Book Reviews | Random Olive

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Enterprising Scoundrels Historical Romance Book Series by Sophie Barnes

Apr 10, 2024

Mr. Donahue’s Total Surrender by Sophie Barnes (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Enterprising Scoundrels series. Calista is an American lady stranded and penniless in London, seeking employment at a fancy hotel. While she’s lucky to find a position as a scullery maid, she doesn’t know what she’s doing and all the other staff members are cruel to her. Hotel owner Steven finds out about her mistreatment and moves her up to become a guest of the hotel while he helps to arrange her passage home to New York. These two end up spending more time together and getting to know each other and slowly form an attachment. However, Calista is determined to go back home and settle the expectations of her father’s debts. Steven has his own issues with being an ambitious businessman and son of a lord, but he quickly reprioritizes when it comes to Calista. This was a relatively low-angst story that wraps up in a short timeframe.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Mr. Clarke’s Deepest Desire by Sophie Barnes (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Enterprising Scoundrels series. Lady Rosamund plans to invest her small inheritance in a locomotive company, only to be turned away by the owner, Mr. Matthew Clarke. He’s holding a grudge against her and her family after her father had taken advantage of Matthew’s mother when she worked as a maid and then turned her out into the streets. Rosamund has believed her father to be a good man and is baffled at Matthew’s poor treatment of her. They both end up at the same house party of innovators and investors and pretty much spend the whole time bickering with each other. And as they get into heated arguments, they also get into heated embraces. Matthew of course is hesitant to pursue anything further with Rosamund because of his grudge against her father and because he believes his social status is far below an earl’s daughter. Rosamund has to be the pursuant here to convince Matthew of his worth. Plus, there’s some added drama with a rival suitor, making this novella action-packed.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: April 1 to 7, 2024

Apr 9, 2024

Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Next series. Lane and Matt are in the same social circle because their friends Chloe and Warren got together in the first book of the series. They meet, they flirt, they share a New Years kiss, but do not hook up. Fast forward a year and a half and they’re both thoroughly stuck in the friend zone. Lane has all sorts of social anxiety and insecurity with an unwillingness to commit to any relationship, so it’s probably for the best that she and Matt never hooked up because it would make their friend group very awkward. Except that she’s totally attracted to him and can’t help thinking lustful thoughts. Matt is basically the nicest guy ever, even though he isn’t particularly knowledgeable about current pop culture references due to his remote homeschooled upbringing. When Lane spontaneously buys a school bus that needs fixing up to turn into some sort of livable tiny home on wheels, she enlists Matt’s help to go pick up the bus and drive it home and to help her fix it up. And of course Matt is awesome and helps Lane every step of the way. They soon heat things up with a friends with benefits situation, even though Lane is very clear that she’s not looking for a relationship. Matt’s just happy to take what he can get, but we all know that he’s patiently waiting for more. We get an emotional rollercoaster in this book as Lane deals with her past traumas and her relationship with her mom and sister. But the payoff here is well worth it.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Dangerous Desire by Christy Carlyle (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Accidental Heirs series. American businessman Rex just wants to build a fancy hotel in Mayfair and he needs the financial backing of a duke to do so. Somehow, he figures that flirting with the duke’s daughter may help his cause and he’s shocked to find that the daughter has befriended May, an American heiress, and the woman he failed to elope with six years ago. Turns out May is the daughter of some department store mogul and Rex was an impoverished shop clerk all those years ago and threatened into leaving by her father. Now that they’re both on more equal social standing, they still have different goals and needs, like each marrying some titled noble so that they can improve their business prospects. But of course, these two are still attracted to each other and end up ditching everyone else. Throw in some drama of May’s disapproving father and some gambling debts and we get all sorts of chaos.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Palace of Rogues series. We start with a lady escaping from a window on a dark and stormy night at the docks and being rescued by a rogue of a man. Somehow these two are aiming for the same boarding house and arrive together and mistaken for a couple seeking a suite. Unfortunately, Daphne is acquainted with one of the owners of the boarding house and needs to keep up the pretense of being married to Lorcan for the duration of their stay. And a storm is keeping everyone trapped inside together too. With the forced proximity and their fake relationship, these two social opposites get to know each other and fall in love, despite their differing goals in life. We get to see Lorcan being soft and caring towards Daphne, as well as defending her well-being.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We get right to the tragic root of the problem here with chapter 1 at Helen’s younger sister’s funeral. Turns out Helen’s 16-year-old sister jumped in front of high school all-star Grant’s moving vehicle. Clearly not his fault, but still causing lots of grief and resentment for Helen and her family. Fast forward thirteen years and Helen’s book series is being adapted for television. Grant is a fairly talented screenwriter who is tapped for the job and these two meet again as co-workers. It’s awful and awkward and tragic and they somewhat come to a truce and then somehow become entangled in a physical relationship. But despite how much they actually like each other in the present-day, an actual real relationship isn’t possible with all of the animosity that Helen’s parents have towards Grant. And Helen’s the one enforcing the boundaries of their pre-planned expiration date. There’s all sorts of emotional angst and bonding here with their shared past experiences and their compatibility in the present. Add a splash of overbearing immigrant Asian parents and we have a perfect scenario for impossibilities.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm. Print book provided by Avon Books.

My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Palace of Rogues series. Catherine is the daughter of a country doctor in London to find a husband and has an optimistic outlook for the Season while staying at the Grand Palace on the Thames. While it seems unlikely that she’ll get along with the grumpy Dominic while he’s also staying at the boarding house, he admires her cleverness and wit when they converse in secret alcoves at various balls. He’s got a sordid history and a scandalous reputation, despite his well-spokenness at Parliament defending the rights of young laborers. He’s grumpy and jaded and is definitely too old for Catherine, but he cannot help being drawn to her. Despite his own reservations, he continually finds ways to protect and care for Catherine. And his ultimate grand gesture is one for the ages here.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Once Upon the East End series. This one is a Snow White retelling, where Solomon Weiss is the innocent dandy who needs rescuing. He’s trying his absolute darndest to help his older brother achieve his ambitions, while also working at a new job with the prominent Jewish families in town, and also flirting with the rogue of a woman who saved him from being robbed. The infamous Hannah runs a pawn shop and also is an informant-for-hire to the thugs of the night. Despite her unsuitability for Sol, he pursues her anyway because he can’t seem to get her out of his mind. She’s determined to keep Sol safely away from her because her reputation will ruin his, but he’s an incorrigible flirt and succeeds in at least seducing her into a physical relationship. Things take a dangerous turn for Sol though when he gets chased into the night in what feels like more than just an ordinary robbery. While we have initial suspicions of who the villain could be, it’s still a huge let down for the ever loyal Sol.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

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Trope Round Up: Second Chance Romance in Historical Romance Books

Apr 8, 2024

Someone to Remember by Mary Balogh (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6.5 of the Westcotts series. If you’re usually an audiobook reader, I recommend picking up the ebook or print copy of this to read the author’s note on why she wrote Matilda’s story. Not part of the initial plan for the Westcotts series, Matilda’s personality and love story came about as Balogh was writing about the younger members of the family. Lady Matilda Westcott is the oldest sister of all the meddlesome aunts, spinster, and caretaker of the dowager countess. We learn in the previous book that she had a prior acquaintance with Charles, Viscount Dirkson, a friend of her younger brother, and the natural father of Gil (the main character of Book 6). We find out in this book that Matilda and Charles had a brief romance thirty-six years ago, but Charles’ offer for Matilda was rejected by her father. In response to the rejection, Charles drowned his sorrows in women, adding to his scandalous reputation. Meanwhile, Matilda never married and stayed with her mother this whole time. In this novella, we see Matilda and Charles interact with each other again after all these years, now fully grown and matured. It was so interesting to read about their history and see Matilda’s personality shine in this book. The support that she has from all of her nieces and nephews is absolutely delightful. This second chance romance was just so much fun to read and I loved seeing Matilda finally getting her own happily ever after.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Remember Love by Mary Balogh (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Ravenswood series. We meet the Ware family in this series, headed by an earl and his countess. The family is known for its gregarious nature and idyllic estate, where they host a variety of events for their friends and neighbors. While the reader gets to know all the members of the family and their social obligations, we slowly start to wonder about the earl’s behavior while he’s in town for the season without his wife and children. We eventually lead up to a huge summer fete hosted by the family, where his son and heir Devlin is suspicious of a certain new widow in the village. While these thoughts are simmering in the background, we also meet Gwyneth, the girl next door who has had a crush on Devlin for years but thinks that he doesn’t know she exists. We also learn that Devlin is also enamoured of Gwyneth but believes that she dislikes him due to his straightlaced personality. On the day of the summer fete, Devlin and Gwyneth have a promising start to a romance between them, but things take a terrible turn when they catch Devlin’s father and the widow in a compromising situation. Instead of being discreet about the affair, Devlin makes a huge scene in front of everyone in defense of his mother, and somehow gets himself banished from the family home by not adhering to the polite facade. Devlin ends up joining the war against Napoleon for the next six years, coming back home as the newly inherited earl after the war is over. He’s had no contact with his family for all these years and needs to reassert his position and duty. Upon his return, he finds that Gwyneth has not married in all the years he’s been gone and they tentatively rebuild their acquaintance, even though Devlin has a much different personality that he had before. This book spent a lot of time in the set up of the family structure and conflict with a relatively easy romance built in.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Night of Surrender by Darcy Burke (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Wicked Dukes Club series. Isabelle is a widow and now governess and runs into her former love when her employer is staying at the duke’s house. Valentine, the Duke of Eastleigh, is being pressured by his grandmother and sister to marry again, though he’s hesitant of trusting women after the betrayal of his late wife. When he sees Isabelle again for the first time in a decade, he’s surprised that she is now working as a governess and wants to spend more time with her. Isabelle resists as much as she can because she needs to keep a spotless reputation if she ever wants to become the headmistress at a school. Circumstances cause her to lose her position as a governess and Val wants to assist Isabelle, even if it’s unwise for him to do so. This was a relatively quick and low angst story that was fun to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Yellow Polka-Dotted Bathing Costume by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Super short novella part of the Surprise! Dukes series. This one is a bridge between the Those Kilted Bastards series and the Surprise! Dukes series. We have Althea, daughter and sister of a duke, who is at Brighton with her brother. Her elderly earl fiancee has passed away recently, leaving her free to pursue someone else. Lucky for her, the neighbor who was totally unsuitable for her has recently inherited a dukedom. Sebastian is eager to marry Althea now that he will have the approval of her brother and that she is no longer engaged to someone else. Quick low-angst story here.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Six Degrees of Scandal by Caroline Linden (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Scandalous series. This book starts with a heartbreaking prologue where Olivia and James meet as youths, are nearly engaged, and then Olivia is married off in exchange for money for her father’s debts. Ten years later, Olivia is widowed and being pursued by one of her late husband’s associates looking for smuggled treasure. When Olivia flees London to investigate a lead, she’s soon caught by James who vows to assist her and secure her safety. He’s been feeling guilty and regretful ever since he missed his chance to marry her all those years ago. We get these two partnering up to solve the mystery her late husband left behind and rekindling their lost love. Super interesting to uncover the mystery and see it tie back to characters from previous books in the series. And we eventually unmask the writer of the notoriously scandalous pamphlet that has been circulating in London.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Jilted in January by Cara Maxwell (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rake Review series. Shipping merchant’s son Edward breaks an engagement with duke’s daughter Persephone to protect her from society’s scorn for associating with a half-Chinese tradesman. Ten years later, Edward needs the help of a lady investigator to find his younger brother who has been kidnapped and ransomed, and that lady turns out to be Persephone. She’s hesitant to take the case, but she has a soft spot for the brother, so she agrees. Of course, Edward and Persephone find that they’re still attracted to and in love with each other, though they’re certainly more bitter and wary now. The mystery with the kidnapped brother is interesting and engaging and it was fun to see our two main characters bicker and flirt with each other.

Advance ebook provided by Cara Maxwell.

Revealing the Viscount by Lexi Post (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marrying a Mabry series. Mariel is the eldest Mabry sister whose beloved fiancee had died in the war, married a much older man to restore her family’s finances, and is now a widow. She’s just learned that her once-fiancee is not dead after all and is forced out of hiding to become a viscount after his brother’s death. Marcus has indeed been hiding from Mariel, at first because he believed she betrayed him by marrying so soon after his supposed death and then because he believed himself incapable of siring children after witnessing atrocities during the war. When Mariel comes to confront Marcus over his deception, they both observe that the other person is changed from the person they knew all those years ago. They ultimately agree to a fake betrothal to preserve Mariel’s reputation and to keep away all the debutantes vying for Marcus’s hand. As these two spend more time together, it’s clear that they’re both still in love, but very damaged from their separate experiences. They definitely need to talk through their issues and attempt to overcome them before being able to be together.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale (2020)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 3 of the Gilded Age Girls Club series. Department store heiress Beatrice accepts a marriage proposal from a money-seeking duke instead of running away with her secret love Wes, who is a mere assistant in her father’s store. Sixteen years later, after a scandalous divorce from the duke, and a depressing existence in England, Beatrice is back in New York. In the time that she was gone, her brother has nearly bankrupt her beloved department store and is about to sell it off. And her brokenhearted suitor Wes has opened his own rival department store and somehow become the third wealthiest man in Manhattan. Beatrice takes over her family’s store and aims to turn things around with the support of her new empowering female friends, stoking a business rivalry with Wes. Except those feelings of attraction and admiration are still simmering in the background, just waiting to break through.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Nobody’s Duke by Scarlett Scott (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the League of Dukes series. Second chance romance between a newly widowed duchess and the illegitimate son of a duke. Eight years have passed since Ara and Clay have seen each other, but now that Ara’s husband was brutally murdered by Irish vigilantes and Ara herself is also a target, the Home Office has assigned special agent Clay to protect her and her son. These two definitely have lots of tension and bitterness towards each other, mostly because they each believe that the other person betrayed them all those years ago, even though the reader knows that it was all orchestrated by Ara’s disapproving parents. We get to read some chapters from the past and see the neighbors Ara and Clay meet and fall in love in the forest between their lands. However, in the present-day, it’s all angry bickering and fighting and the epitome of the miscommunication trope because they won’t just come out and say why they’re mad an betrayed by the other one. Even though the physical attraction is still there among the heartbreak. Add in the fact that Ara’s son (and new duke) is the spitting image of Clay, we have yet another layer of betrayal and anger. The external danger drives a lot of the story forward and emotions and adrenaline is running strong and I think we eventually finally get some truth-telling in the last quarter of the book.

Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Despising the Duke by Stevie Sparks (2023)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 2 of the Lords of Desire series. Angsty second chance romance with the sister of a duke and her brother’s best friend. Lady Annabelle is a suffragist completely uninterested in marriage but is charmed by the rakish best friend of her brother, Kit. Over a few months of flirtation, they engage in a liaison and promise each other they’ll wait for Kit’s return from a years-long expedition to Antarctica to marry. Circumstances force Annabelle to marry someone else while Kit is away, so he’s hurt and betrayed when he returns. We jump sixteen years and Kit has publicly humiliated and ruined Annabelle (now a widow) and she’s run off to a remote estate in Scotland. After learning some critical information about Annabelle, Kit tracks her down and confront the truth about what happened all those years ago. We then have these two trying to work out their issues (in a pretty steamy fashion) and try to move on with their future. I was glad to see these two have a pretty direct conversation with each other about the past and work together.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

The Lyon Who Loved Me by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Part of the Lyon’s Den series. Wilhelmina has been left at the altar by her arranged groom on her wedding day, but she’s got the support of her sponsor to set up a new match. Meanwhile, Griffin has missed the wedding because he’s been kidnapped and tied up due to his brother’s debts and finds himself making a new deal to get himself freed. Seven months later, Griffin is horribly injured and somehow gets sent to recover at Wilhelmina’s lodgings. Since they’re thrown together again, Griffin wants to renew his attentions towards Wilhelmina, especially now that he isn’t just in it for the money. It’s a fast-moving novella here with relatively low-angst (except that initial jilting). Quick and steamy and fun to see these two team up.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Snowed in with the Scoundrel by Kat Sterling (2023)

Historical romance. 1908 Cascade Mountains, Washington State. Standalone novella. Tommy is a bookseller and book thief running away from trouble and stumbles upon a warm and comfy cabin in the mountains. Imogen has been living in that cabin ever since she was rejected by her fiance and had her photography judged as mediocre. She’s surprised to find Tommy there and it turns out they were childhood friends who were separated by circumstance. Even though she insists that he leave, Tommy is stuck there with a series of snowstorms. These two slowly rekindle their friendship and attraction for each other in this quick holiday treat of a book.

Advance ebook provided by Kat Sterling.

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

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

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.

A Dozen Dukes to Add to Your TBR: Historical Romance Round Up (Volume 5)

Apr 4, 2024

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

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Gentlemen Authors series. Brody is an impoverished duke who has secretly written a romance novel with two of his friends, but is strapped for immediate cash when a debt collector comes calling for his younger brother’s debts. While out for a walk, he happens across a job opening at a print shop and thinks that he’ll be able to collect a small bit of money while also sneaking in his own manuscript for consideration. While there, he runs into a young man who works as a compositor in the print shop and doesn’t know why he’s drawn to the lad. Harry is actually Harriet and dresses up as a young man to gain employment to care for herself and her younger sister. She has successfully maintained the disguise for several years, but her attraction for Brody might give her away. This book had a slow progression of friendship, caretaking, and a relatively low-angst romance. We also get to revisit the couple from Book 1 of the series, as both Brody and Harriet are friends with the duke and duchess, respectively.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

Dreaming of a Duke Like You by Sara Bennett (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Romancing the Dukes series. Vivienne is the sister of a young baronet who has gotten himself into a load of gambling debt after the bad influence of his friends. She tries to appeal to the gambling hell owner Gabriel for a reprieve, since they’re really very poor and unable to pay the debts. He’s a shrewd businessman and refuses, leaving her to worry over her brother’s financial situation. Gabriel soon learns that he is actually the legitimate son and heir to a duke, despite being abandoned at an orphanage after his mother’s death. He has inherited an impoverished estate, a dragon of a grandmother, and six unruly sisters. He and his sisters all need polishing in order to fit in with London society. Vivienne and her brother are still worrying over their debts to Gabriel with their stepfather’s treachery looming over them, but Gabriel hasn’t had the time to deal with that yet. Eventually, Gabriel comes to an arrangement with Vivienne where he will forgive the debt completely, if she will assist in tutoring his sisters for society. This book had a bit of a slow start as Gabriel and Vivienne deal with their circumstances separately for awhile. Their bargain and proximity to each other doesn’t really begin until halfway through the book. However, once Vivienne starts to see how Gabriel interacts with his many sisters, it’s clear that she’s falling in love with him.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

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.

Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Taming of the Dukes series. Lots of banter and bickering here between Vesper (daughter of a duke) and Aspen (the duke next door and former childhood friend). Somehow these two had a falling out as teenagers, grew apart, and then Aspen spurned Vesper at her debut ball. Now it’s many years later, Aspen has been off looking for fossils and back in England to deal with his wretched mother. Despite multiple offers of marriage, Vesper is still unwed and ruling society with her perfect poise. Aspen believes Vesper to be a spoiled society miss and tries to avoid her, even though he needs her help in preparing his mother’s ward for the Season. Despite Vesper’s outward appearance and reputation, she’s still the same outspoken and fiery lady she’s always been in the presence of her trusted friends. There’s a lot of push-and-pull between Aspen and Vesper as they fight, and kiss, and push each other away.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Forever Books.

