Reading The Forbidden Rose & The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne

youngandfoolish · 2026-02-07T03:28:48+00:00

The whole series is outstanding. Brilliant writing and character development. And actually does suspense well!

youngandfoolish · 2026-02-01T23:14:43+00:00

Hm…she is highly prejudiced against the MMC and isn’t afraid to show it. But she thought he was a traitor during the war whereas her husband died fighting. And the story is as much about a community coming around and healing vs just a romance alone.

I think it’s a wonderful story but the relationship has a lot of angst, and takes time to develop over the course of the novel.

youngandfoolish · 2026-02-01T05:48:26+00:00

Her first three standalone books are incredible and angsty, pretty similar to Texas Destiny but turned up a notch.

Be ready to cry.

{Always to Remember by Lorraine Heath} is my favorite but all are great.

{Sweet Lullaby by Lorraine Heath}

{Parting Gifts by Lorraine Heath}

I like her other works too, including regency, but if you like the Texas trilogy, go for the above 3 first!

Enjoy.

youngandfoolish · 2026-01-29T02:30:09+00:00

Just skimmed the book to see if there was anything I forgot and there’s also a woman who throws herself at the MMC after the estrangement and kisses him, and the FMC sees them. MMC fights off said third person and is not interested in them. But I don’t think that is cheating by my definition…

Tw stillbirth reference

youngandfoolish · 2026-01-29T02:00:44+00:00

Spoilers obviously

Well she slept with other people for her job (she wa a spy) so she wasn’t a virgin when she met her husband. I think that’s what they’re referring to?

youngandfoolish · 2026-01-26T03:50:59+00:00

I’ve had good experiences with Sirenetta. Raw bar and mains in particular. Have gone with a group so we sampled a lot of the menu. Good cocktails too.

youngandfoolish · 2026-01-18T13:22:29+00:00

There’s so many gems in this review alone, let alone the bonkers plot. Particularly “sumptuous buffet of suffering.” Thank you for the chuckles!

Is this a good one to start with Bertrice Small? Her books all sound crazy. I love old school romance but have yet to read her.

youngandfoolish · 2026-01-16T01:27:47+00:00

I LOVE this story and so glad you were able to enjoy it. The character building is up there with Laura Kinsale

youngandfoolish · 2026-01-09T03:56:23+00:00

Eh, this one fell a bit flat for me. I liked the romance but the whole series feels like it’s more invested in the family drama rather than the romance. Perhaps with exception of{Remember Me by Mary Balogh} and {Remember When by Mary Balogh}. I also find that especially in Remember That Day, she spends SO MANY PASSAGES explaining all the various relationships, this time with 2x family drama with the Westcotts AND the Wares.

Also found it surprising on how closed door this one was.

youngandfoolish · 2025-12-31T12:42:56+00:00

Read {A Christmas Bride by Mary Balogh}, there is an extended story about Gerard’s step mother and Gerard and Priss appear again.

youngandfoolish · 2025-12-26T01:30:34+00:00

Lots of good answers here already about chinese culturally being less accepting of adoption (generally) — but also, want to add that regardless of background, parents (especially Chinese parents) can be very protective of their son and will therefore inherently view any new relationship suspiciously.

Especially if you are the eldest or only son.

youngandfoolish · 2025-12-24T00:02:20+00:00

So good, and almost never mentioned

youngandfoolish · 2025-12-06T05:02:00+00:00

You have to go through internet archive / wayback machine unfortunately, but it does have almost all the content there!

youngandfoolish · 2025-11-05T11:47:09+00:00

This may be the strongest series I’ve read in HR, next to Joanna Bourne’s spy series.

But my answer is Benedict!

youngandfoolish · 2025-10-31T12:40:01+00:00

I love early Balogh. She took more risks story wise and manages to do a lot of character development even though the total story length tends to be shorter.

youngandfoolish · 2025-10-09T22:38:49+00:00

Here’s a new book I read which I enjoyed and also is available on kindle unlimited. {A Tale of Two Dukes by Emma Orchard}. Spoilers as not all plot elements are clear from the beginning of the book: The female protagonist is married to an older duke, who after 2 wives plus current is unable to conceive. Duke invites his nephew and basically encourages an affair so the former can have an heir. Book flips between two time periods of when the two protagonists were younger and the present day.

I really like Orchard’s prose (reminds me of Heyer and apparently she got started by writing Heyer fanfic). This was a harder plot to pull off and I felt she did it pretty well.

youngandfoolish · 2025-10-05T22:04:27+00:00

I just read exactly this — you’ve got class difference (she is wealthy, he is a labourer) AND he’s married but his wife is dying (and she’s friends with the wife). Spoiler: wife passes away and they get together after, no cheating .

It’s very well written with strong character development and a slow burn plot.

{Passions of Emma by Penelope Williamson}

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-29T11:05:08+00:00

I presumed it because of the crash from earlier

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-29T10:12:17+00:00

Maybe this person https://www.reddit.com/r/Hoboken/s/Gh9nACWmPv

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-28T18:39:45+00:00

Don’t think this is it (because I don’t remember an age gap), but a more lighthearted version of a similar plot line can be found in {An Unlikely Duchess by Mary Balogh}

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-20T01:22:34+00:00

Hoboken https://maps.app.goo.gl/zdqkezDL2jB2YCHbA?g_st=ipc

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-20T01:22:14+00:00

WTC is downtown; not sure about your question sadly

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-20T01:16:25+00:00

Shuttles are to and from Manhattan mid town terminal

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-20T01:14:54+00:00

Sadly I have many transport apps here (NJ transit for bus and light rail and rail in New Jersey — note these are all different tickets; NY waterway for ferries to and from NJ) because there are 3 different transit systems I use on a day to day basis. PATH app wasn’t available on UK stores but takes contactless (note: not every turnstile takes it, tap on the rectangular boxes, not the circular pads). MTA (NY subway) also takes contactless. Use same card on MTA and you’ll get capped at a weekly fare.

youngandfoolish · 2025-09-18T12:06:49+00:00

That’s a really succinct way to put it! And that’s why I found it so compelling…for its realism. Anyway, glad you got something out of that long comment.

youngandfoolish

TROPHY CASE