Angel Reads

30 Jul

Book Review: A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander

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A Widow’s Guide to Scandal (The Sons of Neptune #1) by Hallie Alexander

Pages: 269
Publish date: July 22nd 2020
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
ASIN: B08C95LHMK
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Henrietta Smith was fifteen when she stole a kiss from Marcus Hardwicke. Over a decade later, she’s still waiting to be kissed back…

Henrietta learned the hard way that when you get what you pay for you might end up with a British soldier quartering in your home threatening your friends, an enormous dog tracking mud through your house and stealing the chickens, and Marcus Hardwicke disrupting your uncomplicated life by trying to improve it. And to think she just wanted her roof fixed.

Marcus, wickedly handsome carpenter and rebel rogue, fell off Henrietta’s leaking roof. He can’t leave until his broken ankle heals, giving him plenty of time to consider his past mistakes, including Henrietta’s indelible kiss from a lifetime ago. But Henrietta could lose more than her home if she doesn’t encrypt British secrets, and the latest puts Marcus in the crosshairs.

A Widow’s Guide to Scandal:

I received an earc of A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about books.

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading A Widow’s Guide to Scandal. there weren’t any reviews about it, and I hadn’t heard about the book or author before. However, the synopsis grabbed me from the start. I was intrigued and I can never say no to a historical romance. But let me tell you I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the characters, the romance and the story and I can’t wait to read more.

After the loss of her husband, Henrietta Smith is struggling in a world run by men. But she doesn’t want that to stop her. Life at the moment isn’t easy, but Henrietta will get through it. When she requires some help to fix a leaking roof, Marcus Hardwicke is too the rescue. But then he needs some assistance himself when he falls through her roof and breaks his leg. Now Henrietta must deal with a British soldier’s threats, new and old friends and Marcus Hardwicke.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Henrietta was such a delight of a protagonist in A Widow’s Guide to Scandal. From the start, she was easy to get along with. I loved how strong Henrietta was and that was presented throughout the whole book. But we also get to see the horrors that she also had to go through. I liked how Hallie Alexandra dealt with it in the book. It didn’t take over the plot. And it also made Henrietta who she was. And while Henrietta does have a more serious side, Marus, his friends and even her reading group, bring out a different side to her and I love that. She is funny and witty and that just makes the reading the book such a good experience.

Marcus was also such an interesting male protagonist. He was funny and was able to ease the tension throughout the novel. Like Henrietta, Marcus was easy to get along with. I liked that he had to depend on Henrietta after breaking his leg. It just made everything that much better. Marcus was also quite funny and that made for some fantastic conversations. Another thing that made me enjoy Marcus as a protagonist was that the reader can see from the start how much he cares for Henrietta and that was just fantastic to see.

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

The romance in A Widow’s Guide to Scandal was absolutely adorable and I can’t wait to see more of this from Hallie Alexander. It was slow-burning but very sweet and made me smile – a lot. Marcus and Henrietta both tried to stay away from each other, but they were both able to connect with one another in different ways. At times Henrietta struggled with her feelings with Marcus. She has a hard past and she didn’t want to let herself fall for me. But the connection between them was too strong. It was a second chance, friends to lovers and I adored that.

I have said this before but I haven’t read many historical romances set during, before or even after the American Revelation. I’ve only ever read a few historical romance books set in the states and this has to be one of my favourites. It was really interesting and I can’t wait to see more of it in the next books in the series.

The writing style of A Widow’s Guide to Scandal was something that I enjoyed a lot. I did struggle with the first few chapters, but as soon as I got into the story it was totally fine. I do find that sometimes it takes me a few chapters to get into historical romance, especially if I don’t know the world I’m jumping into. Hallie Alexander is great at creating emotions and character arcs.

Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash

Overall, I loved reading A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander. It includes not only a fantastic romance but also great characters. Henrietta was such a pleasure of a protagonist. I loved knowing about her life and I loved getting to know her more. Marcus was a character and he added another dimension to the novel that lifted it. This is a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to read more from Hallie Alexander.

Have you read A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander yet? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

28 Jul

Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads

Posted by angelreads Features, Top Ten Tuesday 10 Comments

This week I’m sharing Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and Bookish and is hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie so I decided to pick an older topic and have a little fun with it. I love sharing books that not many people have read but I have loved. It’s a great way for people to read something that hasn’t caught their eye or they haven’t seen before. So today I’m sharing books that I have loved that have fewer than 2,000 ratings on Goodreads! From romance to young adult and more. Like always these are in no order.

A Widow’s Guide to Scandal (The Sons of Neptune #1) by Hallie Alexander: I just finished this one a few days ago, and now I need more people to read it. The romance was adorable. I loved when the book was set. The characters were great. And it looks like it’s going to be a fantastic series. I can’t wait to read more.