The Duke Starts a Scandal by Sophie Jordan (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Duke Hunt series. A new duke and his housekeeper have gotten off to a rocky start and now seem to have a contentious relationship. Susanna has been the housekeeper at the estate, despite her relatively young age for the role, and is peeved by the arrogance of the new duke. Lucian had lived in poverty with his younger sisters until it was discovered that he was the duke and has a scandalous secret of how he earned the money to support his family. These two don’t trust each other much, but Lucian’s irritation is mostly due to the stress of his new role and the attraction he feels for Susanna. A house party that Lucian hosts sets up more trouble as Susanna is confronted by a man who knew her when she was young. We get to find out Susanna’s secrets and what brought her to work as a maid and then housekeeper all those years ago. The romance between Lucian and Susanna is pretty straightforward once we get past the disgruntled misconceptions they have of each other, and we get to see these two become open and honest with their secrets.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Duke’s Bartered Mistress by Caroline Lee (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 2 of the Surprise! Dukes series. Scarred and reclusive Demon is unwilling to accept money to repay an earl’s debt, wanting instead the location of the earl’s brother who betrayed him. Dutiful daughter Georgia comes to the castle to take on the negotiations, but Demon wants her gone so he crudely proposes that he’ll release the debt if she stays as his enthusiastic mistress. Georgia wants the approval of her father so she’s willing to do whatever it takes to wipe out this debt and it doesn’t hurt that she does actually desire Demon. She agrees to the bargain and spends the next five weeks in Demon’s castle. As they spend more time together (both in and out of the bedchamber), they slowly start to fall in love, but are hesitant to ask for anything beyond their initial agreement. Despite the steam starting early and often, the romance here was slow burn with a slow progression of trusting each other and sharing about their pasts. We also get to see Demon’s friends from the previous story and get an update on the ruthless villain that they’re searching for.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Way to a Duke’s Heart by Caroline Linden (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of The Truth About the Duke series. It’s the eldest son Charlie’s turn to take up the fight for his family’s legacy. We start with a prologue which explains the rift between Charlie and his father and the descent into his rakehell ways. As we start Chapter 1, we overlap a bit in time with the previous book and Charlie’s appearance in Bath to assist Gerard with his search. While checking into the hotel, a young widow Tessa seems to be aggrieved by him and callously mentions him being indolent. Tessa and her companion are in town to discuss an investment opportunity with a local mill owner. That mill owner is the man that Charlie seeks as a suspect for the blackmailing, so Charlie arranges an introduction via Tessa. Charlie is the ever-charming and rakish aristocrat he has always been, but this demeanor causes Tessa to be suspicious, since she once had her heart broken by a man who seemed to charm her. Tessa is analytical and unladylike and not used to having this type of attention. With all the time that Charlie and Tessa are spending together, she realizes that he has more depth than she originally thought and he realizes that he likes her prickly directness. We do also learn about what happened to the duke’s first secret wife and who was responsible for the blackmailing.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Runaway Duke by Julie Anne Long (2004)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Rebecca accidentally gets caught in a compromising situation with an impoverished baron who meant to compromise her sister, but now has to marry this man she doesn’t love. Luckily, her father’s head groom Connor agrees to help Rebecca escape. However, Connor is not actually a groom at all, but the heir to a duke who was presumed dead at Waterloo and is living free of his duties and responsibilities. As if the running away plot wasn’t enough, we get to see a more deeply interconnected plot as we add complications due to blackmail, a former mistress, and an industrious duchess. I really enjoyed reading the multiple points of view in this story, with the interconnections of various characters. It all comes back to the fact that Connor is now the rightful duke, even though he doesn’t know it, and all of the complications of his former life. It was also fun to see Rebecca and Connor go from being trusted friends to more along their journey.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Not Another Duke by Jess Michaels (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Kent’s Row Duchesses series. Widowed duchess Flora has horribly cruel stepchildren who recruit their own impoverished cousin Roarke to spy on Flora and determine if she’s breaking the terms of an additional clause of her late husband’s inheritance. Roarke barely has any funds to support himself and his ill mother, so needs to rely on the charity of his cousins. When he meets Flora, he finds that she is attractive and kind and not at all the seductress that his cousins described. Flora had genuinely loved her much older husband and had no intention of entertaining future suitors. However, when she meets Roarke, she’s surprised to find that she is attracted to him. These two start up a friendship which may lead to more, but Roarke’s feelings of guilt are attached to everything he does. It seems like the reveal of Roarke’s betrayal may cause the couple to split before they’ve even begun, and they still need to deal with the dangers of Flora’s stepchildren. I liked how Roarke was a reluctant villain here, being torn between his obligations towards his mother and his growing feelings for Flora.

Advance ebook provided by Jess Michaels via NetGalley.

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.

Despising the Duke by Stevie Sparks (2023)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 2 of the Lords of Desire series. Angsty second chance romance with the sister of a duke and her brother’s best friend. Lady Annabelle is a suffragist completely uninterested in marriage but is charmed by the rakish best friend of her brother, Kit. Over a few months of flirtation, they engage in a liaison and promise each other they’ll wait for Kit’s return from a years-long expedition to Antarctica to marry. Circumstances force Annabelle to marry someone else while Kit is away, so he’s hurt and betrayed when he returns. We jump sixteen years and Kit has publicly humiliated and ruined Annabelle (now a widow) and she’s run off to a remote estate in Scotland. After learning some critical information about Annabelle, Kit tracks her down and confront the truth about what happened all those years ago. We then have these two trying to work out their issues (in a pretty steamy fashion) and try to move on with their future. I was glad to see these two have a pretty direct conversation with each other about the past and work together.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

Project Duke by Mariah Stone (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Dukes and Secrets series. Lady Calliope has no interest in marriage since she’s so independent and outspoken and has goals of opening her own sleuth agency. However, when the dastardly marquess who hurt her many years ago announces his intentions to marry her, she needs to find a protector in short order. She’s hoping to gain the information to rescue her missing brother, but instead ends up entangled with Nathaniel, a handsome but impoverished duke. His late father has been trying to dictate his actions by withholding his inheritance until Nathaniel marries and provides an heir and time is running out. Nathaniel proposes a marriage of convenience to Calliope in exchange for assisting her find her brother. Although these two are very much attracted to each other, their personalities are completely ill-suited. Calliope is brash and independent and always getting herself into danger, while Nathaniel has emotional scars from being unable to protect his mother from danger and he wants to keep his new wife and sisters safe from harm. I found both characters a little irritating in their incapacity of empathizing with their partner’s stance. However, we slowly uncover more information about Calliope’s missing brother and continue to interact with her warm and loving family.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone via BookSprout.

