Duking It Out

EJ RUSSELL

The first book in Royal Powers Season I got me hooked on writing in this world in the first place and has Royal dukes from rival countries, shipwrecked on a deserted island.

Enemies to lovers, opposites attract, superhero rom-com, featuring Only One Bed, a grumpy duke who should know better than to jump to conclusions, a self-doubting duke who’s good with his hands (heh), gossipy seagulls, competent assistants, a guaranteed HEA, and (unfortunately) capes.

 

The Duke of Hand to Heart

JACKIE NORTH

Did I spend two weeks reading nothing but Royal Powers books? Um, maybe? Do I regret it? Not remotely!

Duke of Camprodon, Rainmaker, Merrick Blackburn's life is coming apart. His groom left him at the altar days before the wedding and he's been accused of causing a drought by Tarik, the Duke of Arles.

Merrick hires handsome Ryan McGrail as steward to bring the vineyard back to life. But Ryan distracts Merrick from the job at hand and Merrick isn't sure, but Ryan might be flirting with him.

Will the growing feelings between them save the winery? Will it ever rain? Will Merrick ever make it to the altar?

 

Reckless

KATE HAWTHORNE

Man, do I love age gap stories! Add in father's best friend and a bit of (fairly mild) kink and sign me right the hell up! 

Pursuing your best friend's dad is never a good idea, but Cameron Motel is feeling reckless. His life is about to change, and Luke is older, attractive...and he represents something Cameron has never had before.

Stability.

Luke didn't mean to get involved with his son's best friend, but Cameron needs a strong hand and Luke is willing to deliver on his promises.

Destiny

SALLY BEAUMAN

Edouard and Helene. When they met it was more than coincidence. When they fell in love it was more than passion. When they thought they'd lost it all, they should have known they were wrong--they should have known it was Destiny.

I first read this book when I was a teenager (14? 15?) It was HIGHLY inappropriate and if my mother had known what it was about, she'd have taken it away before i got through the first chapter. But it has remained one of my favorite books of all time and I reread it every year or so. It's a love story, for sure, but not exactly a romance and ends more hopeful than a true HEA. 

The Cartiers

FRANCESCA CARTIER BRICKELL

I've been doing a lot of reading for research this month. This biography of the Cartier family has been really interesting. There are plenty of details about the jewelry Cartier designed over the years but the behind-the-scenes tales of four generations of the men who built this jewelry empire is the heart of the book. The fictional jewelry empire in my book isn't quite as epic as Cartier, but go big or go home, right?

Stoned

AJA RADEN

Masterfully weaving together pop science and history, Stoned breaks history into three categories—Want, Take, and Have—and explains what the diamond on your finger has to do with the GI Bill, why green-tinted jewelry has been exalted by so many cultures, why the glass beads that bought Manhattan for the Dutch were initially considered a fair trade, and how the French Revolution started over a coveted necklace.

Definitely going to have a major emerald in my Royal Powers story.