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Top Five Favorite Romance Books of May 2026 – historical romance, contemporary romance

Jun 1, 2026 | Book Reviews

How to Fake It in Society by KJ Charles (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Scheming and friendship and slow burn romance. Titus is a shopkeeper who is about to be totally destitute when his former lover and current landlord raises the rent. And somehow, he ends up at the deathbed of a wealthy old lady who wants to marry him so her fortune doesn’t go to her terrible nephew. The old lady passes away and Titus is left with a totally new house and life. It’s all sorts of overwhelming, especially when grifters are aiming for him. And then the biggest grifter of all, Nico, shows up at his doorstep because this man had missed his chance at marrying the rich old lady. But he’s actually pretty helpful to Titus, so even though Titus is suspicious, he lets Nico help him anyway. Nico’s obviously keeping secrets and is in a lot of debt, but as he gets to know Titus, he’s unwilling to take advantage. It’s a slow build of friendship and then more, even with secrets hanging over them. I loved this book.

Advance ebook provided by Tor Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio.

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

Double Happiness by Heather Eng (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We start a bit with a messy love triangle situation because workaholic Mei is already engaged to Joey, when she re-meets Alexandre and feels an instant connection to him. Making things messier is that Alexandre is the brother of Mei’s sister’s husband, so they keep running into each other at family events. But see, when you read the interactions between Mei and Alexandre, it’s so so good. They just get each other so well and they’re clearly absolutely perfect for each other, plus the tingly sparks and all. I loved this book so much.

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

Captured by Beverly Jenkins (2009)

Historical romance. Book 3 of the Le Veq series. Typical plot-filled adventure here with Ms. Bev. Dominic is a privateer who attacks an English vessel and takes Clare with him. She’s super feisty and doesn’t want to leave her mistress at first, but Dominic is trying to set her free. But she has reasons for wanting to go back to her home in Savannah. There’s definitely a mix of fighting and flirting here, and the general dangers of being a pirate at sea. And then we get to Dominic’s idyllic island and Clare gets a taste of true freedom there. There are villains around every corner and things always get worse when they team up unexpectedly. So much going on, this book will keep you hooked all the way through.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Heartbreaking and messy in all the best ways. We start with Nicole and husband Gabe’s last ditch effort to implant their embryo into a surrogate who lives across the country from them. Only for Nicole to return home and find the dog walker in a compromising position waiting for Gabe. Gross cheating rich white man husband alert. Nicole reconnects with her old work-crush Logan while dealing with the fallout. Logan offers the ultimate escape from her reality because he’s sweet and nerdy and funny, and pretty much adores Nicole. But it’s super messy because she’s not really honest with him about her situation and what the future holds. I loved the flirty banter between Nicole and Logan and I liked seeing Nicole find herself again, after so long being defined by her infertility struggles and her trophy wife status. Amazingly emotional and I absolutely loved it.

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

The Dove and the Rogue by Harper St. George (2026)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Doves of New York series. Starting with the marriage proposition that ends the previous book, Jenny promises David a night in his bed in exchange for a marriage of convenience as a way to allow her sister to marry someone unsuitable. But of course Jenny and David actually have feelings for each other, even though they spend most of the book denying it. And trying very hard not to get attached. They flirt, they marry, they bed down, and then they go their separate ways. But really, both of them need to admit that they really just want each other. Steamy and angsty in all the best ways.

Advance ebook provided by Harper St. George via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

Want to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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

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Doves of New York Historical Romance Book Series by Harper St. George

May 28, 2026 | Book Reviews

The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Doves of New York series. Cora and her sisters are the illegitimate daughters of a wealthy gentleman in New York, who is dangling their inheritance from their grandmother in the form of dowries. In order to acquire the money, Cora needs to marry a suitable gentleman (but not one in New York). They all try to find matches in England where they’ve hidden the fact that they’re illegitimate and give the appearance of being wealthy heiresses. Leo is an impoverished earl finally deciding the marry for money and comes to an arrangement with Cora. She’s adamant that they separate eventually and tries very hard not to get emotionally entangled. And Leo is just trying to keep his own heart from being broken (as it has been before). However, these two are actually a perfect match for each other in terms of political aspirations and advocacy, plus that simmering attraction. While both of these people are so concerned about protecting themselves, they’re missing out on the happiness they could be having with the person right in front of them. This was a really great intro to the series and I’m looking forward to reading more.

Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House.

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

Eliza and the Duke by Harper St George (2025)

Historical romance. Gilded Age England. Book 2 of the Doves of New York series. Eliza is searching for one last bit of adventure before she marries a viscount to gain her inheritance and she just so happens to run into an injured Simon at a club where she isn’t supposed to be. Turns out Simon is secretly an underground prize fighter, plus has some other dealings with a crime boss in Whitechapel. He and Eliza cross paths again when he’s on security detail for her family and she does her very best to convince him to take her on a night of adventure. I loved seeing these two get closer together and the yearning that they have for each other in spite of the impossible circumstances. Super flirty and steamy and loads of caretaking involved here. Loved this book so much.

