Book Reviews | Random Olive

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Those Kilted Bastards Series by Caroline Lee / Historical Romance Book Series

Sep 21, 2023

The Duke’s Virgin Sister by Caroline Lee (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. Keith, the illegitimate son of an earl, is tasked with escorting Carlotta, the duke’s sister to Scotland for her sister-in-law’s birthday celebration. Carlotta is engaged to a baron who is an arrogant pompous asshole and we all just want to see him go away; he does make for some comedic lines with everyone around him calling him names behind his back. Keith is a boxer and now owner of his very own castle in Scotland and doesn’t really want to play escort here, but the duke offers him the money he will need to repair his castle. Keith and Carlotta fall for each other pretty quickly here, but he pushes her away, thinking that he will never be good enough for her due to their differences in social station. We get a little bit of road trip hijinks here with travel delays and bandits, and we do eventually learn the reason why Carlotta cannot take the train. Humor and steam in a quick and easy read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Earl’s Brazen Widow by Caroline Lee (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 2 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. Malcolm is the illegitimate son of an earl who once had a relationship with his late father’s widow, Violet. He’s ignored her letters for the past ten years but happens to open the one where she says that his home and farm is going to be sold. Malcolm travels to the earl’s estate to confront Violet and somehow strikes a bargain where he’ll tutor her son in exchange for the deed to his house. (But I thought Violet needed the money from selling that house, so why can she just give it away right now?) As Violet and Malcolm spend more time together, it’s clear they’re still in love, but need to talk through what went wrong all those years ago and how she ended up married to his father. And of course the age of her son is a bit suspicious, even though Malcolm hasn’t put the pieces together yet. Quick read, steamy, and humorous, especially the kid’s fascination with animal waste.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Rake’s Insatiable Bride by Caroline Lee (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. Jade seeks a night with a courtesan so she can lose her virginity on her own terms before her guardian/uncle forces her to marry. Cameron is a charming rake of a man who plays up his debauched reputation by giving women pleasure. Both are victims of a marriage-by-proxy scheme that surprisingly brings them back together and then forces them to stay in the same cottage in a rainstorm. While Jade had no intention of getting married, she’s slowly falling in love with Cam as they spend more time together. It’s an isolated little vacation for them, until the storm breaks and we have to clear up the mess.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Sinner’s Tempting Captor by Caroline Lee (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 4 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. We start here with a kidnapping from prison, where Honoria has bribed a warden to let her take Crowe with her. We’ve learned about Crowe in the previous books, where his friends believed him to have murdered their other friend James (who is also Honoria’s brother). While we do eventually find out why Crowe went to prison and who actually killed James, this book introduces us to Honoria’s crazy family dynamics and allows the potential reconciliation between Honoria and Crowe. The standout star of the book is younger brother Bull for all his comic relief. Things definitely get dramatic in this book, setting up the events that lead to the Surprise! Dukes series.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Trope Round Up: Second Chance Romance in Historical Romance Books

Sep 20, 2023

Nobody’s Lady by Annabelle Anders (2018)

We have a missed connection here with Lilly and Michael falling in love in their youth, but tragic circumstances kept Michael away from offering for Lilly’s hand. Her father forced her to marry her sister’s widower and care for her niece/stepdaughter. Many years later, Lilly is on her way to London for her stepdaughter’s debut and runs into Michael at an inn where he needs assistance. At this point, he’s a powerful duke and betrothed to someone else. Their paths continue to cross during the London Season, but Michael is determined to stay on the honorable course, so he cannot break his engagement. Super angsty drama in this one.

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Any Rogue Will Do by Bethany Bennett (2020)

Seven years ago, it seemed like Ethan and Charlotte were courting, but then one day Ethan publicly disparaged her and basically ruined her reputation that season. (We do find out why he does that later in the book). Now, they cross paths again, and she’s trying to avoid an unwanted suitor, so recruits him as a fake fiancee. Obviously, they’re still attracted to each other, but still need to work out all the reasons why he ruined her all those years ago.

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Have You Any Rogues by Elizabeth Boyle (2013)

Henrietta and Crispin are from rival families and somehow locked in a wine cellar together. This novella is told in a series of flashbacks throughout their relationship and rivalry with many instances of coming together and being thwarted by outside resources. This one is quick to read, but heavy on the pining and lost love throughout the years.

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Courting Trouble by Kerrigan Byrne (2020)

As a child, the coal boy of a fancy house falls for the eldest daughter. As a young man, he has an affair with the girl and makes plans to run away with her. When her father catches them, the man’s career is threatened, so the girl cruelly pushes him away and marries another. The beginning of this one is very similar to Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas. Many years later, widowed and suffering from a gunshot wound, the lady is brought to the man who is now a renowned doctor.

A Love by Design by Elizabeth Everett (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Secret Scientists of London series. The previous book hinted at a history between George and Margaret and we get the full story here. This book takes place about a year and a half after the events of Book 2. George and Margaret (and Violet, the main character of Book 1) were childhood friends out in the country where George was not part of the aristocracy at all. One summer, when it seemed that a romance was developing between George and Margaret, heartbreak occurred instead (we get to learn what it was at some point during the book when they finally talk it out). After they parted ways, George joined the army and somehow ended up an earl, while Margaret found an engineering mentor in Paris, got married, and became widowed. Now Margaret is back in England to start her own engineering company and is undertaking a huge project…. that is unfortunately funded by the nemesis of the female scientists at Athena’s Retreat and of George’s. While George and Margaret are growing closer again and working out their heartbreaking pasts, Margaret’s still holding secrets about her employer’s funding and causing discourse among the female scientists. George ends up being the more emotionally mature and politically progressive one in the relationship, supporting Margaret’s ambitions, providing her comfort and humor and safety. And there’s a scene in here that was hinted at earlier with one person’s awkwardness in the bedroom, with deliciously delightful payoff when the truth finally comes out… it was so good, I sent a screenshot of the scene to my friend immediately via text.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Chessmen series. There’s a scandalous book written anonymously about the seductive exploits of a Lord K and the ton suspects that the Earl of Knightly, known as Knight, is the man in the story. In reality, he is the subject of the story which is written by Regina, the illegitimate daughter of an earl whom Knight jilted on their wedding day five years prior. We see a few chapters told from the past interspersed with present day chapters and learn more about the past and present relationship between Knight and Regina. He basically left her heartbroken and ruined all those years ago and she has been trying to rebuild her life since then. The notoriety of this book has drawn them back together, but there is still a lot of resentment on Regina’s side of things and lots of guilt from Knight’s. It’s interesting to see how they ultimately overcome the issues that kept them apart all those years ago and learning the truth about Knight’s betrayal.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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The Princess Stakes by Amalie Howard (2021)

After her father’s murder, and Indian princess stows away on a ship headed to England. When she’s caught by the ship captain, she realizes that this man is someone she had rejected once before who is now a duke. The captain’s obviously got a terrible grudge because of the heartbreak the lady had caused him, so he makes her do all sorts of chores on his ship to earn her keep. We do eventually learn why they were kept apart all those years ago and work towards reconciliation. However, there is still the issue of the interracial relationship that will likely be looked down upon by the ton.

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Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas (2004)

Aline Marsden has been in love with the stable boy, John McKenna, since they were young. When her father, Earl of Westcliff, finds out about their relationship, he forbids them to see each other and sends McKenna away. Twelve years later, the old earl has died, Marcus is the new Lord Westcliff, and his sisters Aline and Livia are unmarried and living at the estate. A group of wealthy Americans has arrived for a hunting party and to gain Lord Westcliff’s business partnership. One of those wealthy visitors? McKenna. He’s been haunted by Aline all these years, believing that she had used him and had never loved him. He comes to take his revenge by bedding her and getting her out of his system. Aline has her own issues; not long after McKenna left, she was in a fire that left her legs scarred and disfigured. Believing that she’ll never be able to find love in her scarred state, she continues to let McKenna believe that she’s only interested in a physical relationship and that she doesn’t love him. Meanwhile, another wealthy man, Gideon Shaw, has caught the attention of Livia, who hasn’t been out in society since the death of her fiance a couple years ago and the related scandal afterward. Gideon’s got his own problems with being an alcoholic, but since this is a secondary romance in the story, they deal with that pretty neatly.

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A Rogue’s Rules for Seduction by Eva Leigh (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. It’s been nearly a year since Dom abandoned Willa at the altar, and his friends and her brothers Kieran and Finn have conspired to bring them both the same isolated island house party in Scotland. Dom and Willa have to finally talk out their issues if they have any hope of moving on. We quickly see that while they were courting and engaged, each were playing a bit of a role and enjoyed the shock value of the other person’s status, rather than the person they truly were. From dockworker to wealthy son of a shipping magnate, Dom has been considered an outsider to the aristocracy. Willa, daughter of an earl, has been brash and outrageous, and delighted in shocking the ton with her brutish suitor. Likewise, Dom viewed Willa as an unattainable prize, who he first felt proud to court, and then felt guilty that he was so far below her standing… ultimately leading to his abandonment. Now that they’re in the same place again, they start to realize that they treated each other superficially in their courtship and engagement and a marriage at that time would have been unhappy. But the spark and attraction continues to exist between them and now that they’re being more honest with each other, they’re starting to give into those desires, even if they’re not quite willing to risk their hearts yet.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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When a Marquess Loves a Woman by Vivienne Lorret (2016)

Juliet and Max get caught in a scandalous kiss, which results in her being married off to a much older man before Max even has a chance to offer for her. Years later, Juliet is now a widow, Max is somehow entangled in her same friend group, and they’ve got a bickering and contentious relationship. They’ve decided to create a bet this season to see if they can predict this year’s incomparable debutante. While they are at odds every step of the way, of course, they slowly start to fall in love again.

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How to Best a Marquess by Janna MacGregor (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Widow Rules series. The prologue consists of a very charming proposal from Julian to Beth, but things didn’t quite turn out the way they expected. Eight years later, Beth is now one of three widows of a duke’s younger brother, and was not in fact married to the scoundrel at all. In a quest to recover her lost dowry and get away from her older brother’s influence, she seeks out the destitute Julian, now a marquess, for assistance, offering him half the money in payment. We follow with a road trip and second chance romance, though Beth is adamant that she never marry and she knows that her reputation will be detrimental to the honorable Julian’s reputation. Julian however just wants to convince Beth that he’s sorry for walking away all those years ago when her brother denied his proposal and that he’s still in love with her. I mostly empathized with poor Julian there who just can’t catch a break. And of course all of those road trip adventures are a fun read as well.

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

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The Mistake by Lily Maxton (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Sisters of Scandal series. This one is actually a full-length novel from this series, following the romance of Julia, the high-profile courtesan that we met briefly in Book 1 and heard about with her memoir in Book 2. She is currently pregnant with a marquess’s child and is under contract to remain his mistress in exchange for his monetary and social support of the child. Feeling disgusted with him (and herself), she feigns illness and ends up being housed at his country estate temporarily. While there, she reconnects with the head gardener, Adam, who was her childhood friend. A tragic prologue will tell you that Adam has been in love with Julia for years, but their paths diverged when she became a courtesan. It’s all sorts of emotional angst in this second chance romance.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Baron’s Return by Suzanna Medeiros (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Landing a Lord series. The third of the friend group from Book 5 and 6 is a baron who has had his heart broken when a lady cruelly rejects him and marries another. After the heartbreak, Gideon joins the army, becomes a rake, and is distrustful of women. Abigail is finally out of mourning from the much-older husband that her father forced her to marry. With Gideon back in England, she tells him that they have a daughter together, and then he declares that they’ll marry. He’s got no intention of falling in love again, but she’s determined to win him back.

Advance ebook provided by Suzanna Medeiros via BookSprout.

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How to Deceive a Duke by Samara Parish (2022)

Edward and Fiona had a weeklong affair once upon a time, and she didn’t know he was a duke, and he thought he could marry her. But when he told his mother, she made him break it off. And so these two dummies have been heartbroken for years and years. Edward was engaged to Amelia from the previous book, but that obviously didn’t work out, and now he’s single and just sort of taking care of his estate or something. Fiona gets arrested dressed as a boy at some point and Edward goes to rescue her from jail, but has to promise to keep her at his house. And of course the forced proximity causes them to finally talk out their issues, but they’re really just still on totally different social planes. Fiona’s trying to sell her inventions, but has to dress up as a boy to do so… and there’s some political drama or danger with her father being the ringleader or something like it.

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Mogul by Joanna Shupe (2017)

It’s five years after Lily and Calvin have parted ways and Lily has a threatening note about her brother written in Chinese. She seeks out Calvin for assistance because his name is also on the note. This book has all sorts of plot happening, but basically, Lily and Calvin were briefly married when they eloped, but were tracked down by her father to dissolve the marriage since Calvin is technically married to someone else. He’s not really married to someone else, but trying to bring his servant’s wife to American from China and thought his name would be more effective in the government. Fast forward five years later, and Lily’s brother is in trouble with gang lord in Chinatown and seems to have run off with the man’s daughter. There’s a mystery to solve there to protect everyone involved and over the course of the book Lily and Calvin grow closer. This book is heavy on the history lesson and politics of immigration in the US, so it was interesting to read.

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The Hellion and the Hero by Emily Sullivan (2022)

Second chance romance between a widow and a supposed war hero. Georgiana has been running her business after her husband’s death and providing factory reform for the workers, but she’s suddenly being threatened by a competitor. Her brother has hired a retired Navy Captain to help protect her, but that captain was a former suitor who she passed over to marry her late husband. These two are stuck together despite being resentful of their history with each other and somehow find their way to common ground.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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.

Weekly Reads: September 11 to 17, 2023

Sep 19, 2023

Just Wicked Enough by Lorraine Heath (2007)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Rogues and Roses series. An impoverished marquess holds an auction with the wealthiest American fathers to sell himself in matrimony to the highest bidder. We end up with an arranged marriage between Kate, the younger daughter of an American banker, with Michael, a cold and unemotional marquess. They’re both keeping secrets from each other, but still try to very slowly get to know each other after the wedding. Michael is lonely and unloved, mostly because his mother can’t remember him with her dementia and is kept in an asylum. Kate is pining over her lost love, who her parents accused of being a fortune hunter and has now married someone else. That leaves both Michael and Kate terribly unsure of themselves and in a bit of an animosity-filled relationship. Even with the physical attraction that’s apparent from the beginning, this one is a slow-burn relationship with each person slowly learning to trust the other.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Nobody’s Darling by Teresa Medeiros (1998)

Historical romance. 1880s New Mexico. Standalone novel. Esmeralda seeks revenge against the outlaw who murdered her brother and confronts him in a saloon in New Mexico. Billy Darling has never seen or heard of her brother and is innocent of the crime. With a faint chance that Esmeralda’s brother might be alive, she hires Billy to help track him down. This book is split into three parts, with loads of action and danger throughout. While Esmeralda and Billy start as adversaries, they need to trust each other to effectively work together. We also get to meet Billy’s outlaw brother gang along the way, as well as see Esmeralda and Billy share about their tragic pasts with each other. The book felt a bit long, especially as it had three distinct eras within it, but the relationship development was really good.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson (2023)

Nonfiction. As the title says, this book shares a woman’s experience with being a multilevel marketing (MLM) seller. Not only was she a seller, this person was a top-ranked “successful” seller. It was interesting to read about her entire experience from being recruited by a “friend” all the way until she left the company. Her company name and products were renamed (probably due to a non-disclosure agreement) and names of her friends and colleagues were changed as well. This book was a really intense behind the scenes look at the reality of being an MLM superstar and the downsides of the seemingly successful life being portrayed in social media. The messaging of a lot of MLM companies share is that people (particularly women and moms) have the potential to make enough money on the side by sharing the products they love in order to quit their jobs or have more flexibility to spend time with their kids. The problem here is that the money that’s being made is from recruiting people downline, and not really from selling the products themselves.

This book was particularly interesting to read right now since there has been some criticism of the online entrepreneurial space of having similar practices. Many online entrepreneur gurus will promote the ability to make millions of dollars online by teaching courses or selling digital products. Usually, these gurus will share their own sales revenue as “proof” that their method words. However, the gurus are selling courses about how to sell courses and have a higher price point by saying that their students will then go on to start their own business and be able to generate a return on investment. But then what happens is that those students go out and make money by teaching people how to start their own business… and it keeps trickling down. At which layer of this process does anyone make real-life, full-time salary, quit your job money from selling something tangible? It doesn’t seem like anyone does. And all of this messaging is eerily similar to all the things Paulson shares in her experience with an MLM.

This was a really fascinating read for anyone who has ever been affected by an MLM, either as a seller, a family member, or someone pitched to. I consider myself pretty highly educated, but still, a lot of the predatory messaging from MLMs can be pretty convincing. Whoever is in charge of the recruitment marketing knows exactly how to hone in on a person’s pain points and convince them that this is a harmless venture. It’s essential for these cautionary stories to be shared widely so that we can all recognize the signs and help each other avoid them.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Tale of Two Lovers by Maya Rodale (2011)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Writing Girls series. Lady Juliana Somerset is the secret author of the gossip column at the weekly paper and has written that Lord Roxbury may have been trysting with another man backstage at the theater. Roxbury’s now-questionable proclivities have made him a social outcast and also forced his father to issue an ultimatum: Roxbury needs to marry within the month or be financially cut off. He doesn’t really want to marry, but even if he did, no proper ladies will receive him with his current reputation. He seeks retribution from the paper and finds that Juliana is the cause of his downfall. They start needling each other at every instance, until they get caught in their own scandal. Juliana is wary of Roxbury, especially since he’s a rake, because of her experience with her late husband (who died in a drunken carriage accident with his mistress), so he has a lot of work to do to get her to trust him. In the background, we’re also trying to uncover the identity of the rival gossip columnist from the rival newspaper, which is a fun little mystery to follow.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Scandalous Wager by Christy Carlyle (2014)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Whitechapel Wagers series. Super quick novella with Elizabeth, the police boss’ daughter, going to proposition Ian for a tryst. Elizabeth would like to prioritize teaching in her charity school for the underprivileged and doesn’t see herself as a good match for marriage, but wants to experience carnal relations before she’s a permanent spinster. She seeks out Ian, one of her father’s employees, since she’s desperately attracted to him. Ian is equally attracted to Elizabeth and has actually been waiting to court her properly after getting a job promotion and earning more money to be able to provide for her. Their tryst is interrupted by a violent crime in the neighborhood and there’s a bit of drama the next day when it seems like her father disapproves. However, this super short novella wraps up pretty quickly without too much angst.

Ebook purchased from Amazon.

Wanton Wager by Christy Carlyle (2014)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Whitechapel Wagers series. Will and Ada meet under less-than-ideal circumstances when Will comes to call upon Ada’s younger sister, thinking that she was his friend’s mistress. Unfortunately, the young and impressionable Beth thought that she was in a loving affair with Will’s friend and has also been missing for several days. Although Ada is insulted by Will’s assumptions, she continues to bump into him as she searches for her sister. These two end up teaming up to locate Beth and very quickly fall in love with each other in their time together. This was a chance meeting type of romance and it was pretty short and easy to read.

Ebook purchased from Amazon.

Reckless Wager by Christy Carlyle (2014)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Whitechapel Wagers series. Kate, the sister of Will from the previous book, has been secretly volunteering at a medical clinic in the poor part of town. She knows that she will likely have to give up her charitable work when she finally accepts the proposal of a long-time friend of hers. One of her last patients is a woman who was badly beaten, but will only speak with a specific detective. When Kate seeks out this detective, she finds Ben to be drunk and needing assistance to his own residence. Eventually, he sobers up, and the two team up to find the patient who has gone missing from the clinic. These two have their own past hurts from previous relationships, but it’s nice to see them become so smitten with each other so quickly. We also get rid of Kate’s almost-fiance here and showcase his boorish behavior. Overall, another relatively quick read in this series and good for when you’re looking for a less complex plot.

Ebook purchased from Amazon.

The Tattooed Duke by Maya Rodale (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Writing Girls series. One of the Writing Girls, Eliza, is tasked with getting all the scoop on the newly returned duke in town. She applies for a position as a housemaid in the duke’s house and is able to find out all sorts of gossip to use about him in her new column, The Tattooed Duke. While Sebastian is part of a family infamous for its rakish and inappropriate treatment of female staff members, he is trying to stay vigilant and keep his hands off of the ever-attractive Eliza. Despite finding his estate in disarray and in debt, Sebastian would rather be sailing the world and leading an expedition to Timbuktu. Unfortunately, all of the press about his scandalous reputation does not help him acquire the funding he needs for the expedition. Meanwhile, Sebastian and Eliza seem to be growing closer while she’s in his employ, even though he doesn’t know that she’s the one betraying all his confidences. We also get some fun twisty secrets about both Sebastian and Eliza as we progress through the book, with tons of dramatic fallout along the way.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Duke’s Introduction to Courtship by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

Three Schemes and a Scandal by Maya Rodale (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3.5 of the Writing Girls series. Lady Charlotte is a walking disaster with all of her scheming. As the sister of a duke, she gets away with quite a bit, but still somehow wreaks havoc on society. She gets herself into a tangle with her once-childhood friend James, which leads to his father’s ire and banishment of James. In trying to help them make up with each other, they get into more trouble together. But as they’ve reconnected after all these years apart, both James and Charlotte are beginning to develop stronger feelings for each other. This novella was quick and humorous to read, with all of the chaos that happens at every turn.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

I Love the Earl by Caroline Linden (2011)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Prequel novella of The Truth About the Duke series. Margaret has been a dowdy spinster with no success in finding a husband. When her brother unexpectedly inherits a wealthy dukedom, he settles a large dowry on her. Suddenly, Margaret is besieged with suitors of the fortune-hunting variety. Rhys is an impoverished earl who is hesitant to marry for money, but is intrigued by Margaret’s forthright style of speaking. He decides to slowly court her and win her favor, as he’d very much like to spend the rest of his life with her.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

Trope Round Up: Fake Widows in Historical Romance Books

Sep 18, 2023

Indiscreet by Mary Balogh (1997)

Regency-era romance. Rex Adams, Viscount Rawleigh, is riding with his friends to visit his identical twin brother Claude for a house party. His sister-in-law tries to set him up with her own sister, but Rex is more interested in the lovely widow he encountered riding through town, Catherine Winters. Although Catherine finds Rex attractive, she rejects his advances. That’s not enough to quell the town gossips though; Rex and Catherine find themselves mired in scandal, especially Catherine with her mysterious past. Looks like Rex’s days of debauchery are over as he tries to do the honorable thing. Plus, we (and Rex) will eventually learn Catherine’s secrets after one of Rex’s buddies recognizes Lady Catherine.

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Impeccable by Darcy Burke (2022)

Historical romance, Book 7 of the Phoenix Club series. If you’ve read all the books in the series including the prequel, you’ll know that Mrs. Evangeline Renshaw is a fake identity for the Phoenix Club manager and patroness. She was actually previously a very sought after courtesan. When she ended his liaison with the son of a duke, he asked her to help him manage his new club. She’s been living under her assumed identity of a respectable widow since. When she visits her sister (who she cannot publicly claim as her sister, since she was also previously a courtesan), she rescues a puppy and befriends the younger brother of the marquess next door. He wishes to court her, but she doesn’t want marriage, so he proposes an affair instead. He’s the absolute sunshiniest fellow ever, probably a bit too good to be true. Their bond over the puppy they find is absolutely adorable though.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.

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The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne (2015)

You can just imagine that a prologue that starts with two kids in an orphanage becoming friends, teaching each other to read, protecting each other, and getting pseudo-married in the chapel with the guy’s clan tartan is going to lead to heartbreak. And that’s exactly what happens. Our girl-child gets assaulted by a priest, her child-husband stabs him to death, he gets sent to prison, and she runs away. Flash forward to adulthood, she’s a respectable “widow” working for the police station, almost courting the chief inspector, and gets kidnapped by the most notorious criminal in London. High drama indeed.

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A Rake’s Guide To Pleasure by Victoria Dahl (2009)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Somerhart series. Emma is an orphan who is posing as a widowed baroness to gamble her way through London before the Season begins. She’s trying to save up enough money to escape to a seaside cottage and support herself and her maid. With her scandalous gambling, she’s caught the attention of Hart, who is a stern and serious duke with a history of debauched behavior. He insists that she’ll become his mistress, but she is hesitant and shy about it. There’s a lot of chasing each other and bickering in this story, and it seems like Hart is mostly just a distraction from Emma’s real goals. He does sort of ultimately redeem himself, but it’s a long and humbling road for him.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Union of the Rakes series. Our duke friend, Noel, from Book 1 is back this time and he meets an intriguing woman who has a head for business, doesn’t fuss at him for his title, and is entirely attractive. However, Jess is merely a farmer’s daughter hoping to find investors for her family’s soap-making business. When she tries to sneak her way into a business exposition, she’s nearly halted at the door, and ends up pretending to be widowed to a baronet to gain entrance. While there, she tries hard to focus on finding ways to subtly promote the soap business and to avoid the attentions of the duke, but can’t seem to help being drawn to him. I spent the whole book anxious about the impending heartache because I just knew that Noel would be upset at the idea of being used for his connections and money, even though Jess was trying to avoid his involvement at all. I really enjoyed this book though and looking forward to the next one that was hinted at here.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Once a Fallen Lady by Eve Pendle (2020)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Fallen series. This story takes place around the same time as Book 1. We get to follow the lives of the young woman who was ruined and her now ten-year old illegitimate daughter. Lydia has been living as a fraudulent widow in a small village and raising her daughter Annie there. When Annie gets ill, Lydia doesn’t have the money to send for the doctor, but the schoolteacher Alfred notices Annie’s absence and comes to check on them. Over the course of Annie’s illness, Alfred comes to visit, bringing food and books, and helping to run errands for Lydia. This one is a relatively short but super quick read with Alfred definitely falling first and Lydia thinking that she’s not worthy of him. It’s also fun to read about an event that happens in Book 1 from a different point of view. I definitely enjoyed reading these two books back-to-back.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

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An Accidental Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Mistress Trilogy series. Lily fakes her death to escape her stepfather and the man that she’s arranged to marry. She dresses as a boy to travel to London and meets handsome marquess Ethan along the way. When in London to claim an inheritance left by her maternal grandfather, Lily needs to pose as a widow to do so. A short while later, Lily and Ethan cross paths at a society dinner and he pursues her for an affair. There’s a bit of back and forth here as Lily refuses at first and then eventually gives into her desires. Eventually though Lily’s secrets will catch up to her, along with Ethan’s verbal understanding with a young lady’s father.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Daughter of Fortune Series by Lorraine Heath / Historical Romance Book Series

Sep 14, 2023

The Outlaw and the Lady by Lorraine Heath (2001)

Historical romance. 1890s Texas. Book 1 of the Daughters of Fortune series. Second generation of characters from the Rogues in Texas series. Angela is out for a midnight stroll in Fortune, TX, when she accidentally interrupts a bank robbery. The robbers believe she’s seen their faces and can identify them, so they kidnap her, not realizing until they’re too far away that she’s blind. Lee Raven is the ringleader of the robberies, seeking revenge on a single man who ruined his family, and gaining a reputation as a wanted murderer. As Lee and Angela are stuck together, she starts to realize that he isn’t as cruel as she thought he would be, and it sounds as though he has the admiration of his brothers who ride with him. This was a book with so much plot going on and so much mystery to unravel that I had to keep reading to find out if my hunch was correct. And it was delightfully satisfying to know that I read all those clues correctly throughout. It was angsty and tragic and amazing to see it all tie together.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Marry an Heiress by Lorraine Heath (2002)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Daughters of Fortune series. We’re in England for this story, with Georgina visiting her friend Lauren (stepdaughter to the Earl of Ravenleigh) for the Season and her wealthy father setting up a match for her with Devon, another earl and cousin to Ravenleigh. Devon’s impoverished estate needs the cash and he agrees to Georgina’s father’s terms for courtship and the appearance of a love match. Upon meeting Georgina at a ball, she sees through him immediately and insists that he not lie to her if they are to marry. We see a quick wedding very early on in the book, followed by a surprising tragedy that sets off resentment and animosity between Devon and Georgina through the rest of the book. It was most interesting to see how Georgina could be sweet and accommodating, but also have strength in her convictions throughout the book. Devon thought he would be getting himself a demure and grateful wife, but instead finds a strong courageous partner worth falling in love with.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Love with a Scandalous Lord by Lorraine Heath (2003)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Daughters of Fortune series. Slightly shallow and naive Lydia is visiting England because her stepfather’s dear old ducal dad is dying. We’ve met Lydia’s family in A Rogue in Texas (Book 1 of the Rogues in Texas series) and learned a bit about some complicated family dynamics. We add another layer here with Rhys, the second legitimate son of the duke is now the marquess and soon to take over the dukedom in pretty short order. He has his own sordid past as the Gentleman Seducer and knows he won’t be able to show his face in society with his new title, since many of the ladies of the ton would recognize him. How he had ended up in this position is a bit of a mystery and slowly gets revealed over the course of the book (hang on though, it’s a juicy story when we finally learn it all). When we start the book, Lydia is in awe of the glitter of the estate and wants to comport herself as a proper lady and believing that the aristocratic lifestyle is superior to her own life in Texas. (Super annoying, really) She’s easily flustered around the very handsome and polished Rhys and he’s drawn to her beauty and innocence, even though he knows he shouldn’t be tarnishing her with his presence. We do eventually get to see Lydia realize that there are more important things than Society rules and frivolity, so she doesn’t stay shallow for too long. This book introduces us to key players in future books, so it’s not one to skip if you’re going to continue reading Heath’s backlist.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

An Invitation to Seduction by Lorraine Heath (2004)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Daughters of Fortune series. Kitty spends almost the whole book feeling shameful of her lustful desires for the man she spied swimming in the sea and wants to retreat into the safety and comfort of her soon-to-be fiance who stirs absolutely none of these emotions. Richard is a duke who is baffled that his longtime friend will wed an American heiress, since he knows that his friend will be unable to be a good husband. Turns out that’s the guy that Kitty is almost engaged to and Richard tries to steal her away from him. It’s a lot of seduction and maneuvering in this book with Kitty learning to accept her own desires and attraction towards Richard. As always, there’s lots of drama and angst and heartbreak along the way, even though there isn’t too much character growth for Richard himself.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books with Wicked in the Title

Sep 13, 2023

Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh (2003)

Judith is on her way to live with her aunt and experiences a stagecoach accident. Rannulf Bedwyn rides by and offers to go to the next town and send help to the stranded stagecoach passengers, and he takes Judith with him. The strangers give each other fake names and identities and spend a steamy couple of days together. They each continue to their intended destinations: Judith is off to her aunt’s as a poor relation to keep her grandmother company while her younger cousin is being trotted out to potential suitors; Rannulf is off to his grandmother’s house where she has found him a potential bride. Of course, they’re both headed to the same town and cross paths when Rannulf comes to call on Judith’s young eligible cousin. Cue awkward social engagements, accusations of lying to each other, one insipid shallow cousin, another aggressive handsy cousin, a layabout brother living beyond his means, and grandmothers who happen to be besties.

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When She Was Wicked by Anne Barton (2013)

Historical romance, Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Honeycotes series. Annabelle Honeycote is an impoverished seamstress with a deathly ill mother and younger sister to support. While working at the dress shop, she overhears various gossip and uses the information to extort money. One of her victims, Owen Sherbourne, a handsome duke, catches her at the drop point and threatens to expose her, but he feels bad for her instead, and brings her home as an indentured servant to make dresses for his sisters. There’s a bunch of miscommunication and secrecy between this couple, mixed with a healthy dose of social class difference, but the insta-lust is such fun to read and this book is a great set up to the Honeycote/Sherbourne family series to come.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman (2022)

Historical romance, Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Ruthless Rivals series. The Davies and Montgomery families have been rivals for centuries. But it’s a friendly sort of rivalry where the kids played together growing up and mostly just bickered with each other. When Morgan is ready to go out to sea, Harriet gives him a reason to come back, by allowing him three kisses if he survives and returns. A few years later, he survives torture and imprisonment and wants only one thing when he returns: Harriet’s hand in marriage. However, with their history of fighting and dares, he knows that she won’t believe him if he proposes outright, so he plans to seduce her and wear her down. This book was fun and low-angst between our two rivals, aside from a few little brushes with dastardly villains. Overall, I loved seeing Morgan scheme to bring Harriet into his arms and her trying to resist him. And I loved that both of their families were supportive and knew that these two loved each other even before they did.

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

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Duke Most Wicked by Lenora Bell (2022)

Book 3 of the Wallflowers versus Rogues series. Viola has had a massive crush on her employer for as long as she’s known him. Music teacher to his five sisters, Viola is enamored of West, even with his wicked ways. When he realizes that his behavior has tarnished his sisters’ reputations, he seeks to make amends by finding a wealthy heiress to marry and suitors for the sisters. Viola is extra protective of the sisters and argues with him on their behalf. Meanwhile, Viola has been secretly composing music and selling it as her father’s and adamantly avoiding any time in the spotlight. West sees her talent and beauty despite her plain and drab dresses but believes that he doesn’t deserve her sunshine. Overall, great dynamic between our characters and love the flirting and banter they get into.

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A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare (2012)

Book 2 of the Spindle Cove Series. Minerva is our geological scientist here aiming to go to a scientific conference in Scotland with a fossil imprint of possibly a lizard or dino skull in tow. Except she doesn’t have a way to get there. She propositions the town rake, Colin, to fake an elopement with her and escort her to the conference. From there, we face all sorts of road trip calamities with a broken carriage, highwaymen, and more. And there’s a super cute bit where Colin calls Minerva every other M name under the sun because he can’t remember her name. (But he does actually know her name). One of my fave books from Tessa Dare.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Wicked Bargain for the Duke by Megan Frampton (2021)

Stuffy new duke Thaddeus decides he needs a respectable wife and has been courting a quiet and reticent lady. Lavinia is the outspoken sister trying to protect her sister from making a match she’s uninterested in. Although total opposites in personality, Thad and Lavinia get caught in a compromising situation and need to marry.

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Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (2018)

Lady Felicity is a spinster wallflower who I guess was ruined by some sort of scandal. Devil seeks her out to set her up with a suitor that he wants revenge on. But she’s negotiates her own deal with Devil for lessons in passion while they’re together. Honestly, I don’t remember much about this story, aside from Devil having some smuggling operation related to shipping ice and that Felicity is really really good at picking locks. The overall premise of the series is interesting though, with the four children of the duke born on the same day and then where they end up as adults.

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To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker (2009)

Picks up at the end of the previous book where Charlotte is not selected as the bride for a man she has pined after for years. Adam is a rakish earl who normally wouldn’t pay a wallflower like Charlotte any attention. Except that he’s been smitten with her for years. They start a somewhat flirtatious friendship, but he thinks she’s still in love with the other guy, and she doesn’t think he would actually be interested in her. These two just need to get it together and trust their own feelings.

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When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn (2004)

We’ve heard bits and pieces about Francesca Bridgerton in previous books of the series, but now we finally get to focus on her story. She marries John Stirling (Earl of Kilmartin), but he tragically dies in his sleep, leaving her a widow at age 22. John’s cousin, Michael, is set to inherit the Earldom. However, he has been secretly in love with Francesca and cannot bear to take John’s place in all his duties. He flees the country. Meanwhile, Francesca has been the steward of the Kilmartin estate and mourns her husband; eventually, when she finds herself longing for a baby, Francesca decides to remarry. She still loves her husband, so she isn’t looking for someone to love. Michael returns from his travels and finds that his feelings for Francesca have not abated. And while Francesca used to see Michael as nothing more than a good friend, she starts to realize that he’s an attractive man. Of course she feels a huge amount of guilt for lusting after Michael, so she’ll need to work that out throughout this book.

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Her Wicked Marquess by Stacy Reid (2020)

In this one, we have a guy with a rakish reputation, but he really just has that as a cover story because he’s trying to find the reason why his childhood love killed herself and get revenge. Meanwhile, our girl Maryann is trying to avoid her parents marrying her off to someone older and creepy. So she spread a rumor about herself getting ruined by the guy. Unfortunately, he has enemies so now she’s made herself a target and now he has to protect her. It’s actually really fun seeing these two get to know each other under these circumstances. He sneaks into her room at night and they talk and play chess and really develop a deep and meaningful relationship. But of course, he’s working on his whole revenge thing, so no time for love and all that.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Wicked in His Arms by Stacy Reid (2017)

Drama in a book here. Olivia is the stepdaughter of a viscount who has been running wild in the country and now sent off for lady lessons with a neighboring countess. She’s mostly trying to avoid her stepbrother’s disgusting advances. While she’s staying with the countess, she catches the eye of Tobias, the son and earl. He doesn’t want anything to do with such an improper lady though and tries to avoid her. He has his own issues with trying to avoid passionate feelings and scandal because of his family history and reputation. Well, that doesn’t actually work out, since they do get caught in a compromising situation and need to marry. And then figure out how to actually be married to each other.

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The Wicked Wallflower by Tracy Sumner (2022)

Pippa (a duke’s sister) has an unhealthy attraction to her brother’s friend Xander (a rogue and ex-smuggler). After running into each other enough times, they finally give in to the attraction, even though Xander is working through feelings of not being worthy and swearing off love. A fun adventure for Pippa and Xander, they just keep staring at each other and meeting up.

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Weekly Reads: September 4 to 10, 2023

Sep 12, 2023

A Wallflower’s Folly by Amanda Mariel (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Olivia and William were betrothed by their parents as children, but Olivia hasn’t heard from William in about 15 years. She believed that he was not interested in actually marrying her, so she is happy to live as an independent spinster without a husband. William finally decides he needs a wife to assist with his younger sisters’ debut into society, so he comes to collect his betrothed and is surprised to find that she is completely resistant to the idea of marriage. He softens up pretty quickly and feels guilty for having ignored her all these years and attempts to make amends. This one is a quick novella that’s relatively low-angst and fun to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

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The Good, the Bad, and the Duke by Janna MacGregor (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Cavensham Heiresses series. Lady Daphne accidentally gets left in London alone at Christmastime in a mix-up of whether she’s traveling with her brother or her mother. She decides to use this time to focus on her goals of setting up a home for unwed mothers and to establish her own residence. While mulling over her options in the park, her reticule and personal journal are stolen by a young boy and she gives chase. Eventually tracking the boy to a gambling hell, she bumps into Paul, her brother’s former friend and now nemesis who tries to rescue Daphne and protect her reputation. Over the next few days, Daphne and Paul team up to try to recover her journal, while also rekindling their long ago childhood friendship. Daphne is caring and compassionate towards Paul, who has acted the villain in previous books in this series. It turns out he was treated horribly by his father, even after his father’s death with cutting notes and reminders of his wastrel ways. There’s a tiny disagreement about the purchase of a property that Daphne wants to use as her charity house and Paul wants to use as a hospital in honor of his brother’s illness, but that scuffle is pretty minor compared to the risk of scandal Daphne is under if her journal is discovered. And of course when Daphne’s family comes back and starts meddling, we get even more drama.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Scoundrel Falls Hard by Sophie Jordan (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Duke Hunt series. Kellan and his father have been swindling a country village by posting as the new duke and heir. The village people are out for blood and have chased after Kellan and plan to hang him. The local blacksmith Gwen believes this to be cruel and unjust so she tries to save Kellan by declaring that she’s in love with him, despite not knowing him at all. To prove that they’re actually in love, the banns are called for a wedding between the two. In the three weeks of their engagement, Gwen and Kellan come to an agreement for a marriage of convenience where Kellan will assist Gwen around the house and smithy. While Gwen insists on keeping the marriage platonic, we’ll see how long that lasts with the ever-charming and protective Kellan.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Rogue Most Wanted by Janna MacGregor (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Cavensham Heiresses series. Thea is supposed to be a countess in her own right, but the local duke is contesting her title and claiming that the earldom should also be his as the male heir to Thea’s grandfather. With the ensuing legal battle, Thea considers marriage and asks for her neighbor’s assistance in finding a match. Our dear old neighbor has a beloved great-nephew who might be perfect for the job. William is the second son of a duke who is generally resistant to marriage because of a previous heartache when he was younger. When Thea and William meet, both agree that a hasty marriage is not ideal and they become friends. Friends who are highly attracted to each other. As Thea meets the Cavensham clan, she quickly becomes smitten of the entire family and sees what a loving household William belongs to. Feeling like a total outsider, Thea doesn’t think that she is a suitable match for William, even though William thinks of himself as unworthy of Thea. This book was a fun slow-burn romance with delightfully meddlesome aunts.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Wild, Wild Rake by Janna MacGregor (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Cavensham Heiresses series. Avalon suffered a terrible marriage with a marquess, but now has freedom as a widow to pursue charitable endeavors at her country estate. Her son’s guardian is suspicious of the funding for the charity, so he sends his vicar brother Devan to the village to investigate. Avalon and Devan have bickered in the past, mostly because she jilted his best friend once upon a time, and Devan has seen her become a cold and icy marchioness. She really just developed a coping mechanism to deal with the horrible husband that her parents forced her to marry and then realized that being cool and distant could prevent her from suffering any further heartbreak. Of course, Avalon is wary of Devan’s new role in her village, especially with his debaucherous reputation and the naughty vicar. As they spend more time together, they slowly develop a friendship and get to know a bit more of each other’s true personalities. I loved how Devan turned out to be such a charismatic and responsible vicar, despite the rakish personality we’ve seen in previous books. Add in a bit of drama with one of the local debutantes, and we see both Avalon and Devan coming to each other’s rescue.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Despising the Duke by Stevie Sparks (2023)

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

A Groom of One’s Own by Maya Rodale (2010)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Writing Girls series. Sophie gets jilted on her wedding day in a horribly embarrassing prologue. A year later, Sophie has become a well-known newspaper writer with a column featuring weddings of the aristocracy. She has a meet-cute with a duke (who she doesn’t know is a duke) and is later shocked to find that he is engaged to be married and that she will need to report upon the wedding. Brandon is the ultra-serious and responsible double duke who has decided to marry an equally respectable lady. However, he’s completely distracted and besotted by Sophie, but cannot break his duty to his fiancee. It’s all tricky business being an upstanding fellow. Luckily, his fiancee isn’t actually in love with him and has another suitor in the mix. This book was a fun countdown towards the wedding day and left me wondering how everything would all work out for all four players involved.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duke Experiment by Eve Pendle (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Part of the I Like Big Dukes and I Cannot Lie anthology. Quick novella about a duke scientist (Matthew) who is assigned to share his lab space with a female doctoral candidate (Emma). He decides he’s in love with her immediately, but he’s clumsy and awkward so he pretty much ruins his chances. After that, they have a bickering co-worker type of relationship until our duke finally takes the chance to show his affection for Emma.

Advance ebook provided by Eve Pendle via BookSprout.

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A Duke of Her Own by Lorraine Heath (2009)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Rogues and Roses series. At twenty-six years old, Louisa determines that she has no marital prospects as the impoverished sister of an earl so she takes a job as a chaperone for American heiresses that need assistance navigating through society. Her brother and his two friends are terrible candidates for her charges, so she warns them away. Hawk is one of those determined friends who needs a wealthy duchess so that he can bring his secret and illegitimate younger sister into society. Knowing that Louisa’s approval is necessary, Hawk sets out to soften Louisa’s stance on his courtship of her charge. Of course, Hark is distracted by Louisa herself and is more attracted to her than the woman he’s supposed to be courting.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Harry Potter Fanfic: Sincerely Yours by LovesBitca8

Dramione, Post-War, multi-chapter, 40k words. This one is a super cute (and steamy) You’ve Got Mail retelling, with Hermione being the one opening a new apothecary names Foxglove and Belladonna and Draco with the long-standing family apothecary about to go out of business. They’ve been emailing back and forth as Jane and Nick for years without having met in person, but with the stress of workplace rivalry, they hope to take their online relationship further. LovesBitca8 has been one of my favorite Dramione fanfiction writers for years and we all now know her as published author Julie Soto. If you’ve enjoyed anything she’s written before, you’ll love this fic as well.

Want more Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.

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Trope Round Up: One Night Stand Historical Romance Books

Sep 11, 2023

Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh (2003)

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The Duke by Kerrigan Byrne (2017)

So our girl Imogen is a maid working at a brothel by night and a nurse by day. When Cole and his men are at the bar, he requests her services for the night. Some time later, he’s injured from war and in the hospital where she works. He’s a terrible belligerent patient and she saves his life, but he doesn’t recognize her at all. Mostly because she was wearing makeup and a wig at the brothel. While Cole is being a bad patient, Imogen gets into a spot of trouble and is preparing to run away. A sickly old viscount takes pity on her and they enter into a marriage of convenience. We next have a time skip of several years and Imogen is a wealthy widow, living independently. Unfortunately, she crosses paths with Cole again with him thinking she was a gold digger for marrying his elderly neighbor. He’s also been dreaming about and looking for the girl in the brothel he spent that single night with. So then we see what happens as these two grow close again and if Cole ever realizes who’s right in front of him.

And there’s kind of a murderer tossed into the plot too.

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Seducing a Stranger by Kerrigan Byrne (2019)

Previously published as A Dark and Stormy Knight and also serves as Book 7 of the Victorian Rebels series. We start with a midnight tryst in a garden between our gal Prudence and the good Inspector, while he’s there trying to investigate a case. Fast forward to the inspector’s boss’s daughter’s wedding where the groom is stabbed to death before the ceremony, and the bride is holding the knife and covered in blood. And she was his one-night stand. Oh, and she’s pregnant. If that’s not drama, I don’t know what is.

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To Resist a Scandalous Rogue by Liana De la Rosa (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. After the scandal that Alethea uncovers in the previous book, her twin brother Finley is at a bit of a loss of direction. At an earl’s debaucherous house party, he meets a woman in the garden and spends one night with her before she disappears on him. Charlotte is a widow who was left with no money, no family, and no protection. She ended up at an earl’s house party thinking to get a maid’s position, but was dismayed to learn that her cousin has offered her an opportunity to be a courtesan. Although she rejects that role, she ended up in Finley’s bed anyway, and runs off before she’s tempted to become his mistress. A year later, Finley is seeking a position in Parliament and Charlotte has become a schoolteacher at a foundling home, and the two cross paths again. With their social class differences, his secrets, her secrets, and his political aspirations, this match is certainly unwise. We get to see them both slowly bring the other person into their confidence and become emotionally entangled. I enjoyed reading this one too and it was a great follow-up to the first book in the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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His Study in Scandal by Megan Frampton (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the School for Scoundrels series. Alexandra is a widowed duchess out of mourning, seeking to take charge of her life by tearing up her mourning gowns, shopping at a modiste her late husband did not approve of, and enjoying a night of pleasure at a hedonistic garden with a handsome stranger. Theo is a wealthy businessman who has just made a deal to marry a duke’s sister but plans to spend one last night at the pleasure gardens before officially meeting her. Theo and Alexandra meet there and spend a steamy night together before parting ways. Complications arise when they realize that Theo has been intended for Alexandra’s daughter, as a way for her stepson, the new duke, to cover the debts that he’s incurred in the last two years. With the brimming attraction between Theo and Alexandra, it’s obvious he cannot marry her daughter, but they need to figure out a way to extricate themselves from this delicate situation or else Alexandra’s stepson will ruin Theo’s business prospects and leave Alexandra and her daughter destitute. With an fun little plot twist of how the daughter gets herself out of the bind.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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One Night with an Earl by Tina Gabrielle (2021)

Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Daring Ladies series. We start strong here right at a brothel, where Ana is trying to lose her virginity before her thirtieth birthday. Ruined by family scandal a decade prior, Ana now works as a chaperone to a young lady making her debut into society. She seeks one night of pleasure and has the brothel madam help her. Oliver is a newly inherited earl after the death of his father and brother (both of whom were irresponsible and gross) and at the brothel with his brother’s friend’s. Of course, Ana and Oliver are instantly attracted and proceed with a tryst. Later, Ana finds Oliver at her house to court her charge and also that his family is the one who ruined hers. So much potential angst and drama here with the intertwined families, plus Ana has been hiding her identity from the world. At some point, I know the lies will catch up to her, but in the meantime, the development of the romance between these two is absolutely delightful.

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One Night With You by Sophie Jordan (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Derrings series. Oppressed widow Jane accidentally sees her childhood friend Seth at a scandalous masked party that her friends dragged her to attend. Seth had previously been in love with Jane’s sister and was humiliated by her family before going away to war; upon his return to the country, he finds that his father and older brother had died, leaving him the earl and responsible for his blind younger sister. Although Seth is interested in a tryst with the masked lady he met one night, he is looking for a respectable wife that can cause no heartbreak to help protect his sister. When meeting Jane again in the daylight, he’s attracted to her but refuses to become entangled with her. It was interesting to see how Jane steps away from her terrible circumstances through the support of her friends. I also liked reading more about Seth’s sister and her secondary romance within the book, even though Seth was a stubborn idiot for most of the book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Her Night with the Duke by Diana Quincy (2021)

Book 1 of the Clandestine Affairs series. Two strangers meet at an inn and hook up and go about their merry way. He’s a duke who is going to meet his soon-to-be fiancee, so he gets there and meets with the girl’s family. And her stepmother is the woman he met at the inn! Talk about awkward. They eventually agree never to bring it up again. Everyone tries to do the honorable thing, etc. But the attraction is obviously still there and we’re just waiting to see how it breaks through. And also wondering how the issue with the impending engagement is going to be resolved. Such a sticky situation and satisfying to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Scandalous Deal by Joanna Shupe (2018)

We start with a cross-Atlantic ship with a young woman and man meeting on the ship and having a steamy one night stand. When they meet again in New York City, they realize that he’s the owner of the hotel project that she is designing. Yikes. Our gal Eva is an architect who is working on the project, but passing it off as her father’s work, since he’s the famous architect but is very ill. Phillip is the ultra-wealthy hotel owner who is having a hard time wrangling the construction crew who don’t want to listen to a woman. There’s a lot of back and forth here with who’s in charge and keeping things professional, while the these two are so clearly attracted to each other. Plus, there is a fun bit of interaction between Eva and Phillip’s mother, who wants to hire her to work on her Newport cottage renovations.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Highlander Ever After Series by Caroline Lee / Historical Romance Book Series

Sep 7, 2023

The Lass Who Lost a Shoe by Caroline Lee (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 1 of the Highlander Ever After series. Cinderella-retelling. Ember has been working at her stepmother’s inn and has a chance to show off her specially engraved shoe designs at the masquerade ball. She hopes to impress the man who has come from America to oversee the engraving business her family has run for generations. At the ball, she has a chance to dance with a handsome gentleman before having to run back home so her stepmother doesn’t find her missing. Max is the newcomer and guest of honor, but he has been staying at the inn, and doesn’t realize the lady at the ball and the serving girl he’s enthralled with are the same person. There’s a smidge of miscommunication as they work out who the other person is, but there is definitely an instant spark between Ember and Max, which is a delight to read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Lass Who Kissed a Frog by Caroline Lee (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 2 of the Highlander Ever After series. The Frog Prince retelling. Vanessa has been lauded for her beauty and was expected to make a match with the charming and handsome Roland, but he overhears her making disparaging remarks about his brother and now believes her to be shallow and cruel. He decides to teach her a lesson by disguising himself as a vagabond and riling her ire, but is surprised when she treats him with kindness. Meanwhile, Vanessa is realizing that she has lost her chance with Roland because of her cruel words and refocuses her efforts on helping her sister achieve her goals. When Vanessa needs to travel for a few days, the disguised Roland escorts her, and learns even more about her true (and kind) nature.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Lass Who Loved a Beast by Caroline Lee (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Highlander Ever After series. Beauty and the Beast retelling. Bonnie is doing some research for her book on Highland history and visits the grumpy beast Lyon’s castle to do so. They get stuck there together in a snowstorm and grow closer, but Lyon pushes her away. He’s got his own guilt and feelings of unworthiness after his first wife died in a fire. Although sad about Lyon’s rejection, Bonnie is working on her goals of setting up a publishing house for books written by women and hopes that her own book will be the start of future successes. At some point, Lyon’s brother push him out of his castle to go over Bonnie, where he shares the reasons for his hesitance at a relationship with her. And then we get a big dramatic harrowing experience that force these two to declare their feelings and move forward.

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