In the Prince’s Bed by Sabrina Jeffries (2004)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Royal Brotherhood series. Recently inherited earl Alec needs to marry an heiress and decides to seduce Katherine into marrying him. Alec has a semi-tragic backstory being the bastard son of a countess and the Prince Regent, but his mother was married to an earl, so Alec is legitimately the earl’s heir. His “father” hated him his whole life, so Alec has spent most of his time abroad. Upon his return, he finds his estate totally impoverished and he needs some money fast. He enlists the help of his two half-brothers (also sons of the Prince) so that he can woo his way to an advantageous marriage. Katherine is set to inherit a fortune of her own upon her marriage, but she’s hung up on her friend and almost-but-not-quite fiance. Alec tries to convince Katherine to spend more time with him by saying they can scheme to make this other guy jealous. She goes for the ruse, but the whole thing is a mess of lying and deception, and then they fall in love for real (except for all that lying that’s hanging over their heads). The friend and not-fiancee has his own little side story too, and hopefully we get to see that resolved in a later book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Pleasure a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries (2005)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Royal Brotherhood series. Marcus is a reclusive viscount who detests society and all its pretense, but he’s worried about his sister Louisa’s entry into society. He’s also highly suspicious of the duke that’s courting her, believing it to be a scheme from the Prince Regent. That duke’s sister Regina comes to call on Marcus ask him to allow a courtship, but they end up in a bargain of their own instead. The duke can court Louisa, if Marcus can court Regina. And then we begin a game where they test each other’s boundaries with flirting and scheming. Regina’s also hiding some big secret about herself and doesn’t want Marcus to find out and use it against her. Loads of drama and intrigue here and very entertaining to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Night with a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries (2005)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Royal Brotherhood series. Widowed marchioness Christabel needs assistance recovering some incriminating letters that her late husband had stolen and sold to pay off his gambling debts. Somehow, Gavin, the unacknowledged illegitimate son of the Prince Regent is recruited for the job in exchange for a barony. In order to gain entrance to a house party, Christabel needs to pose as Gavin’s mistress and learn to play an impressive game of cards. She thinks it’ll just be a ruse, but Gavin is determined to make it a true liaison. There’s a lot of push and pull here with Christabel’s steadfast refusal, and she’s generally confused by her newfound lustful thoughts. We get some added intrigue with all the scandalous card players at the party and we get to see Gavin soften and truly care for Christabel. Loved seeing the strong-willed nature of Christabel and how she was able to adapt to her new environment.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Big Shots series. Burly grumpy single dad hockey player Burgess has just hired marine biology grad student Tallulah to be his live-in au pair for his pre-teen daughter. And Tallulah has some trauma from her past that makes her wary of moving on with the oversized athlete. Nevermind the tingles she feels when she’s with him. Burgess of course tries his best to make her feel comfortable, but ends up needing her help desperately when dealing with his daughter. Burgess thinks he’s way too old for Tallulah and feels a bit creepy for hitting on her, but there’s definitely a mutual attraction. Super steamy, even if both of these people are totally unsure of themselves. Definitely a fun read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Pleasure a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries (2005)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Royal Brotherhood series. Marcus is a reclusive viscount who detests society and all its pretense, but he’s worried about his sister Louisa’s entry into society. He’s also highly suspicious of the duke that’s courting her, believing it to be a scheme from the Prince Regent. That duke’s sister Regina comes to call on Marcus ask him to allow a courtship, but they end up in a bargain of their own instead. The duke can court Louisa, if Marcus can court Regina. And then we begin a game where they test each other’s boundaries with flirting and scheming. Regina’s also hiding some big secret about herself and doesn’t want Marcus to find out and use it against her. Loads of drama and intrigue here and very entertaining to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Widowed Juliana is re-entering the workforce after years of being a stay-at-home mom and of course she overhears Ben disparaging her lack of experience and need to accommodate her kids. This sets off a rivalry with lots of bickering and maybe a little workplace sabotage for the next two years. It’s probably more than a little unprofessional, considering Juliana is part of the Human Resources department. But then they get stuck together on a work project and need to learn to work together. Oh, and there’s some simmering attraction along with the bickering and rivalry. The romance here follows fairly typical angry flirting and kissing tropes, and when they finally do get together, Juliana wants to keep things quiet so it doesn’t upset her kids or threaten her standing at work. It’s all sorts of messy and while it wasn’t my favorite combination of trope and setting, the book was funny and steamy.

