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Weekly Reads: May 22 to 28, 2023

May 30, 2023

Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Seduction Diaries series. Clare is a viscount’s daughter who is hoping to make a match with a duke’s heir this season but an accidental turn of her ankle sets her on the wallflower line at a ball. She catches the attention of a young doctor named Daniel who is curious about her shuffle and gait. It’s clear from the start that they are totally mismatched in terms of social status, but that doesn’t stop the attraction from developing as Daniel tends to Clare’s ankle over time. Daniel is also very good at managing Clare’s rambunctious younger siblings. It was nice to see the social-climbing Clare realize that her friends are horrible villains, she doesn’t really have a chance with the duke’s heir, and that Daniel is a kind, respectable, and honorable man who is deserving of love and affection.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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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.

The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior by Jennifer McQuiston (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Seduction Diaries series. This book takes place about 4 years after the events of Book 1 and is about Clare’s younger sister Lucy. We actually start the prologue with Thomas, a young drunken marquess, who is at his sister’s funeral and his fiancee has just broken off their engagement. We jump three years after that for the “present day” of the novel. The eccentric Lucy, a viscount’s daughter, is not looking forward to her debut season. With a delayed debut after some family scandal, she is 21 years old and stubbornly set in her ways. She surprisingly receives a package after her aunt’s death with her aunt’s diaries and the keys to her seaside cottage, offering the ability for Lucy to make her own decisions about her future. Unfortunately, meddlesome men make trouble when her father sells the property without her consent or knowledge to Thomas, who has been holed up in the small seaside town for the past three years. Lucy of course denies the sale, refuses all negotiation, and sets off to inspect the property herself. Lucy and Thomas are at odds for most of the story here with Thomas wanting very badly to purchase the property and Lucy not trusting his motives. It’s fun to see Lucy start to see a more honorable side to Thomas in his interactions with the folks in town and I love seeing Thomas appreciate Lucy’s stubbornness and outspokenness.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Rumors and a Rake by Jane Maguire (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Inconveniently Wed series. Catherine is the younger sister of the earl from Book 1 and has been shy throughout her season. We start this book at a house party where Catherine is attending with her friend Lavinia, and Catherine is trying to make a match with a gentleman who is quiet and bookish like she is. Philip is a dissolute rake, third son of a marquess, but now the heir due to the deaths of his older brothers. With the marquess in ill health, Philip’s mother had decided to drag Philip to this house party to select a bride. Catherine very much wants to avoid Philip after having witnessed him debauching a lady at a ball, but is still quite attracted to him. However, they keep bumping into each other at this house party and Philip ends up rescuing Catherine from the unwanted attentions of another man, ultimately leading to their marriage. After that, we have both people keeping secrets from each other, but somehow having it all work out.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Longing for a Lady by Jane Maguire (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Inconveniently Wed series. Our friend Lavinia from Book 2 finds herself in a situation where she’s pregnant by an earl who has recently married someone else. To avoid being married off to a much older man to cover up her indiscretion, she seeks out her childhood friend and now surgeon Will for help. He offers her marriage and his protection and she ultimately accepts. Since Lavinia is a baron’s daughter, she has enjoyed the frivolity of balls and society, so moving to a small village as the surgeon’s wife is a big change for her. She loses the pregnancy early on in the book and feels guilty for trapping Will with her. But he’s been in love with her forever and feels like he cannot provide the type of lifestyle that she is accustomed to. Both are poor at communicating their true feelings, which leads to a lot of guilt and insecurity. It was nice to see Lavinia try to show her appreciation for Will, even if her surprise didn’t turn out as planned.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel by Jennifer McQuiston (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Seduction Diaries series. This book takes place about five years after the end of Book 2. Our prankster younger brother Geoffrey, heir to a viscount, is now an adult who has survived a stint as a naval officer and back in London as a dissolute rake. We first see him urinating on a rosebush in his neighbor’s garden through the fence, where he meets Mary, who is the sister of an earl in town for her twin sister’s confinement. Geoffrey and Mary are instantly at odds with each other, with him being overly cocky and her being prim and meek. Both of these people have their own tragic backstories, but the bottom line is that Mary is nearly a spinster who has hidden herself away in the country and Geoffrey is a prankster with a terrible reputation in society. When they meet again, they get stuck together in the library at a hospital event and overhear an assassination plot. With both their reputations, no one believes the plot to be anything but a joke or an overactive imagination. Oh, and there’s the matter of them being caught alone together in a room and Mary looking terribly disheveled upon discovery. They end up teaming up to investigate what they’ve heard and find themselves drawn together more often. The mystery part of the story was pretty interesting here, but the romance plot was just ok for me; I had a hard time believing that Geoffrey’s redemption from prankster to devoted partner could take place in such a short timeframe because of just one woman. Overall, it was nice to see this series finish out with Geoffrey being responsible and caring.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Kiss the Rake Hello by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 13 of the Wicked Widows’ League series. This one is a pretty quick novella where a widow, Alexandra, and her childhood neighbor, Cortland, meet again. He’s had a crush on her forever and she’s looking for a night of pleasure after her disappointing marriage. A pretty uncomplicated plot but sweet to see Cort shy and fumbling around the woman he’s loved since he was a kid playing pranks on her. Super short to read and enjoy.

