part of the former FLOTUS’ #girlsquad, this book might be closest you’ll ever come but Mrs. O lets you in to her world, her life and her experiences. The book sounds like one of her speeches, smart, affirming, disarming and no BS. I was thoroughly charmed (and also still a little disturbed by a description of one of her girls’ weekends at Camp David. Morning workouts? Really? I mean, yes Mrs. O. Anything you say! )

99 Percent Mine - Sally Thorne

Amazon || Apple Books

I had an ARC of this and I’m so excited that it’s finally out in the world and I can talk to people about it! A “warning” to romance readers: Ms. Thorne does NOT follow the typical romance structures. This book - even though it’s romantic - is so much more than that. It’s a story of a friendship, of a family (birth and chosen) and a woman who finally discovers the life she should have been leading. And yes, I’ve mentioned it on the podcast but I cried - HARD - at the end. And I usually avoid books that make me cry. 

Summoned to 13th Grave - Darynda Jones

Amazon || Apple Books

Speaking of crying, don’t cry ‘cause it’s over. The final installment in the Charley Davidson series is hopeful, powerful and leaves LOTS of room for Ms. Jones to continue following the ABQ supe crew as they protect the savior of the world.  This is one of the few long-running series that I’ve ever finished all the way through so I feel like I need to get a medal or something. 

The Light Over London - Julia Kelly

Amazon || Apple Books

Another one I read last year and is FINALLY out there!!!  Yes, Julia Kelly is a dear friend (and she’s been on my podcast HERE and HERE ) but this book is so good. It’s a dual timeline story and follows Cara in the present day as she unravels the history behind a WWII era journal that she discovers. If you want to hear more about it, please listen to the podcast episode and also READ THE BOOK. 

What I’m Reading Next: RITA books! As part of my membership in RWA, I volunteer to judge the books for the Rita awards. So YAY! Free books! The downside? As part of the judging process, I promise to not talk about the books. Boo.  That doesn’t mean I don’t sneak them into recommendations at other times throughout the year though…. Wink wink. So keep reading the blog and hopefully they’ll all be so good I can slip them in and it will be our little secret, okay? 

I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved lately or what you’re looking forward to reading next!  If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2019!

My Favorite Book Ingredients: My Reader (and Author) Wheels

In two of my most recent Women With Books podcast episodes (with Becca Syme and Roni Loren), I discussed the concept of reader wheels. Basically, it’s what readers of a certain type of genre or sub-genre expect when they approach that sort of book.

A corollary to a reader wheel is an author wheel – that is, what an author brings to every book.  This might also be known as an author’s “core story.”  Ideally, an author can eventually make a promise to a reader – that X, Y and Z will be found in every book written by that author. (I can hear some writers grumbling or protesting now, but that’s a debate for another time… with alcohol involved.)

Because she’s on top of things like this, Roni Loren wrote a blog post outlining what she likes reading and the aspects she hopes is also in her books here.

Of course that got me thinking about what I like to read the most and sure enough, I realized that it’s also the same things that I *hope* are in my books.

1. “Voice” / humor / banter.

Voice is that indefinable quality that writers and readers can recognize in an instant – a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book *sounds* different from a Sarah MacLean book which *sounds* different from an Ilona Andrews book. Once I find an author with a voice that I click with, I’m basically their servant for life.

For me, a good author “voice” is almost synonymous with an inherent humor, but it doesn’t have to be. I also think snappy banter/ dialogue is very entwined with an appealing voice but again, that’s probably my preference.

And I’ve been told my books are funny (even when I’m trying to be serious!) and have *my* voice (even when I’m trying to sound different!) so if you like *my* voice then maybe you’ll like the books I love and recommend, too!

2. Romance/ sexual tension/ romantic interest

I don’t always read romance, but I do always like to read *something* with a romantic interest or some sexual tension. It just makes the whole thing much more satisfying (that’s what she said.)  

Similarly, I don’t really write straight up romance but even if I write a mystery novel, you know there’s going to be a hot cop. Or a hot private investigator. Or a hot… accountant. That’s my solemn vow as an author.

3. Mystery/ magic/ quest/ twist

I think this is the wheel where genres start getting blurred around here. I will read romance… but my favorite-est romances are those where there’s a twist or some sub-plot with a mystery to solve. I love a vaguely paranormal aspect to plots, too, or just straight up paranormal/ time-travel, etc.