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

The Dove and the Rogue by Harper St. George (2026)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Doves of New York series. Starting with the marriage proposition that ends the previous book, Jenny promises David a night in his bed in exchange for a marriage of convenience as a way to allow her sister to marry someone unsuitable. But of course Jenny and David actually have feelings for each other, even though they spend most of the book denying it. And trying very hard not to get attached. They flirt, they marry, they bed down, and then they go their separate ways. But really, both of them need to admit that they really just want each other. Steamy and angsty in all the best ways.

Advance ebook provided by Harper St. George via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

Want to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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: May 18 to 24, 2026 (contemporary romance, historical romance, hockey romance, soap opera history)

May 26, 2026 | Book Reviews

The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Heartbreaking and messy in all the best ways. We start with Nicole and husband Gabe’s last ditch effort to implant their embryo into a surrogate who lives across the country from them. Only for Nicole to return home and find the dog walker in a compromising position waiting for Gabe. Gross cheating rich white man husband alert. Nicole reconnects with her old work-crush Logan while dealing with the fallout. Logan offers the ultimate escape from her reality because he’s sweet and nerdy and funny, and pretty much adores Nicole. But it’s super messy because she’s not really honest with him about her situation and what the future holds. I loved the flirty banter between Nicole and Logan and I liked seeing Nicole find herself again, after so long being defined by her infertility struggles and her trophy wife status. Amazingly emotional and I absolutely loved it.

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

Double Happiness by Heather Eng (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We start a bit with a messy love triangle situation because workaholic Mei is already engaged to Joey, when she re-meets Alexandre and feels an instant connection to him. Making things messier is that Alexandre is the brother of Mei’s sister’s husband, so they keep running into each other at family events. But see, when you read the interactions between Mei and Alexandre, it’s so so good. They just get each other so well and they’re clearly absolutely perfect for each other, plus the tingly sparks and all. I loved this book so much.

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

Game of Rogues by Julie Anne Long (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 9 of the Palace of Rogues series. This book is the epitome of yearning. The kind that punches you in the gut, makes you teary, and also makes you believe in love. Guinevere goes to gaming hell owner Gabriel to plead her case to cancel her naive brother’s debts, but it doesn’t go well. And then they both end up boarding at the Grand Palace on the Thames, so continually interact in our cozy boarding house. It’s feisty bickering between these two, which is super humorous to read. But then it turns to care and compassion as they start to learn each other’s motives. Anything between them is impossible due to their social stations, but you can feel every emotion that they eventually feel for each other. The very best sort of romance.

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

The Wingman by Stephanie Archer (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Vancouver Storm series. Friends to lovers is not my favorite trope because it moves so slow. Both Hayden and Darcy are totally skittish around each other, not wanting to ruin the friendship, but also insanely attracted to each other. They each have their own separate insecurities: Hayden for getting a reputation as a player and not being considered boyfriend material, and Darcy for having her shine completely dulled by her overbearing ex-boyfriend. Darcy is looking to expand her dating horizons and asks Hayden for help, not knowing that he’s so completely gone for her that he’ll do anything to make him happy. I loved their friendship and connection and how amazingly supportive Hayden is.

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

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

Love in the Afternoon, and Evening: Essays and Conversations on Soap Operas by Charlotte Druckman and Mayukh Sen (2026)

Nonfiction. Soap operas feel a bit romance book-adjacent to me, with their bananas plots and common themes and tropes. There’s always a ton of chaos and plot going on, and inevitably, someone always falls in love. It was interesting to read this book with the history of soap opera (starting in radio) and the history of wildly common tropes. If you ever watched any soap in your life, this book is a lot of fun.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

Want to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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

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

Weekly Reads: May 11 to 17, 2026 (time loop romance, historical romance)

May 19, 2026 | Book Reviews

The Miseducation of Caroline Bingley by Lindz McLeod (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Austentatious series. After Mr. Darcy marries Elizabeth Bennett, Caroline Bingley is wondering why it wasn’t her instead. And it turns out, she’s a pretty selfish, cold, and harsh social climber who needs some assistance in learning to be kind. Luckily, Georgiana Darcy is the paragon of perfection, so she enlists her help in being nicer with the ultimate goal of attracting a suitor. Except Caroline is totally distracted by how beautiful Georgiana is and not at all looking forward to spending time with gentlemen. This whole book is told from Caroline’s point of view, and we get to see her transformation from someone totally self-absorbed and judgmental, to someone with a bit more heart and caring.

Advance ebook provided by Carina Press via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Harper Collins Audio.

Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Noelle eats some delicious, but slightly sketchy dumplings at a night market and ends up in a time loop. Over the many times that she relives June 20th, she learns to let go of her rigidity a bit and live without consequences. Problem is that she meets a guy and it’s pretty depressing when she starts to have feelings for him, and he doesn’t remember him the next day. Romance was cute, and the time loop was an interesting plot, but started to get repetitive and a bit sad after awhile. Probably how Noelle was feeling all along.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Last Lady B by Eloisa James (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era Scotland. Standalone novel. Chaos and ghosts and a terribly husband here. Genevieve has married a much older wealthy man so that she can pay for her younger sister’s dowry. She plans a marriage of mutual respect and companionship, but absolutely no romance or consummation. But after seven months of marriage, she’s off to the wintry hunting lodge where she meets her husband’s mistress, the ghosts of his previous wives, and a whole cast of other misfit characters. It’s basically a whole comedy of errors type of story, which is very entertaining, and then somehow she falls in love with Sir Godric, a friend of her new stepson, and actually more age-appropriate for her. Some gothic mystery vibes here and delightfully entertaining.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Dove and the Rogue by Harper St. George (2026)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Doves of New York series. Starting with the marriage proposition that ends the previous book, Jenny promises David a night in his bed in exchange for a marriage of convenience as a way to allow her sister to marry someone unsuitable. But of course Jenny and David actually have feelings for each other, even though they spend most of the book denying it. And trying very hard not to get attached. They flirt, they marry, they bed down, and then they go their separate ways. But really, both of them need to admit that they really just want each other. Steamy and angsty in all the best ways.

Advance ebook provided by Harper St. George via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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

Want to keep your own reading organized? Try this digital reading journal template!

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.

Handmade Corner Bookmarks on Etsy, this product has sold over $4000 in 5 years

May 13, 2026 | Side Hustle Diaries

Introduction

As I fell into the bookish space on social media in 2021, I started seeing shops that sold bookmarks and other accessories for readers. Somehow, I stumbled on corner bookmarks, made with either paper or fabric. And then I decided I wanted to figure out how to fold them with paper. It took a few tries and a few different sizes, but I was ultimately inspired by the humble paper football from high school note folding days. I was able to design a compact, neatly folded bookmark that held together without any tape or glue.

And once I perfected that, I wanted to figure out how to sell them. Keep reading to see how the modest little bookmark turned into a few thousand dollars in sales.

How to Make the Bookmarks

To make the bookmarks, you need to cut paper to 2 inches by 6 inches. You can change the size as long as you keep the proportions to same, so you can cut 3×9 or 4×12, or change them to centimeters. The folding works up the same, you’ll just end up with a giant bookmark. I had settled on 2×6 as the size so that the bookmark would be big enough to hold inside the book, but small enough that you can still read the page beneath it.

I like using patterned scrapbooking paper and you can grab that at any craft store. I recommend against a paper that’s too thick because it will get tough to fold and your fingers will hurt after awhile. I prefer using a paper cutter, but you can measure and cut with scissors if needed. It’s just a smidge more exact and polished with a paper cutter, especially since I was planning to sell them.

The video below shows how the bookmarks are folded together.

Supplies

Scrapbooking Paper
Paper Cutter
Replacement Blades (the blades get dull fairly frequently with all that cutting)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=kOqjC1XLS2w%3Futm_campaign%3Dhandmade-corner-bookmarks-on-etsy%26utm_medium%3Dreferral%26utm_source%3Drandomolive.beehiiv.com

How to Sell the Bookmarks

When I first started selling these bookmarks, I was experimenting to see if there was even a market for them. I used scrapbook paper that I already had in my stash and it was an assortment of different patterns. I decided that the easiest way to sell the bookmarks was to do a random pick of 4 bookmarks based on color scheme or theme. This way, I could replenish the bookmarks with whatever paper I had lying around or found on sale without having to retake a bunch of listing photos.

Pricing

My original package size was 4 bookmarks for $4, and then I would have a discount for buying more (8 would be 10% off at $7.20 and 12 would be 20% off at $9.60). I figured this was comparable to other bookmarks I saw online. I did not actually calculate anything in terms of profit and was basically winging it. I’ll include an actual calculation in 2026 dollars below.

Selling Platform

I knew that I wanted to sell these on Etsy, for the sole purpose of being able to purchase tracked first class letter stamped labels. That’s it. That’s the only reason. It was the easiest way to buy the cheapest shipping label. I knew the bookmarks were lightweight and flexible enough to be shipped in a letter envelope, so that’s what I did. I already had an existing Etsy shop where I used to sell digital art prints and lettering guides, so I added it there and called it a day.

Link to Etsy listing for bookmarks

Shipping Materials

In order to be able to send with first class letter stamps, I needed the bookmarks to stay as flat as possible in shipping. This led me to package the bookmarks in a 4 pack inside a 4×6 cellophane bag folded over itself to keep things tidy and flat. I labeled the outside with a simple file folder label that had the name of the product and the URL to my Etsy shop and my instagram account. Easy peasy. These fit easily into a 5×7 greeting card and envelope. I bought blank kraft cardstock folded cards and envelopes to ship. Perfect for keeping the bookmarks safe in transit and still fit a 4×6 thermal label on the outside.

For 12 packs of bookmarks, I use the same 4×6 cellophane bags, but also put two 4×6 index cards inside to keep things stable. The index cards I bought were fairly thin, so I put two of them for rigidity. These still pack flat into those 5×7 cards and envelopes.

Marketing Efforts

With most of my online efforts, my primary social media platform is Instagram. I started posting about my new bookmarks, showing them inside of books in photos and videos, and also sending some to other bookstagrammers to help promote. In 2021 and 2022, this worked great. I also tried Etsy ads towards the end of 2022, probably also contributing to the spike in sales. I would make and post videos on Instagram of every step of the process: cutting paper, folding bookmarks, showing how to use the bookmarks in books, packaging the bookmarks in cellophane. I would also post photos of order that got sent out. It was probably at least one bookmark-related post every single day. I also sent emails to my email newsletter whenever I was running a sale on Etsy. But as sales declined and marketing efforts didn’t yield any more, I definitely slowed down on posting. Every so often, I’ll revive a post or two, but present day sales are not what they were.

Results

From 2021 until now, gross sales have totaled $4609. This does not include supply costs or selling fees. The peak was really November and December of 2022, during holiday gifting season. I believe that a feature in a bookstagram gift guide round-up was the major contributor here. After that, sales have pretty much plummeted in the past few years, which is always such a let down when you’ve had prior success. I was not keeping track of profit all these years, so with supply costs, Etsy fees, and shipping costs, the net profit would obviously be less than this.

Profit Calculation in 2026

At 2026 costs of all supplies, Etsy fees, and shipping costs, the profit on selling a 4 pack of bookmarks for $4 is $1.67 and the profit on a 12 pack of bookmarks for $9.75 is $5.95. If I’m able to buy the scrapbook paper on clearance, then the cost of supplies decreases and the profit increases. This also does not account for time and labor.

Future Plans

For now, I plan to keep this item available for purchase in my shop. Even though sales have dramatically slowed down, it’s a fun thing for me to make. I love playing around with the different patterns of papers and the task of packing them up for shipping is pretty soothing. I do wish these got more sales because I enjoy sending them out. I’m not sure that the profit margin is worth the time in marketing for me, especially as my social media posts aren’t getting as much reach. I’ve tried various influencer outreach methods, and it doesn’t seem to lead to sales. I’ll just leave the listing up on Etsy and if I get sales from the organic search there, that’ll be good enough.

Conclusion

For awhile there, when times were good, I think the sales were great. I mean, overall, we’re looking at over $4,000 in folded up bits of paper that I was making at my desk at work. I think small ticket items can be profitable, but you need a huge volume of sales. This item is also fairly labor intensive, and you can start to feel a bit like a self-run sweatshop. Unless you actually have fun making these, I don’t recommend it as a profitable side hustle.

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Weekly Reads: May 4 to 10, 2026 (historical romance, contemporary romance)

May 12, 2026 | Book Reviews

Captured by Beverly Jenkins (2009)

Historical romance. Book 3 of the Le Veq series. Typical plot-filled adventure here with Ms. Bev. Dominic is a privateer who attacks an English vessel and takes Clare with him. She’s super feisty and doesn’t want to leave her mistress at first, but Dominic is trying to set her free. But she has reasons for wanting to go back to her home in Savannah. There’s definitely a mix of fighting and flirting here, and the general dangers of being a pirate at sea. And then we get to Dominic’s idyllic island and Clare gets a taste of true freedom there. There are villains around every corner and things always get worse when they team up unexpectedly. So much going on, this book will keep you hooked all the way through.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 6 of the Dream Harbor series. Daisy runs the local flower shop and is skittish about love after having been ditched by her fiance last year. It doesn’t help that the town thinks that she and the flower shop are cursed, meaning that she’s losing business. And when her ex-fiance comes to her shop with his new fiance, she quickly grabs Elliot and pretends they’re in a relationship. He’s also slighting dinged from love after his wife left him, but he’s got a huge crush on Daisy, so he quickly plays along. And then we start a full-blown fake relationship in hopes that the town will think Daisy isn’t cursed anymore and actually start buying flowers from her shop. Cute and a little messy, plus we get a fun little mystery of a great aunt who looks just like Daisy.

Advance ebook provided by Harper 360 via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

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