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner via BookSirens.

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A Study in Desire by Jane Maguire (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rockliffe Dynasty series. Impoverished widow, Theo, has no option except to move herself and her two sons into her estranged mother-in-law’s house. The dowager marchioness and managing and strict, so it really was the last resort to accept her assistance. There’s of course family drama behind the scenes, with Theo’s late husband being the second son a marquess and estranged because of his occupation as a poet and his choice of bride. The marquess himself is embroiled in his own scandal and away from England, and Theo’s sister-in-law is a spinster who still lives with the dowager marchioness. As Theo’s sons are settling into their new home, they’re assigned to a new tutor. Jeremy has had his own recent troubles with a broken engagement and lack of career. Even though he is new to teaching children, he exhibits creativity and care with his charges. Theo and Jeremy interact sparingly at first, but the attraction and longing between the two is strong. It was nice to see Theo start to thaw towards Jeremy and trust him, as she’s seen him continually be supportive and caring. This book had a good blend of external drama and a build up of the romantic relationship within. I’m excited to see how the rest of the series plays out as well.

Advance ebook provided by Jane Maguire.

Harry Potter Fanfic: An Act of Charity by Ciule

Snape/Hermione Romance. Victorian-era AU. Multi-chapter; approx. 53k words. Hermione is the only seventh year witch at Hogwarts, orphaned and Muggleborn in a Pureblood-centric male-dominated society. She gets into a situation that necessitates Headmaster Snape marrying her. Be mindful of all content warnings on this fic… it’s full of period-typical misogyny and assertion of marital rights.

Her Scandalous Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Highland Knights series. Previously published as Highland Awakening in 2015 and this version is updated with content changes. This book is connected to the House of Trent series. Lady Esme is the socially awkward sister of a duke but also a secret author of romance novels. While doing research at a brothel. She runs into Camden, while he is on protection duty of an earl. He doesn’t know who she is at first, but uncovers her identity while at the duke’s dinner party. She’s nearly engaged to a seemingly safe family friend and is trying not to succumb to Cam’s advances. These two are argumentative throughout the book, with Cam being overbearing about Esme’s social standing and obligations but also impressed by Esme’s secret career. We also have a deadly threat against Cam’s friends to contend with in the background. After reading this book, I’m interested in going back to read about Esme’s siblings from previous books too.

Advance ebook provided by Jennifer Haymore via NetGalley.

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

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May 2023 New Releases in Historical Romance Books

May 26, 2023

The Spinster and Mr. Scott by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Highland Knights series. This book is an updated edition of Highland Heat (2015). This story takes place at the same timeframe as the prequel. Lady Grace, daughter of an earl and a spinster, has escorted her sister Claire to the battlefield to search for Claire’s husband. While there, Grace has made herself useful by caring for the wounded soldiers. She meets Duncan, one of her brother-in-law’s sergeants and forms a connection with him. Despite the social class differences between them, they converse easily and quickly fall in love. This was a relatively quick story to read with things progressing pretty predictably until we head into treacherous territory with a disapproving father and an insurgent group the men are investigating.

Advance ebook provided by Jennifer Haymore via NetGalley.

Earls Rush In by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Charlotte is about to accept a proposal to a man she doesn’t love in order to save herself and her sister from being thrown out of her uncle and aunt’s care. The man in question seems harmless enough, but Charlotte’s brother’s longtime friend Finn believes the man a villain and rescues Charlotte by kidnapping her in a carriage. Finn has taken it on himself to watch out for Charlotte after the death of her older brother, but the reader knows that he’s been pining for her for ages and does not believe himself worthy. He’s actually hiding the truth surrounding her brother’s death and we learn about it in bits and pieces throughout the book. Finn and Charlotte get stranded in a snowstorm and find shelter at an inn where they pretend to be married to protect her reputation. While there, they grow closer and Charlotte realizes that she is attracted to Finn. He has the lowest self-esteem imaginable and is still hiding secrets about her brother’s death, so he feels he’s unworthy of her, and decides to help her find a suitable husband. They eventually are able to leave the inn and are back in London, but that villainous suitor is still hanging around causing trouble. Lots going on in this book and will definitely keep the pages turning.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Scandalizing the Scoundrel by Charlie Lane (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 9 of the Wicked Widows League series and related to the Cavendish Family series. Freddy is a quiet unassuming widowed viscountess with two young daughters. When she decides that she would like to become a bit more wicked, she decides on having a tryst with the ever-so-handsome horseman, Grant, from her cousin’s circus. Grant has been secretly pining for Freddy for awhile now and has been resisting her since he knows he could easily fall in love. He’s worried about getting too attached since his performing could be dangerous and decrease his lifespan. Meanwhile Freddy has no interest in emotional entanglements or marriage since she does not want her children to suffer through the loss of another father. Both are clear that they don’t want anything more from each other, but it’s obvious that they care for each other a great deal, and their problems could easily be solved by Grant giving him his stuntwork (or at least cutting back). This was a fun addition to the Cavendish stories and it’s always nice to see a seemingly demure lady find joy.

Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane.

Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes (2023)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. This is the book adaptation of the Netflix series that takes place in the Bridgerton universe. If you’ve watched the six episode series, you’ll see the plot of the book follows much of the same, with a few tweaks to make it work as a book. There are also components of the series that are omitted from the book and a few bonus perspectives (like whole chapters of Brimsley’s POV, the Queen’s man, and conversations he has with Reynolds, the King’s man). This book reminded me that Julia Quinn’s historical romance books fall on the light and funny side of the genre and the book overall was not tear-inducing the way that the Netflix series was. Much of the dialogue is the same as the series, with a lot less emotional punch without the facial expressions of the very talented actors from the series.

For the romance novel aspect, we follow Princess Charlotte and her journey to an arranged marriage with the King of England. While trying to escape the wedding, there’s a meet-cute in the garden where he declares himself “just George”, and then follow the trials of a husband who deposits his new bride in her own house while he runs away to a different one. We get a bunch of eavesdropping-miscommunication here with George keeping secrets for the first half of the book and these two spending much time apart and in isolation. The book throws in the sub-plot surrounding Agatha Danbury, a newly elevated lady who is widowed and subsequently courted within the same book. (The book ignores a certain sideplot where she has a tryst with a lord on the Netflix series)

Do you need to read this book if you’ve watched the series? No, the plot elements are the same. However, it’s nice to read about some of the internal thoughts characters have. And basically, I’m just here for the Brimsley chapters. His thoughts and fears of everything he does being a hangable offense are hilarious.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Last Lord Standing by Diana Lloyd (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the What Happens in the Ballroom series. Headstrong daughter of an earl, Libby, dances with a stranger at her birthday ball. Kerr, the second son of a second son, is somehow tasked by three of his friends to keep Libby distracted from other suitors while they’re considering her as a potential bride. Kerr and Libby soon form a friendship of sorts and spend more time together. This one is another story from Lloyd that has lots going on in a short amount of time, but what stands out here is Kerr’s instant attraction to and respect for Libby, and Libby’s strength and independence. Despite all the chaos and drama surrounding them, I appreciated the connection between the two and their lively relationship.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marleigh Sisters series. Lila is the illegitimate daughter of an earl, estranged from her sisters, and lived with her father’s first wife after her own parents passed away. She runs a somewhat successful salon in London, offering gaming and entertainments. She’s accused of being Ivor’s father’s mistress and told to stay away from the old man. She’s never been anyone’s mistress, but Ivor seems to think the worst in her. We have some added mystery to the story when a former servant comes to Lila asking for help with a man who is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, and Ivor is somehow involved because it was his young cousin who was attacked. Honestly, the mystery-solving part was the most interesting. The romance seemed to come out of nowhere even though the attraction was obvious from the start and didn’t particularly feel genuine. I suppose we’ll learn more about those estranged sisters in future books, but I didn’t get the feeling this would be a tight-knit series. And while I don’t usually comment on book titles, I don’t actually see the connection between the title and the plot of the book here.

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

The Countess and the Casanova by Ginny B. Moore (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Flower Sisters series. We detour away from the Flower sisters themselves in this book and follow Alex’s best friend Henry and his intermittent friendship with Ellie. This book is told in two timelines, with the present day adventure that Henry and Ellie are taking to Italy and intermittent flashbacks to the times they’ve spent together at his mother’s annual Christmas balls. Henry is known for being a dissolute rake, but really, he suffers from insecurities related to his periods of darkness and his slowness of reading and writing. He hides this part of himself and carries on a facade of fun-loving charm. Ellie is slightly awkward and curvy and overlooked by almost all gentlemen; she eventually marries an elderly earl that her father arranges for her and is soon widowed after a miserable marriage. The widowed Ellie has a bit more freedom, so she attends art lectures and desires adventure. Henry arranges a trip for her to see Italy, but they need to pretend to be married to travel together. This book had all sorts of painful pining and longing on both sides here and it was such an interesting way to tell the story and unravel Henry’s past actions. Such a good book!

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Socially awkward duke turns a socially awkward wallflower into a duchess. Alex, second son of a duke, never expected to inherit and would rather be working on his experiments in botany. However, he knows that he will have to pick between three sisters to fulfill the agreement that his father made with their father. Lavinia is the often-overlooked and shy middle sister who would rather read and hide behind potted plants than dance. When Alex comes to call on the sisters, he chooses Lavinia as his bride instead of the other more socially outgoing sisters. From there, Lavinia is doing her best to arrange their social calendar to the duke’s benefit, while Alex is wondering why he is being dragged to all of his events when he should be working. Add in a possibly nefarious rival and work partner who disparages Alex spending time with his new wife, and we have our befuddled duke doing and saying all the wrong things. I was definitely feeling most of Lavinia’s heartbreak throughout this book as she is trying so very hard to be a good wife and duchess to Alex. I really enjoyed this book!

