Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Taming of the Dukes series. High stakes meet cute when running from footpads, Lysander and Neve have an instant connection. He hires her to pretend to his escort for an evening (which then turns into the rest of the season). He’s cold and doesn’t show emotion well, prioritizing business over relationships. Neve is just trying to survive and care for her injured sister, without sacrificing her integrity. The level of angst and longing and realizations of love in this book are so good!

Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Taming of the Dukes series. Lots of banter and bickering here between Vesper (daughter of a duke) and Aspen (the duke next door and former childhood friend). Somehow these two had a falling out as teenagers, grew apart, and then Aspen spurned Vesper at her debut ball. Now it’s many years later, Aspen has been off looking for fossils and back in England to deal with his wretched mother. Despite multiple offers of marriage, Vesper is still unwed and ruling society with her perfect poise. Aspen believes Vesper to be a spoiled society miss and tries to avoid her, even though he needs her help in preparing his mother’s ward for the Season. Despite Vesper’s outward appearance and reputation, she’s still the same outspoken and fiery lady she’s always been in the presence of her trusted friends. There’s a lot of push-and-pull between Aspen and Vesper as they fight, and kiss, and push each other away.

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

The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Taming of the Dukes series. Evangeline is a social outcast and prefers country life with her animal shelter, but her younger sister Viola is itching for a London Season. Their father insists that Viola is only allowed to go if Evangeline does too. Viola’s terrible suitor decides to use the debt he’s owed by the destitute duke, Gage, to tell him to convince and distract Evangeline. It’s a messy deal that gets even messier when Gage turns out to actually like Evangeline’s outspoken personality. Also, these two people are attracted to each other to the point of distraction, and Evangeline is the one to propose a scandalous affair. Super steamy flirty banter. Loved it.

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

Only Earl in the World by Amalie Howard (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Taming of the Dukes series. Briar and Jasper have been bickering for years, but there’s always an undercurrent of flirtation and attraction. She even may have based the heroes of her erotic novels on his likeness. But Briar is engaged to a boring and steady guy, until he catches her supporting women’s suffrage and breaks it off. Jasper is ready to rescue her reputation in a fake engagement, but we all know it’s not that fake. Delightfully flirty and steamy and nice wrap-up to the series.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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An Urgent Kiss by Alexa Aston (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Captivating Kisses series. Tragic prologue for Hugo, who grew up with a stutter and a cruel and abusive father. He’s all grown up in this story, taken the title of earl, and ushering his younger sister through her debut. He happens to meet his sister’s friend Tia, believes her to be too outspoken and a bad influence, but is also distractedly attracted to her. Lady Tia is the younger sister of a duke, not necessarily looking to marry this season, and happy to make friends. She dislikes the arrogant Hugo, but that’s because he’s stiff and socially awkward, not because he’s actually arrogant. It’s pretty clear that they fall in love here, once she realizes that he’s a really nice guy. Fun family dynamics on Tia’s side, with all her siblings and cousins.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Clover Lake series. If you love a messy set-up, this book is for you. April is doing rough financially, so she takes an art teaching job at a local resort. And then it turns out her roommate and co-teacher is Daphne, the woman that he ex-fiancee cheated on her with. Ouch. Daphne is in an equally tough spot, having recently been dumped by said woman, and also did not know about April’s existence. It’s messy and angry and chaotic, plus they’re attracted to each other. Throw in some actual competition between the two in the form of a chance to show at an art gallery, and it’s heartbreak waiting to happen. I loved reading these two defensive and heartbroken people open up to each other and slowly start to let their walls down.

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

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Jordan is assigned the wedding of the year in his event coordinator role, but things are messy because his friend/crush, Jamie, who he’s been avoiding for months is the man of honor and always around. It’s totally awkward because 1. they shared a teenage practice kiss, 2. they’ve been hanging out lately and Jordan was rejected for a kiss by Jamie, and 3. Jordan isn’t exactly sure of his own sexuality. In reading his character, it seems he’s queer and demisexual, and it all comes down to being only attracted to Jamie. It’s a single POV from Jordan’s perspective, so we never quite know what’s going on in Jamie’s mind, but it seems like he has his own insecurities and isn’t sure if Jordan is really interested in him or interested in experimenting. I enjoyed the romance between these two and seeing them learn how to communicate with each other. I will say from an eyeball reading perspective, having two main characters with lookalike names (Jordan and Jamie) made me slow down at times to remember which character was which.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Reel by Kennedy Ryan (2021)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Hollywood Renaissance series. I’ve heard great things about this book and finally picked it up because my local indie bookstore’s book club picked it for February. We follow Neevah, actress, and Canon, film director, as they meet, work together to make a movie, and fall in love. Throw in some chronic illness and family drama for Neevah, and we’ve got a plot heavy story here. Maybe it was just me, but all the details about movie casting and movie making dragged, and made it hard to get into the book. And when we did finally start the romantic relationship between Neevah and Canon, I felt anxious about the power dynamics of the well-known well-respected director and the newbie actress. Once the relationship starts though, it’s pretty solid and low-drama. We’re dealing more with the external drama and fallout of their relationship being made public and Neevah’s medical condition. There’s a lot going on here, and we’ve got a rich ensemble of characters within this world.

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

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Belles of London series. This one is a marriage of convenience story with Beauty and the Beast vibes. Julia is the daughter of sickly parents and has social anxiety. She thinks that no one wants to marry her because of her awkwardness, but Captain Jasper Blunt is very much interested. He needs a wealthy wife to restore his estate and care for his three illegitimate children. Nevermind that he’s known as a monster and has a huge scar on the side of his face. But Julia sees beyond the rumors and the appearance and notices that he’s actually very kind to her. So when she needs help getting away from her parents, she proposes to him. It’s delightful seeing her being both vulnerable and bold, and I love a protective husband. And Jasper is keeping secrets, which are so much fun to uncover. Another stellar book from Mimi Matthews.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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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.

Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Sam’s having a rough time of things when the pandemic derailed her academic plans. Now she’s living in the spare bedroom of her mom’s condo, working at a bar, and unsuccessfully applying to grad school. Single dad Nick moves in next door and somehow, Sam and Nick keep crossing paths. It’s a fairly straightforward romance here, with Nick being deliciously competent and being direct with his communication style. But Sam has all sorts of trust issues with men (because her dad totally sucks) and needs to get her life in order. Lots of humor and steam.

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

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.

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.

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.

The Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Crinoline Academy series. Nell is the deputy headmistress and former pupil at the girls’ academy that Miles is lightly investigating, so she is doing her best to try to deter him. Unfortunately, they get caught in a compromising situation and the best course of action is to marry. Aside from that, she’s trying to solve the mystery of a missing pupil and he’s trying to find his missing gossip columnist. And of course, the two are connected and they get to partner up to solve the case. We get to see a lovely slow burn romance here, with them being equal partners with really strong communication. Loved seeing the serious Miles soften towards Nell and care for her, even when she’s being prickly.

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

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Jonah and Sadie have been rivals for the past fifteen years, but we learn pretty early on that Jonah has had a crush on Sadie from the very start. They’re both in the running for the same very scarce teaching position at a university and both have valid reasons to be the top pick. But there’s only room for one, and then somehow they finagle their way to a marriage of convenience to snag a partner hire at the university. The romance itself is excellent and delightfully slow burn, with Jonah and his caretaking abilities. The real drama here is in the form of their respective families and the drama that their marriage-on-paper causes. Entertaining and sweet and steamy.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

Secret Nights and Northern Lights by Megan Oliver (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Second chance angst mixed with professional career advancement in the form of a trip to Iceland. Mona finally has the chance to travel internationally and write for her travel magazine job, but she’s paired up with her childhood friend/love/heartbreak Ben as the photographer. It’s all sorts of awkward, especially when she won’t just let him explain what happened all those years ago, despite his multiple attempts at adult-like communication. She’s annoying in that aspect because why wouldn’t you just let him talk? But the trip is amazing and they do finally start to get along, with her slowing thawing towards him. Mona definitely needs to increase her own self-confidence and work on her issues of inadequacy in her career and her boisterous family, but the trip helps with her personal journey. The romance is steamy and sweet, and I liked that this was a second chance romance without the split-timeline storytelling style.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Take a Hike by Katie Ruggle (2025)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Wedding the Marquess by Stevie Sparks (2025)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 4 of the Lords of Desire series. Savi is suspicious of her father’s payment to a sanitorium, so she agrees to an arranged marriage to the owner of that sanitorium to gain access. Alex is a marquess who needs a wealthy wife and Savi fits the bill. Luckily, he’s an all-around good guy and he and Savi fall quickly in love with each other. Drama unfolds in the form of that nasty sanatorium business, but Savi and Alex and steady partners throughout.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

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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.