You see this in my books because I love putting in a psychic or a tarot card in the middle of a royal adventure. I really adore writing mysteries and I think I keep things fairly twisty in any of my stories. (A twist even popped up in my stories The Island Christmas Spirit and The Matchmaking Christmas Spirit – where I was trying to write a straight-forward, simple, trope-y holiday romances!)

4. Female focused.

I prefer reading about the female experience, written by female authors, about feminist topics. I really have to have A LOT of recommendations to get me to any book that’s about a dude written by a dude. I know a lot of people could call that reverse sexism but… I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. As I taught my kids, “don’t yuck someone else’s yum.”

And as I mentioned recently in my blog post about Queens and the Patriarchy, exploring female power and friendships is a theme that keeps popping up in my books – so I guess my subconscious has something to say about it!

5. Good writing!

This is sooooo subjective. It’s a lot like pornography. You know it when you see it. And everyone’s opinion is different – and valid!  What clicks for one person might not click for another and the books I recommend might not click for you. But I promise that ANY book I recommend will be edited, contain good grammar, spelling, etc. And my books? I don’t give my AGENT a manuscript with mistakes, I definitely wouldn’t sell one to a reader!

So those are my wheels. If they sound like yours, then you should follow my blog or sign up for my newsletters for lots of awesome book recommendations. Also, I have books for sale, if you want to check them out, because most of them are like ^^^^.

But if  you like your books with paragraphs of detailed description, tons of angst, loads and loads of sexy times, or lots of dudes and their dude-ish stories, my recommendations might not be for you. Which is cool. Because out of all the promises I make as an author, I promise to never yuck your yum.

My 2019 Planners... as currently planned...

Alright FINE! 

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know. I’m a planner ‘ho.

Well… not really.

More like a high class planner escort.

I know what I like and I’m really good at what I do and it’s worth every penny.

….This is getting weird.

All I wanted to do was share my planner system for 2019. Or, what I have planned to be my planner system for 2019.

This is pretty special, you know. It might be the first time I’ve ever shared the whole kit and kaboodle. I don’t think I went through all this in September for #ReadWritePlan. (Oh – you don’t know about that? It’s my annual Instagram challenge that I co-host with Alexandra Haughton. You can search the hashtag on Instagram and make plans to join us this year, won’t you?)

Here goes.

I’m purposely keeping things as simple as possible this year. I can have my eye turned very quickly by pretty notebooks and cleverly designed planners. And I’m a member of a Facebook group populated by other writers and publishing people obsessed with paper planning. I see things all the time. Expensive, adorable things.

But yet. I resist.

Because I know what works for me:

A 2019 Hobonichi Techo Cousin is my main planner. I love the paper. The grids. The Japanese. I love having monthly, weekly and daily all in one A5 sized package. I had done morning pages for several years in a Moleskine before I started using a Hobonichi. Now I use the daily pages as my morning pages and it makes it so simple and portable. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I also use a spiral bound Fabriano grid notebook. You can get it on Amazon. I also love the size and simplicity of it. What do I use the notebook for? Everything that comes up that I want to keep track of. The habit goes back to law school when my ethics professor advised always using the same system to record conversations, etc. I did it throughout my legal career and still do it now for calls with my agent, editor, etc. I take notes at conferences, brainstorm, make lists, etc. It’s basically a lot of et cetera in there. But it’s my system and it works for me.

Finally, I’m using my medium sized Louis Vuitton ring planner as a social media/ blog planner this year. I’ve used different things for this purpose in the past but I decided to buy some fresh inserts on Black Friday and see if I could make it work this year. 

Can’t resist a fold out calendar. I don’t know why a year at a glance is so tempting but it is. Not sure how I’m using this one yet…

I thought I’d list some social media/ website goals and tasks each month on these.

A homemade divider with a photo of a creative person to inspire me.

One thing I love about the Hobonichi is there are extra pages that you can do all sorts of things with. Here I turned the December 2018 month into my 2019 Reading Log. You can see where I incorporated Roni Loren’s reading challenge and Robin Covington’s reading challenges there on the left. I’ll just cross them off with my favorite gray mildliner when I’m done.

But I’m not sure how I should use some of the pages. They’re so tempting and blank right now but I just can’t think of something good for them. What do you think? How would you use them? What do you track? I need some ideas! Shocking, I know, but a planner never stops planning!

Click here for my 2020 planner line up!