Book Reviews - Random Olive

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

May 5, 2026

Nearly a Bride by Sabrina Jeffries (2026)

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

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

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

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

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

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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 to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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

Top Five Favorite Romance Books of April 2026 – historical romance, contemporary romance, formula one romance

May 4, 2026

First to Finish by Rebecca J. Caffery (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Pole Position series. Poor Johannes is in a rough place with his secret boyfriend being a total asshole. Heartbreak all around really. And it’s affecting his racing. Luckily, his race engineer Caleb is super competent. And also super hot. The tentative build of their friendship and relationship was so much fun to watch. Plus Caleb is way better for Johannes than the old boyfriend. Loved this one.

Advance ebook provided by One More Chapter via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

The Scoundrel and the Siren by Christy Carlyle (2026)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Princes of London series. Awkward first meeting for Dom and Tess who are at odds in a noblewoman’s library. Luckily, they meet again very soon at the site of an archeological dig. Attraction is strong between these two, but Dom is usually the carefree rake and Tess has been burned by a gentleman before. They have to work together at the dig and grow closer along the way. The flirtatious banter is delightful and I loved seeing Tess be the one to tame Dom. Loved it.

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

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Layla is about to have the most awkward week of her life, attending her ex-sister-in-law’s wedding in Paris while her ex-husband (the bride’s brother) is bringing his new girlfriend. Awkwardness made worse when she meets Grumpy Griffin on the airplane and then finds out he’s the groom’s best friend and best man. And Griffin is clearly operating under some chronic pain and major anxiety. Dual POV here as Layla and Griffin stick together to deal with the bride’s cold feet. Both Layla and Griffin are very guarded and not willing to overshare at first, but they just seem to have that instant energy connecting them. Finally learning Griffin’s backstory and how he became injured will break your heart. Ugh, the loveliest book. You should definitely read it. Avoid if you’re sensitive about a recent breakup, I think.

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

Set Point by Meg Jones (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Game, Set, Match series. Ines and Chloe have been rivals on the tennis court for years, mostly from Chloe being aggressive and unprofessional. Plus she ghosted Ines once after they kissed at a party. It doesn’t help that Chloe is now dating Ines’ former mixed doubles partner. Somehow, they get entangled together again as Chloe tries to clean up her act and Ines is working on a comeback. It’s bickering and tension for most of the book, until they finally start being honest with each other. Definitely some toxic parents and upbringing for Chloe that I’m sure contributes to her mental health. Ines is the mature one here, but definitely vulnerable with the way Chloe hurt her before. It’s messy and chaotic, but so much fun to read.

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

Nearly a Bride by Sabrina Jeffries (2026)

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

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

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 to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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: April 20 to 26, 2026 (fantasy romance, contemporary romance, historical romance)

Apr 28, 2026

The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith (2026)

Fantasy romance. Book 2 of the Rose Bargain series. Continuation of The Rose Bargain and pretty much makes no sense if you didn’t read it. Ivy is our main character here, human lady married to a magical king, and in love with his human stepbrother instead. She’s trying to fight evil, save her sister, find her true love, and dissolve her marriage. There’s plotting and trials and danger all around. And hey, we did not unexpectedly end on a cliffhanger this time. Conclusion to the duology.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Family drama meets fake engagement situation here. Sutton is back in her small town to care for her mother who was recently in a car accident. Mom is a mean old lady who is totally unappreciative of Sutton and has all sorts of issues from when her husband left her. Sutton has her own control issues and gets dumped pretty much the first sentence of the book. She runs into her old high school friend who is trying to convince her own fiance to go to pre-marital therapy. The guy and his brother Elijah think the therapy thing is a joke and that a therapist wouldn’t be able to tell if complete strangers were faking a relationship. And so we start some sort of wager here and Sutton and Elijah are the strangers sent to therapy. But of course, they have amazing chemistry, and the therapy sessions are actually kind of helpful. Super steamy romance ensues. But of course, they live in two different towns and have their own individual baggage, so we get to see how it all blows up. Loved this book so much.

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

Earl on Fire by Felicity Niven (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Henry is a stodgy old earl who ends up caring for his young granddaughter after his son passes away. Lucky for him (and her), little Mina is sweet and affectionate and Henry pretty much dotes on her. She tasks him with finding the author of some storybooks and to get married so she can have a grandmother. He tracks the author to some small village and encounters a delightful woman there instead. Susannah has been a bit of a village pariah (for reasons to be revealed later) and is wary of the handsome stranger. But when her circumstances change, she owns up to the fact that she’s the author he’s been looking for and she needs the employment. The romance here between people in middle age is sweet and fairly direct. No one has time to waste anymore. Definitely steamy and full of love, even with the social class differences between Henry and Susannah.

Advance ebook provided by Felicity Niven.

An Unforgettable Kiss by Alexa Aston (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Captivating Kisses series. Con and Rowena meet at a ball and he’s tasked to dance with her by his cousin. He’s totally intrigued by her, even though he’s not ready to marry and she’s adamantly against marriage. In fact, she dresses frumpily on purpose to avoid suitors. They both end up at the same house party and Con decides to pursue her in earnest. He’s got a lot of convincing to do, but I had faith in him all along. I always love a good “he falls first” scenario, especially when he wants to do the honorable thing always.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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

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 to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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: April 13 to 19, 2026 (contemporary romance, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers)

Apr 21, 2026

Set Point by Meg Jones (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Game, Set, Match series. Ines and Chloe have been rivals on the tennis court for years, mostly from Chloe being aggressive and unprofessional. Plus she ghosted Ines once after they kissed at a party. It doesn’t help that Chloe is now dating Ines’ former mixed doubles partner. Somehow, they get entangled together again as Chloe tries to clean up her act and Ines is working on a comeback. It’s bickering and tension for most of the book, until they finally start being honest with each other. Definitely some toxic parents and upbringing for Chloe that I’m sure contributes to her mental health. Ines is the mature one here, but definitely vulnerable with the way Chloe hurt her before. It’s messy and chaotic, but so much fun to read.

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

Happy Ending by Chloe Liese (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Friends to lovers romance here with Thea and Alex, who only met because their exes are dating. Alex is a hot chef single dad and Thea is a bookseller dog mom. They’re the best of friends and totally comfortable there. Except both are very clearly yearning for more. Thea’s mostly risk-averse and doesn’t want to lose the friendship and found family she’s created with Alex. We have a split timeline style of storytelling here, cut between present day and two years prior when their friendship began. Loads of angst and yearning, despite the comfy cozy friendship.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Digital Reading Journal | Light Academia Notion Reading Tracker Template | Minimal Book Log & Review Planner

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 to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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.

Penalty Box Queer Hockey Romance Book Series by Ari Baran

Apr 15, 2026

Game Misconduct by Ari Baran (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Penalty Box series. Another strong start to an MM hockey romance series. Mike is pretty lonely and used to getting into fights on the ice, most often with rival player Danny. They meet unexpectedly in an alley in a queer neighborhood in Mike’s town and have an angry backalley hookup. Only to be repeated when they see each other again after a game. This is a super slow burn romance, with the progression from Twitter DMs, to Snapchat convos, to exchanging real numbers. But once they actually realize they like each other and not hate each other, the connection between them is so much fun to read. Content warnings for Danny’s alcoholism and depression.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Delay of Game by Ari Baran (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Penalty Box series. Friends to friends with benefits situation here, with pretty boy screw up Zach and the all-around good guy captain Nate. They’ve been buddies for years, with possible deeper feelings, but no one makes a move until one drunken night. And then they keep doing it, but tell themselves it’s for good luck so they keep winning hockey games. But like, Zach is the total golden retriever who thinks he’s doing a great job at wooing Nate, but also not verbalizing his feelings. Emotional angst all around when things fall apart because both of these dummies are too scared of ruining the friendship to say out loud what they really want.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Home Ice Advantage by Ari Baran (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Penalty Box series. Workplace rivals to lovers to so much more here. Ryan is basically dumped by his wife and offered a new job all in the same week, with a new position as head coach. Unfortunately for him, the assistant coach Eric also wanted to job and is totally resentful of Ryan. What starts as angry bickering, turns to angry sex, and then a genuine connection between these two. I loved reading their relationship develop and them learning more about each other. It was just so easy for them to fall into the patterns of being real partners, especially since they see each other at work all the time. Loved this book so much. I mean, I love this whole series, so you should just read them all.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Shop this book via Barnes & Noble // Libro.fm

Goaltender Interference by Ari Baran (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 4 of the Penalty Box series. Second chance romance here between Aiden and Matt. They’ve been apart for like a decade, but meet up again after Aiden is retired and Matt is in New York with his family. They start casually angrily hooking up, with very little in the way of conversation. It’s pretty much a very slow rekindling of their relationship, especially after Aiden goes to stay with Matt in Montreal. Neither of these guys is willing to be direct or ask for what they want because they’re afraid of bursting the bubble they have right now. Add in Aiden’s post-retirement depression and we have a recipe for tons of angst. Not my fave of the series, but still a great read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Shop this book via Barnes & Noble // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

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 to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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: April 6 to 12, 2026 (formula one romance, historical fantasy, contemporary romance)

Apr 14, 2026

First to Finish by Rebecca J. Caffery (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Pole Position series. Poor Johannes is in a rough place with his secret boyfriend being a total asshole. Heartbreak all around really. And it’s affecting his racing. Luckily, his race engineer Caleb is super competent. And also super hot. The tentative build of their friendship and relationship was so much fun to watch. Plus Caleb is way better for Johannes than the old boyfriend. Loved this one.

Advance ebook provided by One More Chapter via NetGalley.

The Governess’s Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses by Amy Rose Bennett (2026)

Historical fantasy romance. Book 2 of the Parasol Academy series. Governess Mina kidnaps a viscount when she thinks the young boy is in danger. A magical mishap brings her and Christopher to another ship in motion, where she meets Phinn, the Marquess of Kinsale. He’s got his own problems being a former prizefighter with a noticeable accent and stammer. However, he ends up enlisting Mina’s help with his etiquette and speech. It’s an obvious sort of slow burn romance here with Mina and Phinn falling in love, and I enjoyed how Phinn basically rescues a street urchin to have an excuse to hire a governess. It might be one of my fave microtropes. No third act breakup here either.

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

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Layla is about to have the most awkward week of her life, attending her ex-sister-in-law’s wedding in Paris while her ex-husband (the bride’s brother) is bringing his new girlfriend. Awkwardness made worse when she meets Grumpy Griffin on the airplane and then finds out he’s the groom’s best friend and best man. And Griffin is clearly operating under some chronic pain and major anxiety. Dual POV here as Layla and Griffin stick together to deal with the bride’s cold feet. Both Layla and Griffin are very guarded and not willing to overshare at first, but they just seem to have that instant energy connecting them. Finally learning Griffin’s backstory and how he became injured will break your heart. Ugh, the loveliest book. You should definitely read it. Avoid if you’re sensitive about a recent breakup, I think.

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

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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 to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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.

Belles of London Historical Romance Book Series by Mimi Matthews

Apr 8, 2026

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Belles of London series. Another amazing romance from Mimi Matthews. Evelyn is in London for the Season and intends to make her impression on the marriage mart on horseback. And that means hiring the lesser known, but very talented habit-maker, Ahmad. It’s pretty much sparks at first sight here, on top of mutual respect for each others’ talents. But they’re different classes, different races, and a pairing between them will not solve their respective financial problems. But they definitely grow closer as Ahmad goes from just making Evelyn’s riding habits to making all of her dresses, and it’s easy to see how they slowly fall in love.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Belles of London series. This one is a marriage of convenience story with Beauty and the Beast vibes. Julia is the daughter of sickly parents and has social anxiety. She thinks that no one wants to marry her because of her awkwardness, but Captain Jasper Blunt is very much interested. He needs a wealthy wife to restore his estate and care for his three illegitimate children. Nevermind that he’s known as a monster and has a huge scar on the side of his face. But Julia sees beyond the rumors and the appearance and notices that he’s actually very kind to her. So when she needs help getting away from her parents, she proposes to him. It’s delightful seeing her being both vulnerable and bold, and I love a protective husband. And Jasper is keeping secrets, which are so much fun to uncover. Another stellar book from Mimi Matthews.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Belles of London series. If you want to talk about yearning, this book is the one to read. We spent the first two books of this series seeing the animosity between Anne and Hart, but really, they have a history as childhood friends and then a brief romance followed by a huge falling out. When Anne needs a favor, she asks for Hart’s help in rescuing her friend. And he has conditions. But as they spend more time together, it’s clear that they still have feelings for each other, buried under all that bickering. This whole book is super angsty and makes you feel all the feelings. I loved slowly uncovering what went wrong all those years ago and what they’re doing now to make things right. Loads of family drama on both sides of the relationship, which definitely brings more challenge to the romance. Loved this book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Belles of London series. Final book of the series and ties back to the Parish Orphans of Devon series. Stella and Teddy had a brief meeting once at an art gallery (in Book 3) and she’s shocked to find him at the Christmas house party that she’s attending. She’s especially embarrassed because she normally has grey hair but has dyed it for the party. He’s just happy to see her because he’s an artist who is captivated by her beauty and wants very much to paint her. But that’s not at all proper and they seem to disagree how to the proceed here. What follows is a super slow burn romance with each of them dealing with their separate troublesome families. I loved seeing these two assert their independence together and learn to trust each other.

Ebook and audiobook 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:

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 to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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: March 30 to April 5, 2026 (historical romance)

Apr 7, 2026

Can’t Get Enough of the Duke by Lenora Bell (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Thunderbolt Club series. Dex is shattered by war and made a battlefield promise to his lieutenant to find and care for the man’s daughter. It takes him a few years to track her down, but he’s able to find Analise and bring her home as his ward. The goal is to find her a husband and get her settled, but she’s a fiery hoyden who’s not interested in that at all. She wants experiences and adventures to write about in her novels, and ends up in a compromising situation with Dex himself. Luckily, he’s ever the honorable sort, so they end up married. She’s got all the tempestuous emotions and slowly breaking down his walls, and he’s totally enamoured of her, even if he’s slow to admit it. Delightfully entertaining.

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

The Scoundrel and the Siren by Christy Carlyle (2026)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Princes of London series. Awkward first meeting for Dom and Tess who are at odds in a noblewoman’s library. Luckily, they meet again very soon at the site of an archeological dig. Attraction is strong between these two, but Dom is usually the carefree rake and Tess has been burned by a gentleman before. They have to work together at the dig and grow closer along the way. The flirtatious banter is delightful and I loved seeing Tess be the one to tame Dom. Loved it.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Audiobook 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:

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