An Heir Unraveled by Jane Maguire (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Rockliffe Dynasty series. If you’ve been reading this series from Book 1, it’ll be fun to see dear little Benedict all grown up. If not, this book totally still works as an accidental marriage of convenience. Benedict is on his way to his uncle’s unkempt property to take charge and care for the estate when he comes across a young lady, Violet, in an abandoned cottage. She’s there to meet another man, and when that man shows up and sees her with Benedict, he promptly leaves and starts all sorts of terrible gossip about her. It’s all bad news for poor Benedict whose servants are gossiping about him the moment he steps into his new house. He does the only honorable thing and proposes marriage, even if she’s reluctant at first. We get a really nice slow burn romance here, with hints of sabotage from the neighbor and dealing with Benedict’s general hangups with his family history. I really liked how this story played out, with an extra dose of drama towards the end too.

Advance ebook provided by Jane Maguire.

Lovelight Farms by BK Borison (2021)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Lovelight series. Super cute setup in a super cute small town. Look, sometimes a friends-to-lovers romance annoys me because of course they’ve been in love with each other this whole time. They have been “friends” for ten years, stay at each other’s apartments, talk all the time, and are pretty much in a relationship without the sex. So when Stella needs a fake boyfriend for a contest she’s entered for her Christmas tree farm, Luka is more than ready to step up. And of course the whole town is ecstatic that they’re finally together. We’ve got your typical small town situation here, with nosy neighbors, a farm saboteur, and hints of future romances brewing. Loved it.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Ladies in Waiting Anthology (2025)

Historical romance-adjacent. Regency-era England. This was a collection of short stories based on various side characters from Jane Austen novels. It was fun to see some of my favorite authors in historical romance writing about these characters and also to read some new-to-me authors. I’m not terribly familiar with Jane Austen’s books, having only seen the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice and Clueless as my form of Emma, so a lot of these stories just read as fresh new short stories to me. I enjoyed some of the creativity in placing the characters outside of Regency England and also in the stories that take place in universe. I think if you’re an Austen fan, this is a nice collection to read in-between heavier novels.

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

The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi Matthews (2018)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Parish Orphans of Devon series. I love a marriage of convenience story and especially when there’s danger lurking and someone needs protection. Helena has answered an advertisement in the newspaper for a wife and shows up to meet Justin, a scarred and reclusive army veteran. She’s running from danger and is glad to be in an isolated seaside town. They’re both keeping secrets, but the main priority is that Justin is able to keep her safe. Really nice slow burn romance here, and an interesting plot, once we find out what Helena is running from. Loved it and can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook purchased from Audible.

Ellie Hayes and the Himbos by Vanessa King (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. The himbos made the whole book worth it. Ellie is in a rough spot with the impending doom of a possible diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and a boyfriend who breaks up with her over it. She goes to check out a room for rent and finds a bunch of college age guys in residence. They are all super sweet and caring and embrace Ellie into their home so easily and quickly. She also maybe has a thing going on with one of the roomies’ older brother, Ian, who is also the boss and owner at the gym where all the guys (and now Ellie) work. Super entertaining and steamy all in one, and if you’re ever looking for some endometriosis representation, this book is for you.

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

A Modest Independence by Mimi Matthews (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Parish Orphans of Devon series. The slowest angstiest road trip ever. We’re on a journey from England to India searching for a presumed dead earl. Jenny has been given a large sum of money, her independence, and she’s ready to set out on an adventure. But her steady and serious solicitor Tom impulsively joins her for the ride. He’s not so much interested in adventure, but he is interested in spending more time with Jenny. It’s an impossible situation with both of them wanting totally different things in life, making their coming together and apart all the more heartbreaking. But the journey is totally worth it, as we learn more about Tom’s history and background and see him be so caring towards Jenny.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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The Marquess Married a Murderess by Michelle McLean (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Belsford Brothers series. Selena is the unluckiest woman ever when it comes to marriage, with four deceased husbands and one groom who jilted her at the altar. She’s swearing off marriage for now, even as she’s re-entering society. She quickly catches the attention of Edward, who originally had no designs on marriage, but something about Selena intrigues him. (Probably her reluctance to dally with him and her penchant for running away). It’s a series of pursuits and mishaps until he finally convinces her to give him a chance.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Books via NetGalley.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Interesting setup here with Ingrid taking a break from her longtime partner Cory to experience dating others before making their own relationship more permanent. She tries and fails to make a move on her coworker and friend Macon, much to her mortification. But she rallies and starts dating around for real, gaining all those experiences that she set out to do. The first half of the book deals with her dating around and the eventual end of her initial relationship. The second half of the book is a lot more positive, with Ingrid finding a new purpose to her life and renewing her friendship with Macon. We end up with a delightfully slow burn friends to lovers romance with a full supporting cast of friends and family.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the League of Extraordinary Women series. Hattie is a painter who just wanted to go see the infamous Mr. Blackstone’s art collection, but finds herself meeting the mysterious man himself. Upon realizing who she is, Lucian decides to orchestrate conditions to collect her hand in marriage and elevate his own social standing. It’s trickery and seduction and he’s really not the brute that she thinks he is. It’s all a very slow burn development of their physical and emotional relationship, while also being hard to trust due to the trickery used to gain her hand. We get to learn a lot about the mistreatment of coal miners in this time period and how they team up to fight against that. Lots of discussion of timely politics in this book (and throughout the series) with all the relevant history there, so it may or may not be to your taste.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Claiming the Princess by Charis Michaels (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Hidden Royals series. Smuggling captain Luke has just been declared a national hero and the Prince Regent has allowed him the prize of marrying exiled princess Danielle. But when he goes to the village to collect his new bride, it turns out that she has no knowledge of her previous identity at all and really is just a village girl. He’s both attracted to her and guilty for needing to marry her, since his only aim is to use her as bait to get his friend released from French captivity. It’s all a huge mess with loads of secrets, but reading them flirt and fall in love was a lot of fun.

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

Julia Song Is Undateable by Susan Lee (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Fun premise here. Julia is all sorts of successful in her career, but that doesn’t count for her overbearing Korean family. She’s single at 30, so it’s time to buckle down and find a husband, especially when it’s her grandmother’s dying wish. Is her grandmother even sick? Not sure, but that’s a running theme throughout the book. She agrees to be set up on some dates, but she’s socially awkward and a bit too brash, so she asks childhood friend and neighbor Tae to be her dating coach. He’s hesitant and has his own stuff going on, but he’s had a crush on her forever and the all-around nice guy, so he eventually helps her. It’s adorable to see these two practice date and fall for each other for real. Nevermind that all her setups are total jerks. Cute and funny and a smidge steamy. Fulfills all your pre-teen race car bed dreams.

Advance ebook provided by Canary Street Press via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm.

The Gentleman’s Gambit by Evie Dunmore (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the League of Extraordinary Women series. Lady Catriona just wants to stay home and work on writing her book, but she ends up in a very awkward first meeting with Elias, a supposed scholar there to visit her father. He’s on his own mission to recover some antiques that he believes were ill-acquired from his homeland, and plans to make arrangements for their return. These two definitely have that spark of chemistry together, but the circumstances are nearly impossible, and their social positions are not conducive to a romance. Plus, add in the part where Catriona is literally an awkward scholar with no plans to be a wife. I loved watching them fall in love and get together, even though it was most definitely a slow burn. We also get an epilogue that ties the whole series together.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Messy and emotional and such a great book. Louisa is dumped by longtime boyfriend and at a total loss for what to do because she was financially dependent on the guy. She can’t afford the rent on her lakeside cottage in Colorado, so she strikes a deal with landlord Henry to rent out the extra bedrooms as a bed and breakfast. And then while she’s at it, she might as well advertise the whole place as a place to recover from heartbreak. We get a fun and messy group of occupants, with their own breakups and heartaches. And we get to see Louisa and Henry learn more about each other (and their baggage) and slowly start to fall in love. I really enjoyed this one, but caution if you’ve just gotten out of your own relationship.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

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.

The Hellion’s Waltz by Olivia Waite (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Feminine Pursuits series. I love a good swindle, especially when combined with some vigilante justice. Sophie is rightly skeptical of anyone being swindled, with her family’s recent downfall at the hands of a con-man. However, Maddie and her band of weavers have a plan for getting back at the local draper who has been taking advantage of them for decades. While Sophie is trying to figure out which side she wants to support, she’s definitely falling for Maddie’s seductions in the process. We have a bit of a fast-burn romance here, with Sophie quickly joining the weavers’ side and bringing her own ideas to the chaos. Loved this little village who support each other and I liked seeing how they were all tied to each other.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duchess Takes it All by Michelle McLean (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. This book seemed to drag a bit long for what seems to be a fairly straightforward plot. Widowed duchess Tamsin is secretly a satirical cartoonist trying to keep her identity under wraps, while also gaining entry into society so that her toddler duke son will have an easier time of things when he grows older. Except that her late husband’s cousin Christian is named co-guardian of the child and in charge of running the estates until the child is of age and he’s come to town to take control. They disagree on the methods for raising the boy and she’s trying to keep her occupation as a cartoonist a secret. It’s a lot of push and pull as they argue and banter, and somehow it turns into flirting and an affair. And then to make things more complicated, Christian comes from a country where his marriage prospects are dictated by some archaic and complicated set of laws. Messiness all around.

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

The Devil She Knows by Alexandria Bellefleur (2025)

Paranormal romance. Standalone novel. Samantha is having a rough day after the love of her life Hannah rejects her proposal of marriage and tells her all the reasons why it won’t work. And then Sam comes across a demon named Daphne who is willing to grant Sam six wishes in exchange for her soul. Of course, every wish that Sam makes is in an attempt to win Hannah back. I enjoyed reading all the different scenarios where Hannah is actually kind of terrible and Sam slowly realizing that maybe she shouldn’t be pinning all her dreams on the lady. The romance between Sam and Daphne was a little rushed, even with the instant attraction, and I’m not entirely sure it was true love after only a few days together. Especially when Daphne is an actual demon antagonizing Sam, and Sam being totally in love with Hannah for more than half the book. It was fun to read, even if the romance part was a bit lackluster.

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

Her Hired Husband by Caroline Lee (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Surprise Heirs series. All the chaos and humor that I would expect from a Caroline Lee novel. Helena is a whiskey brewer in Scotland who was afraid she wouldn’t be taken seriously by the big burly Scotsmen, so she makes up a fake husband who has been giving directions on how to brew. And now they want to meet the husband. So Helena decides to hire a fake one. Hunter is tasked for the job and he does absolutely wonderfully, with all sorts of respect for Helena’s expertise, and some careful flirting along the way. Except he thinks she’s truly married and he feels all sorts of guilty for being attracted to her. And then things take a dangerous turn when an assassin boards their train and now they’re on the run together and find an inn with two beds and everything. It’s danger and humor and lots of steam.

Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.

Serving In The Snow by Meg Jones (2025)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Game, Set, and Match series. Supermodel Kit is trying to get away from it all for a bit and ends up at a freezing cold rental cottage in Scotland. Luckily, her next door neighbor Jonah is ready to give her some shelter. It’s fun and flirty and super steamy with this short-lived fling. I loved seeing these two people fall in love in their little wintery bubble. I especially loved how it all tied back to our favorite scandalous tennis player Scottie. Super fun holiday read.

Advance ebook provided by Meg Jones via NetGalley.

A Curse of Shadows and Ice by Catharina Maura (2025)

Fantasy romance. Book 1 of the Shadowbound series. We’ve got some Beauty and the Beast vibes here with a cursed emperor and a princess who is prophesied to break the curse. Felix is the intimidating fellow known around the land as the Shadow Emperor and he’s come to claim Arabella as his wife. With his dastardly reputation, Arabella is naturally afraid of Felix, but she learns pretty quickly about the curse and her role in stopping it. She uses this as a bargaining chip for her freedom, and Felix agrees to the deal. Except he’s all sorts of lonely and it’s clear that he’s falling for Arabella. She’s also falling for him too, but insecure if his feelings are real or if he’s using her to break the curse on his kingdom. Lots of steam here, since Felix is using those feelings of lust to convince Arabella to stay with him. Interesting to learn how magic is wielded in this story and how the curse is ultimately broken.

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

The Governess and the Rogue by Mimi Matthews (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 6 of the Somerset Stories series. Bea is a governess in a tough position and needs rescuing from Jack on the ship home. And he proposes a fake engagement between them to protect her from dastardly employers and to protect him from fortune-hunting young ladies. Fairly straightforward plot here, with the promise that they’ll fall in love. I enjoyed Jack’s protecting nature and how everything turns to chaos when his family gets involved.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

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.