Hello readers! April saw a slight dip in the romance category. We logged in 36 reviews, of 30 books, of 29 authors. It is heartening to see such a great cross-section of popular books, new releases, returns, old favourites and a variety of romantic sub genres submitted this past month.

Popular and new

A release I have been eagerly anticipating for a couple of years now is Under the Midnight Sky, by my favourite Australian author, Anna Romer. Under the Midnight Sky earns the title of the most popular book for April. It was reviewed four times over the course of the month. I enjoyed exploring reviews logged in by Tracey of Carpe Librum, Jennifer Cameron-Smith and Carolyn Scott. Here is a slice of Theresa Smith Writes thoughts on Under the Midnight Sky:

It’s as though every new novel from Anna Romer sets a whole new standard for Australian fiction. I don’t know how she does it, topping perfection over and over. Under the Midnight Sky is a novel that I was enthralled by, from start to finish.

Needless to say, after this review and the accompanying three glowing reviews logged in, I am sure I’m in for a superb read.

I will be swiftly moving on to the new releases section of the month, as our popular category saw only Under the Midnight Sky collect multiple reviews. Leading the pack in the new release category is Merindah Park by Renee Dahlia. This is a fabulous new rural romance book, which recently hit shelves. An interview I conducted with the author of Merindah Park, Renee Dahlia for my regular column Tea with Mrs B can be read, along with a glowing review from Claire’s Reads & Reviews.

Continuing on with the popularity of rural romance this month is Fleur McDonald, voice of the outback, with the next issue in her well received Detective Dave Burrows series, Without a Doubt. Brenda awarded this one five stars.

Another outback based romance that popped up in April was Shadows of Red Earth. Claire’s Reads & Reviews loved the third book in the Colours of the Earth series, written by Suzanne Cass.

If cowboy stories with a good dash of romance are your thing, look out for Cowboy to the Rescue by Ann B. Harrison. Helen Sibbritt gives this one her full approval.

If you like your romance with some thrills and psychological themes, The Scream Behind Her Smile, may appeal. Claire’s Reads & Reviews provided a glowing review of this new release, along with a fascinating author interview. Here is a snippet of Claire’s thoughts on the book:

What can I possibly say about this book to convey how much I loved it. I was lucky enough to read the first two drafts of this novel and they both blew me away, but this final copy, wow, Athena has written a psychological thriller that had my heart in my throat from the opening scene. At times the intensity was such that I had to put the book down and take a deep breath.

One of a few romance reviews I submitted this past month over on my blog, Mrs B’s Book Reviews, was Losing the Plot, a brand new release from Elizabeth Coleman. An interview I conducted with the author, Elizabeth Coleman, provides some extra information on the novel for those who are interested in a well crafted contemporary love story.

Mills and Boon, an enduring romance series, released a brand new book in April that I am confident will keep many fans of this series happy. Wedding Night Reunion in Greece by Annie West, marks book number one in the Passion in Paradise series. Wedding Night Reunion in Greece received a five star review from Helen Sibbritt.

Finally, if you are looking for an alternative romance book which offers a range of strands from fantasy, sci fi, paranormal, erotica and LGBTQI themes, add Severed (Precinct One #1) by Shona Husk to your reading list. Claire’s review is very enticing!

Returns

The list of return titles is again a full one. The following titles were still being reviewed over the course of the last month:

Older releases

In April we explored the following titles that have been out in the book world for some time:

Self Published

Playing for Time by Leesa Bow is my pick of the month in the self published category of romance. With the promise of an emotional story that will have you turning the pages quick smart, this one sparked my interest. Thanks to Helen Sibbritt for showcasing this title.

On that final note, it is time for me to sign off for yet another month. I have a nice stack of books calling my name, I hope you do too. Happy reading!

About me: I am a mum of two young boys, an early childhood teacher, dressaholic, book reviewer and self confessed book geek. In 2016, I turned my passion for reading into my own blog, Mrs B’s Book Reviews. I blog daily and love nothing more than to showcase books by our talented crop of Australian women writers, especially rural romance, along with a number of other genres. Check my reviews out at the following sites, Mrs B’s Book Reviews, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram and Twitter.