Weekly Reads: September 15 to 21, 2025

The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 5 of the Dream Harbor series. Super fun second chance, not-quite-enemies-to-lovers romance. Annie and Mac have been sniping at each other in every previous Dream Harbor book and this book finally lets us know why. Apparently, one December many years ago, Annie and Mac had a quasi-relationship going on. But then Mac leaves town to explore the country and find himself and doesn’t come back when he promises to. Of course this makes Annie write him off for good, and makes his actual permanent return to town chilly and awkward. He’s still totally hung up on her and doesn’t quite know how to win her back. A weekend of wedding hijinks for their friends is the perfect occasion for forced proximity and bringing back all those old feelings. Cute and flirty and steamy.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Collins via NetGalley. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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To Heist and to Hold by Christina Britton (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Wimpole Street Widows Society series. Heloise and her band of widows plan to infiltrate a gaming hell to save her sister-in-law, and one of those schemes involves seducing one of the owners. Ethan is the very gruff and serious gambling hell owner who is suspicious of Heloise’s motives, but lets her close anyway so he can figure out what she’s up to. They’re both keeping secrets, but it’s clear that they’re totally falling for each other. Lots of sweet caretaking here that goes both ways, plus the added mystery of who’s running a crooked game at the club. Lots of action, both in and out of the bedroom, making this an enjoyable read.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

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An Introvert’s Guide to Life and Love by Lauren Appelbaum (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Loved this book about an introverted homebody finding herself in a quiet little beach town. Mallory is the work-from-home hermit who adores online shopping and staying in her cozy apartment. But her life is a bit blown up when she inherits her a seaside cottage across the country from her late grandmother, in exchange for taking care of Gramps. I loved seeing Mallory grow closer to her grandfather and develop such a strong bond to him and the community where he lives. We also get to see Mallory juggle that remote job she hates and the home improvements she needs to make to the cottage to get it in rentable condition. The romance here comes in the form of a charming property manager Daniel, but it’s really more a story about Mallory’s journey and growth and the Daniel-based romance is just a bonus.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio.

Jewel by Beverly Jenkins (2008)

Historical romance. 1880s Michigan. Book 2 of the Grayson Family series. Eli just needed a pretend wife for one dinner with a big city newspaperman to earn an investment, but ended up with a real wife instead when gossip gets out. Jewel is the only daughter of the gruff and surly lumbarjack and used to caring for her many older brothers. She never expected to marry, and especially not to Eli, the man she’d had a teenage crush on. She tries to make sure this is a marriage in name only, but he’s trying to convince her to make a real go of the relationship. It’s a lot of flirting and seducing on Eli’s part to get Jewel to comply. The romance is here is fairly predictable, but it was nice catching up with this town again and seeing everyone work together to built Jewel and Eli’s new house. Danger comes back into town in the form of cousin Nate’s ex-wife and we get to see all the chaos she brings with her.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Duke of Eccess by Mariah Stone (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Temperance is on the run from her life as Lady Agatha, daughter of an earl, and known as the Mad Heiress. She’s trying to escape her stepmother’s machinations and just needs to lie low until her birthday when she can claim her inheritance for herself. And that comes in the form of a governess position for Octavius’ wild charges. The three children lost their parents earlier this year and have run off half a dozen governesses. Lucky for them, Temperance is an unconventional sort and they start to bond with her, and become better behaved in the process. Octavius also needs some tutoring in better behavior and turns to Temperance for his own improvement. We get loads of drama with Octavius’ friend also eyeing Temperance, and all that hiding she’s doing from her stepmother. Excellent addition to this series.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone.