NetGalley Review: Once Upon a Courtesan by Jess Michaels

Once Upon a Courtesan by Jess Michaels

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩

This was a great, light and comfy, historical romance that is exactly what is on the tin.

The premise is realistic, though just fun enough to get you into that fun romance headspace. The pasts are tragic, but in a manner that gives the characters dimension, not triteness. The FMC being a courtesan means the story can fast track to the good stuff. In this book the spice is instant while the love is slow-burn. The climactic drama happens to the couple, not between the couple, so the HEA really works.

Overall, a great historical that will please fans of the genre.

Published on 7 October 2025 by  The Passionate Pen LLC

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NetGalley Review: Witchcraft by Sole Otero

Witchcraft by Sole Otero

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩ 

There was so much about this graphic novel that I really liked.

The art is great. The style and color palette gave great witchy vibes and felt a bit "Gorey-esque." I loved it.

The premise is pretty good...who doesn't love three weird sisters and murmurings of witchcraft? It is a classic for a reason. The story, in parts, plays well into the intersection of colonization, xenophobia and the misogyny that labels anything by women/for women as somehow deviant. There were also some interesting subplots, though these don't get too deeply explained or resolved.

What kept this from being a great read is the slightly disjointed feel of the narrative. Now, this is a translation and it is possible that vital nuance has been lost. Regardless of the origin, the story still felt choppy and then concluded in a big rush.

I would love to see more in this setting and storyline, but as a stand alone graphic novel this was missing something for me.

Published on 7 October 2025 by Fantagraphic Books

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NetGalley Review: Fall at Once by Nora Everly

Fall at Once by Nora Everly

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩

Alas, another two-star review for this series. I tried another book figuring that same world/different author could be an improvement, but maybe this collection of authors just isn't my jam.

Having been immersed in Cozy Creek, the stories all seem to be formatted Hallmark-style. Namely a cast of characters lacking any diversity exist in a picture-perfect small town where no one has had an independent, unreported by the town crier, thought...ever. Big city woman who just needs the right man to have her give up her life to trad-wife for some guy enters, creates moderate chaos then all ends well.

This particular tale relied a little too heavily on the imposter-syndrome-hero meets quirky-woman who is not like anyone else in town (despite being a local in her youth). Meddling Grandmas, absentee fathers, critical moms, big public confrontations where villain archetypes do cliched things and "crazy" ex-wives abound. Now I don't mind some fluff in my romance, but this could have been any standard made for TV script.

It may be time for me to abandon this series, though I am sure it is someone's perfect set of romances.

Published on 28 October 2025 by Avon and Harper Voyage

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NetGalley Review: She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva

She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩

I have to open with my excitement for the cover being one of my favorite art pieces. Add in a premise that intertwines with my special interest of vampire lore in New England and I was hooked. With great hopes that this would be the vibes of the whole book, I was excited to receive this ARC. What followed was a delightfully spooky and dark story of the ways women have searched for their freedom in times of superstition and oppression.

The premise of a vampire hunter who knows she is working an angle to disperse manufactured panic is a very interesting approach to historical vampire lore. The allusions to said lore are artfully written into the narrative. Calling on Slavic traditions surrounding vampires (which also became the new world superstitions leading to "slaying the dead" as late as 1893 in my neighboring town...but I do digress) to build a town in a panic makes for an atmospheric read. While no characters are completely good-the hunter is a self-admitted fake, the man who "saved" our fair protagonist is an obsessed groomer, the brother is trying to help but cannot resist damaging everyone to get what he wants- the overall theme of justice via myth was cleverly done. In the end the real monsters get their just desserts.

As a dark novel for the dark days of winter, this one should be on the TBR list of any spooky fans.

Published on 10 February 2026 by Mariner Books

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NetGalley Review: Heartsong: A Gargoyle Monster Romance by S.E. Wendel

Heartsong: A Gargoyle Monster Romance by S.E. Wendel

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩ 

So...this book was long. And not much actually happens for most of the story. And then it all resolves in like 4 chapters with huge information/action tsunami. That said, it was an enjoyable read so here are the good and not so good bits.

The good:

• This is a slow burn of the highest order. Frey is patient and Anna is sufficiently skeptical. This felt pretty true to how one might actually face such a discovery as fated-mates with ancient cursed gargoyles. Like, maybe have a few questions.
• The fated-mates plays out as he falls first. If you like MMCs that spend all their time in worship/service of their love interests, this will hit for you.
• Pretty solid research. The author's deep dive into history and folklore creates a premise that requires little suspension of disbelief (for a book about modern humans mating with ancient stone-cursed-warriors).
• Good chronic illness representation. Migraines suck and there is no magical cure. Mating Frey doesn't hand wave away the illness.

The not as good:

• For all the research and pages of story, the characters don't really develop. He is a hard-headed, inflexible protector who is not very concerned with her agency. She is an overlooked secret sunshine who cares about people but never manages to exist outside work and her new beau.
• The plot is slow then wraps up in a giant whirlwind of action and exposition. In addition to a rush of plot and characters, it feels little hand-holdy. The author left us all the clues, trust the readers to not need each detail reiterated and explained.

For fans of "monster romances" this is still a fun read. The premise is pretty fun and even though this is not a perfect book, I look forward to more in the series (if there should be some.)

Published on 10 February 2026 by Avon and Harper Voyage

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NetGalley Review: Ladies in Waiting: Jane Austen's Unsung Characters by Adriana Trigiani

 Ladies in Waiting: Jane Austen's Unsung Characters by Adriana Trigiani

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩

This was a delightful mix of short stories centering the world of one of the genre's OG stars: Jane Austen. Featuring stories from Emma, Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility (so kind of Auten's most-sung stories, but whatever) these twists on auxiliary characters are each clever, romantic, moving and funny in their own ways. Moving through time and across many interpretations of the Austen-verse, each one is a fun taste of the classic we love with the unique style of the author's shining bright. This short story collection is a pleasure to read and will be a hit for Romance readers across the board.

Published on 04 November 2025 by Gallery Books

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NetGalley Review: Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain

Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain

My Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩

While I had thoroughly enjoyable time reading this contemporary, I would say it is a solidly mid-pack romance novel.

The setting was delightful, who wouldn't want to spend like ALL the time in a quaint London bookstore. The cast of characters in said store were also fun without being overly tropey and the premise was realistic enough that the conflict made sense. Each character had a "tragic past" that played into their relationship, but didn't feel overly contrived. A lot of plot happens in what is a theoretically short time, but the romance itself is peak slow burn. This is a cozy read that doesn't race to a conclusion, a refreshing change from many romances I have read of late.

All that said, the book lacks chemistry. The main characters were a bit hard to cheer for and I didn't really feel the sizzle between happy couple. She was sometimes a little too "oh so quirky American" and he a little too "jerk who speaks in monosyllables." Honestly, so much of this book could have stood alone as an early adulthood "coming of age," that the romance is almost unnecessary.

As is so often the case, even though it was only an OK book, it provided a very pleasant reading experience and would be a solid choice for the upcoming cozy-weather reading season.

Published on 02 September 2025 by St. Martin's Press

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