Do Your Worst

September 11, 2023
Danan (The Intimacy Experiment) gets the enemies-to-lovers trope right in this light, supernaturally inflected romp. Riley Rhodes, a cursebreaker by both trade and family tradition, hopes a promising job at the ruins of a castle in the Scottish Highlands will give her fledgling career the boost it needs. Meeting (and kissing) a handsome stranger on her first night in town seems an auspicious start—until that same stranger turns up at the site the next day and tries to get her fired. Archaeologist Clark Edgeware hopes to redeem his professional reputation with a career-making dig. He doesn’t believe in curses, and he’s not going to let a woman he perceives as a con artist get in the way of his work. Unfortunately, stopping Riley would be much easier if she wasn’t so stubborn—and if he wasn’t so attracted to her. Danan hits all the expected beats with precision. The result is a easy pick for fans of sparring hearts. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.

September 15, 2023
Riley Rhodes is hired to break the curse at a Scottish castle as part of her growing business. Her mother and grandmother had occult talents, and Riley wants to use hers to help people. On her first night, she shares a memorable kiss with a man she met at the pub. The next morning, she learns he is part of a famous family of archaeologists, is working at the castle, and wants her fired. When she isn't, he tries to expose flaws in her work, only to be surprised over and over by what she is able to uncover, from a dagger, to mysterious writing on a cave wall. They are unable to resist their attraction, and soon he is all in, wanting to help her lift the curse. This fun story with a mystical overlay makes the fantasy of a romance at a Scottish castle humorous and believable. Two strong adversaries ultimately find a place away from the negative influence of their families and discover a perfect fit with each other.

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September 15, 2023
An archaeologist and an expert on the occult are hired to work at an old Scottish castle--that's infamously cursed--in this enemies-to-lovers romance. American Riley Rhodes is trying to turn her inherited supernatural knack for identifying and ending curses into a profitable business, and this job at old, crumbling Arden Castle is just what she needs to make a name for herself and leave bartending behind. Clark Edgeware, an English archaeologist just like his famous father, also has a lot riding on this assignment--a recent scandal ruined his professional reputation, which he'd like to rebuild. When Clark discovers Riley's line of work--after kissing her at the pub--he's maddened that some charlatan is going to jeopardize his comeback and tries to get her fired. The two find themselves constantly at odds, and the curse seems to keep throwing them into dangerous situations that bring them closer together and make them even more aware of their attraction. As Riley researches the curse's origins, she starts to notice parallels between the historical figures and her relationship with Clark. This lightly paranormal contemporary love story is filled with delicious tropes, spicy chemistry, and truly humorous situations. Over-the-top in all the right ways, it will most appeal to readers who like their romances a little ridiculous and a whole lot of fun. It's not all absurdity, though; there are realistic and grounded emotions and conflicts as the leads grapple with family legacies and expectations and try to rationalize their growing feelings toward each other. A perfect blend of zany and authentic.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2023

American Riley Rhodes is a curse breaker, a gift held by generations of women in her family that allows them to scent the magic of a curse. Riley is the first in her family to try to make a business out of this unique skill, and her biggest job yet is to break the curse on Arden Castle in the Scottish Highlands so its new owners can successfully make it a tourist destination. Beyond the curse, her biggest foe is the hot but infuriating British archaeologist Clark Edgeware, who believes she's a sham and should be fired. Their attraction only increases, though, as they battle to prove each other wrong, but ultimately, the two of them together may be the key to fulfilling the deal with a fae that the castle's last resident made centuries ago. Danan (The Intimacy Experiment) expertly deploys the enemies-to-lovers trope as Riley's confidence and Clark's arrogance are peeled away to reveal the wounded, kind people underneath who are made for each other. VERDICT A curse breaker and an archaeologist go from enemies to lovers as they vanquish a fae curse in this delightful, steamy romance.--Melissa DeWild

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