Book Reviews | Random Olive

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

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

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

Round Up of Historical Romance Books Featuring Twin Sisters

Aug 21, 2023

Made for the Marquess by Alexa Aston (2022)

Book 4 of the Second Sons of London Series. This series revolves around a group of gentlemen friends who were all overlooked second sons and now inherited their titles due to unexpected circumstances. We first meet Minta as she’s separating from her twin sister Sera for the Season. Minta is traveling back to London from Canada, while Sera is staying in Canada until next year. These two are total opposites in personality, with Minta being the social and outgoing one and Sera being shy and quiet. When we meet up with our second sons, we find shy and emotionally scarred Marquess, Percy, looking for a wife. He meets outgoing and lively Minta and is smitten. However, he’s afraid that with his nightmares that he’s not deserving of her and tries to push her away. I enjoyed how she was able to understand that he was terribly shy and needed some warming up. And it’s all due to her understanding of her own twin’s disposition. I also loved how the ladies from the first three books welcomed Minta into their circle of friendship so easily.

Shop this book via Amazon

Dubious about the Duke by Alexa Aston (2022)

Book 5 of the Second Sons of London Series. This book takes place pretty shortly after the previous one ends. Minta’s twin Sera has just landed in London and seeking her own match for a quiet and comfortable life. Well, Minta’s husband Percy’s cousin Win has recently inherited a dukedom and is also looking to marry. With his parents as an example, Win only seeks a convenient wife upon to beget heirs. When he meets Sera, he changes his tune and has eyes only for her. Sera is terribly shy and does not like to meet new people, but speaks easily with Win. She finds him attractive but knows she is not the ideal candidate for a duchess. When Win takes on his late brother’s illegitimate children, he’s out of his depth and needs help. Sera comes to the rescue, showing the boys affection and care… leading Win to fall even more in love with her.

Shop this book via Amazon

The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane by Elizabeth Boyle (2014)

Book 4 of the Rhymes with Love series. Louisa and her twin Lavinia are in town for the Season and her cat runs into her grumpy neighbor’s house. Piers was wounded in the war and now he’s a super grumpy recluse and absolutely does not appreciate the meddlesome female in his house. It’s a pretty simple and straightforward romance here with the grumpy-sunshine dynamic. This one has the fun little microtrope of, the viscount totally being able to tell the twin sisters apart.

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

The Knave of Hearts by Elizabeth Boyle (2016)

Book 5 of the Rhymes with Love series. This one has a little bit of overlapping timeline with the previous book. Tuck is the rakish friend of the guy from the previous book and somehow ended up in a bet with his friends that he’d be able to turn the country twins into popular diamonds. However, Lavinia suffers and embarrassing fall at a ball and he definitely has his work cut out for him. She has no idea that he’s helping her because of the bet and probably thinks he’s really interested in her. About as predictable as you’d expect, but most people do love a reformed rake.

Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm

Dancing with Danger by Kerrigan Byrne (2021)

Book 3 of the Goode Girls series. Mercy is at the scene of a murder and immediately accused and arrested, even though she’s the daughter of the police commissioner. Raphael, an actual criminal, is also at the scene of the crime, but he’s not guilty of this one. They decide to team up to find the real killer. I liked how bold and brash Mercy is here and how she goes after what she wants, including Raphael.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Tempting Fate by Kerrigan Byrne (2021)

Book 4 of the Goode Girls series. This one makes a lot more sense after you read the previous book and takes place about a year after the previous book ends. Felicity is the twin sister of Mercy and dreadfully shy. Gabriel is the very scarred criminal brother of Raphael and has been presumed dead. But really, he had reconstructive surgery and is assuming a new identity where he isn’t sought out by the law. Felicity is now living alone with her sisters married and gone and she was recently attacked. She needs to hire a bodyguard and literally bumps into Gabriel in the street outside her house. She doesn’t recognize him of course, even though she has had a soft spot for the man and he’s been pining for her and clearly watching her house. She hires him and they grow closer, but there’s still that whole hidden identity thing happening. I think this one was my fave of the series. I love that whole over protective pining violent hero.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

The Highlander’s Choice by Callie Hutton (2015)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 5 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Lady Sybil is in Scotland for her friend’s wedding, but she’s already prejudiced against Scotsmen, thinking they’re brash barbarians. Sybil’s friend’s fiancee has brought his neighbor and friend, Liam, to the estate, and he’s got his own preconceived notions of Englishwomen, thinking they’re spoiled and dainty princesses. Both are terribly wrong for each other, but they seem to prove the stereotypes wrong, and are intensely attracted to each other. Eventually, Liam invites Sybil to his home to meet his family and see if they’ll suit for marriage, and Liam’s mother is secretly cruel to Sybil. It’s a whole lot of drama and these two need to get over their prejudices before anything can be settled.

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

The Highlander’s Accidental Marriage by Callie Hutton (2015)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 6 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Lady Sarah is on the road to see her twin sister Sybil in Scotland and runs into many calamities along the journey. In a carriage accident, she loses her driver and footman, and is rescued by Professor Braedon on his way to his home (which neighbors Sarah’s sister). Sarah’s maid/chaperone falls ill and they need to leave her behind to continue the journey. At one inn, Sarah declares herself married to Braedon so that they can reserve the last available room for the night. Unfortunately, in Scotland, that counts as being legally married. While these two are very obviously attracted to each other, they had no intentions whatsoever of getting married anytime soon: Sarah is about to be a published novelist and has obligations in London, while Braedon is awaiting an opportunity to go on a scholarly expedition in Rome. Both are stubborn and deem their individual pursuits more important than their accidental spouse. There’s definitely a lot of conflict here between these two that needs resolving for any sort of happily ever after.

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

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (2017)

Book 3 of Ravenels Series. Pandora Ravenel is completely uninterested in marriage. She plans to build her business creating board games and is unwilling to hand over control to a husband. However, she gets herself stuck (literally, in fact) in a situation with Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, and finds herself embroiled in scandal. Gabriel has been successfully avoiding marriage for many years, but still tries to do the honorable thing. After some advice from dear old dad (Sebastian from Devil in Winter, the previous Lord St. Vincent, and now the Duke of Kingston), the Ravenels are invited to the family house for a week. As Gabriel and Pandora get to know each other, he finds her charmingly irresistible, and she finds herself torn between wanting him and keeping her independence. Pandora is my absolute favorite with her feminist ideals and outspoken nature. She speaks plainly and directly, leaving no room for misinterpretation of what she wants.

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

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas (2020)

Book 6 of Ravenels Series. Cassandra Ravenel did not expect that her twin sister Pandora would marry so quickly. Feeling lonely and left behind at Pandora’s wedding, she encounters Tom Severin. Railway magnate and overall shrewd businessman, Tom has achieved much in life; however, he is listless and unhappy. Unsure of what his next goal is, he considers marrying. Upon seeing Cassandra for the first time, he decides he wants to pursue her. After talking to her though, he realizes that she is much more than a beauty and she elicits feelings in Tom that make him uneasy. He limits himself to five feelings – more effective that way. We basically have a cold, unfeeling businessman learning to have feelings and the pretty, compassionate woman to bring it out. Lots of time jumps in this one as time goes by between the instances when they see each other. Oh, and we see Tom taking in a street urchin who Cassandra also adores.

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

In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti (2022)

Historical romance novella. Margo is a scandalous young lady known for causing trouble with her twin sister. When her twin has eloped with a much older man, Margo seeks out the calm and steady Henry (her brother’s solicitor friend) to assist in chasing her down. Of course, Henry has been in love with Margo forever, knows it’s a bad idea to be in close proximity to her, and goes with her anyway. Steamy road trip romance that’s a quick read and I highly recommend it.

