Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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“We had no shield. I had to become one.”

Queen of Exiles by Vanessa Riley

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After the death of her husband and the coup ousting her family from power in the new nation of Hayti, Queen Marie-Louise Christophe and her daughters flee to Europe, where they must learn how to navigate a racist society as Black royalty. I’ve been excited to read this book, because it follows a woman and an area of history I’m not familiar with, and because as a Black monarch, I knew Louise would provide a radically new perspective on the Regency period, which I’ve read […]

I *think* I enjoyed it? Either way, glad I read it.

A Gamble At Sunset by Vanessa Riley

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As seems to continue happening, I was searching for a book to listen to at work on Libby, and Vanessa Riley’s newest, A Gamble at Sunset was available to check out immediately. Riley is one of those authors whose novels I always have the intention of reading. I read one or two of her self-pubbed books a decade ago, but keep Not Reading the others, for no fault other than they’re not at the top of my list when I’m looking for my next read. And that’s […]

A nice mellow read about decent people getting a happy ending

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley

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Do you love low stakes diverse regency romances? Then don’t even read this review. You will love this book. Plot: Patience, the daughter of a very powerful plantation owner (black run, no slavery), was swept off her feet by a British aristocrat with a money problem. Arriving in England, she was promptly sequestered in a country home and left to rot while her new husband ran up bills at various gambling establishments and the like. And then he died. Now, his nefarious uncle is trying […]

I might struggle and freeze, but if I have to crawl to reach the truth, I will.

The Bewildered Bride by Vanessa Riley

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I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Vanessa Riley writes diverse romances set in Regency and early Victorian England. As she says on her website: Yes, Black People existed in the Regency. In London there were over 10,000-20,000 that lived in London during the time of Jane Austen.  The number has been estimated to be as high as 30,000 across England, Scotland, and Ireland. So with less than 28 dukes during that time period, who are you more […]



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