Gateway Reviews

A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT Niamh Ó Conchobhair will do anything to help keep a roof over her family's head. She owes everything to her mother and her grandmother, after all. And with her renown as a seamstress growing, opportunities are finally coming her way. When Niamh gets invited to be the court seamstress for the upcoming royal wedding, she can't exactly say no. Her own people might have long suffered under the thumb of Avaland's rule, but an opportunity's an opportunity. She'll never get a better one. And arriving in city, at the palace itself--well, it all feels a little like a fairy tale to Naimh. Until she meets the prince. The younger son of Avaland is irritable, rude, and seems to downright hate Niamh. If she can't please him, she might be out of a job after all--and out of a way back to her Macklish home as well. Add to that some rumblings of Macklish servants walking out and mistreatment all throughout the cap...

MOST ARDENTLY: A PRIDE & PREJUDICE REMIX Oliver Bennet isn't who everyone thinks he is. He's a man, for one. The world knows of the five beautiful and witty Bennet daughters, charming and of good breeding (even if they are a little light on funds). But Oliver isn't resigned to a fate of petticoats, ballrooms, and endless suitors until his ultimate (unfortunate) wedding. He has bigger plans, if only he can figure out a way to realize them. But living as the man he knows he is turns out to be rather difficult in 1812. Even with suitable clothes, Oliver has to be careful not to get caught. But when Oliver runs into some acquaintances while dressed as his true self, they don't recognize him... and it gives him ideas. It gives him hope that the world might let him exist as he pleases. On the other hand, his family... THOUGHTS Honestly, this book is such ...

A PLACE FOR VANISHING Libby's family needs a fresh start, and she can't help but blame herself. She's the reason they're moving, after all. She needs a fresh start more than anyone. But when they arrive at her mom's childhood home, Libby can't help but feel like this move isn't going to be as fresh as they hope. Overrun by insects despite the assurances of the exterminators, their new home is creepy and unsettling. Not only do the floorboards creak under the weight of the vermin, but bugs haunt these halls in other ways, too--from the stained glass murals to the garden teeming with impossibly blue (and highly infested) roses. Libby can't sleep at night, not with the scurrying and scuttling in the attic as loud as it is. Especially not when she finds out about the decades of disappearances, the history of séances this house holds. Libby's mom refuses to hear anything negative about thier new home, their new...

  Best                      First Place:             The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway Ashley Schumacher                                         ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In this Renaissance Faire romance, Madeline Hathaway's summer plans include grieving, grieving, and grieving, but a pesky bard at the Ren faire won't let her summer slip away without forming any new memories. A sweet romance with a resilient core, Ashley Schumacher perfectly balances fantasy motifs, witty banter, and healing from parental loss. Though the romantic lead at times feels a bit too much like wish-fulfillment, this soft and sweet romance is worth a few hours of escape.  Runner-Up:          Forget Me Not           ...