4 Romantic Tales with Happily Ever Afters

by MK French

I have a round-up of some of this month's romantic tales. I've chosen a historical fiction, a romantic comedy, a contemporary romance (with a hint of the supernatural), and a paranormal romance. Pick your preferred genre or try them all!

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The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley

March 2025; Sourcebooks Landmark; 978-1464233593
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); historical romance

In 1613, King James sends messenger Andrew Logan to Scotland with secret orders to arrest Sir David Moray, suspected of poisoning the late Prince Henry. Andrew, who must hide his Second Sight to stay alive, is accompanied by a court scrivener and his daughter Phoebe. Andrew is meant to frame Sir David for Prince Henry's murder but is unwilling to betray an innocent man. Phoebe Westaway dislikes Andrew, and their history makes it hard for her to trust him. But as their journey draws them deeper into the dark web of court intrigue, they might need the King's Messenger and his unusual gifts to stay alive.

We have a list of characters, as some are purely fictional and some are historical. King James is absolutely historical and had been paranoid of anyone who might have disparaged him or otherwise made him look bad. He believes Sir David Moray must be involved when rumors say Prince Henry died of poison and an old beggar seems to carry the late prince's words to the queen. Andrew is sent to secure him for the king, even though he is innocent and the king wants someone to blame. It's blatantly obvious to anyone who knows court politics, but Andrew is bound to follow the king's commands. David's extended family is planning to free him and would think nothing of killing Andrew. Phoebe is alone because her father is older and won't admit to weakness; the four of them are joined by a stable boy to help care for the horses which will be easy to find on the road from Scotland to England.

Phoebe never had much of a positive view of Andrew, though it grew worse when Andrew seemed at odds with the nobleman that Phoebe hoped to marry someday. She takes almost anything he does or says in the most negative light, putting them at odds constantly. Forced together and with strangers assuming they're married, Phoebe is forced to see Andrew in a different light. We also see glimpses into the lives that the royals and nobles had lived through David's stories about the late prince and the expectations of his own family.

Buy The King's Messenger at Amazon

My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein

March 2025; St. Martin's Griffin; 978-1250867971
audio, ebook, print (304 pages); romantic comedy

Connie had bad experiences with so-called nice guys. Henry Samuel Beckett is single but told everyone at his publishing house that he’s married. And when she defends him, she ends up being the fake wife he doesn’t actually have. Together on a retreat, it might not be as fake as they believe.

Connie was burned by a number of Nice Guys (TM) that only wanted sex after dates as if she owed them. We get a rundown of this all in chapter one, seeing the paranoia and prickly surface she projects to the world. This makes her suspicious of her neighbor Beck, but he's actually the bumbling himbo type, unable to lie convincingly and socially awkward. She comes to his defense when a smarmy coworker puts him down, and the two perpetuate it for the retreat because Beck is running it and he'll be there. 

Beck and Connie get along very well once they start talking with each other. They have some common interests and a matching sense of humor, which is really fun to see on the page. It gets steamy in close contact, and the two reveal a lot about themselves and their desires beyond the physical. At the same time, they fear that the connection isn't entirely real. It's a fun romcom with a cinnamon roll hero that has hidden depths. Connie faced her fears of being good enough in a relationship and in writing, and we get a lovely happily ever after. 

Buy My Big Fat Fake Marriage at Amazon

Timeless by Kathryn Amurra

March 2025; Wild Rose Press; 978-1509260355
ebook, print (346 pages); romance

Erin swore off men after her father cheated on her mother. She meets her grandmother's landlord William Abbott, who is over a hundred years old after he had been cursed to remain unchanging as punishment. After Erin discovers this, she tries to piece together his history. She had also made various judgments in her own life, and the two must change in order to have a future together.

This is book two of the Heart's True Desire series, following Amulet. That novel tells the story of the amulet, which was paired with a ring in a Bulgarian family. This novel is the story of the ring. Will has several rental properties in different cities, so he cycles between them and occasionally pretends he's his own descendant when a generation has passed. Erin doesn't trust in relationships and is still a virgin due to her religious upbringing and reluctance to date. Erin's grandmother is one of Will's tenants, so they meet and start to get to know each other better. As we see this relationship develop, we see Will's past. Erin figures out his secret in the second half of the novel, after their emotional connection is established and he tries to shut it down.

This is a contemporary romance with a hint of the supernatural for Will. It's a sweet romance in every sense of the word: nothing heavy on the page but emotions, and the two get along very well before Will begins to panic. Erin is the one who has to make the overture at the end, forgiving the past in order to move forward. That gives Will the courage to move on as well, and the two have their happily ever after.

Buy Timeless at Amazon

The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn 

March 2025; St. Martin's Griffin; 978-1250835451
ebook, print (384 pages); paranormal romance

Piers Corbin always had an affinity for poisons, and when she fakes her own death to escape her volatile marriage, she discovers it's a legacy within her family. She is Bane Witch, eating deadly plants and using their magic to rid the world of evil men. Piers learns about her family legacy while working at her Aunt Myrtle’s cafe and flirting with the sheriff. She wants to limit his suspicions about the rising body count, but she instead gets the attention of a serial killer. It's time to use her power.

We begin with Piers preparing to fake her death and escape her abusive husband. She suffered under the abuse and decided to go to her aunt, who she last saw as a child. The way was dangerous, and soon Myrtle explains the family legacy. Magic has her eating poisonous plants, concentrating it within her body until she can release it into her mark, someone who preys on women and children. It's a legacy hidden from her until now, and she has to reconcile the need to protect innocent women and her desire for an ordinary life. Relatives she never knew will enforce the secrecy if they must.

Piers feels helpless in the beginning, especially when she doesn't know what happened and why. She reacts in disbelief when she finds out the truth, just as we would if we heard such a thing. Her introduction into her family secret is rapid and she has a short time limit to prove herself. At the same time, police look into her disappearance, which she deliberately did to make it look like she had been murdered by her abusive husband. All of it comes full circle until we see her not only accept this gift but try to hunt the serial killer that was in the news. While she isn't a professional by any means, she has grown from the fearful woman she was in the beginning of the novel. Hers is a painful and dangerous story, one that makes me wish bane witches were real.

Buy The Bane Witch at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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