Ebook provided free by subscribing to the author’s email newsletter.

In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint by Alexandra Vasti (2023)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 2 of the Halifax Hellions Series. There’s so much going on in this book that it’s hard to summarize it all in one line. Matilda is a twin and scandalously known as one of the Halifax Hellions; she and her sister Margo have a reputation of behaving outrageously and getting into trouble. However, Matilda has a secret that no one knows about: she draws naughty pictures and sells them to printers who put together erotic pamphlets. Christian finds himself the subject of these naughty drawings and confronts Matilda. He has his own problems with scandal and speculation since he was rumored to have murdered his wife. Matilda is apologetic and wants to make it up to Christian, but he won’t allow it; she finally wears him down and convinces him to let her come to his home to serve a painting tutor for his younger sister and they set off on the road. Matilda leaves a note for her sister that she’s eloped, hoping that she won’t be followed. (We see twin sister Margo’s perspective in the previous book) From there, we have an easygoing road trip, a confrontation with Margo, a rescued cat, arrival at a dusty castle, a reluctant sister, and finally an honest conversation with Christian. This book will keep all the pages turning for you because you want so badly to find out what happens next.

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

The Husband Trap by Tracy Anne Warren (2006)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Trap Trilogy series. This book starts right with the action (which I love). Violet is on her way down the aisle to marry Adrian, except that she’s pretending to be her twin sister Jeannette who wanted to call off the wedding two hours earlier and somehow convinced Violet to take her place. Shy and bespectacled Violet knows that she won’t get another chance like this and takes it because she’s already been in love with Adrian. The rest of the book involves Violet playing the part of a spoiled and bratty Jeannette, while sometimes slipping into her actual good-natured self, and hoping that her husband won’t notice. Of course Adrian can’t believe his good luck that maybe his snobby and shallow bride actually has kindness and depth, so he doesn’t suspect anything at all. But you know that the secret will eventually come to catch up with Violet in the most heartbreaking ways. Such a good book that I dived right into the second one immediately!

Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm

The Wife Trap by Tracy Anne Warren (2006)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Trap Trilogy series. Well, after Jeannette is found out for the scandal from Book 1, she’s banished from her home and sent to Ireland to live with her elderly cousins. On the way, she meets a middle-class Irishman, Darragh O’Brien who is brash and boorish. Glad to be rid of him, she’s surprised to see him again at her cousins’ home, where he’s the architect in charge of renovations on the property. So, for most of this book Jeannette is a spoiled and bratty snob with no regard to country life, hard work, or character. She interferes with estate construction on multiple occasions just because she wants to sleep late, like her usual party going London ways and doesn’t realize that her actions can withhold laborers’ ability to get paid. This type of story usually involves some sort of maturation of the spoiled main character, but it was a painfully slow sort of growth here. Add in the part where the plain old architect is actually an earl who works hard to pay off his family debts, Jeannette looks even more selfish and spoiled in comparison.

Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

York Family Series by Victoria Dahl / Historical Romance Book Series

Aug 17, 2023

A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl (2010)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the York Family series. Younger sister of a baron, Marissa, has gotten herself caught in a compromising situation with a man who she doesn’t want to marry. Marissa is shallow and flighty and just wanted to find some pleasure (even though the fumbling man she was with did not provide it). But with the potential for scandal, her baron brother insists that she marry. Her other brother’s friend Jude steps up and volunteers for the job, despite him being the illegitimate son of a duke and someone who has completely escaped Marissa’s notice until now. Jude has been intrigued by Marissa’s wickedness and hopes to make her his wife in truth. She’s just hoping for a fake engagement for the time-being until the scandal blows over and she can get back to dancing and frivolity. I generally don’t love books with shallow spoiled women, but somehow this one works, with her slow realization that she really is callous and cruel towards Jude. There’s also a lot going on with other characters at the house party and it’s fun to see how the players all interconnect. And there was a nice set-up her for brother Aidan’s story next.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

It’s Always Been You by Victoria Dahl (2011)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the York Family series. Aidan, second son of a baron, had loved and lost when his sweetheart died at sea. After that tragedy, ten years prior, he turned into a cold and unfeeling rake. In a small shipping town on business, he sees a woman that looks like his old sweetheart, Kate and follows her into her shop. Well, it turns out Kate didn’t die and her parents lied about the death and married her off to a plantation owner in Ceylon. After suffering a horrible marriage, she’s fled and built a new identity and business in England. While Aidan and Kate reconnect, find out what thwarted them all those years ago, Kate is still keeping secrets about her marriage. Enjoyable read, even if somewhat predictable.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

Trope Round Up: Fake Engagement in Historical Romance Books

Aug 16, 2023

A Counterfeit Betrothal by Mary Balogh (1992)

Book 2 of the Waite series. So this one starts with a group of young people picnicking and one of them decides she wants to see her estranged parents get together, so she plots a betrothal with her friend (who is slightly rakish and unsuitable) so that her parents will be forced to spend time together, either to break up the engagement or to stay for the wedding planning. Most of this book does actually have to do with the parents’ relationship and only very little of the fake betrothed couple. We get to see an older couple who have been apart for over a decade, only corresponding through letters and shared custody of their daughter. We find out the cause of that estrangement and whether or not they can overcome it. This story is actually intensely emotional, with bits of lighthearted fun with the younger couple. Definitely an interesting set up using the fake engagement to further a different romance plot that you would not have expected from reading the summary alone.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh (2002)

Book 2 of Bedwyn Prequels. Lauren is recovering from her abandonment at the altar and is in London for the social season. Kit is looking for the perfect wife so that he can snub his father’s chosen bride. Kit has heard the rumors of how serious and unflappable Lauren is and wagers his friends that he can get her to marry him. Lauren doesn’t fall for his flattery, but learns that he wants to defy his father. Lauren proposes a deal where she will pretend to be his fiance in exchange for a summer of adventure (and passion?) since she has led such a sheltered, prim, and proper life thus far. This is where we’re introduced to the Bedwyn family. Apparently, Kit’s childhood home bordered the Bedwyn home and he and his brothers were friends with the Bedwyn siblings growing up. One summer, he believed himself to be in love with the fiery Freyja Bedwyn, but was heartbroken to find that she becomes betrothed to his older brother, the heir to the earldom. His older brother died recently and now his father is trying to set Kit back up with Freyja, but he’s not interested. Lauren of course thinks that the adventurous Freyja is a better match for Kit than she is, but you know, this is Kit and Lauren’s story. In addition to all of that, Kit feels terribly guilty that his younger brother was badly injured in the war, with his face mangled and his right arm amputated. Lauren’s soft-spoken nature is essential to help the brothers mend their rift and bring peace back into the household. While Lauren is not the type of lady that Kit’s family expected him to end up with, he of course thinks she’s a keeper.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh (2003)

Book 3 of Bedwyn Series. Freyja is traveling to visit a friend in Bath. While at an inn along the journey, Joshua bursts into her room to hide. She forces him to retreat out the window and thinks she is rid of him for good. Joshua also visits Bath to call upon his grandmother. Both our protagonists are headstrong and fierce and end up stirring up drama in the sleepy town with their loud quarrels. When Joshua’s aunt comes to town to set up a betrothal with her daughter, he proposes a fake betrothal to Freyja. She is willing to go along with the excitement and plans to be free of the betrothal in short order. Freyja wants nothing to do with any real romantic entanglements after Kit had spurned her the year before (in the events from A Summer to Remember). Chaos ensues when the rest of the Bedwyns get involved though. Eldest brother, the Duke of Bewcastle, comes to collect Freyja and Joshua back home so they can attend the christening of Kit’s newborn son. There also never seems to be a good time to shake off this engagement and Freyja and Joshua keep getting more entangled with each other. In this one, we learn about the horrible rumors surrounding Joshua’s inheritance, the death of his cousin, why he’s supporting an unmarried woman with a child, and his sweet younger cousin. And with the Balogh world-building, we will see his cousins again in the Simply series.

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

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett (2022)

Historical romance, Regency era England. Novella. Young lady breaks into an earl’s apartments to steal back her father’s pocket watch. The earl has a grudge against her father since his own father’s intended eloped with him and left the jilted man heartbroken. However, he has been telling his grandmother that he is courting a girl and will give back the watch in exchange for a fake fiancee. And of course, these two grow closer together, despite the antagonistic start.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

Any Rogue Will Do by Bethany Bennett (2020)

Book 1 of the Misfits of Mayfair series. Seven years ago, it seemed like Ethan and Charlotte were courting, but then one day Ethan publicly disparaged her and basically ruined her reputation that season. (We do find out why he does that later in the book). Now, they cross paths again, and she’s trying to avoid an unwanted suitor, so recruits him as a fake fiancee. Obviously, they’re still attracted to each other, but still need to work out all the reasons why he ruined her all those years ago.

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

Someday My Duke Will Come by Christina Britton (2021)

Book 2 of the Isle of Synne series. Our characters here had met in the previous book in the series, but you don’t really need to read that to enjoy this one. Clara is basically a spinster and caregiver to everyone in her family, due to some mysterious event in her past. If you’re a historical romance reader, you’ll probably be able to guess what her big secret is. Quincy is a recent duke and for some reason is being pushed to honor a betrothal between his late brother and a woman and wants to avoid it. So the reason for the fake engagement here is to get out of another engagement.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Four Weeks of Scandal by Megan Frampton (2022)

Book 5 of the Hazards of Dukes series. Octavia and Gabriel fight over who actually owns her late father’s house. Both Octavia and Gabriel have gambling fathers who tend to lose to each other with regularity. While they try to figure out who has the rights to the house, they enter a fake engagement and start to restore the house. I really enjoyed the bookish and steady hero who just wants a place to call home.

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

The Winter Bride by Anne Gracie (2014)

Book 2 of the Chance Sisters series. The couple from Book 1 is off on a honeymoon, so Max has asked his friend Freddy to watch over his aunt and Abby’s sisters. He starts befriending Damaris and walking her to and from her work. She’s trying to avoid the old lady’s meddlesome insistence that she participate in the London season because of something that happened in her past. At some point, Freddy is being called to his parents’ house for a house party that he knows is just going to be a matchmaking attempt, so he convinces Damaris to be his fake fiancee and brings her home to meet his parents. There’s basically a lot of bad blood between Freddy and his parents and we get to see Damaris slowly uncover the hidden depths of her fake fiancee. Definitely a good one.

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

Never Fall for Your Fiancee by Virginia Heath (2021)

Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, Book 1 of the Merriwell Sisters series. A carefree and jovial earl prevents his mother’s matchmaking from America by writing to her about a fictional fiancee and her tragic tales that have prevented them from marrying. When his mother comes to visit, he hires a woman to pretend to be his fiancee. This book is full of far-fetched tales and silliness and it totally works. Expect a light-hearted and humorous story here. Though there is actually heartbreak in both characters’ pasts, those experiences have made them stronger and most of the book contains witty banter and calamity.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard (2022)

Book 1 of the Taming of the Dukes series. High stakes meet-cute when running from footpads, Lysander and Neve have an instant connection. He hires her to pretend to his escort for an evening (which then turns into the rest of the season). He’s cold and doesn’t show emotion well, prioritizing business over relationships. Neve is just trying to survive and care for her injured sister, without sacrificing her integrity. The level of angst and longing and realizations of love in this book are really good in this book.

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

Only Rakes Would Dare by Charlie Lane (2022)

Book 5 of the Debutante Dares series. Childhood friends meet again and strike a deal for a fake engagement. Griffin is avoiding passion and emotions at all cost to prevent himself from turning into his rake-ish father and late brother. Edith is licking her wounds after disastrously trying and failing to compromise another lord. She is much too emotional and spirited to suit Griffin, but he feels his ice walls melting around her. And since he’s the only male in her life to treat her with any kindness and respect, she’s at too much risk of falling in unrequited love (again). Being pushed to marry others by their fathers, they strike a bargain for a fake engagement. Until they realize their feelings cannot be ignored. Super sweet book and I love how Griffin comes to Edith’s defense.

Shop this book via Amazon

Daring Miss Danvers by Vivienne Lorret (2014)

Book 1 of the Wallflower Weddings series. This one is an inheritance scheme. Quincy needs to convince his grandmother that he’s seriously engaged before his inheritance is released to him, so he picks his best friend’s sister to fake-propose to. She goes along with it… maybe because she had a crush on him all along, but also, she doesn’t want anyone to find out that she’s secretly a painter, which is somehow unladylike. I’m not sure, but everytime they try to call it off, it doesn’t quite work and then somehow end up married before they talk everything out.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

The Rogue to Ruin by Vivienne Lorret (2019)

Book 3 of the Misadventures in Matchmaking series. The fake engagement in this story is to warn off a villainous suitor. Although Ainsley and Reed are basically enemies with opposing businesses on the same street, she declares him to be her fiancee when faced with a terrible suitor from her past. While these two have never gotten along before and always bickered with each other, Reed becomes intensely protective of Ainsley and watches over her safety. And I think somehow they make the business stuff work out too.

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

Hitched to the Gunslinger by Michelle McLean (2021)

Book 1 of the Gunslinger series. Outlaw Gray is trying to retire and ends up in a sleepy town where no one knows him called Desolation… Somehow, he gets himself embroiled into trouble when a woman wants to shoo off some other men from her land, and declares Gray to be her fiancee. He agree to the farce in exchange for a place to sleep and daily hot meals. (too bad for him that the lady can’t actually cook). Gray ends up involved in the small town dynamics and even becomes the sheriff at some point. This one is a low-angst and funny one.

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

The Mistletoe Temptation by Eve Pendle (2022)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 2 of the Faking Stitch Series. The second book of this series catches up with one of Amelia’s embroidery clients. Gina is avoiding marriage until she can gain her inheritance at age 21 to travel the world. At a ball over the summer, her brother’s best friend Emmett catches onto her ruse of dressing poorly and dancing atrociously and proposes a fake engagement. They agree that the engagement will last until her 21st birthday, which is Christmas. Except Emmett secretly wants to keep Gina forever since she is unlike all the other ladies on the marriage mart. As they spend time together over the next six months, they form a friendship and grow closer, but still need to discuss and resolve their disparate goals. I also really enjoyed this quick read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Shop this book via Amazon

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid (2019)

Our poor wallflower Kitty is desperate. So she starts a rumor that she’s engaged to a reclusive duke, hoping that it will help her younger sisters land good marriage matches. She figures she’ll just break the engagement after her sisters are married and go about her wallflower-spinster way. Except things don’t go exactly as planned. All of a sudden, she’s being given credit and all of the duke’s staff are treating her like she’s really his fiancee. And then when he hears about it in the newspaper, he finally shows up in London just to see what this audacious girl is all about. So there’s a reason why the duke is a recluse in the first place. He was terribly injured in a house fire, leaving him scarred and with impaired mobility. There’s a lot of underlying insecurity there and these two have a lot to work through.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

An Affair by the Sea by Erica Ridley (2022)

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe (2017)

Lady Honora has been sent from England to New York by her father to keep her away from an unsuitable man. She decides that if she’s properly ruined, her father will bring her back home, and she can reunite with that guy. She proposes a fake engagement to Julius, who has a scandalous reputation, in hopes that her father with disapprove. But then, he starts acting like an upstanding gentleman now that he has a way into the fancy New York society. And he’s also trying to seduce dear Honora til she forgets all about the other guy.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // 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:

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

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

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

Weekly Reads: August 7 to 13, 2023

Aug 15, 2023

The Duke’s Daring Bride by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Surprise! Dukes series. Alistair is a reclusive duke who does not speak but makes his case in the House of Lords through letters and support documents; at night, he stalks the streets fighting crime as the Dark Knight. One night, he saves Olivia from ruin while she’s out there looking for a story that might save her newspaper. One of her investors just happens to be Alistair and she shows up at his house the next day to ask for him to reinstate his financial support, not knowing he was the one who saved her. He decides to propose to her in exchange for the newspaper support, mostly because he needs a wife, but doesn’t want to go out into society to acquire one. These two enter into a marriage of convenience, but have an instant attraction for each other. It’s fun to read about Olivia integrating into Alistair’s boisterous family: a meddling mother and two quirky younger sisters. Of course we also get a slow progression of Alistair and Olivia learning to trust each other and fall in love. This one was another great book in the series and I love how everything ties back to the overarching villain of the series.

Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.

The Duke’s Stolen Bride by Sophie Jordan (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Rogue Files series. Impoverished oldest sister Marian seeks to save her family’s circumstance by becoming a courtesan. However, she has no experience at all, so she seeks out the neighborhood depraved duke, Nate, for some lessons. He’s affronted at first, but then gives in, and the relationship is mostly him trying to get her to loosen up. It’s sad to see how very poor Marian and her family are and how their choices are limited, but Nate feels sorry for Marian and also desires her so much that he can’t stay away from her.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Forgery, Love, and Other Lies by Charlie Lane (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Art of Love series. There was once a financially irresponsible marquess who spent his money on art instead of his estate and family and after his passing, he had given away all of the art except for a select few paintings that his children would earn by creating a their own piece of art to their mother’s satisfaction. Unfortunately, the paintings left in their house were forgeries, orchestrated by second son Zander, who rented out the originals in times of financial need. Now that the family knows which paintings are meant to be the inheritance, Zander tries to reclaim the originals but finds the old woman he dealt with (and the artwork) missing. His investigation leads him to find the art forger, who is the daughter of a jeweler, Fiona, and is just as distressed with the disappearance of the old woman and many other counterfeit paintings that could see her hanged. Zander and Fiona team up to track down the woman and the paintings and find themselves in love along the way, although Zander is hesitant to offer anything permanent as he’s in no financial position to marry.

Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane via NetGalley.

The Virgin and the Rogue by Sophie Jordan (2020)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 6 of the Rogue Files series. Prim and proper Charlotte suffers from terrible monthly cramps which are usually aided by a tonic provided by her sister. This month’s dose of tonic turns out to be an aphrodisiac and Charlotte pretty much accosts her brother-in-law’s stepbrother, Kingston, in the middle of the night. She feels horribly guilty since she’s engaged to someone else, but Kingston tries to convince her that she’s a passionate woman and much too good for her betrothed. Charlotte tries to avoid Kingston as much as possible so that she doesn’t submit to further indiscretion, but he is constantly underfoot. Kingston has his own feelings of inadequacy being the illegitimate son of a dissolute earl with no home or sense of belonging. He’s envious of Charlotte’s family and security and believes himself unworthy of her. Both of these characters need to get over their self-denial and admit to themselves (and each other) what they really want.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

In Bed with the Stablemaster by Sophie Jordan (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Novella, part of the Rogue Files series. Super short story that takes place at the same time as the events of Book 6 of the series. One of the housemaids, Vera, and the stablemaster, Rufus, generally bicker at each other on the job. One day, Vera is caught in a rainstorm and rescued by Rufus and taken to a cottage for shelter. With wet clothes to remove and some quiet isolation (plus simmering attraction), these two end up having a tryst that leads to a honorable proposal. It’s a super quick story to read and a fun little interlude.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan (2020)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 7 of the Rogue Files series. Youngest sister Nora studied healing with her father who was a doctor and has been serving as the village healer since his death. Unfortunately, she has also been corresponding with people who have written letters to her deceased father and signing her father’s name with her medical advice. When army colonel Constantine is back in England as the heir to a duke, he seeks out Nora’s father for a medical consult and is outraged to find that he has been corresponding with Nora and believes her to be a charlatan. With the threat to her reputation as a healer, she does everything she can to convince him that she is qualified and competent, including sneaking away from home to see Constantine in London. While it all works out for the pair romantically, it was strange that there wasn’t any fallout with Nora’s older sister after she snuck off.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Scandalous Duke by Scarlett Scott (2020)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the League of Dukes series. Everyone’s keeping dangerous secrets here. Johanna has renamed herself Rose, given herself a fake background, and become a world-famous actress. Unfortunately, her terrorist of a brother has found her and is forcing her to do some of his bidding, like sneaking documents and explosives from America to England. Meanwhile, Felix, a duke working with the Home Office, has decided to get closer to Rose, believing her to be the terrorist’s mistress. She doesn’t realize he’s part of the Home Office and that he’s just an entitled duke who wants to bed her, but resists anyway due to her own damaged history with men. They’re both trying to prevent their own feelings from getting involved, but they’re terribly attracted to each other and genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Lots of drama involved with explosions and threats of imprisonment, but ultimately Felix is willing to use all of his power to keep Johanna out of trouble.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Painting the Duke by Georgina North (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Vivienne is an orphaned lady who lives with her aunt and uncle and is known for refusing multiple marriage offers. She actually has a secret life as an oil painter and many of her anonymous works are showcased at royal exhibitions. This season, a handsome duke, Brick, is back in town after being banished for many years. He’s not exactly looking for a wife, but is intrigued by Vivienne and is somehow egged into betting that he is able to secure her hand in marriage. He definitely has his work cut out for him, since she is very outspoken with him about her desire to not marry. However, he is refreshed by her opinions on art and equality and enjoys spending time with her. She also enjoys his company but refuses to give up her art and worries that he will be scandalized by her secret. This book is definitely a slow-burn romance with Vivienne being the one to learn to let down her walls and share her secret with the world; we also have Brick learning to eschew societal expectations and support Vivienne in every way possible. When she catches him in a lie, he delivers on meaningful displays of affection and support. Excellent read.

Advance ebook provided by Georgina North via BookSirens.

When the Duke Loved Me by Lydia Lloyd (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rake Chronicles series. If you enjoy historical romances that involve a mystery or quest, this one will definitely be for you. We start with a garden tryst that ends badly when a duke’s heir and a country miss find out that the person they’re trysting with is a longtime family enemy due to prior scandal. We jump seven years later to find that John, the new duke, is stuck executing an arduous component of his father’s will in order to prevent further scandal to be heaped upon his sister’s reputation. He needs to find his father’s former lover and give her an annuity to fulfill the will and save his sister’s dowry. John needs the help of the woman’s niece, Catherine, who has also borne the brunt of the old family scandal and now lives in poverty with the family of a baronet. Over the course of the book, we learn that the old duke’s indiscretion was revealed loudly and caused a great deal of upheaval for both families involved. Catherine agrees to help John locate her aunt in exchange for money, but she has little hope of finding the woman who ran off and was never seen again. While John and Catherine try to stay serious and professional with each other, it’s clear that they are still attracted to each other, and wish that their family circumstances weren’t so complicated. I really enjoyed learning more about the past scandal as bits and pieces of history unfolded as these two try to locate her aunt. Everything tied together so well and was really interesting to uncover. And of course, the steamy romance between John and Catherine was exceptional.

Advance ebook provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley.

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

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

The Westcott Series by Mary Balogh / Historical Romance Book Series

Aug 10, 2023

Someone to Love by Mary Balogh (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Westcott series. The entire Westcott family is turned upside down when the Earl of Riverdale passes away. Leaving no will behind, his widow seeks to make a settlement on a young woman that the earl had been financially supporting so that the woman would never interfere with their lives in the future. The solicitor uncovers critical information that requires the gathering of a huge family tree of people as well as the orphaned schoolteacher Anna who has traveled to London from Bath to hear the news. All are gathered at the Avery, Duke of Netherby’s house, where his stepmother was sister to the recently deceased earl. It turns out that the earl (who was a viscount at the time) legally married Anna’s mother, and before Anna’s mother passed away, bigamously married the supposed countess, making that second marriage invalid and the children from that union (one son and two daughter) illegitimate. Knowing this, the earldom does not go to his son, but passes to a second cousin who had never any intention of becoming earl. This book is critical for introducing all the people in the Westcott family, how they are related, and what we might expect in terms of future books in the series. Since Anna’s discovery that she is the legitimate daughter of an earl and therefore a proper lady, her relatives have banded together to polish her up for her debut into society. Avery, who is tied to the family, but not actually related to the Westcotts is always present in these interactions and finds himself drawn to Anna despite her apparent plainness. The romance is soft and slow-burn and oh so delightful as you learn more about this world. Excellent start to this series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Westcott series. Camille Westcott has been the perfect proper snooty earl’s daughter and probably suffered the biggest shock when she found out that her parents were not legally married and that she is now illegitimate. In the previous book, she’d suffered a broken betrothal, fled London, and very loudly expressed her distaste for her new half sister Anna. In an effort to learn more about herself and to put herself in her half sister’s shoes, she starts teaching at the orphanage where Anna grew up. Joel is a portrait painter who grew up with Anna, was her best friend, and had proposed marriage to her many years ago. He dislikes Camille on sight because of her pettiness towards Anna and her severe and haughty appearance. However, as the two spend more time together at the orphanage and as he is commissioned by her grandmother to paint her portrait, they start to understand each other and confide in each other. It’s a total opposites attract situation with Camille being the one who needs to adapt to her new station in life and open her heart to the possibility of love and affection.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Westcott series. The ever dutiful and honorable Alexander Westcott is not happy with becoming the earl. Just when he has recently made his own estate profitable and considered finally looking for a wife, he inherits a run-down estate with the earldom and none of the money. He now has to change course and seek a wealthy wife to support his new estate. Wren is out of mourning for her aunt and uncle who raised her, has been a recluse all her life, and is now looking for a husband. She thinks that the birthmark on her face will prevent any eligible gentleman from marrying her, so she approaches her offer as a business proposal, offering Alex the money to fix his estate in exchange for marriage. Alex is much too noble to just take the money and he tries to get to know Wren and determine if they’ll suit. Her demeanor is guarded and severe and Alex does not think it’ll work; she’s also a recluse and has difficulty meeting people in social settings. It seems to be a total mismatch from the get-go. However, Alex cannot seem to stop thinking about her and she somehow feels challenged by him (and his family) to confront her fears and slowly venture into society. It’s a delightful slow burn and amazing to see how the Westcotts welcome Wren into their fold and rally around her. Another great story in this series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone to Care by Mary Balogh (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Westcotts series. This one is not easy to describe by mere trope and that is the beauty of Mary Balogh’s creativity. Viola and her family found out after her husband’s death that their marriage was not legitimate, causing all sorts of calamity as the earl’s title passes to a cousin instead of her son, and her daughters cast out of society. Viola herself chooses to distance herself from her family and her in-laws since she is no longer (and has never been) a Westcott. Over the past three books, we’ve seen the Westcott family rally together and provide love and support for all its members, including Viola. But sometimes all this love and support can be smothering, and Viola decides to retreat on her own back home, taking a hired carriage with no servants or companions. When her carriage needs repair, she stays at a local inn, where she re-meets Marcel, a recently inherited marquess – though he doesn’t tell her that. Marcel has been a renowned rake and Viola had rejected his advances 14 years prior when her supposed husband was still alive. Marcel has not forgotten Viola and purposely strands himself at the inn to spend more time with her. He’s got his own tragic backstory with a wife who died many years ago and his nearly 18 year old children who he’s left in the care of their aunt and uncle, plus that whole rake and libertine reputation. These two end up spending their day (and night) together and escape from their reality for a bit. Things get more complicated once both of their families get involved, making for all sorts of angst and emotional revelations.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone to Trust by Mary Balogh (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Westcott series. This book starts at the same Christmas family gathering that ends the previous book. By this point, it makes the most sense to have read this series in order to keep all of the Westcott family members straight, even though a family tree is printed in the beginning of each book. Colin is the younger brother of Wren (from Book 3) and joining in on the Westcott holiday celebrations; while he is enjoying the celebrations, he’s a bit wistful that his own family does not have this sort of affection for each other and considers searching for a bride next Season and taking responsibility for his estate, where his mother currently resides with her entourage. While he is considering the young eligible ladies in attendance as potential brides, he’s mostly enamoured of Elizabeth, who is the older sister of Alex (Wren’s husband) and nine years older than Colin. Elizabeth is widowed to a man who turned violent with drink and has not been interested in remarriage; however, seeing all the happy couples around her has made her lonely and she may actually consider marriage this upcoming Season. Colin and Elizabeth form a bit of a connection, with good conversation, light flirting, and even a kiss, but Elizabeth feels too old for Colin and Colin feels too immature for Elizabeth. They do eventually agree to a dance together at every ball they both attend during the Season. When we get to London a few months later, they fulfill the promise of the dance, but are actively courting other people, while Colin contends with his mother’s machinations. It’s interesting to see how these two people end up having honest conversations about their traumatic pasts and somehow end up together to everyone’s surprise. And as always, I love the ever-supportive Westcott family.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone to Honor by Mary Balogh (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Westcotts series. There are so many meddling family members in this series, it will make the most sense if you read it in order. We’re up to book 6 here and it’s about 6 years after the instigating events of the series where an earl was married bigamously, invalidating the marriage and rendering three of his children to be illegitimate. The son of that union, Harry, is traveling back home from war after sustaining many injuries. He’s being escorted by his friend and commanding officer, Gil, who was raised by his unwed washerwoman mother who was cast out of her family, though was purchased a commission from his father many years later. Gil is glad to be back in England, but is facing a custody battle over his young daughter, who was sent to live with her maternal grandparents before Gil’s wife died at a house party. He’s got a whole lot of struggle ahead of him and is slightly apprehensive of meeting and interacting with Harry’s well-meaning but smothering family. When Harry’s younger sister Abigail arrives to see Harry, she and Gil have terrible first impressions of each other, but slowly start to develop a polite acquaintance over time, eventually leading to their marriage for practical reasons. It’s the slowest of slow burns in this book, but somehow totally believable. And we get to see the Westcotts rally (which is one of the best features of this series), this time, in support of Gil and his court case for his daughter’s custody.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

Someone to Romance by Mary Balogh (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Westcotts series. Jessica, the sister of a duke, has finally decided that she will marry this year (in her sixth or seventh season). While she typically has a court of interested suitors, she’s looking forward to meeting newcomers to the ton. Gabriel has spent the past thirteen years in America after fleeing England due to some scandal and is back now to claim his rightful title and care for those living on the estate. Upon meeting Jessica, he arrogantly decides that he will marry her, since the sister of a duke will fulfill all of the practical criteria he has for a wife. However, Jessica is angry and insulted by his presumption, challenging him to do better if he wants to win her hand. This book was yet another really interesting story in the series with the unraveling of Gabriel’s mysteries and the support that Jessica provides through his ordeal. And while the women of Jessica’s family do not quite understand the pairing, the men are as quick as Jessica is to guess at Gabriel’s true identity.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone to Cherish by Mary Balogh (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 8 of the Westcotts series. Ten years after Harry had lost the position of earl due to the discovery of his parents’ illegitimate marriage, he is now somewhat of a recluse at his childhood home after surviving his war injuries. The meddlesome Westcott family is concerned for Harry and want to see him happily settled, tying up the loose ends of the disastrous revelations all those years ago. Nearby, the vicar’s widow Lydia who lives alone in the village is content with her independence, but also desires companionship. When Lydia and Harry are thrown together for a walk one evening, they start a conversation and somewhat form a friendship, with the hesitant possibility of an affair. Lydia’s previous marriage was not as happy as it appeared and it was nice to see Lydia assert her own identity and preferences in this story. This book is another slow-burn to add to the series, with a quiet romance, and the boisterous Westcott family.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 9 of the Westcotts series. Last and final book of the series and pivots a bit away from the Westcott family itself though it takes places shortly after the events of Book 8. Here we focus on Estelle, honorary Westcott, and stepsister to Harry, Camille, and Abigail. We first meet Estelle in Book 4, when her father marries the former countess. In this book, she and her twin Bertrand have been living quietly for two years in the country and recently returned home from the events of Book 8. Estelle has an awkward first meeting with Justin, an earl who has come to retrieve his estranged younger sister and bring her home to his estate. These two have a slightly antagonistic beginning, but it’s clear that Justin wants to put his sister at ease, inviting Estelle and Bertrand to come to the estate for a few weeks to help their friend settle in. While we know a lot about Estelle’s backstory from former books, this one delves deeper into Justin’s history and the cause of his estrangement from his family and his sister. We get to learn the depth of Justin’s character along with Estelle and see her slowly falling in love with him. This one was another book in the series that I really enjoyed reading, even though I could almost predict the reason why Justin was banished by his father. From a series perspective, this book didn’t necessarily need to be included, since the last book featuring Harry would already be a strong ending to the series. It was still nice to see Estelle get her love story, especially as we’ve gotten to know her through many of the other books, and actively seen her during the London season. It’s curious that Bertrand did not also get a story in this series, but I have a feeling that we may see him at a later time in another series.

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:

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

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

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

Weekly Reads: July 31 to August 6, 2023

Aug 8, 2023

An Earl to Remember by Stacy Reid (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Unforgettable Love series. Georgianna is an impoverished orphan caring for her three younger sisters but hopes to make a living as a fancy chef to aristocrats. When she gets the opportunity to cater an earl’s yacht party, she is excited at the prospect, despite the earl’s scandalous reputation. However, an argument aboard the ship leads to Georgianna being sent home without proper payment. Sometime later, our rakish earl Daniel somehow falls off the ship and is recovered along a shore near Georgianna’s village with no memory of who he is. He does vaguely recognize Georgianna and to prevent further scandal, she claims him as her husband. She brings him home with her to recover and help assist with the chores around the house, in retaliation for her owed wages. Of course, she feels terribly guilty along the way but also grows to admire his work ethic and his kindness towards her sisters. Daniel’s memory returns in bits and pieces but he is charmed by Georgianna and respects the way that she unselfishly cares for her family. I enjoyed reading the slow-burn wary romance between Georgianna and Daniel, despite knowing that he will likely eventually be upset at her deceptions.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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

Shameless Duke by Scarlett Scott (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the League of Dukes series. After the events of the previous book, secret league leader and duke Lucien has been assigned a partner from America to assist with his investigation of the Irish terrorists. The overbearing and arrogant duke is of course completely surprised when the agent who shows up is the ultra-competent female, Hazel. They spend the first quarter of the book arguing with each other until Lucien starts to begrudgingly accept Hazel’s input. Things get even more fiery when they give into their attraction to each other and start a physical affair. Meanwhile, they’re still trying to solve the case of the Irish terrorists. Lucien starts the book as someone totally judgmental, but slowly starts to realize his own limitations and softens towards Hazel. Both Lucien and Hazel have tragic histories in relation to love and it was nice to see them open up to each other about their pasts.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

While the Duke Was Sleeping by Sophie Jordan (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rogue Files series. Poppy is a worker in a flower shop who is smitten with one of the regular customers, even though the duke doesn’t pay her much attention. When she sees him fighting in the street with another man and does not see an oncoming carriage, she pushes him out of the way, saving his life, but also rendering him unconscious. The man he was fighting with turns out to be his illegitimate half-brother, Struan, who he refuses to acknowledge. In the confusion of bringing the injured duke home, Poppy is assumed to be the duke’s fiance. Struan is skeptical of that, but still believes Poppy to be the duke’s paramour. The duke’s household and family are overjoyed the meet Poppy and enthusiastically welcome her to the family, causing her to feel even more guilty for the deception. Throughout all of this, Struan both antagonizes and physically pursues Poppy, which she both enjoys and rejects. Even though she isn’t truly engaged to the duke, she still isn’t free to pursue Struan, who is not offering anything honorable to her anyway. Still, this book was an entertaining story and I enjoyed meeting the duke’s warm and welcoming family.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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 Scandal of It All by Sophie Jordan (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Rogue Files series. Widowed duchess, Graciela, hesitantly seeks a night of fun at a pleasure club, but needs rescuing by her stepson’s best friend, Colin, so she isn’t caught by her stepson. There’s barely an age gap here with Graciela being only six years older than Colin, but everyone feels a little scandalous about it. Graciela was poorly treated by her late husband even though she tries to project a happy loving image to her stepchildren and daughter, and she tries to have a bit of an adventure at the cajoling of her best friend. She gets in way over her head at the pleasure club and somehow ends up kissing Colin to hide her identity. He proposes an affair with her, and she is both intrigued by his attention but also insulted that she isn’t worthy of courtship or marriage. Meanwhile Colin has his own family issues having been orphaned at a young age, and he’s been attracted to Graciela for years, but kept his honor and manners in check for the most part. Colin is pursuing Graciela pretty ardently here and she tends to give in, even though she knows it’s unwise. A fun book to read, especially when we start to see the fallout of everyone’s actions.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Night to Remember by Erica Ridley (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Wicked Dukes Club series. Lady Felicity who is the sister of a duke who grew up in poverty and is looking for a wealthy and titled husband so that she will find financial security plus have money to be able to start a charity to assist poor children. Secretly, she is a mechanic who loves to fix up her brother’s carriages. Her brother enters a curricle race and has tasked local blacksmith Giles with riding in the race and working with Felicity to make sure the vehicle is in the best racing condition. Giles is gruff at first with having to work with a partner, but very quickly becomes impressed with Felicity’s skill. These two are obviously a perfect match for each other; Felicity just needs to get over her desire to wed a wealthy and titled lord.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

One Night of Temptation by Darcy Burke (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Wicked Dukes Club series. Penelope, daughter of a marquess, sets out to ruin herself and her arranged betrothal to an elderly earl by faking her kidnapping. The neighborhood rector, Hugh, ends up rescuing her from a very real kidnapping and also helps her hide from her parents for the night. Penelope hopes that the appearance of a kidnapping with help call off the betrothal. With all their hiding and running around town through the night, Penelope and Hugh very quickly develop camaraderie, friendship, and affection. Despite their differences in social station, Penelope just wants to be happy and useful, and Hugh has friends in high places to assist him when needed.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duke Buys a Bride by Sophie Jordan (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Rogue Files series. Marcus has run away from his ducal responsibilities after he catches his best friend with his stepmother in a compromising position and is on his way to his estate in the north of Scotland. On the way there, he happens across a village wife auction and buys/saves the girl who is being so crudely sold off. Alyse has been married in name only to her late father’s friend since the age of 15 and provided care of the man’s children and household. Her childhood friend was supposed to bid on her during the auction so they could start their new lives together, but that man disappeared and didn’t show up. Although she is purchased by Marcus, she has no idea who he is or if he’s trustworthy. He declares that theirs won’t really be a marriage and that he will employ her as a housekeeper at his estate. We end up embarking on a road trip romance here, traveling on horseback and stopping at various inns along the way. This book had a really interesting set up and it was nice to see Marcus slowly let down his walls and realize what a privileged life he has led thus far.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duke’s Counterfeit Wife by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Surprise! Dukes series. The set-up of this book is totally crazy and definitely not historically accurate, but the author totally acknowledges this in an author’s note before you even start the book. An elderly duke in the Highlands sets a contest in the newspaper to select his next heir out of a list of distantly related contenders. One of the eligible candidates is Griffin, ex-spy and single father, who is trying to keep a low profile and keep his kids out of danger. He lives next door to Felicity and her teenage son, who inconveniently comes over through a door on a shared wall between their homes to spend time with his new best friend, Griffin’s daughter. The kids come up with a scheme to claim the inheritance and somehow wrangle their respective parents into a fake marriage to win the dukedom. There’s a ton of calamity and humor here with our blended family, but the duke and his secretary are very understanding and kind. Plus, the ongoing plot throughout the series of finding the spy boss who betrayed them all is still at play. I loved learning about Felicity’s backstory and how she became separated from her son; and I especially loved how they all came together as a new family.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

This Scot of Mine by Sophie Jordan (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Rogue Files series. Clara, the younger sister of a duke, gets herself into a scandal by declaring herself pregnant to break off an unwanted engagement. She banishes herself to her brother’s Scottish estate to preserve her family’s reputation. Her brother’s neighbor and local laird Hunt is visiting and quickly offers her marriage in light of the scandal. Hunt is eager and willing to take on another man’s child since his own family seems to be cursed. The men of Hunt’s family tend to die before their first child is born and has been doing so for five generations. Hunt has long denied himself a wife and children, and bringing up another child seems to be a way to circumvent the curse. The downside is that Clara isn’t actually pregnant and this betrayal and risk of Hunt’s death hovers over their entire relationship.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

The Reece Family Trilogy Series by Caroline Linden / Historical Romance Book Series

Aug 3, 2023

What a Gentleman Wants by Caroline Linden (2006)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Reece Family series. Marcus, Duke of Exeter, is always getting his brother out of scrapes, but this one is pretty bad. Younger twin David gets into a carriage accident and ends up in the care of a vicar’s widow; he offers her a marriage of convenience, but at the last moment, forges his twin brother’s name on the marriage register instead. Hannah has agreed to marry David since she has little other alternative after the death of her husband, and brings her daughter with her to London where they’ll set up house while David is away on business. Of course, Hannah doesn’t know that David is the brother to a duke and that he signed Marcus’ name on the marriage. When Marcus finds out and confronts Hannah, he at first wants to pay her off, but then convinces her to stay with him temporarily to appease his overexcited sister and stepmother. It’s a tangle of lies, but Marcus and Hannah are attracted to each other under all that stubborn bickering. Add in a counterfeit money plot in the background, and we have some potential for danger.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

What a Rogue Desires by Caroline Linden (2007)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Reece Family series. Younger twin brother to a duke, David, is charged with overseeing the estate while the duke is on his wedding trip with his wife. He is robbed by highwaymen on his way to London, somehow catches one of the thieves trying to pawn off his signet ring, and then imprisons her in his house. Vivian has worked with a band of thieves to survive and in trying to sell off some goods, get captured by David. They’re both stubborn and argue and she’s basically trapped in his house for weeks because he’s unscrupulous thief-mate kept the ring that David wants. Over time though, these two start talking and spending time together and eventually start an affair. It was fun to read these two start to open up to each other about their pasts and then team up against a common enemy later on in the book. This one has a pretty believable transformation of David’s character, with him starting as a guilt-ridden repentant scoundrel who slowly realizes that he can try to reform himself.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Rake’s Guide to Seduction by Caroline Linden (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Reece Family Trilogy series. Celia is the younger sister of a duke in her first Season and enjoying the balls and parties and suitors; she is rescued from a proposal by her brother’s scandalous friend Anthony and is somewhat intrigued by him. Anthony is heir to an earl who had cast him out and cut off any financial support, so he is forced to gamble and make investments for his living. Anthony seems to believe that he is an unworthy suitor for Celia, but still takes a chance and asks the duke for permission to court her. Unfortunately, he’s too late, and Celia is already engaged to someone else. We learn more about Celia’s engagement and marriage through her diary entries up until her husband’s death four years later. We pick up the story again when Celia is out of mourning and her mother has arranged a house party to lift her spirits. There, Anthony and Celia slowly reconnect, as much as he tries to avoid her due to his scandalous reputation.

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:

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

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

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

Weekly Reads: July 24 to 30, 2023

Aug 1, 2023

A Good Debutante’s Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Debutante Files series. Stepbrother romance, but make it historical. Rosalie has overstayed her welcome at the girls’ school her mother sent her to, so the headmistress has dumped a 20-year old Rosalie in the care of her ducal stepbrother Declan, who she hasn’t seen in many years. She had idolized and adored him as a child, but knows that he’s the cold and distant rakish duke now. Declan’s plan is to offer a dowry for Rosalie and get her out of his house and hair as soon as possible, especially since he despises her mother. It’s not a very successful plan since Declan and Rosalie are very much attracted to each other, and then happen to run into each other at a scandalous club where Rosalie is in disguise. Loads of scandal and drama, especially when Rosalie’s horrible mother gets involved.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

An Heiress for All Seasons by Sophie Jordan (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1.5 of the Debutante Files series. Quick, relatively low-angst novella. Violet is an American heiress being shown off around England by her title-seeking mother. She has no intention of marrying anyone in England, since she has a suitor back home, but goes along with her parents until they accept her other suitor. Will is an impoverished earl being set up by his mother to meet Violet, but has no interest in marrying until he actually does meet Violet and is intrigued by her. He spends most of his time trying to pursue her, even though she rebuffs him, and at some point they get stuck in a cabin together during a snowstorm. Easy peasy with fun flirty spice.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

In Which Winnie Halifax Is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Halifax Hellions series. Winnie just wants to rent a cottage and start a sheep farm but isn’t able to secure the lease as a single woman, so she makes up a fake estranged husband by the name of Spencer Halifax to secure her position. Ten years later, Spencer is notified by his solicitor-best friend of the possibility of actually being legally married to a conwoman using his name. He travels to her farm in Wales to find her and to bring her back to London to settle their annulment. Along the way, Spencer and Winnie find themselves attracted to each other and wanting more. However, Winnie is hesitant to overburden Spencer since she has already inconvenienced him with the fake marriage and she is wary of becoming selfish and manipulative like her mother was. Spencer is an all-around nice guy here and hungrily lusts after Winnie. This book is humorous and steamy in all the best ways and we get to hear about Margo and Matilda’s respective exploits from Spencer’s POV. An excellent addition to the Halifax Hellions series!