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Pennyroyal Green Historical Romance Book Series by Julie Anne Long

Apr 3, 2024

The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Colin Eversea is a handsome, charming rogue who is about to hang for a murder he didn’t commit. A last minute save from the gallows comes from mercenary Madeleine Greenway, who doesn’t know who is responsible for Colin’s rescue. With Madeleine being nearly killed and a price on Colin’s head, these two are stealthily trying to unravel the mystery of Colin’s missing witness and his savior. We get elements of a road trip adventure, even though we’re mostly still in London as Colin and Madeleine investigate various leads and clues. Of course the heightened danger and forced proximity lead to Colin and Madeleine developing a strong connection as they slowly start to trust each other. We also get glimpses of other points of view from other members of the Eversea family and their rivals, the Redmonds. It’ll be interesting to see how these two families interconnect throughout the rest of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Straightlaced insect researcher Miles pretty much loses his head and starts composing poetry the moment he sets eyes on Cynthia at a ball. Unfortunately, he overhears her calling him dour and boring, so he decides that he hates her now. Except he doesn’t and he’s absurdly attracted to her. When Cynthia gets invited to his home by his sister for a house party after some sort of scandal, he tries to avoid her, but fails miserably. Cynthia has no family, no money, no prospects, and a dwindling reputation, so this house party is her only chance to find a husband. Except Miles is being overly critical of her methods, even while he’s supposed to be courting a young lady whose father will fund his next expedition. These two bicker and argue and somehow can’t keep their hands off each other. And you’d think it was just lust driving them, but they do actually seem to understand the other person better than anyone else in the world, making it even more heartbreaking that they really aren’t a suitable match for each other.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Since the Surrender by Julie Anne Long (2009)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Former Captain Chase Eversea is all sorts of aimless after being injured in the war and returning to his family home. So much so that his family has banished him to London on a task and to find some purpose. On his first day back in London, he’s summoned by a mysterious note to a not-so-popular museum. Rosalind is the widow of his commanding officer in the army and his one shameful secret of indiscreet behavior; he very much wants to avoid her, but it seems she needs his help. Rosalind is concerned about her sister who was arrested for theft and then has since disappeared from prison without a trace. She needs Chase’s help to discover what happened to her. While he refuses to help at first, he eventually gives in and they need to team up to follow the trail of clues. The mystery plot of this story was super interesting to uncover, plus, we get to see the ever-so-stoic Chase slowly let down his guard and give into his feelings for Rosalind.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

I Kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long (2010)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Violet is the outgoing, fiery, but coddled daughter of a gentleman who is bored of society and longs for adventure. She meets the ship captain turned earl Flint at a ball and is quickly intrigued by him, even if a bit disapproving. However, upon conversation with Flint and his first mate, she believes that her own missing brother may also be the dangerous pirate that they’re charged with capturing. So Violet does the rash and reckless thing and stows herself onto their ship with her trunk hoping to save her brother. Except for the fact that she doesn’t actually have a plan. Flint is irritated and angry to find Violet aboard and threatens to toss her overboard, but is equally intrigued by her, and may even believe her speculation about her brother’s involvement. However, he’s absolute in his determination to carry out his orders to capture the pirate, despite his growing feelings for Violet. The romance here was definitely a slow-build here, with Violet constantly being intimidated by Flint’s brutish behavior. And then all sorts of action-adventure you’d expect on a ship on the high seas.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

What I Did For a Duke by Julie Anne Long (2011)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Serious and stern duke Alex catches Ian Eversea in bed with his fiance, so he decides to take his revenge by seducing and abandoning Ian’s sister, Genevieve. Except Genevieve is both too clever and too preoccupied to fall prey to Alex’s games. She’s spent the past few years in love with her good friend Harry, who she was hoping would propose to her during the house party her parents are hosting. Except that he tells her that he’s planning to propose to another woman. She puts up a calm facade but is most definitely heartbroken. When Alex shows up to the house party, Genevieve obeys her mother’s wishes to spend time with him, but she’s not interested in the much older man at all. Until they actually start talking to each other and getting to know each other and realize that it’s nice to talk to someone at the same intellectual level. And while Genevieve never becomes a victim to Alex’s revenge, she does end up attracted to him and conflicted about her feelings. Alex is also realizing that he’s his own victim as well, falling in love with Genevieve when she’s in love with someone else. A big huge muddle, but very entertaining to read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

How the Marquess Was Won by Julie Anne Long (2011)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Pennyroyal Green series. This one is another angsty heartbreaker in the Pennyroyal Green series. We start off with a marquess who has been shot stumbling his way into the pub for help, and then we go backward in time six weeks to find out what happened to him. Jules is known as the Lord of Ice by reputation and known for both his command of emotion and his callousness with feelings. He’s in Pennyroyal Green for the Redmond house party, where he’ll be courting the family niece Lisbeth so that he can secure the last of his lost property in her dowry. Except he also meets schoolteacher Phoebe, who has been invited to the same house party as Lisbeth’s companion, and he’s much more intrigued and entertained by her. They talk and banter and flirt and know that there is no future for them, but still, Jules becomes more open and communicative when he’s with Phoebe. And she gets the opportunity to use her wit and intellect and be appreciated for it. Despite the strength of their attraction (and clearly much more), she refuses his offer to be his mistress, both hurting his pride and his heart. And while they both try very hard to forget each other, it’s not very successful.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Pennyroyal Green series. This one is a romance between a scandalous widowed countess with and the country village vicar. Evie has recently moved to Pennyroyal Green after the death of her husband and hopes to build a new quiet life for herself, except that her reputation as a former actress and courtesan has followed her and caused the townsfolk to shun her without meeting her. She pleads her case with the handsome well-liked vicar Adam in hopes that he will introduce her to the ladies of the town. Adam is struggling with way too much adoration by the young women of the town along with his unwanted feelings of desire for Evie. He’s basically a poor sad sap who is confused about his emotions. But Evie is open and honest and vulnerable around Adam and he sees that she’s truly a good person in need of support and community. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop and seeing how tough Evie was in the face of all the gossip surrounding her.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long (2013)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 8 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Jonathan is the youngest son of a wealthy gentleman and told he must marry appropriately within the year to retain his allowance. Except that Jonathan has no intention of marrying and is more interested in his newfound investments. When he crosses paths with Thomasina, he believes that he’s immune to her charms and is mostly irritated by her antics. Except we soon learn that Tommy has a soft heart and is secretly rescuing children from untenable situations. The soft-hearted Jonathan gets caught up in the scheme as well, and these two oh-so-slowly fall in love. We’ve got a few more of Tommy’s secrets to uncover along the way and we get to see Jonathan grow a backbone and some principle as well. This one is another excellent addition to the series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Between the Devil and Ian Eversea by Julie Anne Long (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 9 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Attention-seeking flirtatious Tansy is now the ward of a duke and recently arrived in England to find a suitable husband after the deaths of her parents. While staying with the Eversea family, everyone is very careful to avoid the mention of the rogue-ish Ian, presumably to avoid the corruption of the young and innocent Tansy. Except that Tansy is a relentless flirt with all the other men in the village, watching them fawn all over her, and suddenly awestruck and awkward around Ian. He’s both annoyed and entertained by her antics and sees right through them, avoiding falling prey, or at least pretending to avoid falling prey, to her wiles. Both Ian and Tansy are a little bit shallow and vain and it’s hard to empathize with them, but we slowly find that Ian is troubled by his experiences from the war and Tansy is just alone and lonely in the world. Somehow, in the seeing through the other person, Ian and Tansy are the only people to see each other as they actually are.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 10 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Lord Philippe Lavay is recuperating from a brigand attack in a rented house in the country, where the servants who came with the house can’t seem to find any work ethic. He hires new housekeeper, Elise, who had to leave her position as a teacher at the local girls’ school. The gruff Lavay gives her a two-week trial run to see if she can survive the job. Elise doesn’t really have much choice since she doesn’t have anywhere else to go with her six-year-old son. She puts on her schoolteacher demeanor and puts the rest of the servants to work. Along the way, she and Philippe learn to deal with each other more amicably and realize that they’re both hurt and injured and lashing out. And although Philippe should really be working on courting an old family friend with a dowry, he’s increasingly intrigued by his outspoken, bold, and caring housekeeper. Elise is trying to resist the best she can, knowing that she’s not a suitable match for the lord of the house, but his care and concern for her and her son breaks down a lot of those walls.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Legend of Lyon Redmond by Julie Anne Long (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 11 of the Pennyroyal Green series. After a ten-book lead up about the tortured romance between Lyon Redmond and Olivia Eversea, we finally learn what happened all those years ago and what happens in present day as Olivia is about to marry another man. Clearly, we have the element of forbidden romance between members of these rival families, which leads to a secret courtship that ends in heartbreak for everyone. While Lyon had fled the country and gone missing for five years, Olivia has been pursued by many suitors to no avail, until one day she accepts the proposal of one of them. As she’s preparing for her wedding to a man that she likes (but does not love), she’s assaulted by memories of her time with Lyon and also wondering where in the world he is. We’ve got an epic set-up here for him to reinsert himself in her life and also show her what he’s been doing all this time. We get all sorts of juicy heartbreak and intrigue and redemption and forgiveness in this book. And it tied everything up for this whole series very nicely.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: March 25 to 31, 2024

Apr 2, 2024

What Is Love? by Jen Comfort (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Maxine and Teddy are total opposites in terms of personality and temperament and somehow end up rivals on a popular trivia question game show. We get to see them get under each others’ skin a few times before teaming up to study together to prepare for a final tournament against a common rival. Of course with their very different study styles (super regimented for Teddy and nonexistent for Maxine), they spend most of their time arguing and then trying not to sleep with each other. Until they realize that carnal acts make great study motivators. This book was super funny and steamy and highly entertaining.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake Books via NetGalley.

After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Palace of Rogues series. Mariana is an opera singer who needs a hideout after some scandal involving two gentlemen and a duel, so she stops at our favorite boarding house to stay. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have any money, so the ladies of the house plan for Mariana to sing a concert in a month’s time to generate ticket sales. Meanwhile, a steady and boring curmudgeonly duke is also staying at the boarding house to work on writing his memoirs while his townhouse is being renovated. James is known for his heroism and valor and was awarded his ducal title by the king. He very loudly disapproves of Mariana’s reputation and the two have a chilly relationship with each other. Circumstances force the two to spend more time together and James starts to realize there’s more to Mariana than it initially appeared and they slowly develop an accord, and then attraction, and then more. We get a delicious slow-burn romance with this one and James needing to deliver the ultimate romantic gesture.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Simple Seduction by Janna MacGregor (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Millionaires of Mayfair series. Honoria is the sister of a duke who hides out in the country and avoids society because her father had cast her out as a child and also believed that she was not his child. She plans to attend a masquerade for a one night tryst before she claims her spinster status for good. And she does meet a charming and delightful man named Marcus who is attractive and makes her feel desired and safe. The problem is that he’s really an earl and her brother’s best friend. Things get complicated when they find out their true identities and get caught because Honoria is adamant that she cannot marry Marcus. Turns out the old duke had arranged for a letter claiming Honoria’s status as illegitimate to be revealed if she ever marries, so Honoria is trying to keep her siblings’ reputations intact. Despite Honoria’s hesitance, Marcus continues to try to prove that he truly cares for her. This was a fun series started and I’m excited to read more about Honoria’s family members.

Advance ebook provided by Janna MacGregor.

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Logan and Rosemary were best friends as tweens, enemies as teens, didn’t see each other for a decade, and now enemy co-workers teaching at the same high school they attended. They’re also complete opposites in personality and demeanor and are constantly antagonizing each other. They’re also both completely dedicated to their former teacher and mentor Joe who is dying of cancer. When Joe wants both girls to drive him across the country so that he can die in his remote cottage, they think it’s a terrible idea, but then give in because they both want to honor Joe’s wishes. And it’s pretty much an awful road trip, with arguing and detours and dodgy accommodations. But through this trip, everyone gets to deal with all of their past regrets and inner demons and actually communicate with each other. And while the death trip is sad and full of grief, we do get to see Logan and Rosemary reconcile and begin to understand each other better. Funny, heartbreaking, and so very delightful to read.

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.

It’s Raining Rakes in April by Annabelle Anders (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Rake Review series. Henry has returned to England to take his rightful place as duke, but he’s walking around town as a regular guy until the paperwork is settled, just in case his cousin contests the claim. In doing so, he observes Julia trying (and failing) to catch his cousin’s attention and being a total dunce at flirting. Julia is the oldest of seven sisters and is encouraged to make an advantageous match to position her sisters better in the future. Her aunt discourages her from spending time with Henry, since he’s rumored to be a rake and he seemingly has no financial prospects. However, Julia is still atrocious at flirting and needs some help, so she enlists Henry for some lessons. And in this process, he decides to keep her for himself, especially since she likes him for who he really is and not because of his title or money.

Advance ebook provided by Annabelle Anders.

The Lady He Lost by Faye Delacour (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Lucky Ladies of London series. Naval Lieutenant Eli is back from the dead after being shipwrecked and captured by pirates to find that he has no money, no fiance, and might be questioned by his bosses about his time away from the Navy. His former friend Jane is being cold and he doesn’t quite know why, but he wants to regain her friendship and affection. Well, we find out that Eli and Jane had a strong friendship up until the point where Eli gets caught in a compromising position with Jane’s prettier and more sociable cousin Cecily and then gets engaged to that woman. Stuck doing the honorable thing and staying engaged to a woman he doesn’t like very much, he runs off and joins the Navy. It’s basically a cluster of immaturity for Eli there. Meanwhile Jane is trying to run a discreet gambling club for ladies and gain her own financial independence. Due to the meddling of too many of Jane’s family members, she and Eli end up at the same house party attending the horse races at Ascot and sort of maybe start a physical affair. But both Jane and Eli is dodgy about their feelings, leaving the other person totally unsure and insecure. This is one of those books where I’m just waiting for the characters to just talk to each other already. However, it was fun to read about Jane’s adventures in gambling and Eli’s unwavering support.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

