Den of Iniqiuty: Bastard of London #1 by Anabelle Bryant

 

Welcome to the most notorious address in London… Beneath the airs and graces of the Ton lies The Underworld – London’s most scandalous gambling hall.
The only thing darker and more debauched that the hall itself? The proprietor, Max Sinclair. As mysterious as the corners of the city he stalks, Max has vowed to take revenge against the men who murdered his mother. And The Underworld attracts London’s darkest characters – the perfect partners in crime.
But when Lady Vivienne Beaumont enters The Underworld, Max’s life becomes more dangerous than he ever thought possible.
Enter a world of lust, lawlessness and obsession with The Den of Iniquity, the first in Anabelle Bryant’s Bastards of London series.
The Bastards of London series:
Book 1: The Den of Iniquity
Book 2: Into the Hall of Vice
Book 3: The Last Gamble
Book 4: Return to the House of Sin

My Take:

Simply put, I LOVED this book. It has everything that a historical romance could ask for; great characters, passion, and the perfect setting. I am a huge fan of historical romance set in Great Britain and it takes a special author to keep my attention. This author does that perfectly. I hope to see many more in this series.

Kale to the Queen: A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery #1 by Nell Hampton

 

Chef Carrie Ann Cole is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime--an assignment as the new Personal Chef to the Royal Family at Kensington Palace. But no sooner has Carrie Ann touched down across the pond and donned her apron than a dead body crops up beneath the royal kale beds.

With one assistant dead and the other soon under suspicion for his murder, Carrie Ann is scrambling to keep her kitchen up and running. Not to mention she gets off to an immediate bad start with the tempestuous Royal Chef Butterbottom, who has a bitter taste in his mouth since the prestigious position in the Royal Family's kitchen was given to an "over-privileged, under-educated American chef."

But the Royal Family's appetites wait for no one, and Carrie Ann must solve the murder and still get supper on the table on time--even with the annoyingly handsome Head of Security Ian Gordon tracking her every move like an MI6 agent. Suspects abound as an American chef adds a bit of spice to the traditional royal household in the first in Nell Hampton's charming and tasty Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series, Kale to the Queen.

 

My take:

This book is exactly how a series should begin. The characters were endearing and the setting was amazing. As a fan of all things British, I was thrilled with this authors way of making you feel like you are there in the book. I look forward to many, many more.

And while you wait for a new book in this series, check out this authors AKA's of Nancy Parra and Nancy Coco. I promise that you will not regret it.