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

His Study in Scandal by Megan Frampton (2023)

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

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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

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Once Upon a Scandal Series by Liana De la Rosa / Historical Romance Book Series

May 25, 2023

To Love a Scandalous Duke by Liana De la Rosa (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. Childhood friends who were separated by tragic circumstances (and possible family betrayal) are reunited here. Declan has returned to England after being sent away for the past twelve years following the tragic death of his father; upon his return, he finds that his brother has died and is now the duke. Lady Alethea is the daughter of an earl, Declan’s childhood neighbor and friend, and is instantly drawn to Declan again, despite his hurtful accusations about her father before he left the country. There’s definitely a bit of mystery here between the two families, with Declan’s father being blamed for a huge financial scandal before killing himself, and Declan’s older brother dying under suspicious circumstances. While Declan is trying to uncover the truth, he’s distracted by Alethea’s presence. Alethea is mostly just trying to get by and assert her independence, not believing her own father capable of the misdeeds Declan suspects of him. The romance part of this book was fairly straightforward, and I was mostly captivated by the mystery element and wanting to know the truth of the scandal that happened all those years ago. And with our luck, we got to uncover another juicy secret in the meantime.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Tame a Scandalous Lady by Liana De la Rosa (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. Lady Flora, daughter of a duke and sister to a marquess with political ambitions, disguises herself as a man to become the assistant trainer at a horse racing operation. While she has set herself up to learn how to run a racing stable, she is surprised to find herself attracted to the marquess who owns the place. Christian aims to rebuild his family’s legacy after a stable fire took the lives of his father and many prized racehorses; after spending all his money to rebuild the stables, he needs this new horse to win in order to recoup the costs. When he finds out his horse trainer is actually a woman, he first wants to dismiss her, but keeps her on after Flora stubbornly defends her actions. They start a dalliance while they aren’t busy with the horses, but the truth of Flora’s identity could leads to scandal for them both if she’s caught. I loved reading about the defiant and competent Flora here and how she doesn’t cower to the men in her life.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Tempt a Scandalous Lord by Liana De la Rosa (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. Flora’s older brother Niall is in the race for Prime Minister, but is being maligned in a series of political articles. He’s focused on his work and wants to find the culprit of the articles, but is suddenly distracted when he meets Alicia, the widow of an earl. When she experiences a wardrobe malfunction which may lead to potential ruin, he declares them engaged to save both their reputations. While the two are most definitely attracted to each other, Alicia is keeping secrets from everyone. She’s actually the anonymous writer of the political articles that are meant to provoke thought and incite action from the politicians. With such a big secret hanging over her head, we’re just waiting for the fallout. I liked reading about Niall’s interactions with the orphans from the foundling home he supports and how Alicia softens towards him when she realizes his care for the children. I also liked seeing all the men from the previous books of the series rally around Niall and support him. Excellent ending to an enjoyable series.

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.

Weekly Reads: May 15 to 21, 2023

May 23, 2023

His Favorite Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Mistress Trilogy series. This one starts with the daughter of the villain from Book 1 trying to avenge the death of her father, but then realizing that her father really was a villain. Gabriella is the illegitimate daughter of a viscount and an actress and has been orphaned by both. Her uncle offers her a home and protection and while she’s hesitant to take him up on it, eventually she’s convinced by her friend to do so. She meets Tony, who is the duke best friend of her uncle and he is interested in seducing her, even though she is technically an innocent miss. With her entry into the Ton for the social season, Tony tries to stay away from her, but that doesn’t exactly work out and they eventually need to marry. Tony has a tragic backstory with a terrible mother, distrust of women, and an inability to love. Meanwhile Gabriella is young and idealistic and believes that Tony has proposed to her because he is in love, despite him being unable to declare it. Of course this will ultimately lead to heartbreak for one or both of them as they’re so different in their ability to confront true emotion.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Beast and the Bookseller by Eva Devon (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Elizabeth is the daughter of a bookshop owner and basically runs the shop while her father drowns himself in alcohol after the death of her mother. It turns out that her father has been shirking his duties to a cold and starchy duke who normally receives weekly deliveries of books at his home. The duke, Garrett, comes calling at the shop to demand the bookshop service that he pays for or else he will remove his patronage to the shop. Elizabeth agrees to start making the book deliveries herself and they both find that they have their love of reading in common. Garrett has his own issues with his crusade against treacherous mental asylums and he has been somewhat of a cold recluse. With Elizabeth’s visits, they grow closer and he wants very much to care for her. The romance part of the story progressed pretty quickly with some conflict related to Elizabeth’s father and Garrett’s general coldness. It was a relatively quick read and fairly light on the angst.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Secrets and a Scandal by Jane Maguire (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Inconveniently Wed series. An earl’s heir, Edward, has returned to England after staying away for 6 years and his ill father has informed him of the estate’s debts and that he’s secured a match to a wealthy merchant’s daughter, Eliza. After his father dies, Edward realizes the huge amount of debt he is in and decides to go through with the marriage. Edward is cold and aloof, mostly due to his past experience with a beautiful and fickle first wife, who he refuses to talk about. Eliza has grown up in the country and prefers her garden and herbal remedies to assist those who are ill; she got into some sort of scandal when she was in London for her first Season before being sent back to the country. She doesn’t have any interest in marrying, but understands that being Edward’s wife is preferable to being sent back to her aunt and uncle’s care. After they get married, there’s a lack of honest conversation between these two, mostly because Edward doesn’t want to share anything about his past. However, they’re both dedicated to the improvement of the estate and helping the people who live there, and slowly find common ground. Relatively quick read with somewhat predictable secrets that Eliza and Edward are hiding. Still an enjoyable read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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.

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. A semi-tragic prologue starts the series with Camille, an American heiress, being married off to a much older and impoverished duke in England against her wishes. August is one of Camille’s friends who sees how awful the whole situation is and is thankful that her own parents would never do such a thing to her or her sister. Fast forward to a few months later, when August visits England with her parents and younger sister, and her parents are doing exactly what she feared. They attempt to set up a match between younger sister Violet and impoverished duke Evan, but August intends to thwart it. It doesn’t much matter since Evan prefers the fiesty August instead and tries to convince her to marry him. He needs the money because his father’s antiquated ideals have left the estate in much debt and the tenants on his lands are suffering. August refuses because she would prefer to stay working for her father’s company and has no interest in becoming a duchess. There’s a lot of cajoling involved here, even though these two are very clearly attracted to each other. The romance was great here and I enjoyed seeing August’s family dynamic. We also get to meet all the key players in future books of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. This book deals with August’s younger sister Violet and Evan’s best friend Christian in a road trip escape from the suitor that Violet’s parents have selected for her. Believing that she is safe from her parents’ meddling now that her sister has settled with the duke in Book 1, Violet is caught off guard when she realizes that her father has agreed to a match with a viscount. She plans to run away and is aided by an earl, Christian, who has his own designs on her and hopes to force a marriage when they’re caught together. Of course, during the trip, these two actually talk and get to know each other, so Christian feels guilty for his planned betrayal. Violet is also opening up to the idea of marriage, since she feels so connected to Christian. In the background, Violet is working on writing a novel and has based her main hero on Christian without him realizing it. This book has all the calamities you would expect in a road trip novel plus the added dread of uncovering Christian’s deception. We also introduce the pairing on Violet’s brother Maxwell with her friend Lady Helena when they team up to chase after the runaway pair.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. Maxwell (older brother to August and Violet) is called back to England from America after his father suffers from heart problems; he’s tasked with marrying and siring the next generation to take over the company or else his sister August loses her business deal. When he crosses paths again with widowed Lady Helena, the attraction he feels for her is reignited. Knowing that they don’t really have a future together on opposite sides of the ocean, he proposes a fake courtship and subsequent fake engagement so that he can appease his father long enough to not jeopardize his sister’s project. Lady Helena is facing her own parental pressure to marry in order to continue her charity work with abandoned women. She agrees to Maxwell’s proposal since she cares about his sister as well, but Helena does not want to marry in truth because she knows that she is unable to have children. But of course these two are highly attracted to each other and cannot seem to keep from being heartbroken. Add a subplot with some property dispute and Maxwell not understanding Helena’s mission and purpose, we have a high amount of angst here. It was really fun to read Helena and Maxwell’s flirting and banter here and we continue to see the rift between Maxwell and his siblings versus their parents.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Desert Island Duke by Kate Bateman (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era. Novella-length story part of the Ruthless Rivals series. Caroline and Max get stranded together alone on an island when their ship crashes. Not to worry too much, they’ve spotted the rest of her family in the distance at a neighboring island. Caro and Max have had a bantering relationship up to this point, with Max being friends with Caro’s brother. Max has seemingly lost his memory, so Caro decides to tease him by saying that he is a groom (rather than the duke that he actually is). We find out pretty soon that Max is faking his amnesia and knows exactly who he is and using this opportunity to woo Caro, who he wishes to court and marry. It’s a fun quick read with pretty low angst.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Scandal at the Savoy series. Max is doing a favor for his cousin by collecting research and plans for a dinner party from bookseller Evie; when he meets her, he’s tailed by a few boisterous younger men who disparage Evie’s plain and bookish demeanor. He ends up wagering that with a bit of polish, she’ll be able to fill her dance card at a ball in six weeks time. Max tries to enlist Evie to be part of his wager, but she refuses at first, until a boiler bursts in her bookshop, closing it down and leaving her without a place to stay. Evie has basically been alone in running her shop and barely making ends meet and has never experienced any balls or parties, so Max’s offer forces her to experience new things. Meanwhile, as a duke with no heirs, Max is seeking the perfect society wife and trying to learn from the mistakes he made with his first wife, who was ostracized in society. While Max and Evie grow closer with their talking and banter, they both know that the social class differences between them would be unrealistic to try to overcome. This was a fun book to read and I liked reading about Evie gaining more self-confidence through the book.

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

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Last Chance Scoundrels Series by Eva Leigh / Historical Romance Book Series

May 18, 2023

The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. After younger sons of an earl Kieran and Finn assist their friend Dom in jilting their sister Willa at the altar, both families set down an ultimatum for the three scoundrels: each needs to marry a respectable woman within twelve months time or they all get financially cut off. Kieran’s book is first, followed by Finn in Book 2, and Dom in Book 3. As a terrible scoundrel, Kieran doesn’t have the best reputation among respectable ladies of the ton, so he needs some assistance gaining entry into polite events. He asks Dom’s sister Celeste, the epitome of a proper young woman despite her upbringing, to help him get into these events so that he can find a suitable bride. She refuses at first, but when her father insists that she is to marry her suitor at the end of the Season, she decides to strike a bargain with Kieran: she’ll help him if he takes her to scandalous places at night. Of course in spending all this time together, they grow close and fall in love, and they were already attracted to each other from the start. It was fun to see Kieran learn a different side to Celeste and appreciate the tough and brave person she is underneath all of the societal propriety she exhibits in the daytime.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

