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Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books with the Word “Rake” in the Title

Feb 7, 2024 | Book Reviews

Lady and the Rake by Annabelle Anders (2020)

Book 6 of the Lord Love a Lady series. A widow is ready to remarry in order to potentially have a child, but she wants to make sure her much older fiance still has the ability to perform. She sneaks into his bedchamber hoping to prove his prowess and comes across a strapping young man instead. That young man actually turns out to be the fiance’s rakish nephew who continues to flirt with the lady throughout the party.

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Odds on the Rake by Sofie Darling (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the All’s Fair in Love and Racing series. Gemma dresses up as a stable hand to infiltrate the Duke of Rakesley’s racing stable and collect information for a rival horseman. Gemma and her twin brother were the illegitimate children of an earl and are running away from his overbearing care. When Gemma gets to the duke’s stables, she has a way with the wild and untrained horse and quickly moves up to being a jockey. While Rake runs an impressive stable, he’s curious about the new stable hand “Gem”. When he finally realizes that his new employee is a woman (and a very attractive one), they start a steamy affair that keeps her feeling guilty about her initial motives for being there.

Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber Books via NetGalley.

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The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie (2005)

Book 1 of the Merridew series. The oldest sister of the Merridew siblings is generally known as the least beautiful of the bunch. With impoverished circumstances, she decides to fake an engagement to a duke so that her sisters will have a better chance at marrying well. When she storms into the duke’s house, his cousin is there to meet her and is pretty much instantly besotted with her. This book has my favorite subplot, where the guy thinks the lady is beautiful and doesn’t understand why anyone else would think her plain.

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The Rakehell of Roth by Amalie Howard (2021)

Book 2 of the Regency Rogues series. At the end of the Book 1, we see Isobel and Winter get married, basically saving her from the unwanted attentions of a villain, and we’re thinking everything will be happily ever after for them. Except, it’s not. We’re three years later and Isobel has basically been left in the country by herself while her husband goes back to London to run his gaming hell and being a rake with a scandalous reputation. She decides to go and confront him and try to make a real marriage of the deal, but he’s all afraid of feelings, so he pushes her away. Until he doesn’t.

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The Rake’s Insatiable Bride by Caroline Lee (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. Jade seeks a night with a courtesan so she can lose her virginity on her own terms before her guardian/uncle forces her to marry. Cameron is a charming rake of a man who plays up his debauched reputation by giving women pleasure. Both are victims of a marriage-by-proxy scheme that surprisingly brings them back together and then forces them to stay in the same cottage in a rainstorm. While Jade had no intention of getting married, she’s slowly falling in love with Cam as they spend more time together. It’s an isolated little vacation for them, until the storm breaks and we have to clear up the mess.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. After younger sons of an earl Kieran and Finn assist their friend Dom in jilting their sister Willa at the altar, both families set down an ultimatum for the three scoundrels: each needs to marry a respectable woman within twelve months time or they all get financially cut off. Kieran’s book is first, followed by Finn in Book 2, and Dom in Book 3. As a terrible scoundrel, Kieran doesn’t have the best reputation among respectable ladies of the ton, so he needs some assistance gaining entry into polite events. He asks Dom’s sister Celeste, the epitome of a proper young woman despite her upbringing, to help him get into these events so that he can find a suitable bride. She refuses at first, but when her father insists that she is to marry her suitor at the end of the Season, she decides to strike a bargain with Kieran: she’ll help him if he takes her to scandalous places at night. Of course in spending all this time together, they grow close and fall in love, and they were already attracted to each other from the start. It was fun to see Kieran learn a different side to Celeste and appreciate the tough and brave person she is underneath all of the societal propriety she exhibits in the daytime.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Rake’s Guide to Seduction by Caroline Linden (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Reece Family Trilogy series. Celia is the younger sister of a duke in her first Season and enjoying the balls and parties and suitors; she is rescued from a proposal by her brother’s scandalous friend Anthony and is somewhat intrigued by him. Anthony is heir to an earl who had cast him out and cut off any financial support, so he is forced to gamble and make investments for his living. Anthony seems to believe that he is an unworthy suitor for Celia, but still takes a chance and asks the duke for permission to court her. Unfortunately, he’s too late, and Celia is already engaged to someone else. We learn more about Celia’s engagement and marriage through her diary entries up until her husband’s death four years later. We pick up the story again when Celia is out of mourning and her mother has arranged a house party to lift her spirits. There, Anthony and Celia slowly reconnect, as much as he tries to avoid her due to his scandalous reputation.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (2010)

Book 1 of the Love by Numbers series, and the first historical romance published by Sarah MacLean. This one finds spinster Callie facing a life in the country after her younger sister marries, so she makes a bucket list of London adventures to complete before she goes. One of the items is to kiss a gentleman passionately, so she sneaks into her long-time crush’s house and kisses him. He offers to assist her in the items on her list. So of course they spend lots of time together doing things that proper ladies shouldn’t, like fencing, smoking, and sneaking into clubs to gamble. Such a fun book and covers a lot of the usual locations in a typical regency romance.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Rumors and a Rake by Jane Maguire (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Inconveniently Wed series. Catherine is the younger sister of the earl from Book 1 and has been shy throughout her season. We start this book at a house party where Catherine is attending with her friend Lavinia, and Catherine is trying to make a match with a gentleman who is quiet and bookish like she is. Philip is a dissolute rake, third son of a marquess, but now the heir due to the deaths of his older brothers. With the marquess in ill health, Philip’s mother had decided to drag Philip to this house party to select a bride. Catherine very much wants to avoid Philip after having witnessed him debauching a lady at a ball, but is still quite attracted to him. However, they keep bumping into each other at this house party and Philip ends up rescuing Catherine from the unwanted attentions of another man, ultimately leading to their marriage. After that, we have both people keeping secrets from each other, but somehow having it all work out.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham (2020)

Book 1 of the Society of Sirens series. Seraphina is a woman with a scandalous reputation and treated horribly by people in town. She’s setting out to write her memoirs and expose the horrible man who ruined her. Somehow while on her writing retreat, she meets Adam, a quiet and serious architect with two young kids. They decide to start an affair, but they each have tons of emotional baggage, so it’ll take a lot longer to open up to each other with more than just physical attraction.

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The Rebel and the Rake by Emily Sullivan (2021)

Book 2 of the League of Scoundrels series. Sylvia is a lady’s companion at a house party being blackmailed into stealing documents. Rafe is a guest there as well, but also secretly running an investigation. As he sees Sylvia behaving strangely, of course, he ends up being suspicious of her. These two mostly just keep bumping into each other and getting in each other’s way, but are mostly afraid of having their secrets discovered.

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Kiss the Rake Hello by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 13 of the Wicked Widows’ League series. This one is a pretty quick novella where a widow, Alexandra, and her childhood neighbor, Cortland, meet again. He’s had a crush on her forever and she’s looking for a night of pleasure after her disappointing marriage. A pretty uncomplicated plot but sweet to see Cort shy and fumbling around the woman he’s loved since he was a kid playing pranks on her. Super short to read and enjoy.

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner via BookSirens.

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Weekly Reads: January 29 to February 4, 2024

Feb 6, 2024 | Book Reviews

Next of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Next series. Chloe gets shocking news that her birth mother has just unexpectedly delivered a premature daughter and Chloe is on the list of potential guardians. Not wanting her baby sister to get shuffled through the foster care system, Chloe agrees to the guardianship with intent to adopt. With her freelancing career not providing enough evidence of financial security, she teams up with another guardian who needs better housing and can pay part of her rent so that they can each achieve their goals. Warren is the older brother to a deaf teenager who has also been in foster care and looking for more household stability. While the roommate situation is intended to be temporary, it’s only a matter of time before their lives start to intertwine. Super fun banter between Chloe and Warren and an excellent found family within their apartment.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

In Want of a Viscount by Lorraine Heath (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Chessmen series. Leonora is an American inventor in England with her family seeking investors in her writing machine, although her crass overbearing mother is seeking a titled husband for Leonora. She sneaks off to a ladies’ club and asks for a kiss. The club owner seems to be short-staffed in the gentlemen escort department and asks his own titled brother, Rook, to see to the kissing. Rook and Leonora don’t exchange names, but do exchange a kiss, leaving Leonora passed out from absinthe and Rook wondering what he did wrong. And of course, they cross paths later when Rook turns out to be a potential investor in the company. They flirt, they dance, they can’t seem to stay away from each other. And Rook is the only man (aside from her father) who has ever appreciated Leonora’s curiosity for machinery. However, Rook is not interested in marriage and basically a very controlled man who denies himself lustful indulgences due to his own father’s scandalous behavior. These two are fairly slow to realize they’re perfect for each other, but it’s a fun read along the way.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Harry Potter Fanfic: Maybe in another life by BothMalfoysPlease

Snape/Hermione Time-Travel Romance. 24k words. Hermione goes back to the end of Snape’s fifth year and befriends him during his sixth. They team up to change the trajectory of Snape’s life and start a romance along the way. Relatively short and sweet fic.

The Chemistry of Familiar Objects by Alexandra Vasti (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novella. Emmeline and Robert share a building for their respective professions: she’s a chemist and he’s a printer. They are total opposites and do not get along at all. Except for the part where they’re inexplicably drawn to the other person. Emmeline starts the day by telling Robert that she’s purchased the building and he’s being evicted, but the end the day chasing after thieves that are stealing Emmeline’s work. We get a two or three day wild goose chase with these two grumpy outspoken people finally actually talking to each other. And more-than-talking to each other. Super fun with lots of hijinks.

Ebook available for free at author’s website.

Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Straightlaced insect researcher Miles pretty much loses his head and starts composing poetry the moment he sets eyes on Cynthia at a ball. Unfortunately, he overhears her calling him dour and boring, so he decides that he hates her now. Except he doesn’t and he’s absurdly attracted to her. When Cynthia gets invited to his home by his sister for a house party after some sort of scandal, he tries to avoid her, but fails miserably. Cynthia has no family, no money, no prospects, and a dwindling reputation, so this house party is her only chance to find a husband. Except Miles is being overly critical of her methods, even while he’s supposed to be courting a young lady whose father will fund his next expedition. These two bicker and argue and somehow can’t keep their hands off each other. And you’d think it was just lust driving them, but they do actually seem to understand the other person better than anyone else in the world, making it even more heartbreaking that they really aren’t a suitable match for each other.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Highland Heartbreaker by Steffy Smith (2024)

Historical romance. 14th Century Scotland. Book 2 of the Highland Hearts series. We have an arranged marriage here between the son of a Scottish laird and an English lady. Everyone is apprehensive of the match, but Alex is instantly attracted to Grace when he sets eyes on her. She generally has a nervous disposition but likes how welcoming Alex and his sister are to her. When Alex’s father shows up after the wedding, things are tense because of his prejudices against the English, and Grace is also wary of Alex’s womanizing reputation. It’s pretty clear that he’s smitten with Grace though and the drama there resolves rather quickly. This book was a relatively quick read and plenty steamy.

Advance ebook provided by Steffy Smith.

A Perfect Groom by Samantha James (2004)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Sterling Family series. Justin is the second son of marquess and a total rake and scoundrel. His cruel father has always berated Justin for being a replica of his scandalous mother, and he basically just continues to live up to that expectation. When he returns to London after a stint on the Continent, his friend has told him about a certain young lady who has rebuffed several suitors and is known as the Unattainable. They get into a friendly wager on whether Justin will be able to bed her within a month. Of course, when he finds out that the lady is Arabella, the daughter of a vicar who had plagued him once before, he’s pretty sure that he won’t win that bet. Except that he can’t seem to help antagonizing the lady every time they cross paths and also find all the bickering exciting and enjoyable. She tries to resist him as well, since she does not approve of his reputation and behavior. But he’s still the most handsome man in England, and she does ultimately fall under his charm.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

His Public Claim by Evie Rose (2024)

Mafia romance. Part of the Everyone is Watching series. Super short novella. We have a virginity auction among mafia bosses and a daughter of one mafia man who owes a huge debt. Nicole is up for sale and rescued by her brother’s best friend and long-time crush Lev. She doesn’t know it’s him because everyone’s wearing a mask. Turns out he’s ultra-protective of her and just wants to rescue her. Unfortunately, they need to do the deed in front of the audience before they can leave. This novella is high on the steam and low on the plot, but sometimes, that’s just exactly what you’re looking for.

Advance ebook provided by Evie Rose.

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Designing Debutantes Historical Romance Book Series by Sabrina Jeffries

Feb 5, 2024 | Book Reviews

A Duke for Diana by Sabrina Jeffries (2022)

Book 1 of the Designing Debutantes series. Lady Diana is pretty much ruined after her mother ran off with a man and her father sued for divorce. She and her sisters now run a successful party-planning business in the ton. When Geoffrey inherits a dukedom, he hires Diana and her sisters to manage his own sister’s debut. Even though Diana and Geoffrey butt heads, they are instantly attracted to (and distracted by) each other. Geoffrey’s hiding a family secret related to his father’s death, so is reluctant to pursue marriage for himself.

What Happens in the Ballroom by Sabrina Jeffries (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Designing Debutantes series. Widowed Eliza knows that her late husband who died in battle was a waste of space, but we really hit it home here in this book. Nathaniel, an earl, and her husband’s best friend has tasked Eliza and her sisters with polishing up his young widowed ward for the marriage mart. However, we suspect early on that the ward (and her two year old son) are not exactly as they seem and may be holding onto some major secrets there. The romance part of the story was relatively uncomplicated, with Eliza and Nathaniel falling easily into lust, embraces, and an affair. The main issue is that Nathaniel is keeping secrets and Eliza is unwilling to trust a man, after being treated poorly by both her father and her late husband. Overall an enjoyable book, even if you were able to guess those secrets for yourself.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

Accidentally His by Sabrina Jeffries (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Designing Debutantes series. Rafe is an army colonel and spy looking to identify the person responsible for shooting his uncle and selling secrets to the French. While he has been following the Harper family events for awhile, he’s decided to uplevel his spying by trying to court the youngest sister Verity. She suspects that Rafe is the Phantom person who has been crashing her events for the past year, but can’t seem to prove it. Add in the part where they are actually attracted to each other and seem to be distracted by each other. When Verity’s ex-fiancee starts causing trouble, Rafe ends up proposing marriage to prevent a scandal. She’s hesitant of course, knowing that he’s keeping secrets, but they soon realize they’ll need to team up to find out the identity of the traitor and villain. Loved seeing Verity’s sister and brothers-in-law come to her defense and I also enjoyed seeing Rafe’s respect and yearning for Verity’s family life.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

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Scoundrels of St. James Historical Romance Book Series by Lorraine Heath

Feb 1, 2024 | Book Reviews

In Bed with the Devil by Lorraine Heath (2008)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Scoundrels of St. James series. Luke is known as the Devil Earl and does not actually believe that he’s the rightful earl. As a young man, he was arrested for murder and when the old earl came to confront the boy who killed his son, the old man believed to have found his long lost grandson instead. Luke didn’t actually believe himself to be the old man’s grandson but used the opportunity to better his circumstances and that of his friends. With Luke’s devilish reputation and the gossip surrounding his activities, Catherine has come to call and ask him to murder someone on her behalf. She refuses to tell him who she needs killed, but the reader knows that it is the cruel and abusive husband of her best friend. Somehow Luke and Catherine strike a bargain where he will do her bidding if he helps his longtime love Frannie learn society rules so that she will accept his marriage proposal. It’s a twisty mess of emotions since it’s clear that Luke and Catherine are attracted to each other. As they spend more time together, it’s obvious that they’ll fall in love, but Luke is still attached to his childhood affection for Frannie. We also get to confront the man that Catherine wants killed as well as discover whether or not Luke is the rightful duke.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath (2008)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Scoundrels of St. James series. Widowed duchess Olivia finds that her late husband has left the guardianship of her son and the ownership of her house to renowned scoundrel and gambling hell owner Jack Dodger. She’s aghast at the situation and strives to be proper in all things, except that she’s distracted by her own physical attraction towards the man. Jack had been abandoned by his mother, abused by an older gentleman, and then survived on the streets before his friend Luke was found to be an earl’s grandson and Jack came along for a proper education. Upon receiving a windfall, Jack opened his gambling hell and makes his fortune from aristrocrats’ losses. He’s just as curious as Olivia as to why a near-stranger would have entrusted his son to Jack’s care, so Jack sets his investigator friend on the case. As Jack and Olivia navigate their new proximity to each other, Olivia starts to see how she has misjudged Jack since he’s basically the best guardian ever to her son. As much as they both try to resist each other, that can only last so long.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Surrender to the Devil by Lorraine Heath (2009)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Scoundrels of St. James series. Sterling is a new duke who has been traveling for many years and newly back in England. At his sister’s wedding, he is intrigued by Frannie being surrounded by her scoundrel friends in a protective manner. Of course, he decides that he’s attracted to her and propositions her almost immediately. Meanwhile, Frannie is also intrigued by the man who looks at her with desire instead of concern and protection. She grew up in the streets, was sold into a brothel at age twelve before being rescued, and has not been interested in a man since then. While she initially rejects Sterling’s proposition, she is certainly considering it. Frannie and Sterling continue to orbit around each other in various ways, but Sterling starts to become impressed by Frannie’s selflessness and care towards orphans. Even though both know that Sterling is not willing to marry Frannie, they still slowly end up falling in love.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Midnight Pleasures with a Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath (2009)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Scoundrels of St. James series. Eleanor is a viscount’s daughter in London to avenge her sister’s death by seeking revenge against the lord who ruined her. That lord believes he’s wrongfully being pursued, so he involves Scotland Yard for his protection. James Swindler is an investigator who grew up on the streets after his father was hanged for stealing and is tasked with following Eleanor around. When they meet, each is hiding their true reason for being out and about and they start a flirtation. James feels guilty for deceiving Eleanor, but Eleanor knows that James is following her and she aims to seduce him into protecting her. With the underlying lies forming the foundation of their relationship, it’ll be curious to see how they can have a lasting relationship. We get a massive plot twist halfway through the book that adds an another layer of complexity to the story, which is super fun to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Last Wicked Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath (2014)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Scoundrels of St. James series. Widowed duchess Winnie thinks she might be going mad because she keeps losing track of her items and catches glimpses of her late husband’s scent around the house. When she confides this information to William, the physician who saved her life many years ago, he rallies his friends to protect her. Turns out her husband might not be so dead after all, since the scoundrels sent him away at the end of Book 1. Winnie and William have developed a longstanding attraction for each other over the years, and they finally make a move towards a physical relationship, even if William knows that he can’t marry someone so far above his station. This one was a pretty short and quick novella and it’s always good catching up with all the scoundrels.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: January 22 to 28, 2024

Jan 30, 2024 | Book Reviews

A Collision of Stars by Georgia Stone (2024)

Contemporary Romance. Standalone novel. Humorous, grumpy-sunshine, friends-to-lovers romance. Ava is a grumpy barista who is basically just getting by and the overcharming overeager overly chatty Finn is a regular customer at the coffee shop. Ava’s looking for casual hook-ups as a way to pass the time before she goes home for some intense introverting, but her roommate/best friend is worried about her. In order to seem less lonely and pathetic, she tells her best friend that she even made a new platonic friend recently and lies that it’s Finn. After Finn catches her in the lie, he leverages it to his advantage to have Ava help him with his London bucket list. Finn seems to bounce around from continent to continent and does not seem to be good at setting down roots, but he sure is charming, in that nerdy adorkable sort of way. We get these total opposites spending time together, bantering like crazy, and slowly developing real feelings, which Ava is clearly afraid of. This book is so charming and delightful and I had so much fun reading it.

Advance ebook provided by Georgia Stone.

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming (2023)

Paranormal fantasy romance. Book 3 of the Mead Mishaps series. Dante, the storm dragon, is out to find his mate after 700-something years of bachelorhood. On the way, he stops by some other dragon’s castle to let him know that the false goddess has been defeated, and ends up scenting his mate right there. Cherry was abducted and then held captive for the past five years and is wary of pretty much everything. She and Dante are not really communicating very well, since Cherry is scared of him, and Dante just has poor social skills. She ends up drugging him, he bites her and sets off their bond, and then takes her back to his own castle in a frozen wasteland before passing out cold. While she’d like to escape, she doesn’t quite know how. She is also withholding information about her name and home, in case the crazy dragon attacks her family. They do finally manage to set out into the world, mostly because Cherry wants to see a unicorn, and they slowly start to come to an accord as they travel. Nevermind the intense attraction that Cherry is feeling due to the dragon’s honeymoon magic. Tons of chaos and humor in this book, similar to the previous books in the series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Woo and to Wed by Martha Waters (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Regency Vows series. West and Sophie had been courting seven years ago, until West’s disapproving father got involved and Sophie ended up married to someone else. Not only that, but West was badly injured in a curricle race that also killed his best friend, and he’s been in a rough place ever since. Now that widowed Sophie is back in West’s social sphere, they just keep running into each other at various events. He’s pretty sure that she’s not open to another courtship, so he tries his best to keep his distance. Until Sophie proposes a fake engagement to West so that her sister would be willing marry her own suitor without fear of Sophie’s loneliness. Seeing an opportunity to spend more time with Sophie and to rile up his horrible father, West agrees. And so we have a fake engagement second chance situation where these two finally talk about what went wrong all those years ago.

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.

A Perfect Bride by Samantha James (2004)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Sterling Family series. Sebastian is a stuffy marquess who avoids scandal because of the family scandal he suffered when his mother ran away. When he stumbles upon an injured woman in the streets, he brings her home to care for, even though he thinks she’s a prostitute and thief. Devon is neither of these things, just a young woman trying to survive in her impoverished conditions. Devon and Sebastian argue and bicker and definitely do not trust each other, but still end up intensely attracted to each other. Neither are thinking ahead to the future when they embark on a physical relationship, but it’s Sebastian who needs to get over his fear of scandal if he wants a future with Devon.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The False Heir by Merry Farmer (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Secrets of Nedworth Hall series. Lady Yvette is the daughter of an abusive earl who has declared herself the long lost heir of some other lord even though she isn’t. She pretty much makes up lies everywhere she goes to protect herself from her father and the vile man that her father wants her to marry. She’s been spending time with Nathan during the house party who is there to marry the mystery heir and exert revenge. However, he’s fallen for Yvette and quickly abandons his revenge plot. While Yvette is trying to overcome her compulsive lying, she’s afraid that Nathan will abandon her when he learns the truth. But it turns out that he’s lovely and supportive and plans to protect her at all costs.

Advance ebook provided by Merry Farmer via BookSprout.

The Duke’s Unexpected Love by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. We start with a tragic prologue for James, who is a duke’s heir that gets abducted by sailors and forced onto a ship with limited memory of who he is. Many years later, we find that he’s the captain of a ship for a prosperous shipping line and recently landed in England for his next assignment. A drunkard who turns out to be his childhood tutor recognizes him in a tavern and insists that he’s a lord. James is pretty much shocked and surprised, but when he visits the duke’s household, he’s instantly recognized as the missing son of the duke. Meanwhile, Sophie, the owner of the shipping company is recently widowed and considering propositioning the handsome James for an affair, not knowing his newfound status or identity. James has bigger ideas (like marriage) and is actually trying to keep this all secret because he wants Sophie to accept him as a man, rather than a title. Add in the fact that James as a gaggle of sisters and cousins soon-to-debut, and we’ve got the beginnings of an interesting series.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Fish Out of Water by Katie Ruggle (2024)

Contemporary Romance. Standalone novel. Dahlia is in a small mountain town looking for her missing sister and enlists the help of local grumpy hermit Winston. He’s apparently skilled at survival while hiking, so he helps her through the mountains. These two are full of banter and shy flirty glances, and apparently Winston is a stealth cinnamon roll. The forced proximity of the hike and huddling in the tent for warmth turns into huddling for more than just warmth. As we get closer to possibly finding Dahlia’s sister, we get to see some crazypants out-of-nowhere plot when we we’ve just been quietly hiking through the woods thus far. Super fun and sweet and we get some third-act adventure too.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Pennyroyal Green series. Colin Eversea is a handsome, charming rogue who is about to hang for a murder he didn’t commit. A last minute save from the gallows comes from mercenary Madeleine Greenway, who doesn’t know who is responsible for Colin’s rescue. With Madeleine being nearly killed and a price on Colin’s head, these two are stealthily trying to unravel the mystery of Colin’s missing witness and his savior. We get elements of a road trip adventure, even though we’re mostly still in London as Colin and Madeleine investigate various leads and clues. Of course the heightened danger and forced proximity lead to Colin and Madeleine developing a strong connection as they slowly start to trust each other. We also get glimpses of other points of view from other members of the Eversea family and their rivals, the Redmonds. It’ll be interesting to see how these two families interconnect throughout the rest of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Desperately Seeking Duke Historical Romance Book Series by Caroline Linden

Jan 29, 2024 | Book Reviews

About a Rogue by Caroline Linden (2020)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Book 1 of the Desperately Seeking Duke series. Max has a reputation as a scoundrel but a newfound connection to a duke may improve his chances at becoming a business partner at a prosperous pottery company. Seeing that the owner has an eligible daughter, Max proposes marriage to the quiet and docile Cathy for a stake in the company. Cathy’s outspoken sister Bianca loudly disagrees with the match, accusing Max of being a lazy fortune-hunter. After Cathy runs off with another man, Bianca is somehow coerced into marrying Max instead. They start the marriage being at odds with each other, but Max is both attracted to an impressed by Bianca, and Bianca starts to realize that Max truly does want to work and improve the pottery business. It’s a slow burn romance here with both parties being swayed by the other person’s competence. And for added drama, Max has some secret that he’s hiding from Bianca but is afraid to lose her affection by revealing it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

About a Kiss by Caroline Linden (2020)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Book 1.5 of the Desperately Seeking Duke series. Super short story and romance between the a valet and lady’s maid of the couple from Book 1. We get to see Kit and Jennie meet, flirt, and slowly fall in love while working together.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Scot to the Heart by Caroline Linden (2021)

Historical romance. Georgian-era Scotland. Book 2 of the Desperately Seeking Duke series. Army captain Andrew is the nearest heir to the Duke of Carlyle and on a mission to take care of his affairs to return to Carlyle Castle for training as the heir. As he returns home to inform his mother and sisters of the news, he meets and is instantly smitten by an intriguing widow in town. Luckily for him, the widowed Ilsa is friends with his sister, so they run into each other often. The flirtation and affair between them seems ill-timed, since he’ll need to marry proper duchess material, but they can’t seem to stay away from each other. It was fun reading how their flirtation turns into a deeper emotional connection as time goes on amidst the chaos of both their families.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

How the Scot Was Won by Caroline Linden (2021)

Historical romance. Georgian-era Scotland. Book 2.5 of the Desperately Seeking Duke series. Companion to Book 2 of the series, where we follow the sister and best friend of Andrew. We’ve seen hints of the romance between Agnes and Felix in the previous book, but we get the whole story here. There’s a sweet coffee shop flirtation, that leads to a scandalous tryst at an assembly, then a somewhat insulting marriage proposal, and finally avoiding each other until forced to interact with each other again. Quick whirlwind of a relationship here and so much better once Felix actually talks to Agnes directly.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

All the Duke I Need by Caroline Linden (2022)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Book 3 of the Desperately Seeking Duke series. Philippa is the current companion to the duchess, stepdaughter to the duchess’ daughter, and all-around hostess of the castle. However, she knows that her position will likely be displaced when the duke passes away and leaves the castle to one of his heirs. When the new estate steward Will comes to the castle, she’s shocked that he’s young and handsome and has no experience as a steward. He’s just as surprised to find that Philippa is also young and beautiful, even as the duchess’ companion. They bicker and argue at first on how to approach estate improvements, but of course, eventually give into their attraction. Meanwhile, Will is hiding some secrets about his motivation for taking on the estate position and a possible connection to the ducal family. It was interesting to read how Will embraced his responsibilities to the estate and impressed everyone there, including the duke himself, who is usually unwell and isolated.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Desperately Seeking Duke: The Ultimate Epilogue by Caroline Linden (2022)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Book 3.5 of the Desperately Seeking Duke series. This book is a compilation of epilogues featuring all the couples we’ve met throughout the series. It’s pretty much a bunch of bonus information, especially as Andrew and Max each learn that they do not need to worry about ever inheriting the dukedom. And if you wanted more information about Will’s family history, it’s explained here too.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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Wanton Widows Club Historical Romance Book Series by Christy Carlyle

Jan 25, 2024 | Book Reviews

Her Duke at Midnight by Christy Carlyle (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Wanton Widows Club series. Adam is known as the Heartbreak Duke after a previous affair ended in scandal. He’s always been upfront with the women he’s with and he tries to deter any sort of attachment. When his friend convinces him to attend an upcoming house party, he swears not to entangle himself with any woman there. Cecily is a widowed countess set to attend the same house party as her first outing out of mourning from her cruel husband. Her friend encourages her to seek an affair, but to specifically avoid the Heartbreak Duke. However, Adam is the only man that Cecily is drawn to and they end up together anyway. And he pretty quickly changes his tune on attachment and marriage.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Her Sort of Scoundrel by Christy Carlyle (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Wanton Widows Club series. Quick and easy novella. Dash is an earl who has had a lifelong crush on his older sister’s friend Fiona and somehow insulted her two years ago when she propositioned him. Now they haven’t spoken to each other in years, despite being literal next door neighbors. They eventually start talking to each other again when Dash’s ward wants to meet the glamorous lady next door and they start to reconcile their friendship. However, that whole longstanding attraction to each other is still there and they need to work out Fiona’s hesitance to lose her independence.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Her Rogue to Ruin by Christy Carlyle (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Wanton Widows Club series. Quick novella. Portia is a widow who financially supports herself and her spinster aunt by painting portraits. She’s actively trying to avoid eye contact with the handsome Phin while she’s at his house painting his sister’s portrait, since she’s shy and nervous around him. Meanwhile he doesn’t quite know why she avoids him and he thinks she actually dislikes him. Despite all that, somehow Phin asks Portia to paint his nude portrait, where she refuses and then accepts, and they flirt and kiss and somehow seduce each other. And there’s a tiny bit of drama of Phin being in an arranged betrothal with someone else, but this is a novella, so we fix all that pretty quickly.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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New Releases in January 2024 – Historical Romance Books (and one Contemporary)

Jan 24, 2024 | Book Reviews

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Mischief and Matchmaking series. After her father’s death, Beth is entering her first Season on the Marriage Mart and looking for a suitable husband to provide for herself and her widowed mother. At her first ball, she meets Gwen, and outspoken and charming daughter of an earl, who is basically her new best friend. Neither of these women are interested in finding a husband this year and when they notice the sparks between their respective widowed parents, they try to pair them up instead. It goes about as awkwardly as you’d think it would go, and all the while, Beth and Gwen are drawn more and more to each other. It’s takes some nudging for them to realize that they’re actually in love (and lust) with each other, but it’s all complicated by societal obligations and Beth’s pending engagement to a viscount who has been courting her. This was a fun take on the Victorian-era marriage mart and I was definitely rooting for our heroines to find a way to be together (as well as their parents).

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Always Remember by Mary Balogh (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Ravenswood series. Ben Ellis is the illegitimate son of an earl who was raised in the earl’s family home after the death of his mother. While Ben has always been embraced as part of the family, he has had a sense of otherness about him. After a big family scandal, he went with his younger brother Devlin to war, where he met and married the woman carrying his child. After she died of illness, he came home as a single father to a young girl. Now that Ben has settled into his own seaside home, he’s considering remarrying, but is indecisive about which woman to court. He’s hoping that a visit to his family’s home for the summer will help him to make a decision. While he’s there, he meets Lady Jennifer again, the sister of a duke who had married his own sister. Jennifer is disabled after a childhood illness and gives off a cheery disposition. However, a chance conversation between Ben and Jennifer has both of them spilling their secrets to a near-stranger and becoming friends because of it. This book is a delightful slow build of friendship, trust, and love, despite their differences in social station. We get to see Ben be a doting father to his child and see the child grow attached to Jennifer as well. If you’re a fan of quiet slow-burn romances, this one is another great book from Mary Balogh.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

It Takes a Rake by Anna Bennett (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Rogues to Lovers series. Kitty and Leo were both apprentices to his grandfather’s architecture office before Leo suddenly moved to London. Four years later, he’s back in town after his father’s death and taking over the architecture business. He’s had a longstanding crush on Kitty all this time, even though she had never noticed him in that way, and they always bickered and fought when they worked together. Total opposites just getting on each other’s nerves. Well, now that he’s back, Kitty is teasing him for being too much of a nice guy to get his dream girl, so somehow she’s trading rake lessons for math checking on her latest architectural design. She doesn’t know that Leo only has eyes for her and the transformation is really to spend more time with her, and of course, she’s totally confused when she realizes that Leo is actually very attractive. She’ll need to get over her fear of the nice guy if she wants a chance at long-standing happiness with him.

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

If the Duke Dares by Darcy Burke (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rogue Rules series. Persephone is being forced into an arranged marriage she doesn’t want after her sister is ruined by a rogue and she runs away from her parents on the journey to meet the prospective groom. She actually ends up meeting the duke while she’s busy pretending to be a widow at an inn, but he doesn’t know who she is. At some point, our duke Acton realizes that his supposed bride is out on the road alone, so he goes to find her and protect her. While they both agree that they aren’t interested in marrying each other, they start a slow and tentative friendship. Persephone learns that Acton is not as terrible as his reputation and Acton learns that he should learn to treat women better. We get some more of Acton’s backstory regarding his relationship with his estranged mother and sisters, which is really interesting to learn. I liked seeing how these two started to trust each other and then to enjoy each other’s company. Definitely a slow-burn romance here, with Acton showing lots of character growth.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke.

A Sure Duke by Christi Caldwell (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the McQuoids of Mayfair series. Alexandra is a stuffy marquess’ daughter who has been curious about the eccentric McQuoid family across the way. One chance meeting with Dallin has both Alexandra and Dallin looking forward to her debut into society where he can claim a dance with her. Unfortunately, Alexandra’s father dies and leaves the family without funds, forcing Alexandra to accept an arranged marriage to provide for her mother and sisters. When Alexandra and Dallin meet again, he believes that she is as haughty as he expected and she believes him to be cold and unfeeling. But it’s pretty much all due to her keeping secrets about her family circumstance and him being jealous that she’s already engaged. When Alexandra’s sister elopes with Dallin’s cousin, they both end up chasing after the couple to prevent scandal. And of course, as they travel together, they do finally kinda sorta communicate with each other.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake via NetGalley.

The Charmed Heir by Merry Farmer (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Secrets of Nedworth Hall series. We’re all at a matchmaking house party and wealthy heiress Charlotte is paired up with impoverished viscount Dante and pretty smitten with each other. Charlotte is concerned when she starts getting letters and notes suggesting that her mother is alive and working at the manor, not deceased as she always assumed, since she lives with her single father and his business partner. Dante is a comforting presence and listens to Charlotte’s concerns even though he has his own secrets and money problems. When Dante’s twin brother shows up, the flirtatious rogue causes a smidge of confusion before Dante tells Charlotte everything he’s hiding.

Advance ebook provided by Merry Farmer via BookSprout.

A Most Improper Duchess by Alivia Fleur (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Tales from Honeysuckle Street series. Arley is a serious and stuffy duke who doesn’t usually socialize, but is somehow roped into some travel research in Paris for his neighbor’s travel agency. To avoid being mobbed by young misses looking for an eligible duke, he’s dressed as a commoner during his trip. When he’s at a bar in Paris, he sets eyes on a beautiful woman, but he doesn’t have any money to pay for her evening company. Vivianne is a ballet dancer/courtesan who hasn’t had a steady patron in awhile, so she’s looking for someone who could provide more support than the seemingly penniless Arley. He bargains with a jeweled cravat pin that she show him some of the sights of Paris for his travel guide. In the course of spending time together, Arley is easily smitten and enjoys the carefree man he becomes when he’s with her. He very quickly proposes marriage and brings Vivianne back to London with him, with the surprise that he’s actually a very wealthy duke. Vivianne ends up needing a lot of tutoring and adjusting to cope with Arley’s position in society, which causes a bit of strife, but she is willing to make it work to stay with Arley.

Advance ebook provided by Alivia Fleur.

Her Adventures in Temptation by Megan Frampton (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the School for Scoundrels series. Myrtle is the outspoken, awkward, mathematically-inclined sister of a viscount who wants to avoid marriage and start her own financial consulting agency. When the painter her brother hired is asked to leave a house party, Myrtle takes the opportunity to hitch a ride to London with him. Simeon is an illegitimate orphan who was adopted by an independent female painter and basically taught to prioritize his art above all else. However, the soft-hearted Simeon seems to give away his money to the needy at every turn and has none of it himself, causing him to take on portrait commissions he doesn’t like and to take Myrtle’s money to help her go to London. As these two spend more time together, it’s clear that they have an opposites-attract sort of chemistry. Somehow Myrtle gets caught by her brother and then forced to assist in her niece’s debut. But she has no social charm or graces, so she recruits her only friend in town, Simeon, to assist. They end up in a fake engagement to preserve everyone’s reputation, but still fall in love with each other, despite wanting so much to hold onto their independence.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Any Duke in a Storm by Amalie Howard (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era. Caribbean Seas. Book 4 of the Daring Dukes series. Everyone is at sea in this one with danger and smuggling and covert spy operations. Lisbeth is all the things: countess, British spy, and dangerous sea captain. She’s deep undercover to bring down a smuggling ring on behalf of the American government. Somehow she gets entangled with Raphael, the son of a disgraced French duke, who is part of that smuggling ring, but really just seeking revenge against his uncle for betraying his father. These two bicker and fight and struggle for dominance, all while lusting after each other like crazy. High on the steam and high on the action-adventure in this one.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

Winning My Wife by Ally Hudson (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Most Imprudent Matches series. The timeframe of this book starts before Book 1 of the series and overlaps and then extends beyond that timeframe. We finally get the story of how the kind and caring vicar’s daughter Kate ends up married to the oblivious and selfish Hugh. They had met awkwardly a few times in society as Kate is chaperoned by her duchess aunt, but clearly do not get along, until they get caught in a compromising situation and need to marry. Hugh’s overbearing and arrogant mother plants the idea that Kate had schemed to compromise Hugh, making him act like a generally arse to Kate. We see the beginning stages of the marriage where Kate and Hugh do not communicate well, barely spend any time together, and Hugh does not protect Kate against his own mother. Meanwhile, Hugh is struggling with the responsibilities of the estate and slowly realizing that his older brother had done so much for the family and ended up banished from it. It’s a huge turnaround for Hugh once he realizes how awful he has been and a separation from Kate makes him completely miserable. This book was emotional in all the best ways, with Hugh having the most growth and transformation.

Advance ebook provided by Ally Hudson via BookSirens.

Accidentally His by Sabrina Jeffries (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Designing Debutantes series. Rafe is an army colonel and spy looking to identify the person responsible for shooting his uncle and selling secrets to the French. While he has been following the Harper family events for awhile, he’s decided to uplevel his spying by trying to court the youngest sister Verity. She suspects that Rafe is the Phantom person who has been crashing her events for the past year, but can’t seem to prove it. Add in the part where they are actually attracted to each other and seem to be distracted by each other. When Verity’s ex-fiancee starts causing trouble, Rafe ends up proposing marriage to prevent a scandal. She’s hesitant of course, knowing that he’s keeping secrets, but they soon realize they’ll need to team up to find out the identity of the traitor and villain. Loved seeing Verity’s sister and brothers-in-law come to her defense and I also enjoyed seeing Rafe’s respect and yearning for Verity’s family life.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Rooney is an artist who creates public installations under a pseudonym, trying to distance herself from her famous artist mother. She has a chance meeting with Jack one blustery day in New York and they spend an evening following fate around the city. Although he’s not a believer in fate, he is still enchanted by her and actually has a fun night. They lose contact for romance reasons and somehow reconnect on a work-related project months later. Turns out Jack is a NASA guy who has reinstated an artist-in-residence program and nominated Rooney’s art (not realizing it was her). When they meet again, they try to keep things professional, but it’s like fate keeps bringing them together.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester (2024)

Historical fiction. Standalone novel. This book is told in three different timelines, following three generations of Bricard women. In the present day, Blythe lives in the shadow of her mother Astrid, a fashion designer who disappeared in the 1970s, and her infamous grandmother Mizza who is known for being the sultry muse of fashion designer Christian Dior. While Blythe is still tangentially involved in the fashion world, she prioritizes her children’s welfare above all else, especially after her divorce. When talk of reviving her mother’s abandoned fashion brand comes up, Blythe is faced with separating fact from fiction regarding her mother’s story. We get to read all about Astrid’s experience firsthand through her chapters of the book, including the rise of her notoriety and the vicious things that the press says about her. While she has her own issues of living in her mother’s shadow, we get to unpeel another layer by reading Mizza’s chapters as well. These three perspectives are fascinating to read and put together to create a vivid history of all the Bricards have had to endure.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

When the Viscount Wanted Me by Lydia Lloyd (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Rake Chronicles series. Henrietta is a beautiful and sought after debutante who has a tryst with a man she believes to be her friend, but is now being pushy about marriage. Trem overhears the man lamenting over Henrietta’s rejection and suspects that the man is trying to ruin Henrietta’s reputation. Being Henrietta’s brother’s best friend, Trem tries to resolve the issue by questioning the lady. Turns out the pushy guy’s accusations were true and now Trem sees Henrietta in a new (and attractive) light. They pretty quickly start their own affair and end up engaged in the process. Henrietta has had a longstanding crush on Trem and is pleased that he desires her in return, but is keeping secrets about her parentage and worries over Trem’s reaction. This book was high on the steam, quick on the getting together, and also high in external drama. An entertaining adventure.

Advance ebook provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley.

Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Secret Society of Governess Spies series. Emily is a governess with little training and a fake identity who is approached one day by a woman called the Dove, who runs a network of governess spies. Emily gets placed into a household specifically to uncover more information about the aristocrats who live there. Meanwhile, Zach is an ex-military man turned wealthy detective looking for a serial killer in town. Zach and Emily are constantly bumping into each other, flirting with each other, and well on their way to developing a relationship. Except that Emily is keeping secrets about her not-so-pleasant past and thinks that it will ruin Zach’s reputation and career to be associated with her. While the hunt for the serial killer continues, Emily and Zach’s relationship also gets stronger and they become more enamoured and entangled with each other. This book kept me reading to find out Emily’s big secret and to uncover the big villain of the story.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Jilted in January by Cara Maxwell (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rake Review series. Shipping merchant’s son Edward breaks an engagement with duke’s daughter Persephone to protect her from society’s scorn for associating with a half-Chinese tradesman. Ten years later, Edward needs the help of a lady investigator to find his younger brother who has been kidnapped and ransomed, and that lady turns out to be Persephone. She’s hesitant to take the case, but she has a soft spot for the brother, so she agrees. Of course, Edward and Persephone find that they’re still attracted to and in love with each other, though they’re certainly more bitter and wary now. The mystery with the kidnapped brother is interesting and engaging and it was fun to see our two main characters bicker and flirt with each other.

Advance ebook provided by Cara Maxwell.

Snowbound with the Suffragette by Ginny B Moore (2024)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Part of the Flowers Sisters series. Quick snowstorm novella. Garrett and Sadie have been working together at the Suffrage Society, mutually pining for each other, and basically too scared to make a move. They get stuck together in a snowstorm, low on heating fuel, so they cuddle it out and actually talk to each other about their feelings. And then they more-than-cuddle.

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

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