Riders by Jilly Cooper

The original blockbuster, full of romance, ambition, scandal, outrageous behaviour, and British class drama. Unmissable if you're a sucker for horses (like me) and big characters. Unforgettable - my copy is held together with a rubber band - it's one of my comfort books, that I read when the outside world is too much. Somehow, it still seems fresh to me, despite it being set in the 1970s.

Cross Stitch (Outlander) by Diana Gabaldon

Before it was a TV series, sexy highland outlaw Jamie Fraser strode the pages of this novel. It's a masterful genre-crossing mashup of romance, historical fiction, and a touch of sci-fi/woo woo. An interesting and complex heroine (with a medical bent). Action, highland politics, and time travel. The epic series goes on to many more books, but the first one remains my favourite.

The Wife's Tale by Christine Wells

A moving, satisfying, and complex story following two women separated in time and linked by long-ago tragedies. Christine Wells brings her legal experience to the "criminal conversation" trials that define the historical thread, and passionate research to both timelines. The story has a distinct touch of the gothic, but the present thread provides balance to the darkness of the past. Spectacular in audiobook.

Trade Me by Courtney Milan

This is a smart contemporary romance in a progressive series. Courtney Milan's writing is fresh and engaging, and this story a fresh take on the wealthy-man trope with a diverse cast. I enjoyed reading the story of the Chinese-American heroine, which seemed so much more significant after hearing Milan talk at ARRA 2017 about her writing journey and how long it took her to write a book with a heroine who looked like she did.