How the Wallflower Was Won by Eva Leigh (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. At the start of this book, Finn is trying to set up Dom with bluestocking Tabitha, thinking that they would make for an easy marriage-of-convenience. However, Dom is not interested in courting or marrying and Tabitha is completely intimidated by Dom anyway. Plus Finn and Tabitha are clearly drawn to each other. The problem is that Tabitha is a well-read intellectual lady trying to gain entry into a prestigious academic society, while Finn has always been berated and thought to be an imbecile. He’s not, he just has trouble reading, but he’s clever and observant. Finn thinks that he’s no match for Tabitha and is afraid that she will despise him once she finds out the truth about his intellect (or lacktherof). Tabitha is also wary of emotional entanglements because of a hurtful experience in her past, but is slowly opening up to Finn. These two are deeply guarded with their feelings and with each other, but it’s plain to everyone else that they adore each other. I loved how supportive Finn was of Tabitha and that he respected her opinion and knowledge.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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Weekly Reads: May 8 to 14, 2023

May 16, 2023

My Fair Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Mistress Trilogy series. Widowed lady Julianna goes to her brother’s debtholder to beg for leniency, only to be offered the position of his mistress for six months to forgive the exorbitant debt. She agrees so that her brother does not lose his estate and so that her sister’s debut will not be affected. While Julianna is ready to do her duty, she doesn’t expect that the cold and calculating Rafe will treat her well and see to her pleasure. She begins to look forward to their afternoons together and they both become more emotionally entangled that originally anticipated. Meanwhile, Rafe is seeking revenge upon a group of lords who are responsible for the death of his fiancee many years ago and Julianna is trying to shepard her younger sister through the marriage mart. At some point, these worlds collide and there’s a load of danger to protect themselves from.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes (2023)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. This is the book adaptation of the Netflix series that takes place in the Bridgerton universe. If you’ve watched the six episode series, you’ll see the plot of the book follows much of the same, with a few tweaks to make it work as a book. There are also components of the series that are omitted from the book and a few bonus perspectives (like whole chapters of Brimsley’s POV, the Queen’s man, and conversations he has with Reynolds, the King’s man). This book reminded me that Julia Quinn’s historical romance books fall on the light and funny side of the genre and the book overall was not tear-inducing the way that the Netflix series was. Much of the dialogue is the same as the series, with a lot less emotional punch without the facial expressions of the very talented actors from the series.

For the romance novel aspect, we follow Princess Charlotte and her journey to an arranged marriage with the King of England. While trying to escape the wedding, there’s a meet-cute in the garden where he declares himself “just George”, and then follow the trials of a husband who deposits his new bride in her own house while he runs away to a different one. We get a bunch of eavesdropping-miscommunication here with George keeping secrets for the first half of the book and these two spending much time apart and in isolation. The book throws in the sub-plot surrounding Agatha Danbury, a newly elevated lady who is widowed and subsequently courted within the same book. (The book ignores a certain sideplot where she has a tryst with a lord on the Netflix series)

Do you need to read this book if you’ve watched the series? No, the plot elements are the same. However, it’s nice to read about some of the internal thoughts characters have. And basically, I’m just here for the Brimsley chapters. His thoughts and fears of everything he does being a hangable offense are hilarious.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Barons Adore Curves by Jemma Frost (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lords Love Curves series. Quick little novella. Noah grew up with an abusive father, then lived in an orphanage after his parents died. He pined after the girl who lived next door with her cruel aunt and uncle, but knew he couldn’t talk to her because she wasn’t permitted to talk to the orphans. Once he was an adult with means, Noah tracked down the girl Ivy and found that she was to be sold to the highest bidder at auction. So of course he buys her, rescues her, and marries her. She’s a bit wary at first, but then realizes that she’s attracted to Noah and eventually falls in love with him.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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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.

An Accidental Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren (2007)

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marleigh Sisters series. Lila is the illegitimate daughter of an earl, estranged from her sisters, and lived with her father’s first wife after her own parents passed away. She runs a somewhat successful salon in London, offering gaming and entertainments. She’s accused of being Ivor’s father’s mistress and told to stay away from the old man. She’s never been anyone’s mistress, but Ivor seems to think the worst in her. We have some added mystery to the story when a former servant comes to Lila asking for help with a man who is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, and Ivor is somehow involved because it was his young cousin who was attacked. Honestly, the mystery-solving part was the most interesting. The romance seemed to come out of nowhere even though the attraction was obvious from the start and didn’t particularly feel genuine. I suppose we’ll learn more about those estranged sisters in future books, but I didn’t get the feeling this would be a tight-knit series. And while I don’t usually comment on book titles, I don’t actually see the connection between the title and the plot of the book here.

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

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.

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Regency Vows Series by Martha Waters / Historical Romance Book Series

May 11, 2023

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Regency Vows series. Violet and James have been married for five years, and four of them have been spent in chilly silence from an argument that none of their friends know the details about. And now suddenly Violet is feigning consumption to get James’ sympathy and attention. But he’s onto her pretty quickly. It’s basically just a comedy of errors and miscommunication all the way around and really fun to read and watch these two get back together. This book was a really nice set up for the friend group that surrounds both Violet and James and these meddlesome friends get their romances in future books of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Regency Vows series. Widowed Diana has bet marquess Jeremy that he’ll marry within the year, adding drama to their bantering bickering semi-friendship over the years. Meanwhile, his last lover has critiqued his bedroom skills and he needs some honest feedback, so he propositions Diana for the job. She accepts, but is also meanwhile trying to set Jeremy up with another eligible miss. They’re both completely stubborn about their feelings and often put up a charming and carefree facade in society; and of course are only ever open and vulnerable with each other. Another great book in the series with a nice set up for the next one.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Regency Vows series. We finally get to see the romance between Emily and Julian here in a marriage of convenience story. We start at the end of the house party from Book 2, where Julian has been sort of courting Emily and hinting to her that he would be able to save her family’s debt as her husband. We start right with a proposal in Chapter 1 and learn Julian’s motivations for marrying (he wants to improve the reputation of his scandalous theater to gain the approval of his estranged father). Emily is finally enjoying a bit of freedom away from her overbearing parents and learning to express her own opinions, instead of always being so prim and proper. The romance between these two was easy and fun to read, with an interfering kitten adding to the comedy-factor of the story. Loved this book and probably my favorite of the series so far.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Regency Vows series. Viscount Penvale (older brother to Diana, from Book 2) finally has the opportunity to purchase his family’s estate back from his uncle, but he needs to marry his uncle’s ward, Jane, as part of the deal. Jane is socially awkward and kind of sharp, so Penvale’s group of happily married friends are all skeptical of the union. After the arranged marriage takes place and Penvale and Jane are back at the estate, she starts to enact her plan of haunting the castle to drive Penvale away. Jane thinks that he’ll just go back to his life in London, leaving her alone in the seaside as she desires. This one is definitely a slow-burn towards friendship and then love, with lots of humor as Penvale figures out pretty quickly that Jane is the culprit of the haunting. And we get to see everyone back together for a house party towards the end of the book. Since I read an advanced copy of this book, there wasn’t a sneak peak of the next book that the author is working on. I’m hoping that we will finally get the romance between Sophie and West (the older brother of James from Book 1), which has been strongly hinted at through the course of four books. I was absolutely delighted by all four books in this series and looking forward to reading anything that Martha Waters writes in the future!

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.

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Weekly Reads: May 1 to May 7, 2023

May 9, 2023

Somehow this week ended up with a bunch of emotionally heavy and angsty books, in addition to a Thursday binge-watch of the entire six episodes of Queen Charlotte on Netflix, followed by tons of clips from the show flooding my For You Page on TikTok. It’s been a teary week of entertainment in all the best ways.

The Mistake by Lily Maxton (2015)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Socially awkward duke turns a socially awkward wallflower into a duchess. Alex, second son of a duke, never expected to inherit and would rather be working on his experiments in botany. However, he knows that he will have to pick between three sisters to fulfill the agreement that his father made with their father. Lavinia is the often-overlooked and shy middle sister who would rather read and hide behind potted plants than dance. When Alex comes to call on the sisters, he chooses Lavinia as his bride instead of the other more socially outgoing sisters. From there, Lavinia is doing her best to arrange their social calendar to the duke’s benefit, while Alex is wondering why he is being dragged to all of his events when he should be working. Add in a possibly nefarious rival and work partner who disparages Alex spending time with his new wife, and we have our befuddled duke doing and saying all the wrong things. I was definitely feeling most of Lavinia’s heartbreak throughout this book as she is trying so very hard to be a good wife and duchess to Alex. I really enjoyed this book!

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Earls Rush In by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Charlotte is about to accept a proposal to a man she doesn’t love in order to save herself and her sister from being thrown out of her uncle and aunt’s care. The man in question seems harmless enough, but Charlotte’s brother’s longtime friend Finn believes the man a villain and rescues Charlotte by kidnapping her in a carriage. Finn has taken it on himself to watch out for Charlotte after the death of her older brother, but the reader knows that he’s been pining for her for ages and does not believe himself worthy. He’s actually hiding the truth surrounding her brother’s death and we learn about it in bits and pieces throughout the book. Finn and Charlotte get stranded in a snowstorm and find shelter at an inn where they pretend to be married to protect her reputation. While there, they grow closer and Charlotte realizes that she is attracted to Finn. He has the lowest self-esteem imaginable and is still hiding secrets about her brother’s death, so he feels he’s unworthy of her, and decides to help her find a suitable husband. They eventually are able to leave the inn and are back in London, but that villainous suitor is still hanging around causing trouble. Lots going on in this book and will definitely keep the pages turning.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

The Improper Bride by Lily Maxton (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Sisters of Scandal series. This book will be much more rewarding after reading Book 4 because we meet both characters there. Henry, the marquess, is basically the most unlovable friendless asshole ever, and he nearly dies in a fire at his estate. Miraculously he survives, but is a curmudgeon during his recovery. The widowed housekeeper, Cassandra, is somehow tasked by the doctor to keep him occupied, so she asks for lessons in a foreign language. As they spend time together each day, they grow closer together and start to see the person beneath the title or role that each one has. Of course, they’ve got that whole employer-employee relationship there and massive social class differences, so even any affection between them would be improper and lead to heartbreak. Henry’s near-death experience has also reminded him that he has a duty to marry and sire heirs, so he enlists his sister in hosting a house party and bringing eligible women for him to meet. But none of them compare to Cassandra, so there’s tons of emotional angst there. Such an amazing romance. And! We do eventually find out the cause of the fire that started the book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

What Happened in the Garden by Ginny B. Moore (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Prequel novella to the Flower Sisters series. Super short little meet cute of a soon-to-be viscount and his wife. Benedict’s mother has thrown a house party full of eligible ladies so that he can pick a bride. While escaping the crowd, he meets Clara in the garden. They meet, they flirt, they should just get married.

Ebook available from the author’s website.

Adding Up to Love by Ginny B. Moore (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Flower Sisters series. Fern is the youngest sister of five and has been awkward and prefers books. At her father’s birthday ball, she and her twin Rose switch dresses and identities for the evening, where Fern meets a handsome mathematics student from Oxford. Alex has been dragged to the ball by his friend but feels like a total outsider due to his merchant class upbringing. He’s happy to spend time with who he believes is Rose because they can talk about books and his studies. When he comes to call upon her the next day, Fern is distressed and thinks that he will not like who she is, so she convinces Rose to keep up the ruse. What follows is Fern befriending Alex and assisting him in courting Rose, while he assists her goals in becoming a student at Oxford. Alex begins to have feelings for Fern and is torn because of the expectations that Rose now has of him from their courtship. It’s a tangle of emotions here and Fern is the one being dishonest with everyone. This book was so good. A great introduction to Ginny B. Moore.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Countess and the Casanova by Ginny B. Moore (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Flower Sisters series. We detour away from the Flower sisters themselves in this book and follow Alex’s best friend Henry and his intermittent friendship with Ellie. This book is told in two timelines, with the present day adventure that Henry and Ellie are taking to Italy and intermittent flashbacks to the times they’ve spent together at his mother’s annual Christmas balls. Henry is known for being a dissolute rake, but really, he suffers from insecurities related to his periods of darkness and his slowness of reading and writing. He hides this part of himself and carries on a facade of fun-loving charm. Ellie is slightly awkward and curvy and overlooked by almost all gentlemen; she eventually marries an elderly earl that her father arranges for her and is soon widowed after a miserable marriage. The widowed Ellie has a bit more freedom, so she attends art lectures and desires adventure. Henry arranges a trip for her to see Italy, but they need to pretend to be married to travel together. This book had all sorts of painful pining and longing on both sides here and it was such an interesting way to tell the story and unravel Henry’s past actions. Such a good book!

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

One Night for Seduction by Erica Ridley (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Wicked Dukes Club series. A group of guy friends congregate at the local tavern own by two of the dukes in their group. One gentleman complains of his unmarriageable ward, and Cole sees a challenge he cannot refuse. He has until the end of the season to find Diana a husband with a bunch of stipulations set into place. Diana has been sneaking out into town and dressed as some sort of investigator to enforce uniform measurements for shopkeepers. It’s her way of serving justice for the common man. In order to keep this up, she blends in whenever she is in society and tries to be completely unnoticeable. Of course, after Cole meets her, he starts to notice her all the time and is quickly onto her scheme. This one was a relatively quick low-angst read with the duke falling first.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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What a Woman Needs by Caroline Linden (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Stuart is the heir to a viscount who has been financially cut off from his parents and needs to marry an heiress to pay the mortgage on his estate. He has been courting a girl and will soon formally propose, but she has an overbearing aunt serving as guardian that he needs to win over. The young widowed aunt Charlotte sees Stuart as a fortune-hunter and thwarts the match. But the attraction between Stuart and Charlotte causes much frustration even as they are enemies through the first half of the book. Midway through, the plot shifts with some villainous acts underfoot, and these two need to team up against a common enemy. Tons of plot twists and lots of fun seeing these two soften as they learn more about each other.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

His Study in Scandal by Megan Frampton (2023)

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

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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Union of the Rakes Series by Eva Leigh / Historical Romance Book Series

May 4, 2023

My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Union of the Rakes series. Lady Grace is a bookish researcher interested in reptiles and amphibians, but unfortunately, the gentlemen of the ton are not interested in her as marriageable material. In order to catch the attention of her long-time crush, she recruits her bookish friend Sebastian to play the part of a rake and pay her court. Shy and awkward Sebastian is willing to go along with it to help Grace, but struggles with crowds and strange people. Of course, as these two spend more time together, they realize their feelings run deeper than friendship (but each thinks the other person is only interested in being friends). It’s just a bad case of both being complete cowards and unwilling to communicate what they really want.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Waiting for a Scot Like You by Eva Leigh (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Union of the Rakes series. Beatrice, the widowed Lady Farris, and Major Duncan McCameron had met in Book 2 of the series, and there was a hint of exasperation on Duncan’s part with Beatrice’s antics. We find them here on a road trip together: Beatrice is en route to a debaucherous house party while Duncan has been tasked by his duke friend to protect her. They’re also complete opposites in personality: Beatrice is out of mourning and plans to enjoy her freedom and widowhood, grasping at every opportunity to enjoy life and learn more about her surroundings; Duncan is the second son of nobleman, war veteran, and a serious rule-follower. As these two grow closer together, it’s exciting to see Duncan soften and skirt away from the rules bit by bit. I loved this book and the whole series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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