Weekly Reads: January 9 to 15, 2023
Busy week for reading this time with lots of book and fic links below!
One Wedding and an Earl by Tracy Sumner (2023)
Historical romance. Regency England. Book 4 of the Duchess Society series. Tragic childhoods for both Ollie and Necessity have made them both wary of romantic entanglements. Oliver, now an earl, has had a shady history of opium dens, brothels, and getting slashed in the face in a gambling hell back alley. He’s now a recluse fixing up the estate where he suffered from his abusive father. Necessity, orphaned when cholera killed her whole family, is soon-to-be the most sought after landscape architect in England. When Necessity is recruited to fix up Oliver’s garden, they give into the attraction, but neither ask for anything more, knowing their own personal traumas and their vast differences in social standing. However, these two are delightfully fiery together and are certainly destined for greater things, if they would just allow themselves to ask for more. Also, a great intro to another street thug with a suspicious history and I’m looking to reading more about him in a future book.
Advance ebook provided by Wolf Publishing via NetGalley.
Harry Potter Fanfic: Blood Rush by FictionCannibal
Snape/Hermione, multi-chapter, 20k words. So this one finds Hermione and Snape having an affair while she’s a seventh year student at Hogwarts. It’s mostly smut, but it has some emotional elements too.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
The Heiress Hunt by Joanna Shupe (2021)
Historical romance. Gilded Age New York and Rhode Island. Book 1 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Harrison Archer is back in town after living in Paris for the past three years; his horrible family is broke and he’s intent on finalizing their financial ruin. While they want him to marry an heiress to pay off their debts, he only has eyes for his childhood friend Maddie Webster, who broke his heart years ago by declaring that she only thinks of him as a brother. With the time apart, he’s hoping that she’ll change the way she sees him. I’m a total sucker for the emotional gut wrench of rejection, even though Maddie had no idea that she was the cause of Harrison’s departure. So now Maddie is trying to help Harrison find a bride, even though he just wanted to use the Newport house party as a way to get close to her again, and she’s kind of almost engaged to a duke. Messiness all around. Still, Maddie was incredibly stubborn in this book and totally oblivious to the fact that Harrison has loved her for years, even though everyone else in the world had seen it. Great set up for all the other characters that will feature in the remainder of the series and looking forward to finishing the rest of the books.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The French Maid by Sabrina Jeffries (2012)
Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone Novella. This one was a quick little story with a couple who has been married for almost a year and the husband being very politically ambitious and neglectful of his wife. A new French maid installed in the household helps to improve the woman’s appearances and bolster her confidence, in the hopes of gaining her husband’s attention. Quick and enjoyable.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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Harry Potter Fanfic: Rebel Child by SlytherinLovesAGryffindor
Snape/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. If Hermione was Lily and Petunia Evans’ younger sister and friends with Severus. Mostly cute.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Entwined Fates by SlytherinLovesAGryffindor
Gregory Goyle/Hermione, drabble, 700 words. Just a cute little soulmates story.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Deception by SlytherinLovesAGryffindor
Tom Riddle/Hermione, one-shot, 1k words. Twisty dark Hermione set up; you just need to read it. It’s a quick one.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: You and Me by karasunova
Cormac McLaggen/Hermione, one-shot, 2k words. Slytherin Hermione secretly dates Cormac.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe (2021)
Historical romance. Gilded Age New York and Rhode Island. Book 2 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. About half of this book takes place at the same Newport house party as Book 1 of the series, so it’s fun to read these back to back. Shy and quiet Alice asks scoundrel Kit for lessons in seduction so that she’ll be able to find a husband who wants her for more than her dowry. She’s got a terribly overbearing mother and needs to get out from under her thumb. Meanwhile, Kit has already been warned away from the innocent debutantes so is hesitant to help her (even though he was instantly attracted to her offer). When Kit finds out that Alice is friendly with a famous chef who he is trying to hire for his new supper club, he wants a way to buy those recipes. Alice is shrewd negotiator, so it looks like she’ll get her seduction lessons after all. Reading these two flirt with each other was so fun; Alice learns a bit more confidence and Kit turns into someone less sure and less suave, but more honest. I really enjoyed this one!
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Harry Potter Fanfic: In the Shadow of Your Heart by thestanceyg
Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 1k words. Another soulmates story, but a bit more manipulative.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own (Must be logged into an AO3 account)
Harry Potter Fanfic: Greg’s Girl by Saras_Girl
Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. Goyle’s POV of why he has a crush on Hermione.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: How to Make Beans on Toast by Zorak23
Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. Marriage law forces Goyle and Hermione together.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: A Real Marriage by crochetaway
Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 1k words. Another marriage law set-up.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Show Me That Which I Cannot See by The_Little_Momaid
Draco/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. Soulmates story.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
The Widow’s Auction by Sabrina Jeffries (2016)
Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novella. A widowed viscountess and a politically ambitious marquess disagree on many issues regarding the charity they both work with. However, chance brings them together when the shy and quiet widow is convinced to auction herself off for a night of sin in the annual masked widow’s action. Recognizing her and wanting to find out her secrets, our grumpy marquess bids and wins her for the night. She thinks she can keep him fooled and he lets her, but over the course of the night, they get to know each other and feelings get involved, even though a future together seems impossible. I liked this novella quite a bit and would definitely recommend it!
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe (2021)
Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 3 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Katherine is finally going to settle those wedding details with the fiancee that her father arranged, only to find that Preston had no intention of marrying her at all. He’s got a grudge against her father for abandoning Preston’s family in their time of financial turmoil, so wants nothing to do with their family. With Katherine suddenly un-engaged, she’s ready to find an affair, so she goes to a masked ball with her friend and meets a man there. When she goes to meet with him unmasked in a follow-up tryst at his apartment, she finds that it was Preston all along. These two spend a lot of time fighting, somehow call a truce, then fall into an affair with each other, with no intention of marriage. It’s messy and complicated and meanwhile Preston’s still mad at her father, Katherine’s dealing with her own father moving on from her late mother, and the poor Duke of Lockwood can’t catch a break in the background.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe (2023)
Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 4 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. If you’ve read the first three books in this series, you’ll have seen hints of an uneasy relationship between Nellie and the Duke of Lockwood. Nellie is everyone’s scandalous best friend with knowledge about affairs and men. Meanwhile the destitute Duke of Lockwood needs an American heiress to marry for money. In Book 1, he was engaged to Maddie for about a day before that didn’t work out. In Book 2, he’s almost courting our favorite sweet Alice, until he realizes Kit is in the picture and bows out. In Book 3, he’s sworn off courting anyone from this unlucky friend group, but still friendly with Katherine. Well, we finally get to see his true nature and desires here in Book 4 with our dear Nellie. We go back to the beginning of the Newport house party from Book 1 and 2, where Lockwood and Nellie meet as strangers at the beach at midnight, and after some flirting, and kissing, they plan for a tryst the next day. However, when Lockwood shows up at the house party the next day and is introduced to all the guests, he and Nellie realize that the connection is impossible and over. We meet again in six months after Nellie’s other friends are all settled and Nellie’s feeling listless and aimless since all her friends are married and don’t need her anymore plus Lockwood’s still looking for a docile and wealthy bride. What starts as angry flirting turns into an angry affair with neither of them wanting to engage their hearts. Lockwood’s got some secrets of his own with a health condition, plus Nellie is unwilling to risk her emotions after her mother died at a young age. An important side story here is Nellie’s work in educating women on contraception and taking control of their reproductive rights. I appreciated seeing this play out in a historical setting and seeing Nellie’s championing of women’s education on the subject.
Although I enjoyed this story and all of the other books in the series, it seemed to be a bit repetitive to have three stories back-to-back of people having affairs and unwilling to invest any deeper emotions. While the side character of one book is the “wise one” nudging their friend to make a commitment, they’re unable to do so in their own story just a short time later. I think when binge reading a whole series in half a week, it’s easy to pick up on inconsistencies that might not be as apparent to readers who pick up one at a time. The level of familiarity that characters have with each other isn’t terribly consistent either… while it seems like the gentlemen are meeting the women for the first time at the house party in Book 1, we find that Nellie and Kit are chummy enough for her to be giving him advice in Book 2, or that in Book 3, Kit knew the name of Preston’s supposed fiancee all along even though Katherine was in the running to be Harrison’s bride in Book 1. I understand that we probably weren’t supposed to know about Katherine’s betrothal until we get to her book, but it makes for an untidy reveal. Sometimes the connections do make sense though, like Kit and Alice’s interactions during the house party, or Nellie and the duke’s interactions within the first three books. And I appreciate seeing things woven together so tightly.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Print book provided by Avon Books.
The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas (2013)
Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 1 of the London Trilogy series. So I picked up this book because it’s this month’s book club pick from Felicity Niven and Alexandra Vasti’s new Facebook group. In this one, we have Felix, a marquess with a tragic upbringing who has an amiable and popular reputation, and Louisa, an impoverished lady with four sisters who need a financial cushion. For Louisa’s first (and likely only) Season in London, she’s set out a strategy for catching a reasonably financially stable fellow without overreaching. When she’s introduced to Felix, they both can see right through each other’s facades: Louisa sees that he’s not truly the polished gentleman that he presents, and Felix sees that Louisa aims for financial security more than anything. These two keep bumping into each other, likely from Felix’s maneuvering, to the point where Felix offers for Louisa to be his mistress… and she continues to refuse, until Felix ultimately offers marriage. Neither are willing to face emotional rejection, so they each only admit to a carnal attraction for each other, and the practicalities of a marriage of convenience. The wedding takes place about halfway through this book, so we get to see this odd courtship for the front half, and an emotionally bumbling slow burn on the back half.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Earls Prize Curves by Jemma Frost (2023)
Historical romance. Regency England. Book 1 of the Lords Love Curves series. Quick read! Curvy Clara has played nursemaid to her aging parents and will shortly be engaged to her father’s elderly friend. She sneaks a naughty book to share with her friends and their father catches them and confiscates the book. Hugh, the widowed earl is now even more attracted to young Clara and proposes to tutor her in all the illicit acts from the book. Mostly steam, but still lots of protectiveness and care. Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick read.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Want more Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.
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The London Underground Series by Eva Leigh / Historical Romance Book Series
The London Underground historical romance series by Eva Leigh features a group of women who may not follow precisely legal forms of employment. We have a swindler, a smuggler, and a sex club proprietress in this series. While the books follow in chronological order, each can be well-understood as a standalone novel.
1. From Duke Till Dawn (2017)
Historical romance in Regency/Victorian era England. We have a grumpy and serious duke who was recently jilted by his fiancee. But he isn’t really heartbroken over her. He’s still kind of pining about another woman he met long ago that got away and he couldn’t find again. His two young friends (the main characters in the other two books in the series) drag him out gambling. And when he’s at the gambling hell, the lost lady of his heart is there, running the casino. There’s a bit of an encounter there, but ultimately he finds out that she had scammed him out of money all those years ago, and now he wants revenge. Sad news though, the next day, her partner in crime steals all the money and leaves her the target of a whole bunch of unpaid people. And so she needs to ask the duke for help, but he’s mad at her. It’s a huge mess, pretty much. This wasn’t my favorite of the series, but it does introduce the Orchid Club, which is a sex club that comes into play throughout the series.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
2. Counting on a Countess (2018)
Tamsyn is in London to oversee a shipment of smuggled goods, but somehow finds her way to a ball. She meets Kit, who has recently come into an inheritance, but the will stipulates he needs to marry within the month to get the money. These two embark on a marriage of convenience with the idea that Kit will have the money to fund his new project and Tamsyn will have the money to keep her house and her smuggling operation going. The twist is that the inheritance requires that the wife oversee all the management and spending, knowing Kit’s history of wasteful spending. Ouch. Plus Tamsyn can’t be honest about her smuggling operation since Kit is an upholder of the law, and it’s all sorts of secret-keeping between these two new married people.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
3. Dare to Love a Duke (2018)
Historical romance in Regency/Victorian era England. We have our newly inherited duke still mourning his father but dealing with his new responsibilities. Knowing that he has to protect his mother and sister’s reputations, he will have to cease going to flirt with the proprietress of the sex club he frequents. After he spends one last night with her, he finds out that his father actually secretly owned the club and he needs to decide whether to keep it open or shut it down. High drama there! Also, of course, I was on a page with a scene from the club when I realized my kid could read over my shoulder…
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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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: January 2 to 8, 2023
It was a crazy stormy week in Northern California with more rainstorms this upcoming week. Luckily, that means lots of time tucked under blankets for reading.
Sealed with a Yuletide Kiss by Sophie Barnes (2021)
Historical romance. Regency England. Collection of 24 short stories. Each chapter is a new sweet romance story. Super quick to read with very low angst. I loved reading these quick bursts of romance in between longer books and when I had five to ten minutes to spare. Highly recommend having this on your device to slowly savor.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon
Her Lessons in Persuasion by Megan Frampton (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 1 of the School for Scoundrels series. Bram and Wilhelmina have an awkward first meeting when he thinks he’s rescuing her from jumping off a bridge, but really, she was just trying to have a better look at the stars. It’s all banter and witty remarks between these two throughout the whole book. They meet again when Bram is being auctioned off to escort someone to the opera with funds going to the boys’ orphanage where he grew up. Wilhelmina’s new stepmother is anxious to get her married off, even though Wilhelmina has no interest in marrying at all and would rather focus on being an astronomer. However, she slowly starts to realize that some of the pursuits that she always avoided because they were popular (going to the opera, reading fiction) are actually enjoyable, and she slowly starts to shift her position on these items. As Bram and Wilhelmina spend more time together, he realizes that he’s in love with her, but is unwilling to declare his intentions since he knows that her goal is to never marry. Slow build to a wonderful and open partnership here and a great found family/friend group with Bram and his other orphan friends. Looking forward to seeing the other men of the group find their own stories.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
Girls Before Earls by Anna Bennett (2021)
Historical romance. Regency England. Book 1 of the Rogues to Lovers series. Hazel is the headmistress of a new finishing school and an earl has come to drop off his 15 year old niece who was recently orphaned. The niece has been acting up (understandably) and was kicked out of two other schools recently. Although Blade is willing to pay any cost to enroll his niece and then go back to London and about his miserable existence, Hazel insists that he come back and visit his niece every two weeks. Over the course of those visits, he slowly develops a relationship with both his niece and the fetching headmistress. I enjoyed learning about Blade’s backstory and why he avoids love and heartbreak; you can sort of see the signs of it early on when he talks about his lost love and how he was also estranged from his brother, but it’s still heartbreaking when you see it all laid out plainly. Hazel has her own hurts from the past and tries to maintain her composure and resilience, but then realizes that she needs to open up and go after what she wants. It’s a fun introduction to our seaside town and characters and a nice set up for future books in the series.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
One Duke Down by Anna Bennett (2023)
Historical romance. Regency England. Book 2 of the Rogues to Lovers series. Another fun book from Anna Bennett. Fisherman’s daughter Poppy discovers an injured man washed up on shore who claims to be a duke. She trades him shelter for money while he figures out who might have attacked him. These two have instant rapport and chemistry with each other with a lot of easy teasing and flirting. However, there’s Poppy’s poor history with members of nobility, the duke Keane actually turning out to be a duke, plus the drama of Poppy’s wayward brother, and the mystery of Keane’s assault. Despite all of these obstacles, Poppy and Keane are sure of each other’s character and integrity and never once doubt the other person. Absolutely enjoyable read!
Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
Nice Earls Do by Susanna Craig (2022)
Historical romance. Regency England. Prequel novella to the Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. An earl who is fairly new to the title has found out that his brother and sister-in-law died in Italy and his niece and nephew will now be his wards. His housekeeper recruits the famous housekeeping guide writer Mrs. Goode to come assist. However, we find out early on that Mrs. Goode is a pen name for a young viscount who should not be interested in housekeeping pursuits and his widowed stepmother decides to volunteer herself as Mrs. Goode to maintain the viscount’s cover. Well… turns out the earl and the widow were childhood friends who meet again and have another opportunity for love. This was a super quick novella to read and introduces the premise of Mrs. Goode’s guides. It was lovely to read about a couple in their 40s finding their chance at love.
Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.
The Rake of Tamarix Hall by Georgina North (2023)
Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novel. So this one is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers type of romance with an awkward first meeting. Lucius is a new marquess and on his way to his new estate, he stops in town, and already hears gossip about how horrible the old marquess is and how the new one can’t possibly be better. Of course he finds that a pretty young lady Cressida and her sister are the ones gossiping, and they most definitely get off on the wrong foot when the ladies discover who he is. The first half of the book moves pretty slowly with getting to know the family dynamics of each of our characters: Lucius has a reputation as a rake in London, but he seems to care about his tenants at his new estate; Cressida has an abusive father and three sisters who have been neglected and not considered out in society, despite their ages, plus a shady history with the previous heir to the marquessate. These two argue and bicker every time they encounter each other, until finally, they’re caught in a room together and need to marry to save both their reputations. From there, we have more arguments and misunderstandings with tons of emotional angst. Despite the slow start to the book, when you realize Lucius and Cressida are both emotionally invested in the status of their relationship, so are you.
Advance ebook provided by BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.
Get Thee Off My Lawn by Daria Vernon (2022)
Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novella. This one is humorous and absolutely delightful. April tries to retrieve her wayward swan from the neighbor’s pond, finds herself entrenched in the muck, and needs rescuing by the handsome neighbor, Leo. The rest of their day is a carefree and fun insta-lust tryst involving sneaking into his manor to clean her up and basically enjoying each other’s company until April needs to go home. And then reality hits: April is to marry a wealthy stranger to save her household’s wealth and there’s no hope for a future with Leo, even though he’s completely smitten with her. It all gets resolved in pretty short order (since it’s a novella) in fun and surprising ways. It’s a quick read that is completely worth it.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
All They Want for Christmas by Andie J. Christopher (2020)
Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. Quick little book I heard about from the latest Fated Mates episode about people being snowed in. We start with a lady out to dinner with her boyfriend, thinking he’ll propose before they travel to her hometown for Christmas. He doesn’t and they get into a huge fight. And the only other people at the restaurant are her ex-boyfriend and his male best friend (who he hooks up with sometimes). Well, to nurse her broken heart (which isn’t really broken), the three of them leave and go to one of the guys’ townhouse to have a threesome. And when they wake up the next morning, there’s a snowstorm trapping them together. Oh, and they need to work out all these feelings. Fun times.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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House of the Dragon Fanfic: A Terrible Lack of Respect by Eliza_Cromwell
Harwin/Rhaenyra, short, 7k words. He rescues her from the fight during her wedding feast and keeps her from leaving her room. Also volunteers to serve her in a multitude of ways.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: She’ll Patch Up Your Tapestry by agirlfromthebar
Draco/Hermione, one-shot, 1600 words, Narcissa’s POV. It’s Draco’s engagement party and he’s asking to speak with Hermione instead of his fiancee. Narcissa observes their conversation and interaction.
Read this fic on Fanfiction.net
Bridgerton Fanfic: Everything I do, I do it for you by LoveIsStrong
Anthony/Kate, one-shot, 6k words. Series episode 2.7, what if Anthony and Kate cannot stay away from each other when their families see each other at the park.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Bridgerton Fanfic: I Choose You by thanksmilla
Anthony/Kate, one-shot, 2k words. Series episode 2.6, what if Anthony overhears Edwina ask Kate if she loved him and her awkward pause gives him hope that his own feelings are reciprocated.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
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:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
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Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
Read an introduction to fanfiction
Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction
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The Devil You Know Series by Kerrigan Byrne: Red Rogues Meet Their Matches / Historical Romance Book Series
The Devil You Know series by Kerrigan Byrne is a short three-book series that packs in loads of drama with tragic prologues for everyone involved. I recommend reading this one in order since you find out about our three friends’ backstory in the prologue of Book 1.
How To Love A Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne (2019)
Historical romance, Victorian England. Book 1 of the Devil You Know series. As expected, there was a huge amount of drama and emotional turmoil in this book. We start with a tragic prologue where Alexandra is attacked by her school headmaster, defends herself, and then needs her friends to assist her in covering things up. To help her feel better, her two best friends reveal their own tragic secrets. As expected, the two friends will make up the main characters of the other two books in this series. Chapter one starts ten years later when she’s on her way to a duke’s masquerade ball where her friend is supposed to be announced as his fiancee. What follows is a series of near-death experiences, blackmail, family destitution, and a fearful pull that Alexandra has towards her friend’s intended, Piers. Don’t worry though, her friend is not in love with him at all and it was a marriage contract from many years past. When she finds out about the allowance the future duchess will receive, she proposes that the duke marry her instead of her friend. And then we have even more drama with Piers’ backstory with his family history, being attacked and scarred, being ditched by his fiancee for his cousin, and mistrust of women. These two people have their own reasons for not trusting one another but somehow feel safe and protected when they’re together. Loved seeing them start to slowly melt towards each other.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne (2020)
Historical romance, Victorian England. Book 2 of the Devil You Know series. This is the type of book that makes most sense when reading in series order, but still works perfectly well on its own. The prologue starts with Cecelia as a child being cruelly punished by her vicar father (who turns out not to be her father). Cecelia gets locked in an isolated cell and deprived of food and water. She ultimately gets rescued and taken away and sent to school by a mysterious benefactor. This is where she eventually meets her friends who make up the rest of the lead characters in the other books of the series. The other main character of the story is Ramsay, the older brother of the duke from Book 1. He’s also had a harsh childhood and eventually has become one of the most powerful lawmen of England. He’s very much attracted to Cecelia, but refuses to give in or to trust her. Suddenly, Cecelia inherits a gambling hell/slash women’s school from her aunt and is also accused of abducting young girls by our Lord Ramsay (even though he doesn’t know it’s her at first). These two end up in an antagonistic relationship with Ramsay being overly accusatory, but also protective at the same time. There’s eventually a need to escape the city and hide for protection and a dramatic subplot with a seven year old ward that Cecelia has also inherited. High drama, but in a good way.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Devil in Her Bed by Kerrigan Byrne (2021)
Historical romance, Victorian England. Book 3 of the Devil You Know series. We start with another tragic prologue telling us about the Mont Clair Massacre, where the entire household was slaughtered and burned. It seems that Pippa (the cook’s daughter) has survived and now assumes the identity of Francesca (the new countess) and is seeking revenge. As she gets deeper into infiltrating her enemy’s lair, she catches the attention of a spy, Chandler, who is also targeting the same enemy. It turns out that Chandler is her childhood friend who she loved and saved her, but he was in love with Francesca and believes her to have truly survived the massacre. It’s a tangle of lust and secrets here and slightly heartbreaking for the woman who is actually in front of the man she loves.
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:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive
Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy
Support this page with a donation
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: December 26, 2022 to January 1, 2023
The last week of the year! I’ve finished up Callie Hutton’s Marriage Mart Mayhem series and squeezed in a few holiday novellas to bring my 2022 book count up to 370. Plus a bunch of random fanfics to round out the week.
Harry Potter Fanfic: Under Wraps by corvusdraconis and Dragon_and_the_Rose
Severus/Hermione, long one-shot, 11k words. It’s another kinda weird corvusdraconis creature-fic with Severus and Hermione being vampires. The romance is super light in this story and mostly just deals with them growing up in some sort of vampire commune.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Bridgerton Fanfic: Merry Smutmas! by Honeybeebunches
Anthony/Kate, modern AU, smutty one-shot. Anthony walks in on Kate having a little private time in the bedroom and joins in.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
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.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Harry Potter Fanfic: Between Fine Lines by fairyofthesnakes
Regulus/Hermione, multi-chapter, 64k words. When Harry and Dumbledore go to the cave at the end of Half-Blood Prince, they find Regulus Black suspended in the lake. They bring him back, he spends the summer at Hermione’s muggle house, and a romance develops between Regulus and Hermione. The rest of the story involves a lot of the same things as the original Deathly Hallows, but with Regulus in tow, and spun around in a different order. The action-adventure part of the story was really interesting, but the tags were misleading… it’s rated Explicit and has a tag that says “we earning that e rating”, but it really didn’t. It really should have been rated T. The mislabeling made it a bit of a let-down, since I was expecting smut, but then nothing on that front happened. I think if you go in with the expectation that there are no naked-times here, you’ll enjoy the story just fine.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Rosalynn’s Rebellion by Maggie Sims (2022)
Historical romance, Regency England. Prequel novella of the School of Enlightenment series. Maggie Sims messaged me on Instagram to ask if I would be interested in reviewing an ARC of her book, which I was totally flattered and excited by, so I went to her website to see what other books were in the series. As a reader who likes to go in order, I’m glad I was able to pick up the prequel novella for free on the website. Rosalynn and Nicholas’ engagement and marriage is imminent, despite the years-old rumor that Nicholas was a previous patron of a spanking club. Rosalynn is open-minded and wants to experience Nick’s kinks, even though he is reluctant to expose his well-bred wife to those desires and fears for her reputation. Rosalynn is also a patroness of a new charity school that she will be opening for girls and suggests including marital acts within the curriculum. Short and steamy novella that introduces the origins of the School of Enlightenment.
Ebook free from the author’s website.
Nightingale by Cathy Maxwell (2014)
Historical romance, Regency England. Standalone novella. Sir Dane is about to fight a duel the next morning with his previous love’s brother. While getting his affairs in order, Jemma, the woman who had previously rejected him comes to beg for her brother’s life. This book is a super short, takes place in one day, second chance romance. When Jemma and Dane were young, they promised to marry, but she jilted him and married a much older lord instead. Dane was completely heartbroken and was unable to pursue his original career path of being a vicar, and ended up in business instead, making his fortune and traveling the world. Now a debt-ridden widow, Jemma aims to protect her brother from having to face a duel. Fun quick read and it was a great intro to Cathy Maxwell’s writing style, since I hadn’t read any of her books before.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Harry Potter Fanfic: His Secret Santa by Reddokitsune
Snape/Hermione, Multi-chapter, 31k words. Alternate universe where Severus and Lily are married and Harry is Snape’s son. Hermione is Severus’ student and friends with Harry and Draco. Most of the story is Severus’ internal struggle of being attracted to his student while being a happily married man (or so he thinks). Lily-bashing in this one to resolve Severus’ issues of being attached.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: One kiss a day by Ralina
Fred/Hermione, Multi-chapter, 17k words. Fred and Hermione are married under the Ministry’s Marriage Law. This one is mostly fluff with first dates and other firsts. Cute and quick read.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Hermione’s Secret by Amebb42
Fred/Hermione, Drabble, 500 words. When Hermione destroys the Horcrux in the Chamber of Secrets, Ron finds out about her secret relationship with Fred.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
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.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
The Earl’s Return by Callie Hutton (2016)
Historical romance, Regency England. Book 7 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Back in Book 3 of the series, an earl abandons his fiancee two weeks before the wedding and elopes with another woman. Now a widower, he’s back in London to seek a new bride and is fascinated by the younger sister of the woman he jilted. How’s that for drama? While Redgrave was an off-page villain in the previous book, we learn in this one the reasons for his actions (and subsequent misery); turns out it was a trap mixed with blackmail. Lady Mary is wary of the man because of what he did to her sister, but cannot help be attracted to him and realize that there is likely more to his story than it appears. Mary has her own secrets and history which makes her skittish around men. It was interesting to see these two open up about their secrets and learn to trust the other person.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Harry Potter Fanfic: One Night by Okhili
Severus/Hermione, Three Chapters, 8k words. It’s Hermione’s last night as a Hogwarts student and she asks Severus for one night in his bed.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Star Wars Fanfic: Originality by blankfish
Reylo one-shot. After Rey stabs (and heals) Kylo Ren, they have a quick tryst before she walks away from him.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
The Mistletoe Trap by Eve Pendle (2018)
Historical romance, Regency England. Book 1 of the Faking Stitch Series. Novella-length second chance romance. Amelia runs a business selling her embroidery to other women who want to pass her work off as their own, which is the thread that holds this series together. One Christmas, her mother informs her that her previous suitor Robert, now a widow and single father, is joining their house party. Amelia was heartbroken when Robert announced his engagement to another woman and has not seen him since then. Now that they’re thrown together again, they need to face their longstanding attraction to each other and actually communicate about the miscommunication that happened all those years ago. Amelia was so terribly shy and hesitant that Robert did not think that she cared for him and he ended up caught and engaged to someone else. Meanwhile, she was heartbroken that Robert did not propose to her and refused his further friendship. An emotional muddle that ultimately gets cleared up, but there’s another piece of drama: Robert’s first wife died in childbirth so Robert doesn’t want to cause that to happen to someone else. Lots of angst inside this quick read, in a good way.
Ebook purchased from Amazon.
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
Respect for Christmas by Grace Burrowes (2014)
Historical romance, Regency England. Standalone novella. Henrietta is a retired courtesan on a journey to her hometown for the holidays; she’s had a strained relationship with her brothers and completely estranged from her father. While traveling, she meets Michael, a newly minted baron who seems to treat her respectfully, despite her past profession. However, we find out that Michael has been tasked by another lord to steal back a journal from Henrietta’s possession. He feels terribly guilty, she feels betrayed, they’re both lonely and isolated from their families, and it’s all a huge mess. However, the resolution here is really satisfying and worth all the drama and angst.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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.
Mistletoe Bonus Epilogues by Eve Pendle (2022)
Historical romance, Regency England. Bonus chapters for the Faking Stitch Series. Cute little bonus scenes with our happily married couples. One chapter for Amelia and Robert; one chapter for Gina and Emmett.
Ebook free from author’s email newsletter.
Want more Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.
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Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
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Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
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Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction
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Top Five Reads of December 2022
In the month of December, I finished reading 37 books (35 historical romance, and 2 contemporary romance). Here are my five favorite books from the month! (listed in alphabetical order by author last name)
A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman (2022)
Historical romance, Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Ruthless Rivals series. The Davies and Montgomery families have been rivals for centuries. But it’s a friendly sort of rivalry where the kids played together growing up and mostly just bickered with each other. When Morgan is ready to go out to sea, Harriet gives him a reason to come back, by allowing him three kisses if he survives and returns. A few years later, he survives torture and imprisonment and wants only one thing when he returns: Harriet’s hand in marriage. However, with their history of fighting and dares, he knows that she won’t believe him if he proposes outright, so he plans to seduce her and wear her down. This book was fun and low-angst between our two rivals, aside from a few little brushes with dastardly villains. Overall, I loved seeing Morgan scheme to bring Harriet into his arms and her trying to resist him. And I loved that both of their families were supportive and knew that these two loved each other even before they did.
Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
How To Love A Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne (2019)
Historical romance, Victorian England. Book 1 of the Devil You Know series. As expected, there was a huge amount of drama and emotional turmoil in this book. We start with a tragic prologue where Alexandra is attacked by her school headmaster, defends herself, and then needs her friends to assist her in covering things up. To help her feel better, her two best friends reveal their own tragic secrets. As expected, the two friends will make up the main characters of the other two books in this series. Chapter one starts ten years later when she’s on her way to a duke’s masquerade ball where her friend is supposed to be announced as his fiancee. What follows is a series of near-death experiences, blackmail, family destitution, and a fearful pull that Alexandra has towards her friend’s intended, Piers. Don’t worry though, her friend is not in love with him at all and it was a marriage contract from many years past. When she finds out about the allowance the future duchess will receive, she proposes that the duke marry her instead of her friend. And then we have even more drama with Piers’ backstory with his family history, being attacked and scarred, being ditched by his fiancee for his cousin, and mistrust of women. These two people have their own reasons for not trusting one another but somehow feel safe and protected when they’re together. Loved seeing them start to slowly melt towards each other.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Cinderella and the Duke by Lydia Drake (2022)
Historical romance, Regency-ish era England. Julia is the Cinderella in the story, escorting her younger stepsister to a ball while her stepmother is ill. This is Julia’s one chance to find a husband, since her stepmother refuses to let Julia go to any balls. While protecting a rake from being compromised by a lady and called out in a duel by her husband, she kisses him and then runs away, thinking that she’s ruined. When the rake, our duke Gregory, comes to call the next day with her lost slipper, she proposes a marriage of convenience to him: He helps her get out from under her stepmother’s control and she helps him avoid the lecherous women of the ton. Both of these people are deeply insecure and play an emotionally detached role to protect themselves from being hurt. However, they have great chemistry together and enjoy each other’s company. I really enjoyed this debut novel from this author and am looking forward to reading more.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.
A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant (2011)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Book 1 of the Blackshear Family series. The blurb on the back tells a story of a desperate widow (Martha) in need of an heir to protect her household from the man who stands to inherit and that she propositions a scoundrel of a man (Theo) to assist her. Going into this book, I expected it to jump straight into high steam, but I surprisingly found a rather cold and industrious woman completely uninterested in the pleasure that her partner could (and is willing to) provide. I started to feel pretty bad for the guy around the 30% mark since it cannot be any fun at all to have an indifferent partner in bed. Our guy has been exiled to this lesser property of his baronet father’s so that he can make some use of himself, rather than be a wastrel in town. And so we have our two very opposite personalities in a business arrangement involving coldly intimate relations. But somehow this book makes it all work… it is a delightful slow burn, with Theo slowly learning to care for the well-being of the laborers on his land, conversing with Martha about land management and his good works, and Martha slowly coming to admire him.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Elusive Wife by Callie Hutton (2013)
Historical romance, Regency England. Book 1 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. As a stipulation of the late earl’s will, Jason needs to fulfill an arranged marriage to inherit. He is completely drunk through the wedding and abandons his new wife immediately the next morning. The new countess Olivia is appalled and embarrassed with her new situation and goes to London to visit her friend and confront her wayward husband. When they see each other at a ball, he doesn’t recognize her at all and proceeds to flirt with her, even though he at least knows he’s married. While she is angry at him, he’s so besotted that he seeks an annulment from his wife so that he can pursue the beautiful lady from the ball (even though that woman is actually his wife!). A humorous set up and then when the truth finally tumbles out, our earl is trying very hard to woo his wife and make the marriage work, even as she is skeptical and resists.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
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Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy
Support this page with a donation
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 Blackshear Family Series by Cecilia Grant / Historical Romance Book Series
I started reading this series on a total whim because the first book was suggested when I was looking at a different book on Fantastic Fiction. While I thought this would be a high-steam type of series based on the premise of the first book, I found instead a much deeper emotional slow-burn. This series makes most sense to be read in order, especially when you get to Book 3 and one of the siblings is dealing with the fallout of what happens in Book 2. Overall, I enjoyed this series quite a bit, even if I didn’t know exactly what to expect.
A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant (2011)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Book 1 of the Blackshear Family series. The blurb on the back tells a story of a desperate widow (Martha) in need of an heir to protect her household from the man who stands to inherit and that she propositions a scoundrel of a man (Theo) to assist her. Going into this book, I expected it to jump straight into high steam, but I surprisingly found a rather cold and industrious woman completely uninterested in the pleasure that her partner could (and is willing to) provide. I started to feel pretty bad for the guy around the 30% mark since it cannot be any fun at all to have an indifferent partner in bed. Our guy has been exiled to this lesser property of his baronet father’s so that he can make some use of himself, rather than be a wastrel in town. And so we have our two very opposite personalities in a business arrangement involving coldly intimate relations. But somehow this book makes it all work… it is a delightful slow burn, with Theo slowly learning to care for the well-being of the laborers on his land, conversing with Martha about land management and his good works, and Martha slowly coming to admire him.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant (2012)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Book 2 of the Blackshear Family series. Younger brother, Will has returned from his time at war feeling guilty over the death of one of his soldiers. He aims to fulfill a promise to care for the man’s widow and child. In order to do that, he has been gambling to earn some extra cash. While at a gambling party, he meets another man’s mistress, Lydia, who has seemingly swindled him out of money, and he confronts her. Eventually, these two team up to improve their odds of winning. This one is another slow burn from this author, with these two having an antagonistic relationship, moving on to being partners in crime, and fighting their attraction for each other.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
A Woman Entangled by Cecilia Grant (2013)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Book 3 of the Blackshear Family series. Kate is a barrister’s eldest daughter who is trying to climb out of the social chasm her family is in (her father, son of an earl, married an actress and was disowned by his family) by aiming for marrying a titled gentleman. She comes off kind of annoying here, knowing that she’s beautiful, and embarrassed by her family. Nick is also a barrister and her father’s friend; he had tried to court Kate years ago, but was rejected before he even had a chance. He has his own issues trying to rise above his family scandal (his brother married another man’s mistress in the previous book and the family disowned him). Both Kate and Nick are self-righteous and pretentious in their own ways and need to learn to accept the circumstances that they’re in an embrace the families they each have. This book had characters that had to both grow individually before being able to come together, so the romance of it felt secondary to their separate internal struggles. This book’s premise wasn’t my favorite, but I did like to see these two grow and learn.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong by Cecilia Grant (2014)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Prequel novella of the Blackshear Family series, takes place years before the first book of the series. This one finds our oldest brother of the Blackshear family, Andrew, out shopping for a hunting falcon as a gift for his sister. When he visits the nobleman that sells the birds, he meets the man’s beautiful daughter, Lucy. They’re complete opposites in terms of personality and adherence to propriety. Through chance and mischief (rain, snow, broken carriages, and Christmas), these two get stuck together for longer than he anticipated, eventually necessitating a fake marriage to keep up appearances in the town where they seek shelter. Over time, Lucy enables Andrew to let go of some of his seriousness and have fun
Ebook purchased from Amazon.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
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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: December 19 to 25, 2022
Heavy on the fanfiction this week! There’s tons and tons of random one-shots and a few multi-chapter fics linked up for you today.
Harry Potter Fanfic: Love Story for a Bibliophile by Fluffy_Monk
Severus/Hermione, One-Shot, 4k words. As an apprentice at Hogwarts, Hermione finds a comfy reading alcove and shares the space (and conversation) with Severus.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Forbidden Magic by FanonStar
Harry/Hermione, One-Shot, 1k words. Hermione and Harry perform a soul bond ritual. Nothing too interesting here. But it took like 10 minutes to read.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Scissors by MellarkandArt
Harry with MentorSnape. Short, 5 chapters, 8k words. Content warning for self-harm. Snape catches Harry cutting and helps him through it and becomes a father figure to Harry.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
A Lady’s Disgrace by Callie Hutton (2014)
Historical romance, Regency England. Book 3 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Duke’s sister Abigail has just been jilted by her fiancee, who eloped with another woman. With her reputation in peril, her brother arranges for a family friend, country rector Joseph, to marry her. Abigail and Joseph agree to a marriage of convenience and friendly partnership because Abigail is unwilling to put her emotions at risk again. Joseph has admired Abigail for years, but didn’t think he had a chance with her due to the differences in social standing; he hesitantly agrees to the arrangement but plans to slowly woo her into a true marriage. But if general angst isn’t enough for you, there’s also a conniving widow in the village who is dismayed that Joseph has come home with a wife (we get a few passages here and there for her point of view) and then a bunch of random life-threatening accidents that Abigail keeps having. This poor woman nearly dies so many times in this book. I’m pretty sure the audience is meant to know who the villain is here, but it takes a bit longer for Abigail and Joseph to figure it all out.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Harry Potter Fanfic: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Hermione Granger by missparker
Severus/Hermione Romance, Multi-Chapter, 51k words. This fic disregards everything we learned in Books 6 and 7. Hermione falls ill in her sixth year and needs specialized care and treatment from Snape. The ultimate in sickbed/comfort romance with a slow-burn emotional attachment.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own (Must be logged into an AO3 account)
The Baron’s Betrayal by Callie Hutton (2015)
Historical romance, Regency England. Book 4 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Marion is the widowed older sister of the family and faints when she sees her husband at a local assembly. Turns out he was lost at sea, severely injured, and now blind. Tristan thinks that his blindness makes him an incapable husband or father so he stayed away from Marion, allowing her to think him dead, and then remarry to have a happy life. He’s insistent on seeking a divorce from her (even though that is completely scandalous and impractical in this time period). Stubborn Marion wants her husband back, so she moves in with him and follows him wherever he goes. This book has both characters being completely stubborn and unwilling to understand the other person’s point of view. There wasn’t much external plot here and I found the back and forth fighting to be a bit tedious. Not my fave of the series.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Harry Potter Fanfic: Flower of the North by Buddybee13
Viktor/Hermione Romance. Alternate universe; Multi-chapter; 107k words. Hogwarts is closed after the Chamber of Secrets was opened and students are sent to other schools. Hermione becomes a student at Durmstrang and befriends Viktor Krum. Hermione has to adapt to a new environment, language, and wizarding culture. There is some modification of ages here so that the romance between Hermione and Viktor is more plausible. It was interesting to see the story develop, but the end felt a bit anticlimactic to me.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own (Must be logged into an AO3 account)
Harry Potter Fanfic: The Hound in The Fox by Kiridraca
Severus/Hermione one-shot, 5k words. Hermione is an apprentice at Hogwarts and working on her animagus transformation. She and Severus are drawn to each other.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Love, Sex, and Flannel by Kiridraca
Severus/Hermione one-shot, 1k words. Married Snapes enjoy the day that Hermione changes the sheets to warm and comfy flannel.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Seven Minutes in Heaven by Ceilidhchaos
Theo/Draco/Hermione one-shot, 2k words. Eighth year Hogwarts students play seven minutes in heaven and these three go to a broom closet together.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: The Scent of Forever by Ceilidhchaos and KoraKwidditch
Draco/Hermione one-shot, 3k words. Working as Auror partners, Draco protect Hermione from a werewolf attack.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen (2023)
Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Olivia is set to take over her family business, a matchmaking service in Los Angeles’ Chinatown based on the principles of the Chinese zodiac. We start with a meet-cute in a bakery and a scuffle over a pastry, but she never catches the man’s name. Later, we find that Bakery Boy is actually Bennett, the owner of a new dating app, also based on the zodiac. Olivia sets out to gather more intel, so she uses the app to make herself match with Bennett for a date. She’s determined not to like him, since he’s a business rival and his zodiac animal is incompatible with hers. When everyone finds out who the other person is, they end up making a wager and setting each other up on dates to see which matchmaking service is superior. But Olivia and Bennett spend more time talking to each other than talking to their intended dates; it’s really sickeningly sweet. Olivia’s got her own history of heartache though, so she really believes that Bennett is incompatible and she tends to think the worst in him. This book was absolutely adorable and sweet and smooshy and I really enjoyed it (even though there wasn’t any smut).
Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Forever Books.
Harry Potter Fanfic: The Reunion by Ceilidhchaos and SarahFraser
Theo/Draco/Hermione, 9k words. The Malfoy-Notts attend Hogwarts’ ten year reunion having been out of the country the whole time. The Potters and Weasleys are surprised at Hermione’s new family.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: feverbreak by thefrenchpress
Severus/Hermione one-shot, 6k words. Severus dreams have flashes of his childhood when a brown-haired woman was kind to him. (It’s Hermione, but how?)
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: A Secret Among Stars by Ceilidhchaos
Theo/Draco/Hermione, multi-chapter, 20k words. “Hermione, Theo and Draco have kept their relationship and family secret for more than ten years. What happens when Hermione’s former best friend uncovers their secret?”
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Sea Life by corvusdraconis and Dragon_and_the_Rose
Severus/Hermione, long one-shot, 11k words. Severus and Hermione meet as children and become friends. Mostly sweet story with some selkie/seawolf bonding. If you’re familiar with corvusdraconis’ work, you’ll be used to all sorts of shapeshifting/creature romance. (And a lot of Lily Evans bashing)
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Night of Surprises by Rycbar2779
Severus/Hermione, one-shot, 3k words. Wedding night for Severus and Hermione after marrying due to a marriage law.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin (2022)
Historical romance, Regency England. Standalone novel. Kitty has shouldered the financial burden of caring for four younger sisters after her parents passed away with mountains of debt. After being rejected by her supposed betrothed, she sets out for London with her prettiest sister in tow to find a husband to pay her debts. She’s set her sights on a second son of an earl with plenty of money, but when his older brother, the current Lord Radcliffe, finds out her scheme, he blackmails her away from his family. But she’s blackmailed him right back to gain entry into high society. These two bicker through most of the story, but there is a slow and quiet build to their affection, and a grand gesture on both their parts at the end. This book is easy to overlook with its illustrated cover, but it’s a quiet romance that is worth reading. (No smut, a bit of kissing at the most).
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Bachelor Earl by Darcy Burke (2020)
Historical romance, Regency England. Book 2 of the Matchmaking Chronicles series and Prequel Novella to the Untouchables series. Widowed for two years, Eugenia is slowly re-entering society by attending her cousin’s house party. However, it turns out that it’s a scandalous matchmaking party filled with widows, widowers, and never-married men. She starts a romance with an eligible earl, but she is hesitant to re-marry, especially as she cannot have any more children, and Edmund is looking to marry and have children of his own. Quick read and nice set-up for Eugenia’s stepson’s story in the next book of the Untouchables series.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Runaway Viscount by Darcy Burke (2022)
Historical romance, Regency England. Book 3 of the Matchmaking Chronicles series. Juliana and Lucas meet at an inn during a snowstorm and have a tryst on their second night there; the next morning, Lucas has disappeared without a goodbye. They meet again two years later at a matchmaking house party (the same party as in The Bachelor Earl) and reconnect. However, there’s a smidge of drama when Lucas runs away, yet again, for some untold emergency. But at least he left a note this time. Another really quick read here and relatively low-angst.
Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.
Harry Potter Fanfic: She is Nothing by Sierraismistx
Severus/Hermione one-shot with Lily Bashing. That’s all. Just 1k words of Lily Bashing.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: Tell Me A Secret by Sierraismistx
Severus/Hermione one-shot, 2k words. Hermione sets out to seduce Snape and tell him who she really is.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Harry Potter Fanfic: The Season for Sin by Elle_Morgan_Black
Lucius/Hermione/Draco, multi-chapter, 29k words. It’s mostly smut with a bit of heart. Lucius and Hermione are married and enjoy a fair amount of experimentation in the bedroom. The next challenge for Hermione is to seduce her own stepson, Draco.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own (Must be logged into an AO3 account)
Want more Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.
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Sins and Scoundrels Series by Scarlett Scott / Historical Romance Book Series
Series overview: Each book jumps a bit into the next and most of our characters are morally grey.
Click here to see the whole series on Amazon.
Duke of Depravity
Lady infiltrates a duke’s home as governess to his sisters to look for evidence of his treason.
Print length: 272 pages
Click here to get the book on KU
Prince of Persuasion
Gaming club owner meets young lady who visits the club so she can write a novel. He can use her to gain revenge on his own father.
Print length: 298 pages
Click here to get the book on KU
Marquess of Mayhem
Scarred and bitter marquess aims to ruin the sister of his nemesis.
Print length: 285 pages
Click here to get the book on KU
Sarah
Lady aims to expose her late sister’s fiance as a scoundrel.
Print length: 106 pages
Click here to get the book on KU
Earl of Every Sin
As a debt of honor, an earl marries the ruined sister of another nobleman. They settle on a marriage of convenience.
Print length: 310 pages
Click here to get the book on KU
Duke of Debauchery
A drunken carriage race leaves a man gravely injured, and the duke at fault makes amends by marrying that man’s sister.
Print length: 300 pages
Click here to get the book on KU
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Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
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Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
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Affiliate links may be used within this post. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Holiday Historical Romance Novella Round-Up
If you’re looking for quick, easy, festive reads to cap off your reading log for the year, here are twelve holiday historical romance novellas I’ve finished recently. Listed in alphabetical order by author last name.
Maid Under the Mistletoe by Annabelle Anders (2020)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Novella. Eligible earl is courting a neighboring viscount’s daughter and expects to announce their engagement at their Christmas house party. However, he finds himself attracted to the girl’s maid instead, who was a vicar’s daughter now in service. Sweet and funny quick read!
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon
Merry Miss by Annabelle Anders (2022)
Historical romance set in Regency-era England. Book 9 of the Regency Cocky Gents series. Novella. Delia is on the way to become an elderly lady’s companion and finds some travel difficulty, nearly becoming lost in the snow on the side of the road. While on his way to visit his family, Jack rescues a cold and shivering Delia and brings her to his room in an inn. Quick read and fun to see this rake show care and tenderness to Delia.
Ebook purchased via Amazon.
Shop this book via Amazon
All She Wants for Christmas by Amy Rose Bennett (2016)
Historical romance, Regency-era England. Novella-length. Bluestocking artist Tessa escapes a ball by going to her art studio. While there, she accidentally witnesses an assignation between a rake and a widow. She’s caught by the rake, Jasper, and he kisses her before she can leave. Their kiss is witnessed and they’re forced to marry. Quick and easy read with our rake finding his intended wife very attractive and not being displeased about the circumstances.
Ebook purchased via Amazon.
An Improper Christmas by Amy Rose Bennett (2018)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Smutty novella. Young lady catches her fiancee with another woman and runs away from a house party. She ends up riding in a carriage with a notorious rake and then spends the night in his home. Quick and smutty, with a nice little change of heart for our rake.
Ebook purchased via Amazon.
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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
A Little Christmas Magic by Chasity Bowlin (2022)
Historical romance, Regency/Victorian-era England. Novella. A dastardly cousin is trying to evict a young woman from her home, saying that her brother has died overseas and that he has now inherited the manor. A solicitor from the evil cousin’s law firm has come to town to assist in the eviction, but a romance begins between the lawyer and the young woman instead. The young woman has the gift of sight and has predicted the romance between herself and the lawyer, but isn’t sure whether to believe it true or just wishful thinking. Also, there’s her belief that her brother hasn’t died at all. We have a fun insta-love, trapped in a snowstorm, novella here.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
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The Duke’s Christmas Miracle by Christina Britton (2022)
Historical romance, Regency/Victorian-era England. Novella. A light-hearted, reconnected childhood friends story. Poppy is at a house party as a spoiled debutante’s lady’s maid and finds that the duke being targeted by all the young ladies is her childhood friend Marcus. When Poppy is cruelly dismissed, Marcus keeps her at the house as his aunt’s companion with the goal of convincing her to stay for good.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon.
Her Christmas Rogue by Christi Caldwell (2019)
Historical romance, Regency-era England. Novella. Winnie is in love with her older brother’s best friend but he has only seen her as a younger sister. Having had two unsuccessful Seasons, she fears her mother and friends intend to matchmake at an upcoming Christmas house party. Trent, second son to a marquess and all-around rogue, knows that he’s not worthy of Winnie and avoids her due to his shameful desire for her. Sweet and quick read. I loved how Winnie was direct in telling Trent how she feels.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong by Cecilia Grant (2014)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Prequel novella of the Blackshear Family series, takes place years before the first book of the series. This one finds our oldest brother of the Blackshear family, Andrew, out shopping for a hunting falcon as a gift for his sister. When he visits the nobleman that sells the birds, he meets the man’s beautiful daughter, Lucy. They’re complete opposites in terms of personality and adherence to propriety. Through chance and mischief (rain, snow, broken carriages, and Christmas), these two get stuck together for longer than he anticipated, eventually necessitating a fake marriage to keep up appearances in the town where they seek shelter. Over time, Lucy enables Andrew to let go of some of his seriousness and have fun
Ebook purchased from Amazon.
A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews (2018)
Historical romance set in Victorian England. Novella-length. Quick read. Sophie is the eldest daughter of a baronet and has been courting Mr. Edward Sharpe for two months and breaks it off because they seemingly don’t suit. It’s mostly because the courtship was awkward and stilted because he was trying too hard to be a gentleman. She decides to give him another chance with his holiday visit to her family’s house, and this time, he knows he needs to win her over. Super sweet read for the holidays.
Ebook purchased as an ebook deal via Amazon.
A Christmas Kiss by Jess Michaels (2015)
Historical romance, Regency era England. Short smutty novella. This quick little five chapter story finds an estranged married couple reuniting for the holidays. We find out that they had married and the next day, the lady finds out that her husband married her for the money, and she left him. Having not seen each other for six months, the husband now wants to make it a real marriage and woo her.
Ebook purchased from Amazon.
Shop this book via Amazon
The Governess Gamble by Tracy Sumner (2022)
Historical romance, Regency-era England. Novella, part of The Duchess Society series. While an American heiress is waiting for an appointment, she overhears a very handsome viscount ask for assistance in finding a governess for his new six-year old ward. Looking for the chance to sketch the man before she’s stuck in a cold and lonely marriage, she volunteers for the temporary position. This was a very sweet and quick read, with our American lady being ultra transparent and blunt about her attraction to the viscount. Plus, our impoverished lord trying to resist the lady and slowly melting for his young ward. And of course, they end up having honest conversations about the viscount’s sad financial state, his goals, his hidden profession, plus her ruination that led to her father pushing her to marry. Overall, a worthwhile read.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive
Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy
Support this page with a donation
Affiliate links may be used within this post. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
