Can you tell I really only had time to read a couple novellas this week? But, Jenn McKinlay’s Museum of Literature books fit the bill. In fact, the first in the series, Royal Valentine, was even better than the second. It’s hard to beat a romance with New York City as a central attraction, everything from Central Park to a pizza cart. Then, of course, there’s the fairy tale stardust over the entire book.

Molly Graham is the registrar in charge of the objects at New York’s Museum of Literature. But, she’s an introvert. Although her best friend, Briana Cho, challenges her to go to the museum’s Valentine’s Day Gala opening of the Austen exhibit, and aim for a man who she might not feel worthy of dating, Molly is much more comfortable as a regency wallflower. She does her duty greeting guests at the gala, then sneaks off to her office. But, there’s a man in her office.

Albert George, “Al”, is a tall good-looking British man who admits he too was hiding from the crowds at the gala. He begs her to show him New York. For one month, they see all the sites of the city. He listens carefully as she explains she can’t forgive her ex for lying to her. She won’t put up with lies. Then, the night they’re to go to the opera at the Met, Al ghosts her, and doesn’t show up. He doesn’t call or text while she checks hospitals to see if he’s there. And, she realizes he even lied about his name when she checks the universities, and he isn’t a grad student there.

Molly can’t forgive a lie. And, she doesn’t know why she’s asked to accompany the items from the Austen exhibit when its returned to the Whitmore Estate in Bath, England. She doesn’t understand at all until Earl Whitmore and his grandson, Lord Insley, greet the visiting scholars. Lord Insley, the viscount, heir to Earl Whitmore is James Albert George Insley Whitmore, known to his close friends as Jamie; known to Molly as Albert George, “Al”.

Royal Valentine is everything a romcom should be, with the emphasis on the romance. It has two delightful settings, New York City, and Bath, England. It has characters on a collision course of misunderstanding, and an understanding, wonderful grandfather in Earl Whitmore. And, it has one of the most romantic gestures in the world as Al sends Molly a gift; one red rose, a note that says “Believe”, and a pop-up French version of Beauty and the Beast. It doesn’t get any better. As always, Jenn McKinlay doesn’t disappoint.

Jenn McKinlay’s website is https://www.jennmckinlay.com/

NOTE: At the moment, this novella is only available on Kindle or Audible.

FTC Full Disclosure – I bought a copy of the novella.