Book Reviews - Random Olive

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Lucky Ladies of London Historical Romance Book Series by Faye Delacour

Mar 25, 2026

The Lady He Lost by Faye Delacour (2024)

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

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

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

A Lady’s Guide to London by Faye Delacour (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lucky Ladies of London series. Della is passionate about all her endeavors and in her attempt to draw more clients to the gambling club she owns with her friend, she asks the author of a gentleman’s guide, Lyman, to include her club as a destination. He says no, so she quickly decides to write her own guide instead. Except the publisher has paired them together into some co-writing mentorship sort of deal. He’s super rigid and prickly and she’s all flirtations and smiles. I enjoyed seeing these total opposites fall in love, and learn more about Lyman’s backstory. The events of this book overlap with the next one, so it’ll make a lot of sense to read them back to back.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

A Most Worthy Husband by Faye Delacour (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Lucky Ladies of London series. Hannah is fed up with her mother’s matchmaking, so she seizes an opportunity to ruin herself by paying a man to kiss her where they can be seen. Silas is all sorts of hesitant, but eventually agrees for the money. It’s a whirlwind of scandal that turns into a fake courtship and a fake engagement. But Silas really is a stand-up guy, even if a bit misunderstood, and totally deserving of love an affection. Hannah is a bit naive in regards to scheming to get her parents back together, but aside from that, she does have genuine affection for Silas. Definitely a case of he falls first and harder though, which I adore.

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

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

Weekly Reads: March 16 to 22, 2026 (secret relationship contemporary romance, personal finance)

Mar 24, 2026

Crash Test by Amy James (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Starting out strong with the angst here and letting it linger through the whole book. Travis and Jacob are both race car drivers who have been in a secret relationship for a year. We start the book with Jacob getting into a horrible accident, and then see Travis’ point of view as he finds out what happened and then tries to go see Jacob in the hospital. It’s absolutely gut-wrenching to go through all of his emotions, not knowing if the man he loves is going to survive. Especially when we hear than another driver in the crash did not. I loved this book and all its emotions, but you definitely need to be emotionally prepared for heartbreak before you get to the happy ending.

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

Seven Points by Amy James (2025)

Contemporary romance. Follow-up novella to Crash Test. Short and mostly fluffy novella. It’s like seven months after the end of Crash Test, Travis and Jacob are together and Jacob has an opportunity to race again. It’s mostly messy from Jacob’s point of view because he’s insecure about deserving Travis’ affection. But I love a confident Travis here. Cute follow-up.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Well Endowed by Vivian Tu (2026)

Personal finance. Vivian is known on TikTok as yourrichbff, and I’ve enjoyed her content before, so I decided to pick up this book. Solid advice in an approachable format. I listened on audio and Vivian narrates the book herself. If you’re used to watching her TikToks, then audio is a great choice here. This book is a follow-up to her previous one, Rich AF, and covers more of the big life purchases like cars, houses, weddings, and kids. As someone who is financially secure and previously educated on most tenets of personal finance, I didn’t learn much new here. However, if you’re looking to increase your own finance education, this book would be a great start.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Fortune Flip by Lauren Kung Jessen (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Funny enough, having just read a personal finance book, reading a book where the main character wins the lottery is really interesting. Hazel is having the worst day ever (lost her job, got divorced) on top of having to financially bail out her brother and father constantly. She meets Logan during a fortune-telling mishap and they end up buying a lottery ticket. Lucky for them, it’s a winner. Unlucky for Logan, it seems that he’s run into a string of bad luck while Hazel has had her luck improve. We’ve got a cute luck-swap story here and a fairly straightforward romance. I like how Hazel and Logan communicate with each other and support each other as they slowly bond. Cute, mostly fluffy, except for their tragic backstories and Hazel’s toxic family. Audio is duet narration.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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Game Changers Hockey Romance Book Series by Rachel Reid

Mar 18, 2026

Game Changer by Rachel Reid (2018)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Game Changers series. Super steamy insta-lust, insta-love situation for hockey player Scott and smoothie maker Kip. Scott’s gotta keep his personal life secret because of macho sports reasons, but Kip is just excited to be with him. At first. The secret boyfriend situation will eventually be the big conflict of the book, but it’s super sweet to see these two get together and fall in love. Kip is absolutely adorable and you can totally feel his insecurities here being the big burly famous athlete’s secret. But Scott definitely has his own issues that he’s slowly working through when he realizes love is more important than anything else. Great setup for the rest of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid (2019)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Game Changers series. The hype is real. Everything anyone says about this book being amazing is true. Did it take a TV adaptation and all the hype to get me to read it? Yes. Have I even seen the show yet? No. But this book was so good. How the heck does a secret romance spanning 8 years over the course of the book hook you in? I don’t know, but it’s amazing. We start with Shane and Ilya being total sports enemies, sports prodigies, totally famous rookies, but also terrified of being attracted to each other. There’s hockey and then there are all the secret hookups, that start off as an angry way to get it out of their systems, but keep happening. For years. And the pining when they aren’t together is insane. Loved this book. It will change your life.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Tough Guy by Rachel Reid (2020)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Game Changers series. Ryan just got traded to a hockey team in Toronto, mostly known for being the tough fighter guy on the team, and has a history of anxiety. He’s not quite in the closet, but he’s socially awkward and doesn’t advertise his sexuality. And he definitely has a thing for more androgynous sort of guys, which includes Fabian, a musician that he had a teenage crush on and reconnects with in Toronto. It’s super obvious these two have a crush on each other and it’s fun seeing them stumble through their burgeoning relationship. Big fan of Fabian’s friend group and also glad to step outside and away from the sports world of this series. These two are total opposites and it totally works.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Common Goal by Rachel Reid (2020)

Contemporary romance. Book 4 of the Game Changers series. Recently divorced Eric is trying to figure out his life and he’s not happy about being attracted to the much younger and carefree Kyle, who is kind of hung up on his friend Kip who is engaged to Eric’s teammate Scott. It’s a little messy here, but somehow Eric and Kyle become friends, and then friends-with-benefits with flirting and sex lessons built in. Both of them start having feelings fast, but Eric is doing that annoyingly noble thing where he thinks he’s too old and boring and inappropriate for Kyle and pushes him away. Classic romance trope type of book here, with special appearances and humor by our favorite Russian hockey star.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Role Model by Rachel Reid (2021)

Contemporary romance. Book 5 of the Game Changers series. Troy used to be an asshole, but I guess he’s turning things around after a video of him calling his best friend a rapist has gone viral. Troy is out of his old hockey team and onto a new suckier team, but is somehow in the most welcoming and collegial team he’s ever been on. And social media manager Harris is totally part of sunshine, with his positive attitude, apple farmboy vibes, and the caretaking of the team puppy. Troy has been trying to improve himself and that might actually mean coming out as gay instead of hiding his true personality. Luckily, he’s got Harris to help with everything. And we’re spending all our time in Ottawa, so tons of Ilya being awesome. Timeline overlaps with The Long Game, so events will be seen from multiple perspectives.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

The Long Game by Rachel Reid (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 6 of the Game Changers series. I don’t have words. I’m in a book hangover after binging this whole series in five days. Best book binge I’ve had in awhile. We’re following Shane and Ilya for this one, still in a secret relationship, with Shane being kind of an oblivious idiot while Ilya suffers in his loneliness. Ilya’s the star of this book with his emotional journey and seeking friendship and help. Shane’s got a lot of stepping up to do here and wake up to how he hasn’t actually given up any of his life or comforts to have a secret relationship with Ilya. Lots of callbacks to previous events from prior books, and this book overlaps in timeline with Role Model. We do finally tie it up and get the happily ever after that Shane and Ilya deserve.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

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

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

Weekly Reads: March 9 to 15, 2026 (hockey romance, historical romance, cozy fantasy)

Mar 17, 2026

Goaltender Interference by Ari Baran (2025)

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

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

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

Despite the Duke by Kathleen Ayers (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the London Vices series. So much scandal here. Tragic prologue when a duchess is running for her life after her husband is attacked. She dies giving birth to the next duke. We start Chapter 1 in Sophia’s perspective, where she is the oddball daughter of an earl and then compromised by a handsome duke in the garden. When called upon the next day by her father, the drunken Alexander has no recollection of going to the ball, let alone compromising a young lady. But they have to marry anyway because of propriety and all of that. There is so much bickering between these two, since they don’t really want to be trapped into marriage with each other. It was so much fun watching them slowly soften towards each other and fall in love. Plus there’s the overarching mystery of why Alexander’s uncle is sketchy and the possibility of fraud somewhere.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Bookshop.org // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited

Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett (2026)

Cozy fantasy romance. This book was so cute and funny with the mix of wacky characters. So former knight Pax runs the Wayside Hotel, which is actually a magical traveling form of lodging that goes between worlds. The magic at the hotel has run out and they’re stranded in the human world. Josie and her son Amos are looking for a new place to live and lucky for them, there’s an affordable opening at the Wayside. The romance here between Josie and Pax is very sweet, but the real entertainment is how the other ragtag residents interact with each other and with Josie, all while keeping their magical origins a secret.

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

Sheer by Vanessa Lawrence (2026)

Contemporary fiction. Standalone novel. Ooh, this one was fun. We have present-day scandal for beauty brand founder Maxine, intercut with her life story and how the company was founded and grew. There’s an overarching mystery of what exactly the scandal is of the present day, but we start to see glimpses of it when faced with the stories of the past. Super interesting to see how a young woman from the middle-class New Jersey suburbs fought for her independence and her art in her makeup brand. If you were ever interested in the evolution of makeup trends over the past few decades, this book might be up your alley. I really enjoyed it.

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

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

Want 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.

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

Beneath the Wild Sky Romantic Suspense Series by Katie Ruggle

Mar 11, 2026

The Scenic Route by Katie Ruggle (2024)

Romantic Suspense. Book 1 of the Beneath the Wild Sky series. Private investigator Bennett is looking for some missing jewels and is detoured by running into his target’s daughter Felicity. She’s a bounty hunter with a thieving mother who skipped bail and is trying to track her mom with her sisters. However, Bennett is her new stalker, so Felicity zigs while her sister zags to try to get the stalker away from her mother. Felicity and Bennett end up in a cozy mountain town to search for yet another bail jumper, this one with ties to a local militia and a history of dealing meth. It’s a fun adventure as Felicity finds new friends and allies in the town, along with tons of enemies. It’s all sorts of action-adventure in this book, and Felicity and Bennett grow closer as they survive all their wacky scenarios. Super crazy and chaotic and messy, and now I want to go back to Ruggle’s previous series to read more about the couples from this mountain town.

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

Crossing Paths by Katie Ruggle (2025)

Romantic suspense. Book 2 of the Beneath the Wild Sky series. Absolute chaos in all the best ways. Norah and her sisters are bounty hunters, but Norah’s usually a behind the scenes gal doing research from behind her computer screen. Until one of their targets hacks into her computer and sends creepy chat box messages. Along with all that, she’s also taking self-defense lessons from Dash, the local ex-MMA fighter and gym owner. The romance here is super cute and Dash is the ultimate gruff and protective sort. But the real drama revolves around Norah’s digital stalker, plus some other close calls with danger. I mean, we go from drinks on the couch at Dash’s apartment to fire bombs being thrown in the window real fast. It’s the kind of crazy danger that just makes the book more funny than fearsome. Definitely a fun ride.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Take a Hike by Katie Ruggle (2025)

Romantic suspense. Book 3 of the Beneath the Wild Sky series. Crazy chaos, as expected from Katie Ruggle. We’re running from the militia, treasure hunters, and more when Charlie and her sister and brother-in-law try to lay a trap for their wayward mother. Of course, Charlie meets the grumpiest firefighter ever Kieran and decides she’s smitten. The romance here is way too easy and no angst whatsoever, but we do get some fun grumpy flirting. There’s plenty of action in the form of fires, breaking and entering, and car chases to keep us entertained.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

Weekly Reads: March 2 to 8, 2026 (sports romance, contemporary romance, historical romance, thriller)

Mar 10, 2026

Fated Skates by Victoria Schade (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Second chance romance with figure skater Quinn and speed skater Ben, who is interviewing her for an in-depth streaming service special. Quinn was overmanaged by her mother and coach, totally bombed her performance at the last Olympics, and now training with a new team and a new attitude. Apparently, her comeback story is TV-worthy, and her former fling Ben is at the helm of the interview. She’s trying really hard to avoid him, or at the very least protect her heart, but we all know how this one is going to end. Cute story here.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Cozy mystery with a dash of romance. Pip is the assistant to a group of seven authors (in various genres) and they’re on their first book cruise. And then the head-boss, mystery writer Hugh, is murdered on practically the first day. Everyone on board the ship is a suspect, but especially the other six writers. There’s a mystery to solve, but at least Pip and Nash get to grow closer together. This one was fun to read, a little predictable, and reminded me a lot of The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm

Better than a Duke by Suzanne Enoch (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Opposites attract single parent romance here. Single dad Beckett is in town for the Season, courting a very proper young lady, at the insistence of his mother. His daughter Rebecca is nine years old and will likely need a mother figure soon to ease her way into society. And then Rebecca instantly makes friends with the boy next door, Edmund, who very conveniently has a widowed mother, Iris. As the two kids spend more time together, so do Beckett and Iris, forming their own friendship. The kids try to scheme to get their parents to couple up, but they’re mostly oblivious and trying to do what’s proper, even if they’re attracted to each other. Fun series of hijinks throughout the book and I love their blended family.

Advance ebook provided by Bramble Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.

Home Ice Advantage by Ari Baran (2024)

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

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

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

Anderson in Bloom by Jennifer Dugan (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Second chance romance with so much angst. Andy has ditched her Hollywood lifestyle after a final betrayal from longtime girlfriend and co-star Nikki, has been hiding in a tiny seaside town for the past five years, and is a floral designer at a struggling flower shop. Unfortunately for her, Nikki is also in the same seaside town and also writing a memoir. It’s a lot of push and pull here as Nikki tries and fails to apologize for all the things that went wrong between them. The whole story is told from Andy’s point of view and we’re really left wondering if it’s even possible for forgive Nikki, especially when Andy is trying so hard to avoid talking about heavy topics. Loving Andy’s support network of friends and supportive parents here too.

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

She Fell Away by Lenore Nash (2026)

Thriller. Standalone novel. I like to read thrillers sparingly because I get so invested that I have to finish the book in a day. Luckily, I read this one on a Saturday. I picked this one up because I’ve read and enjoyed this author’s historical romances as Lenora Bell (with a rom-com historical style; her last book was a Grease retelling), so I was interested to read her debut thriller. Our main character Lake is not a detective at all, but somehow gets involved in the case of a dead football player Bruce, and a missing American exchange student Bowie, and wondering if these two cases are connected. We’ve got an intercut of chapters from Bowie’s point of view, but it’s mostly Lake following different leads on the missing Bowie. I love being suspicious of pretty much every character in the story as we learn more and get closer to solving the thing. Definitely kept me hooked the whole time.

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

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

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

Contemporary Romance Books with Fake Dating

Mar 9, 2026

It’s All in Your Head by Sabina Nordqvist (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Strangers from an online chronic illness message board meet and fake date. Skylar is just trying to be helpful and prevent Pike’s mom from calling the cops for a wellness check, and maybe sorta lies that she’s Pike’s girlfriend. It does not go over well. But they meet in person and establish some ground rules for their fake relationship. Basically, they’re both navigating life suffering from chronic pain and their respective medical conditions. And as they slowly start to trust each other, it’s amazing to see how supportive they can be. Lots of insecurity and self-doubt for each, but they’re the best advocates for each other. I loved seeing these two turn their fake relationship into a real relationship, and see all the support they get from their social circle. Seriously, one of the best books with chronic disability representation I’ve read.

Advance ebook provided by Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley.

The Bodyguard Affair by Amy Lea (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This was a really fun set-up where Andi and Nolan meet at a bar, have a somewhat awkward one night stand, and then don’t see each other for three years. But they run into each other at work, where Nolan is the Prime Minister’s new bodyguard and Andi is the Prime Minister’s wife’s personal assistant. And then somehow, Andi is rumored to be having an affair with the Prime Minister (which she’s not), so a fake relationship with Nolan will help distract the scandal. Nolan is all sorts of caring and sweet and I love how obsessed he is with Andi. We get a really nice dual POV story here. This is the first Amy Lea book that I’ve read, and I was under the impression that she writes Asian characters, so I kept trying to see if either Andi or Nolan had any Asian heritage. I was also given an ARC copy from the Berkley Influencer Hub for Underrepresented Voices as an Asian book reviewer. I didn’t happen to catch if either of these two main characters were Asian, but maybe I missed it.

Advance ebook provided by Berkley Publishing via NetGalley. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Vancouver Storm series. Steamy fake dating romance here. Hazel and Rory have known each other since high school; he’s kind of an asshole, but learning to get along with his new team; she’s not interested in any sort of long term commitment and especially not with hockey players. But her toxic ex-boyfriend is traded to the team where she works and she pretends Rory is her boyfriend to get him to leave her alone. Rory, who is clearly smitten with Hazel, agrees to the ruse, but he’s really trying to convince her that this thing is real. Flirty banter the whole way through and learning about Rory’s family and backstory. He’s the ultimate boyfriend though and very obviously falls first and harder.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone romance. Super funny with lots of chaos and a crazy cast of side characters. Laura is about to sublet an apartment from a total stranger who is off to pastry school in Paris, but she ends up walking in on the man totally naked. And then his parents stop by and assume that she’s the girlfriend that he’s been telling them about all year. Callum is basically trying to avoid returning back to his home in Scotland with his overbearing parents and tales of family legacy, so he’s been making up a fake girlfriend named Caroline for the past year. After the parents leave, Laura pitches the idea of traveling with Callum to his home as his fake girlfriend. Lots of mishaps all the way through the book, and so entertaining to read, along with watching Callum and Laura falling in love. Such a great book.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Collins via NetGalley. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Second chance, fake dating romance. Denz is a contender to take over as CEO after his father retires, and maybe sort of makes up a serious relationship to prove that he’s a more serious and stable worker. Except he ends up having to ask his ex-boyfriend Braylon to be the fake boyfriend, and there’s definitely all sorts of tension there. The whole book is from Denz’ point of view, so we need to deal with his career aspirations and his fear of being heartbroken again by the same guy. There’s definitely some simmering attraction between these guys, but Braylon needs to step up and actually communicate about what happened all those years ago, along with what he wants right now. Loved this book, and the hints of the potential romance between Denz’ best friend and his cousin.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Academic rivals Frances and Lewis have a meet cute on their flight to a conference, and then are assumed to be dating by the conference organizer. And then they keep up the ruse through the conference because Frances doesn’t accidentally want to be called a liar. It turns out Lewis is not a mean guy, but just a socially awkward one who made one academic mistake on the advice of his mentor, and Frances is totally obsessed with prioritizing her work over any other type of relationship. I enjoyed seeing them communicate and air out their disagreements and then also nerd out together over science. This was a couple that was really fun to read, especially when they were supporting each other instead of getting in each other’s way. Super cute, steamy, and emotional.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

Want 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.

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

Flower Sisters Historical Romance Book Series by Ginny B. Moore

Mar 4, 2026

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.

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A Rose Blooms in Brooklyn by Ginny B. Moore (2023)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 3 of the Flowers Sisters series. The beautiful and spoiled Rose has not had a success of her many Seasons in London and now she faces a pending engagement to a man she doesn’t love or to serve as companion to an elderly relation. She told her parents that she’s bound for Boston to reconcile with her twin sister, but she’s really headed to New York City to enjoy the high society her cousin lives within. However, she’s shocked to learn that her cousin is living in Brooklyn, estranged from her family, and working to support herself. Rose is completely out of her element and has to adapt to such unfamiliar surroundings. Ben is a widower and political activist who owns the building where Rose has landed and scoffs at Rose’s naivete. He’s also uncomfortably attracted to her even though his heart is all sorts of closed off after the death of his wife in childbirth. The romance between Rose and Ben involves a lot of push-and-pull, with Rose realizing that she has been completely sheltered all her life and with Ben learning to embrace life and joy again. Running through the entire book is the opposition towards laws that prohibit the distribution of contraception and the movement for women’s suffrage. We get to admire Ben’s selfless dedication to the cause as well as Rose’s increased awareness and understanding of such matters. A great read, with lots of support from Ben’s found family.

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

Ruin Me by Midnight by Ginny B Moore (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Flower Sisters series. Violet is trying to dodge a proposal from a man she doesn’t want to marry and thinks that a ruination will get him to ditch her. While she’s at a house party, she makes a deal with Callum for a fake ruination that will leave him the good guy and her a scandalous wanton. Except that they’re truly attracted to each other and they never seem to get caught in all the situations they put themselves in. Both Violet and Callum are deeply broken by events of their respective pasts that make them wary of any lasting connections. They’ve both got to overcome their own fears before being able to move on. I loved seeing them actually open up to each other about their pasts and also all the steamy scenes between them.

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

The Lady Who Left by Ginny B Moore (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Flower Sisters series. Loads of drama and angst with this book. Marigold is tired of being talked down to and takes a stand against her husband when he wants to send her sweet son off to a cruel school. She’s looking to divorce the man, but knows her case is shaky. She’s lucky that her new barrister, Archie, is so tenacious. She’s less lucky that they’re both attracted to each other and need to fight their feelings to keep things professional. Archie is super sweet and outgoing and charming, and also very protective of Marigold. Watching these two fall in love is an absolute delight. I loved how he was interested in almost anything that Marigold talks about and believes that she deserves care and love. He’s also absolutely amazing with her sons and treated them with so much respect. Loved this book.

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B Moore.

How the Rogue Stole Christmas by Ginny B. Moore (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Flower Sisters series. Fairly quick novella here. The whole family is gathered for Christmas and Lily’s estranged husband Philip shows up at the front door. He left her the day after their wedding eight years ago and has been in no contact with her this whole time. Turns out he’s been battling an opium addiction for all these years and is finally sober enough to return. He’s got a bit of groveling to do to win his wife back though. It was good to catch up with all the other sisters and their husbands and watch them support Lily. Just the right mix of steam and plot and of course, plenty of angst for a novella.

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

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Weekly Reads: February 23 to March 1, 2026 (contemporary romance, historical romance)

Mar 3, 2026

A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Scout is a former rocket scientist turned sex toy engineer who has an inconvenient crush on her co-worker Hudson. He’s got the best sort of cinnamon roll energy, even if he’s totally naive about all the toys at the company. When Scout decides she’s got to let go of her virginity, she propositions Hudson for the job, in exchange for teaching him about all those toys. She wants to keep things strictly physical, since she can’t have any distractions from her work, but he’s clearly smitten with her. Lots of issues for Scout related to her parents, her genius-level intelligence, and a former toxic relationship. She’s got a whole lot of self-discovery to go through before finding her happily ever after. Loved this book so much.

Advance ebook provided by Berkley via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

And Now, Back to You by BK Borison (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Heartstrings series. Opposites attract here with the grumpy straightlaced Jackson and the bubbly and chaotic Delilah. Except she isn’t really that chaotic, her toxic boss is trying to sabotage her. Jackson does radio weather, Delilah does TV weather, and their respective bosses team them up and send them to the mountains to cover a snowstorm. Reading these two interact and truly get to know each other is a joy. Like, this book was such a delight. And I especially loved that Jackson is raising his teenage sisters with such care and affection. Humor and steam and emotional angst all rolled into one.

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

The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews (2024)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. I love a messy slow burn romance, especially when one of the partners is especially grumpy. Simon is the serious actor who is on a sci-fi drama and wants out, especially if it means never having to talk to his less-serious bubbly co-star Charlie. But then somehow, he’s starting to see Charlie in a new light, and then they kinda sorta fake a friendship to make sure people don’t think Simon is leaving the show on bad terms. And then Charlie needs to track down his missing stepdad and Simon comes along for the ride. These two end up being way more emotionally vulnerable about their families and their upbringing, and in that process, they see each other as more human and approachable. Tons of heavy emotions here, especially when dealing with Simon’s anxiety and migraines. This book was so good.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews (2024)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

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