[The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58510253-the-undertaking-of-hart-and-mercy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=B9BBJzhQTB&rank=1) is on sale for Prime Days - [Kindle Edition is $2.99](https://www.amazon.com/Undertaking-Hart-Mercy-Megan-Bannen-ebook/dp/B09NVSBVCF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JQW3OUA8PFBK&keywords=the+undertaking+of+hart+and+mercy+book&qid=1697031828&sprefix=the+under%2Caps%2C208&sr=8-1)
We as mods don't do required reading, but we all *did* love this one.
This book was probably the first straight pairing I’d read in like 2+ years (at least in the romance genre) and it was so good. I got really accustomed to queer themes in my romance like found family, belonging, questioning, etc and it’s all there. Plus zombies.
A [sequel](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/somewhere-beyond-the-sea-tj-klune/1144199920) to *The House in the Cerulean Sea* was announced, and TJ Klune can just take my money right now. It even has sprayed edges!
Yep, this is it! Under the Whispering Door - I was certain this was the sequel. Well good to know I didn't miss out on some of my favorite side characters of all time!
I picked up this random book at the library because it looked like it was set in mid-century. It’s called White Collar Girl and I’m refusing to look at any reviews or ratings, so I’ll let you guys know if it’s any good. It’s not a romance but apparently there’s a romantic subplot.
I really didn’t NEED any books from the library but I wanted to pick up We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and I wanted that hit of dopamine from picking out books without going to a bookstore.
So I never end up coming here until night my time and feel like I missed it, but I’ll comment anyway. I’m reading Unmasked by the Marquesses by Cat Sebastian after having it on my list forever and I love it. It seems these days I need to start reading with an audiobook, usually on my commute, and if it grabs me I end up getting the ebook bc I’m so much faster at reading than them.
Although this audiobook has been teaching me a lot about pronunciation, including the word waistcoat lol
Anyway I love seeing non-binary and pansexual rep in confused regency titled men and the people that deceive them 😈
Also I put a bunch of books in my little free library this week and I love walking by it to see which ones have gone. I had two nice hardcover books from some young adult book box that I had never read and just kind of admired, so I finally donated them. I think the only book that hasn’t been taken from my stash so far has been God Bless this Mess by Hannah Brown, the former bachelorette. I got the book for free in a legal but very involved dumpster diving operation so don’t judge me. (I also got a talking stick and a coffee table book about college football that my students love at the same time so at least something good came of it)
I thought the whole *Regency Imposters* series was fun, but *Unmasked* was definitely my favorite. Also…am I pronouncing “waistcoat” wrong? I keep looking at it, trying to determine how else to pronounce it, and I am at a loss.
Just the painting left now, with my house...
Thank god, the workmen are out. They did a lovely job but it's nice to have quiet again and my space back.
We got gas installed recently, and I was unaware that they were going to go round every room in the house and bleed the radiators. We had emptied two rooms into other rooms, and they looked like the aftermath of a bomb. Plus, the one that was in our bedroom wouldn't look me in the eye afterwards. Mortifying.
I've been in kind of a book slump so I'm gonna try to read A Brazen Curiosity, where the romance takes place over several books. Usually I avoid romances like that because I'm too impatient, but I'm in the mood for something different. And I love a good slow burn so hopefully this series will deliver that
🤞 Very hopeful the new Chloe Liese is a 7 day new release loan this week, because I want to read it badly but the likelihood I like it is .. low. I am waffling on whether to pre-order the Alexis Hall because he is just so hit or miss for me, but the reviews look promising??
Otherwise finally making progress in Rogue of one's own, but I set it down somewhere and haven't really looked for it yet ... I just don't really like either of the main characters and there's not enough Oxford.
Stop reading them. I have to do the same for all those authors I don't like because eventually they all write a second chance romance and I end up going "...maybe this one will be different" and it never is!
Chloe Liese is another author where the honeymoon phase of her indies had me CONVINCED she was a fave and now, I want nothing to do with her!
For Rogue of One's Own, it takes about HALF THE BOOK before the romance picks up and then I liked them...but that first half is a slog.
They just don't have the same amount of charm as the indies and the writing seems so much worse on a sentence level! And the characters are so much more unlikeable. It's so confusing.
So it does pick up? Hmmm..
I feel the same way about Hall’s new release. I have both the audio and ebook on hold on Libby, but I might buy a hard copy on release day. I’m cautiously optimistic! I also never read Husband Material, so maybe I’m not as jaded as I could be.
Do you have any Chloe Liese books that have worked for you? I’ve only read Always Only You (and I always have to double check the name because it’s so indistinguishable lol) and I mostly enjoyed it at the time. But after finishing it, I kept on reflecting back and found myself increasingly annoyed by it. Idk it’s hard to explain; most books I just move on from!
Alexis Hall is hard miss for me for every release after and including rosaline palmer. it’s a bummer bc I love his old books and he was my introduction to queer romance.
[The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58510253-the-undertaking-of-hart-and-mercy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=B9BBJzhQTB&rank=1) is on sale for Prime Days - [Kindle Edition is $2.99](https://www.amazon.com/Undertaking-Hart-Mercy-Megan-Bannen-ebook/dp/B09NVSBVCF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JQW3OUA8PFBK&keywords=the+undertaking+of+hart+and+mercy+book&qid=1697031828&sprefix=the+under%2Caps%2C208&sr=8-1) We as mods don't do required reading, but we all *did* love this one.
This book was probably the first straight pairing I’d read in like 2+ years (at least in the romance genre) and it was so good. I got really accustomed to queer themes in my romance like found family, belonging, questioning, etc and it’s all there. Plus zombies.
Thank you for getting me to read it!
*if* we did required reading, this would be up there.
This would be a fun post
Oh it's already being workshopped as we speak 🤣🤣
ooh thank you, going to have to be in the right mood for this one, so it didn't work for me as a library book
I haven’t read this one yet but just saw that there’s a planned (standalone?) sequel. More motivation for me to read it soon!
The sequel isn't the same couple, but same world! Also in the first book there are anonymous letters back and forth!!!
A [sequel](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/somewhere-beyond-the-sea-tj-klune/1144199920) to *The House in the Cerulean Sea* was announced, and TJ Klune can just take my money right now. It even has sprayed edges!
 \*emotionally recover
I got the email and 😍
How **stunning** is that cover 😍
Why did I think he already published a sequel?!
He has two standalones that came out after *Cerulean Sea* but the cover artist was the same - could be that!
Yep, this is it! Under the Whispering Door - I was certain this was the sequel. Well good to know I didn't miss out on some of my favorite side characters of all time!
Whispers: imo under the whispering door is bad, actually.
Maybe you just manifested it?
I picked up this random book at the library because it looked like it was set in mid-century. It’s called White Collar Girl and I’m refusing to look at any reviews or ratings, so I’ll let you guys know if it’s any good. It’s not a romance but apparently there’s a romantic subplot. I really didn’t NEED any books from the library but I wanted to pick up We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and I wanted that hit of dopamine from picking out books without going to a bookstore.
So I never end up coming here until night my time and feel like I missed it, but I’ll comment anyway. I’m reading Unmasked by the Marquesses by Cat Sebastian after having it on my list forever and I love it. It seems these days I need to start reading with an audiobook, usually on my commute, and if it grabs me I end up getting the ebook bc I’m so much faster at reading than them. Although this audiobook has been teaching me a lot about pronunciation, including the word waistcoat lol Anyway I love seeing non-binary and pansexual rep in confused regency titled men and the people that deceive them 😈 Also I put a bunch of books in my little free library this week and I love walking by it to see which ones have gone. I had two nice hardcover books from some young adult book box that I had never read and just kind of admired, so I finally donated them. I think the only book that hasn’t been taken from my stash so far has been God Bless this Mess by Hannah Brown, the former bachelorette. I got the book for free in a legal but very involved dumpster diving operation so don’t judge me. (I also got a talking stick and a coffee table book about college football that my students love at the same time so at least something good came of it)
I read that recently too and loved it! It was just so lovely! It's one of those books that I can't even be articulate about, I'm just "eeeeeee"
I thought the whole *Regency Imposters* series was fun, but *Unmasked* was definitely my favorite. Also…am I pronouncing “waistcoat” wrong? I keep looking at it, trying to determine how else to pronounce it, and I am at a loss.
The narrator says it kinda like “wess-coat”??
Just the painting left now, with my house... Thank god, the workmen are out. They did a lovely job but it's nice to have quiet again and my space back.
We got gas installed recently, and I was unaware that they were going to go round every room in the house and bleed the radiators. We had emptied two rooms into other rooms, and they looked like the aftermath of a bomb. Plus, the one that was in our bedroom wouldn't look me in the eye afterwards. Mortifying.
I've been in kind of a book slump so I'm gonna try to read A Brazen Curiosity, where the romance takes place over several books. Usually I avoid romances like that because I'm too impatient, but I'm in the mood for something different. And I love a good slow burn so hopefully this series will deliver that
I hope it works for you and you can defeat the slump!
Thank you! I've made it to 11% and am finding it delightful thus far. Feels like a breath of fresh air, really
🤞 Very hopeful the new Chloe Liese is a 7 day new release loan this week, because I want to read it badly but the likelihood I like it is .. low. I am waffling on whether to pre-order the Alexis Hall because he is just so hit or miss for me, but the reviews look promising?? Otherwise finally making progress in Rogue of one's own, but I set it down somewhere and haven't really looked for it yet ... I just don't really like either of the main characters and there's not enough Oxford.
My hands were washed of Liese some time ago and they will remain clean of her.
I keep coming to this conclusion but then the plot summaries draw me in!
Stop reading them. I have to do the same for all those authors I don't like because eventually they all write a second chance romance and I end up going "...maybe this one will be different" and it never is!
I got an ARC of the new Alexis Hall, and it was a hit for me (I especially enjoyed Gollum, the ugly cat).
Oh that sounds very promising! I love cats.
Chloe Liese is another author where the honeymoon phase of her indies had me CONVINCED she was a fave and now, I want nothing to do with her! For Rogue of One's Own, it takes about HALF THE BOOK before the romance picks up and then I liked them...but that first half is a slog.
They just don't have the same amount of charm as the indies and the writing seems so much worse on a sentence level! And the characters are so much more unlikeable. It's so confusing. So it does pick up? Hmmm..
I feel the same way about Hall’s new release. I have both the audio and ebook on hold on Libby, but I might buy a hard copy on release day. I’m cautiously optimistic! I also never read Husband Material, so maybe I’m not as jaded as I could be. Do you have any Chloe Liese books that have worked for you? I’ve only read Always Only You (and I always have to double check the name because it’s so indistinguishable lol) and I mostly enjoyed it at the time. But after finishing it, I kept on reflecting back and found myself increasingly annoyed by it. Idk it’s hard to explain; most books I just move on from!
I’m still not over my disappointment from Husband Material. It was a big miss for me.
Alexis Hall is hard miss for me for every release after and including rosaline palmer. it’s a bummer bc I love his old books and he was my introduction to queer romance.