Book Reviews - Random Olive

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A Romance Reader’s Ultimate Guide to Sharing Online

Mar 29, 2023

If you’ve been following other content creators for your book recommendations, you may find yourself wanting to become one yourself. What could be more fun than talking about the books you’ve read and loved all the time?

There are so many types of content you can produce and so many different places where you can talk about books, it can be hard to decide what to post and where. Realistically, you should just start posting wherever it is that you hang out the most. And then, when you feel up to it, you can slowly expand to other places.

This Guide will help you:

Find new friends who can gush with you about books all day long. Started a new reading hobby and have no one IRL to chat with? There are so many different platforms online where you can talk about your favorite books
The guide will take you through the types of content you can create and where you can post it for people to find and declare you to be their new best friend.

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.

Weekly Reads: March 20 to 26, 2023

Mar 28, 2023

Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Somerset Stories series. Childhood friends Nicholas and Maggie are separated when Nicholas is accused of a crime and she helps him escape. Ten years later, Maggie is in London for the Season after an illness and mourning her father and her aunt, when a handsome viscount new to London is paying her court. It doesn’t take long for Maggie to suspect that the handsome viscount is really her childhood friend Nicholas in a new identity and persona. Both have their money and property at stake if they continue their association, but cannot seem to stay away from each other. It’s also interesting to watch them uncover the mysteries of the past and explanations for the viscount’s current identity.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

How to Get Paid for What You Know by Graham Cochrane (2022)

Nonfiction. Business and entrepreneurship. This one is pretty much a how-to guide for how to monetize your knowledge by selling ebooks or ecourses. The idea is that with your knowledge and skills, you can create a digital product and sell it online in a semi-passive and scalable way. Once you’ve created the content once, it can continue to sell without you needing to make it again. Of course, this all depends on smart marketing and creating something that people actually want. It’s a lot of the same stuff I’ve heard before in the online marketing/business space, but it’s always nice to be reminded that it is possible and achievable. (Though maybe not to the full scale that’s presented in these types of books)

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Return to Satterthwaite Court by Mimi Matthews (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Somerset Stories series. Take the son of the couple from Book 1 and the daughter of the couple from Book 2, throw them together, and you get Book 3. Kate and Charles have a chance meeting in a London street when Charles rescues a stray dog (much like his mother) and Kate finds herself completely enthralled and ready to pursue him. Kate is uninterested in any of the other gentlemen she’s met this year and Charles is newly returned from serving in the Navy. The romance here is pretty straightforward and we get to revisit the families we loved from the previous books. Plus, there’s a nice setup for Book 4, which comes out later this year.

Advance ebook provided by Perfectly Proper Press via NetGalley.

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters (2020)

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters (2021)

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Romancing the Heiress by Darcy Burke (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Lords in Love series. Leah is back in Marrywell for the annual matchmaking festival as a companion to a young debutante in search of a husband. Of course Leah is still enamored with her childhood friend Phineas, who is considering marrying an heiress to save his secretly impoverished estate. This one is a relatively quick read, with somewhat tragic backstories for everyone involved: Leah had an abusive childhood so she was desperate to escape the village of Marrywell; Phineas had a gambling father who left the estate in dire financial condition; and even the young debutante who is not at all who we’re concerned with has an overbearing managing mother. However, the attraction between Leah and Phineas was a delight to read and their shared history made for a stronger connection. And we get to see the couple from Book 1 of the series again for the festival.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.

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

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

March 2023 Historical Romance Book New Releases

Mar 24, 2023

The Portrait of a Duchess by Scarlett Peckham (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Society of Sirens series. Cornelia is the niece of a duke but has built her reputation as a scandalous painter. She and her friends are trying to raise funds to build an institute for women and she needs a place to exhibit her latest collection of paintings. One seemingly random day, her uncle’s heir, Rafe, and now the duke comes to visit to inform her of her inheritance, which hinges on her being married. The surprise is that she’s already married to Rafe himself, and he suggests they go public with the marriage so she can claim her inheritance. What follows is a non-chronological story of how these two ended up married twenty years ago and then estranged in all the time since then. I mostly kept reading because I wanted to find out what happened, but the story itself wasn’t terribly interesting to me. Rafe is a smooshy sort of fellow who falls in love too freely and scares off all his partners with his enthusiasm and Cornelia is adamant about her independence and does not want the complication (or obligation) of love. He’s an overzealous puppy for most of the book and she’s the reluctant and selfish one, protecting her own isolation. And then there’s the political stuff happening in the background that wasn’t super interesting to me. On the plus side, Rafe is unapologetically bisexual here and one of his male lovers joins in for an encounter with Cornelia. So you know, if you like that stuff, here it is in a traditionally published historical romance.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Beguiling the Duke by Darcy Burke (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Lords in Love series. A duke’s carriage loses a wheel in a small village and he takes shelter in the small village of Marrywell. The village is completely pre-occupied with its annual matchmaking festival, so there’s no room at the inn and no workers to help fix the duke’s carriage. The local squire provides shelter for the week the the duke grows closer to the squire’s daughter. Sadie has been maintaining her father’s home and taking care of her four brothers for years and hopes that this year’s festival will prove fruitful for her marriage prospects. And this time, with the duke at her side, she’s actually getting the attention she deserves. But of course, Sadie and the duke are finding themselves drawn to each other instead. Relatively low on the angst and heartache scale here and a delightful read.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.

The Heiress at Sea by Christi Caldwell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone, but tied to The Duke Alone, as we are following the older sister of the main character from that book. Cassia, the often invisible eldest daughter of an earl, is setting off an adventure, dressing as a boy and sneaking onto her brother’s best friend’s ship so she can see the world. Turns out she’s on the wrong ship and ends up on Nathaniel’s boat, which is aimed to intercept a French war ship. Nathaniel is the second son of a duke, but recently became the heir after his brother fell off a horse. With his father’s demands in mind, this mission is likely to be his last. With everyone trapped on a ship, there’s plenty of drama to go around: Cassia is still pretending to be a boy, but she’s so terribly naive and sensitive that the other men mock her work; when they discover she’s actually a lady, there’s most definitely potential for scandal; and she cannot stop talking and chattering and also cannot detect sarcasm. It makes for annoying and infuriating conversation every time Nathaniel has to deal with her. But it’s a romance novel after all, and he starts to see her as someone brave (though naive) and also someone he wants to care for a protect. It was definitely a fun read and I enjoyed how all the conflict got resolved.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake Books via NetGalley.

Stealing the Duke by Lexi Post (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marrying a Mabry series. Loosely modeled after the March family of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, we start the series with Joanna, who is in the process of stealing a book from an arrogant and pretentious duke. Unfortunately, that book has a false cover, and she doesn’t realize that she has stolen a book of scandalous illustrations and tutorials. When James finds that his book has gone missing, he suspects Joanna of the crime. These two banter and debate and talk around the stolen book, but Joanna thinks that he suspects her of stealing it. There’s lots of discussion of the roles of women and what constitutes a good match in society, and Joanna enlightening James on the intellect and goals of women. Add in James’ dislike for society, the perfect lady he’s half-heartedly courting, his all-too-knowing aunt, plus a cousin making her debut, and we’ve got lots of moving pieces in this story. The flirtatious banter was great, even when both characters don’t even realize they’re flirting or genuinely enjoying each other’s company. Looking forward to reading about the rest of the Mabry clan in future books.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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

Music for the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Suddenly a Duke series. Tragic prologue for Fia where she’s a six-year old girl being tormented by her cousin and heir to her father’s earldom. Many years later, we see a shocking and tragic demise of Henry’s grandfather and father within the same day, making him a duke. A year after that, they both somehow make friends with the now-married duke and duchess from Book 1 of the series, who assist in getting Fia out of her cousin’s house and assist Henry in wooing the girl. Fia was treated horribly by her cousin after her parents’ deaths, first by refusing her debut into society, then by moving her into the attic like a servant, and farming her out for music lessons where he collects the fees and she sees none of it. It’s a rough life for Fia, and when we think she’ll appreciate being courted by a duke, she’s fearful of scandal and would rather live independently and rely on her skills as a musician to survive. It’s a pretty short read with only a tiny bit of angst. But there are way too many dukes and duchesses floating around here, so it can be hard to keep up with who’s being referenced at any given moment. Still a perfectly pleasant read.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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

Mr. West and The Widow by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Brazen Beauties series. Another emotionally damaged widow here with a scarred and emotionally damaged gentleman. Mr. West, Colin, is on his way home to his estate but waylaid by a storm and seeks shelter at a nearby manor house. There, he meets Victoria, who has been widowed a year and in a floundering mess of debt with an unproductive piece of land. She is also terribly shy and skittish around him. He thinks it’s because of his scarred appearance, but really, she’s attracted to him and doesn’t know what to do with all of these new emotions. It turns out the Victoria is the younger sister of Colin’s friend who died at war and now he feels even more of a moral obligation to help her with her financial affairs. He invites her to his estate to tutor her on land management and also brings his friends (and their wives that they acquired in the last two books) to keep things proper. It’s a slow burn situation with both emotionally vulnerable characters interpreting the worst of the other’s actions. But when they finally talk it out, it’s a wonderful connection. And then Victoria ends up being stronger and more courageous than she expected.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

Taming the Rake by Erica Ridley (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lords in Love series. Gladys the wallflower is at the Marrywell Matchmaking Festival for the fourth time and needs to find a marriage match before her dowry is given to her delightful younger sister. She finds herself kissed in a garden and expected a proposal from the handsome gentleman, but he never shows up, and she was spotted in a disheveled state, so now she’s publicly ruined as well. Her family cuts her off completely and she has to survive on her own. Five years later, she returns to Marrywell to find the man who ruined her and seek revenge. But he’s a lot less rakish than he seemed before and Gladys is at risk of falling in love. I really enjoyed Gladys’ transformation to a confident woman and the development of her relationship with Reuben.

Advance ebook provided by Erica Ridley via NetGalley.

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller (2023)

Historical romance. 1870s Vienna. Standalone novel. Maria is the owner/manager of a flailing hotel in Vienna. After her mother’s mismanagement and an economic downturn, Maria hopes to rebuild the hotel to its previous grandeur. Meanwhile, Eli is an American in town looking for clues on some smuggled codes sent from the hotel’s address. And while he’s there, he saves Maria from certain death multiple times. It was slow start for me, but once these two team up to find her assailant and give into their attraction, I couldn’t put it down. It’s amazing that these two very serious people are able to smile and find joy and humor with each other. Plus Maria’s complicated family history comes into play at multiple points of the story, making things delightfully interesting.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Dani Collins (2023)

Historical romance. Pre-Civil War America. Standalone novel. Divorced and disgraced with nowhere to go, Marigold sets off to marry a stranger. Her sister had been set to be a mail order bride, but found another suitor, so Marigold takes her place and travels west. When she arrives, Virgil is angry to find a stranger instead of his bride, but takes her home with him anyway to keep house and care for his three children. They bicker and argue, but it’s clear that Marigold is good with the kids and adapts well to her primitive surroundings. It’s definitely a slow burn romance with lots of missteps (mostly from Virgil), but the writing is refreshingly humorous and you’ll appreciate the competence from both parties and willingness to work together. I had a great time reading this book and can’t wait to see more from this author in this setting.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. Print book provided by Entangled Publishing.