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

The Luck of the Bride by Janna MacGregor (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Cavensham Heiresses series. Things are sad and tragic in the prologue for the Lawsom family who have lost their parents to influenza. It’s now up to oldest sister March to take care of two younger sisters and a baby brother. Eight years later and still destitute with no support from any appointed guardians, March forges the Marquess of McCalpin’s signature to withdraw funds from her own dowry to care for her home and family. McCalpin, heir to a duke, isn’t great with numbers, so it takes awhile for the embezzlement to be caught and identified. He and March meet and they’re instantly wary of each other (and attracted): she’s upset that he hasn’t been paying attention to his duties or correspondence, and he’s concerned that she might really be stealing money for nefarious purposes. Nevermind that March is friends with McCalpin’s sister Emma or that her clothing is very obviously threadbare. We do eventually see McCalpin’s family provide much needed food and assistance to the Lawson family and it’s all going fine until March’s horrible cousin stirs up more trouble. The romance between these two is a bit fraught since March in insecure about her station and does not want to accept pity or charity; plus McCalpin is hiding the fact that he’s bad at math and doesn’t want March to find out he’s an idiot. Luckily, McCalpin has a supportive family and pushes them together when necessary.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Swipe Up for More by Stephanie McNeal (2023)

Nonfiction. This book was a look into influencer culture with in-depth interviews with three different influencers: a mom blogger, a fashion blogger, and a runner. It was slightly interesting to see how their businesses were monetized, but this wasn’t particularly instructional or entrepreneurial. If you already spend time in the influencer space, this book does not provide any additional insight on how to become an influencer or make money as a content creator. If you’re a casual consumer, it might be interesting to learn how your favorite internet stars make it work. I mostly skimmed it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Debutante Files series. Aurelia has been in love with her brother’s best friend Max since first setting eyes on him at the age of 9. However, at age 15, she witnesses him having a tryst with a maid in the greenhouse, and broken-heartedly draws a caricature of him which accidentally gets discovered and setting him up for humiliation. From that day on, they’ve endured a bickering and spiteful relationship. We are many years later, with Aurelia having been uninterested in the social season or finding a match, until she realizes that she will be a burden on her newly married brother’s household and attempts to find a husband before she and her mother move to Scotland. Max is critical of all of Aurelia’s suitors, even though he has no desire to marry her himself. Max has his own issues stemming from the death of his mother and sister and his father’s subsequent suicide and swears he will never fall in love and set himself up to be in such a vulnerable position. However, all those years of angry bickering has caught up to Max and Aurelia who can’t seem to keep their hands (and mouths) to themselves this year.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Enraptured Heir by Merry Farmer (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Secrets of Nedworth Hall series. Lady Angeline has not been in society for a few years caring for her ill father and is shy and skittish at the matchmaking house party. She has an awkward first meeting with Rafe when she knocks a vase of flowers to the floor and onto him. Rafe is a very stern and serious marquess who is suffering rumors of his ruined ex-fiancee who ran off with another man. Angeline and Rafe are instantly smitten with each other and spend much of the book talking and getting to know each other, even though Rafe has trouble trusting women after the deceit of his ex-fiancee. Angeline is everything wholesome and good though and he easily falls in love with her. It’s a relatively low-angst story, despite Angeline’s brother’s disapproval and the surprise appearance of the ex-fiancee at the party.

Advance ebook provided by Merry Farmer via BookSprout.

The Duke’s Deceitful Governess by Caroline Lee (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 1 of the Surprise! Dukes series. Rourke has custody of his brother’s illegitimate twin children who are a crazy handful and have been kicked out of a bunch of schools and scared off many governesses. He’s giving them one last chance to behave for their latest governess, threatening to send them to school separately if they don’t behave. Sophia is the new governess, but she actually doesn’t have any experience with children and forged her recommendation letters so that she can come to Rourke’s estate to search for evidence that he is either complicit or innocent in her old boss’ crimes. Sophia is actually a surprisingly good governess though, connecting with the children, and helping Rourke to connect with them too. Rourke and Sophia are instantly attracted to each other and find ease and companionship with each other. This book is humorous and steamy but also has a bit of danger involved. Definitely recommended if you want to see a stern serious cold duke learn to love his niece and nephew along with their governess.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Dangerous Duke by Scarlett Scott (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the League of Dukes series. Griffin is a secret agent duke in the special league, but he is currently being accused of treason and being kept locked up in another stuffy duke’s house. That duke’s sister Violet seems to have caught Griffin’s attention, while he has also ignited her passions. Unfortunately, Violet is engaged to someone boring and dull who prefers his botany and overbearing mother to Violet. She doesn’t actually think that Griffin and guilty of treason and proposes to work with him to clear his name. Griffin needs all the help he can get and enjoys Violet’s company, so he agrees to her offer. Both slowly start to open up to each other about their past traumas related to the deaths of their parents, and we see their dangerous scheme fall into place. Plus, the actually traitor is still out there making trouble, so we eventually see how that crime is solved.

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

Duke Seeks Bride by Christy Carlyle (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Love on Holiday series. Our guy Alex is a new duke with a marriage stipulation in his father’s will, stating that he needs to marry in six months in order to keep his castle in Ireland. His annoyingly meddlesome aunt has tried to matchmake him with a wealthy widowed countess and invited her to the castle for a supposed equestrian charity event. The countess sends her secretary instead, mostly to avoid the matching making. Evie is the ultra-organized secretary who has been working with the countess for the past three years but also secretly pens romance novels in her spare time. When she shows up at the castle, she’s shocked to find that they were expecting the countess, even though a letter should have explained the switch. Alex and Evie have actually met briefly once before in the garden of a ball, but Evie is very much aware of her social status and that a romance between her and a duke is impossible. It’s not actually impossible, since this is a romance novel after all, but it takes some time for each person to realize that they really do want and need each other. This book is a relatively low-angst straightforward romance with a quick resolution to external conflict.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Earl of Passion by Shirley Shadow (2023)

Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Wicked Rakes series. This story is a pretty straightforward best friend’s brother romance. Helena has been in love with her best friend’s brother Alastor since forever but he has always seen her in a sisterly capacity until recently. After seeing Helena in translucent undergarments swimming in the pond, Alastor is starting to see Helena in a new light. Alastor gives in a little bit to Helena’s amorous advances but feels terribly guilty about it since he is meant to be her brother-like guardian and protector and he has no intentions of marrying her. Throw in a few society dances, Helena’s deadbeat father trying to marry her off to someone else, and now suddenly Alastor wants to marry her. The plot here is simple and predictable and the book is full of steamy scenes. However, I found the writing to be overly simplistic and that the characters experienced shifts in emotions very quickly.

Advance ebook provided by Shirley Shadow.

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

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

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