contemporary romance - Felicia Davin

three book covers: Rears & Vices by E. M. Caro, Bailey Bangs Her Brother's Best Friend by Liz Alden, and Dirt-Stained Hands, Thorn-Pierced Skin by Tabitha O'Connell

historical romance

Seamen

pirate civil unions and, of course, romance novels

A black and white illustration of an archeological excavation at Nineveh in the 1850s. Many workers are lowering a bull sculpture on ropes.

ancient history

Zero and cipher

Cipher/zero, cuneiform, Gilgamesh, and, of course, romance novels

a collage of narrow slices of all the covers of the books mentioned in the text below

historical romance

200

a few of the previous 200 (!) issues of Word Suitcase, and, as always, romance novels

Illuminated manuscript illustration of Tristan and Isolde playing chess on a boat. Tristan is drinking from a goblet. The painting is surrounded by delicately drawn flowering vines.

French literature

Gotelef

honeysuckle, Tristan and Isolde, and romance novels

Four book covers: David Brin's The Uplift War, Emma Barry's Bad Reputation, Diana Quincy's The Earl that Got Away, Juniper Butterworth's The Dragon Under the Hill

sci fi or fantasy

Rarities

learning new words from an old sci-fi novel, and, as usual, romance novels

Daffy Duck as Robin Hood and the covers for three novels by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

contemporary romance

Yoicks

in which I read some Susan Elizabeth Phillips novels

Four book covers: Love Is A War Song by Danica Nava, Method Acting by Adele Buck, Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy, and The Lord of Stariel by AJ Lancaster

contemporary romance

Hensci

"Hello" in Mvskoke/Muscogee and four recent romance reads

three book covers: A Novel Arrangement by Arden Powell, Femme Like Her by Fiona Zedde, and The Spy and The Traitor by Ben Macintyre

food words

Literal and figurative toasts

a toast to romance novels and one of my favorite spies

animal words

Butterfly ties

Butterflies and romance novels

contemporary romance

Chicanery

trickery, urban planning, and romance novels

French history

the devil's hot-bed

spies, romance, and hot beds

A sculpture of a Megalosaurus in a park in London. The dinosaur is walking on four feet.

English literature

It would not be wonderful

Dickens, reading comprehension, and romance novels

expressions

Ratatam

nursery rhymes, a romance novel, some fantasy novels, and Graham Greene again

Book covers for Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness, Sherry Thomas's Ravishing the Heiress, and Darcy Liao's Make Room for Love

sci fi or fantasy

Answerable

on The Left Hand of Darkness, Ravishing the Heiress, and Make Room for Love

an Impressionist oil painting depicting a happy crowd of people eating and drinking and flirting

French literature

Crush and pash

the overpowering violence of infatuations, Renoir and Maupassant, and of course, romance novels

$graphic showing fractions of the covers of the romance novels reviewed$

historical romance

Absolute skulduggery

sneaking around and romance novels

black and white photograph described in caption

fashion

Kamarband

a little fashion history and some romance novels

a sloped cobblestone alley with red brick buildings

US history

Corcas

etymological mysteries and romance novels

expressions

Behind closed doors

shacks, cabins, toilets, cahoots, and a real “one of these things is not like the others” set of book reviews

5 fragments of the covers of the books reviewed

writing process

Calques and loanwords

calques, loanwords, and romance novels

an oil painting of a man wearing a cravat

fashion

On cravats

Croatia, must-have historical romance accessories, and romance novels

contemporary romance

Fish, cheese, war

various mongers, and, of course, romance novels

expressions

I do cock a snook, but not at thee

rude gestures, death, and romance novels

French history

And yet they were surprisingly moderate

The Black Jacobins, revolution, romance, and horror

animal words

Big-eared rabbit-eared

a small Australian marsupial, language names, and romance novels