Tag Archives: Romance

October 2, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of October Omen

Book cover for October Omen by Holly Schindler. Image on cover is a black and white drawing of a feather whose uppermost leaves gradually transforms into about a dozen little white birds that are flying away from the feather. Title: October Omen

Author: Holly Schindler

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: December 7, 2022

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Length: 42 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 4 Stars

Blurb:

Forever Finley Episode / Short Story #11: Superstitions float around us constantly. We choose to believe or discount them based on where our hearts happen to be at that particular moment.

Kelly Marx, Finley’s premiere wedding planner and dress designer, is on a mission to get access to a Civil War-era shawl for Natalie, the latest bride to hire her. But Mary, the elderly owner of the shawl, isn’t the only force to come between Kelly and her goal. When the shawl goes missing, Kelly also encounters mysterious characters and a slew of bad omens—but what does it all add up to? What does it foretell? Where will Kelly’s skeptical heart lead her?

October Omen is the eleventh installment in Forever Finley, a series of stand-alone episodes or short stories that released once a month throughout 2016. Previous releases include: Come December, January Thaw, Forget February, Dearest March…, April’s Promise, Mayday Mayday Mayday, Chasing June, A Hundred Julys, Under the August Moon, and Song for September. Stories following October Omen include the Forever Finley Finale (Pale November / December Bells). Stories can be purchased individually, or readers can purchase all installments in Forever Finley: An Episodic Novel.

Content Warning:

Review:

Many things are possible as daylight melts into dusk.

This was a cozy read that made me want to snuggle under the covers and drink a hot cocoa. The conflicts the characters faced, while important, were ultimately pretty low stakes and relaxing to read about. This wasn’t one of those books where the fate of the entire world lays in the hands of one unsuspecting hero. Instead, it was about sewing, wedding planning, and maybe encountering a few friendly ghosts along the way. There is definitely something to be said for fiction about the simple joys of life, and I look forward to continuing on with these characters in the future.

I found myself wishing for more answers as I dove into my third experience in this universe. Take the genre classifications like romance, paranormal, and fantasy lightly because these books have gently broken many of the tropes associated with all of them so far. Sometimes the descriptions felt more like a dream than a story in that conventional dialogue, character development, plot development didn’t always show up the way I expected them to. Sometimes there are holes in this series that, at least so far, have asked readers to accept certain things without explaining why they were written that way. I don’t mind some of that in moderation, but it was a little excessive for my tastes at times and it is something to keep in mind for readers who have firmer expectations about the genres they read.

Such a whimsical writing style does have its advantages as well, though. If you are curious about stepping into any of these genres, perhaps even for the first time, this could be a good place to begin. There was nothing scary or explicit in this tale. The hauntings could have other explanations depending on how a reader interpreted certain key moments, and the romantic elements of the story were sweet and gentle. It often felt like the literary equivalent of trying various samples of ice cream at an ice cream shop before committing to buying a cone or even an entire pint of which ever flavour – or genre – you might prefer.

This is part of a series that can be read in any order.

October Omen was a heartwarming start to Halloween season.

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September 18, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Loving Safoa

Title: Loving Safora Book cover for Loving Safoa by Liza Wemakor. Image on cover shows a drawing of two black women embracing each other romantically with one of their hands lovingly placed on the other one’s cheek. The former is wearing a red hat and red dress.

Publisher: Liza Wemakor

Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Romance, LGBTQ+, Contemporary

Length: 103 pages

Source: I borrowed it from the library.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

When schoolteacher Cynthia gets a tattoo at a block party in 1991 Flatbush, she doesn’t realize she’s embarking on a life-changing romance with an immortal Ghanaian vampire. Cynthia’s affair with Safoa weaves together stories from nineteenth century Ghana, late twentieth century New York and a near future reality in Maryland that defies the utopian/dystopian binary.

Content Warning: References to racism, sexism, and homophobia.

Review:

Sometimes danger can be a little cozy.

This is a good example of how to blend romance into the horror and dark fantasy genres. Without Cynthia and Safoa’s relationship, none of the other storylines would have gelled together due to how important it was for these two particular characters to thrive together and explore their world as a team. While I can’t go into a lot of detail about why this is so without wandering into spoiler territory, pay attention to their early conversations in particular in order to understand why this is so. There were some wonderful moments of foreshadowing in those scenes that paid off beautifully later on.

I would have loved to see more world building in this novella. There were references to multiple unusual events in Safoa’s life that were either only briefly explained or not explained at all. While I’m not the sort of person who needs everything to be spelled out directly, there was so much more space here for plot and character development if those scenes had been given time to fully develop. The glimpses of the world building that were included were well done, and I would have happily chosen a much higher rating if this had not been an issue for me as a reader.

The ending resolved the most important conflicts nicely. I especially liked how it described the fate of a child who was introduced about three-quarters of the way through this piece as her dilemma had sparked my curiosity about what might happen to her next. Yes, I know that’s vague, but there were many things about this character that I was glad I didn’t have any advanced warning about. Being surprised can be a good thing!

Loving Safora was creative.

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August 28, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Under the August Moon

Book cover for Under the August Moon by Holly Schindler. Image on cover shows a large, full moon glowing brightly in the sky just after dusk. The land below is so dark you can’t tell if there are trees or rocks down there. There is still a faint yellow and orange streak of light at the horizon, but even it is quickly disappearing. Title: Under the August Moon

Author: Holly Schindler

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: December 7, 2022. Originally published in 2016.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Length: 34 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Forever Finley Episode / Short Story #9: It has been said that seeds of love planted beneath an August moon will bind two meant to be together—forever.

Two different couples—one currently hoping to find common ground in their relationship, the other a legendary pair wandering the town in their relentless attempt to reunite—find their paths have suddenly intertwined like wild Midwestern vines under the red August Heart Moon. Will Mark and Jo decide their late-in-life romance can find new direction? And how will the fabled Finley’s search for her beloved Amos be impacted by the planting of her enchanted moon seeds?

Under the August Moon is part of Forever Finley, a series of stand-alone episodes or short stories that released once a month throughout 2016. Previous releases include Come December, January Thaw, Forget February, Dearest March…, April’s Promise, Mayday Mayday Mayday, Chasing June, and A Hundred Julys. Stories following Under the August Moon include Song for September, October Omen, and the Forever Finley Finale (Pale November / December Bells). Stories can be purchased individually, or readers can purchase all installments in Forever Finley: An Episodic Novel.

Review:

The hot, humid days of summer won’t last forever, but maybe romance will.

This was my first introduction to the Forever Finley series, and I was impressed by how I understood everything I needed to in order to get into this story.  It’s not easy to write a series that can be read as standalone works and in any order, so I must tip my cap to Ms. Schindler for pulling this off.  While there were definitely some scenes that I think will be more meaningful to fans who have met these characters before, I never felt out of my depth as I was reading. The mystery of the jar filled with invisible magic seeds was more than enough to keep my interest levels high.

I found myself wishing for more conflict as I was reading this. It was such a cozy little community that I certainly wouldn’t expect anything high stakes, but there were times when the plot felt a little slow due to how long it took the characters to figure out problems like finding a missing pair of overalls or encouraging neighbourhood children who snuck onto one character’s property and ate the blueberries that she had been planning to sell in order to afford Christmas presents and some festive food for that occasion to stop stealing fruit. Even a little more effort in this area would have been enough for me to choose a higher rating as I loved this world in general.

The romance was handled nicely, and I’m saying that as someone who only visits this genre occasionally. I understood why one of the characters involved in this relationship was having second thoughts, but I also thought they made a good match and hoped they’d be able to work this problem out. It was also interesting to take note of the paranormal elements of the storyline that were related to romance as that isn’t something I typically read about. They were handled nicely and have encouraged me to visit this world again soon.

Under the August Moon made me smile.

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August 21, 2025 · 1:00 am

Gardening Woes: A Review of Tomato Dreams

Book cover for Tomato Dreams by P.B. Cannon. Image on cover is a rustic painting of tomatoes growing on a row of tomato plants in a garden. Oddly enough, there are several colourful fish swimming between the plants. Maybe they’re underwater? Title: Tomato Dreams

Author: P.B.Cannon

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: March 10, 2019

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Humour

Length: 34 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Red has planted her very first vegetable garden. She is tending it when she makes a surprising discovery: fish are growing on her tomatoes. With the help of friends that are… let’s just say they are as unusual as Red, she sets out to learn why this has happened – and why flocks of birds are trying to steal the fish.

(Set in the universe of Cady and Sam, a short story series about werewolves and other paranormals.)

Content Warning: Pregnancy

Review:

Even paranormal creatures need downtime.

Imagine finding fish swimming around your tomato plants! I chuckled at that image in the first scene and couldn’t wait to learn more about why this happened and how the characters were going to react to it. Gardening can be unpredictable for sure, but generally one doesn’t find such bizarre changes to their crops from one day to the next.  I don’t want to give away spoilers by going into too much detail about what was actually going on here, but I thought it was a great way to draw new readers in and help us care about these characters and the silly things they sometimes experience.

As much as I enjoyed the leisurely pace of Red’s life, I did find myself wishing for more conflict to keep my interest levels high. It could have been something as simple as a thunderstorm or a brief argument with a grumpy neighbour. High stakes are not necessary here, but I would have happily gone with a much higher rating if Red had faced a few more challenges as she tried to figure out where all of those fish came from.

Some of my favourite scenes were the ones that explore what magic is and isn’t capable of doing in this universe. This is something that can shift dramatically from one story to the next one in the fantasy genre, so I always approach these explanations with an open mind and with as few assumptions about what should be happening as possible. It was interesting to see how this author described the benefits and limitations of magic in her world, and I wouldn’t mind learning more about it in the future.

This was a standalone tale in a series.

Tomato Dreams made me smile.

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July 10, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of The Merlin

Book cover for The Merlin by Benjamin Parsons. Image on cover shows a drawing of a shirtless white man sitting on a rock. There is a hawk just about to land on his outstretched hand, and he is looking thoughtfully at the bird. The bird’s wings are still outstretched as it flies the last few inches to the human. Title: The Merlin

Author: Benjamin Parsons

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: January 9, 2023

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Historical

Length: 58 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Down-to-earth falconer Rowland is determined to marry his childhood sweetheart Rowena, just when her life is turned upside down by bereavement, illness and debt. A strange old jeweller forges the perfect engagement ring for the proposal, but Rowland refuses to pay the unusual price the jeweller demands. From that moment on, Rowland is drawn further and further into the realm of the supernatural, as everything he loves slips away from him. Part of the collection The Green Man and Other Stories.

Content Warning: Life-threatening illness and death. I will not discuss these themes in my review.

Review:

Everything has a price.

The most memorable scenes for me were the ones that took place when the jeweller was creating the special ring and then negotiating the price of it with Rowland. This happened early on in the storyline, so I feel comfortable talking about it in more depth here. There were so many magical  moments in those scenes that made me perk up and wonder where the plot might evolve from there. It was also interesting to see some of the protagonist’s personality quirks emerge during the course of that day as this was an excellent opportunity to show what he was like when he felt negative emotions like boredom or frustration. Wondering what the jeweller was up to also piqued my interest as the effort he put into creating the ring didn’t quite match what the protagonist or I knew about how jewelry is made.

I would have liked to see more character development for Rowland. Normally, I’d expect the protagonist in a tale like this one to have some glaring personality flaw that overshadowed his or her common sense at least on occasion, but this wasn’t what happened. Yes, Rowland could be a little too stubborn at times, but he had a good heart and was genuinely trying to do the right thing not only for himself but also for everyone around him even if his choices didn’t always create the desired effects. The ending didn’t quite sit right with me because of how much I liked Rowland. If there was a lesson to be learned here, I struggled to know what it might be as those scenes felt more like something that would occur in real life than in the fantasy genre.

