Weekly Reads: October 2 to 8, 2023
My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine (2023)
Paranormal romance. Standalone novel. Cassie is an artist in Chicago working too many jobs for not enough money and comes across an apartment listing for a ridiculously low price. Having few other options, she ends up taking the apartment and finds that her new roommate Frederick is a little eccentric. His manner, dress, and penmanship are completely out of this century and he seems to have trouble navigating technology and basic errands. When Cassie eventually finds out that Frederick is a vampire, she’s horrified at first, but then agrees to tutor him in the ways of modern age since he was in a coma for the last century. While most of the text is from Cassie’s perspective, we get glimpses into Frederick’s perspective at the start of every chapter with letters, text messages, and diary entries that Frederick composes. This book is super funny and delightful to read.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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.
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.
Training the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Suddenly a Duke series. Finola is the daughter of an earl who was orphaned and then neglected by her much older sisters only to be taken in by a lonely baron. In her first Season in London, Finola was publicly humiliated by a viscount who led her to believe he was courting her. After that, she retreated back to the country where she works to train hunting dogs. Many years after that, we meet Cy who has recently left the army after an accident left him blind in one eye. Cy is the younger son of a duke, neglected by his father and older brother. When he returns home, he finds that his father has died and his brother is now the duke. His brother allows Cy to live at the hunting lodge at the edge of the property. One day when Finola is walking her dogs, the dogs discover and befriend Cy and his charge Bertie. Finola’s and the duke’s lands border each other, though Cy does not admit that he is the brother of a duke. We have a quick and easy friendship between Finola and Cy, with Bertie needing the use of Finola’s schoolroom and learning to train dogs with Finola. The romance here builds very naturally and it seems that these two are perfect for each other and will be well-situated at Finola’s home. However, we have Cy’s looming secret and the fact that his brother is quite ill. I enjoyed this book and seeing another woman in an unconventional profession.
Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.
Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter (2020)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Duke’s Heiresses series. A duke with no wife or children passes away and leaves none of his fortune to his many family members; instead, he leaves an inheritance to three strangers who the family is not acquainted with. The duke’s nephew Chase, who was previously in the army, is charged with finding these women who have been left with such a fortune. He ends up entangled with one of the heiresses, Minerva, who has never met the duke before and has a history of an abusive husband and changing her name after his death. Since the duke had died under suspicious circumstances, Minerva believes that she’ll be a suspect with motives for his death. She thinks the best way to protect herself from being accused is to find the person who was actually responsible for the duke’s death. Meanwhile, Chase is leading his own investigation into the matter, and keeps running into Minerva as they’re simultaneously separately working on the same case. I liked seeing these two continually interact and bicker with each other and slowly develop a romance. With Minerva’s terrible late husband, it was nice to see Chase be so protective and patient with her. This was a good introduction to the duke’s family dynamics and interesting set up for the mystery of his death.
Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
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.
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.
A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2023)
Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Christmas Notch series. Ex-boy band member turned pizza mogul Kallum is set to star in a sexy Santa movie after gaining notoriety after a sex-tape was leaked. Former child actor and all-around good girl Winnie is in a tough spot following her divorce and an illness that prevented her from starring in last year’s Christmas movie, and is now given the opportunity to rebrand herself by co-starring with Kallum. She’s super hesitant at first, but finally decides to give it a try. Upon her first meeting with Kallum and the movie’s intimacy coordinator, Winnie soon realizes she’s totally in over her head and has no idea how to portray sexual satisfaction on screen (having never experienced it off screen). She’s got plenty of homework to do there, but her super conservative purity-based upbringing is definitely creating a lot of blocks there. Kallum has his own insecurities of being the least sought after boy band member and always being looked at as a hook-up rather than relationship material. He’s totally excited to work with Winnie after having had a crush on her since they were teenagers. With Winnie’s insecurities in the bedroom, she asks Kallum to help her in that department, agreeing that it’s all for the sake of research and her performance in the movie. There’s definitely a lot of steam in this book, as Kallum takes on the role of tutor for Winnie. While the physical attraction between Winnie and Kallum definitely exists, neither of them are sure about their long-term compatibility, being total opposites in personality and in family dynamics. It’s takes a bit of emotional growth for both of them: for Winnie to learn to trust someone and for Kallum to behave a bit more responsibly. A super humorous read with tons of support from our favorite characters from Book 1 of the series.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
The Devil of Drury Lane by Tracy Sumner (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Scandals and Scoundrels of Drury Lane series. Mercy is the awkward daughter of an earl who would rather draw than comport with society; she’s definitely pining after the youngest son of the duke next door and draws his picture. Many years later, Mercy has become a lady who follows all the rules of society in public while pursuing her art in secret and even taking commissions from Drury Lane. When Damien sees her artwork in a shop window, he spends more time at the theater, trying to track her down. Once these two reconnect, they share a liaison along with their stories. It’s a maddening few days where Mercy gets to indulge in her girlhood fantasies and Damien questions whether fate exists. Quick and steamy read.
Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner.
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
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.
Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books with “Wallflower” in the Title
The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare (2019)
Book 3 of the Girl Meets Duke series. Gabriel is a wealthy businessman who worked his way up from the slums and now he’s setting up house in a fancy Mayfair mansion. While he’s fixing it up, he’s irritated by his animal-loving neighbor Penelope. Somehow he’s wrangled her into rehoming all her animals, but she insists that he help her to do that. As they spend more time together, they obviously have a deep attraction for each other. Penelope is odd and spinsterly and prioritizes her care of all creatures. This book is pretty light and humorous, and there’s a parrot who constantly says inappropriate things.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James (2022)
Historical romance, Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Would-Be Wallflowers series. Cleo is interested in being a wallflower and plans to order a drab wardrobe. When she visits a costumer, the company has been purchased by an American businessman who wants to move the company out of England. She gets into a confrontation with Jake, the businessman, and declares that she’s purchased the company instead. These two start a competition, and then strike a bargain, and then he starts to court her in earnest. It’s definitely a case of him falling first and changing all his plans, while trying to break down her defenses with her late mother’s fickle behavior and her previous fortune-hunting fiancee. Fun to read and pretty light on the drama and angst.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas (2008)
Book 5 of Wallflowers Series. Rafe Bowman (brother to Lillian and Daisy) is being matched with Lady Natalie Blandford by their collective parents. As he arrives in England to meet the lady, he is distracted by her cousin and companion, Hannah. Rafe needs to choose between the future his father has planned for him with Natalie and the desire he has for Hannah. The plot moves pretty quickly and we get glimpses of how life is faring for all our favorite Wallflowers. Short, sweet, Christmas-time story.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Temptations of a Wallflower by Eva Leigh (2016)
Book 3 of the Wicked Quills of London series. I’m not exactly sure how these two people have met, but they each have their own secret agendas. Sarah is actually the writer of scandalous novels under the name of A Lady of Dubious Quality, and Jeremy is a vicar tasked by his family to unmask the author. She doesn’t know that he’s after her alter-ego, and he doesn’t know that she’s the writer. Except that he also secretly reads her books and uses them to help him perform more admirably in the marriage bed.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
How the Wallflower Was Won by Eva Leigh (2022)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. At the start of this book, Finn is trying to set up Dom with bluestocking Tabitha, thinking that they would make for an easy marriage-of-convenience. However, Dom is not interested in courting or marrying and Tabitha is completely intimidated by Dom anyway. Plus Finn and Tabitha are clearly drawn to each other. The problem is that Tabitha is a well-read intellectual lady trying to gain entry into a prestigious academic society, while Finn has always been berated and thought to be an imbecile. He’s not, he just has trouble reading, but he’s clever and observant. Finn thinks that he’s no match for Tabitha and is afraid that she will despise him once she finds out the truth about his intellect (or lacktherof). Tabitha is also wary of emotional entanglements because of a hurtful experience in her past, but is slowly opening up to Finn. These two are deeply guarded with their feelings and with each other, but it’s plain to everyone else that they adore each other. I loved how supportive Finn was of Tabitha and that he respected her opinion and knowledge.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (2018)
Lady Felicity is a spinster wallflower who I guess was ruined by some sort of scandal. Devil seeks her out to set her up with a suitor that he wants revenge on. But she’s negotiates her own deal with Devil for lessons in passion while they’re together. Honestly, I don’t remember much about this story, aside from Devil having some smuggling operation related to shipping ice and that Felicity is really really good at picking locks. The overall premise of the series is interesting though, with the four children of the duke born on the same day and then where they end up as adults.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston (2015)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Seduction Diaries series. Clare is a viscount’s daughter who is hoping to make a match with a duke’s heir this season but an accidental turn of her ankle sets her on the wallflower line at a ball. She catches the attention of a young doctor named Daniel who is curious about her shuffle and gait. It’s clear from the start that they are totally mismatched in terms of social status, but that doesn’t stop the attraction from developing as Daniel tends to Clare’s ankle over time. Daniel is also very good at managing Clare’s rambunctious younger siblings. It was nice to see the social-climbing Clare realize that her friends are horrible villains, she doesn’t really have a chance with the duke’s heir, and that Daniel is a kind, respectable, and honorable man who is deserving of love and affection.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
How to Win a Wallflower by Samara Parish (2022)
Historical romance, Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Rebels with a Cause series. We have our duke’s sister Charlotte, who’s the younger sister of the hero from Book 2 and she’s in her like 4th Season and uninterested in any suitors. She mostly spends her time helping her brother’s political causes and charitable causes. Charlotte is the ultimate do-gooder social butterfly and clearly not the wallflower in this story. That goes to our guy John who is Charlotte’s brother’s friend who has spent the past ten years away from the London scene, working on his various scientific inventions. He’s back in town though because his older brother died, leaving him as the new viscount and in a whole a lot of debt. John needs to figure out a way to pay off all these debts, so he can go back to his very solitary lifestyle in a cabin in the woods. Charlotte’s had a crush on John for years and years, so she decides to help him with his debt problem. They need to work together and they get closer, even though our dear brother duke has already warned each person away from the other. We’ll see how that actually turns out…
Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org
The Wicked Wallflower by Tracy Sumner (2022)
Pippa (a duke’s sister) has an unhealthy attraction to her brother’s friend Xander (a rogue and ex-smuggler). After running into each other enough times, they finally give in to the attraction, even though Xander is working through feelings of not being worthy and swearing off love. A fun adventure for Pippa and Xander, they just keep staring at each other and meeting up.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
Read an introduction to fanfiction
Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction
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.
Tales of Harlot’s Guide Series by Caroline Lee / Historical Romance Book Series
His Perfect Princess by Caroline Lee (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era European Island. Book 1 of the Tales of the Harlot’s Guide series. Quick and dirty novella. Rickard, the crown prince of an island nation is told by his father that he must marry, and he already has a bride picked out. The sweet, innocent, and docile Clarissa is his choice of bride and thoughts of dominating her in the bedroom stir up plenty of emotion in Rickard. Lucky for him, Clarissa is very willing to go along with all of Rickard’s commands and enjoys being told what to do. Really, that’s it. The romance is on the instantaneous side of the spectrum with no angst whatsoever.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
His Savage Sweet by Caroline Lee (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era European Island. Book 2 of the Tales of the Harlot’s Guide series. Quick and dirty novella. Second son Wulf doesn’t believe in love, but he does enjoy food and pastries. While in the kitchens to investigate a new pastry he had at dinner, he sets eyes on the most beautiful woman ever and helps himself to her person on top of the baking table in the chilled room. He runs from his feelings for a few days, but he’s back in short order to take her to dinner and marry her. Anna has been imagining herself with the prince in all sorts of scandalous scenarios, so is willing to take whatever he has to offer. Super short and steamy read.
Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.
His Bound Bedmate by Caroline Lee (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era European Island. Book 3 of the Tales of the Harlot’s Guide series. Quick and dirty novella. Youngest son Findlay is a bookish sort but likes his submissive mates bound up; luckily for him, his library assistant Millicent is eager to join him. Findlay has a special room full of restraints and devices that he and his partner can use for pleasure, and shows it to Millicent to gauge her willingness and consent. Another perfect match for the princes of this family and a quick and easy wedding to come.
Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.
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
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.
Trope Round Up: Marriage in Trouble Historical Romance Books
A Counterfeit Betrothal by Mary Balogh (1992)
Book 2 of the Waite series. So this one starts with a group of young people picnicking and one of them decides she wants to see her estranged parents get together, so she plots a betrothal with her friend (who is slightly rakish and unsuitable) so that her parents will be forced to spend time together, either to break up the engagement or to stay for the wedding planning. Most of this book does actually have to do with the parents’ relationship and only very little of the fake betrothed couple. We get to see an older couple who have been apart for over a decade, only corresponding through letters and shared custody of their daughter. We find out the cause of that estrangement and whether or not they can overcome it. This story is actually intensely emotional, with bits of lighthearted fun with the younger couple. Definitely an interesting set up using the fake engagement to further a different romance plot that you would not have expected from reading the summary alone.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org
Impassions by Darcy Burke (2021)
Book 2 of the Phoenix Club series. Constantine and Sabrina have a polite arranged marriage, where they mostly live separately because Sabrina is shy and socially anxious – she stays at their country home while Constantine does business in London, and they see each other maybe twice a year. After two years of this strained marriage, Sabrina decides she wants children and demands it of Constantine. Both of these people are terrible at communicating with each other, so they each separately end up enlisting the help of younger brother Lucien and club manager Evie to help gain some skills in seduction. Lots of potential for drama here as Sabrina meets Constantine in disguise for his lessons in seduction.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org
A Tryst by the Sea by Grace Burrowes (2022)
Book 1 of the Siren’s Retreat series. These two have a very cold and formal relationship, so the viscountess is planning to spend some time alone at the seaside before she tells her husband she wants to leave him. The husband has been hesitating on making any overtures for reconciliation for years and decides this year to follow her. They’ve both ended up at the seaside cottage where they spent their honeymoon and renew their affection for each other there. Except they still need to actually talk about the reason why they’ve been so distant in the first place and the reader gets to find out what this coldness is all about.
Shop this book via Amazon
The Devil’s Submission by Nicola Davidson (2017)
Book 2 of the Fallen series. We start with the couple being estranged and the wife not really knowing why. She had enjoyed the marital bed, but tries to tamp down her enthusiasm, thinking that she’s supposed to be proper and docile and obedient. Meanwhile her husband is hiding the fact that he’s the submissive one and wants her to take charge in the bedroom. Neither of them talk about what it is that they really want, mostly because of propriety and all that. But they’ve got to have it out at some point if they’re going to get back together.
Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm
To Love a Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Prequel novella of the Highland Knights series. This book is an updated edition of A Highlander’s Heart (2015). Claire and her husband Rob have been estranged for the past year after an argument following the death of their one year old son. When Claire’s informed of his position in the battle against Napoleon, she decides to go to him before it’s possible too late. They re-unite on the battlefield after it’s all over, glad for his survival, and slowly make progress towards reconciliation. However, they still have starkly contrasting communication styles and approach to emotions, so there’s much to overcome there. Additionally, this book sets up the series of Scottish soldiers turning into a group of agents working for the Home Office, bringing the group of men back to England (and onto their own separate romances).
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Shop this book via Amazon // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited
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.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Keep No Secrets by Charlie Lane (2021)
Book 3 of the London Secrets series. So this is an older couple who have been married for a long time and childless. And then one day the wife is pregnant and she thinks her husband will be happy about it, but he actually thinks that she cheated on him. So there’s a big huge fight because he’s basically an idiot and he retreats to the country to work with his plants. He really does need to grovel pretty hard to get his wife back after such horrible accusations.
Shop this book via Amazon
The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean (2017)
Book 3 of the Scandal and Scoundrel series. We meet this couple at the start of book 1, where the duke is visibly cheating on his wife at a garden party, setting off the events in that book. This book is told in a non-chronological timeline, showing how these two ended up married in the first place, and the current status of their relationship. At some point, Sera has left her husband and left the country, not to be found, and she has returned after two years to ask for a divorce. Malcolm, meanwhile has been spending that time chasing after her and looking for her and is very hesitant to give into her request. He finally does relent on the condition that she help him find a replacement wife. With the chapters from the previous timeline, we see how these two meet, fall in love, and end up in an entrapped and loveless marriage. Even though Malcolm seemed villainous before we even started this book, we start to see a bit of how things turned out the way they did. It’s definitely a twisty angsty story here that packs an emotional punch.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Lessons from a Courtesan by Jenna Petersen (2008)
Standalone novel, but related to the Bellingham Bastards series. Justin, an earl with a secret about his brother, is blackmailed into marrying Victoria by her father. He’s not sure if she knows about the blackmail or not, so he basically leaves her alone at his country estate the day after the wedding and returns to his own life in town. Years later, Victoria is looking for a friend who has gone missing or gone to London as a courtesan, so she dresses herself up as a courtesan to enter society. Of course when her husband sees her, he recognizes her immediately and is angry at her. She’s focused on finding her friend, and he’s in the way, and she doesn’t even know why he left her in the first place. It’s all a huge mess, and eventually those family secrets Justin is holding are revealed, and tie into Book 3 of the Bellingham Bastards series.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org
The Earl in My Bed by Stacy Reid (2018)
Book 2 of the Rebellious Desires series. Cold and stony marriage here because the guy was blackmailed by her father into marrying her, even though she didn’t know it. Well, now she’s fed up after all these years and wants a divorce. Just when the idiot earl decides he wants to bed her and make an heir. Lots of angst and grudgeholding in this one.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Courtesan Duchess by Joanna Shupe (2015)
Book 1 of the Wicked Deceptions series. This one starts with an arranged marriage where the groom is drunk and has no idea who he’s just married… he leaves her pretty much immediately and resumes his debaucherous lifestyle. Several years later, the duchess wants to solidify her claim to the money and land of the estate and decides she needs to be pregnant with the duke’s heir to do so. She comes up with a plan to seduce her own husband to get herself pregnant, without him knowing who she is. Super interesting plot here with both people keeping secrets and basically being slightly shady.
Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas (2008)
Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 2 of the London Trilogy series. This one is an estranged marriage story told in non-chronological order. We learned in the last book that marchioness has an arrangement with her husband allowing her to dally with affairs. In this book, we learn how their marriage starts, becomes fractured, and how they might find their way back to each other. In the non-chronological storytelling, it takes awhile for the reader to uncover what happened ten years ago and all the intervening years since. When we start the story, Gigi has requested a divorce from Camden so that she can be free to marry another man. He comes back to town from abroad to demand that she gives him an heir before he’ll grant the divorce. We get to learn all the dirty angsty history of how Gigi and Camden ended up married in the first place and how they both acted immaturely along the way. In reading this book, I could tell that something terribly manipulative was going to happen and not at all looking forward to the fallout. Meanwhile, in the background, Gigi’s mother is trying to cultivate a backup plan for Gigi to meet a neighboring duke, but falls for him herself.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters (2020)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Regency Vows series. Violet and James have been married for five years, and four of them have been spent in chilly silence from an argument that none of their friends know the details about. And now suddenly Violet is feigning consumption to get James’ sympathy and attention. But he’s onto her pretty quickly. It’s basically just a comedy of errors and miscommunication all the way around and really fun to read and watch these two get back together. This book was a really nice set up for the friend group that surrounds both Violet and James and these meddlesome friends get their romances in future books of the series.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
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.
Weekly Reads: September 25 to October 1, 2023
Rogue for the Taking by Amanda Mariel (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Also part of the Wicked Widows League series. Othelia is out of mourning for her much older late husband and is looking to regain her independence. She’s a wealthy widow and starts a flirtation with a rogue of a duke. Alister is a duke who needs to marry a wealthy woman to restore his estates, but he’s hesitant to marry a young debutante. When Othelia approaches him for an affair, he’s happy to go along with it, and plans to propose to her after their tryst. As they spend the week together at his country estate, it’s clear that they’re falling in love with each other. However, Alister is wary of love having seen it’s destructive nature in his parents, and is unwilling to admit that he loves Othelia, risking her rejection at his marriage proposal.
Ebook provided by Amanda Mariel.
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.
His Mistress, His Muse, and Other Madness by Charlie Lane (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Art of Love series. The youngest son of a marquess is completely cynical of those who lead an artistic lifestyle, since he has seen the financial destruction such patronage has caused his own family. As one of the remaining loose ends of his father’s will, Theo has been finding new patrons for artists that his father supported, so that the family will finally be released from this financial burden. When he meets Cordelia, he is resentful of lush accommodations since his own siblings had to work hard and go without. He’s even more irritated to learn that she doesn’t have any artistic talent whatsoever and has no idea why she was supported at all. Cordelia fell into lonely circumstances after her father died and her fiance abandoned her, so she is grateful to the old marquess for saving her. In trying to become independent now that she’s at risk of being kicked out of her home, she aims to open an art school, but needs donations to run it. Theo and Cordelia agree to work together in attending an artistic house party so that he can collect gossip for his satirical cartoons and so that she can try to solicit donations for her school. Although Theo and Cordelia have had an antagonistic relationship so far, they need to pose as lovers to attend the party, and all their physical desires bubble up during the course of the party. We get to see these two open up to each other about their past hurts and work together in creating artwork.
Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane.
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon (2023)
Fantasy Romance. Book 1 of the Hurricane Wars series. Talasyn and Alaric fight on opposite sides of a war, each wielding a different powerful form of magic. While they haven’t yet killed each other, the yearning is there. Amidst one of their skirmishes in territory where they’re both trespassing, Talasyn learns that she might be the long lost heir, living as an orphan after being sent away during a civil war. She ignores this newfound connection and returns to her comrades at the height of war. After Alaric’s side wins the war and Talasyn is forced to retreat, she begs for sanctuary inside her homeland. In exchange, Talasyn must take her rightful place as heir and learning politics and diplomacy at her grandmother’s side. Months later, Alaric is trying to gain control of this territory and a political marriage to the heir is proposed. He has no idea that the heir in question is Talasyn, and he is both shocked and pleased to find her alive and his betrothed. We spend the rest of the book in marital and diplomatic negotiations in preparation for the wedding and alliance, with lots of angry banter and fighting. Both of these characters are insecure due to their respective upbringings and are completely unable to trust each other due to being on opposites sides of the battlefield. With them truly being enemies, glimmers of attraction and tenderness between them are all the more meaningful.
Advance ebook provided by Harper Voyager via NetGalley.
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.
Dreaming of a Duke Like You by Sara Bennett (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Romancing the Dukes series. Vivienne is the sister of a young baronet who has gotten himself into a load of gambling debt after the bad influence of his friends. She tries to appeal to the gambling hell owner Gabriel for a reprieve, since they’re really very poor and unable to pay the debts. He’s a shrewd businessman and refuses, leaving her to worry over her brother’s financial situation. Gabriel soon learns that he is actually the legitimate son and heir to a duke, despite being abandoned at an orphanage after his mother’s death. He has inherited an impoverished estate, a dragon of a grandmother, and six unruly sisters. He and his sisters all need polishing in order to fit in with London society. Vivienne and her brother are still worrying over their debts to Gabriel with their stepfather’s treachery looming over them, but Gabriel hasn’t had the time to deal with that yet. Eventually, Gabriel comes to an arrangement with Vivienne where he will forgive the debt completely, if she will assist in tutoring his sisters for society. This book had a bit of a slow start as Gabriel and Vivienne deal with their circumstances separately for awhile. Their bargain and proximity to each other doesn’t really begin until halfway through the book. However, once Vivienne starts to see how Gabriel interacts with his many sisters, it’s clear that she’s falling in love with him.
Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.
Courting the Earl by Suzanna Medeiros (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 8 of the Landing a Lord series. An earl and a debutante are arranged to be married by their fathers. The debutante, Lydia, is excited about it even though she would like to flirt and enjoy her first season. However, Geoffrey is completely opposed to his late father’s high-handedness and would like to get out of the engagement. Also, Geoffrey is much more intrigued by Lydia’s cousin Eleanor, who believes herself to be plain and ineligible next to her young and pretty cousin. While Eleanor is stuck chaperoning Lydia and Geoffrey’s many outings, she is trying very hard not to be attracted to Geoffrey. He’s not trying quite as hard and even encourages Lydia to entertain other suitors. This one was pretty quick and easy to read, with not too much angst in its resolution.
Advance ebook provided by Suzanna Medeiros via BookSprout.
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.
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
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.
Top Five Reads of September 2023 – Historical Romance Books
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck (2023)
Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This one has all the When Harry Met Sally vibes with Ari and Josh having horribly awkward run-ins with each other over the years, then becoming friends, and then making things messy with all their feelings. There’s so many time-jumps in this book that it’s labeled with nine different parts, but it’s very clear where we are in everyone’s lives. If this turns into a movie, you’ll be able to tell what era you’re in based on Ari’s hairstyle and clothing. Ari is a stand-up comedian with all sorts of aversion to commitment and thinks Josh is an arrogant asshole (who is weirdly romantic and believes in soulmates). He’s actually a chef with big dreams and wanting to distance himself away from his famous deli-owning father. We get to see the evolution of both Ari and Josh separately in both their relationships and their careers. When they finally meet again and strike up a reluctant friendship, they’re both at all-time lows and miserable company is somehow comforting for them. They keep things totally platonic, but it’s clear they have some emotional dependence on each other, complete with late night telephone conversations while watching a movie together (separately in their own apartments). It all blows up when Josh pushes for more and Ari freaks out (as expected). We get to see both points of view in this story and the humor mixed with heartbreak hurts in a good way. I love how small little details early in the story get remembered and called back to later on, in the best sort of inside jokes between Ari and Josh. The supporting cast of friends and family rounded out the story and it was nice to see how everyone interacted with each other. An amazing book and I will definitely be reading anything in the future that Kate Goldbeck writes.
Advance ebook provided by Random House Publishing via NetGalley.
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.
Bed Me, Baron by Felicity Niven (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Bed Me Books series. Lady Phoebe asks her best friend George for bedding lesson since she’s newly engaged to a duke and wants to know what she’s doing in the marital bed. George has been her friend since childhood and has never noticed Phoebe in that way before, but now realizes that he’s attracted to her. The steam starts early and often in this book, but the idiotic pining that George has for Phoebe is apparent throughout the book. And all of these hints from everyone in his life that they thought he would have married Phoebe years ago grates at him. While Phoebe is trying to be content with her new fiance, she continues to seek George’s tutelage and approval every step of the way. It’s heartbreak all around as these two learn to connect with each other as adults instead of the roles they’ve played all their lives. While I was annoyed with the scheming of Phoebe’s friend and George’s sister, I was glad to see Phoebe finally stand up for herself and decide that she needed some time alone to think through her options. This book was emotional and angsty in all the best ways.
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.
Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale (2012)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Writing Girls series. Annabelle has been in love with the newspaper editor and owner Derek Knightly for ages, but he has not noticed her in the least. Finally tired of being overlooked, Annabelle turns to her own advice column to ask the people of London for tips on how to attract her man. Meanwhile, Derek is being influenced by a marquess who has the ability to shut down the newspaper but also wants Derek to court and marry his sister. This scheme has the benefit of protecting the newspaper as well as gain entrance into proper society by marrying the sister of a marquess. Clearly, Derek has his own hang-ups being the illegitimate and unacknowledged son of an earl, and is a complete workaholic to prove his worth. As Annabelle starts to enact her schemes of wooing Derek, he’s completely baffled by her behavior and wondering why he’s suddenly noticing her. It’s pretty heartbreaking to watch him be completely oblivious to her efforts, proving that he really is the idiot that’s mentioned in her column. He finally does wise up to Annabelle’s charms, but there’s definitely a lot of drama along the way.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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
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.
Forgotten Princesses Series by Sophie Jordan / Historical Romance Book Series
Wicked in Your Arms by Sophie Jordan (2011)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Forgotten Princesses series. Grier is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman and being trotted out on the marriage mart with a huge dowry. While she’s hiding behind potted plants and avoiding the gossip about her, she overhears a prince disparaging her. Sevastian is out to find an heiress to marry and bring home to his impoverished war-torn country and believes Grier to be completely unsuitable for anything except his mistress. Sev and Grier angrily flirt every time they’re together, though they’re both courting other people. They somehow end up having an affair and ultimately get caught in a compromising situation. There’s tons more drama involving some shady side characters, which definitely keeps things interesting.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Lessons from a Scandalous Bride Sophie Jordan (2012)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Forgotten Princesses series. Cleo is the sister of Grier and also on the marriage mart. She’s been courting a very elderly earl, much to the concern of her family. She has a good reason though: She’s looking to marry someone who will not (cannot) make demands of her in the marriage bed. Cleo has had the trauma of caring for too many siblings, watching weak ones die, carrying away stillborn siblings, and seeing her mother suffer the ills of labor. She wants very much to avoid that type of life and entrapment so avoids men who might prompt that future. Meanwhile, Logan is in London to find an heiress to marry and restore his castle in Scotland. While he is busy courting some vapid debutante, he’s more intrigued by Cleo and declares that he’d rather marry her instead. She refuses of course, but he is persistent in his pursuit. In this book, we’re mostly dealing with Cleo and her emotional issues and learning to accept the affection and passion that she has been denying herself.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Earl in My Bed by Sophie Jordan (2013)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 2.5 of the Forgotten Princesses series. Paget is the vicar’s daughter who has been longtime friends with two of the local earl’s sons, but not so friendly with the middle son, Jamie, who was always pretentious and snotty. Jamie is back as the new earl after the death of his older brother and is just as snotty as he always has been. While Paget has always had a bit of an understanding with Jamie’s younger brother, the wartime separation has dimmed her affection. With Jamie back in town, Paget is physically attracted to him, despite her distaste for his attitude. Jamie’s had his own feelings of inadequacy and loneliness with not being the preferred playmate of his own brothers and covets Paget’s attention. This one is a short novella that wraps up pretty easily and neatly.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
How to Lose a Bride in One Night by Sophie Jordan (2013)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Forgotten Princesses series. We start with the wedding day for Annalise where she’s marrying a handsome duke and then setting off on a honeymoon barge on the river. Except her charming duke turns out to be an attempted murderer: suffocating her with a pillow and then throwing her in the river. She washes up on shore unconscious and is rescued by Owen, an earl back in England from war with his own nightmares and demons as a former assassin. Owen is stuck with an injured, feverish, and unconscious Annalise until he finds some assistance with her care. When she regains her consciousness, she feigns amnesia so she doesn’t risk being returned to her husband by this upstanding stranger. With a broken leg, Annalise is even more vulnerable to danger, but somehow extracts some self-defense lessons from Owen, despite his hesitance to get closer to her. These two are very clearly attracted to each other, but Annalise is keeping secrets and Owen is all sorts of emotionally damaged. Still, the bonkers set up was a great way to hook me into the story immediately.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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
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.
Historical Romance Books with the Word “Duchess” in the Title
Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare (2013)
Book 4 of the Spindle Cove series. A duke is basically kidnapped by his mother and taken to Spinster cove to find a wife. He picks out the most unsuitable lady in the place, who is the barmaid. Griffin and Pauline strike up a bargain where he’ll pay for her time while she makes sure to be the most unsuitable duchess candidate that she can. They have competing goals since he just wants to be sad and wallow in some personal tragedy (that we do find out about in the book) and then she wants to save enough money to open a bookshop. But of course with all this time spent together, they do eventually fall in love, with the support of his mother, who just really really wants to be a grandmother.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare (2017)
Book 1 of the Girl Meets Duke series. If you’re looking for an easy-to-read, super funny, historical romance, this is the one for you. We start with a seamstress barging into a duke’s home wearing his ex-fiancee’s ugly ass wedding dress and demanding payment for it because his ex-fiancee didn’t. And then this duke decides to propose to the woman! He needs a wife and heir, and since his last fiancee left him after he was all scarred from the war, and this new girl seems to need the money, it’s win-win. She accepts with several conditions, including saying she’ll bring her cat. (She doesn’t actually have a cat and just finds one on the street that day) Of course they’ll need to stay together in London til she gets pregnant, and then she’s going to be shipped off to his country estate to raise the kiddo. Both our main characters have past hurts in their lives, but they work through them and open up to each other. And there’s just so much humor in this story. Tessa Dare is just so great at bringing levity into her stories.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath (2021)
A duke tasks his secretary with finding him a wife after his first attempt was unsuccessful. From the very first page, I knew I was in for an angsty ride. I especially loved the longstanding quiet companionship between these two. And the fact that all the important people in the duke’s life knew how essential Penny was to him.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard (2022)