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.

A Convenient Fiction by Mimi Matthews (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Parish Orphans of Devon series. Awkward first meeting for Alex and Laura when he tries to save her from drowning in a pond when she’s really just swimming. Alex is in the country holding some debts over a gentleman’s head to get an introduction to court an heiress. Of course, Laura is the one he prefers even though she does not have her own money and is in a precarious situation herself. He also does not want to be distracted by feelings, since he feels guilt over betraying his friends many years ago. Laura knows not to get her hopes up when it comes to Alex and she needs to work on solving her own problems independently. But I do love it when the heartless rogue is super kind to her family and shows glimmers of the goodness within. Another excellent addition to the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Winter Companion by Mimi Matthews (2020)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Parish Orphans of Devon series. The gang’s all together for the holidays, with three of the orphans married off, and our sweet Neville the last man standing. He has a speech impediment after an accidental fall from the cliffs and struggles in company. He’s extra flustered when the beautiful lady’s companion Clara is on the scene. But they slowly start to form a friendship and affection for each other, even though they have very different plans for their lives. I enjoyed seeing all the couples together here and seeing Neville and Clara grow closer.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters (2025)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Belles of London series. Another amazing romance from Mimi Matthews. Evelyn is in London for the Season and intends to make her impression on the marriage mart on horseback. And that means hiring the lesser known, but very talented habit-maker, Ahmad. It’s pretty much sparks at first sight here, on top of mutual respect for each others’ talents. But they’re different classes, different races, and a pairing between them will not solve their respective financial problems. But they definitely grow closer as Ahmad goes from just making Evelyn’s riding habits to making all of her dresses, and it’s easy to see how they slowly fall in love.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One & Only by Maurene Goo (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. A smidge of magic here in the form of Cassia’s family matchmaking talent. They do this thing called face reading, and it helps find someone’s past life, past love, and their one and only soulmate. And as Cassia is about to turn 40, she’s still looking for her fated, a man called Daniel that her grandmother read in her face. But she meets great guy Ellis instead, and then it turns out Daniel is his boss. Oh, the mess and angst. And it’s really a story of finding your fate, but having someone else who matches you just as well. Or maybe there are multiple possibilities when it comes to love. It’s all Cassia’s point of view here, and despite the love triangle, everyone is great and we can see how easily Cassia can fit with either Ellis or Daniel. I loved the family dynamics here and how all the characters interact. Loved this book.

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

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. I finished this one in a day because I was totally hooked. (That might not be saying much because I am fully capable of finishing a book a day when I’m on a roll). Tilly is a grieving widow who has been left a gift from her late husband at the local bookshop. A book a month, with a handwritten letter from her late husband, and each book is meant to inspire something in her life. It’s an emotional journey here as Tilly navigates her grief, and her relationship with her family, friends, and work. I loved seeing what new adventure her husband sent her each month. And the cute bookstore owner Alfie provided plenty of emotional support throughout the year. Super slow burn on the romance here, but I loved it all the same. Mostly told through Tilly’s point of view, but we get glimpses of Alfie’s perspective through the year as well. Excellent book, though it leaned more towards contemporary fiction than a traditional romance. The feelings I had reading it reminded me a lot of Overdue by Stephanie Perkins.

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

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

An Enchanting Kiss by Alexa Aston (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Captivating Kisses series. Semi-tragic prologue for Rupert, an army major and second son of a viscount who was neglected for most of his life. He’s being called home by his brother who is on his deathbed. Left to clean up the mess, Rupert immediately takes on all responsibilities as the new viscount, including the care of his five year old illegitimate niece. The bond between Rupert and his niece is probably the sweetest part of this book, made even better when he meets Lady Lia, the daughter of a duke who is visiting her cousin at the neighboring estate. It’s a really easy going friends to lovers story here, with the only hiccup being Rupert needing to let himself fall in love.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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.

Good Spirits by BK Borison (2025)

Paranormal romance. Book 1 of the Ghosted series. A Christmas haunting gone slightly askew. Nolan is a ghost who’s there to haunt Harriet, but she’s not a bad person who even needs the haunting. She’s got a terrible mother and kind of a sad and lonely childhood, but she’s living life on her own terms now. Nolan is a grumpy ghost, having been a ghost with no signs of moving on for the past century. But watching Harriet and Nolan fall in love has got to be the sweetest thing to ever exist. And who knew relations with a ghost could be so steamy. Loved it.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm.

Mate by Ali Hazelwood (2025)

Paranormal romance. Sequel to Bride. Serena has just found out that she’s not fully human and actually a human-Were hybrid that everyone just wants to study. And the alpha leader Koen has told her that she’s his mate, but that he’s not going to do anything about it. Right. It’s clear that there’s something biological or hormonal happening between these two, but there are some political reasons why it can’t happen. And also, someone’s trying to kidnap Serena for scientific and/or political purposes. It’s all sorts of danger and scent glands, and if you’ve read enough omegaverse fanfiction, you also know what it means when a female wakes up from achy night sweats. Super fun read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs (2025)

Fantasy romance. Standalone novel. A medieval Legally Blonde retelling with hints of magic and some new creatures we’ve never heard of. Also, super open to all types of romantic pairings and a major nonbinary character as part of the ensemble. Princess Clia has just been rejected by her longtime friend and partner in royal alliances Prince Domhnall, who basically says she’s not warrior queen material. She decides to enroll at the prestigious warrior training program to prove herself. She’s definitely a fish out of water, but she’s determined to work hard. It’s definitely a story with a lot of action and adventure and personal growth for Clia. The romance between her and the prince’s guard Ronan runs throughout the story, but is definitely secondary to the action plot. Lots of intrigue and fighting. A bit of world-building to set things up in the first third of the book, but still an enjoyable read overall.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk (2025)

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

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Only Rakes Need Apply by Kate Pearce (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rakes of London series. Widowed Carenza doesn’t miss her husband, but maybe she misses the bedroom aspect a little bit. Her friend puts up a newspaper advertisement looking for a lover for her and her late husband’s friend and her own longtime family friend Julian rises to the challenge. The romance and relations are fairly straightforward here, with Carenza and Julian finding time for frivolity at every turn and lots of instances of activity throughout the book. More drama unfolds with Julian’s messy family dynamics and some stuffy society members who are cruel to Carenza. Considering the setup of the story with Carenza saying she missed the marital bed, it felt a bit inconsistent to learn later on that her late husband was actually not that great to her in that aspect. For having such a steamy set up, I was more interested in Julian’s family issues.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington 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.

Never Ever After by Sue Lynn Tan (2025)

Young adult fantasy. Book 1 of the Never Ever After series. Lots of action and adventure here. Our main character Yining gets a major upgrade in life after being orphaned and living with her step-aunt to becoming a resident of the palace as a guest of the prince. There’s political maneuvering all around and danger in process. Nothing is quite as it seems and Yining is never quite sure who to trust. We get Cinderella vibes in this loose retelling, but there’s magic and danger lurking ahead. Loved seeing what surprises were in store as I was reading and I enjoyed all the twists and turns.

Advance ebook provided by Little Brown Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio.

And Then There Was The One by Martha Waters (2025)

Historical mystery romance. 1930s England. Standalone romance. A sleepy little country village has been overrun with a string of mysterious murders, drawing tourists to the town, and a whole lot of suspicion. Georgie is a village native who’s good with plants and solved a handful of the crimes, and now she’s concerned that the latest death isn’t due to natural causes. She writes to some famous detective for help, but his himbo secretary Sebastian comes instead. He’s flirtatious and funny and flusters our dear Georgie. We get to see them get to know each other and solve a crime all at once. Humor and mystery all in one book.

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

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