One of the things I appreciate the most about Mr. Parson’s stories is how willing he is to take risks and bend the rules of the genres he chooses. This means that I’m never quite sure what to expect when I return to his work, whether that’s related to plot twists or which characters might get to live happily ever after among many other subjects. It makes the reading process exciting and is why I keep reviewing him here. He really knows how to keep his audience guessing.

This tale is part of a collection that does not need to be read in any particular order.

The Merlin was thought provoking.

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April 24, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of Heart of Water and Stone

Book cover for Heart of Water and Stone  by EE Ottoman. Image on cover shows some small white wildflowers growing next to stream that has a rocky bed in it and some stones piled beside it, too. The water is rippling slightly as if it’s a somewhat windy - but not stormy - day. Title: Heart of Water and Stone

Author: EE Ottoman

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: March 12, 2025

Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, Historical

Length: 68 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Girin is a troll, content with his simple, quiet life in the forest—a life thrown into chaos when he stumbles across an unconscious human on one of the mountain paths. The human is not an ordinary one either, but a witch—tortured, branded, and mere steps from death when Girin finds him. Unable to leave him there to die alone, Girin takes the human home to nurse him back to health. But he quickly learns that keeping one stubborn human alive is a far more difficult task than he first surmised …

Content Warning: Historical references to slavery, torture, and the belief in witchcraft.

Review:

Goodness comes in many forms.

Trolls aren’t common protagonists in fantasy, so I was excited to meet one here. It’s always nice when authors purposefully seek out themes and types of their genres that are not currently in vogue. Yes, it can be a risk in some cases depending on how audiences react, but I’d argue it’s one worth taking. It’s much more interesting to read tales that flip the reader’s expectations around and play around with who we’re supposed to sympathize with than it is to read one that sticks closely to the tropes. (Not that tropes are bad things, of course! There’s simply something to be said for thinking critically about why specific ones are being used).

I would have liked to see more world building in this piece, especially as it was related to Girin’s communication with the mountain during a point of conflict in one of the later scenes. There were so many things I wanted to know about how their relationship worked and what the mountain might be capable of doing to help him. If this had been explained better, I would have happily gone with a higher rating.

The slow-burn romance worked well for the characters and storyline. Both Girin and Ronan had plenty of reasons to be cautious about falling in love, so it made perfect sense for them to build a strong friendship first. This also meant that the romantic elements of the plot were often overshadowed by the fantasy and adventure themes which was a positive thing to this reader. A dash of this sort of content is plenty for my tastes most of the time.

Heart of Water and Stone made me smile.

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March 6, 2025 · 1:00 am

Newlywed Questions: A Review of The Ring and the Knife

Book cover for The Ring and the Knife by Benjamin Parsons. Image on cover shows a black and white drawing of a shirtless white man and a white woman who is wearing a long, flowing dress. They are standing in a graveyard during a time of year when there are no leaves on the trees. It’s probably very cold there, so why don’t they have the common sense to dress warmly for the weather? She looks pensive and he’s pointing at something behind them and trying to get her to turn around and see what it is. Title: The Ring and the Knife

Author: Benjamin Parsons

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: March 11, 2023

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Historical

Length: 32 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 4 Stars

Blurb:

Something happened to William Mortimore in Berecombe churchyard, many years ago – something he can’t quite remember. When he unexpectedly finds himself that little country village again, fragments of the past start to haunt him – and lure him to uncover a forgotten secret.
Berecombe – why does William remember the name of that little village? When was he there before? What happened to him that day in the churchyard, long ago? Why can’t he remember? Why does he feel compelled to return? As the questions smother him, he searches to understand the dreadful, portentous meeting his memory has supressed – the terrible secret of his own past.

Content Warning: Murder. I will not discuss it in my review.

Review:

Cemeteries are as full of answers as they are of new questions.

Romance isn’t a genre I visit very often, so it’s quite the compliment for me to mention how much I loved this one. William and his wife were deeply in love and determined to enjoy their honeymoon when the audience met them in the first scene. I looked forward to getting to know them better and was pleased with what was shared. Newlyweds are so full of hope that this particular pair created a nice contrast between their happiness and the sad things that were happening in the churchyard they decided to visit.

There was a plot hole involving William’s past that I wish had been given more time to develop as the order of events for it never quite made sense to me. Some of these moments were shared non-linearly, so it took me a little bit to piece them together and come up with a reasonable explanation of what must have occurred. If more attention had been paid to this issue, I would have happily gone for a full five-star rating.

With that being said, I enjoyed the plot twists that were revealed later on. They created a satisfying mixture of romantic and paranormal themes that made me wonder what else the characters were about to discover about that quiet little pocket of the countryside that felt so peaceful but was simultaneously filled with intrigue and uncertainty, too. What a treat it was to dig more deeply with them as they pushed forward to figure out why William’s memory had a large blank spot in it.

The Ring and the Knife was romantic and eerie.

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February 13, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of The Witch of Cromer

Book cover for The Witch of Cromer by Benjamin Parsons. image on cover shows a black, white, and grey drawing of a woman wearing a long white dress and white veil. her long hair whips out behind her as if she’s facing the wind. She’s holding a wand in one hand and a large crab in the other and gazing intently at the crab. Around her neck is a large black scarf with white crosses or x’s on it. Title: The Witch of Cromer

Author: Benjamin Parsons

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: December 2, 2011

Genres: Fantasy

Length: 34 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 4 Stars

Blurb:

Besotted Steven is so desperate to make Bridget love him that he decides to try supernatural means to win her heart. But is he ready to face the consequences of dabbling in witchcraft? And dare he try to outwit the famous and fatal Witch of Cromer? Part of the collection The Green Lady and Other Stories.

Content Warning: Murder

Review:

Love is a gift…right?

While this wasn’t specifically set during Valentine’s Day, the themes reminded me of the pressure society puts on people to couple up. Steven believed his life wouldn’t be complete unless he could share it with Bridget, and he was determined to convince her to feel the same way. Unrequited love is a painful but normal chapter in life for many of us, so I enjoyed the author’s take on what could happen when this feeling slammed up against the societal expectation that everyone ought to find their special someone.

There was a small but purposeful mistake Steven made early on that I wished had been revisited in greater detail. Would his fate had been different if he had made a different choice instead, or would he have ended up in the same place in life either way? I’m the sort of reader who looks forward to pondering about these sorts of loose ends, but in this particular case I think the storyline would have been even stronger if the author had spent even a few sentences on in the final scene to give the audience some hint as to what he thought might have happened if that earlier moment in Steven’s life had turned out differently.

The twist at the end was something I wondered about in advance, but it wasn’t the sort of thing that has to be a surprise in order to be satisfying. I liked the way it answered some of the most important questions this reader had while also leaving room for interpretation for most of the other stuff that wasn’t wrapped up succinctly. If this review inspires any of you to check out this tale for yourselves, I’d be excited to hear your takes on it as well as your theories about what might have happened next. There are so many details I had to leave out here in order to avoid spoilers, but this was a thought-provoking spin on love and romance for sure.

The Witch of Cromer was a wild ride.

 

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January 2, 2025 · 1:00 am

A Review of The Reverse

Book cover for The Reverse by Benjamin Parsons. Image on cover is a black and white drawing of a white woman wearing an ornate dress that appears to be from the late Middle Ages. There is lace on her cuffs and collar and plants embroidered onto the bodice and skirt of her dress. Her lace collar is standing straight up around her head like petals on a flower. It looks stiff and uncomfortable, to be honest. This image has a green background. Title: The Reverse

Author: Benjamin Parsons

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: January 9, 2023

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Historical

Length: 18 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

An old man tells a tale of his youth, when one snowy night he accepted an invitation to stay in a remote castle. His lovely hostess is so charming that he forgets his broken heart and falls in love with her. But what is the uncanny secret of this ancient castle and its ancient family? Why do the seasons seem to change every morning when he awakes? And is his beloved really what she seems to be… or just the reverse? Part of the collection The Green Man and Other Stories.

Content Warning: Death. Broken engagement. Grief. Brief references to Candlemas, a Christian winter holiday.

Review:

Winter isn’t the best time for traveling.

There was some interesting lore here that required me to think about it carefully to put it together. I especially enjoyed the reactions of the townsfolk in one of the early scenes when they were asked for directions to find Belvay castle. Characters in general would be well served by slowing down and asking the opinions of locals before gallivanting off to find, in this case, a mysterious castle, but if they were sensible enough to do that we wouldn’t have half as many stories to read about what happens when one throws caution to the wind. I know I’m talking circles around the lore here, but I really do want everyone to discover it without any assumptions about what they’re about to read. Just know that it’s worth the time and effort in my opinion.

While the narrator had recently finished grieving a few tragic events in his life and was not in the right state of mind to be making big decisions about what he wanted to do next, I still found myself wishing he had gone into more detail about what was going on at Belvay castle. My impression of this piece was that it was a whirlwind of scenes that didn’t leave the reader much time for contemplation. There were good reasons for it to be written that way that I will allow others to discover for themselves, but this reader would have benefited from as little as one additional scene that provided more context for why things unfurled the way that they did.

The romantic themes in this tale were heavily tinged with grief, anxiety, and an impending sense of doom. This is something I’m mentioning in my review because I want to attract readers who are interested in such things and warn those of you who prefer every ending to be a happy one that this may not be what you’re expecting.  With that being said, this is the sort of romance I prefer to read if I’m going to dip my toes into that genre. Sometimes a situation feels odd for excellent reasons, and I enjoyed seeing how the unnamed old man responded to what should have been a happy moment in his life.

The Reverse was a wild ride.

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September 26, 2024 · 1:00 am

A Review of The Glass Key

Book cover for The Glass Key by Benjamin Parsons. Image on cover shows a black and white drawing of a beautiful, curvy woman of indeterminate ethnicity wearing a long, flowing gown walking towards a man whose hands are raised up in surprise and amazement. Title: The Glass Key

Author: Benjamin Parsons

Publisher: Self-Published

Publication Date: October 19, 2012

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Historical

Length: 46 pages

Source: I received a free copy from the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

All alone on a howling night, with the fire blazing in the hearth, you hear a key turn in the lock – and see the apparition of your long-lost love enter the room… For ten years Sam neither saw nor heard of his beautiful Araminta, who vanished before their wedding day – but now, suddenly she steps into his life again, with a fantastic adventure to tell: her journey to unlock the secret of the mysterious glass key. Part of the collection The Green Lady and Other Stories.

Content Warning: Adultery.

Review:

Unconditional love isn’t realistic, but it sure is romantic.

The gothic elements of the plot were handled nicely. Yes, this had a historical setting so far as I could tell, but nearly everything that happened in it could just as easily occur today. It’s tricky to create such a timeless storyline, so I must tip my cap to the author for not only pulling it off but for encouraging readers to think critically before decided which era this tale might have happened. Strong arguments can be made for many different time periods depending on how certain context clues are interpreted and what assumptions the reader makes about the rest of it.

It would have been helpful to have more time spent dedicated to explaining what really happened to Araminta. As poetic as it was for these former lovers to be reunited, I kept wishing she would stop dancing around the subject and tell him exactly what she did after their engagement ended. Their breakup caused both of them a great deal of psychological pain even while accounting for the reasons for it. There was plenty of space left here to explore the repercussions of that as well as what both characters thought about their decisions now that they’d had about a decade to mull over it.

Taking risks is something I love to see in every genre I read, and writing a romantic story about a couple who had a hard breakup definitely doesn’t seem to be common for the romance genre from what I’ve observed. I was intrigued by the idea of Araminta and Sam having a chance to talk again and dissect what went wrong in their relationship. While I’ll leave it up to other readers to decide which one of them them to side with – or maybe to decide that neither character is someone they want to root for at all – I will say here that Mr. Parsons has added something valuable to this genre that I hope other romance and speculative fiction writers will find inspiration in his creativity as well.

The Glass Key was thought provoking.

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