Dalliances & Devotion (The Truitts #2) by Felicia Grossman: While I didn’t love this one as much as book one, it is still a fantastic read. It was fun, intense and full of romance. With a female character that is strong and willing to do what it takes for herself. I loved Amaila and I got to like David as well. Together they were adorable.

All the Little Bones (Circus Hearts #1) by Ellie Marney: You all know that I love Ellie Marney and this series is so much fun. It’s not for everyone, but I wish that more people would pick it up because it is fantastic.

This Beats Perfect (This Beats Perfect #1) by Rebecca Denton: I read this one a few years ago now, but I had so much fun reading it. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. It was fun, addicting and put a smile on my face. It explores the notions of finding yourself, loving what you do and finding those who will stand by you.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu: I’ve talked about this one a few times on Angel Reads, and I will keep on talking about it. It’s a sweet story that looks at friendships, the most adorable romance, and the strength of opening up. Everything about this book is tender and sweet but also packs a punch. This is a fantastic debut that is brilliant and soft, and I finished it with a massive smile. It’s coming on in the US soon, so hopefully, more people will read it.

This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield: This is one of my favourites books this year and I wish more people would pick it up. This book made me feel so many things from anger to hope. From sadness to being proud. This poignant coming of age story that captures the lives of those that struggle day by day. That tries to make the best of what they have.

You’re Still the One (Country Blues #1) by Rachel Harris: I love reading Rachel Harris’ books and this is one of my favourites. The romance is adorable, the characters are fantastic and it’s a blast to read. It has all the Rachel Harris swoon-worthy moments and had me flipping page after page.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim: An empowering novel that explores family, mental health and trying to find your own feet. And while there is darkness in this novel and sometimes you feel like there is no hope. There is also warmth. It has one of the cutest romances every. Anna and Rory were absolutely adorable together. They made my heart scream it was so beautiful.

Marked (Sailor’s Grave #1) by Drew Elyse: All three books in this series have fewer than 2000 each and I think they deserve so much more. The romances are interesting and unique from one another. I really enjoy that this series is connected with her other series and characters pop in and out. I can’t wait to read more from Drew Elyse.

And that is it for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! What are some books that you love that have fewer than 2000 ratings on Goodreads? Do we share any that is the same? Let’s Chat!

27 Jul

My Last Five Reads

Posted by angelreads Discussions 1 Comment

I love knowing what people are currently reading or what they have recently just read. So today I thought I would share my last five reads. My last few reads have all been romances as have most of my reads this year. But they have been a mix of historical, contemporary and supernatural/paranormal. I haven’t been reading much the last month, but I feel like that is changing now. Anyway, let’s get into it. Here are my last five reads.

Wicked and the Wallflower (The Bareknuckle Bastards #1) by Sarah MacLean: I picked up my first Sarah MacLean a couple of weeks ago and just fell in love. I love her writing, her characters, the story. Once I started Wicked and the Wallflower I couldn’t put it down. The banter between Devil and Lady Felicity was so good. I can’t wait to read more in this series. I plan to pick up the next books soon.

The King (Black Dagger Brotherhood #12) by J.R. Ward: I’m slowly making my way through this series and this was the next one to read. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. There is a lot of angst in this one. Wrath made a lot of decisions in this one, and gosh he annoyed me. But it was great to be back in Wrath’s mind. Although we might have gotten snippets from him in previous books, I liked that we got to see him more. It was a great book in the series and moved the series along.

Under Locke by Mariana Zapata: Over the past couple of months I’ve been slowly making my way through Mariana Zapata’s backlist and I’ve been enjoying it. Under Locke is one of my favourites from the ones I’ve read so far. I enjoyed the romance, the characters and the story. It was one that included a lot of things that I love reading. The romance did have its ups and downs for me, but overall I did enjoy it.

Hands Down by Mariana Zapata: This is Zapata’s newest release, I had already good really good things about it, so I decided to pick it up. while I didn’t love it as much as Under Locke, I still enjoyed it. I liked that it was friends to lovers and second chance romance. The characters were really enjoyable and I liked the story.

A Widow’s Guide to Scandal (The Sons of Neptune #1) by Hallie Alexander: I just finished this one last night and I really loved it. The romance was adorable, it made me smile so much. I also liked the time that the novel was set. I don’t read many books set during the time of the American Revolution. And I can’t wait to read the rest of this series! My full review of this one will be out in the next couple of days.

And those are my last five reads. Have you read any of these? Are you planning on reading any of these? What are some of your latest reads? Let’s Chat!