You Were Made to Be Mine by Julie Anne Long (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Palace of Rogues series. Our favorite boarding house makes for a great hiding place for Lady Aurelie, who is running away from her earl fiance. She’s got a false name and a plan to sail to America as soon as she can find the funds to do so. Meanwhile, the fiance has hired a former spy to track the lady down. Hawkes was a army spy and then a French prisoner of war for the past couple of years, recently released from prison to do the earl’s bidding. He’s suspicious of the reasons for Aurelie’s departure and also believes the earl had committed treason. It’s a tangle of drama here, but it’s pretty much love at first sight when Aurelie and Hawkes finally meet, even though they’re both hiding secrets from 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:

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Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

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Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books with a Fake Engagement

Mar 28, 2024

Her Adventures in Temptation by Megan Frampton (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the School for Scoundrels series. Myrtle is the outspoken, awkward, mathematically-inclined sister of a viscount who wants to avoid marriage and start her own financial consulting agency. When the painter her brother hired is asked to leave a house party, Myrtle takes the opportunity to hitch a ride to London with him. Simeon is an illegitimate orphan who was adopted by an independent female painter and basically taught to prioritize his art above all else. However, the soft-hearted Simeon seems to give away his money to the needy at every turn and has none of it himself, causing him to take on portrait commissions he doesn’t like and to take Myrtle’s money to help her go to London. As these two spend more time together, it’s clear that they have an opposites-attract sort of chemistry. Somehow Myrtle gets caught by her brother and then forced to assist in her niece’s debut. But she has no social charm or graces, so she recruits her only friend in town, Simeon, to assist. They end up in a fake engagement to preserve everyone’s reputation, but still fall in love with each other, despite wanting so much to hold onto their independence.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Forever Your Rogue by Erin Langston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Widowed viscountess, Cora, is being challenged over the custody of her two young children. She comes up with a scheme for a fake fiancee to help bolster her upcoming case to retain physical custody. Nate is the second son of an earl and a dissolute rake who has been cut off from funds from his older brother. Knowing that Nate needs the money and that he owes her a favor, Cora sets up a contract with Nate for the arrangement, which includes him coming to her country estate for two weeks while her in-laws are also in residence. What follows is a slow realization for Nate of Cora’s strength and determination and him figuring out that he can’t just be a screw up forever. While he interacts with the kids and supports Cora’s struggles, Nate does a lot of growing up himself, even if Cora doesn’t quite trust him yet. This book gets a lot of hype for being very swoony, and it certainly is, but the winning point for me is how believable Nate’s transition into fatherhood is and that he realizes that he can bring support and happiness into this family that he wants very much to be a part of.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

It Had to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Liar’s Club series. Verity is the oddball of her family, being sensible and plain, rather than an outrageous actor. Faced with an embarrassing situation with her catty neighbor, she makes up a lie that she’s engaged to a duke. When Magnus hears a rumor about this from the father of the heiress he means to marry, he hastens to the village where Verity lives to settle this issue. Magnus and Verity are longstanding family rivals from a time when Magnus’ father lost a lot of money in an investment and Magnus has blamed Verity’s father for the swindle. He definitely does not want to be associated with Verity or her family, but he seems to need to rescue her from her own clumsiness and daring. He’s also annoying stiff and proper and sometimes even mean to her. Of course, he’s only mean to her because he’s attracted to her when he doesn’t want to be. They continue a temporary fake engagement so that he doesn’t appear outwardly cruel, and he slowly starts to soften towards her. There’s definitely a lot of grudge-holding and angry bickering in this story, so it’s interesting to see how these two find common ground.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Who Needs a Duke by Amanda Mariel (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Catherine is the sister of a duke who does not want to marry because she likes her independence and wants to continue her charity work with orphans. She believes that she needs to do this secretly and any future husband of hers would forbid her from continuing. Charles is tired of the title-hungry mothers and debutantes and would like to avoid being targeted for matrimony this season; when he hears that his friend’s sister would also like to avoid marriage, he develops a plan that will hopefully satisfy them both. Catherine and Charles then spend the rest of the season in a fake courtship, then fake engagement, and with all the time they’re spending together, they actually fall in love. Loved this low-angst read.

Advance ebook provided by Amanda Mariel via BookSprout.

Revealing the Viscount by Lexi Post (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marrying a Mabry series. Mariel is the eldest Mabry sister whose beloved fiancee had died in the war, married a much older man to restore her family’s finances, and is now a widow. She’s just learned that her once-fiancee is not dead after all and is forced out of hiding to become a viscount after his brother’s death. Marcus has indeed been hiding from Mariel, at first because he believed she betrayed him by marrying so soon after his supposed death and then because he believed himself incapable of siring children after witnessing atrocities during the war. When Mariel comes to confront Marcus over his deception, they both observe that the other person is changed from the person they knew all those years ago. They ultimately agree to a fake betrothal to preserve Mariel’s reputation and to keep away all the debutantes vying for Marcus’s hand. As these two spend more time together, it’s clear that they’re both still in love, but very damaged from their separate experiences. They definitely need to talk through their issues and attempt to overcome them before being able to be together.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale (2013)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Wallflower Trilogy series. A trio of wallflower friends are lamenting their fourth season as unwed ladies. While Emma has been courted by a quiet unassuming gentlemen for many years, he has yet to propose due to the financial constraints of both their families. Emma’s friends drunkenly write a fictitious newspaper announcement of a betrothal, thinking it would force the man’s hand to propose, but also aim for a very handsome and eligible duke in a separate announcement. The announcement somehow gets printed in the newspaper and Emma now finds herself the center of attention of sociable ladies hoping to catch her in the lie. Blake is a rogue of a duke who is seeking investors for a machine he’s working on, but his rakish reputation is unhelpful. When he sees the newspaper announcement declaring his engagement to a mild, unscandalous, wallflower, he decides to continue the charade to improve his own reputation. Emma and Blake agree to the fake engagement while at Blake’s aunt’s house party, attempting to win the family fortune. While Emma tries to resist Blake’s advances, he sees her as an adorable challenge and slowly starts to appreciate her wit and humor. She can hardly believe that his feelings are true, so she clings onto her love for her other suitor for as long as possible.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Some Like It Scandalous by Maya Rodale (2019)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 2 of the Gilded Age Girls Club series. Daisy and Theo are lifelong enemies after he creates a cruel nickname for her as young teenagers. However, they’re forced together in an arranged engagement as Theo fails to live up to his steel magnate father’s expectations and Daisy’s family may soon be under scrutiny with her father’s investment company. Since these two are not actually interested in marrying each other, they decide to fake an engagement to relieve the pressure from their parents while they pursue other projects. Daisy is a chemist and has been developing a complexion balm that she hopes to sell and support herself. Theo is aimless and doesn’t really have much going for him except his charm and looks. Somehow, they end up teaming up on Daisy’s product and their strengths really do complement each other. Plus, as they spend more time together, they actually start to get to know one another and become friends (and maybe more). This was a fun slow-burn sort of romance with Theo being the one to prove his worth and give his full support to Daisy’s invention.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duchess Takes a Husband by Harper St. George (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. We revisit the woman from our tragic prologue of Book 1, Camille, an American heiress who was married off to a much older duke. Throughout the first three books, we’ve seen bits of the cruel treatment she has endured from her husband, ultimately seeing his death in the bed of his mistress at a house party. Now a widow for the past two years, Camille is slowly trying to reclaim her identity and participating in causes her husband would have disapproved of, like the home for young women or the women’s suffrage movement. She also seeks to determine if she can find sex pleasurable and propositions a man to assist her. Jacob is the illegitimate son of an earl and half-brother to Christian from Book 2. He refuses Camille’s proposition at first, not wanting to make things awkward as their social circles overlap. He ends up needing a fake fiancee to prove his stability for a business arrangement and asks Camille to play the part; of course she only agrees in exchange for the sex lessons she wanted in the first place. We soon realize that Camille has underlying fears of the act due to the ill treatment from her husband and Jacob needs to be gentle and patient as well as allow Camille to be in control of their intimacies. We get to see our charming rakish hero slowly fall in love with Camille and help in her journey towards empowerment. Overall, this was a great way to conclude the series and see our poor Camille finally get a happy ending.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Her Rake Fiance by Mariah Stone (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Dukes and Secrets series. Richard is looking for information about his missing brother from a certain prominent criminal and is promised the info in exchange for him marrying the man’s sister. Jane is the legitimate daughter of a baron who was cast out of society after her father’s death due to her connection with her criminal brother, but she has no desire to marry since she wants to run a school for impoverished children. She and Richard strike a deal to help him find the information he needs before the supposed wedding and then they’ll break off their engagement. Of course, as they spend more time together, they slowly start to fall in love, and Richard is the one who proposes that they turn their fake engagement into a real one. Jane is unsure of this since she has her own goals with her school and she doesn’t quite fit into polite society anymore. It’s a bit of a muddle here, but I appreciate that these two communicate pretty well about their past traumas and grow closer because of it.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone via BookSirens.

