by Liana De la Rosa
Berkley, 2023. 352 pages. Romance
When Ana María Luna Valdes is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge during the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox.
A member of Parliament who has elevated himself from the London Gutters, Gideon Fox is on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a vote on the abolishment of the Atlantic slave trade – a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore.
Ana María and the Fox is a refreshing new take on classic romance tropes. I was delighted by the way it combined an aristocratic Victorian English setting, something highly familiar to historical romance readers, with elements of Mexican history and culture. De la Rosa describes the time period, political events, and historical figures with just enough detail to orient the reader in the story without bogging them down. And she deftly combines it with likable, varied characters, tender (and spicy) romance between Gideon and Ana María, and even a few dastardly plots. Over the course of the novel, Ana María grows closer with her sisters, and after being introduced to them here, readers will look forward to the planned sequels about fiery Gabby and introspective Isabel.
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by Julia Quinn
Avon, 2023. 352 pages. Romance.
In 1761, on a sunny day in September, a King and Queen met for the very first time. They were married within hours. Born a German Princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was beautiful, headstrong, and fiercely intelligent--not precisely the attributes the British Court had been seeking in a spouse for the young King George III. But her fire and independence were exactly what she needed because George had secrets-- secrets with the potential to shake the very foundations of the monarchy. Thrust into her new role as a royal, Charlotte must learn to navigate the intricate politics of the court, all the while guarding her heart, because she is falling in love with the King, even as he pushes her away.
by Alyssa Cole
Kensington, 2017. 272 pages. Romance
As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past ... Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South--to spy for the Union Army. Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he's facing his deadliest mission yet--risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia. Two undercover agents who share a common cause--and an undeniable attraction--Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost--even if it means losing each other.
SGR
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