Lyon in Disguise - Reginia Jeffers (Dragonblade - Dec 2025)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 101)
 
A handsome rake meets his match in a red-headed enchantress who is his enemy!
 
They may be on different sides of the law, but Lord Navan Beaufort is not going to permit that to stop him from protecting Miss Audrey Moreau. Navan has never thought truly to love anyone, but when he laid eyes on the red-headed beauty, his world shifted. Unfortunately, the lady appears to prefer Lord Alexander Dutton to him, though Navan has rarely had the opportunity to speak to her privately. That is, until he saves her from a fire one miraculous night. From there forward, she is his hope. His future.
 
Miss Audrey Moreau depends exclusively on her Uncle Jacobi for a home and protection. The man rescued her from a bayman's plantation in the West Indies when she was five; yet, she well knows the "Marquis of Honfleur's" schemes. She thought once Jacobi was caught, all would be well, but even from his jail, the man means to rain down harm upon her.
 
Can two lost souls find happiness together, when everyone in whom they had previously placed their trust have left them alone in the world?
 
This is the third book in a miniseries set in the larger Lyon's Den world, with the events of the books overlapping and told from differing viewpoints. There is one mystery running throughout the series, with an additional mystery that concludes in each book. The overarching mystery begins in the first book with the shooting of Lord Duncan and the efforts of his six adopted sons to discover who and why. It may or may not have something to do with an investigation into the flood of counterfeit notes happening in London. Mrs. Dove-Lyon is only peripherally involved, as the shooting happened at the Lyon's Den, where Lord Duncan enlisted her help in the investigation.
 
The investigation has focused on a man claiming to be a French marquis, his daughter, and his niece. As a result, Lord Duncan and his sons have set up a constant surveillance of the Frenchman's residence. One of the watchers, Lord Navan Beaufort, finds himself drawn to the niece, Audrey. He met her once before beginning the surveillance and hasn't been able to forget her. As he witnesses more of her uncle's treatment of her, his protective instincts awaken. I enjoyed watching their clandestine friendship develop. Audrey is both naïve and worldly, as her tragic past reveals, yet despite everything, she still wants to believe in people's goodness. Navan, on the other hand, is rather cynical and has the reputation of a rake. The focus on the Marquis reveals his involvement in the counterfeiting scheme. The subsequent investigation becomes dangerous before it is resolved, and several incidents kept me glued to the pages until it was resolved.
 
After the danger passes, Navan learns the truth about Audrey's past. I laughed out loud at the scene between Navan and his "brother" Alex. The strain doesn't stop Navan from pursuing Audrey and gaining her hand. But Navan still has things to learn about relationships, and manages to put his foot in it when he takes his new wife to his lands in Ireland. His behavior exacerbates Audrey's fears of abandonment, and it takes desperate action by her to open his eyes to the truth. Matters become complicated by the ongoing danger posed by the counterfeiting scheme and a shocking confrontation and revelation. There is another hint in the mystery of who shot Duncan that leads into the next book in the series.
 
Overall, I enjoyed this book. However, there was far more overlap than I expected. There were times when I felt I was reading a regurgitation of the previous book instead of something new.

 

Hot Nights with the Paramedic - Carol Marinelli (HMED #1509 - Jan 2026)

The hottest mistake of her life?

 
Obstetrician Monica Hamilton loves her job, yet with every tiny baby she delivers, she longs for her own even more. When she's poised to explore single motherhood, it's terrible timing to notice sexy Argentinean paramedic Luke Arias. All he can promise is no strings and scorching hot nights. He's already had to bring up his orphaned siblings -- children are 100 percent off his agenda. Usually cautious Monica is powerless to resist Luke's charisma…but will their temporary fling break her heart or unlock everything she's ever wanted?
 
Good story. Monica is an OB doctor, and Luke is a paramedic. They met when Luke brought a pregnant accident victim to Monica's hospital. The connection between them happened quickly, though neither wanted to admit it. After several professional encounters, they decided to spend time together "just for fun." It doesn't take long for their attraction to become something more, but there are obstacles. Monica yearns for a child of her own, while Luke is equally adamant that he doesn't want children.
 
Both are dealing with some heavy emotional baggage. Monica's best friend, Jess, has been in a coma for three years and is approaching her final days. Her grief for her friend becomes complicated by the actions of Jess's husband. Luke raised his twin siblings after their parents died when the twins were twelve, and isn't interested in going there again.
 
I enjoyed the development of Monica and Luke's relationship. I especially liked Luke's sensitivity and care for Monica as she navigated Jess's passing and its aftermath. Luke's relationships with his siblings were great, especially with his brother Daniel. His happiness over Daniel's fatherhood was evident, and I enjoyed the babysitting scenes. But eventually, the differences in Luke's and Monica's dreams for the future put a strain on their blossoming relationship. It takes some time and external encouragement for them to break free of their fears.
 
The epilogue was good, and I laughed at the surprise they had waiting for them.

Cold Hearted Lyon - Tabetha Waite (Dragonblade - Dec 2025)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 100)
 
Love doesn't mean anything when no one wants it—until they realize they do.
 
Lady Catherine Cecil wants to strike out at her parents for an arranged marriage, but her target turns to the lady responsible for her recent union instead: Mrs. Dove-Lyon, the proprietress of the Lyon's Den. When she contrives an opportunity to tarnish the Black Widow's reputation for matchmaking, Lady Catherine is set on the course.
 
But that is before she meets her intended bridegroom.
 
Baron Benjamin Fontaine is a man Lady Catherine does not trust, nor does she consider him a friend, but a foe. However, when she learns that he also wishes to settle a debt with the Black Widow, she decides it's time for the villains to work together. Already expecting a child Lady Catherine conceived with a former lover, the couple conspires to tackle one of London's most notorious ladies.
 
Together, they have found a common ground, but who will be crowned victorious at the end of the day? Will Mrs. Dove-Lyon's reputation be in tatters at long last? Or will love intercede and prove that it will not be denied, after all?
 
Mrs. Dove-Lyon strikes again, pairing two unlikely people in a match that seems destined to fail but results in a deep love. Catherine's parents are high-ranking nobles with low morals and no interest in their daughter. Believing that what is good for them also applies to her, Catherine embarks on an affair with one of the stable hands and winds up pregnant. Intent on preserving the family name, her parents enlist the Black Widow to find Catherine a husband immediately.
 
Benjamin is the son of a lecher and was on that road himself when tragedy struck. He lost his mother, wife, and unborn son in rapid succession. Haunted by the loss and the poor choices he made, he spent his time drinking and gambling. When Mrs. Dove-Lyon offers him a way out, he reluctantly accepts it.
 
Married the next day, Catherine and Benjamin find common ground in their desire to get back at Mrs. Dove-Lyon. As they settle into married life, they discover that they actually like each other. I enjoyed seeing Benjamin encourage Catherine to make his estate her own and support her as she did so. Meanwhile, Catherine helps him overcome his guilt and set out on the road to making amends. Neither expected the depth of attraction that grew between them, nor the love each was reluctant to admit. I liked seeing them finally show enough trust to share the truth.
 
I smiled when Benjamin hired a detective to investigate Mrs. Dove-Lyon's matches to prove that she was a fraud. The result was no surprise to the reader, though it was something of a shock to him and Catherine. The epilogue was good. 

The Wild Card - Carolyn Brown (Montlake - Dec 2025)

When Lady Luck deals her a roadside diner in small-town Texas, a professional poker player discovers home may be the best win of all.
 
Professional poker player Carla Wilson's luck runs dry in Tucson, leaving her with nothing but an SUV running on fumes and a deed to the Tumbleweed Bus Stop and Diner in small-town Texas. Her plan to sell the café and move on seems simple enough—until she meets the motherly cook who rules the kitchen with an iron skillet and the sunny waitress who treats her like a sister.
 
Then there's Jackson Armstrong. The ex-military heir of a wealthy oil family has green eyes that make Carla forget her cards and a smile that suggests he's playing for keeps. With a pair of matchmaking senior citizens and the café's morning regulars cheering from the sidelines, Carla's wandering soul begins to feel at home.
 
Now she's discovering everything she never knew she needed—true friendship, a place to belong, and a love worth going all in for. Maybe Lady Luck knew exactly what she was doing from the start.
 
Fun book. Carla is a professional woman gambler. After her mom's death when she was eight, Carla traveled the country with her gambler father. By fourteen, she was playing in games herself, and on her own by the time she was sixteen. As the story opens, Carla has lost everything except her SUV, some change, and the deed to a diner in a small Texas town. She plans to sell the diner for what she can get and use the proceeds to continue her chosen profession. The last thing she expects is an instant connection with Rosie the cook and Scarlett, the waitress, and a feeling of belonging she's never had before.
 
I enjoyed seeing Carla settle into life as a diner owner. As a gambler, she developed excellent instincts about people, and I loved watching her interactions with Rosie and Scarlett. The closer she grows to them, the less appealing her former life becomes. The growing trust among them leads to sharing their stories and realizing what they have in common. It isn't all rainbows and unicorn farts, to quote Carla, as there are occasional stresses and dustups, but the undercurrent of support is always there.
 
Jackson was a complication that took Carla by surprise. Handsome, wealthy, and former military, Jackson is in the area for a long-term drilling job. He's immediately taken with Carla. Carla has never had a relationship longer than forty-eight hours, so Jackson's attentions are a whole new experience for her. He has the patience to hang in there while Carla gets used to the idea. There are a few minor road bumps when Carla's independence clashes with Jackson's wishes, but both have the maturity to talk it out. There's a great scene where Carla meets Jackson's parents that initially rouses her fears, but she comes back from it stronger.
 
I liked the underlying themes of women helping each other through situations such as gambling and abuse, grief and loss, and believing in oneself. The romance was good, but the heart of the story lay in the multi-generational friendship among the women characters. The epilogue was a lovely wrap-up to the story. 

The Cornish Lyon - Fil Reid (Dragonblade - Dec 2025)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 99)
 
Orphaned heiress Miss Georgiana Frampton is in a pickle.
 
Not only has she allowed the handsome, young naval officer who'd asked her to marry him untoward liberties—which left her in a delicate condition that will soon be impossible to hide—he's also had the bad luck to drown at sea. Her aunt, disgusted at her behavior, has thrown her out onto the street. When Georgiana's best friend suggests she should go to the Lyon's Den to request help, off she goes. She's happy to bestow her fortune, or maybe some of it, on a man who will give her unborn child a respectable name. Having been taken advantage of before, she never intends to let her heart rule her head again.
 
Captain Fitzwilliam Carlyon is a lesser scion of a ducal household with no money to his name other than his military pay. When he finds himself with pockets to let and heavily in debt after a night of injudicious gambling at the Lyon's Den, he can hardly believe his luck when Mrs. Dove-Lyon offers him a way out: the rich heiress he's longed for. With no intention of anything other than funding the rakish lifestyle he considers his due, he leaps at the chance to marry Georgiana, despite her looming problem.
 
But the best laid plans can go wildly astray, and their feelings begin to become engaged, although both of them deny this to themselves—until the night of the ball his sister has arranged for them.
 
Georgiana has a problem. After her father's death, she went to live with her reclusive spinster aunt. Despite being socially restricted, she managed to meet and fall for a young naval officer. Now she is pregnant, and the young officer is lost at sea. When her aunt finds out, she kicks Georgiana out of the house. Fortunately for Georgiana, she has come of age and can claim her substantial inheritance. What she needs now is a husband who will give her child a name. At her friend Fanny's suggestion, she goes to Mrs. Dove-Lyon for help.
 
Fitz Carlyon is a British soldier recently returned from duty in Cornwall. Though related to a duke, his only income is his army pay. After a night of gambling at the Lyon's Den, his extensive losses bring him to Mrs. Dove-Lyon's attention. His relief is evident when she offers him a way out of his problem - marriage to a wealthy heiress in need of a husband. He jumps at the chance.
 
I liked both Georgiana and Fitz. Though a bit naïve because of her sheltered life, Georgiana has a good head on her shoulders. Her father trained her well in the family business, and she has no trouble standing up for herself. I loved her honest insistence that Fitz knows her circumstances before they marry. She insists that the marriage be in name only. She won't allow her emotions to take the lead again. Fitz is fine with her rules. He intends to continue his rakish lifestyle.
 
Neither expects to discover that they actually like each other. Their time together shows that they have more in common than they expected, including a simmering attraction. Fitz finds that his former activities no longer hold the appeal they once did. Instead, Georgiana fascinates him, and his feelings for her grow. He decides he wants to woo her, and worries that he won't succeed. I liked how he supported her with his family and her aunt. Georgiana realizes that her previous relationship was more infatuation than love as her feelings for Fitz change. Each is wary of confessing their feelings, afraid they won't be returned. The scene at the ball was terrific as both finally let go of their fears. 

 

Christmas Security - Lisa Childs (HRS #2353 - Dec 2025)

Series: Bachelor Bodyguards (Book 16)
 
They're dodging a killer
And finding each other
 
Biophysicist Dr. Priscilla Pell fears for her life -- and the life of her unborn child. Living in the mansion where she's still unwelcome among her late husband's family, she doesn't know whether the threats are coming from inside or outside. That's why she hires professional security. She's grateful for Blade Sparks's around-the-clock protection, but his constant presence makes it impossible to ignore the effect he has on her. After a Christmas-shopping excursion that should be a distraction takes a lethal turn, Priscilla and Blade can no longer pretend that their relationship is purely professional…
 
Recently widowed Dr. Pricilla Pell vowed to continue her and her husband's research into groundbreaking medications for Alzheimer's and cancer. She lives in the mansion she inherited, as do her late husband's other family members, in a stressful situation. The family thinks she's a gold-digger, but all she wants is to finish her research. She is also pregnant (through IVF) with his child, and is determined to protect his legacy. The insurance company insists on upgraded security, and after some unsettling incidents, Priscilla agrees.
 
Payne Protective Services assigns Blade Sparks to Priscilla's case. Blade is determined to prove himself worthy of this second chance. A man with deep protective instincts, he spent several years in prison after accidentally killing a man he saw abusing a woman. He will do anything to keep Priscilla safe.
 
The initial meeting between Priscilla and Blade was not what either had expected. I liked Blade's reasoning for his actions and the instinct that alerted him to someone watching the house. I laughed at his shock at Priscilla's sudden appearance. Priscilla is a strong-willed woman, and I liked how she ensured she and Blade were on the same page regarding her protection. It bothered me that she wasn't honest with him about the baby until circumstances forced it.
 
The suspense of the story was very good. It was clear from the start that someone was after Priscilla's research and would do anything to get it. There were numerous possible suspects, all of whom had sufficient motive. We get a few passages from the perp's viewpoint, highlighting their frustration and growing desperation. Both Blade and Priscilla make questionable choices that come close to ending badly before the final confrontation brings everything to a nail-biting conclusion.
 
Neither Blake nor Priscilla expected the intense attraction that burned between them. Blake tried to ignore it, unwilling to let the attraction distract him from protecting Priscilla. Priscilla blamed the attraction on pregnancy hormones. She not only accepted it, she also embraced it. But she is also wary of her growing feelings for him, hesitant to trust her judgment after previous disasters. I liked the ending and the way both let go of their fears and embraced the future. 

Christmas Cottage Getaway - Tara Taylor Quinn (HSE #3120 - Dec 2025)

Series: Cottages on Ocean Breeze (Book 3)
 
Christmas, canines and courtship…
 
Dale Wilson's life hasn't been "good" since his beloved wife died -- at least until Millie Monroe moves to Ocean Breeze. Dale and his dog Juice can't help but be drawn to the pediatric nurse. A widow herself, Millie understands not wanting romance. Finding unexpected common ground has given them both a friendship they've craved. Plus, their respective pups have become friends, too! But Dale has a secret -- he's bestselling author WG Gunder. Not something he readily wants to admit to the woman in his heart…and his bed. Perhaps the Christmas spirit can teach him that sometimes happily-ever-after is disguised as a new beginning…
 
A slow-burning holiday romance between two hurting people who lost their spouses way too soon. Millie came to Ocean Breeze two years after unexpectedly losing her husband. She spent those two years burying her grief in her work as a pediatric nurse until she burned out. She rented the cottage from a friend who promised that the neighbors respect each other's privacy. The rental includes dog sitting for the owner's dog, Magic.
 
Dale lost his wife five years ago. He turned his grief into a successful writing career as author WG Gunder. He and his dog, Juice, rarely leave the cabin except for daily runs. He is friendly with the neighbors, but not a joiner.
 
Millie and Dale spend a couple of weeks successfully avoiding each other until they are brought together in a sea turtle rescue. Then they encounter each other while running, just exchanging nods. After another sea animal encounter, a sea lion this time, Dale invites Millie to stop by and try one of his home-brewed beers.
 
This begins a slow-building friendship. Dale and Millie connect over their common ground of loss without pushing for more than they are willing to share. I enjoyed their developing friendship, their honesty about losing the loves of their lives, and that they aren't looking for love again. However, the more time they spend together, the more intense the sparks of attraction grow. They decide to enter into a friends-with-benefits arrangement, with the clear understanding that it will never be more. Of course, as readers, we know how that usually turns out.
 
This is where it turns a little odd. I could see Dale and Millie growing closer, their feelings obvious to anyone looking, yet they continued to insist they were just friends. Then they get it into their heads that since both regret most the loss of being a parent, they should have a baby together. No intention of marrying, just coparenting. It felt a little too pragmatic. Would either of them let go of their fear of loss soon enough to admit the truth? The ending was well done, with an adorable way to reveal their feelings.
 
My favorite characters, however, were not Millie and Dale. The true stars of the book were the dogs - Juice, Magic, and eventually, Briel. The dogs' sensitivity to humans' moods helped ground them and helped them get past the rough moments. I especially enjoyed the scene with Dale and Briel at the end.