Marrying Off Morgan McBride by Amy Barry (2023)

Historical romance. 1880s Montana. Book 2 of the McBrides of Montana series. Meddlesome little sister Junebug is at it again by putting an advertisement for a mail-order bride for oldest brother Morgan. She can feel Morgan itching to get back out on the cattle trail and hopes to snare him a wife to keep him at home. Pip answers the ad and sets off with her granny to come meet Morgan; she’s been overlooked and rejected her whole life due to her plain looks, but hopes that Morgan will appreciate her skillful cooking and housekeeping skills. With Junebug’s scheming and dishonesty, both Pip and Morgan are in for surprises and disappointment, despite both of their attraction for the other. When Morgan tells Pip to go home without listening to her at all, she decides to confront him and demand that the marriage go through. He’s still packing up to leave town and has no intention of changing his plans. This book was funny and sweet and heartbreaking in all the right places and we get to finally see Pip stand up for herself and Morgan start to listen more than he talks. And Pip’s granny is the absolute best.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

You’re the Duke That I Want by Lenora Bell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Thunderbolt Club series. This book is a super fun Grease-retelling, with Sandrine being the sheltered young miss who meets Lord Dane (pretending to be a mere Danny) at the seaside. Lord Dane is typically a scoundrel and a rake, but is kind and sweet and enjoys the simple things when he’s with Sandrine. He leaves the seaside town unexpectedly when his brother is gravely injured and is concerned that he’s the heir to the dukedom. Sandrine ends up traveling to London to petition a certain duke to restore an old manor house, and is pretty angry to find that Dane has both lied to her and related to the duke that owns the manor. With a new set of lady friends, Sandrine gets to experience more of London adventures away from her overly strict mother while also continuing to run into Dane. There’s lots of interesting plot going on in this book, with Dane dealing with a blackmailer and Sandrine breaking free from her mother’s constraints. This book was a very enjoyable read.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Earl Was Wrong by Britt Belle (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Greydon series. Sebastian is trying his best to be the stuffiest earl in town, since his debaucherous parents were embarrassing and his father was incapable of being financially responsible. When he finds that his younger sister is skirting ruin, his friend advises that he take a wife. Sebastian asks his aunt for a recommendation and she points out Emmaline, the sister of a viscount who appears to be practical and responsible. Emmaline is surprised to find the handsome earl asking her to dance and then asking to court her, but she believes that he would be her only chance at marriage and children and agrees to marry him. While Emmaline tries her best to be a good wife and member of her new family, Sebastian is cold and distant. He has an underlying fear of love and passion, believing that he will turn into his flighty and irresponsible father if he gives into such emotions. Basically, Emmaline is awesome throughout this book and Sebastian is the one who needs to grow and realize the woman and family he has in front of him. This was an entertaining debut from Britt Belle and I’m looking forward to reading more about the Greydons.

Advance ebook provided by Britt Belle.

Tall, Duke, and Scandalous by Amy Rose Bennett (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Byronic Book Club series. Jane gets caught trying to steal a rare book from a duke’s library but instead of getting into trouble, he proposes marriage to her instead. Christopher is the newly inherited duke with a reputation for throwing debaucherous parties, but really, he’s hiding the fact that an assassination attempt has left him unable to recognize or remember faces of the people around him. He needs help navigating the people around him as well as find his killer. Jane has her own burdens, with a scarred face after an accident with her ex-fiancee ten years ago, a gambling mother, and a sudden blackmailer. She takes Christopher up on his offer, mostly because she needs the money, but also because she’s very much attracted to him. Both are slow to trust the other person due to each of their past hurts, but the physical affection starts early and often. Loved seeing them team up against his mystery murderer.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller (2023)

Historical romance. 1870s Vienna. Standalone novel. Maria is the owner/manager of a flailing hotel in Vienna. After her mother’s mismanagement and an economic downturn, Maria hopes to rebuild the hotel to its previous grandeur. Meanwhile, Eli is an American in town looking for clues on some smuggled codes sent from the hotel’s address. And while he’s there, he saves Maria from certain death multiple times. It was slow start for me, but once these two team up to find her assailant and give into their attraction, I couldn’t put it down. It’s amazing that these two very serious people are able to smile and find joy and humor with each other. Plus Maria’s complicated family history comes into play at multiple points of the story, making things delightfully interesting.

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

What’s a Duke Got to Do With It by Christina Britton (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Synneful Spinsters series. We start with a tragic prologue for Katrina, who is the sister of a baronet, enjoying her first flirtatious season. Just as it seems like her flirtation with a young lord might be headed somewhere, he’s called away from a ball unexpectedly. What follows is another lord sneaking into her window uninvited, being caught by her brother, and imminent scandal. Years later, Katrina is resigned to living as a companion to a stern dowager viscountess. And that idiot lord has attempted again to climb into her window, this time falling to his death, and causing tons more scandal for Katrina. Meanwhile, Sebastian (the man called away from that last ball) has been digging his way out of his father’s debts and is on the cusp of marrying a wealthy heiress. He just needs to fulfill one assignment for her father, which is to distract her brother from marrying an actress. Sebastian and his charge find themselves hosted by the dowager viscountess. Sebastian and Katrina have the opportunity to meet again and reconnect, even though both of their circumstances have changed, and for very practical reasons, they don’t have a future together. It was still fun to read how much Sebastian has been pining for Katrina all these years and how Katrina’s odd group of friends rally behind her. And the matchmaking dowager is also the best.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Dani Collins (2023)

Historical romance. Pre-Civil War America. Standalone novel. Divorced and disgraced with nowhere to go, Marigold sets off to marry a stranger. Her sister had been set to be a mail order bride, but found another suitor, so Marigold takes her place and travels west. When she arrives, Virgil is angry to find a stranger instead of his bride, but takes her home with him anyway to keep house and care for his three children. They bicker and argue, but it’s clear that Marigold is good with the kids and adapts well to her primitive surroundings. It’s definitely a slow burn romance with lots of missteps (mostly from Virgil), but the writing is refreshingly humorous and you’ll appreciate the competence from both parties and willingness to work together. I had a great time reading this book and can’t wait to see more from this author in this setting.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. Print book provided by Entangled Publishing.

A Love by Design by Elizabeth Everett (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Secret Scientists of London series. The previous book hinted at a history between George and Margaret and we get the full story here. This book takes place about a year and a half after the events of Book 2. George and Margaret (and Violet, the main character of Book 1) were childhood friends out in the country where George was not part of the aristocracy at all. One summer, when it seemed that a romance was developing between George and Margaret, heartbreak occurred instead (we get to learn what it was at some point during the book when they finally talk it out). After they parted ways, George joined the army and somehow ended up an earl, while Margaret found an engineering mentor in Paris, got married, and became widowed. Now Margaret is back in England to start her own engineering company and is undertaking a huge project…. that is unfortunately funded by the nemesis of the female scientists at Athena’s Retreat and of George’s. While George and Margaret are growing closer again and working out their heartbreaking pasts, Margaret’s still holding secrets about her employer’s funding and causing discourse among the female scientists. George ends up being the more emotionally mature and politically progressive one in the relationship, supporting Margaret’s ambitions, providing her comfort and humor and safety. And there’s a scene in here that was hinted at earlier with one person’s awkwardness in the bedroom, with deliciously delightful payoff when the truth finally comes out… it was so good, I sent a screenshot of the scene to my friend immediately via text.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Lady’s Rules for Ruin by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lions and Lilies series. Frances is completely uninterested in marriage, despite the meddling of her family members. She decides to put herself in a ruinous situation so that she can finally be an unmarriageable spinster. Her plan works out quite well; with her unwitting kissing partner on a ship bound for Egypt, Frances has the freedom to pursue a variety of interests without the pressure of balls and soirees. One experiment in charity work brings her to a boys’ orphanage where she is to tutor a child on manners before he meets an important lord. Evan is a charming and amiable earl who has just found out that his father has been financially supporting an illegitimate son and he goes to meet the boy. When at the orphanage, he immediately realizes the mistreatment of the child and decides to bring his brother home with him. Luckily Frances has already formed a bond with the boy and is there to soothe the young child’s temperament when faced with his new situation. Frances and Evan have interacted with each other before at social events, but Frances was always suspicious of Evan’s gregarious nature even though he has always been intrigued by her outspokenness. We get to see Frances and Evan bond over the care of his newfound brothers (yes, plural, he definitely finds more) and develop a friendship and then affair. I loved seeing Evan take responsibility for his brothers and build a family with them.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Recently widowed countess Eliza finds that her inheritance is dependent on her staying away from any scandal. The new earl, Lord Somerton, is the nephew of her late husband and happens to be a former suitor that was rejected when Eliza’s parents forced her to marry. As a widow, Eliza finally has a small taste of freedom when she spirits herself (and her cousin) away to Bath to visit before she makes her way back to her family’s home. Eliza ends up meeting the charming and scandalous Lord Melville and tries very hard to avoid him due to his reputation. Eventually Melville convinces Eliza to paint his portrait and she seizes this opportunity to utilize her artistic talent. Additionally, Somerton has renewed his acquaintance with Eliza and they confront their romantic past. We have a slowly building love triangle here, where you’re mostly rooting for Eliza to break free of her oppressive marriage and reunite with her long lost love, but then we start to see her friendship with Melville develop and wonder where that will lead. Since this book was a single POV (only Eliza’s), it wasn’t clear who the ultimate love interest is going to be, and I was intrigued to find out who she ended up with. There are also some delightful side pairings that we discover along the way as well. Despite this being a super low-steam book, the emotional build-up was really well done and it was an enjoyable book to read.

Advance ebook provided by Penguin Random House via NetGalley.

Forever Your Rogue by Erin Langston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Widowed viscountess, Cora, is being challenged over the custody of her two young children. She comes up with a scheme for a fake fiancee to help bolster her upcoming case to retain physical custody. Nate is the second son of an earl and a dissolute rake who has been cut off from funds from his older brother. Knowing that Nate needs the money and that he owes her a favor, Cora sets up a contract with Nate for the arrangement, which includes him coming to her country estate for two weeks while her in-laws are also in residence. What follows is a slow realization for Nate of Cora’s strength and determination and him figuring out that he can’t just be a screw up forever. While he interacts with the kids and supports Cora’s struggles, Nate does a lot of growing up himself, even if Cora doesn’t quite trust him yet. This book gets a lot of hype for being very swoony, and it certainly is, but the winning point for me is how believable Nate’s transition into fatherhood is and that he realizes that he can bring support and happiness into this family that he wants very much to be a part of.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

When the Duke Loved Me by Lydia Lloyd (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rake Chronicles series. If you enjoy historical romances that involve a mystery or quest, this one will definitely be for you. We start with a garden tryst that ends badly when a duke’s heir and a country miss find out that the person they’re trysting with is a longtime family enemy due to prior scandal. We jump seven years later to find that John, the new duke, is stuck executing an arduous component of his father’s will in order to prevent further scandal to be heaped upon his sister’s reputation. He needs to find his father’s former lover and give her an annuity to fulfill the will and save his sister’s dowry. John needs the help of the woman’s niece, Catherine, who has also borne the brunt of the old family scandal and now lives in poverty with the family of a baronet. Over the course of the book, we learn that the old duke’s indiscretion was revealed loudly and caused a great deal of upheaval for both families involved. Catherine agrees to help John locate her aunt in exchange for money, but she has little hope of finding the woman who ran off and was never seen again. While John and Catherine try to stay serious and professional with each other, it’s clear that they are still attracted to each other, and wish that their family circumstances weren’t so complicated. I really enjoyed learning more about the past scandal as bits and pieces of history unfolded as these two try to locate her aunt. Everything tied together so well and was really interesting to uncover. And of course, the steamy romance between John and Catherine was exceptional.

Advance ebook provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley.

Knockout by Sarah MacLean (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Hell’s Belles series. Lady Imogen is the chemical explosives expert of the Belles and is often spotted at the scene of the crime collecting her own evidence, much to the dismay of Scotland Yard’s Detective Inspector Tommy. While these two aren’t exactly teaming up, they’re both trying to solve the same crimes and keep running into each other. At some point, Tommy is tasked with finding an earl’s missing sister to keep himself in line with a promotion. That sister is of course Imogen and she’s not really missing at all. Throughout the book, Imogen is the pursuant and Tommy is the one who hesitates due to his social station (or lacktherof), but Imogen’s self-esteem takes the rejection much differently. Once they do finally team up, the sparks are well worth it, though Tommy will have to decide whether to trust Imogen and the Belles or the side of police authority. Another excellent book in this series, with women fighting for themselves and their rights.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Adding Up to Love by Ginny B. Moore (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Flower Sisters series. Fern is the youngest sister of five and has been awkward and prefers books. At her father’s birthday ball, she and her twin Rose switch dresses and identities for the evening, where Fern meets a handsome mathematics student from Oxford. Alex has been dragged to the ball by his friend but feels like a total outsider due to his merchant class upbringing. He’s happy to spend time with who he believes is Rose because they can talk about books and his studies. When he comes to call upon her the next day, Fern is distressed and thinks that he will not like who she is, so she convinces Rose to keep up the ruse. What follows is Fern befriending Alex and assisting him in courting Rose, while he assists her goals in becoming a student at Oxford. Alex begins to have feelings for Fern and is torn because of the expectations that Rose now has of him from their courtship. It’s a tangle of emotions here and Fern is the one being dishonest with everyone. This book was so good. A great introduction to Ginny B. Moore.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Bed Me, Duke by Felicity Niven (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Bed Me Books series. The action starts in chapter 1 with our countess (in her own right) Helen asking Jack for lessons in seduction so that she can somehow convince the new duke to marry her. Although we find out that the plain old Jack, retired ship captain, is actually the new duke but he has been a commoner in disguise as he gets the lay of the land. We rewind to three weeks prior when Jack finds out that he has inherited after his cousin dies, and learns a bit more of his backstory and why he treats women with such distrust. Loved the character build of Jack and you definitely understand why he is the way he is. When he goes to visit his new estate in Scotland, he uses his common name and does not let anyone know he’s the duke, when he meets Helen, the neighboring countess. She has had her own share of struggles with an impoverished estate and sees marriage to the new duke as a solution to her troubles. She’s also terribly unsure of herself as a woman and lack of sensual appeal, even if she’s a strong and effective leader. Helen is loud and brash and forthright and somehow all of these things appeal very much to Jack, who is the most appealing and desirable man that Helen has ever seen. We get to see Helen and Jack slowly fall in love, but really cannot commit to each other, since Helen needs to snare the duke despite her ugly appearance, and Jack feels guilty for deceiving Helen about his identity. It’s a horrible muddle that will keep you reading to find out how it resolves.