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

A Dangerous Kind of Lady by Mia Vincy (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Longhope Abbey series. This one is the messiest fake engagement books I’ve read. Arabella and Guy were betrothed as children, but Guy is bucking against everything his father has ever commanded, so he refuses to marry her. Arabella is just trying to stall her own father’s control and wants a fake engagement with Guy until her other neighbor can return to the country for a marriage of convenience. But Guy is stubborn and not listening, so he refuses and Arabella ends up engaged to someone much more lecherous and dangerous. There’s also some background plotting with Guy’s sisters and their guardian and him slowly realizing that Arabella almost always knows best. There’s scandal and intrigue and definitely group of strong defiant women. I loved this book so much and loved how Guy and Arabella slowly learned to be honest and vulnerable with each other.

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

One Night with a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries (2005)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Royal Brotherhood series. Widowed marchioness Christabel needs assistance recovering some incriminating letters that her late husband had stolen and sold to pay off his gambling debts. Somehow, Gavin, the unacknowledged illegitimate son of the Prince Regent is recruited for the job in exchange for a barony. In order to gain entrance to a house party, Christabel needs to pose as Gavin’s mistress and learn to play an impressive game of cards. She thinks it’ll just be a ruse, but Gavin is determined to make it a true liaison. There’s a lot of push and pull here with Christabel’s steadfast refusal, and she’s generally confused by her newfound lustful thoughts. We get some added intrigue with all the scandalous card players at the party and we get to see Gavin soften and truly care for Christabel. Loved seeing the strong-willed nature of Christabel and how she was able to adapt to her new environment.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duke’s Guide to Fake Courtship by Jade Lee (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Daring Debutantes series. Declan is a stuffy duke with a history of angry outbursts and he’s just trying to keep his emotions in check. Somehow his meddling mother is trying to get him to stop his cousin from marrying an unsuitable illegitimate daughter of an Englishman, so he goes to meet the girl. Grace is half-English and half-Chinese about the launch into English society after living as an outcast in China. She immediately intrigues Declan and he’s protective of her, especially in light of his own cousin’s scheming for her dowry. Circumstances push them into a fake courtship to preserve her reputation, but there’s definitely a deeper connection simmering. Quick read and nice to see some diversity in our stuffy English settings.

Advance ebook provided by Harlequin Books via NetGalley.

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A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era France and Scotland. Book 1 of the Las Leonas series. Luz Alana is the daughter and heiress to a rum distillery and trying to expand her business during the World’s Fair in Paris. She exchanges barbs with Evan, a whiskey distiller, who is sharing her space at the exposition. Luz has prioritized her responsibilities to her younger sister and her rum business, and has little to no time for frivolity, despite Evan’s handsomeness. Evan is the heir apparent to a cruel and horrible duke and is working on seeking revenge and the proper ownership of the deed to his own whiskey distillery. When they both realize that their inheritances are tied up in marriage stipulations, they enter into a marriage of convenience (with benefits). This book was steamy and emotional, and we all love Evan’s support of Luz’ business endeavors. Excellent read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Paris. Book 2 of the Las Leonas series. Manuela is trying to have one last scandalous Summer before she has to marry a man for money. And she’s trying her best to find debauchery in Paris. When a meeting with a stuffy widowed duchess turns out to be a meeting with a woman she met at a club the previous evening, Manuela turns the tables and coerces Cora to show her a good time in Paris in exchange for the opportunity to buy some land she owns in South America. Cora is actually pretty emotionally repressed after a scandalous incident with a former flame forced her to flee London and rebuild her reputation. We get to see the grumpy Cora melt under the sunshine Manuela’s persuasions. Loved seeing the interaction between these two and them getting to know each other. Standout side character is Cora’s super supportive stepson.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Paris. Book 3 of the Las Leonas series. Our grumpy stuffy doctor friend Aurora gets her romance here with Apollo, the half-brother of Evan from Book 1 of the series. The set-up here is mostly a no-strings attached affair, since Aurora is busy running her illegal women’s clinics and Apollo is trying to cement his place into the English aristocracy. Except they catch all sorts of feelings and are insanely protective of each other. We get all sorts of drama in the form of Aurora’s traumatic past and Apollo’s political ambitions, which is interesting to read about. The book is super steamy, and I especially loved Apollo’s caretaking of Aurora. Great conclusion to the Las Leonas series.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Collins via NetGalley.

