Top Five Reads of August 2025 – Historical Romance Books

My Best Friend’s Earl by Bethany Bennett (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Bluestocking Booksellers series. If you’ve been looking for scenes with yearning, you need to read this book. First off, Constance and Oliver are total opposites and also cannot seem to stop thinking of each other. Secondly, Oliver has been engaged to his childhood friend and neighbor due to a deal their fathers made over cards many years ago and he’s being super honorable and sticking to the arrangement. But his fiancee is actively trying to get out of the engagement and even asks Constance for help in how to get Oliver to jilt her. It’s messy and chaotic and at some point when Oliver and Constance realize they have true feelings for each other, it’s all blocked by his honor and prior entanglements. Loved this book so much.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Print book provided by Forever Books.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Zomromcom by Olivia Dade (2025)

Paranormal romance. Book 1 of the Supernatural Entanglements series. This book was so much fun to read. Just the right amount of action and adventure and danger. And oh my gosh, the steam. Edie is trying to fight off a zombie and protect her dimwitted neighbor, but it turns out her neighbor is secretly a vampire named Gaston. He goes by Max, but get ready for all sorts of iterations of the Gaston song throughout the book. They’ve got loads of zombie danger to deal in trying to save the neighborhood and we meet all sorts of wacky side characters along the way. It was an absolute delight to read.

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

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De la Rosa (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England and Mexico. Book 3 of the Luna Sisters series. I can’t believe this is the last book of the series and we need to leave the Luna sisters behind. I am super glad that Gabby finally meets her match in Sebastian, the duke who we knew would be trouble for her on their very first meeting. Gabby’s on her way to Mexico, fleeing a bad situation in England, and Sebastian is on the ship right along with her. Even though they start the journey as somewhat enemies, she definitely softens towards him when she realizes that he isn’t exactly the rake he seemed to be in the past. And of course, Sebastian is just trying to keep his sanity around him since it’s clear he’s totally besotted by Gabby. Loved seeing the flirtatious banter between them and the undeniable attraction here that they’re trying so hard to fight. Loved seeing it all wrap up and all our Luna sisters so happily wed.

Advance ebook provided by Berkley via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe (2025)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Standalone novel. This one is a really good Anastasia retelling with mystery and intrigue and steam. Leo is your basic con-man in Boston, and when he sees Josie singing in the street, he has a glimmer of an idea to pass her off as a long-lost heiress. And she has no idea that’s his game because he’s pretending to be a talent manager to get her on Broadway. They go to New York together and try to keep things professional, but that only works for so long when they spend literally all their time together. We get to uncover the mystery of the lost heiress and how Leo’s late father is involved in the mess. This book was so much fun to read and listen to.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Harper Audio via NetGalley.

The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Feminine Pursuits series. The slowest slow burn friends to lovers story here. Widowed Agatha is running her print works and finds a swarm of bees where they shouldn’t be, so her mother-in-law refers local bee expert Penelope to help. Penelope is a married woman who’s husband is actually in love with her brother and they go off sailing and catching whales together. Loved seeing Agatha and Penelope’s friendship develop through their letters and subsequent visits to each other’s homes. It’s a super slow build, but well worth the read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.