Happy FALL!!

I am so excited that my favorite season of the year is officially here. Wishing you a beautiful fall with cooler weather, all things pumpkin and lots of good books.

I am so excited to share my review of One Kiss Alone by Nichole Van today! I adore this series and have loved sharing my reviews of this life changing stories.

Oh my heart! I knew this book would be incredible! I knew I would love getting to know Ethan! I knew my heart would be full to bursting! And yet I still didn’t completely anticipate how this book would change me. I am a Nichole Van fan for life after experiencing this series. Her books are everything.

Book Summary: “Ethan Penn-Leith is the most renowned poet of his day—his likeness so widely recognized, he is regularly accosted by adoring admirers. Everyone wants something from him—his time, words, charm, torn bits of his kilt . . . Everyone, that is, but Lady Allegra Gilbert.

Twin sister to the authoritarian Duke of Kendall, Lady Allegra fights for freedom from her brother’s iron-gripped control. She has a plan for her future, after all, one that does not involve her ducal twin. Ethan Penn-Leith with his knee-melting smiles and boyish charm is merely a pretty distraction along the path to independence.

The problem? Ethan and Lady Allegra once shared a life-altering kiss on a rugged mountain road in Italy when she was disguised as someone else entirely. Ever the poet, Ethan turned their romantic kiss into a scandalous, best-selling poem. Now, all of London is clamoring to know the identity of the poet’s unnamed lady.

If she wishes her freedom, Lady Allegra needs to keep her secrets, well . . . secret. Ethan wants nothing more than to uncover all of Allegra’s truths.

In between outrunning legions of Ethan’s admirers, becoming stranded in a seaside village, and journeying by ducal decree to rural Scotland, Ethan and Allegra struggle to decide what they each truly want. Or perhaps, in the end, Fate will turn on one kiss alone?“

Ethan is my favorite because he is so much more complex than we expect. His depth and emotions and POETRY were simply beautiful. I loved his creative process and I love how his encounter with his landra changes him. He is the Highland Poet and leans into that identity. But he is also a man. A man who has experienced profound loneliness, fear, and loss in his life. The paradoxes of his character were so profound. I was simply blown away by his character.

And then we meet Allie. From their first meeting, I was as intrigued by her as Ethan was. The incredible plot twist in their first encounter is so well done! And their entire relationship seems to hinge on that surprise. I loved her wit and her banter and her incredible resilience. While she fights for freedom, Allie also fights against love and belonging. But Ethan’s incredible care for her helps Allie to let down her walls and let him in.

I love their budding romance against the backdrop of the beautiful Scottish Highlands. As Allie is able to let down her walls (when her obnoxious brother, the Duke of Kendall leaves and she stays on with her friend Isolde [who I can’t wait to get to know further in the next book!!]), I felt like she truly lived for the first time in years. From fishing on the river and falling in, to stolen kisses and conversations in the fields, to poetry and true friendship and love, seeing their relationship blossom was lovely.

As always, there was so much depth in this novel — intense fear, potential loss, incredibly joy, and healing hearts. Nichole Van (I’m starting to learn) does not shy away from the heavy, tragic parts of life in creating her vivid, eloquent stories. Perhaps that is what makes them so compelling. These characters experience life in all its experiences and emotions. They must overcome a lot — grief, pain, fear, loneliness, betrayal, disappointment, and loss. But they also experience joy, renewal, and deep love. I am changed because of these books. I see the world differently and I am so grateful for the experience.

I can’t praise this book highly enough! I adored it! Can’t wait to share my review of book 4; it is everything!

What are your favorite historical romances?
Any Nichole Van fans out there? Which of her novels should I read next?