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

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

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

Remember When by Mary Balogh (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Ravenswood series. We have another slow and sweet character-driven romance from Mary Balogh. We start with a not-very-tragic prologue for childhood friends Clarissa and Matthew, who have been friends and neighbors for years, but their lives are about to change because Clarissa is expecting a proposal the next day from a handsome and charming earl. And despite Matthew’s feelings for Clarissa, he knows that he is not a suitable match for her as a second son with no income. And so, they must part ways. Jump forward 33 years and Clarissa is widowed with grown children and re-evaluating her purpose in life. She’s decided to spend the summer alone at the family estate to find some solitude to think and plan. One of those plans involves renewing her friendship with Matthew, who just so happens to be the village carpenter for the past 20 years. They’ve interacted briefly and casually throughout the years, but maintaining their distance since their social stations are so different now. But of course, once they start truly talking again, the friendship sparks back to life, along with something more. Such a lovely comforting story to read. There’s still plenty of drama with Matthew’s backstory and his family, but in true Balogh fashion, everything resolves neatly.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Sarah and Caleb were high school sweethearts and have been married since the age of 19. And Sarah is feeling all sorts of aimless as a wealthy housewife, wanting to build some independence and something of herself to be proud of. And as sweet and caring as Caleb is, he’s always swooping in to save the day, making Sarah continue to feel inadequate. Things come to a head at a charity event that does not go well, and it turns into a huge fight with all sorts of resentment and unhappiness bubbling up to the surface. And so, Sarah and Caleb are on a couples retreat in the woods to work out their relationship and communication issues. The humor factor here is that they’re both indoor people with no physical endurance whatsoever. But the emotional angst is ever-present. We get some flashback chapters to the past with how their relationship developed and how it intertwined with Sarah’s mom being ill and her career ambitions. This whole book is a heart punch and I enjoyed the supportive cast of characters present during the retreat. Loved it.

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

My Inconvenient Duke by Loretta Chase (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Difficult Dukes series. We start with Alice being terrified that her idiot brother will be killed sometime soon, so she sets off to find a husband this season, to make sure she’s never at the mercy of her cruel cousin. Her brother’s best friend, the Duke of Blackwood, is all sorts of distressed at the thought of Alice marrying anyone else, even though he has no claim to her. He clearly is nursing a long time affection for her, despite having chosen a lifetime of debauchery with his friends instead of the upstanding life he could have had with her. And when Blackwood hears that Alice’s terrible cousin is in town, he tries his best to protect her. We end up with a wild goose chase in the middle of the book that have Blackwood and Alice in a compromising circumstance and needing to marry. While this seems like the beginning of a happily ever after for them, they get pulled in different directions due to their competing responsibilities. As a standalone read, this book was fine. As a follow-up after the first two books, it fell a little flat because all the hints from the first two books suggest that these two are officially estranged. We learn more about this so-called estrangement in this book and do eventually end up with a happily ever after, but it was much less dramatic than I expected.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Unromance by Erin Connor (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We start with a bang here with an elevator meet-cute and a one-night-stand for Sawyer and Mason. And then we find out that Mason is a famous actor who is being maligned in the press for a string of break-ups (none of which were his fault) and Sawyer is a romance novelist who is having major writers’ block. When they run into each other again, they decide to strike a deal where they hang out with each other doing cheesy romantic things so that Mason can desensitize himself from being a total romantic and so that Sawyer can find inspiration for their writing. And of course, they have a list of rules to go with their deal. The rules are clearly going to go out the window as these two people spend time together and get all emotionally entangled (on top of the physical attraction that started this whole thing). This book was both emotional and super funny and steamy all at once. The flirty witty banter was so much fun to read, plus all their meddlesome friends made a great supporting cast.

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

The Sapphire Heiress by Ella Leon (2025)

Historical Fantasy Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Silver Order series. Mae was the daughter of a wealthy ship merchant, until her family loses all their money, her father and brother pass away, and now she’s the governess to the new occupants who bought her family’s house. And somehow she gets tangled up in a treasure hunt that her neighbor (who mysteriously has not aged in thirty years) and some other villain is undertaking at her home. Ethan was a pirate who sailed with Mae’s father until they became enemies once upon a time and he’s trying to reclaim a sapphire that he believes that her father had hidden in his vaults. Ethan and Mae have an instant attraction for each other, though she is definitely wary of him. I’d say this book is a lot more action-adventure than romance, with the treasure hunt and running from danger taking forefront of the story. Still, really enjoyable read.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Lord Ravenscroft Is Not a Gentleman by Barbara Russell (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 6 of the Victorian Outcasts series. We get another tragic set-up in this series when Edith and Perry meet at a garden, then their ship crashes into the Thames, they both nearly die, and then grow closer during their recovery. Edith used to be a bookish gal with aims of becoming a doctor, and Perry used to be a fun-loving younger brother of an earl with no ambition whatsoever. We catch up to them five years later when Perry returns to London after an extended recovery period at fancy hospitals and doctors in Switzerland and find out that Edith has lied to Perry all these years in her letters and making him believe she went to medical school and is now a doctor. But she is now totally aimless and getting into all sorts of scandals, much to the dismay of her family. Perry is somehow now the earl because his older brother gave up the title and married an actress. And so he’s the noble one trying to save her from her latest scrape of posing nearly nude for a painting. I enjoyed reading all the drama and twists and how these two people are so connected to each other, despite their new circumstances.

Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber Books via BookSprout.

Duke of Luhst by Mariah Stone (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Fairly typical brother’s best friend romance here between Lucien and Chastity. Lucien is a terrible rake who seeks to comfort his own loneliness with willing bed partners. He’s always had a soft spot for his best friend’s sister Chastity, but has been adamantly warned away by her brother. Chastity seeks to stay a plain and unremarkable spinster scientist, but she’s trying to get her research acknowledged by the local hospital. Somehow Lucien and Chastity end up in a wager with each other during a house party, where he has to maintain celibacy and she needs to be more sociable. Clearly, these two are headed for a romance of their own, but their very different goals and personalities may become a hindrance. This was a quick read for me, with the house party moving swiftly, and lots of drama from external players.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

A Lady Would Know Better by Emma Theriault (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Standalone novel. For having a brightly colored illustrated cover, we sure do start the story in lots of tragedy. Jasper is an earl who has been in mourning for over a year because his village was ravaged by scarlet fever and he lost his fiancee, parents, and older brother to the illness. He’s doing his best to keep it all together, even if that means he’s a stern and grumpy bastard to his remaining family. And then they find an injured and unconscious woman down the lane and bring her to the safety of their manor house. Waking up with no memory of herself or how she was injured, the family have named the woman Jane. And Jasper and Jane have almost instant chemistry with some flirty bickering. It’s a bit of a mystery to figure out her identity, and we mostly spend the book with a push-and-pull of Jasper’s emotions. See, he’s trying his best to stay away from Jane, but it’s not working, so then he feels conflicted and guilty. I did enjoy his slew of meddling sisters and how they instantly become attached to Jane during her stay. A nice mix of angst and drama here.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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.

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

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

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

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Paris. Book 3 of the Las Leonas series. Our grumpy stuffy doctor friend Aurora gets her romance here with Apollo, the half-brother of Evan from Book 1 of the series. The set-up here is mostly a no-strings attached affair, since Aurora is busy running her illegal women’s clinics and Apollo is trying to cement his place into the English aristocracy. Except they catch all sorts of feelings and are insanely protective of each other. We get all sorts of drama in the form of Aurora’s traumatic past and Apollo’s political ambitions, which is interesting to read about. The book is super steamy, and I especially loved Apollo’s caretaking of Aurora. Great conclusion to the Las Leonas series.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Collins via NetGalley.

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Big Shots series. Super fun golfer-fangirl/caddy romance here. Josephine is Wells’ biggest fan. Even though he’s been terrible at the game for years. And she’s really the only reason why he’s been hanging on, even though he really wants to quit. He finally does get fed up and quit, but two weeks later, there’s a hurricane that blows through Florida and he’s concerned about Josephine’s well-being and somehow he ends up back playing golf with her as his caddy. Josephine really does love golf and has been running her family’s pro shop, but the hurricane devastated the place and she doesn’t have the money (or insurance) to fix it up. She won’t take charity from Wells, but she will take that high-paying job. The flirting and banter and steam here is top-notch, even though they try to resist each other due to their workplace relationship. It’s funny and emotional and such a good book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Sapphire Heiress by Ella Leon (2025)

Historical Fantasy Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Silver Order series. Mae was the daughter of a wealthy ship merchant, until her family loses all their money, her father and brother pass away, and now she’s the governess to the new occupants who bought her family’s house. And somehow she gets tangled up in a treasure hunt that her neighbor (who mysteriously has not aged in thirty years) and some other villain is undertaking at her home. Ethan was a pirate who sailed with Mae’s father until they became enemies once upon a time and he’s trying to reclaim a sapphire that he believes that her father had hidden in his vaults. Ethan and Mae have an instant attraction for each other, though she is definitely wary of him. I’d say this book is a lot more action-adventure than romance, with the treasure hunt and running from danger taking forefront of the story. Still, really enjoyable read.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Unromance by Erin Connor (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We start with a bang here with an elevator meet-cute and a one-night-stand for Sawyer and Mason. And then we find out that Mason is a famous actor who is being maligned in the press for a string of break-ups (none of which were his fault) and Sawyer is a romance novelist who is having major writers’ block. When they run into each other again, they decide to strike a deal where they hang out with each other doing cheesy romantic things so that Mason can desensitize himself from being a total romantic and so that Sawyer can find inspiration for their writing. And of course, they have a list of rules to go with their deal. The rules are clearly going to go out the window as these two people spend time together and get all emotionally entangled (on top of the physical attraction that started this whole thing). This book was both emotional and super funny and steamy all at once. The flirty witty banter was so much fun to read, plus all their meddlesome friends made a great supporting cast.

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

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins (1996)

Historical romance. Pre-Civil War Michigan. Standalone novel. If you haven’t read this book before, you need to. It’s heavy and emotional and romantic all at once. Hester is a former slave who now lives in Michigan and provides shelter for runaways headed north to Canada. She helps treat the injured Galen (a well-known and wanted conductor known as the Black Daniel) when he is nearly stabbed and beaten to death. As she tends to him, their relationship changes from a tenuous friendship to something more. It’s definitely a slow-burn romance layered on top of the fight against slavery. We get loads more drama and danger in the form of a cruel slave catcher and a potential traitor in town. I appreciated how Galen wanted so much to protect Hester, make her smile, and then provide safety and security for her. Learning both Hester and Galen’s backstories were heartbreaking, but I loved seeing him fall for her so hard.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Duke of Luhst by Mariah Stone (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Fairly typical brother’s best friend romance here between Lucien and Chastity. Lucien is a terrible rake who seeks to comfort his own loneliness with willing bed partners. He’s always had a soft spot for his best friend’s sister Chastity, but has been adamantly warned away by her brother. Chastity seeks to stay a plain and unremarkable spinster scientist, but she’s trying to get her research acknowledged by the local hospital. Somehow Lucien and Chastity end up in a wager with each other during a house party, where he has to maintain celibacy and she needs to be more sociable. Clearly, these two are headed for a romance of their own, but their very different goals and personalities may become a hindrance. This was a quick read for me, with the house party moving swiftly, and lots of drama from external players.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

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

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

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.

Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Vine Mess series. Hallie is the local florist in a vineyard town in Napa who’s basically walking catastrophe. And when her childhood crush Julian is back in town to write his novel, she’s out there planting flowers in his front yard. He’s totally drawn to her at first sighting, even though he forgot that he met her once before in high school. They’re total opposites who really need to avoid each other, but the insta-lust/crush/obsession is taking up all their brainspace. Julian has his own issues of anxiety to work on, but he ends up enjoying all the chaotic time he spends with Hallie. The book was funny and steamy and emotional all in one. A great read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by HarperCollins via TikTokShop.

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Vine Mess series. Natalie and August have been at odds upon first meeting, most likely because he said something boneheaded to thwart a potential one night stand. Now, a couple months later, August has run out of money trying to make his late best friend’s vineyard dreams come true. As he’s about to leave town, Natalie comes to him with a proposition. She needs access to her trust fund and her father has put an archaic clause that requires that she be married. She proposes a marriage of convenience to August so she can get the money she needs to start her own investment company and August will look like an upstanding stable guy to get a small business loan for his vineyard. Of course, the underlying burning attraction between them leads to all sorts of angry flirting and seductive games. August is basically your bumbling golden retriever, but when he goes into Navy SEAL mode, it’s all sorts of appealing for Natalie (and the reader). Emotional, funny, flirty, and steamy.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by HarperCollins via TikTokShop.

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!

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A Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Difficult Dukes series. This book was so fun and reminded me how much I love road trip romances in a historical setting. Ripley is a groomsman at his best friend’s wedding and charged with making sure the wedding happens. The problem is that Olympia has run away from her own wedding and Ripley gives chase. He’s doing his best to convince her to go back, and then stall her so the groom can catch up, and preserve her reputation. But Olympia is all sorts of frantic and not interested in going back to her fiance. Along the way, Olympia and Ripley get to know each other, and Ripley has switched his efforts to just trying not to betray his best friend. There’s chaos and adventure and I loved seeing these two people fall in love.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Difficult Dukes series. The Duke of Ashmont is your Regency-era himbo, named “His Grace with the Angel Face” and basically doing nothing productive with his title. He spends so much time drunk that no one has any noble expectations of him. Cassandra is the eldest daughter of a politician who is known for being a shrew and completely outspoken. When she gets into a tangle with Ashmont, his solution is to marry her. She refuses over and over and over again, but he seems to be quite persistent. I loved seeing him be the one to pursue her and work hard at earning her esteem. I also liked reading about their interactions as children and how those experiences influenced their present day affections. Loved it!

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

My Inconvenient Duke by Loretta Chase (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Difficult Dukes series. We start with Alice being terrified that her idiot brother will be killed sometime soon, so she sets off to find a husband this season, to make sure she’s never at the mercy of her cruel cousin. Her brother’s best friend, the Duke of Blackwood, is all sorts of distressed at the thought of Alice marrying anyone else, even though he has no claim to her. He clearly is nursing a long time affection for her, despite having chosen a lifetime of debauchery with his friends instead of the upstanding life he could have had with her. And when Blackwood hears that Alice’s terrible cousin is in town, he tries his best to protect her. We end up with a wild goose chase in the middle of the book that have Blackwood and Alice in a compromising circumstance and needing to marry. While this seems like the beginning of a happily ever after for them, they get pulled in different directions due to their competing responsibilities. As a standalone read, this book was fine. As a follow-up after the first two books, it fell a little flat because all the hints from the first two books suggest that these two are officially estranged. We learn more about this so-called estrangement in this book and do eventually end up with a happily ever after, but it was much less dramatic than I expected.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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

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.