Book Reviews | Random Olive

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Weekly Reads: June 2 to 8, 2025

Jun 10, 2025

Coming in Hot by Josie Juniper (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Frontrunners series. Starts off steamy with a one-night stand between strangers who meet at a hotel bar. But it all turns bad when Natalia realizes she just slept with Klaus, her best friend’s boss, and racing manager for a team she probably will end up writing about in her new job as an auto magazine journalist. To make things worse, he tries to pay her money after their encounter. Ouch. We drift along a scattered timeline as they cross paths throughout the racing season all over the globe, with some of the events overlapping with the previous book of the series. Everyone’s got issues here, with Natalia’s sense of abandonment after her parents left her with an aunt at age 7 and Klaus’s grief over his late wife’s death. High on the steam, once they start hooking up again, but it’s angry bickering banter the whole way through. My favorite part of the book was Natalia finding out what happened to her parents all those years ago. Negative points for using the word “clean” when Natalia asks Klaus if it’s ok to have intercourse without a condom.

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

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

Don’t Bargain with the Devil by Sabrina Jeffries (2009)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the School for Heiresses series. Heartbroken Lucy is back at her favorite girls school for a stint as the temporary art teacher while her father and stepmother go to Scotland. Her childhood friend and love basically told her that she was too outspoken and hoydenish for marriage, so she’s all sorts of insecure about herself. Meanwhile, a mysterious new tenant has moved in next door. The magician Diego is looking for the long-lost granddaughter of a Spanish marquess, and he thinks that Lucy might be the one he’s searching for. It’s mystery and intrigue and attraction all rolled into one very entertaining book. I loved learning all of Lucy’s family secrets and finding out how Diego fits into her future.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook accessed via Everand.

A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim (2025)

Young adult fantasy romance. Standalone novel. This book was such a fun adventure. Tru is the oldest sister of three girls, stuck taking care of her family after her father disappears. She’s an art forger in a bit of a pickle with her mother’s gambling debts being called in. Somehow, she’s entangled in Elang’s bargain, the half-dragon and half-human prince who was banished by his dragon king grandfather. They enter into a marriage of convenience so that Tru can assist Elang with a special painting to overthrow his grandfather. We get a story full of wonderful world-building and tons of secrets to uncover. Loved it.

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

Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries (2009)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the School for Heiresses series. The headmistress of the illustrious girls school gets her romance here in the conclusion of the series. Charlotte is plagued with scandal right now with a whole bunch of her former pupils having run off and eloped and the latest scandal with a suicide. And it gets even messier when we find out that the widowed viscount, David, is actually an old acquaintance of Charlotte’s. Eighteen years prior, Charlotte and David were arranged to marry by their fathers, but it ended up in heartbreak and public humiliation. And then one day, David seeks his revenge by adopted the persona of Cousin Michael to offer a low-rent building for Charlotte to build a school, intending to raise the rents and leave her hanging after she’s comfortable. But it turns into a decade-long letter-writing friendship, and then turns into an even bigger mess when the true owner of the property is looking to evict Charlotte soon. David wants to keep his secrets, so sets himself up for more drama by faking an inheritance from his wife that was donated to the school. We get a pretty quick second chance romance here, with Charlotte being hesitant to trust, and David being a high-handed male. I enjoyed reading all the drama unfold though and learn more about Charlotte and David’s past relationship. Excellent conclusion to the series and introduction to some side characters that will feature in more of Jeffries’ books.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 5 of the Meant to Be series. Modern-day Mulan retelling, but instead of a gender swap, Mulan just assumes her father’s name Zhou in the course of business negotiations with Shang and his family. We’ve got a company buyout situation with an old-school, traditional, patriarchal whiskey distillery, where Mulan needs to prove that she’s the man for the job. We get a lot of slapstick humor here with her trying to impress everyone at a ranch and definitely a lot of awkward situations ensue. Meddling aunties and misogynistic uncles abound, but at least Shang isn’t like the rest of the males in his family. Cousin Mushu definitely brings the spark of humor to the story and was one of my fave supporting characters. Clever and funny retelling here, with a fade-to-black romance mixed in.

Advance ebook provided by Hyperion Books via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

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Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Weekly Reads: May 26 to June 1, 2025

Jun 3, 2025

The Lady Makes Her Mark by Susanna Craig (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. Constantia is the anonymous satirical cartoonist at a ladies’ magazine and is always fearful of being followed. When all the writers at the magazine receive some suspicious letters, she goes on the run, only to be hit by a carriage in the street and knocked unconscious. Luckily, Alistair, the Earl of Ryland is there to save the day, although he doesn’t quite know what to do with her. When she wakes up, she pretends not to know him (even though he knows her) and he promises to take care of her until she gets her memory back. They have a bit of a contentious relationship, since he’s often the subject of her unkind cartoons, but Alistair is really the sweetest guy and mostly worried about taking care of his seven sisters. It’s chaos and calamity and actually a really great story.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone romance. Follow-up to Not in Love. I loved this book so much. Yet another humorous and steamy book from Ali Hazelwood. We’ve got a destination wedding in Italy and the groom’s younger sister Maya pining over her brother’s best friend Conor. But it’s not your typical age gap unrequited crush. We find out that they’ve been secretly friends for years and been talking to each other almost daily. The feelings are clearly there on both sides, but Conor is ever cognizant of his age and financial status and pretty much thinks Maya should do better, so he breaks off the friendship and we’re left with a rift between these two. We get a mix of chapters from the past with the present-day awkwardness and this book kept me completely hooked to find out how it all resolved. Excellent cast of side characters and super sweet to see everyone interacting in this dreamy Italian villa.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Scoundrel in Her Bed by Lorraine Heath (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Sins for All Seasons series. Fairly typical setup here with a second chance romance between the daughter of an earl and an impoverished illegitimate commoner. We get the story in a split timeline, starting with Lady Lavinia at present day where she has run away from her wedding to a duke a few months ago and now lives in a foundling home and buys babies back from baby farmers to save. She gets into a tussle one night and Finn, her former love, comes to the rescue. They haven’t seen each other in eight years and both believe that the other person betrayed them (but in a predictable fashion, we know that’s not the whole story). In the past, we learn how these two met, became friends, and then more, leading up to a plan for an elopement that never happens. In the present day, Finn is trying to figure out why Lavinia has changed so much and why she has run away from her family. I enjoyed reading about all the experience each one had in their years apart and how they come to the point they’re at now. The romance here was fairly straightforward and I was more interested in learning the secrets that Lavinia was hiding. A solid addition to the series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Duchesses Don’t Cry by Barbara Russell (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 8 of the Victorian Outcasts series. Isabella would rather be in the gardens than the proper daughter of an earl, and lucky for her, her older sister Helen gets that responsibility. They’re all off to meet the duke that is intended for Helen, but Anthony finds himself intrigued by Isabella instead. Throw in an overbearing dowager grandmother and a scapegrace younger brother for Anthony and it’s a very awkward visit. But of course, the drama doesn’t end there, and what happens next will keep you reading to find out more. This book kept me hooked through my reading it.

Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber Books via BookSprout.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This book had so much good banter and flirting and it was such fun to read. Bex is the owner of a financially struggling racquetball club and one of her favorite clients has fallen and broken her wrist on the courts. Of course, that old lady’s nephew is some hotshot tennis star who is grumpy about his injured aunt and having his own struggles to make a tennis comeback. Nico and Bex are delightful to read together and the angry flirting is top notch. And then somehow they become pickleball partners, fake dating partners, and so much more. The community of all of Bex’s retiree friends in this sleepy little SoCal town is so much fun to read. I pretty much could not put this book down. It was a great time.

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

Love, the Duke by Amelia Grey (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Say I Do series. Hurst is the last of his duke friends to be unmarried, and he plans to take this wife-hunt seriously soon. In the meantime though, an ill childhood friend has asked him to marry his sister Ophelia, but Hurst rejects the girl because he’d rather meet and find love the old fashioned way. Fast forward several weeks, the old friend has passed away, and the sister has come to London searching for an artifact that was stolen from her brother’s church. Ophelia is all sorts of chaos and Hurst is doing his best to keep her out of trouble, but she’s terribly defiant and unwilling to listen to reason. Luckily, he mostly keeps his head on straight and they end up married anyway. Fairly straightforward plot with a hint of mystery.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Print book provided by St. Martin’s Press.

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

Affiliate links may be used within this post. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

New Releases for May 2025 – Historical Romance and Contemporary Romance Books

May 29, 2025

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.

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.

The Lady Makes Her Mark by Susanna Craig (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. Constantia is the anonymous satirical cartoonist at a ladies’ magazine and is always fearful of being followed. When all the writers at the magazine receive some suspicious letters, she goes on the run, only to be hit by a carriage in the street and knocked unconscious. Luckily, Alistair, the Earl of Ryland is there to save the day, although he doesn’t quite know what to do with her. When she wakes up, she pretends not to know him (even though he knows her) and he promises to take care of her until she gets her memory back. They have a bit of a contentious relationship, since he’s often the subject of her unkind cartoons, but Alistair is really the sweetest guy and mostly worried about taking care of his seven sisters. It’s chaos and calamity and actually a really great story.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Spunes series. Loved it so much! Get ready for all sorts of emotional turmoil. Wren and Ellis became parents at age 17 and 18, got married young, and got divorced about 5 years ago. Now, their son is off to college, and Ellis is suggesting a victory road trip, just the two of them. He’s clearly got motives of getting her back and it’s nice that he’s actually up front about it before they begin. This book is emotionally heavy as they deal with all the things they bottled up those years ago, and try to learn to communicate between in the present. I loved seeing these two work out their issues and actually talk to each other about their worries and dreams. There’s also a really good mix of humor and spice throughout the book. Excellent read.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio.

Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriela Gamez (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Librarians in Love series. Excellent read, seriously. Angela is embroiled in TikTok virality and also admits to being never been kissed or in any sort of relationship. There’s a whole lot of self-doubt and self-discovery baked into this story, as Angela navigates her desire to connect with others along with trying not to fall fully in love with her crush Krystal. Angela decides upon some sort of scavenger hunt for the ladies of the internet to give Angela her first kiss, and she recruits Krystal to assist, even though there’s clearly simmering feelings between them. We get some more messy drama in the form of Angela’s bullying cousins, and Krystal’s romantic backstory. I loved reading these two crushes become friends and then more.

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

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone romance. Follow-up to Not in Love. I loved this book so much. Yet another humorous and steamy book from Ali Hazelwood. We’ve got a destination wedding in Italy and the groom’s younger sister Maya pining over her brother’s best friend Conor. But it’s not your typical age gap unrequited crush. We find out that they’ve been secretly friends for years and been talking to each other almost daily. The feelings are clearly there on both sides, but Conor is ever cognizant of his age and financial status and pretty much thinks Maya should do better, so he breaks off the friendship and we’re left with a rift between these two. We get a mix of chapters from the past with the present-day awkwardness and this book kept me completely hooked to find out how it all resolved. Excellent cast of side characters and super sweet to see everyone interacting in this dreamy Italian villa.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Manic Pixie Dream Earl by Jenny Holiday (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Earls Trip series. The chaos continues with this year’s earls trip. Best guy friends Effie, Simon, and Archie are on their way to the annual holiday and Effie is all sorts of flagellating because he’ll be gone for two weeks and might miss his letters from his penpal/magazine editor Julianna. Meanwhile, she’s at a loss for work with a printing delay and decides she’ll crash her penpal friend Effie’s vacation. Except that she thinks that Effie is a woman, and not a viscount and heir to an earl that he really is. They do actually finally meet in the seaside town of Brighton and they get along as fabulously in person as they do in writing. But see, Julianna is the closed-off no-nonsense person in the relationship, and it sets up our soft-hearted Effie for heartbreak. Loved seeing the demisexual representation from Effie, the strong support from his friends, and the bisexual representation from Julianna. As chaotic as Effie seemed to be with his interests, the emotional depth will make you feel all the feels.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Tantor Audio.

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. I absolutely loved this second chance romance between a recently-dumped magazine writer and her ex-roommate girlfriend photographer who totally disappeared on her eight years ago. The tension between Gemma and Celeste was so good and I loved seeing them interact and talk through what happened all those years ago. Gemma’s besties are absolutely amazing in the face of Gemma’s recent break-up with longtime partner and fiance. And a new work project that brings Gemma and Celeste together built up so much opportunity for communication. I liked the structure of the story being mostly from Gemma’s POV, with bits of Celeste’s POV sprinkled in. Definitely spicy throughout, but with so much emotional work as well. Loved it.

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

When the Marquess Needed Me by Lydia Lloyd (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Rake Chronicles series. Leith is pretty much the most uptight and repressed sort of fellow I’ve ever read and basically beds all his mistresses completely clothed and in a perfunctory nature. It all changes with Beatrice though, who demands to be bedded with more skill and variety as she learns to be a courtesan. Of course, everyone gets their feelings involved and both of these people need to let go of their separate hang-ups, but it was really nice to see two people communicate well and let down their walls. Loads of spice, flirting, banter, and a whole lot of teary-eyed emotional support. Excellent conclusion to the series.

Advance ebook provided by Tule Books via BookSprout.

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Crinoline Academy series. Effie is back in England after a stint in France and bartering with her old headmistress for her freedom. She’s being sent off into society to find some dirt to bring down a viscount and crosses paths with betting house owner Gabriel along the way. He’s the one who’s holding dirt over the same viscount, but he’s not trying to bring down the viscount, only blackmailing him for political favor instead. Even though Effie and Gabriel are similar in background and nature, their aims conflict. It’s a complicated story here but with lots of twists and turns and emotional moments for all. Loved the introduction to this world and can’t wait to read more.

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

A Touch of Steele by Cathy Maxwell (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Gambler’s Daughters series. Excellent mystery-adventure plot here. Beckett Steele is seeking answers about the dreams he’s been having about someone who he believes to be his mother, and to do this, he’s decided to infiltrate a country house party of the father he has never met. Beckett enlists Gwendolyn’s help to go to the party and provide a card-playing distraction, but when they get there, nothing is quite what it seems. We get some early hints throughout the book about Beckett’s identity and danger lurking behind every corner. I loved how easy the romance part was, so that these two could quickly team up against the dangers that surround them.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

An Unladylike Secret by Amita Murray (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marleigh Sisters series. Loads of action and mystery in this one. Mira is a secret gossip columnist who may have contributed to a man being accused of murdering his own brother. She’s at the Devonshire coast with her roommate and friend to find out more about the situation from the deceased man’s widow. And of course, she crosses paths with our dear fugitive Finn and maybe kinda sorta falls in love with him. But they’re got a mystery to solve and an innocence to prove, all while Finn does not know that Mira is the writer behind his downfall. Loved all the tangled web of plot in this book.

Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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.

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Dani’s life has kind of imploded after a break-up and getting fired from her job, so she’s off on a new adventure and new job in Amsterdam. Except her apartment sucks, her job is totally sketchy, and she crashes her bike into her old flame. Wouter was an exchange student living in her house and they had a secret relationship going until he went back home and broke her heart over text. Now they’ve run into each other and Wouter ends up bailing Dani out from her apartment woes, and eventually her visa-related woes. We get an awkward marriage of convenience plot here, and you can feel the tension between these two with every interaction. It’s emotional and steamy and loads of banter. I really enjoyed reading this book. Always a bonus when the first-love learns some bedroom moves and dirty talk while they’re apart for 13 years.

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

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Super steamy flirting and banter between these two workplace rivals stuck together on a training retreat. Tris is your typical woman of color in a white male-dominated workforce, overlooked for many promotions, and losing out leadership positions to the boss’s son Rafe. She’s totally surprised when she’s selected to go on a training retreat in Maui, but irritated that she’s stuck traveling with her rival Rafe. Being forced to share a room might actually force them to call a truce though, and we get all sorts of angry flirting along the way. Once we get away from the taunting each other and get to the actual relationship-building, I loved this book, and loved how sweet Rafe actually was (and not the dude-bro persona he gives off).

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

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

Affiliate links may be used within this post. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Weekly Reads: May 19 to 25, 2025

May 27, 2025

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. I absolutely loved this second chance romance between a recently-dumped magazine writer and her ex-roommate girlfriend photographer who totally disappeared on her eight years ago. The tension between Gemma and Celeste was so good and I loved seeing them interact and talk through what happened all those years ago. Gemma’s besties are absolutely amazing in the face of Gemma’s recent break-up with longtime partner and fiance. And a new work project that brings Gemma and Celeste together built up so much opportunity for communication. I liked the structure of the story being mostly from Gemma’s POV, with bits of Celeste’s POV sprinkled in. Definitely spicy throughout, but with so much emotional work as well. Loved it.

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

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Crinoline Academy series. Effie is back in England after a stint in France and bartering with her old headmistress for her freedom. She’s being sent off into society to find some dirt to bring down a viscount and crosses paths with betting house owner Gabriel along the way. He’s the one who’s holding dirt over the same viscount, but he’s not trying to bring down the viscount, only blackmailing him for political favor instead. Even though Effie and Gabriel are similar in background and nature, their aims conflict. It’s a complicated story here but with lots of twists and turns and emotional moments for all. Loved the introduction to this world and can’t wait to read more.

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

Manic Pixie Dream Earl by Jenny Holiday (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Earls Trip series. The chaos continues with this year’s earls trip. Best guy friends Effie, Simon, and Archie are on their way to the annual holiday and Effie is all sorts of flagellating because he’ll be gone for two weeks and might miss his letters from his penpal/magazine editor Julianna. Meanwhile, she’s at a loss for work with a printing delay and decides she’ll crash her penpal friend Effie’s vacation. Except that she thinks that Effie is a woman, and not a viscount and heir to an earl that he really is. They do actually finally meet in the seaside town of Brighton and they get along as fabulously in person as they do in writing. But see, Julianna is the closed-off no-nonsense person in the relationship, and it sets up our soft-hearted Effie for heartbreak. Loved seeing the demisexual representation from Effie, the strong support from his friends, and the bisexual representation from Julianna. As chaotic as Effie seemed to be with his interests, the emotional depth will make you feel all the feels.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Tantor Audio.

With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Super cute co-worker rivals to lovers romance. Lauren and Asa both work at Cold World, a kitschy Florida winter-themed park, but they have gotten on each other’s nerves for the whole two years that Lauren has worked there. She’s the serious and socially awkward bookkeeper and he’s the jack-of-all-trades jokester of the place. And they pretty much keep getting thrown together with workplace drama and awkward encounters. These two people are such opposites that it’s almost painful to watch them interact and constantly misunderstand each other. However, once we break through and see them actually soften towards each other, it’s full steam ahead. And I mean it with the steam. Loved Asa’s group of housemates and all the delightful side characters too. Watch out for the content warnings because we’ve got baggage on both sides of the relationship. Still, I really enjoyed this book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

An Unladylike Secret by Amita Murray (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marleigh Sisters series. Loads of action and mystery in this one. Mira is a secret gossip columnist who may have contributed to a man being accused of murdering his own brother. She’s at the Devonshire coast with her roommate and friend to find out more about the situation from the deceased man’s widow. And of course, she crosses paths with our dear fugitive Finn and maybe kinda sorta falls in love with him. But they’re got a mystery to solve and an innocence to prove, all while Finn does not know that Mira is the writer behind his downfall. Loved all the tangled web of plot in this book.

Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith (2025)

Young adult fantasy romance. Book 1 of a planned duology. I didn’t realize this was going to be a duology when I read it, so I was surprised when I got to the end and the story was still unresolved. Let this be a warning to you! It’s a duology and the second book is due out in 2026. Ivy is the younger daughter of a marquess with no prospects during her first season out due to her sister’s recent disappearance and resulting scandal. Plus her parents are poor and she has no dowry. The queen is actually a faerie in this fantasy world and has set up a competition for the hand of her son Prince Bram. We get a cutthroat competition with all sorts of evil political manipulations. Super entertaining to read, especially when Ivy gets closer to Prince Emmett, the non-faerie brother who is scheming something in the background. Loved it and now I have to wait for the next book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by HarperCollins.

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

Affiliate links may be used within this post. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Gambler’s Daughters Historical Romance Book Series by Cathy Maxwell

May 24, 2025

A Kiss in the Moonlight by Cathy Maxwell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Gambler’s Daughters series. Three sisters in Ireland are at the mercy of their cousin who wants to marry them off to the most convenient person. Middle sister Dara has a plan though; send the oldest, Gwendolyn, to gamble and win enough money for the three of them (plus their great aunt) to go to London and find titled husbands. Sounds easy enough. Through a couple of chapters told from Gwendolyn and an investigator named Steele’s points of view, we see how the money is won, and the women are on their way. Dara wants the best for her sisters, so sometimes she comes across as managing and stringent, much to her younger sister Elise’s dismay. She tries to warn off Elise’s suitor, Michael since he’s not titled, and she’s agonizingly attracted to him herself. Dara feels less beautiful than her sisters and knows that she doesn’t really have a chance with him. She’s focused on making sure her sisters have good matches and they can escape their terrible cousin. Meanwhile Michael is investigating an embezzlement scheme, but the plot there is only shallowly discussed. At some point, Dara finds herself in a compromising situation and Michael is the one to rescue her, which causes a rift between Dara and Elise. The romance between these two didn’t feel developed enough for them to have fallen in love so quickly, especially after all the bickering and arguing they did from the start. I am curious to see how the stories for the other sisters works out though.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

One Dangerous Night by Cathy Maxwell (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Gambler’s Daughters series. Elise is on her way back to Ireland from London after her sister marries the man she thought she was in love with. Of course, she runs into all sorts of calamity along the way and is saved by her traveling companion, Kit, who is actually a duke who ran away from his own responsibilities and has been wandering the countryside for a year or so. These two obviously don’t know the other person’s real identity, make assumptions about the other, and are basically arguing the whole way through. But Kit is still gentlemanly and protective of Elise, despite her stubbornness throughout the journey. We get all sorts of travel adventure here with carriage accidents, ruffians, and sparse accommodations. It’s a fun ride. Plus, we get a few glimpses of other points of view when Elise’s sisters realize she’s missing.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

A Touch of Steele by Cathy Maxwell (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Gambler’s Daughters series. Excellent mystery-adventure plot here. Beckett Steele is seeking answers about the dreams he’s been having about someone who he believes to be his mother, and to do this, he’s decided to infiltrate a country house party of the father he has never met. Beckett enlists Gwendolyn’s help to go to the party and provide a card-playing distraction, but when they get there, nothing is quite what it seems. We get some early hints throughout the book about Beckett’s identity and danger lurking behind every corner. I loved how easy the romance part was, so that these two could quickly team up against the dangers that surround them.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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Weekly Reads: May 12 to 18, 2025

May 20, 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.

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.

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.

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

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Gilded West Historical Romance Book Series by Harper St. George

May 15, 2025

The Runaway Heiress by Harper St. George (2025)

Historical romance. American West. Book 0 of the Gilded West series. Super short read here. Sophie is the niece of some unscrupulous miner and she’s being married off to some other shady character. She’s also got a crush on Gray, who works for her uncle as a gunslinger. Of course, Gray is actually working undercover to bring down the evil uncle for his crimes and he’s also got a crush on Sophie. She tries to run away from the wedding, but he catches her and needs to bring her back, but maybe not before spending a night in his rooms. Quick and steamy little novella.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Copper Heir by Harper St. George (2025)

Historical romance. American West. Book 1 of the the Gilded West series. Emmaline is the stepdaughter of an outlaw who gets kidnapped by a rival outlaw gang as revenge. Although Hunter is no ordinary outlaw, since he’s also a wealthy miner and incredibly kind to Emmaline. But you know, she can’t really trust him, so she escapes and then somehow ends up at a brothel auction for her virginity so she can get enough money to run away with her sisters. And of course, Hunter finds her. Lots of action and adventure and shoot outs here with Emmaline and Hunter falling in love despite their impossible circumstances.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Bastard Heir by Harper St. George (2025)

Historical romance. American West. Book 2 of the Gilded West series. Caroline is not happy about her parents’ stipulation that she get married before going to medical school, but she’ll deal with that after her trip out West for a family wedding. Except she runs into a bit of danger on the train and gets entangled with an outlaw, who just happens to be the brother of the groom at the wedding she’s attending. Castillo wants to make sure Caroline keeps quiet about his dual-identity, and she bargains with him to snag a fake courtship so her parents will stop nagging about marriage. But of course, these two are intensely attracted to each other, despite their very different goals in life. It’s high drama and high steam in this quick read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Gilded Lady by Harper St. George (2025)

Historical romance. American West. Book 3 of the Gilded West series. Glory is the owner and proprietress of the opulent local brothel and she’s being blackmailed. She seeks the assistance of the friendly neighborhood outlaw Zane to find the blackmailer. He takes it upon himself to be her personal bodyguard and protector while he does the job. Glory and Zane have been circling around each other for awhile now, but she’s got past traumas that keep her away from men and Zane has his own tragic backstory when it comes to love. However, their forced proximity causes them both to confront their demons and try to find some joy with each other. It’s a mess of danger with Glory’s blackmailer and past demons coming for her, so this book is definitely action-packed. I really enjoyed watching Glory open up to Zane and reveal all her secrets.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

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Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Weekly Reads: May 5 to 11, 2025

May 13, 2025

Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath (2018)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Sins for All Seasons series. One of my favorite tropes is the revenge plot, and Lorraine Heath does it so well in this book. Mick Trewlove is the illegitimate son of a duke who won’t acknowledge him, so he sets his sights on financially ruining the legitimate heir and ruining the man’s fiancee. Lady Aslyn is basically a sheltered miss, the ward of the duke, and has had an understanding of an arranged marriage with the Earl of Kipwick her whole life. Except a chance encounter with Mick has her questioning basically everything, especially her own attraction to the man. Loved seeing the tough and grumble Mick turn into a doting suitor around Aslyn and the build up of his revenge. Although the idiotic earl makes everything much easier. Get ready for a really good final confrontation with the duke too. Loved it so much.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Dani’s life has kind of imploded after a break-up and getting fired from her job, so she’s off on a new adventure and new job in Amsterdam. Except her apartment sucks, her job is totally sketchy, and she crashes her bike into her old flame. Wouter was an exchange student living in her house and they had a secret relationship going until he went back home and broke her heart over text. Now they’ve run into each other and Wouter ends up bailing Dani out from her apartment woes, and eventually her visa-related woes. We get an awkward marriage of convenience plot here, and you can feel the tension between these two with every interaction. It’s emotional and steamy and loads of banter. I really enjoyed reading this book. Always a bonus when the first-love learns some bedroom moves and dirty talk while they’re apart for 13 years.

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

When a Duke Loves a Woman by Lorraine Heath (2018)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Sins for All Seasons series. The Duke of Thornley is having a no-good very bad day when he gets left at the altar, attacked by thugs, and left for dead in the alleyway behind a tavern. Luckily, tavern-owner Gillie rescues him and sets him back to health. She’s never felt attraction for a man before and generally keeps to herself and is the rough and tumble tavern owner, but she’s instantly attracted to Thorne when he shows up in her life. Learning that he’s a duke has not deterred her attraction, even as she knows it’s a terrible idea to get involved with him. But he needs help finding his missing fiancee and believes Gillie can provide that assistance. He’s realizing that he prefers Gillie’s company over anyone else’s, but it’s still all a bad idea due to their differences in social station. I loved seeing these two people banter and communicate and finally come together.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Super steamy flirting and banter between these two workplace rivals stuck together on a training retreat. Tris is your typical woman of color in a white male-dominated workforce, overlooked for many promotions, and losing out leadership positions to the boss’s son Rafe. She’s totally surprised when she’s selected to go on a training retreat in Maui, but irritated that she’s stuck traveling with her rival Rafe. Being forced to share a room might actually force them to call a truce though, and we get all sorts of angry flirting along the way. Once we get away from the taunting each other and get to the actual relationship-building, I loved this book, and loved how sweet Rafe actually was (and not the dude-bro persona he gives off).

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

The King of Whitechapel by Barbara Russell (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 7 of the Victorian Outcasts series. Loved this quick second chance romance read. Elizabeth is the youngest daughter of an earl who is curious about the new secret visitor to her house. Christopher is the illegitimate son of a duke who was expelled from Eton and sent to the earl’s house to stay temporarily. They grow closer together when they get stuck in a terrible snowstorm, but are pretty much forced to separate upon their return to the big manor house, and also need to keep their time together a secret. We jump forward five years and Elizabeth is pretty much coerced into a courtship with Christopher’s brother and current duke. It was interesting to see how they work out their relationship after being separated all these years and for Elizabeth to finally push back against her parents. We get to see Christopher’s new domain in Whitechapel and how he allows a false but vicious reputation surround him. Loved seeing these two together again.

Advance ebook provided by Olive Heber Books via BookSprout.

A Touch of Steele by Cathy Maxwell (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Gambler’s Daughters series. Excellent mystery-adventure plot here. Beckett Steele is seeking answers about the dreams he’s been having about someone who he believes to be his mother, and to do this, he’s decided to infiltrate a country house party of the father he has never met. Beckett enlists Gwendolyn’s help to go to the party and provide a card-playing distraction, but when they get there, nothing is quite what it seems. We get some early hints throughout the book about Beckett’s identity and danger lurking behind every corner. I loved how easy the romance part was, so that these two could quickly team up against the dangers that surround them.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited