Weekly Reads: May 12 to 18, 2025

The Countess’s Christmas Groom by Fenna Edgewood (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Blakely Manor series. Quick and steamy novella, where widowed countess Kat is at her family estate for a Christmas house party and she starts a flirtation (and more) with temporary footman and stable groom Ash. They’re basically pushed together through a series of meddlesome acts by others, but the attraction is simmering there and they definitely follow through. Kat is all sorts of skittish with her abusive late husband, but Ash is gentle and patient and kind. Excellent set up for the rest of the series which will feature Kat’s siblings.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Beyond the Sunrise by Mary Balogh (1992)

Historical romance. Napoleonic Wartime Portugal. Standalone novel. We start with the typical aristocratic girl meets illegitimate son romance where they’re torn apart by disapproving parents. And then ten years later, we’re dumped into wartime Portugal, where Robert is an army captain who has worked his way up the ranks, and Joana (formerly Jeanne) is a widowed marquesa flirting her way through society. Robert recognizes Joana almost immediately and is wary of her French origins, while Joana does not realize the current Robert who avoids her advances is the same Robert of her youth. Throw in a bunch of complicated military espionage, and Robert thinks Joana is the enemy, when really, she’s deceptively skilled at her own wartime role. This book is angsty and fiery and full of intrigue. Really masterful work here showing how these two people fall in love despite their tenuous circumstances.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Clover Lake series. Small-town charm with a dash of celebrity here. Ramona is a small-town diner waitress with long-buried dreams of being a costume designer, but shelved everything to come home and help raise her younger sister when her single father is injured. Her sister is finally going off to college and Ramona’s meddling best friend encourages her to branch out. Lucky for them all, a rom-com is being filmed in their small town that summer and Ramona has her chance. One of the movie stars Dylan has her own issues with breaking out of her tabloid gossip cycle and finds comfort in hanging out with Ramona. Things get all sorts of messy with Dylan being the subject of internet fame and gossip and Ramona gets caught up in the whirlwind. The romance here is sweet and genuine in addition to scorching hot. I enjoyed seeing what wacky thing would happen next and I loved the whole cast of supporting small town characters.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Linz McLeod (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Austentatious series. Mrs. Charlotte Collins has just become a widow after four years of marriage and contemplating the next steps for her life. While in mourning, her best friend’s sister Mary Bennet has come to visit and Charlotte starts to have less-than-friendly feelings for the woman. Mary is a self-proclaimed spinster who enjoys her academic pursuits and living with her aunt. She’s bold and original and Charlotte can’t stop thinking about her. We get the whole story from Charlotte’s point of view, with all her insecurities, self-doubts, and general hesitance at life. It’s definitely a slow-burn romance and a learning experience for Charlotte, who has been lonely and sheltered all these years. Loved it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Harper Collins Audio.

Crossing Paths by Katie Ruggle (2025)

Romantic suspense. Book 2 of the Beneath the Wild Sky series. Absolute chaos in all the best ways. Norah and her sisters are bounty hunters, but Norah’s usually a behind the scenes gal doing research from behind her computer screen. Until one of their targets hacks into her computer and sends creepy chat box messages. Along with all that, she’s also taking self-defense lessons from Dash, the local ex-MMA fighter and gym owner. The romance here is super cute and Dash is the ultimate gruff and protective sort. But the real drama revolves around Norah’s digital stalker, plus some other close calls with danger. I mean, we go from drinks on the couch at Dash’s apartment to fire bombs being thrown in the window real fast. It’s the kind of crazy danger that just makes the book more funny than fearsome. Definitely a fun ride.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Until the Rake Surrenders by Darcy Burke (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Rogue Rules series. Fairly straightforward friends to lovers story, with a smidge of danger and drama. Lady Minerva is at a house party and knows that the hostess has been charged with matchmaking while her mother is not in attendance. Luckily or unluckily, her brother’s friend Evan is injured while doing tricks on his horse and Min plays the sister-friend card to go spend time with him while he’s recuperating. And while they’re together, they actually become friendlier and closer together. Fast forward a few weeks and they’re both in Bath for a mini-social season and Min’s mother is encouraging her to find a titled lord to marry. But she’s too busy thinking of Evan, even though her mother doesn’t approve. We get some family drama revealed related to Min’s parents and Evan is dealing with his own scandal. It was fun to read these two interact with each other and how easy their relationship developed out of their friendship. Definitely a solid read.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke.