• Best Historical Romance Books

    The King’s Favorite by Tanya Anne Crosby

    Bartering a deal with their “witchy” mother, Stephen the Usurper intends to wed all five sisters to his “new men.”

    Fearing her “gifts” will be used to defeat her sister Matilda, Elspeth Pendragon escapes the Black Mountain priory that has sheltered her and her four sisters since King Henry’s death, only to find herself indebted to, of all men, a Scotsman, whose loyalties are in question… 

    Left to face the wrath of a new sovereign, Malcom Scott is forced to swear fealty to Stephen of Blois to keep the castle he won by slaying his own grandfather. But having done that, he’s pitted himself against Scotland, and even his own father. But even as Malcom realizes there’s no turning back, the late King’s favorite illegitimate daughter may offer him more than he ever bargained for.

    The author on her best research methods:

    “I used to be a member of the Haskin’s Society, as well as the Society for Creative Anachronism. I have been to several festivals and always enjoy it. These days I rely either on travel or my research books, as well as oral accounts.”

    Tanya Anne Crosby

  • Best Christian Romance Books,  Best Historical Romance Books,  Best Romantic Suspense Books

    In the Shadow of Croft Towers by Abigail Wilson

    Croft Towers holds more than its share of secrets . . . and Sybil is determined to uncover them all.

    When Sybil Delafield’s coach to Croft Towers was robbed by highwaymen, she should have realized that her new position as companion to old Mrs. Chalcroft would be no ordinary job. Upon Sybil’s arrival, Mrs. Chalcroft sneaks into her room in the dark of night, imploring her to relay messages to town that are to stay hidden from the rest of the family. Who exactly is she working for and what do the messages contain?

    When fellow passengers of the robbed coach are later murdered, Sybil’s hunt for the truth takes on a new urgency. The only person she can rely on is Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Chalcroft’s godson, but under all his charms he too leads a double life. Sybil must decide if he is the one honest voice she can trust, or if he is simply using her for his own advances.

    A lesson God taught the author while writing the novel:

    “At the heart of my novel is the theme of trust. The heroine, Sybil, must make several difficult decisions where she learns to trust her inner voice, which is sometimes at odds with the seemingly obvious choice. God used this story line and character arc to remind me that answers in my own life may not always be easy or quick or tied up in pretty pink bows, but that I needed to trust him—with everything!”

    Abigail Wilson

  • Best Historical Romance Books

    Tamed and Unleashed by Bree Wolf

    A forgotten night. A stolen child. And a stranger who feels all too familiar…

    Waking up alone after a drunken night with a stranger in Gretna Green, Claudia Davenport, sister to Viscount Ashwood, finds herself still unmarried…and with child. In order to preserve her reputation, her brother sends her to a remote estate so she can give birth in secret and then return to society, unscathed…but heartbroken.
    However, when her child is kidnapped, Claudia can no longer deny the bond that connects her to her son. Alone, she sets out to discover his whereabouts…and her path crosses that of a stranger, who feels all too familiar.

    After marrying an English lass in Gretna Green, Garrett Macdrummond returns to their room at the inn the next morning only to find her gone. Duty-bound to return to his clan in the Scottish Highlands, he counts the days until he can travel to England to find her. However, when he finally does discover her, he is shocked to realise that she does not remember him.

    Determined to remind her of the fateful night they shared, Garrett refuses to leave her side, following her across England without knowing why. Will Claudia ever remember him? Will Garrett ever learn that he has a child? Will they recover their son or lose him without ever having had the chance to know him?

    The author on her writing inspiration:

    “It’s usually small things, a picture, a song or even a seemingly meaningless sound, a glimpse out the window, a line in a magazine that sets off a flood of ideas invading my mind, screaming at me to pay attention. Most of the time I am intrigued by these thoughts while sometimes I feel like a conquered country unable to keep hostile invaders from…well, invading.”

    Mimi Matthews

  • Best Historical Romance Books

    A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

    A courtship of convenience… A last chance for love…

    Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion–or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she’s ready to put an end to things.

    But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn’t as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there’s Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What’s a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there’ll be no false formality. This time they’ll get to know each other for who they really are.

    The author on her writing inspiration:

    “Anything and everything. However, the biggest source of inspiration for me come from my research. It’s while researching for my non-fiction history projects that I discover interesting tidbits about things that happened in the Victoria era, many of which find their way into my stories.”

    Mimi Matthews

  • Best Romantic Suspense Books

    Make You Feel My Love by Kait Nolan

    Will danger catapult these lifelong friends to lovers?

    Autumn Buchanan has loved Judd all her life. Best friends since they were children, he’s been fulfilling her rescue fantasies for years. But years ago, her dreams of more ended in blood and a nightmare that nearly cost them both their lives.

    Now she’s ready to take the leap and profess all to the friend who’s stood by her through thick and thin. But before she can make her confession, their nightmare returns and secrets are revealed that threaten the very fabric of their lifelong friendship.

    The author on the greatest joy of writing:

    “The world is often a terrible, dark place. I get the glorious job of proving that that isn’t the ONLY thing the world is. I get to put out little beacons of light and hope, escape pods for readers to get an infusion of positive. I can’t think of a better job than that.”

    Kait Nolan