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ClareR (6037 KP) rated The Queen of Fives in Books

Sep 30, 2025 (Updated Sep 30, 2025)  
The Queen of Fives
The Queen of Fives
Alex Hay | 2024 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Queen of Fives is another exciting read (listen, in my case!) from Alex Hay. I really enjoyed The Housekeepers, so was very excited to see this come up on Xigxag audiobooks.

I loved this: it’s pacey, rip-roaring, the historical detail is on point and the story itself is unputdownable. The characters were fascinating, and I was cheering from the sidelines for Quinn, the Queen of Fives, even though her goal is to rip off the landed gentry (not such a bad thing, surely?!). The moral greyness of this is at peak level!

The narrator, Polly Edsel, is perfect and brings the cast of characters to life.

There’s dishonesty, family honour, independent strong women, peril, love, lies and fraud.

Highly recommended!
  
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Morgan Sheppard (992 KP) created a post

Dec 8, 2025  
As December settles in and the world feels edged with starlight, it feels like the perfect time to share a story shaped by winter magic and myth. ❄️✨

Whispers and Wings (Brodyr Alarch #6), coming 3rd January 2026, follows Gerallt—marked for twenty-four years by Arianrhod’s blessing of a swan’s wing—and Aderyn, the humble girl who hears the quiet language of geese.

Through lingering shadows, divine bargains, and the echoes of old betrayals, the two must discover whether love, patience, and courage can heal a curse that has lasted a lifetime.

Tell me: what winter release are you most excited for?

Add to your TBR list: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243137161-whispers-and-wings

#WhispersAndWings #YuleReading #WinterMagic #FantasyLovers #WelshMythology #FairytaleRetelling #BookishWinter #BrodyrAlarch6 #GooseGirl
     
Under the Boardwalk (The Landmarks Series #1)
Under the Boardwalk (The Landmarks Series #1)
Felice Stevens | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Under the Boardwalk (Landmarks #1) by Felice Stevens
Under the Boardwalk is the latest book by Felice Stevens, an author that I have long admired. It's starts with last summer, as our two main characters first lay eyes on each other and want more. The timing isn't right though, so a year goes by. Now we are at this summer.

Alexi is an American, with Russian ancestry. He works for his father at the local custard stand, and dreams of travelling the world. Cam is the busker that Alexi dreams about. He has travelled the world, and found that there was no place like home (sorry, couldn't resist!). These two finally connect, and BOOM!!! We're off.

I love Felice Stevens' way of writing. She wraps you up, and immerses you in the story. This is one of her 'sweeter' books, I would say, although there is some low-level angst in here. One thing I will always be grateful for, is the explanation given to Cam about what the difference is between ice-cream and custard. As someone who grew up in England, custard is a hot, sweet, liquid that goes on top of treacle tart, or jam roly-poly. Not in a cone! I was thankful when the explanation was given as I then understood what everyone was eating! ?

I don't think there were any editing or grammatical errors, but if there were, I missed them as I was so engrossed with the story. I love the epilogue, and love these two together. I am seriously hoping for more in this series, and also hope that we get to see a cameo from these two, just so I can find out if they're still okay.

Absolutely recommended by me, just be warned that you may lose time when you start reading this book!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
I've Got Your Number
I've Got Your Number
Sophie Kinsella, Finty Williams | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.2 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
Poppy Wyatt has just gotten engaged to Magnus Tavish. He gives her a gorgeous emerald ring that he had to get from the family lockbox. Then the unthinkable happens all in one horrendous day. First, she loses the ring after her friends are passing it around at an afternoon tea and then while she is on the phone trying to locate the ring, she is mugged and the phone is snatched right out of her hand. She finds another phone discarded in the bin(trash), what luck! Only problem is the owner wants it back before she finds her ring.

This is a cute and quirky story set in England. Poppy is marrying Magnus after being his physiotherapist. Theirs is a quick romance. Poppy's girlfriends are jealous and her future in-laws are very unsure about this relationship. When Poppy meets Sam, the owner of the phone, she can't help but insert herself into his life. They have the misfortune to share a phone since Sam is without a Personal Assistant(she's the one who tossed the phone) and Poppy has given this number to anyone in connection with finding her ring.

I listened to this book on my way to and from work this past week. It was read in an English accent and I found myself wanting to do the same. What I liked about this book was the sense of adventure tied into the romance. Trying to resolve a few crises in the midst of planning a wedding and trying to live life. They say, you can't help who or when you will fall in love. Poppy never meant to fall in love with Magnus while he was her patient. She never meant to lose his family's priceless heirloom. She didn't mean to have her phone 'nicked' and she certainly didn't mean to find a phone in the bin and be forever connected to Sam Rockston.

This is a cute, quick adventurous love story.
  
I LOVE this series. By the end of this book I had tears streaming down my face because of the beauty of the conclusion. (Second series that I have completed this week...GAH!) I admit that these last two books have been especially hard to read, emotionally. There is so much that happens, that definitely pulled on my heart. However, Roseanna pulled it all together wonderfully. Allowing for healing, forgiveness, trust and freedom. How does one go through life without trust in God? I am so very thankful to have been raised in a Christian home. Trusting in the Lord though, can be easier said than done. I never fully understood the peace and the rest that comes when you can fully trust God to guide you and lead your steps. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes dire circumstances for us to be able to get to that place.

Lady Ella is someone that I would love to have as a friend. She has joy that cannot be dissuaded and hope that cannot be deterred. It was so much fun to see characters from the other books make their appearance again. I especially love the interaction between the three heroes from the books. I was laughing out loud at their antics. But as much as I adore Stafford and Nottingham, Cayton is my favorite. Let's just say artistic AND loves Shakespeare...yup...My favorite! A beautiful story set in 1913, England, and filled with mystery, adventure, romance, betrayals, forgiveness, and more romance...You do not want to pass up the conclusion to the Ladies of the Manor and the curse of the Fire Eyes. To truly enjoy the story, I recommend starting with The Lost Heiress, Brooke's tale is one full of adventure and sets the stage for this series brilliantly.

I received a free copy of A Lady Unrivaled from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.