Alyce Caswell - Author
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Book Reviews

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

14/2/2021

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At First Sight by Hannah Sunderland

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW: suicide ideation

Nell works at a mental health crisis line and has to take some tough calls. What she doesn't expect is to receive a call from a stranger she had a chance encounter with at a cafe. Drawn to Charlie, she wants more than he seems capable of giving - can they overcome his past? And does time really heal all wounds?

Such an unexpectedly raw and powerful book. Characters you can't help but love (and you also love to laugh at some of their interactions) and a journey of healing that feels genuine. This really isn't what the cover suggests it to be. Sure, it's romance, but it's so realistic and heartfelt. I would advise, however, that you don't read this during a depressive episode - not my smartest idea, admittedly.

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All's Well That Ends Well

6/2/2021

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Scoundrel's Redemption (Highlander's Pact #3)
by Sky Purington

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Greer suffers at the mercy of men who would use her to fulfil their goals. When Teagan MacLauchlin offers her the chance to save her friends in return for marrying him, there is no other choice - but at last, she can make a choice of her own. Greer does not expect to find companionship and respect in her second marriage. Teagan is eager to prove her wrong.

This was definitely my favourite book of the series. It provided a very satisfying conclusion to the brothers' pact and tied up the plot threads laid down in the previous story. Teagan and Greer were just so perfect for each other - both haunted by their pasts and united by understanding and patience. There were also some story developments that I didn't see coming and that was a pleasant surprise. I really loved reading this.

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Austen-esque

31/1/2021

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The Earl's Lady Geologist (The Lindfield Ladies Series #1)
by Alissa Baxter

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cassy Linfield is content with her chosen path in life - a spinsterhood spent discovering fossils at Lyme Regis. The arrival of Lord Rothbury is not only the catalyst for her being sent to London for her Season, but the catalyst for her heart to begin overruling her fears. Their mutual love of geology will soon not be the only thing they share.

This was a very pleasant read - the romance was sweet and comfortable and I was very interested in the geology side of things. I suppose it's unsurprising that a novel set predominantly in Lyme Regis would lean heavily on Austen references and even Austen's style, though at times I found it to be a bit too much. Fans of Persuasion will love it, however.

Side note - I deliberately read Persuasion for the first time while I was in Lyme Regis. This book brought back many fond memories.

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Alice + Aaron = <3

21/1/2021

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The Alice Equation (Laws of Love #1)
by Davina Stone

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Aaron and Alice have been magnetised together ever since they met at university while Alice was having a panic attack. For Alice it was love at first sight. But for Aaron, Alice has been a solid friend for five years while he's gone through a string of casual flings. When he needs a stable girlfriend to land a job at an old-fashioned law firm, Alice is the perfect choice... for a bout of fake dating.

I loved this! The Alice Equation is delightfully steamy at times and hits all the right notes at all the right times. I really liked the side characters, including Alice's mother, who provided an interesting but relevant side plot for Alice. There's also some delicious drama floating about. I am honestly surprised this is a debut - it's really too good to be a first book. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next few.

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Up to Scratch

8/1/2021

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Starting from Scratch by Penelope Janu

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sapphie Brown found sanctuary in Horseshoe Hill as a troubled teen and is now the local school teacher, with dreams of buying a farmhouse. Her quiet life becomes abruptly complicated with the arrival of Matts Laaksonen, the man from a past Sapphie would have preferred to keep buried. Can she keep avoiding him - and her heart?

I'm warming up to these small town romances and the idyllic life inside them. I did enjoy Starting from Scratch, but I chose to read it before bed so I could relax and therefore found it difficult to muddle my way through unexpectedly science-heavy scenes. That aside, I found Sapphie's father to be a perfectly vile villain and I liked Matts (probably because I love Finland and could easily "hear" his accent). This was a nice, pleasant read. But maybe don't try to read it when you're tired!

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Be Still My Beating Heart

6/12/2020

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Forbidden Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #6)
by Paula Quinn

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Silene Sparrow is a novice who intends to take her vows and become a nun in the spring, in order to help her uncle, but the arrival of Galeren McPherson throws her mind and heart into disarray. Galeren has taken a vow of chastity and intends to see his duty done. If only Silene wasn't betrothed to God. If only she didn't tempt him so much...

What's better than a Highlander romance? A forbidden Highlander romance! Delicious pining and pining-related angst make this one worth a read. Things slowed down a little towards the end when Galeren touched base with the growing family, but it's hard not to enjoy seeing everyone. Another great romance by one of my favourite romance authors.

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A Little Bit of This and That

1/11/2020

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Warlords, Witches & Wolves by Various

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I received an ARC of this book, but only after I'd already preordered it so I'm not sure what disclaimer to put here! I'm definitely going ahead with the preorder though.

This anthology collects romantic fantasy stories involving characters that are at least one of the promised "warlords, witches and wolves". There are magical lands to discover and pockets of our own world to revisit with new eyes.

I was a little daunted by the size of this anthology (14 hours to go, or so the Kindle informed me at the start), but each novella is just the right size for someone who's about to fall into bed. Unsurprisingly, the authors I already like were behind he novellas I enjoyed the most. My favourite novellas, however, would be Daniel de Lorne's (I always enjoy an exploration of the power dynamics in a relationship) and Claire Boston's (Mongolian fantasy!).

Less enjoyable were the novellas that stopped before reaching a conclusion. I think a novella should have a fully realised story - prequels and spin-offs are fine, but cutting the story off is less preferable to me.

All in all, a fine collection that lets you dip your toes into the work of various authors. I found at least one new author that I'd like to investigate further.

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Lesflix Christmas

25/10/2020

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The Holiday Treatment by Elle Spencer

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Holly writes romantic Christmas movies for the Wifetime Network and dreams of finally getting them to produce and air a lesbian romance. An unexpected fling with Meredith, her colleague-turned-boss, over Christmas one year might finally get her to change her mind about her dislike of the holiday season. Or it might complicate her life even further.

I loved every single second I spent reading this book - and I demand that someone actually turn this into the Christmas movie we all need and deserve. Spencer is quickly becoming my favourite F/F author. Not only are her romances utterly squeeful, she also introduces a cast of friends and family that you can't help but love. The Holiday Treatment had me in tears of joy by the last page and that's the best endorsement I can give it.

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#TWINNING

28/9/2020

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The Duplicate Bride by Ginny Baird

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

​Hope's twin sister, Jackie, is getting married this week, but she's a wedding planner with another wedding to sort out first. She asks the unthinkable of Hope - take her place and pretend to be her, just until she arrives. It'll only be a day, tops! Hope knows it's all wrong, but she really wants her sister to be happy - and then she starts to fall for Brent and his family...

This was a fun and fresh take on the "marriage of convenience" trope (with twins thrown in for good measure!) and I enjoyed every minute of it. Brent and Hope were written well together, so clearly meant-to-be. You can throw characters together, but you've got to make sure they have chemistry - and boy, do they! I suppose the premise is slightly on the ridiculous side and sometimes I felt as frustrated as Hope as things continued to worsen for her. Still a great read, however.

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Move Over, Max

27/9/2020

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The Matriarch (Women of the Dust #1)
by Annabella McInnes

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Yolanda is the Matriarch of the Horde, struggling alongside her people as they are denied water and sustenance. They are on the brink of annihilation when a disastrous battle sees Yolanda in charge of the fate of the new king of a rival nation. She could destroy him. Or she could save the Horde - if only she could allow herself to trust him.

A sexy, post-apocalyptic tale with a heroine who isn't reduced to the stereotypical "warrior woman"? Yes please! I absolutely loved everything about this book. The world-building felt natural, the relationship developed at just right pace, and the writing was superb. I'm an instant fan of this series - I can't wait to read the rest of it. A perfectly gritty sci-fi/romance.

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    About

    Alyce Caswell, when she isn't buried in a book or drinking her way through a giant pot of tea, is a keen writer of science fiction and romance. She has published two novels and four novellas in her space opera family saga, The Galactic Pantheon Series.

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