​As an author of romance novels, January lives and breathes happy endings. As an author of literary fiction, August is staunchly against happy endings. They've been fierce rivals since college, but now both of them are struck by writer's block. A bet to switch genres may help them out of their respective funks - and may give them an ending of their own, happy or otherwise.

I am a sucker for books about writers writing. I am a sucker for books involving leads who are both a bit broken. I am a sucker for books that feel like comfort food on a cold winter's night (as it is tonight!). So it was enviable that I fell in love with this one. It was so easy to blitz my way through it, but now I wish I'd savoured it a little bit more. Well, that's what re-reads are for, aren't they? :)

​Iris has set herself up as typical wife material - sweet, docile, completely unlike herself - and it has successfully attracted the Lord of Huntington. But then she does the unthinkable: she jilts him. <i>Twice.</i> Previously unaffected by her, Finn now finds he absolutely must have her for his marchioness.

I wasn't expecting to like this so much, given my last flirtation with Anna Bradley's work. But Iris is one of my favourite romantic heroines of the year - she's clever, discerning, and knows what she wants (once she figures it out!). I enjoyed (perhaps too much) her jilting of Finn and it was satisfying to read/witness him changing into a man more suited to Iris - and a man more worthy of her.

Demane's godly inheritance marks him out as other, the Sorcerer, but he hasn't realised his full potential or discovered himself. The decision to follow a caravan into the Wildeeps will transform and ruin him.

Confession time - I was really put off by the writing style to start with. But then, somehow, I was sucked into the story and realised just how well the style worked with action sequences. A hero's journey has never intrigued me this much before. This has the feel of something epic - and so much is said with so few scenes. So few words. An excellent novella, but the style does make it hard to get into.

​One of Charles' greatest friends is now an ailing old man with very little time left, so Charles takes Anna to meet him. But instead of enjoying their holiday, Anna and Charles find themselves aiding the FBI in hunting down a High Court fae. They also look at horses. A lot.

I can't help but feel that this is a novella that was heavily padded out. There are SO many unnecessary scenes featuring horses. I'm not a horse fan, but I can definitely appreciate them when they're used in the plot - but not when they're trotted out endlessly and for seemingly no purpose. The plot itself doesn't start until halfway through the book. I do love Anna and Charles, but I definitely won't be reading this one again.

Anna and Charles join the FBI on a hunt for a serial killer who has been working their way through minorities for decades, switching it up to fae and werewolves while getting steadily more violent. It's harder to tell what's more dangerous: working with witches or working with the government.

Not as good as the previous book in the series, mostly because it was less tight and seemed to be playing second fiddle to Mercy's books again. However, the serial killer storyline was interesting and Leslie was a fantastic character. I really hope to see more of her. But what was responsible for turning this from an okay book into a great one? THAT ENDING.

​Anna and Charles are sent to a summit to discuss the terms of werewolves going public - this isn't a popular decision, so it's no surprise that danger stalks them almost immediately. But they have more enemies than they realise.

A tight storyline and loveable leads make this an excellent book. It was so hard to put down. I really don't know how Patricia Briggs makes me accept the dominant dude thing, but it really works. This sequel really outshines its predecessors - probably because it's the first story in this series that manages to stand on its own. I'll say it's my favourite so far. I hope I can say that again!

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

Keenan returns home from wars that have hardened and changed him. He's determined to forge an alliance with a nearby clan through marriage, no matter the cost. Even if it means losing the true love of his life. Fionna is her clan's laird and has guarded her people in difficult times. But she cannot guard her heart from Keenan - or her secrets.

This is honestly the best Highlander romance novella I've ever read. When I dive into something of this length, I expect backstory and character development to be sacrificed for the plot. That didn't happen here. Keenan and Fionna were so lovely together, but if I'm honest...it was Neil who really stole the show. What a fantastic supporting character.