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Dukes and Secrets Historical Romance Book Series by Mariah Stone

Mar 27, 2024

All Duke and Bothered by Mariah Stone (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Dukes and Secrets series. New duke Preston wants revenge on his brother’s killer, so he arranges himself in a position to marry Penelope, the young lady that he believes led on his brother and whose father hired ruffians to beat him. She doesn’t know about her father’s misdeeds and is horrified at having to marry Preston, who openly disdains Penelope. Preston believed that Penelope was a shallow flirt who was interested in his brother’s money, but really, she just thought they were friends and liked to talk about art together. Penelope was not interested in marriage at all and wanted to work on her painting. As Preston starts to see that he was mistaken about Penelope’s true personality, he feels guilty for misjudging the situation with his brother and also guilty for marrying Penelope. He’s still preoccupied with getting revenge on Penelope’s father though, and she’s disappointed that he is clearly choosing revenge over the possibility of love and happiness. It’s all a muddle until Preston can share his secrets with Penelope and let go of his quest for vengeance.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Her Rake Fiance by Mariah Stone (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Dukes and Secrets series. Richard is looking for information about his missing brother from a certain prominent criminal and is promised the info in exchange for him marrying the man’s sister. Jane is the legitimate daughter of a baron who was cast out of society after her father’s death due to her connection with her criminal brother, but she has no desire to marry since she wants to run a school for impoverished children. She and Richard strike a deal to help him find the information he needs before the supposed wedding and then they’ll break off their engagement. Of course, as they spend more time together, they slowly start to fall in love, and Richard is the one who proposes that they turn their fake engagement into a real one. Jane is unsure of this since she has her own goals with her school and she doesn’t quite fit into polite society anymore. It’s a bit of a muddle here, but I appreciate that these two communicate pretty well about their past traumas and grow closer because of it.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone via BookSirens.

Project Duke by Mariah Stone (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Dukes and Secrets series. Lady Calliope has no interest in marriage since she’s so independent and outspoken and has goals of opening her own sleuth agency. However, when the dastardly marquess who hurt her many years ago announces his intentions to marry her, she needs to find a protector in short order. She’s hoping to gain the information to rescue her missing brother, but instead ends up entangled with Nathaniel, a handsome but impoverished duke. His late father has been trying to dictate his actions by withholding his inheritance until Nathaniel marries and provides an heir and time is running out. Nathaniel proposes a marriage of convenience to Calliope in exchange for assisting her find her brother. Although these two are very much attracted to each other, their personalities are completely ill-suited. Calliope is brash and independent and always getting herself into danger, while Nathaniel has emotional scars from being unable to protect his mother from danger and he wants to keep his new wife and sisters safe from harm. I found both characters a little irritating in their incapacity of empathizing with their partner’s stance. However, we slowly uncover more information about Calliope’s missing brother and continue to interact with her warm and loving family.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone via BookSprout.

Betting Against the Scoundrel by Mariah Stone (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Dukes and Secrets series. Former duke Spencer is back from his involuntary stint in the Navy, now with a limp, nightmares, and lack of direction. His brother and heir Preston is irrevocably the new duke and also married to the woman Spencer had loved and wanted to marry. Although everyone is glad to see Spencer alive, he’s broody and isolated and set on revenge against the corrupt duke who sent him to sea. Meanwhile, the overlooked and ignored Joanna is attempting to rescue her own family from ruin by that same duke (and her uncle) by searching for blackmail material. She and Spencer cross paths with their common enemy, but they have opposing purposes. There’s some bickering between the two, but the attraction between them is undeniable. Although Spencer tries to seduce Joanna, he’s also unwilling to start any sort of proper courtship, even as he starts to realize he cares for her.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone via BookSprout.

When the Duke Bought a Wife by Mariah Stone (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Prequel novella of the Dukes and Secrets series. Emma is in a terrible marriage with a baronet who is much older and cruel and definitely did not deliver on the financial assistance that her parents needed when she married him. And in the course of traveling through the countryside, he’s had enough of her insolence, so he dresses them both up as pig farmers and sells her in the square in a wife auction. Sebastian happens to be there with his friends and decides to rescue her. He conveniently needs a wife to deter his mother from setting him up with a proper lady and a farmer’s wife is the perfect revenge. Except that Emma is actually a gently bred lady and just doesn’t tell him so. Sebastian is shocked by how well she cleans up and attempts to seduce her on the daily, but she refuses him. Until she doesn’t. This was a relatively quick low-angst romance, with just the right amount of drama and villainy to keep things interesting.

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

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