Weekly Reads: June 23 to 29, 2025

Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of Miss Prentice’s Protegees series. Lottie is an absolute hoyden and has a penchant for borrowing horses and riding recklessly through the park. Unfortunately, she runs into a very grumpy Guy one day in the park and they’re immediately at odds. Even more unfortunately, she’s his aunt’s new companion and she sees him again at his country estate. Guy is resistant to society after an embarrassing incident involving a public rejection many years ago, and is generally irritated at having house guests. Lottie and Guy spend most of the book hating each other, and then finally calling a truce, and finally giving into their attraction. But Lottie is always aware of their different social stations and doesn’t see a future with Guy. It’s messy and chaotic and full of meddling older women.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

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Eliza and the Duke by Harper St George (2025)

Historical romance. Gilded Age England. Book 2 of the Doves of New York series. Eliza is searching for one last bit of adventure before she marries a viscount to gain her inheritance and she just so happens to run into an injured Simon at a club where she isn’t supposed to be. Turns out Simon is secretly an underground prize fighter, plus has some other dealings with a crime boss in Whitechapel. He and Eliza cross paths again when he’s on security detail for her family and she does her very best to convince him to take her on a night of adventure. I loved seeing these two get closer together and the yearning that they have for each other in spite of the impossible circumstances. Super flirty and steamy and loads of caretaking involved here. Loved this book so much.

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

Beauty Tempts the Beast by Lorraine Heath (2020)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 6 of the Sins for All Seasons series. Well, I loved this book too. And sad to be at the end of the series. The former Lady Althea Stanwick has had a major reduction in circumstances when her ducal father is found guilty of treason, hanged, and his family stripped of their titles and kicked out of their home. Now, Althea lives in Whitechapel and works as a serving maid at a bar where she meets Beast. (because it’s his sister’s Gillie’s bar, if you’ve been following along with this series). Beast immediately recognizes Althea’s demeanor as someone of quality and recruits her to tutor the ladies who work at a brothel, so they can better their circumstances, and she demands some tutoring of her own from Beast. It leads exactly where you expect it to lead in terms of their romance, but oh man, the emotional moments of this book are so good. And when we finally learn about Beast’s parents (because we’re destined to tie up this story that way), everything comes full circle.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Her Tempting Traitor by Caroline Lee (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 2 of the Surprised Heirs series. All the humor and hijinks you’d expect in a Caroline Lee historical romance. Gabby’s the next one on the case, this time involving a man who may be a traitor to the crown and a castle full of animals, including a pregnant elephant. Since Gabby is trained in the veterinary sciences, she’s assigned to infiltrate the castle. Except, she knows full well that she won’t be taken seriously as a doctor, so she has to have her twin brother pretend to be the veterinarian. And so they go and they meet Cassian, who’s struggling with his failed mission, injuries, and a son who is resentful of him. Luckily, we all know Cassian is not actually a traitor, but it’s fun to see Gabby come to that conclusion. Lots of bonding between Gabby and Gus (Cassian’s son) and some soul-baring bathtime fun. Funny and steamy, as expected.

Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.