Can't Wait for A Fortunate Miscalculation

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

A Fortunate Miscalculation (The Gentlemen's Gamble, # ?)

By: Karen Thornell

Expected Publication: March 19, 2026

252 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Andrew Langford thought his chance at love was long gone, but with the woman he once loved returned, married but needing his help, how can he manage to both win love and his childhood wager?

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

We Who Will Die - Review

We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, # 1)

By: Stacia Stark

Expected Publication: January 20, 2026 by Avon

432 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Vampires, Magic, Paranormal

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

Arvelle has been left with her brothers to care for. One of her brothers was injured in an accident that caused damage to his lungs. He needs help that she just can't provide. One night, he is so sick she thinks he is going to die. It just so happens that a vampire has been waiting to use this to trap her into an agreement. He will cure her brother and take both of her brothers under his protection (or captivity, depending on how you look at it) if she will compete in the Sundering--which is a gladiator-style competition where the victors are allowed entrance into emporer's elite gaurd. Ultimately, her agreement with the vampire is that she will kill the emperor.

Arvelle has lost so much, she's barely living. She is only surviving to keep her brothers alive and well. Nearly everyone in the Sundering has magic of some kind. Arvelle is "sigilmarked," and she does have a "gold crown," but her magic is small. Either way, vampires are the rulers of this world. The Primus and Arvelle have a history. It takes her a while to realize who he is. The reader definitely understands before she does.

Arvelle's mother was addicted to glister, but that isn't the only substance in this world that is addictive. Vampire blood/bite is as well. Many of the quotes I highlighted had to do with addiction.

Favorite quote:

-There's no worse feeling than watching someone you love die. The helplessness slices you into pieces. And grief sets those pieces on fire. Until you're nothing but ash.

-"I'm not going to kill you. That would be far too easy. Almost...boring. I'm going to take everything you love, everything you remotely care about, and I'm going to ruin it." ... "Why?" I ask, and Rorrick's eyes glint with amusement. "Because I can."

-Loving an addict is like being an addict yourself. Only you're addicted to hope. You constantly tell yourself that this time will be different. Things will get better. And always, always, you know that one day, when they're dead and cold, after their addiction has sucked the breath from their lungs...you'll still wonder if you could have done more. If you could have been more--even though their addiction was sucking the breath from your lungs too.

-When you love an addict, you know their addiction isn't their fault, even as you resent everything about them that made them fall prey to it.

I do wonder if Rorrik is going to turn out to be a Damon Salvatore if you catch my drift. Right now, he seems crazy, but you can also tell that there's more to his story than has been revealed.

I'm torn on wanting to continue the series. Overall, I felt like We Who Will Die was "okay." Pieces of it had me hooked. And pieces still have me curious as to what will come. The language was high, and there were some spicy scenes if you'd rather skip over those. We Who Will Die gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read We Who Will Die? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 01/18/26

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

This was a rough week with behavior. We have them every now and then. And this whole week was rough. Monday, Big Girl had pitching practice. Tuesday, we spent the day with my parents and then got groceries. The Big Kids had martial arts. Wednesday was the best day we had this week with behavior. Thursday, the boys had haircuts, and the Big Kids had martial arts again. Friday wasn't terrible compared to the rest of the week, but it wasn't quite as good as Wednesday. Friday, I had to pick up donuts for Little Boy's birthday party. Saturday was the big day. Little Boy's 5th birthday party was at a local trampoline park. We had a blast, and I'm so thankful for his friends and family that came to celebrate him. His actual birthday is on Wednesday of this week. I can't believe my youngest baby is 5 already! They say the days are long but the years are fast, and I have completely found that to be true. I've been killing my reading so far this month. I've already finished 8 books, but I do find January to be a good reading month for me usually. Now if I can just get myself to write some reviews I'd be doing even better.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Room to Breathe by Kasie West (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases of Q1/Q2 2026
Wednesday: Can't Wait for A Foolish Proposal (The Gentlemen's Gamble, # ?) by Kasey Stockton
Thursday: Review of And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens (4 Stars)
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Magical Yet

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Lemonade War

NEW BOOKS:

The Duke's Bargain

By: Megan Walker

Expected Publication: May 5, 2026 by Shadow Mountain

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Ruined by scandal, Georgiana bargains with a duke to regain her place in Society. But their pretend friendship sparks real love, risking reputations, duty, and unexpected happily-ever-afters.

Eight months after a stolen kiss ruined her reputation, Miss Georgiana Wood is a recluse, cast out of Society without any hope of ever finding a suitable match. Longing for redemption, she never expects her salvation to arrive in the form of a handsome, temperamental duke.

After a failed bargain left the Duke of Marlow without a promised wife and heir, he must face courtship a final time. He plans to entice his future bride with a priceless family heirloom—one now in the possession of Miss Wood, who agrees to return it if he takes her on three outings in London during the Season to restore her reputation.

As the pair navigate Society’s expectations and whispered gossip, Marlow soon sees a new side to Georgiana—an ally and friend. Her wit and courage, grace and allure far exceed that of the eligible ladies he intended to court, and soon, he’d do almost anything to secure her happiness.

As Marlow wrestles with duty and desire, Georgiana begins to hope that she could be loved not despite her past, but because of who she truly is. When hearts are tested, truth and secrets revealed, will love be enough to risk it all?

Next Level Love

By: Shameez Patel

Narrated By: Shahjehan Khan; Jensen Olaya

Publication: January 20, 2026 by Forever

384 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Multicultural

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--When your favorite player turns out to be your very real boss, the rules are a lot more complicated.

Elizabeth Gordon-Bettencourt is rebuilding her life on her own terms, starting with a new internship, a shot at her dream job as a civil engineer, and a whole lot of distance from her family’s drama. With her life full of change, the one constant is @theanswerisno, a charming gamer who seems to just . . . get her. Even if he has no interest in meeting her in real life.

Elizabeth would feel a lot more confident about her job if her new boss wasn’t so hard to read. Lincoln Carden is quiet, demanding, and adamant about avoiding small talk—especially in the office. What she doesn’t know is that online, he’s someone else entirely: quick, confident, and a little bit flirty. And his favorite player to team up with is @pancakesareelite, the one person who never makes him feel like he has to try so hard. As their two worlds start to collide, Elizabeth and Lincoln start to wonder: with their careers on the line and their online friendship at risk, is a romance IRL worth it?

Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, # 2)

By: Rachel Gillig

Narrated By: Lisa Cordileone

Publication: October 17, 2023 by Orbit

437 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Gothic

Source: Borrowed from the e-library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In the luscious, dark sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must face the consequences of what she's wrought - perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.

Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.

If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.

And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.

The Road of Bones (The Ashen, # 1)

By: Demi Winters

Publication: June 27, 2023 by Delacorte Press

500 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--A woman on the run. A crew of Viking mercenaries. A forbidden romance. And the secret which threatens them all.

Silla Nordvig is running for her life.

The queen of Íseldur has sent warriors to bring Silla to Sunnavík, where death awaits her. When her father is killed, his last words set Silla on a perilous quest: travel the treacherous Road of Bones–a thousand-mile stretch haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer–and go to Kopa, where a shield-house awaits her.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, a desperate Silla sneaks into a supply wagon belonging to the notorious Bloodaxe Crew. To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. But the queen’s ruthless assassin has other plans and hunts Silla obsessively.

Will Silla make it safely to Kopa? Or will she fall prey to the perils of the Road of Bones?

Featuring an immersive world blending fairy tale with Vikings, The Road of Bones leads you on an adrenaline-fueled chase with fun banter and a slow-building enemies to lovers romance. The first book in the Ashen Series, you are one click away from reading it!

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Homeschool Friday - The Magical Yet

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

The Magical Yet

By: Angela DiTerlizzi

Illustrated By: Lorena Álvarez

Publication: April 14, 2020 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

40 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Book, Inspirational, Growth Mindset

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--This Yet finds a way, even when you don't,
And, Yet knows you will, when you think you won't.

Each of us, from the day we're born, is accompanied by a special companion--the Yet. Can't tie your shoes? Yet! Can't ride a bike? Yet! Can't play the bassoon? Don't worry, Yet is there to help you out.

Told in tight rhyme reminiscent of the great Dr. Seuss himself, this rollicking, inspirational picturebook is perfect for every kid who is frustrated by what they can't do . . . YET!

The Magical Yet is pretty much what you expect it to be. This is a book all about teaching children that just because you can't do something now doesn't mean you won't be able to in the future. If we change our attitudes from "I can't" to "I can't yet" we open up a whole new world of possibilities. And we don't just give up trying to learn something new.

I don't fully love the idea of "The Magical Yet" being an entity. But I did like the idea of showing children all of the things they've already gone from being unable to do to able (ex: walking). I like how hard work and practice, mixed with perseverance and determination, are what is highlighted in this book.

There is a rhyming scheme. Usually ABCB. Sometimes rhyming schemes mess me up when I'm reading aloud because they aren't always the words I'm expecting to come next.

The Magical Yet is a 4.5 Star book for me. The messaging is good. I just don't like that "yet" is a being. I don't know why this feels like such a big deal to me. But keeping on keeping on, trying again and again...all of those messages are ones that I want to reiterate to my children. Have you or your child read The Magical Yet? What did you think? Let me know!

And Then There Was You - Review

And Then There Was You

By: Sophie Cousens

Publication: November 18, 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

384 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--From the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year comes another "what if" romance about a floundering young woman who signs up for an unusual dating service to find The One . . . at a special cost.

Chloe Perfect is thirty-six, and despite her surname, suspects she’s not most men’s idea of the perfect woman. She wears too much corduroy, has an unglamorous job marketing gardening supplies online and her hair refuses to be straightened however much she tries. Between looking after her plants and her bad-tempered grandmother, she finds herself lonely, despairing she will never meet "her person."

So on a whim, she signs up to Perfect Partners, an experimental dating agency with an unusual model. The caveat? There are many, but Chloe must agree not to date anyone else outside of the program for the duration of the trial. Well, she's never had much luck finding someone the "normal" way, anyway.

After a few days, Chloe is matched with Rob, who checks off all her boxes, and she's instantly smitten. But the more seamless the dates, the more seriously she's forced to weigh the moral complexities of their setup.

And when she meets Oliver, another Perfect Partners participant, who quickly takes on the role of her confidante away from Rob, the more Chloe starts to perhaps her person isn’t someone perfect after all. Perhaps it’s someone just as kooky as she is. But is she really prepared to jeopardise the perfect life she's been wanting for so long? And more importantly, can she?

This was not the book I was expecting to read. And I think probably that's why it's received fairly low ratings. I think the publisher has worked hard not to spoil things for the reader. And I haven't read other reviews, so I can't say what other readers took issue with. I don't want to spoil things for future readers because the experience can be part of the journey. But maybe readers going into this book thinking they're getting a mostly contemporary romance and finding themselves thrust into a futuristic, science/realistic fiction book is the cause of the disharmony with readers. At least, that was my issue. And that's spoiler enough, but I will mark other spoilers in the review clearly below.

Chloe went to Oxford. And she had a group of close friends at the time. She is still only in touch with one of them. Her best friend is married and has a baby now. Her writing partner from school, Sean, who expressed feelings for her that she didn't return, has gone on to become a famous Hollywood director. And their other mutual friend, John, she hasn't kept up with because he and Sean were close. Once Sean confessed his feelings and Chloe rejected his advances, Sean got a new girlfriend who wasn't content with his relationship with Chloe. He chose the girlfriend over Chloe. And then moved. Chloe emailed him at some point, and he never replied. Now they are having a class reunion, and Chloe has nothing to show for her last ten years. She still lives at home with her parents. She is single. And she hasn't advanced at her job, meaning she's still a glorified assistant. Her acting career never took off. She hasn't written anything in years. She feels like a loser. So she seeks out a dating service to find someone to take with her to the reunion.

****SPOILERS AHEAD**** (highlight to read) The man that the dating service hooks Chloe up with is actually a BioBot, meaning an AI humanoid robot. He feels like a human. He smells human. And he kisses like a human. So much of Chloe's experience with "Rob" feels real. He reacts to her emotions. He helps her with her goals, professional and fitness. He is designed with Chloe in mind specifically. But he isn't real. He did have a few glitches, which I was thankful for. Otherwise, he seemed too good to be true. And Chloe could feel the draw to him. She could see how someone might choose a BioBot instead of a real human partner. But this isn't what we contemporary romance readers were here for. ****END SPOILER****

I need to proceed on shaking ground here as well, but Sean isn't what Chloe is after either. They were great friends, but for her, it never went past that. She was never drawn to him physically...even if she tried to talk herself into it. Haven't nearly all of us been there? What does happen is that Chloe is reminded of a mysterious person always in the background of all of her college experiences. She thought this mystery person was Sean. And that's why she tried to convince herself that she was in love with him despite feeling nothing physically for him. Yet she comes to discover who this mystery person actually was. And this is the element of the story that I kept reading for. Because, to be honest, once I got to that spoiler paragraph above, I almost bounced. It's one thing for a book to surprise you with a plot twist, but it's another thing for a book to turn into an entirely different genre than you were expecting.

Favorite quotes:

-Was this fiction's fault? Had reading ruined men for her?

I think we've all felt that way at some point.

-"And if you soak too long in nostalgia, you'll drown in it."

-Was there any greater salve for sadness than the cold nose of a friendly dog?

-"I've spent my life not saying the things I should have."

-"Oh, I thought he was trying to hit me in slow motion," Rob said. "My apologies."

-Looking around at people walking through Oxford, she felt a nagging dread about the future, about what the world would look like when everyone had a Rob. But then, seeing the glow of a screen lighting up every face, she wondered if they already did.

-"I don't think I was supposed to be your perfect person," he said, his voice steady. "I think I was meant to show you what it feels like, when it is right. To give you the confidence to trust your instincts again."

-"You're not annoying," he said. "And if you are, I can't wait to be annoyed by you."

-"People are messy and flawed. Unpredictable. Sometimes they get things wrong, do things they can’t explain, articulate themselves poorly. They can be selfish and smelly and irritating.” Chloe grew more animated. “They’ll contradict you, tell you you’re wrong, forget your birthday, and leave their wet towels on the floor however many times you tell them not to. But then— then— they’ll also say something so ridiculous, that will make you cry with laughter until you can’t breathe. They’ll surprise you, disarm you, love you in million tiny ways that you never even thought to imagine. And I love that about us.”

All of that being said, I ended up enjoying And Then There Was You. If you allow yourself to push through a little discomfort of a genre that you weren't expecting, you might find that you enjoy this story, as I did. Mostly, I enjoyed the real story behind the extra stuff I wasn't expecting. I also enjoyed the author's note at the end of the book. And Then There Was You gets 4 Stars. Have you read And Then There Was You? What did you think? Let me know!