Advance ebook provided by Felicity Niven.

The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Sirens in Silk series. Anthony thinks he will finally get possession back of the family castle after his stepmother tragically passes away, but it turns out she left the castle to her cousin who has just arrived to visit from America. Raya doesn’t want or need a castle and is more than willing to sell it the Anthony at fair market value, but he also doesn’t have any money. These two argue their way to a truce while also ogling each other and trying to resist their simmering attraction. Add in the mystery of what has happened to Anthony’s missing relics and the suspicious nature of his stepmother’s death, and we’ve got plenty of plot to keep your attention on this book. I liked the overall set-up of the book, since I love a good property dispute trope, and I also liked the way that Anthony appreciated Raya’s financial competence. Both characters were extremely stubborn and there was maybe one too many instances of miscommunication in this story, when they should have just directly confronted the other person. Still, this was a steamy read with a nice set up of Anthony’s friends (who I’m hoping we will see in future books).

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

The Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Standalone novel. We’ve got tragic background for both the characters here in this story and it makes for an unbelievable connection. Jules has lived her entire life as a man, despite being born a girl; her mother endured difficult childbirths and was warned against having more children, but her father was insistent on a son… so her mother and midwife presented the baby as a son so that she could find relief from marital relations and pregnancy. James, the son of a duke, was lost in the Canadian mountains at the age of 18 and survived there alone for ten years before his rescue and return. Now that he’s back in England and the duke, his mother is concerned that he is addled and savage. Jules and her father are both mind doctors hired by James’ mother to assess the man and fix his behavior. Of course, Jules is the one who understands his plight and need for isolation and quiet amongst his busybody chattering family. James also sees through Jules’ disguise with his heightened senses and awareness and he has been the only one to truly see her in her whole life. The quiet moments where these two are alone are the only times they can be themselves without the judgments of society or putting on an act. It’s sweet and soulful and just the right amount of teary. Probably my favorite Stacy Reid book ever, and I love all her books, so that’s saying a lot.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

One Wedding and an Earl by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 4 of the Duchess Society series. Tragic childhoods for both Ollie and Necessity have made them both wary of romantic entanglements. Oliver, now an earl, has had a shady history of opium dens, brothels, and getting slashed in the face in a gambling hell back alley. He’s now a recluse fixing up the estate where he suffered from his abusive father. Necessity, orphaned when cholera killed her whole family, is soon-to-be the most sought after landscape architect in England. When Necessity is recruited to fix up Oliver’s garden, they give into the attraction, but neither ask for anything more, knowing their own personal traumas and their vast differences in social standing. However, these two are delightfully fiery together and are certainly destined for greater things, if they would just allow themselves to ask for more. Also, a great intro to another street thug with a suspicious history and I’m looking to reading more about him in a future book.

Advance ebook provided by Wolf Publishing via NetGalley.

In Which Winnie Halifax Is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Halifax Hellions series. Winnie just wants to rent a cottage and start a sheep farm but isn’t able to secure the lease as a single woman, so she makes up a fake estranged husband by the name of Spencer Halifax to secure her position. Ten years later, Spencer is notified by his solicitor-best friend of the possibility of actually being legally married to a conwoman using his name. He travels to her farm in Wales to find her and to bring her back to London to settle their annulment. Along the way, Spencer and Winnie find themselves attracted to each other and wanting more. However, Winnie is hesitant to overburden Spencer since she has already inconvenienced him with the fake marriage and she is wary of becoming selfish and manipulative like her mother was. Spencer is an all-around nice guy here and hungrily lusts after Winnie. This book is humorous and steamy in all the best ways and we get to hear about Margo and Matilda’s respective exploits from Spencer’s POV. An excellent addition to the Halifax Hellions series!

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

Love And Other Perennial Habits by Emmaline Warden (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Genus of Gentlemen series. We have a widowed countess, Meg, finally out from under her cruel husband’s thumb and now she’s restoring an old manor in the country. She meets Oliver, a second son and now heir, who is doing his own botanical experiments in the country. While away from town, both Meg and Oliver can be themselves, freed from the strictures of society and easily fall in love. They’re happy and productive and things just can’t go wrong… except the reader knows that their holiday will end, and certainly Oliver will need to deal with the realities of his station. And as expected, when Oliver is called back to London, heartbreak and angst sets in for them both. This book made me feel all the feels and tear up all the tears in all the best ways. And I’m looking forward to the release of Book 2, with a heartbroken hero I need to learn more about.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

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Ruin and Redemption for the Earl by Andie James (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Reluctant Lords series. Lady Elise is ruined for the dumbest reason ever when she’s caught giving medical care to a footman. Three years later, she’s living at the dower house of an earl’s land and hoping that the new earl doesn’t kick her out. Reid had no idea that his father had rented out the dower house and is surprised to find and meet Elise. He quickly sees that she has endeared herself to the village and made improvements to her home. Reid had been estranged from his father, joined the army, was injured, and come back to England as a politician. He’s disgruntled about changing roles and even more irritated to find his estate in poor financial condition. Reid and Elise form a friendship and then an attraction, though she does not believe she’s a suitable wife for Reid due to her former ruin. I enjoyed the slow emotional build up of the romance and the rallying of Reid’s friends in supporting Elise.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited and provided by Andie James.

Caught on Camera by Chelsea Curto (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Love through a Lens series. Lacey and Shawn are friends through their friends who have gotten together last year and somehow have not started dating each other. Lacey’s on a date with a new guy at a football game (where Shawn is the coach) and ends up on the KissCam. Her date adamantly refuses to kiss her, drawing embarrassing attention to Lacey. When Shawn sees what’s going on, he saves the day by running over kissing Lacey. And then they end up in social media firestorm and decide to fake date through the holidays so that Lacey has someone to bring to her work party and so Shawn can bring a girlfriend home to his family. And then they evolve into fake dating partners with benefits and slowly start to realize that they don’t want an end to this relationship after all. Both Lacey and Shawn are fiercely independent and strong on their own, but realize that it’s nice to have someone to partner with and rely on. The romance is slow and sweet and charming (plus explicit details of their bedroom and out-of-bedroom physical relationship).

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Once and Again with the Viscount by Andie James (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Reluctant Lords series. Angeline is a widow who is slowly re-entering society after mourning her beloved husband. She’s been struggling with seeing her friends marry and have children, as she was unable to have any children of her own in the time that she was married. Meanwhile, her neighbor, childhood crush, and brother’s best friend, Sidney is around to notice her and offer comfort. Sidney has been in love with Angeline after he notices her in a new light during her debut; however, he lost out on the chance to be with her when he left society when his father died, and returned later to find her already married. Now that she’s widowed, Sidney has a second chance to woo Angeline. There’s actually tons of tragedy up ahead though as Sidney’s older brother unexpectedly passes away, leaving Sidney as the next viscount. Angeline is even more distressed with her inability to have children because of this. It’s a lot of angsty emotional upheaval to get through before these two can find a happy ending.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited and provided by Andie James.

Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Super funny and emotional one-night stand, accidental pregnancy romance. Win and Bo meet at their friends’ Halloween party, flirt, hook-up, and plan on never seeing each other again. Six weeks later, Win finds out she’s pregnant and needs to rework her whole life plan. When she tells Bo the news, he’s surprisingly emotional and supportive. They end up becoming friends with a co-parenting plan and eventually move into Bo’s house together. It’s a slow-burn romance as they get to know each other better and Bo is basically the best most supportive father ever. There’s all sorts of humor as they banter with each other and it’s clear they’re going to be strong partners throughout the book. Excellent excellent read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited. Audiobook provided by Libro.fm.

The Duke’s Wicked Widow by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Surprise! Dukes series. I always love a good pregnancy-inheritance scheme. Ellie is at the doorstep of her late husband’s bastard cousin, hoping to get herself impregnated and pass the kid off as the next heir. Fawkes is both insulted and intrigued and ends up complying. While Ellie’s motives may seem selfish, she’s really just trying to protect her stepdaughter and she doesn’t have any place else to go if her in-laws throw her out. There’s a lot of back and forth between Ellie and Fawkes as she tries to get pregnant and he’s keeping secrets about his role as the notorious Duke of Death. However, Fawkes proves to be kind and caring towards Ellie and her stepdaughter when they need it. We also tie back to the overarching drama of the series with a traitor and his supposed agents trying to bring him to justice. We start strong with the physical attraction in this one, with a slow build towards real affection. And we still get all of tongue-in-cheek humor that Caroline Lee’s books always deliver.

Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.

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.

Hen Fever by Olivia Waite (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Standalone novella. Super short holiday read centering around a small village’s annual prize chicken competition. Spinster Lydia happens to find a group of hens that were believed to be extinct and meets Harriet, the new occupant of the manor of the village. While their initial meeting is a bit contentious, arguing over who actually owns these chickens, they soon develop a friendship and then romance. There’s some tragic history with Harriet’s experience as an army wife and widow, which somehow ties to Lydia’s brother who also served in the army. This was a quick read with just the right blend of humor and emotion.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Courting Scandal by Ally Hudson (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Most Imprudent Matches series. Michael is the illegitimate son of a viscount who owns a gambling hell with a shaky relationship with his late father’s family. In an attempt to bring the brothers together, the new viscountess (Michael’s sister-in-law) invites Michael to weekly family dinners. Meanwhile, in a seemingly separate part of town, Juliet is being forced by her cruel and overbearing father to marry a duke who she doesn’t know at all. Juliet soon learns that her father owes a huge debt to a gambling hell and is receiving payment from the duke in exchange for Juliet’s hand in marriage. She overhears Michael (said gambling hell owner) confront her father over the matter and it helps put all of her father’s odd behavior into perspective. Somehow both Michael and Juliet cross paths again as they’re both invited to the same country house for the next couple of months. Juliet’s best friend turns out to be Michael’s sister-in-law and although this isn’t a matchmaking scheme, Juliet and Michael fall in love anyway. However, Juliet is still engaged and Michael believes he’s not good enough for her, so there’s still a bit of drama to overcome before they can actually be together for good.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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.

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A Scot Mess by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 1 of the Hots for Scots series. Six brothers are told by their father that they need to marry within the year and the first to sire a son will become the next laird of the clan. Finn has no problem adhering to this decree since he has already met the love of his life, Fiona. While Finn is excited to become officially betrothed and marry, Fiona is hesitant and unsure of the commitment. We also experience a bit of mistaken identity due to both Finn and Fiona having identical twin siblings. However, it’s clear that Finn and Fiona will work things out in pretty short order. This was a quick and steamy read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Scot on Her Trail by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 2 of the Hots for Scots series. Duncan has met his new sister-in-law’s twin Skye in Book 1 and has appreciated her outspoken strength ever since. However, he has no intention of following his father’s decree to seek a wife and would rather live a simple life as a goldsmith. On a journey to deliver his master’s handcrafted jewelry, he’s stopped by highwaymen and robbed. He’s shocked to learn that Skye is the ringleader of the thieves and wonders why a well-born lady needs to steal. In the tussle over the jewelry, Duncan absconds with Skye, they spend more time together on the road, and absolutely fail at resisting their attraction for each other. It’s fun to see these two bicker and argue with fiery passion. When Duncan finds out Skye’s reasons for stealing from strangers, he jumps to her defense and we get to resolve that plot pretty neatly. This was another quick and steamy read in the series.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Getting Scot and Bothered by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 3 of the Hots for Scots series. Son of a laird Rocque has repeatedly asked his lover and clan healer Merewyn to marry him, but she keeps refusing and he has no idea why. It’s clear that they have a cozy domestic relationship, with Rocque spending his nights at Merewyn’s cottage more than in his assigned barracks. However, Merewyn believes that Rocque does not love her and she does not want to be in a marriage where the love is one-sided. Oh, and she’s carrying his child without having told him yet. While it takes a bit of meddling from Rocque’s aunt and sister to get Merewyn to confront Rocque with her fears, he is shocked and surprised and needs his own time to unpack his feelings. Watch out for some danger from another member of the clan, and we have dire circumstances that lead to necessary declarations.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

In Scot Water by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 4 of the Hots for Scots series. The scientific-minded son of a laird, Malcolm, is approaching his father’s ultimatum to marry logically. He plans to seek out a relatively young widow with a track record of giving birth to sons and living in such conditions where a proposal from a laird’s son will be seen as a boon. He identifies the perfect candidate in Evelinde and is instantly attracted to her when he sees her at the market. Soon, he’s journeying to her cottage to propose marriage, but decides to get to know her and her sons while they’re all stuck inside during a rainstorm. Evelinde has been living in rough conditions caring for her two young children and is grateful to have the help and support of Malcolm. Both Evelinde and Malcolm very quickly fall in love with each other while weathering the storm and it was nice to see both of them appreciate the other person’s intellect and ingenuity. I loved how Malcolm interacted with the kiddos and it was clear that Evelinde was softened by this as well.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Drop It Like It’s Scot by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 5 of the Hots for Scots series. Alistair is too busy running the clan to find a bride. Even though his father has stated that the first son to marry and sire an heir will become the next laird, Alistair is still stuck being a workaholic. The housekeeper’s daughter, Lara, has had a crush on Alistair for ages even though he has never noticed her. She’s determined to assist Alistair in relaxing and finding pleasure and he is very happy to go along with it. It’s your classic oblivious male main character type of story with our gal finally being bold enough to go after what she wants.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Scot to the Touch by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 6 of the Hots for Scots series. Kiergan is the charming rake of the clan with no desire to marry or to inherit the lairdship, so he’s shocked to find that his father has arranged for him to marry a lady from another clan. But not to worry, Davina is not interested in marrying him either, so she’s disdainful and rude to Kiergan when she and her family arrive at the castle. However, Katlyn is the sister who catches Kiergan’s attention and affection, even though she believes she’s cursed and destined to not marry. Spending time with Katlyn is enough to cause Kiergan to change his tune on marriage, and support from Katlyn and his father boosts his confidence in his ability to serve a purpose to the clan. We get all sorts of humor and hijinks in the secret passages of the castle here, along with discovering the reason why Davina is so hesitant to marry.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Scot Under the Mistletoe by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 7 of the Hots for Scots series. Nessa is tired of her father setting up betrothals to Henrys who keep dying before she even gets a chance to meet them. She’s determined to convince the man she actually loves to stand up for himself and ask her father for her hand. Brohn is the son of the housekeeper and feels that he’s unworthy of marrying Nessa, so he shrinks back and allows her father to continue to arrange her betrothals. Luckily Nessa is super insistent and forces Brohn to realize the depths of her feelings. This was a quick novella with an easy resolution once everyone declares their feelings out loud.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Too Scot to Hold by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 8 of the Hots for Scots series. We get the conclusion of the great baby race for the lairdship in this book, with so many of the wives soon to give birth. Davina is back at the castle to assist her sister Katlyn, along with Graham, the man that her grandfather had disapproved of previously. Graham turns out to be a seventh son of the laird and is also a doctor, so having him around for all his sisters-in-law proves to be very useful. We get to see Davina and Graham reunited after a six month long separation (where their letters were intercepted) and they quickly reconnect and try to convince her grandfather to support their marriage. It was fun to catch up with all of the previous couples of the series with the wives in varying stages of pregnancy. And we do ultimately find out which couple bears a son first and will become the next laird.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Useful Resources:

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A Duke’s Guide to Romance by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Gentlemen Authors series. Impoverished duke Anthony is worrying about how to secure funds for his sisters’ future debut and is considering a marriage to a wealthy daughter of a viscount. He stumbles upon a bookshop and meets the charming young lady, Ada, who works and lives there with her uncle. At first, he hides the fact that he’s a duke and enjoys a friendship with Ada. She makes an observation that romance novels (like those from Jane Austen) sell quite well, and Anthony takes the idea back to his two friends and propose that they should write a romance novel together to sell for money. Anthony and Ada continue their friendship and he does ultimately tell her who she is. It’s a relatively sweet development of their relationship, despite their differences in social station. There’s some meddling and scheming from the lady that Anthony is purportedly courting, but that eventually gets resolved with some open communication. Overall, an interesting start to this series of gentlemen authors.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

A Duke’s Introduction to Courtship by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Gentlemen Authors series. Brody is an impoverished duke who has secretly written a romance novel with two of his friends, but is strapped for immediate cash when a debt collector comes calling for his younger brother’s debts. While out for a walk, he happens across a job opening at a print shop and thinks that he’ll be able to collect a small bit of money while also sneaking in his own manuscript for consideration. While there, he runs into a young man who works as a compositor in the print shop and doesn’t know why he’s drawn to the lad. Harry is actually Harriet and dresses up as a young man to gain employment to care for herself and her younger sister. She has successfully maintained the disguise for several years, but her attraction for Brody might give her away. This book had a slow progression of friendship, caretaking, and a relatively low-angst romance. We also get to revisit the couple from Book 1 of the series, as both Brody and Harriet are friends with the duke and duchess, respectively.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

A Duke’s Lesson in Charm by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Gentlemen Authors series. Callum and Emily have known and avoided each other for years because they keep having physical mishaps and calamities with each other (trodden toes, ruined gowns, falling in water, and even a dress burn). It’s fairly obvious to the reader that Callum is clumsy because he’s nervous around Emily, though she has not seen it that way. One day at the park, Callum’s orphaned ward seems to perk up when coming across Emily’s dog, and Callum arranges for the boy to spend more time with the dog. Callum and Emily talk out their clumsiness and misunderstandings and slowly develop a friendship with each other. It’s nice seeing them interact and form a bit of a family unit around Callum’s ward, and when Emily’s grandmother is ill, she lies about a courtship with Callum to make her happy. We also get to catch up with the couples from the previous two books of the series and see the progress of the romance novel that the three gentlemen friends have written.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes 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:

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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.

The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale (2013)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Wallflower Trilogy series. A trio of wallflower friends are lamenting their fourth season as unwed ladies. While Emma has been courted by a quiet unassuming gentlemen for many years, he has yet to propose due to the financial constraints of both their families. Emma’s friends drunkenly write a fictitious newspaper announcement of a betrothal, thinking it would force the man’s hand to propose, but also aim for a very handsome and eligible duke in a separate announcement. The announcement somehow gets printed in the newspaper and Emma now finds herself the center of attention of sociable ladies hoping to catch her in the lie. Blake is a rogue of a duke who is seeking investors for a machine he’s working on, but his rakish reputation is unhelpful. When he sees the newspaper announcement declaring his engagement to a mild, unscandalous, wallflower, he decides to continue the charade to improve his own reputation. Emma and Blake agree to the fake engagement while at Blake’s aunt’s house party, attempting to win the family fortune. While Emma tries to resist Blake’s advances, he sees her as an adorable challenge and slowly starts to appreciate her wit and humor. She can hardly believe that his feelings are true, so she clings onto her love for her other suitor for as long as possible.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Wallflower Gone Wild by Maya Rodale (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Wallflower Trilogy series. Lady Olivia has a reputation of being the ultra demure wallflower with an overbearing mother. Since she has no suitors in sight, her parents have arranged for her to marry the Mad Baron. Olivia is not interested in marrying this stranger, so she plans to behave poorly to convince him to stop his pursuit of her. Phinn would rather spend time building machines than interact with society and has no idea that the scandal of his first wife’s death still circulates among debutantes. As he meets and attempts to court Olivia, he’s baffled by her behavior and wonders what has happened to the biddable and demure young lady her parents described. It’s a comedy of errors for everyone, as Phinn tries to woo Olivia using bad advice from his friend, and Olivia is completely fearful of the man while also trying to behave scandalously. It’s the slowest of slow burns here as Phinn learns to actually listen to Olivia, and Olivia learns the truth behind the rumors and slowly trusts Phinn.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

What a Wallflower Wants by Maya Rodale (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Wallflower Trilogy series. The last of the wallflowers, Prudence, is lonely and sad after her two friends have fallen in love and gotten married. Not wanting to be the only unwed lady at the finishing school ball, she tries to elope with a man in a convenient arrangement. Unfortunately, travels have not gone to plan and their coach was set on by highwaymen and she managed to escape and then walk alone for miles and miles. When a handsome stranger offers her a ride, Prudence refuses as she is wary and untrusting of men. In her first season, Prudence was sexually assaulted at a ball and she has kept this secret from everyone (including her two best friends). She has attempted to make herself invisible and undesirable to men and embraced the role of a wallflower. Although she wishes to enjoy the attentions of this stranger, she cannot trust him at all, and continues on her way. John, a young viscount with a streak of good luck, senses Prudence’s wariness and accepts her decision, even though it goes against his sense of chivalry. With a rainstorm beginning, he’s glad to eventually reach an inn. Hours later, Prudence reaches the same inn and is surprised to see John again. Over the course of the next few days, they’re stuck together at this inn due to the rainstorm and begin to talk to each other. John is the ultimate considerate gentleman and Prudence slowly starts to trust him. I liked how Prudence eventually confided her secrets to John and that he was understanding and compassionate in his response. While Prudence’s emotional journey is pretty straightforward and predictable in this book, we actually find that John’s journey is more of a mystery and he’s keeping secrets that are yet to be revealed.

Ebook and audiobook 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:

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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.

The Name Drop by Susan Lee (2023)

Contemporary young adult romance. Standalone novel. Jessica is headed to New York City for a summer internship before she starts community college in the Fall. Meanwhile, Elijah is headed to the same company for an executive internship as the CEO’s son. Things go awry when both Jessica and Elijah have the same Korean name and it’s an identity mix-up at the airport. Somehow Jessica gets transported to a fancy brownstone and introduced as the executive intern, while Elijah is crowded together with all the other lowly interns. When they discover the mix-up, Jessica and Elijah agree to continue with their unintended roles for the summer. It was fun seeing their friendship develop and learn to live and work under new circumstances, although the romance was super slow to get started and fairly innocent overall. What kept me reading was waiting to see what would happen when their secret gets discovered and what kind of fallout we would see.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

An Earl Like You by Caroline Linden (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Wagers of Sin series. Hugh has inherited a mountain of debt from his father and decides not to burden his grieving family with the truth of their financial circumstances. Things grow more dire when Hugh’s sister is courting a viscount’s son who will very likely expect a healthy dowry when they ultimately get engaged. Conniving businessman Edward Cross uses Hugh’s secret financial circumstances to coerce the man into courting and marrying his daughter Eliza. While Hugh is hesitant at first, he soon realizes that the shy and kind Eliza is not part of the scheme at all and finds her to be suitable to marry. Eliza was perfectly happy being a spinster and is very surprised to find one of her father’s business associates paying attention to her. Without knowing the deal made by her father and Hugh, she happily accepts his proposal. While Eliza is rebuffed by her new in-laws at first, she slowly starts to earn their acceptance through her kind and caring personality. Hugh’s actions are questionable throughout the book, but he’s clearly attempting to protect his family as best as he can; however, I knew that I was waiting for everything to blow up and for him to have to admit his actions to everyone.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Lost and Found by the Duke by Andie James (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Reluctant Lords series. This one is a pretty straightforward marriage of convenience between two strangers who meet at a house party. Grace is a widowed countess at her friend’s house party hoping to make a connection to find work as a companion or governess and is nearly accosted by her friend’s brother. Henry a recently inherited duke witnesses the encounter and rescues Grace. These two get to know each other a bit more over the next several days and Henry realizes that his troubles with matchmaking mamas can be solved by selecting his own bride. He proposes to Grace but she is hesitant and wary due to her previous poor experiences in marriage. They talk out their issues and Henry attempts to assuage all of Grace’s concerns. We get to see this romance slowly develop with clear and open communication, with Grace slowly regaining some of her confidence and poise after her horrible first marriage. We get a teensy bit of drama when Henry’s aunt and dowager duchess appears back at home, but the relationship does ultimately come out stronger at the end.

Ebook provided by Andie James.

Never Tempt a Rogue by Christy Carlyle (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Rogues’ Rulebook series. Short, low-angst story. Felicity is a companion and chaperone to her younger cousin at a house party where Felicity is responsible for keeping her cousin away from a rogue of a lord. Alex’s reputation is not actually his true nature and he never had designs on the young cousin anyway. When Alex meets Felicity, he is immediately drawn to her and prefers her to all the other eligible ladies at the party. She tries her best to stay away from him due to their differences in social station, but his earnestness eventually wears down her resolve.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Never Beguile a Scoundrel by Christy Carlyle (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Rogues’ Rulebook series. Emily is the daughter of a viscount and soon to be married off to a much older and lecherous man, so she seeks to arrange her own ruin by asking Max, an old friend of her brother’s to pretend to ruin her. He tries to be noble and refuse at first, but then gets jealous when she seeks out another man. They end up getting caught in a scandalous situation anyway and he’ll need to decide if he’s going to do the noble thing and marry her or not.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Never Defy a Duke by Christy Carlyle (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Rogues’ Rulebook series. This one is similar in set-up with the first book in the series with the duke’s heir, Gray, being set up at a house party full of eligible ladies. Except he only cares for his childhood friend Evie, who somehow isn’t considered eligible. Of course, they both have been attracted to each other for ages and somehow seeing Gray on the cusp of marriage to someone else has sparked Evie’s jealousy. This one was another quick resolution once Gray figured out who it is he really wants to marry.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

When the Marquess Was Mine by Caroline Linden (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Wagers of Sin series. Georgiana is visiting her friend in the country and finds out that the friend’s husband has lost the deed to the house and the scoundrel Marquess of Westmorland should be barred entry if he arrives. Well, he does arrive, but he’s badly beaten and injured and unconscious. Fearing that her friend will turn him out, Georgiana claims that the man is her fiancee, so he’ll be brought in and healed. When he wakes up, he doesn’t remember who he is, so Georgiana has to continue to pretend this man is her fiance. Rob doesn’t remember much of anything but he’s happy to have such a dedicated and beautiful fiance and enjoys spending time with her as he heals. It’ll be a terrible muddle once he figures out who he really is, and the fact that Georgiana is truly engaged to someone else. If you like chaotic amnesia stories, this one is excellent.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Christmas Exchange by Cali Melle (2023)

Contemporary romance. Low-plot, low-angst, decent smut, MFM holiday novella. It’s all Raegan’s POV as she returns home to visit for Christmas and runs into her childhood best friends Miles and Julian, who she sort of lost touch with for the past ten years. Everyone remembers that they used to have crushes on each other and decide to go for it (and be nice and share) while they go on a spontaneous ski trip and get snowed in. Fun and quick little read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young (2022)

Contemporary romance. Holiday-themed novella. Super short, steamy, light, fake dating romance. Clara and Evan are childhood friends who both have their own individual issues. Clara is a photographer starting her new job at a gallery and somehow her boss has assumed that Clara has a female significant other, even though Clara is straight. Evan is a schoolteacher who is recently out of a nearly decade-long relationship and still sees her ex-fiancee at work. She’s also always maybe had a crush on Clara, but keeps reminding herself that Clara is off-limits. However, as Clara seems to be unable to admit the truth about herself to her boss, she and Evan decide to fake date to get through some events with both of their jobs. In the course of spending time together, Clara realizes that she’s sexually attracted to Evan and decides to go for it. They get together pretty easily and seamlessly and integrate really well into each others’ lives. And Clara brings Evan home to her parents’ house for the holidays. Clara’s supportive parents are the absolute best and this was basically a cozy (and spicy) hug in a book.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Fortune Favors the Viscount by Caroline Linden (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Wagers of Sin series. Nick has been the owner of the infamous gambling hell featured throughout the series and now he finds himself to be the heir apparent to a distantly related viscount. Emilia is the governess of the late viscount’s daughter and conducted the investigation that led her to Nick. She aims to help him petition for the title in exchange for the upkeep and care of her charge. Nick is suspicious at first, and also completely uninterested in claiming an aristocratic title, but he also wants to protect his secret sister who is on the cusp of entering society. These two team up so that Emilia can serve as governess to both her charge and Nick’s sister. Of course, as Nick and Emilia spend more time together, the heated bickering turns into something more. We also get some additional drama with a clear villain and a revenge scheme. Overall, great end to this series.

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:

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!

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.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun (2022)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Last Christmas, Ellie spent a perfect snow day with a woman she met at a bookstore, but things fell apart the next morning. A year later, Ellie is in a rough spot, working at a coffee shop (not her dream job) and worrying about money. When the handsome property owner of the coffee shop offers her a chance at a temporary marriage in exchange for money (10% of his $2 million inheritance), she goes along with it. Ellie is introduced to his whole family during a Christmas trip to a cabin, where the she finds out that last year’s perfect woman is actually her fiance’s sister, Jack. Awkwardness ensues along with trying to keep loads of secrets from the family. This book was funny and sweet and absolutely delightful. The affectionate and drunken grandmothers might be my favorite part of the story. Watch out for family issues from all sides and the trials of finding career-related footing.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Lady’s Rules for Ruin by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lions and Lilies series. Frances is completely uninterested in marriage, despite the meddling of her family members. She decides to put herself in a ruinous situation so that she can finally be an unmarriageable spinster. Her plan works out quite well; with her unwitting kissing partner on a ship bound for Egypt, Frances has the freedom to pursue a variety of interests without the pressure of balls and soirees. One experiment in charity work brings her to a boys’ orphanage where she is to tutor a child on manners before he meets an important lord. Evan is a charming and amiable earl who has just found out that his father has been financially supporting an illegitimate son and he goes to meet the boy. When at the orphanage, he immediately realizes the mistreatment of the child and decides to bring his brother home with him. Luckily Frances has already formed a bond with the boy and is there to soothe the young child’s temperament when faced with his new situation. Frances and Evan have interacted with each other before at social events, but Frances was always suspicious of Evan’s gregarious nature even though he has always been intrigued by her outspokenness. We get to see Frances and Evan bond over the care of his newfound brothers (yes, plural, he definitely finds more) and develop a friendship and then affair. I loved seeing Evan take responsibility for his brothers and build a family with them.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Six Degrees of Scandal by Caroline Linden (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Scandalous series. This book starts with a heartbreaking prologue where Olivia and James meet as youths, are nearly engaged, and then Olivia is married off in exchange for money for her father’s debts. Ten years later, Olivia is widowed and being pursued by one of her late husband’s associates looking for smuggled treasure. When Olivia flees London to investigate a lead, she’s soon caught by James who vows to assist her and secure her safety. He’s been feeling guilty and regretful ever since he missed his chance to marry her all those years ago. We get these two partnering up to solve the mystery her late husband left behind and rekindling their lost love. Super interesting to uncover the mystery and see it tie back to characters from previous books in the series. And we eventually unmask the writer of the notoriously scandalous pamphlet that has been circulating in London.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Bed Me, Earl by Felicity Niven (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Bed Me, Books series. Caroline decides to bed her long-time crush Phineas when he’s at her country home with her brother’s hunting party. The easy-going Phineas is delighted that a woman has come to his bed and thinks he’s got the best luck ever. When he realizes that he slept with his friend’s sister and that he might be forced to marry her, he thinks that wouldn’t be a hardship at all. Of course, Phineas says this out loud to Caroline and upsets her in the process. Despite all this, Phineas has decided that he wants to pursue Caroline and dismisses all his mistresses upon his return to London. Caroline was really only looking for a tryst and doesn’t aim for any type of relationship with Phineas, as her lisp and stutter were cruelly disparaged by her father. She’s been hidden away in the country for the past decade and has no interest in letting anyone know about her condition. After her father’s death, her brother brings her to London, hoping to make up for his neglect over the years. There, she finds an eager Phineas wanting to court her. There’s a lot of back-and-forth here as Caroline tries to push Phineas away, but their physical attraction is much too strong and gets them into trouble. Even though Phineas gives the impression of a confident and charming man, we see hints of his insecurity every time Caroline rejects him. When we finally do see them settle down together, we get to see Caroline step up and take charge of the household with utter confidence. I loved seeing this side of Caroline, even if it leaves Phineas questioning his own worth and competence. I really enjoyed reading this book and seeing how these two very opposite personalities come together.

Advance ebook provided by Felicity Niven.

It’s Hard Out Here for a Duke by Maya Rodale (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Keeping Up with the Cavendishes series. James and his sisters are bound for London to take up his new role as duke, but he enjoys one last night as “Just James” with a beautiful woman he meets at a tavern. Meredith is traveling back to her role as a duchess’ companion when she meets James’ eye across the tavern and decides to take this one opportunity for passion before she continues being a proper companion. Of course, they’re in for some bad luck when they realize that they’re stuck in the same household with completely disparate social stations and need to forget their one night stand ever happened. While James struggles with his new role and responsibilities, he’s continually tempted by the presence of Meredith and wishes he could give everything up to be with her instead. Meredith is the one that is usually sensible and explains to James the ways of the ton and how their relationship would be completely inappropriate. However, all the hints of the relationship between James and Meredith that we’ve seen from the first three books come into full force in this one, where they both need to decide what’s really important to them.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Sometimes you just see the prettiest romance book covers and the color palettes are super inspired. As a partner of Olive&June nail products, I thought it would be fun to match up their nail polish colors to the book covers that catch my eye. Affiliate links are used throughout this post and if you use the code “OliviaP20” at the Olive&June website, you’ll get 20% off manicure kits there. I hope that you find these match-ups just as fun as I do!

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

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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.

The Duke Goes Down by Sophie Jordan (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Duke Hunt series. The local duke turns out not to be a duke because he was technically born before his parents got married, so Perry is a mere mister and now looking for a wealthy heiress to marry. The vicar’s daughter Imogen wants to deter Perry from his scheme and protect the women of the village, so she spreads rumors about Perry to dissuade the young ladies. When he realizes that she’s the one spreading rumors, he confronts her (and kisses her) and tries to get her to stop. These two have had a long childhood history of animosity, so the latent attraction springing up in the present is super entertaining to read. We also get a bit of backstory of why Imogen is so cautious of trusting Perry and his motives. This book was a lot of fun, and Imogen’s rumors were hilarious.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Rake Gets Ravished by Sophie Jordan (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Duke Hunt series. Mercy’s idiot brother has lost their home and farm in a card game, so Mercy goes to the gaming hell in London to steal back the debt voucher from Silas, the ruthless gaming hell owner. She finds the voucher but also gets caught in Silas’ rooms, so she makes the excuse of having come to seduce him. He’s resistant at first and they banter a bit, but the steam starts early in this book before Mercy flees back to her farm. Once Silas realizes what she’s done, he comes after her and finds her (and her family) on the property that he would have owned. Over the course of the book, we learn that Silas really is an upstanding guy and would do anything to protect Mercy and ease her troubles.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Scoundrel Falls Hard by Sophie Jordan (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Duke Hunt series. Kellan and his father have been swindling a country village by posting as the new duke and heir. The village people are out for blood and have chased after Kellan and plan to hang him. The local blacksmith Gwen believes this to be cruel and unjust so she tries to save Kellan by declaring that she’s in love with him, despite not knowing him at all. To prove that they’re actually in love, the banns are called for a wedding between the two. In the three weeks of their engagement, Gwen and Kellan come to an agreement for a marriage of convenience where Kellan will assist Gwen around the house and smithy. While Gwen insists on keeping the marriage platonic, we’ll see how long that lasts with the ever-charming and protective Kellan.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duke Starts a Scandal by Sophie Jordan (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Duke Hunt series. A new duke and his housekeeper have gotten off to a rocky start and now seem to have a contentious relationship. Susanna has been the housekeeper at the estate, despite her relatively young age for the role, and is peeved by the arrogance of the new duke. Lucian had lived in poverty with his younger sisters until it was discovered that he was the duke and has a scandalous secret of how he earned the money to support his family. These two don’t trust each other much, but Lucian’s irritation is mostly due to the stress of his new role and the attraction he feels for Susanna. A house party that Lucian hosts sets up more trouble as Susanna is confronted by a man who knew her when she was young. We get to find out Susanna’s secrets and what brought her to work as a maid and then housekeeper all those years ago. The romance between Lucian and Susanna is pretty straightforward once we get past the disgruntled misconceptions they have of each other, and we get to see these two become open and honest with their secrets.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books 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:

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

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Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

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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.

No Man’s Mistress by Mary Balogh (2001)

Book 2 of Mistress Series. Ferdinand Dudley has won Pinewood Manor in a card game. He shows up at the manor to claim his prize, but it’s already occupied by Viola Thornhill, who was the beautiful stranger he met the night before at the town festival. Ferdinand and Viola fight their attraction for each other while they figure out who has the rightful claim to Pinewood Manor. Why is it that Viola looks so familiar to Ferdinand? And how and why was the manor left to her in the first place? Ferdinand learns to love the country-side and makes nice with the townspeople, Viola has a mysterious past, and Ferdinand’s brother, the Duke of Tresham, is a big ol’ hypocrite.

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

Lady Meets Earl by Christy Carlyle (2022)

Historical romance set in Victorian England. Book 2 of the Love on Holiday series, but it doesn’t seem connect to the first book from what I can tell. Our poor guy James is being threatened by a loan shark after losing all his money from his shipping business; he’s inherited and earldom from his estranged uncle but finds that estate in debt with only one property potentially worth selling. In another part of town, Lady Lucy is living her ever-helpful nearly-spinster life and gets invited to visit her feisty aunt for awhile. While traveling to the estate via train, she bumps into James and they make friendly acquaintance with each other. Unfortunately, they soon find out that they’ve ended up in the same destination: Lucy’s aunt is occupying the house that James needs to sell. While it seems like this could be a major conflict, Lucy is mature about the situation and strives for transparency in communication. It’s delightful reading these two open up to each other and communicate.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Four Weeks of Scandal by Megan Frampton (2022)

Book 5 of the Hazards of Dukes series. Octavia and Gabriel fight over who actually owns her late father’s house. Both Octavia and Gabriel have gambling fathers who tend to lose to each other with regularity. While they try to figure out who has the rights to the house, they enter a fake engagement and start to restore the house. I really enjoyed the bookish and steady hero who just wants a place to call home.

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

The Devilish Mr. Danvers by Vivienne Lorret (2015)

Book 2 of the Rakes of Fallow Hall series. Hedley has inherited a crumbling cottage and decides she’ll live there to get away from her abusive family. Rafe wants access to the same cottage because of some family artifact hidden there and decides he should try to help Hedley marry someone else so that she’ll move out. Of course in their arguing and bickering, they end up with each other instead.

Shop this book via Amazon

The Good, the Bad, and the Duke by Janna MacGregor (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Cavensham Heiresses series. Lady Daphne accidentally gets left in London alone at Christmastime in a mix-up of whether she’s traveling with her brother or her mother. She decides to use this time to focus on her goals of setting up a home for unwed mothers and to establish her own residence. While mulling over her options in the park, her reticule and personal journal are stolen by a young boy and she gives chase. Eventually tracking the boy to a gambling hell, she bumps into Paul, her brother’s former friend and now nemesis who tries to rescue Daphne and protect her reputation. Over the next few days, Daphne and Paul team up to try to recover her journal, while also rekindling their long ago childhood friendship. Daphne is caring and compassionate towards Paul, who has acted the villain in previous books in this series. It turns out he was treated horribly by his father, even after his father’s death with cutting notes and reminders of his wastrel ways. There’s a tiny disagreement about the purchase of a property that Daphne wants to use as her charity house and Paul wants to use as a hospital in honor of his brother’s illness, but that scuffle is pretty minor compared to the risk of scandal Daphne is under if her journal is discovered. And of course when Daphne’s family comes back and starts meddling, we get even more drama.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior by Jennifer McQuiston (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Seduction Diaries series. This book takes place about 4 years after the events of Book 1 and is about Clare’s younger sister Lucy. We actually start the prologue with Thomas, a young drunken marquess, who is at his sister’s funeral and his fiancee has just broken off their engagement. We jump three years after that for the “present day” of the novel. The eccentric Lucy, a viscount’s daughter, is not looking forward to her debut season. With a delayed debut after some family scandal, she is 21 years old and stubbornly set in her ways. She surprisingly receives a package after her aunt’s death with her aunt’s diaries and the keys to her seaside cottage, offering the ability for Lucy to make her own decisions about her future. Unfortunately, meddlesome men make trouble when her father sells the property without her consent or knowledge to Thomas, who has been holed up in the small seaside town for the past three years. Lucy of course denies the sale, refuses all negotiation, and sets off to inspect the property herself. Lucy and Thomas are at odds for most of the story here with Thomas wanting very badly to purchase the property and Lucy not trusting his motives. It’s fun to see Lucy start to see a more honorable side to Thomas in his interactions with the folks in town and I love seeing Thomas appreciate Lucy’s stubbornness and outspokenness.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Sirens in Silk series. Anthony thinks he will finally get possession back of the family castle after his stepmother tragically passes away, but it turns out she left the castle to her cousin who has just arrived to visit from America. Raya doesn’t want or need a castle and is more than willing to sell it the Anthony at fair market value, but he also doesn’t have any money. These two argue their way to a truce while also ogling each other and trying to resist their simmering attraction. Add in the mystery of what has happened to Anthony’s missing relics and the suspicious nature of his stepmother’s death, and we’ve got plenty of plot to keep your attention on this book. I liked the overall set-up of the book, since I love a good property dispute trope, and I also liked the way that Anthony appreciated Raya’s financial competence. Both characters were extremely stubborn and there was maybe one too many instances of miscommunication in this story, when they should have just directly confronted the other person. Still, this was a steamy read with a nice set up of Anthony’s friends (who I’m hoping we will see in future books).

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

The Prince of Broadway Joanna Shupe (2019)

Book 2 of the Uptown Girls Series. Florence, younger sister of Mamie from Book 1, wants to open her own casino. In order to learn from the best, she attempts to get casino-running lessons from Clayton, the most notorious casino owner in town. While she’s busy sneaking out and hanging out in the seedy part of town, Clayton is working on some behind the scenes real estate deals that will attempt to destroy the wealthy man that ruined his own family. Unfortunately, that man is Florence’s father and the house that’s being targeted is her grandmother’s residence. As he and Florence grow closer, he has to choose between his affection for her and his quest for revenge.

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

The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. Maxwell (older brother to August and Violet) is called back to England from America after his father suffers from heart problems; he’s tasked with marrying and siring the next generation to take over the company or else his sister August loses her business deal. When he crosses paths again with widowed Lady Helena, the attraction he feels for her is reignited. Knowing that they don’t really have a future together on opposite sides of the ocean, he proposes a fake courtship and subsequent fake engagement so that he can appease his father long enough to not jeopardize his sister’s project. Lady Helena is facing her own parental pressure to marry in order to continue her charity work with abandoned women. She agrees to Maxwell’s proposal since she cares about his sister as well, but Helena does not want to marry in truth because she knows that she is unable to have children. But of course these two are highly attracted to each other and cannot seem to keep from being heartbroken. Add a subplot with some property dispute and Maxwell not understanding Helena’s mission and purpose, we have a high amount of angst here. It was really fun to read Helena and Maxwell’s flirting and banter here and we continue to see the rift between Maxwell and his siblings versus their parents.

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:

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!

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.