A Kiss in the Moonlight by Cathy Maxwell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Gambler’s Daughters series. Three sisters in Ireland are at the mercy of their cousin who wants to marry them off to the most convenient person. Middle sister Dara has a plan though; send the oldest, Gwendolyn, to gamble and win enough money for the three of them (plus their great aunt) to go to London and find titled husbands. Sounds easy enough. Through a couple of chapters told from Gwendolyn and an investigator named Steele’s points of view, we see how the money is won, and the women are on their way. Dara wants the best for her sisters, so sometimes she comes across as managing and stringent, much to her younger sister Elise’s dismay. She tries to warn off Elise’s suitor, Michael since he’s not titled, and she’s agonizingly attracted to him herself. Dara feels less beautiful than her sisters and knows that she doesn’t really have a chance with him. She’s focused on making sure her sisters have good matches and they can escape their terrible cousin. Meanwhile Michael is investigating an embezzlement scheme, but the plot there is only shallowly discussed. At some point, Dara finds herself in a compromising situation and Michael is the one to rescue her, which causes a rift between Dara and Elise. The romance between these two didn’t feel developed enough for them to have fallen in love so quickly, especially after all the bickering and arguing they did from the start. I am curious to see how the stories for the other sisters works out though.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Say I Do series. We start here with one of the silliest reasons for a marriage of convenience, which is an inheritance-related reason. Our duke Wyatt has just been informed that he needs to marry within 7 days to keep the property that his grandmother left for him. Not to worry though, his solicitor has already found him a bride: Fredericka is in a custody battle with her cousin over the guardianship of her sister’s orphaned children and needs a husband to bolster her cause. When the duke shows up at her house to offer marriage, she’s stunned and would rather have had more time to consider the proposal, but they’re on a time crunch, so she accepts. Along the way, we find that Fredericka is the strict caregiver and expecting proper behavior from the children (but mostly so she doesn’t get the kids taken away from her) and Wyatt is the one who wants to see the kids rambunctiously playing. These two are constantly bickering from their opposing views on childrearing, plus misinterpreting each other’s words anytime they’re speaking. It was a fun book to read and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

Advance ebook provided by St Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

What Happens in the Ballroom by Sabrina Jeffries (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Designing Debutantes series. Widowed Eliza knows that her late husband who died in battle was a waste of space, but we really hit it home here in this book. Nathaniel, an earl, and her husband’s best friend has tasked Eliza and her sisters with polishing up his young widowed ward for the marriage mart. However, we suspect early on that the ward (and her two year old son) are not exactly as they seem and may be holding onto some major secrets there. The romance part of the story was relatively uncomplicated, with Eliza and Nathaniel falling easily into lust, embraces, and an affair. The main issue is that Nathaniel is keeping secrets and Eliza is unwilling to trust a man, after being treated poorly by both her father and her late husband. Overall an enjoyable book, even if you were able to guess those secrets for yourself.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

The Scandalous Ladies of London: The Countess by Sophie Jordan (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Scandalous Ladies of London series. Miserably married countess Gertrude (Tru) is launching her daughter into the Marriage Mart this year, but her scapegrace estranged husband is willing to sell her off to the highest bidder. A wealthy inn and hotel-owner Jasper is looking to marry a titled and distinguished lady, so entertains the thought of courting the young debutante, until he meets her mother and is drawn to her instead. Loads of drama and the introduction of a female friend group consisting of a miserably married duchess, her courtesan-turned-marchioness stepmother, and Tru’s spinster younger sister, who I’m betting will all have their own books later in the series. This book isn’t too complicated on external plot, just dealing with a prim and proper countess denying her desires and feelings and guilt over wanting her daughter’s suitor. And the villainous husband of hers.

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

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

Weekly Reads: March 13 to 19, 2023

Mar 21, 2023

How Not to Marry a Duke by Tina Gabrielle (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Daring Ladies series. We follow the duke friend from Book 1 here about a year after that book ends into the country where he is working on his inventions. The Duke of Warwick (known to his sweet godmother as Daniel) is not your typical duke: he’s socially inept and awkward and focuses mostly on his passion for science and technology. While hiding in the country to escape the bustle of town and the matchmaking efforts of his godmother, he meets his new neighbor Adeline, who has her own problems. Adeline is the banished half-sister of an earl who is in the country to work as the village healer; however, her brother has tried to arrange her marriage to a moneylender to pay off his debts. When Warwick overhears the argument between Adeline and her brother, he steps in and says that she cannot marry another because they are courting. We start a fake courtship here so that Warwick can avoid his godmother’s pressure to marry and so that Adeline can avoid her brother’s arranged betrothal. Both characters are pre-occupied with their own individual goals and not looking to marry, especially not to each other. Of course, as they spend more time with each other, they learn to appreciate each other’s strengths, even if typically dismissed by society. I especially loved how Warwick was supportive of Adeline’s work as a healer. The romance built up slowly in this book, but the respect they had for each other was a strong foundation for their partnership.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

The Horologist: A Tale of Lovers Unwound by Daria Vernon (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone short story. Bastian is a clockmaker and machinist giving demonstrations to the queen and her court. He catches the eye of one of the ladies, Danella. On his last day there, she orchestrates a time for them to be alone. Quick and steamy read, but also really smart and sweet.

Ebook available free with sign up at the author’s website.

Love And Other Perennial Habits by Emmaline Warden (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Genus of Gentlemen series. We have a widowed countess, Meg, finally out from under her cruel husband’s thumb and now she’s restoring an old manor in the country. She meets Oliver, a second son and now heir, who is doing his own botanical experiments in the country. While away from town, both Meg and Oliver can be themselves, freed from the strictures of society and easily fall in love. They’re happy and productive and things just can’t go wrong… except the reader knows that their holiday will end, and certainly Oliver will need to deal with the realities of his station. And as expected, when Oliver is called back to London, heartbreak and angst sets in for them both. This book made me feel all the feels and tear up all the tears in all the best ways. And I’m looking forward to the release of Book 2, with a heartbroken hero I need to learn more about.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Mr. West and The Widow by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Brazen Beauties series. Another emotionally damaged widow here with a scarred and emotionally damaged gentleman. Mr. West, Colin, is on his way home to his estate but waylaid by a storm and seeks shelter at a nearby manor house. There, he meets Victoria, who has been widowed a year and in a floundering mess of debt with an unproductive piece of land. She is also terribly shy and skittish around him. He thinks it’s because of his scarred appearance, but really, she’s attracted to him and doesn’t know what to do with all of these new emotions. It turns out the Victoria is the younger sister of Colin’s friend who died at war and now he feels even more of a moral obligation to help her with her financial affairs. He invites her to his estate to tutor her on land management and also brings his friends (and their wives that they acquired in the last two books) to keep things proper. It’s a slow burn situation with both emotionally vulnerable characters interpreting the worst of the other’s actions. But when they finally talk it out, it’s a wonderful connection. And then Victoria ends up being stronger and more courageous than she expected.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

Stealing the Duke by Lexi Post (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marrying a Mabry series. Loosely modeled after the March family of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, we start the series with Joanna, who is in the process of stealing a book from an arrogant and pretentious duke. Unfortunately, that book has a false cover, and she doesn’t realize that she has stolen a book of scandalous illustrations and tutorials. When James finds that his book has gone missing, he suspects Joanna of the crime. These two banter and debate and talk around the stolen book, but Joanna thinks that he suspects her of stealing it. There’s lots of discussion of the roles of women and what constitutes a good match in society, and Joanna enlightening James on the intellect and goals of women. Add in James’ dislike for society, the perfect lady he’s half-heartedly courting, his all-too-knowing aunt, plus a cousin making her debut, and we’ve got lots of moving pieces in this story. The flirtatious banter was great, even when both characters don’t even realize they’re flirting or genuinely enjoying each other’s company. Looking forward to reading about the rest of the Mabry clan in future books.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Somerset Stories series. We’ve got a strikingly beautiful and kind young lady, Phyllida, living with her uncle and cousins after her grandfather has passed away and now she’s being prepared for her debut and season. However, her uncle has almost sold her to a much older and cruel duke who is known for collecting rare and beautiful things. She finds kindness and connection with another man, Arthur, who is an injured war veteran. When it seems that her marriage to the duke is imminent, she enters into a marriage of convenience with Arthur, and he takes her away to his estate for protection. In reading this book, I appreciated the slow build of trust and companionship between Phyllida and Arthur and that they were able to talk through their issues for the most part. Even with the external drama of meddlesome family members, the romance here was solid and heartwarming.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

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

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

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

Weekly Reads: March 6 to 12, 2023

Mar 14, 2023

Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Say I Do series. We start here with one of the silliest reasons for a marriage of convenience, which is an inheritance-related reason. Our duke Wyatt has just been informed that he needs to marry within 7 days to keep the property that his grandmother left for him. Not to worry though, his solicitor has already found him a bride: Fredericka is in a custody battle with her cousin over the guardianship of her sister’s orphaned children and needs a husband to bolster her cause. When the duke shows up at her house to offer marriage, she’s stunned and would rather have had more time to consider the proposal, but they’re on a time crunch, so she accepts. Along the way, we find that Fredericka is the strict caregiver and expecting proper behavior from the children (but mostly so she doesn’t get the kids taken away from her) and Wyatt is the one who wants to see the kids rambunctiously playing. These two are constantly bickering from their opposing views on childrearing, plus misinterpreting each other’s words anytime they’re speaking. It was a fun book to read and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

Advance ebook provided by St Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

What Happens in the Ballroom by Sabrina Jeffries (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Designing Debutantes series. Widowed Eliza knows that her late husband who died in battle was a waste of space, but we really hit it home here in this book. Nathaniel, an earl, and her husband’s best friend has tasked Eliza and her sisters with polishing up his young widowed ward for the marriage mart. However, we suspect early on that the ward (and her two year old son) are not exactly as they seem and may be holding onto some major secrets there. The romance part of the story was relatively uncomplicated, with Eliza and Nathaniel falling easily into lust, embraces, and an affair. The main issue is that Nathaniel is keeping secrets and Eliza is unwilling to trust a man, after being treated poorly by both her father and her late husband. Overall an enjoyable book, even if you were able to guess those secrets for yourself.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero (2013)

Nonfiction, Self-Help. Since I’ve been in a business-mindset lately, I decided to re-read this one from Jen Sincero. Basically just trying to motivate myself to have positive energy with my new business idea. This book is one that helps you get off your ass and set goals that you know you will be able to achieve. Quick read, and you can skim the sections that feel like don’t apply to you. A little woo, but gives you a positive mindset.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Music for the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Suddenly a Duke series. Tragic prologue for Fia where she’s a six-year old girl being tormented by her cousin and heir to her father’s earldom. Many years later, we see a shocking and tragic demise of Henry’s grandfather and father within the same day, making him a duke. A year after that, they both somehow make friends with the now-married duke and duchess from Book 1 of the series, who assist in getting Fia out of her cousin’s house and assist Henry in wooing the girl. Fia was treated horribly by her cousin after her parents’ deaths, first by refusing her debut into society, then by moving her into the attic like a servant, and farming her out for music lessons where he collects the fees and she sees none of it. It’s a rough life for Fia, and when we think she’ll appreciate being courted by a duke, she’s fearful of scandal and would rather live independently and rely on her skills as a musician to survive. It’s a pretty short read with only a tiny bit of angst. But there are way too many dukes and duchesses floating around here, so it can be hard to keep up with who’s being referenced at any given moment. Still a perfectly pleasant read.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller (2023)

Historical romance. 1870s Vienna. Standalone novel. Maria is the owner/manager of a flailing hotel in Vienna. After her mother’s mismanagement and an economic downturn, Maria hopes to rebuild the hotel to its previous grandeur. Meanwhile, Eli is an American in town looking for clues on some smuggled codes sent from the hotel’s address. And while he’s there, he saves Maria from certain death multiple times. It was slow start for me, but once these two team up to find her assailant and give into their attraction, I couldn’t put it down. It’s amazing that these two very serious people are able to smile and find joy and humor with each other. Plus Maria’s complicated family history comes into play at multiple points of the story, making things delightfully interesting.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

One Night with an Earl by Tina Gabrielle (2021)

Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Daring Ladies series. We start strong here right at a brothel, where Ana is trying to lose her virginity before her thirtieth birthday. Ruined by family scandal a decade prior, Ana now works as a chaperone to a young lady making her debut into society. She seeks one night of pleasure and has the brothel madam help her. Oliver is a newly inherited earl after the death of his father and brother (both of whom were irresponsible and gross) and at the brothel with his brother’s friend’s. Of course, Ana and Oliver are instantly attracted and proceed with a tryst. Later, Ana finds Oliver at her house to court her charge and also that his family is the one who ruined hers. So much potential angst and drama here with the intertwined families, plus Ana has been hiding her identity from the world. At some point, I know the lies will catch up to her, but in the meantime, the development of the romance between these two is absolutely delightful.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

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Trope Round Up: Bluestocking Heroines in Historical Romance

Mar 9, 2023

Love is a Rogue by Lenora Bell (2020)

Book 1 of the Wallflowers vs Rogues Series. We have Beatrice who is out in the country and trying to work on writing a dictionary, but she is constantly distracted by the handsome carpenter that is working on her brother’s estate. They’re both back in London for the Season when Beatrice inherits a bookshop that needs fixing up. The carpenter for the job is Ford and these two get to work together again. Ford is wary of anyone in society and Beatrice is just happy to avoid the balls of the Ton. We encounter a fair bit of societal disapproval here because of their social standings.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Truth About Cads and Dukes by Elisa Braden (2015)

Book 2 of the Rescued from Ruin series. So our quiet and shy Lady Jane has somehow befriended a charming rogue, usually commiserating about his overbearing duke of a brother. Jane thinks that she’s assisting her friend in stealing back some jewelry, but really she’s set up for a prank and a bunch of gentlemen catch her in breeches breaking and entering. Completely ruined, the overbearing duke Harrison now offers her a marriage of convenience to save her reputation and to clean up his little brother’s mess. These two are total opposites, but slowly get to know each other after their marriage and we get to see Harrison’s stern and protective side. Loved this book and this whole series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Some Dukes Have All the Luck by Christina Britton (2022)

Historical romance in Regency-ish era England; Book 1 of the Synneful Spinsters series. Odd-girl Bronwyn aspires to be a published entomologist, much to the dismay of her social-climbing parents. They push her to marry a titled gentleman and are even more abrasive after a past heartbreak and a recently lost chance at courtship by a duke. Meanwhile, Ash is trying to recover his runaway wards and shield them from his own dukedom’s cruel reputation. They literally bump into each other in the street, and unexpectedly meet again at his manor when she visits his playful and inquisitive wards. Ash gets the bright idea to marry a woman who will care for the wards and proposes to Bronwyn. We have a delightful marriage of convenience, where they do participate in the marriage bed, and a supportive friendship between the two. Loved seeing these two slowly learn to trust each other, but they’re both still hanging on the past hurts and betrayals. I love how quick Ash is to defend Bronwyn’s intelligence. Basically, any support of a partners’s aspirations as an A+ in my book.

Advance ebook provided by Forever via NetGalley. Print book provided by Forever.

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A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare (2012)

Book 2 of the Spindle Cove Series. Minerva is our geological scientist here aiming to go to a scientific conference in Scotland with a fossil imprint of possibly a lizard or dino skull in tow. Except she doesn’t have a way to get there. She propositions the town rake, Colin, to fake an elopement with her and escort her to the conference. From there, we face all sorts of road trip calamities with a broken carriage, highwaymen, and more. And there’s a super cute bit where Colin calls Minerva every other M name under the sun because he can’t remember her name. (But he does actually know her name). One of my fave books from Tessa Dare.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare (2015)

So I have yet another Tessa Dare book to recommend. When a Scot Ties the Knot is Book 3 of the Castles Ever After series (though it’s not connected to the other books in the series). Madeline knew her London season would be a total bust so to keep everyone off her back, she invented a fiancee who was in the army. And she would write letters to him. And send them. Years later, when she’s in Scotland and doing research on lobsters, her army captain has come to claim and marry her. Turns out her letters were actually delivered to a man with the same name. He needs to find a reason for his men to work and keep going, so he’s come to marry and take care of the land. If that isn’t a great set-up, I don’t know what is.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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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.

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The Duke’s Quandary by Callie Hutton (2014)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 2 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Best friend of the man from the first book, Drake, a new duke is seeking the perfect wife this Season. While chaperoning his sisters through the marriage mart, his mother is also hosting another young lady, Penelope, who is an orphaned acquaintance. Penelope is clumsy and awkward in society and she would much rather be in the garden pursuing her botany. Drake and Penelope are the worst match possible, but they are undeniably attracted to each other, so it was entertaining to see how they work out their differences.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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The Scholar and the Scot by Caroline Lee (2021)

Book 3 of the Second Chance Manor series. This series is based on a group of six friends who met in finishing school and they’re at a house party for the week. Olive would much rather be reading her new copy of an archeology journal, rather than socialize with the gentlemen there. However, one of her friend’s brother is also an archeologist and boasting about his exploits at the dinner table. When they start talking, they realize that they have a lot in common and they even go on a little archeological dig together and a local site. Short and quick read!

Ebook accessed via Kindle Unlimited.

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My Kind of Earl by Vivienne Lorret (2020)

Book 2 of the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. This series makes the most sense read in order. A group of female friends have one friend who was ruined and banished to the country, so the rest of the friends decide to write a book about rakes and scoundrels so that future women will know how to avoid them. Jane is at a brothel doing some research, but somehow ends up inciting a fight there. She’s rescued by one of the scoundrels and is instantly attracted. Of course. However, she notices that he has a unique birthmark and wants to help investigate his family origins. They need to work together to figure out the mystery and of course spend time together along the way. Despite the initial social class differences, it’s clear that our guy is descended from some noble family line and perfectly suitable for our young lady.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah Maclean (2013)

Book 2 of the Rules of Scoundrels series. Pippa is the younger sister of the lady from Book 1 and nearly engaged to a gentleman. She’s of a scientific mind and would like to know more about what the marital bed will involve before getting married. She propositions Cross, who is an earl and the stern book keeper of her brother-in-law’s gambling hell. He tries to resist at first, but doesn’t want her asking anyone else either. This one was my fave of this series!

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Convergence of Desire by Felicity Niven (2022)

Historical romance in Regency-ish era England, Book 1 of the Lovelocks of London series. I pretty much picked this up because Julia Quinn (author of the Bridgertons series) posted about it on Instagram. We have a neurodivergent heroine in this one who aims to solve a missing mathematics proof (tbh, the math in this book went over my head and I skimmed it) but her stepmother insists she participates in society. Our hero is a destitute earl who needs to marry rich to salvage his estate. It takes probably 25% of the book for them to meet and contrive a chaste marriage of convenience (which the heroine proposes). Once they start interacting and get married, we’re off to their country estate and we get to see the sweetest slow burn ever with caretaking galore. It was absolutely delightful to watch these two people slowly fall in love. And the heartbreak when they each think the other isn’t interested. The last third will have you tearing up from the longing. Such a great read. (Also, sets up the future couples in Book 2 and 3 nicely as well).

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Ravished by Amanda Quick (1992)

Ravished by Amanda Quick is one of the older historical romance that I’ve read, but it is a really great one. Surprisingly, it’s a standalone novel that is not part of a series. We have our original bluestocking lady Harriet who is more concerned with discovering new fossils in her caves than anything else. When she finds that smugglers are storing stolen goods in her caves, she writes a letter to the viscount of the region to come take care of it. So Gideon comes back to town and he’s got a terrible reputation there because his past fiancee died and he’s rumored to have killed her. But he’s just ignoring it all and off to take care of the smugglers. Harriet was told to stay behind and out of trouble, but she doesn’t. And so these two end up getting stuck in a cave with the tides overnight. And when they come out, her reputation is compromised and they have to marry. At first, she’s not having it since she doesn’t care about her own reputation, but then realizes that if she refuses, then Gideon’s honor and reputation is at risk. What I love most about this book is that there is absolutely no miscommunication between Harriet and Gideon. They are on board with each other and supporting each other a hundred percent. Even when Gideon is being accused of any wrongdoing, Harriet is defending him and so sure of his honor. It’s really kind of rare to read in a romance. There’s no underlying insecurity between these two, just teaming up, working on their fossil project, and integrating into society.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: February 27 to March 5, 2023

Mar 7, 2023

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

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Day Until Forever by Erin Langston (2022)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Prequel novella to Langston’s debut novel. We have neighbors who haven’t seen each other in years, stuck together the day of the autumn festival. Raymond is the ultra-responsible son of a negligent earl, aiming to improve his lands and take care of his siblings, who gets tasked with chaperoning Rosalie, a baron’s daughter with a penchant for trouble. Rosalie is coming from an unsuccessful season with the goal of snaring her long-time crush and tries to shake off her chaperone throughout the day. Over the course of a single day, these two fight a growing attraction to each other, give into it, and then pretty much fall in love. It’s a quick read for when you need a low-angst pick-me-up.

Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield (2023)

Nonfiction. Amy Porterfield is an expert in the online marketing space and I’ve been following her on and off for many years. She hosts a podcast about marketing and has a course about how to sell your own courses. She recently published her first book with all the advice she can pack in about setting off on your own as an entrepreneur and gives a framework and timeline for building your own business. Having observed the online business space for nearly a decade, I’ve found that the most frustrating part is that almost everyone who is teaching you how to make money online has demonstrated that the most lucrative way to make money online is to teach people how to make money online. If that sounds confusing, it totally is. Even Amy Porterfield herself, while teaching you how to build a business, bases her entire income stream on teaching people how to market and monetize online courses. Business owners who start by teaching a craft often ultimately end up selling their business knowledge instead of their craft knowledge (because it’s honestly way more profitable that way). I’ll admit that I’m in the same category there too, but it still makes me question whether it’s possible to make a full-time living from the craft/artist side of the business, rather than the business-to-business side. Overall though, I did appreciate Porterfield’s book in reminding me why I enjoy online marketing and business so much. This book reminded me that I do know at least 10 percent more than someone else and I can be helpful in providing a service and sharing my knowledge.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Heiress at Sea by Christi Caldwell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone, but tied to The Duke Alone, as we are following the older sister of the main character from that book. Cassia, the often invisible eldest daughter of an earl, is setting off an adventure, dressing as a boy and sneaking onto her brother’s best friend’s ship so she can see the world. Turns out she’s on the wrong ship and ends up on Nathaniel’s boat, which is aimed to intercept a French war ship. Nathaniel is the second son of a duke, but recently became the heir after his brother fell off a horse. With his father’s demands in mind, this mission is likely to be his last. With everyone trapped on a ship, there’s plenty of drama to go around: Cassia is still pretending to be a boy, but she’s so terribly naive and sensitive that the other men mock her work; when they discover she’s actually a lady, there’s most definitely potential for scandal; and she cannot stop talking and chattering and also cannot detect sarcasm. It makes for annoying and infuriating conversation every time Nathaniel has to deal with her. But it’s a romance novel after all, and he starts to see her as someone brave (though naive) and also someone he wants to care for a protect. It was definitely a fun read and I enjoyed how all the conflict got resolved.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake Books via NetGalley.

Bridgerton Fanfic: Ten Minutes Closer by WaterlilyRose

Anthony/Kate, 5k words. Anthony rescues Kate after she falls from her horse and brings her to Bridgerton House instead of back to Lady Danbury’s.

House of the Dragon Fanfic: Days on Dragonstone by readunpublished

Daemon/Rhaenyra, 1k words. Quiet moments after their marriage. Possibly canon-compliant.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Christmas Courtesan by Victoria Vale (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Widows Four series. Widowed Miranda seeks a gentleman courtesan for the only part of her marriage that she missed: the bedroom activities. Roger, the younger brother to a financially reckless viscount, seeks funds to repair his sister’s dowry. This was a pretty straightforward smutty novella, with a confident widow and a stammering virgin courtesan. Quick and steamy, with just the right dose of emotion for a novella.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Trope Roundup: Road Trip Historical Romance Books

Mar 2, 2023

To Hell and Back by Annabelle Anders (2019)

Book 6 of the Devilish Debutantes series. This one features the mother of one of the debutantes from earlier in the series. Eve is informed of her estranged husband’s death and needs to travel to his estate to settle the funeral and hand off the property to his heir. She takes her man of business Niles with her for the journey and they run into all the travel calamities you’d expect in a road trip like a carriage accident and stormy weather. Suddenly, Eve sees Niles in a new light and their relationship adapts from their business-like one. This one is novella-length so it’s a quick read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Mr. Dale and the Divorcee by Sophie Barnes (2021)

Book 1 of the Brazen Beauties series. Divorce is always a scandalous prospect in Regency times. In this case, Wilhelmina has been in a marriage of convenience with her best friend for decades and wants to release him from the marriage so that he can marry his mistress. In order to do that, they have the feign her adultery and give cause for the divorce, making her the most scandalous woman in England. Mr. James Dale is a widowed barrister with a strong sense of ethics. When he first meets Wilhelmina at a ball, he’s instantly charmed, until he learns that she’s married and an adulteress. Now he’s disgusted with himself for being attracted to her and stays away from her as much as possible. Two years later, when the divorce is settled, Wilhelmina and James encounter each other again when her daughter and his son are courting and eventually run off to elope. Both want to stop the elopement, so they’re off on a road trip together to find the kids. As they’re traveling, they get to know each other better of course…. James is questioning what he knows about women and Wilhelmina. And Wilhelmina isn’t able to tell James the truth of her divorce since the charges were basically fraudulent and she doesn’t want to get into legal trouble. It’s nice to see them slowly start to trust each other after that time together, which is the beauty of the road trip.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell (2016)

Book 2 of Disgraceful Dukes Series. Thea, otherwise known as Lady Dorothea Beaumont was left at the altar when the groom picks her sister instead. She wants to escape the London scene and retreat to her aunt’s house in Ireland. She’s horribly awkward and unwillingly becomes popular after being asked to dance by Dalton. Dalton who is the Duke of Osborne is actually a secret vigilante looking for the man who killed his brother. His cover story is that he’s a shameless rake. Thea blames Dalton for her sudden popularity and insists he fix the problem by taking her with him on his journey to Ireland. The escapade that outwardly looking like it will compromise Thea’s reputation may actually indeed compromise her anyway. Overall, we have a socially awkward heroine not looking to marry, secret crime-fighting hero dealing with a lifetime of guilt.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare (2012)

Book 2 of the Spindle Cove Series. Minerva is our geological scientist here aiming to go to a scientific conference in Scotland with a fossil imprint of possibly a lizard or dino skull in tow. Except she doesn’t have a way to get there. She propositions the town rake, Colin, to fake an elopement with her and escort her to the conference. From there, we face all sorts of road trip calamities with a broken carriage, highwaymen, and more. And there’s a super cute bit where Colin calls Minerva every other M name under the sun because he can’t remember her name. (But he does actually know her name). One of my fave books from Tessa Dare.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Bride by Mistake by Anne Gracie (2012)

Book 5 of the Devil Riders series. Eight years ago, Luke had rescued a young girl from the Spanish roadside, delivered her to a convent, and then married her for her protection. Now he has found that he cannot get an annulment from her, so he has returned to claim her. Before they leave Spain, she needs to visit her hometown to find her sister, so there’s a lot of road trip travel her along the Spanish countryside. Both Isabella and Luke have lingering traumas from the war and have trouble communicating with each other. It was nice to see a road trip in a different setting here, and then uncover a few more mysteries from Isabella’s past.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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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.

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Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret (2020)

Book 1 of the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. A female friend group finds one of their own ruined and banished to the country, so they want to do some research on how to avoid rakes and scoundrels. They somehow kidnap Lord Holt so they can question him about his habits while complaining about one of them not wanting to marry the oaf that her parents picked out. At some point, Winnifred has run away from that wedding she doesn’t want and into a waiting carriage. That carriage contains a certain Lord Holt, otherwise known as Asher. And off they go to run away from London and her unwanted wedding. There’s some drama here involving ransom and whether Asher was an unwilling participant in the road trip, but the circumstances here push them together.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Heartbreaker by Sarah MacLean (2022)

Book 2 of the Hell’s Belles series. This one is a road trip romance with a starchy duke and a criminal’s daughter. Adalaide is one of our Belle’s, part of an underground Victorian girl gang network and she’s tasked with protecting a young lady who witnessed a murder. Before she can catch the girl, that girl runs off an elopes with a duke’s brother. The same duke that she had previously run into while stealing something from her old man’s warehouse. So now Adalaide and Henry are racing each other to find his brother and bride-to-be, until they need to team up together. Henry’s got a big dark and scary secret that he needs to protect, while Adalaide is also trying to hide her connection to her estranged father (and overall crime boss). My favorite part of this book is that Adalaide prides herself on being hidden in plain sight, but Henry has always noticed her everywhere and can’t understand how anyone could overlook her.

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The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean (2015)

Book 1 of the Scandal and Scoundrel series. We start here with Sophie who has witnessed her brother in law having a tryst at a garden party with someone who is not her sister, so she pushes him into a fountain and causes a scandal. As she runs away from the party, she hops in a carriage and somehow ends up leaving the city with a scandalous marquess. They’re sort of trapped together along the road, get separated for a bit, reconnect, and it’s all one calamity after another including a gunshot wound at some point. This one is the ultimate in things that could go wrong on a road trip.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Perilous Flirtation by Felicity Niven (2022)

Historical romance in Regency-ish era England; Book 3 of the Lovelocks of London series. The youngest Lovelock, Arabella has been in love with Dr. Alasdair Andrews since she first laid eyes on him by chance. However, the good doctor has not come to call, so after some time passes, she finds herself enjoying the attentions of another man. That man has ruined her reputation, turned out to be married, and left her to scandal. Arabella runs off to Scotland, where she hasn’t been seen by her family in two years. Meanwhile, Alasdair has been pining for Arabella the whole time and unable to believe he deserves her, so he never makes a move. When he finally asks Arabella’s sister where she is, he finds out about her scandal and disappearance. Circumstances bring Alasdair to Scotland and Arabella’s sister asks him to find her an bring her home. We then embark on a flirtatious road trip, snow storm, fake marriage, and a run-in with the ruiner from the past. This book was great with the delicious pining, the road trip hijinks, and you almost even felt sorry for the scandal-maker towards the end.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited. Advance ebook also provided by Felicity Niven.

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The Lord I Left by Scarlett Peckham (2020)

Book 3 of the Secrets of Charlotte Street series. I will start by saying this book has a lot less mainstream than the others on this list. I would say it’s more explicit and grittier than the happy brightly colored books I often talk about. The central setting for this series involves a BDSM club in London, and the heroine in this book has been a maid at the club and now apprenticing to be a whipping governess. She’s being called home to see her ill mother and needs to travel through the Winter weather. Henry, who is a minister, is working on governmental reform on prostitution houses and dens of sin. He’s in the process of writing a report and has visited the house for research. Now, this man is terribly pious and thinks that he’s always doing the right thing in refusing pleasure of any kind. I think he doesn’t even take sugar in his tea. Somehow, he’s feeling chivalrous towards Alice, even though he looks down on her, and decides to escort her to her mother’s house. She of course doesn’t like him because of his extremely moral and religious stance on pleasure and prostitution. Of course, along the way, they start to talk, and somehow see each other’s point of view, but it’s a bit of stretch for me. There’s a huge amount of shame being piled onto Alice here, even though she is confident on her own position and desires.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

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