Weekly Reads: December 22 to 28, 2025 (hockey romance, historical mean girls, and reconstruction era historical romance)

Power Play by Chelsea Curto (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the DC Stars series. Piper needs some sex lessons after a divorce to a total jerk leaves her feeling totally unconfident in the bedroom. And the perfect tutor is the team goalie Liam, who is usually super stoic, but really has had a crush on Piper this whole time. But it’s only lessons. Followed by fake dating for his sister’s wedding. And then maybe an accidental drunken marriage in Vegas. Super steamy, loads of feelings, and the best friend group imaginable for all parties. If you’re looking for a feel good romance (in all the best ways), check this one out.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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

Like in Love with You by Emma R. Alban (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Kinda like Mean Girls, but make it regency, and the rival ladies fall in love. Lady Rosalie has her life and her friends’ lives all planned out and is not pleased when newcomer Catherine is garnering all the attention from the gentlemen. There’s also some bad blood between their mothers and a bit of tug-o-war over a suitor ensues. Except Rosalie and Catherine have eyes for each other, and not all that interested in Mr. Boring. We get lots of fun friend group outings, a very supportive brother for Rosalie, and a meddling aunt. Super fun read.

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

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

Winds of the Storm by Beverly Jenkins (2006)

Historical romance. Reconstruction-era America. Book 2 of the Le Veq Family series. Archer and Zahra meet during the war when she rescues him from capture and saves his life. They cross paths again after the war when Zahra poses as a brothel madam to gather intelligence. He doesn’t recognize her, but certainly plans to seduce her. We get a simmering seduction here alongside the espionage associated with Zahra’s mission. Steamy and dangerous.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Slap Shot by Chelsea Curto (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the DC Stars series. Hudson is very clearly a relationship kind of a guy and totally squicked out by the wannabe stalkers posing as personal chefs. And when Madeline needs a chef job and happens to have a connection in DC, she’s set up with a job for Hudson. We get the sweetest slow burn friendship and romance here as Madeline and her daughter Lucy set up shop in Hudson’s home, cooking him meals and paying more attention to his health and nutrition than his underwear drawer. It really helps that Madeline does not follow hockey and is not starstruck by the guy. Hudson of course is the best of the best and takes things super slow with Madeline, mostly because he doesn’t want to upset the friendship, and also probably because he’s her employer, and then a smidge because she’s clearly skittish about guys. Loved this low-angst romance.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Audiobook Favorites Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

Here’s a round up of some of my favorite audiobooks narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Click on the images to be taken to the LibroFM sales page and grab a copy for yourself. (Affiliate links used, so I get a small commission if you purchase from my link)


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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Belvoir’s Library Historical Romance Book Series by Alexandra Vasti

Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Belvoir’s Library series. There are so many of my favorite of tropes blended into this delightful novel. Peter is a new duke who grew up in America and is now seeking custody of his younger half siblings. His friend Selina, the sister of yet another duke, is helping him improve his case by finding him a suitable candidate to marry. Except these two are actually more attracted to each other than anyone else and all of Peter’s courtships are comically bad. We get to see a series of terrible courting excursions and then ultimately Selina and Peter get caught in a compromising situation themselves and need to marry. Meanwhile, Selina has her own potential for scandal by owning and running a circulating library with a secret section of elicit texts. She’s trying very hard not to get caught at this, since it’ll ruin Peter’s custody case, but he’s amazingly supportive after she tells him her secrets. There are a fun cast of characters here with Selina’s loving and supportive family, Peter’s young siblings, and even the ladies that Selina had suggested for Peter. I enjoyed this book so much; it was full of humor, steam, and a low-angst romance.

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

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

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Belvoir’s Library series. We get to mix a little bit of road trip with a little bit of fake identity and throw in a bit of fake marriage in this romp! The social awkward and painfully shy Lydia has shown up at an earl’s castle in Scotland to propose a marriage of convenience after three years of secret correspondence with the man. Except Arthur the earl is not who she had been writing to, it was his younger brother pretending to be the earl. And then the brother might be in some sort of scheme with a rifle part and Arthur needs Lydia’s help to track him down. It was so fun reading these two work together to solve the case and Arthur was just so impressed by Lydia’s cleverness. All the best kind of chaos, yearning, and steam.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Dreamscape Media via NetGalley and Libro.fm.

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

Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Belvoir’s Library series. Something suspicious is going on when two anonymous writers are publishing very similar gothic novels. Lady Georgiana is ready to fight this woman who is quite possibly copying her, but then gets all tongue-tied when she finds out it’s her teenage crush and former family butler’s daughter Catriona. They spend most of the book bickering and misunderstanding each other’s circumstances and there’s a huge element of self-denial for Georgiana who believes herself the cause of harm for the people around her. The banter and flirting is great though and I loved this awkward crush and slow-burn romance. There’s a bit of underlying mystery plot at a creepy manor house they’re visiting, so expect some problem solving from our Belvoir’s crew at some point. Overall, loved this book.

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

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

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Weekly Reads: December 15 to 21, 2025

Off Camera by Chelsea Curto (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 4 of the Love through a Lens series. Our guy Reid is the social media manager for a football team and in a feud with the unknown social media manager for the neighboring team. And of course, they have a meet cute at a bar without knowing who the other person is. And then of course, they meet again at a wedding and have an amazing one night stand. Avery and Reid are obviously perfect for each other, but when they realize that they’re online enemies, the prospect of dating goes out the window. Except for the part where their friends overlap, they have an active work-related bet, and then decide to have a friends-with-benefits relationship. Super sweet, super steamy development of their relationship. Loved this one.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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

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.

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

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.

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

The Seduction of Mr. Alfred Saintsbury by Lydia Lloyd (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Virgin Gentlemen’s Club series. Super chaste virgin vicar gets seduced by the scandalous patroness of his vicarage, but really, it’s all just permission for him to find pleasure. Alfred and Annabelle definitely have a rocky start here, with him being embarrassingly attracted to her and her having a devious plan to seduce him. Super steamy, but also a lot of work in dealing with shame and events of the past. I loved how Alfred was all sorts of soft and caring and submissive, but also served as caretaker of Annabelle. She was delightfully cold and ruthless at first, which makes her emotional journey all the more satisfying.

Advance ebook provided by Lydia Lloyd.

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

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Audiobook Favorites Narrated by Natalie Naudus

Here’s a round up of some of my favorite audiobooks narrated by Natalie Naudus. Click on the images to be taken to the LibroFM sales page and grab a copy for yourself. (Affiliate links used, so I get a small commission if you purchase from my link)


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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

How do you read so much?

The quick and dirty of how I managed to read over 250 books this year… it kind of all boils down to being obsessed with books.


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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Wild Wynchesters Historical Romance Book Series by Erica Ridley

The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Wild Wynchesters series. The Wynchester orphans are really orphans now that their beloved adoptive father has passed away and they’re on a mission to recover a beloved painting that a crusty old duke had stolen right out of their homes. Except that duke has also passed away and his son, Lawrence, is the stuffiest most annoying guy of all, ignoring all letters and requests to meet from the scandalous Wynchesters. Chloe finds an opportunity to steal the painting from the duke’s almost-betrothed when it’s given as a courting gift, but accidentally kidnaps the duke in his carriage along the way. It’s a temporary mishap, worsened by the fact that the painting isn’t even the real one. Chloe needs to find even more excuses to get close to Lawrence to discover where the real painting is so they can steal it back. And then of course, Lawrence starts to realize he’s completely misjudged Chloe and starts to fall in love with her. It’s all complicated by the fact that he’s impoverished and needs to marry an heiress, Chloe is totally unsuitable, and she’s also keeping a secret about stealing that painting. This book was fun and chaotic and sweet and you will adore the crazy Wychester family.

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

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

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Wild Wynchesters series. Master of disguise Tommy Wynchester has been pining for the lace-trimmed Philippa York for a year, but cannot seem to find the courage to talk to Philippa as herself. Meanwhile Philippa’s parents are pressuring her to marry a lord this Season, and one of Philippa’s bluestocking friends has been wronged by her own uncle taking credit for creating a cipher. The Wynchesters are on the case for the stolen credit, but Philippa is stuck with her parents’ marital expectations of her. Tommy’s siblings have the bright idea for her to dress up as the fictitious Baron Vanderbean so she could court Philippa as a gentleman, but she fesses up to Philippa pretty quickly. It’s a bit of a surprise to Philippa to realize she wasn’t attracted to any of her previous suitors because they were men and that she’s most definitely attracted to Tommy. We get a mix of mystery and crime solving here, with lots of romance, finding yourself, and finding a family that loves who you really are. This one is another excellent addition to the Wynchesters series.

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

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

Nobody’s Princess by Erica Ridley (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Wild Wynchesters series. We get to see a wannabe female Royal Guard team up with our beloved Wynchester family here. Kunigunde is a lady companion to the Princess of Balcovia but has always aspired to be a Royal Guardsman like her father and brothers; she’s in London to compose her own reconnaissance dossier to prove her worth to her government. Except that she’s also hiding from her actual guardsmen brothers while trying to uncover intelligence. Graham is conveniently present to rescue Kuni from being chased by her brothers and brings her home to meet his siblings. She gets caught up in their missions and her attraction to Graham, but she’s adamant about going back home. It’s fun and flirty for a lot of the book and then a little heartbreaking how she ends up rejecting Graham and his awesome family. Still, another awesome addition to the series.

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

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

My Rogue to Ruin by Erica Ridley (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Wild Wynchesters series. Quiet artist sister Marjorie has her turn to take the lead on a case this time. When the Wynchesters find that a crime lord is passing counterfeit coins through his pawn shop, they aim to find the counterfeiter and bring about justice. Marjorie insists on infiltrating the workshop to find the evidence and solve the case, but she finds a charming lord there instead. Adrian is the second son of a marquess who was banished from his family home many years ago and made his money by counterfeiting artistic artifacts; when he’s caught at that, the crime lord blackmails him into counterfeiting money instead. He’s pretty much held captive, even though he feels horrible cheating innocent people out of money. While Marjorie and Adrian are at odds in the beginning, they soon realize they have a lot in common, and need to team up to get out of this mess. Adrian gets to witness firsthand the benefits of a loving family and find allies in all the Wynchesters. The romance here was easy and low-angst and the crime-solving caper was a lot of fun.

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

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

Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Wild Wynchesters series. It’s Elizabeth’s turn to take the lead on a case, putting her in the countryside to look for the missing will of a countess in an earl’s castle. Instead of finding the earl there, she finds his tinkering cousin, Stephen. We get a grumpy-grumpy romance in this one with both Elizabeth and Stephen preferring solitude to company. It’s fun to see them work together to try to find the missing will, plus I liked seeing Elizabeth being appreciative of Stephen’s inventions instead of disparaging his oddness. There’s a common annoying villain around who believes he won the castle in a card game, but once they find the will, it’ll be clear the property wouldn’t be his. Plus, we get a full family of Wynchester showing up for the big confrontation.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

A Waltz on the Wild Side by Erica Ridley (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Wild Wynchesters series. Solid conclusion to the series, but a lot of the story could have been resolved earlier if Vivian communicated more clearly about her missing cousin’s adventures. Vivian and her young cousin always argue over his and his friends’ hero worship of the Wynchester family, with good reason, since Vivian is worried that a bunch of law-breaking adolescents will not have the same privileges as the wealthy family of a baron. He goes missing one day and Vivian pretty much lands on the Wynchester doorstep to ask for help. She’s terribly prickly and judgmental and spends most of the book getting to know each of the siblings (and their respective spouses) to learn that they really are more honorable than she originally judged. Her romance is set with Jacob, the animal trainer and poet of the group, and it’s pretty much attraction at first sight, even with her being totally closed-minded. He’s smitten from the jump and wants to do anything he can to help her. We end up with a lot of wacky miscommunication and go through a lot of hoops to find the cousin.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Weekly Reads: December 8 to 14, 2025

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

The Christmas I Stole a Viscount by Alexandra Vasti (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novella. Loved this quick little holiday novella. Persephone wants to make sure her brother doesn’t fret about her reputation, so she decides to ruin it herself by kidnapping her brother’s best friend Leo and plan to be seen in public at an inn. Leo’s too noble for the whole thing and proposes a marriage of convenience instead. He’s got an elderly grandmother who wants to see him settled anyway, so it’s all a very smart plan. Leo and Percy head to his country estate to see grandma real quick, but the weather has them trapped there. And of course they fall in love and Leo falls first and is super sweet and awkward and delightful. Seriously, anything Alexandra Vasti writes is delightful.

Ebook provided by the author.

Get this book at the author’s website.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (2024)

Thriller/Mystery. Rich people, multiple timelines, and missing persons. Rich kid and camper Barbara disappears one night, and everyone’s covering something up. Her parents are terrible, her mother is anxiety-ridden and severely medicated. Oh, and her brother also disappeared over a decade ago. We get a non-chronological timeline here with multiple points of view, which is super interesting to see. I loved seeing the different angles of the mystery and the new bits of information that are presented. Super twisty, but not too scary. Loved it.

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

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

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Fave Book Series that I Read This Year

Honestly, I created this list for the sole purpose of being able to feature the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid because it was that good. I’m usually a series binge-reader and having read over 200 books, there are a lot of series here. I’ve put them in alphabetical order by author last name because there’s no way I could realistically rank them. And if you’re a completionist like I am, these are series that (to my knowledge) are complete and ready for you to binge. A mix of subgenres here, leaning heavily toward historical romance, since that takes up over 60% of all the books that I read this year. Be ready to wreck your TBR in 2026 if you haven’t already grabbed these books.

Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

Read my series review here.

Dukes in Disguise by Louisa Darling

Luna Sisters by Liana De la Rosa

Read my series review here.

Gardner Girls by Fenna Edgewood

Read my series review here.

Hellions of Havisham by Lorraine Heath

Read my series review here.

Sins for All Seasons by Lorraine Heath

Read my series review here.

Las Leonas by Adriana Herrera

Read my series review here.

Hellions of Halstead Hall by Sabrina Jeffries

Parish Orphans of Devon by Mimi Matthews

Flower Sisters by Ginny B. Moore

Game Changers by Rachel Reid

Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan

Read my series review here.

Belvoir’s Library by Alexandra Vasti

Longhope Abbey by Mia Vincy

Read my series review here.

Feminine Pursuits by Olivia Waite


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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Hart and Mercy Fantasy Romance Book Series by Megan Bannen

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (2022)

Fantasy romance. Book 1 of the Hart and Mercy series. In a world where dead bodies are plentiful, Mercy is an overburdened undertaker running the family business, but she loves the job, even though her family thinks that she deserves something more or different or free. She does not get along with one of the local marshals, Hart, who often comes to bring her bodies. He’s got his own issues with being a loner demigod who is uncertain of his own mortality. While it took me awhile to get a mental grasp of the world-building, the animosity between Hart and Mercy (despite their internal physical attraction) is universal. And when they accidentally become anonymous pen pals, things turn more familiar with very clear You’ve Got Mail retelling beats. I loved meeting the full cast of supporting characters and the side romance between Mercy’s brother and Hart’s apprentice. Great intro to the series and looking forward to reading the next one.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen (2024)

Fantasy romance. Book 2 of the Hart and Mercy series. Twyla and Frank are best friends and neighbors and work together as marshals, who don’t have too much to do now that a big bad threat was eliminated at the end of Book 1. But they’re on their way to solving a new mystery involving dragons in the Tanria mist, plus finally dealing with their feelings for each other. Or realizing that there are feelings beyond friendship. The whole book is told from Twyla’s point of view as she’s grappling with her unappreciative adult children, dealing with her own middle-aged insecurity, and exploring the possibility of dating again. While Frank seems dismissive of her dating, she doesn’t know if he’s disgusted by the idea of someone dating her (unlikely) or jealous (more likely, but she doesn’t know it). After getting my head around the world-building aspects within Book 1, I was able to enjoy the story, the adventure, and the side characters even more in this one. Loved it.

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

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

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen (2025)

Fantasy romance. Book 3 of the Hart and Mercy series. Loved this book and great conclusion to the series. The whole book is told from Rosie’s point of view. She’s an immortal demigod who’s really struggling with grief and the lonely life she has ahead of her. It’s been ten years since the events of the last book and she’s starting to see her coworkers and loved ones age. She’s also been somewhat pining over inventor and all-around genius Dr. Adam Lee for the past five years and not willing to do anything about it or get to attached, since she’ll live forever and everyone around her dies. But we get all sorts of forced proximity when we find that the portals in and out of the Tanrian mist have malfunctioned and need to be repaired. The romance is the slowest of slow burns while we work through our malfunctioning portals. We also get our favorite sidekick Duckers throughout this story and revisit the adorable dragons.

Advance ebook provided by Orbit Books via NetGalley.

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

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Who’s Olive?


Hi, I'm Olivia, aka Olive. I'm always trying out random crafts and things... so this blog shows the evolution of all the stuff I'm interested in.

Hobby Timeline:
2014-2015: Photography, digital scrapbooking
2015-2017: Brush lettering
2018-2021: Crochet
2021-present: Romance book reading