Weekly Reads: April 27 to May 3, 2026 (historical romance)

Nearly a Bride by Sabrina Jeffries (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lords of Hazard series. Loads of plot and intrigue here. Giselle needs help from the Earl of Heathbrook because she fears her passport from France to England is being questioned. Heath proposes a deal where they pretend to be engaged because he also needs help appearing the upstanding gentleman to gain custody of his younger brothers. There’s an overbearing cousin in the mix, along with whatever villain is chasing Giselle. There’s tons of action here, with danger around most corners. The romance here is fairly straightforward, with Heath trying his best not to ruin Giselle, and Giselle trying to resist being taken advantage of. Overall, the plot twists are a lot of fun to read and I loved how they all became a family.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Recorded Books.

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How to Fake It in Society by KJ Charles (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Scheming and friendship and slow burn romance. Titus is a shopkeeper who is about to be totally destitute when his former lover and current landlord raises the rent. And somehow, he ends up at the deathbed of a wealthy old lady who wants to marry him so her fortune doesn’t go to her terrible nephew. The old lady passes away and Titus is left with a totally new house and life. It’s all sorts of overwhelming, especially when grifters are aiming for him. And then the biggest grifter of all, Nico, shows up at his doorstep because this man had missed his chance at marrying the rich old lady. But he’s actually pretty helpful to Titus, so even though Titus is suspicious, he lets Nico help him anyway. Nico’s obviously keeping secrets and is in a lot of debt, but as he gets to know Titus, he’s unwilling to take advantage. It’s a slow build of friendship and then more, even with secrets hanging over them. I loved this book.

Advance ebook provided by Tor Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio.