Category: Romance - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

False Advertising Strikes Again

24/1/2026

Snowed in at the Wildest Dreams Bookshop (The Wildest Dreams Bookshop #2)
by Gracie Page

Ivy was desperate to get out of Fox Bay and into art college, but her first term was a disaster. So she finds herself back home for the winter break, working in the Wildest Dreams Bookshop. Fox Bay can be pretty weird on its own, but the upstairs holidaymakers may even be weirder. Trip, one of said holidaymakers, is so infuriatingly optimistic. There's no way they can get along...or can they?

First of all, that's a very misleading title and it was so obviously an intentional ploy to hook a certain audience. I'm so tired of publishers pulling this shit. I seriously don't trust any of you anymore. Fast sales are apparently more important than building up reader loyalty... Ahem. Regardless, I enjoyed this sequel, which felt comfortably New Adult (unlike the first book, which had a weird vibe), and I connected with it on a personal level because I'd have related to Ivy if I was younger. It's a light, pleasantly entertaining read.

Remix and Repeat

22/1/2026

The Wildest Dreams Bookshop (The Wildest Dreams Bookshop #1)
by Gracie Page

Anna had her whole summer - and her whole future - mapped out, but she messed up her exams, her internship fell through and her boyfriend just dumped her. Now she's helping out her aunt in a bookshop in a small town in Cornwall, with the usual eccentric locals...and the so-called bad boy Jacob, who is unreliable and also not single. But maybe what Anna needs is a dash of the unexpected.

This is a fairly ordinary novel that wobbles uncomfortably on the fence between Young Adult and New Adult without actually managing to land in either camp (Anna's age is not the cause of this, I will point out). It also felt like the author gathered some recent trends and quickly weaved them together. The end result is a summer read that is a nice way to pass the time but is ultimately forgettable.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

17/1/2026

The Gingerbread Bakery (Dream Harbor #5)
by Lauria Gilmore

Annie Andrews has made her bakery business in Dream Harbour into a success. She's exactly where she wants to be. So why did Mac Sullivan have to come back into town and ruin everything? Mac knows he broke Annie's heart, but he was young and stupid. He's spent three years trying to get through to her. Will a wintry wedding be the perfect setting for a shot at a second chance?

This book had soooo much setup in the previous instalments in the series. It was going to have to deliver BIG TIME in order to appease readers and... it mostly did that for me. A dual timeline in a romance can be a tricky thing to handle, but Gilmore succeeded with apparent ease. And it was easy to be Team Annie... Mac I never really warmed too, possibly because I can hold grudges worse than Annie lol. I'd like to have known more about what convinced him that Dream Harbour was his future.

Disaster Heterosexuals

14/1/2026

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House (Dream Harbour #4)
by Laurie Gilmore

Archer wants to be back in Paris, chasing Michelin stars - but he's just discovered that he's a father and Olive, his daughter, needs him in Dream Harbour. He takes over at the local diner and hires Iris as a nanny. Iris is something of a walking disaster when it comes to jobs and relationships. She barely knows anything about kids. But it's easy to fall in love with Olive...and maybe even her hot chef dad.

So I know that characters in books have to make bad decisions in order for the plot to be interesting, but wow...at times, I just couldn't think kindly of Archer and Iris. Other times, however, they were a delight together. I've always liked Regency romances involving governesses - I guess I could like the modern version too, if the characters weren't always this frustrating. Anyway, I was sighing happily by the time I reached that gorgeous ending.

Hallmark Spice

9/1/2026

The Christmas Tree Farm (Dream Harbor #3)
by Lauria Gilmore

Kira North wanted the homesteader life that influencers sold to her, so she bought a Christmas tree farm. But now she doesn't even have the money to keep the heat on. She'll have to tone down the grumpiness and - shudder - interact with the locals to sell her trees. Bennett Ellis is only in town for a month. Will that be long enough to thaw Kira out? And what happens after New Year's?

I have watched many movies that include a Christmas tree farm and I'm a sucker for the grumpy/sunshine dynamic. So of course I was going to love this book (...and yes, I was lured in by yet another gorgeous deluxe edition). The previous instalment in this series also used an expiry date to add tension to the proceedings, but it was done a lot better here. Bennett and Kira were wonderful together. Mostly, I adored Kira, because I can be that kind of grumpy. Haha. Ahem. Lastly, what I like about the characters in Gilmore's novels is that they aren't perfect and nor are they outright villains. Probably the most realistic part of these cosy tales.

Nice-ish

6/1/2026

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (Dream Harbor #2)
by Laurie Gilmore

Hazel is almost thirty and she's having a bit of a crisis about it. So that's why, when mysterious clues appear in the books in the store where she works, she decides to fill the last weeks of her twenties with adventures. Noah is never with a woman for more than a season, but Hazel is different. While he agrees to accompany her on her quest to have casual fun, he wants the very opposite of casual.

This one didn't enchant me the way that the first book in this series did and I found myself glad there wasn't a deluxe edition yet or I'd have wasted my money on it. Noah just...wasn't very interesting as a hero for me. He felt a little flat. I did like Hazel very much, though, and the established setting is the strongest element here. It's an alright read. Just not particularly memorable.

Sugar, Spice and All Things Nice

4/1/2026

The Pumpkin Spice Café (Dream Harbor #1)
by Laurie Gilmore

After walking into work to find her boss dead, Jeanie leaps at the chance to run her aunt's cafe in the small town of Dream Harbour, hoping for a change of pace. What she gets is weird noises at night and encounters with a sexy farmer. Logan doesn't want to get involved with yet another woman who'll leave town. But he just can't help but stay in Jeanie's orbit. Will his heart be broken again?

Okay. I'll admit it. I bought this book because I spied the absolutely gorgeous deluxe edition in the bookstore and simply had to have it. And I really can't resist a cosy small town romance, because I just love feeling all warm and fuzzy inside - and yes, The Pumpkin Spice Café TOTALLY delivered. Much warm. Many fuzzies. So cosy. Very romance. Wow. Ahem, I think I'll forgo the memeing from now on. This book is a delight and I'm not just saying that because of how gorgeous my copy is. I'm absolutely going to dive into the rest of the series.

Fooled Again

3/1/2026

Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate #1)
by Brigid Kemmerer

Princess Jory's brother has arranged for her to be married off to Ky, the king of a neighbouring kingdom. The alliance will save both their people from an enemy with a formidable army. She must go through with it, despite her feelings for Asher, a Hunter who shared her childhood. But then things get complicated... because Asher has just received orders to assassinate both Jory and Ky.

This is a Why Choose romance. There is no indication on the book (or in the blurb) that this is the case, and I'm now thoroughly irritated with publishers who think they're being clever by using deception to get eyes on their titles (I've been stung a few times in the past year!). Why Choose is obviously not my jam. It has a whole subgenre with a legion of happy fans, so why wasn't this marketed to them? I now don't trust any books by this author to be what it says on the tin! I received my copy in a book box advent calendar, so I'd have read it anyway (I like to occasionally dabble outside my comfort zone), but I don't like being tricked. I want to know what I'm in for.

Okay. I've ranted enough about that. Now onto the book itself. I actually enjoyed the first third, since Kemmerer used a really short timeframe and yet still made the slower pacing work. I couldn't always predict what was about to happen, which was nice. Kemmerer's writing is solid and very easy to read, so that's why I didn't DNF when I realised I was reading a throuple romance. But the supposed adult characters were very YA... this made the sex scene feel awkward because they read like teenagers.

Warrior Princess Assassin is not for me. Let me count the ways lol

Content warning: mentions of sexual assault and rape

The Last Fated Review of 2025

31/12/2025

Fae's Love (Fated Mates of the Fae Royals #8)
by Helen Walton

Brandon has spent his whole life training so he can protect the Fae, but he wasn't prepared to meet a princess - or be so enamoured with her. Princess Roisin is relieved that her people are saved and wants to now heal the Earth. She desperately wants to find her fated mate as well. But her mate can never be a human...so why is she so drawn to Brandon? And can she ever be happy with a human?

This has been a fun series to read and <i>Fae's Love</i> concludes the arc nicely. I've enjoyed some entries more than others... and I don't think this one was a particular favourite, due to Brandon being a tad too pushy for my liking and the plot being on the thin side. However, I was invested in Brandon and Roisin as a couple. Brandon's side of things was particularly interesting. And now I must decide whether I will let myself be drawn into another series set in this world... I suspect I know the answer to that. Ha!

Also woohoo - this is my last book review of 2025! With 90 minutes to spare.

Sound a Siren

29/12/2025

The Siren's Cursed Kiss (Everwood Falls #3)
by Kat Kinney

Sage Summers has a magical affliction that keeps her trapped in Everwood Falls, where cursed beings are sent for the safety of everyone else. The last man she loved left her as soon as his curse lifted. Gideon Fischer, merman and teacher, could finally get her to let down her guard, but if his curse lifts, he'll leave her too. Not to mention that dark magical forces have made their way into town...

Another thoroughly enjoyable entry in the series. I really wish I could be absorbed by these books and directly into Everwood Falls itself. Sage and Gideon's romance is so sweet and gentle and slow and wonderful all at once. There's a bit of drama, but not too much. It's all perfectly balanced. And now I have a new favourite character - Mortimer, the kraken! Love that dude. I could probably do without him getting his own romance novel though... haha.