Weekly Reads: August 25 to 31, 2025

Sep 2, 2025 |

Anywhere With You by Ellie Palmer (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Present-day Charley is a high strung intellectual property lawyer who is recently divorced and trying to stop her sister from getting engaged. Lucky timing for her, her best friend Ethan is in her driveway with his van and they go chasing after the sister together. While Charley and Ethan have never been anything more than platonic best friends, there’s definitely an undercurrent of something in the background. It’s just that Ethan is the kind of guy that is way too much for flight risks for Charley’s tastes, especially when we flashback to her nomadic childhood and her absentee father. We get all sorts of hilarious road trip adventures here with a dash of sexual tension. Solid read, but I’m not entirely sold on them making it for the long haul with their opposite personalities.

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

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

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

Lady Like by Mackenzi Lee (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. We get the story of two different women in circumstances where they need to marry and end up falling in love with each other instead. Harry is an unconventional sort of woman, born illegitimate to a brothel worker and now an actress with short hair and wears trousers. She’s got an inheritance on the line that depends on her marrying a respectable sort of man. Emily is a country girl with a history of scandal and a betrothal to a cruel much older man in her village, so she’s in London to find a better prospect for her own protection. Of course it turns out that Harry and Emily are after the same man and hijinks ensue. But as they spend more time together, their rivalry turns into friendship and a whole lot more. Fun to read these two get to know each other better and especially fun to read the brash Harry learn to express her feelings.

Advance ebook provided by The Dial Press via NetGalley. Advance 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.

Monthly Income Report: August 2025

Sep 1, 2025 |

Here’s the August 2025 breakdown of all the pennies I’ve collected from the internet. I’ve organized the income sources into bigger categories and then provided details from each source.

Affiliate Commissions: $2401,05

TikTok Shop Affiliate: $1098.37

I have been creating TikTok Shop Affiliate videos since Sept 2024 and seeing steady sales. The process involves quick reviews or demonstrations of products that are sold within TikTok shop and linking them within the TikTok video. Results vary wildly depending on the product, the day, the month, the season, and the algorithm. (link to my TikTok account)

Etsy Affiliate: $1123.07

The primary place where I promote Etsy affiliate links is through Pinterest. I’ve had a Pinterest account since forever, so my account is already full of craft tutorial links. I post my affiliate links to crochet and quilt patterns, and these have generated the most sales for me. (link to my Pinterest account)

Amazon Affiliate: $171.93

I’ve been an Amazon affiliate since the early days of my blog and have always recommended various supplies for art and lettering. This month was the first full month of on-site commissions, where product review videos get added directly to the product page by Amazon. If someone watches the video on the product page and makes a purchase, then I get the affiliate commission. (link to my Amazon Storefront)

Benable: $7.68

July. Benable a website that has its own audience and search functionality where you can link to various products and websites in collections. The affiliate income is baked into the platform when someone clicks on your featured product and makes a purchase. Probably the lowest friction income source since you don’t need an existing audience. (link to sign up for Benable)

Other Affiliate Programs: $0

Nothing here this month.

Products: $22.50

Paper Goods Etsy Shop: $1.81

I sell bookmarks here mostly, with the occasional digital download. (link to Etsy shop)

Fiber Goods Etsy Shop: $11.38

Once upon a time, I thought I was going to make scarves and blankets while my baby napped and I could sell them online. And that kind of worked, but not profitably. Listings expired, and then I switched to smaller objects like coasters and cozies, and now I’m mostly selling digital crochet patterns. (link to Etsy shop)

Used Books: $0

I list used books for sale using the PangoBooks app. Sales are very sporadic and sometimes I get into phases where I’m not really listing much. This must have been a slow month for new listings. (link to my PangoBooks shop)

Digital Downloads: $3

Too many shops, not enough marketing. This month I added printable coloring swatch sheets to the shop, with minimal promotion on Instagram. (link to coloring pages)

Print on Demand: $5.96

Once upon a time, I uploaded a ton of designs onto RedBubble. I do not nurture this revenue stream at all right now, and any sales are just a bonus surprise. (link to Redbubble shop)

Content Monetization: $7.21

Google AdSense: $5.88

Clearly, this is not a very lucrative income source, since the minimum payout to transfer to a bank account is $100. However, coins are coins, so I’m leaving the ads turned on at my blog. Is it enough to off-set the cost of the website hosting and domain registration? Probably not. But it hosts content that hopefully leads to other affiliate sales. (link to blog)

Instagram Bonus for Posts: $1.33

I have no idea how this was activated or why. I was previously enrolled in an Instagram Reels bonus program, but that has since been discontinued. At the time of this income report, I wasn’t paying much attention to creating content here, maybe posting one or two book reviews per day, which usually received less than 200 views and maybe earned $0.02 per post. (link to my Instagram)

Recurring Expenses

No income report is complete without factoring in expenses. I tend to pay annual subscriptions rates for things, so this will just be a recurring list of resources that I use.

Flodesk for email marketing $209/year (affiliate link for Flodesk)

USPS PO Box $210/year

Canva Pro $120/year

Bluehost for blog hosting and domain registration $350/year (check out the blog here)

Upgrade to a paid membership to get even more juicy details on all the ways I’m making content and generating income.

Resource Spotlight: Brush Lettering Worksheets for Beginners

Aug 31, 2025 |

Hello! Here are today’s lettering and art resources. Click on the images below to learn more about that resource. (If you make a purchase through these links, I get a small commission.)

Beginner’s Guide to Brush Lettering with Small Brush Pens

the beginner’s best guide to practice brush pen lettering and modern calligraphy step by step for small brush pen. the package includes the basic strokes, lowercase letter, uppercase letters, numbers, double letters, and many greetings words.
Sample Pages

Beginner’s Guide to Brush Lettering with Large Brush Pens

the beginner’s best guide to practice brush pen lettering and modern calligraphy step by step for large brush pen. the package includes the basic strokes, lowercase letter, uppercase letters, numbers, double letters, and many greetings words.
May include: A handwriting practice worksheet with the letters 'm' and 'n' in lowercase and uppercase. The worksheet includes instructions for writing the letters and examples of how to write them. The worksheet also includes a section for practicing writing the letters in words. The words are 'mum' and 'comm'. The worksheet is divided into four sections: lowercase letters, uppercase letters, double letters, and practice words. The worksheet is on a lined paper background. The letters are written in different colors, including pink, blue, green, purple, and black.

Beginner’s BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets

Beginner's BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD | lighttheskyarts image 1
Beginner's BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD | lighttheskyarts image 2
Beginner's BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD | lighttheskyarts image 3
Beginner's BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD | lighttheskyarts image 4
Beginner's BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD | lighttheskyarts image 5
Beginner's BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD | lighttheskyarts image 6
Beginner's BUNDLE to Brush Lettering & Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD | lighttheskyarts image 7

Supplies

Are you an artist with your own resource that you’d like me to share? Click here to tell me all about it.

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

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.

Crochet Pattern Roundup:

Aug 30, 2025 |

Quick round up of crochet patterns! Click on the photo below to go to the Etsy page of the pattern. Affiliate links used, so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission.

May include: A light blue crocheted baby blanket with a square pattern. The blanket is draped over a white wooden ladder.
May include: A light gray crocheted blanket with a textured, bobble stitch design. The blanket is draped over a white sofa, showcasing its soft texture and intricate pattern. The blanket's neutral color complements the sofa.
May include: A close-up of a crocheted blanket in a cream color. The blanket has a textured stitch pattern and a border. The text "INSTANT PATTERN DOWNLOAD" is visible on a white circle.
Easy Crochet Diamond Blanket Pattern image 1
May include: A soft, sage green crocheted throw blanket with a textured, bobble stitch pattern. The blanket is folded and draped over a white bed.
May include: A handmade crochet blanket with a geometric pattern in shades of white, lavender, green, yellow, and pink. The blanket is folded, showcasing the different color blocks and textures of the yarn. The crochet stitches are visible, adding to the handcrafted appeal.
May include: A navy blue and white crocheted throw blanket with a geometric pattern. The blanket is draped over a blue cabinet with a plant in a gold pot.
May include: A cream-colored crocheted throw blanket with a diamond pattern and textured bobbles. The blanket has tassels along the edges and is draped over a white bed with white and black pillows.

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Romance Ebook Deal Round-Up: August 29, 2025

Aug 29, 2025 |

Time for another ebook deal alert. I’ve rounded up a bunch of romance books that are on sale right now that you should check out. Click on the picture of the book cover to check the current price on Amazon. Prices fluctuate, so keep in mind that it might not be on sale for long. (If you make a purchase through these links, I get a small commission.)

Historical Romance

The Duke Goes Down: A Regency Historical Romance Novel of Illegitimacy, Seduction, and Family Secrets (Duke Hunt Book 1)
A Match Made in Bed: A Spinster Heiresses Novel (The Spinster Heiresses Book 2)
Lyon's Bride: The Chattan Curse
Forever in Your Embrace: A Historical Rom-Com of Intrigue and Seduction in Imperial Courts
Not That Duke: A Would-Be Wallflowers Novel
The Reluctant Suitor: A Regency Historical Romance Novel
Lord of Wicked Intentions: A Regency Historical Romance Novel (Lost Lords of Pembrooke Book 3)
Simply Unforgettable (Simply Quartet Book 1)
The Most Dangerous Duke in London (Decadent Dukes Society Book 1)
Devil in Spring: The Ravenels, Book 3
Love Me Forever: Sherring Cross
A Groom of One's Own: A Regency Historical Romance Novel with Intrigue and Love at a Duke's Wedding (Writing Girls Book 1)
No Good Duke Goes Unpunished: The Third Rule of Scoundrels (Rules of Scoundrels Book 3)
The Mistress Experience: A Steamy Historical Romance Featuring a Scandalous Courtesan and a Radical Politician (Society of Sirens Book 3)
Counting on a Countess: The London Underground
The Runaway Princess: Princess #1 (The Princess Series)

Contemporary Romance

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

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

Resource Spotlight: Bounce Brush Lettering Worksheets and Planner Worksheets

Aug 28, 2025 |

Hello! Here are today’s lettering and art resources. Click on the images below to learn more about that resource. (If you make a purchase through these links, I get a small commission.)

Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets for Beginners

May include: A pink and white printable guide to bounce lettering with brush pens. The guide includes lowercase letters, uppercase letters, double letters, numbers, and over 90 practice words. The text on the page reads 'The Beginner's Guide to Bounce Lettering', '52 Pages', 'with Small & Large Brush Pens', 'Lowercase Letters + Uppercase Letters + Double Letters + Numbers + Over 90 Practice Words', 'Days & Months', 'Numb', 'Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Uppercase', 'A A', 'Lowercase Letters', 'a a', 'b b', 'c c', 'd d'.
May include: A pink and yellow graphic with the text 'The Beginner's Guide to Bounce Lettering' in black cursive font. The graphic also includes the text '52 Pages' in black font, 'with Small & Large Brush Pens' in black font, 'Basic Strokes', 'Lowercase Letters', 'A-Z Continuous Stroke', 'Uppercase Letters', 'Double Letters', '90+ Practice Words (including Days & Months)', and 'Numbers' in various colors.
May include: A sheet of paper with lined paper and a gray background. The paper has a title that reads 'Lowercase Letters' and shows the lowercase letters 'a' and 'b' written in pink and purple ink. The paper also has a title that reads 'Uppercase Letters' and shows the uppercase letter 'A' written in blue ink. The paper also has a title that reads 'Double Letters' and shows the letters 'ff' and 'fluffy' written in purple and orange ink. The paper also has a title that reads 'Numbers' and shows the numbers '1234' and '123' written in orange and red ink. The paper also has a title that reads '90+ Practice Words' and shows the word 'Bounce' written in pink, purple, and blue ink.

250+ Words for Planner and Journal: Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets

250+ Words for Planner and Journal: Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | Small & Large Brush Pen | iPad Lettering | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD image 1
250+ Words for Planner and Journal: Bounce Lettering Practice Worksheets | Small & Large Brush Pen | iPad Lettering | DIGITAL DOWNLOAD image 2
May include: A sheet of paper with gray lines and dotted lines. The words 'Planner Days & Months' are written in black ink at the top of the page. The words 'Monday', 'Tuesday', and 'Wednesday' are written in pink, purple, and gray ink, respectively. The words are written in cursive handwriting.
May include: A planner and tracker with the words 'Planner Tracker & Health Tracker', 'Mood', and 'Dream' written in cursive with different colored pens. The words are written on lined paper.

Supplies

Are you an artist with your own resource that you’d like me to share? Click here to tell me all about it.

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

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.

Lettering and Art Resources is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Free Brush Letter Practice Basic Strokes Worksheets

Aug 27, 2025 |

Well, look, I know I said I had retired the ol’ Brush Letter Practice Guide, but somehow I got the idea to re-launch them in a simplified format. If you’ve been around a long while, you may remember the Comprehensive Brush Letter Practice Guide that had pretty much hundreds of pages of practice sheets, for multiple brush sizes, traced and lined paper, and letter connections. It was massive and was priced at $32 at its peak, and honestly, I don’t think we’re in that sort of economy anymore.

The new Brush Letter Practice Basics worksheets will be much more condensed, less variety of pages, and a smaller PDF file so you can print and re-print whatever pages you want without all the clutter.

While I’m working on getting all the letters cleaned up and templated in the worksheet set, I did finish the two pages of basic strokes. And I figured I’d go ahead and put them online for you to download! For the free! Click here or on the preview image below to go to the purchase page. (It’s set at a pay-what-you-want price on my shop; you can put $0 to get it for free, or leave a donation)

Thanks so much for following along on this lettering journey (or in my case, revival).

Recommended Supplies

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Support this page with a donation

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

Weekly Reads: August 18 to 24, 2025

Aug 26, 2025 |

The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Feminine Pursuits series. The slowest slow burn friends to lovers story here. Widowed Agatha is running her print works and finds a swarm of bees where they shouldn’t be, so her mother-in-law refers local bee expert Penelope to help. Penelope is a married woman who’s husband is actually in love with her brother and they go off sailing and catching whales together. Loved seeing Agatha and Penelope’s friendship develop through their letters and subsequent visits to each other’s homes. It’s a super slow build, but well worth the read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

My Best Friend’s Earl by Bethany Bennett (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Bluestocking Booksellers series. If you’ve been looking for scenes with yearning, you need to read this book. First off, Constance and Oliver are total opposites and also cannot seem to stop thinking of each other. Secondly, Oliver has been engaged to his childhood friend and neighbor due to a deal their fathers made over cards many years ago and he’s being super honorable and sticking to the arrangement. But his fiancee is actively trying to get out of the engagement and even asks Constance for help in how to get Oliver to jilt her. It’s messy and chaotic and at some point when Oliver and Constance realize they have true feelings for each other, it’s all blocked by his honor and prior entanglements. Loved this book so much.

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

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.

Resource Spotlight: Cursive and Faux Calligraphy Worksheets

Aug 25, 2025 |

Hello! Here are today’s lettering and art resources. Click on the images below to learn more about that resource. (If you make a purchase through these links, I get a small commission.)

Dolphin Handwriting Practice Worksheets

May include: Handwriting practice worksheets for the word 'Dolphin' in three sizes: small, medium, and large. The worksheets are in two styles: italic and regular. The worksheets are 33 pages total. The image shows a sample worksheet with the word 'Dolphin' written in cursive. The image also shows a cartoon dolphin jumping out of the water.
May include: Handwriting practice worksheets for kids featuring a blue dolphin jumping out of the water. The title is 'Dolphin' and the text below reads '33 Pages 2 Styles: Italic & Regular Lowercase & Uppercase Letters Continuous Stroke Numbers 48 Practice Words 3 Sizes: Small, Medium, Large'.
May include: A close-up of a lined notebook page with multiple handwritten lowercase 'h' letters in different colors, including orange, yellow, green, blue, and black. The letters are written in cursive script and are aligned on the lines of the notebook. A blue pen is being used to write the last letter.
May include: The word 'Inspire' written in rainbow colors on a lined sheet of paper. The word is written in cursive and the letters are outlined in different colors, starting with red and ending with blue. The text 'For Personal Use Only © 2022' is written in gray below the word 'Inspire'.

Whale Faux Calligraphy Practice Worksheets

May include: A blue background with white text that reads 'Faux Calligraphy Practice Worksheets' and 'Whale'. The text is in a cursive font. Below the text is a cartoon whale with a pink belly and a blue background. The whale is swimming to the right. Below the whale is a white rectangle with the text '37 Pages' and '2 Styles: Italic & Regular' and '3 Sizes: Small, Medium, Large'. Below the rectangle are three images of worksheets. The worksheets are titled 'Whale Italic & Regular Letters', 'Whale Italic & Regular Practice Words', and 'Whale Italic Continuous'. The worksheets are all white with black text. The text on the worksheets is in a cursive font. The worksheets are all for practicing calligraphy.
May include: A blue background with white text that reads 'Faux Calligraphy Practice Worksheets' and 'Whale'. Below the text is a list of features including '37 Pages', '2 Styles: Italic & Regular', 'Lowercase & Uppercase Letters', 'Continuous Stroke', 'Numbers', '52 Practice Words', '3 Sizes: Small, Medium, Large'. A cartoon whale with a pink blush is in the lower right corner of the image.
May include: A close-up of a person writing the letter 'g' in cursive with an orange pen on a lined sheet of paper. The letter 'g' is written in multiple colors, including pink, orange, and brown. The paper has the words 'For Persona' written at the bottom.
May include: The word 'Rainbow' written in cursive with each letter outlined in a different color of the rainbow, starting with red and ending with purple. The word 'Rainbow' is written on a white lined notebook page. The words 'Lighttheskyarts Smile' and 'Lighttheskyarts' are written in white cursive at the top and bottom of the image. The words 'True' and 'For Personal Use Only' are written in white cursive below the word 'Rainbow'.

Supplies

Are you an artist with your own resource that you’d like me to share? Click here to tell me all about it.

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

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.

Lettering and Art Resources is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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

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