Book 1 of the Taming of the Dukes series. High stakes meet-cute when running from footpads, Lysander and Neve have an instant connection. He hires her to pretend to his escort for an evening (which then turns into the rest of the season). He’s cold and doesn’t show emotion well, prioritizing business over relationships. Neve is just trying to survive and care for her injured sister, without sacrificing her integrity. The level of angst and longing and realizations of love in this book are really good in this book.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean (2017)
Book 3 of the Scandal and Scoundrel series. We meet this couple at the start of book 1, where the duke is visibly cheating on his wife at a garden party, setting off the events in that book. This book is told in a non-chronological timeline, showing how these two ended up married in the first place, and the current status of their relationship. At some point, Sera has left her husband and left the country, not to be found, and she has returned after two years to ask for a divorce. Malcolm, meanwhile has been spending that time chasing after her and looking for her and is very hesitant to give into her request. He finally does relent on the condition that she help him find a replacement wife. With the chapters from the previous timeline, we see how these two meet, fall in love, and end up in an entrapped and loveless marriage. Even though Malcolm seemed villainous before we even started this book, we start to see a bit of how things turned out the way they did. It’s definitely a twisty angsty story here that packs an emotional punch.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
A Duchess a Day by Charis Michaels (2020)
This book was delightful and my favorite of the series. We start with the Snow White’s Huntsman being recruited from prison to keep guard over a duke’s flight-risk of a fiancee. (He was imprisoned for murdering the Snow White-equivalent of the story, but she really just ditched him.) When he meets his new charge, he finds her sunshine-y and addictive and the girl clearly has no interest in the duke at all. She manages to recruit the huntsman into her plan of throwing eligible ladies (seven in all) at the duke. Relatively low on the steam scale, but you can really feel the longing and pining between our two main characters.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
A Duchess by Midnight by Charis Michaels (2022)
The stepsister of Princess Cindy has her chance to atone for her mean girl ways in this book, where she is now a mentor to young debutantes. Working with a reclusive duke’s nieces, she tries to teach them the rules of propriety. And when she gets caught in a compromising situation (oops), she has to uphold those rules and marry the duke. This book is the steamiest of the set, with the compromising happening within the first half of the book and a little action outdoors in the woods. *fans self*
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Print book provided by Avon Books.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Portrait of a Duchess by Scarlett Peckham (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Society of Sirens series. Cornelia is the niece of a duke but has built her reputation as a scandalous painter. She and her friends are trying to raise funds to build an institute for women and she needs a place to exhibit her latest collection of paintings. One seemingly random day, her uncle’s heir, Rafe, and now the duke comes to visit to inform her of her inheritance, which hinges on her being married. The surprise is that she’s already married to Rafe himself, and he suggests they go public with the marriage so she can claim her inheritance. What follows is a non-chronological story of how these two ended up married twenty years ago and then estranged in all the time since then. I mostly kept reading because I wanted to find out what happened, but the story itself wasn’t terribly interesting to me. Rafe is a smooshy sort of fellow who falls in love too freely and scares off all his partners with his enthusiasm and Cornelia is adamant about her independence and does not want the complication (or obligation) of love. He’s an overzealous puppy for most of the book and she’s the reluctant and selfish one, protecting her own isolation. And then there’s the political stuff happening in the background that wasn’t super interesting to me. On the plus side, Rafe is unapologetically bisexual here and one of his male lovers joins in for an encounter with Cornelia. So you know, if you like that stuff, here it is in a traditionally published historical romance.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Unclaimed Duchess by Jenna Petersen (2010)
Book 2 of the Billingham Bastards series. Anne and Rhys have been betrothed since children and even though he is super serious and cold, she is totally in love with him and willing to be the perfect duchess. After the events of the previous book, Rhys finds out a scandalous family secret that makes him question pretty much everything about himself. And since he’s being blackmailed with the information, he decides to keep his new wife at a distance. She’s having none of it though and chases after him and tries to get him to stay with her. Lots of drama and scandal here and very fun to read.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org
Duchess by Day, Mistress by Night by Stacy Reid (2017)
Book 1 of the Rebellious Desires series. We have a widowed duchess asking questions about a missing maid from her household and she’s put in touch with a man who is known for solving these sorts of issues. Of course they’re also attracted to each other so they start an affair while they’re at it. It all needs to be kept pretty quiet since she needs to stay a respectable lady of society and he has such a terrible reputation.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Courtesan Duchess by Joanna Shupe (2015)
Book 1 of the Wicked Deceptions series. This one starts with an arranged marriage where the groom is drunk and has no idea who he’s just married… he leaves her pretty much immediately and resumes his debaucherous lifestyle. Several years later, the duchess wants to solidify her claim to the money and land of the estate and decides she needs to be pregnant with the duke’s heir to do so. She comes up with a plan to seduce her own husband to get herself pregnant, without him knowing who she is. Super interesting plot here with both people keeping secrets and basically being slightly shady.
Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm
The Duchess Takes a Husband by Harper St. George (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. We revisit the woman from our tragic prologue of Book 1, Camille, an American heiress who was married off to a much older duke. Throughout the first three books, we’ve seen bits of the cruel treatment she has endured from her husband, ultimately seeing his death in the bed of his mistress at a house party. Now a widow for the past two years, Camille is slowly trying to reclaim her identity and participating in causes her husband would have disapproved of, like the home for young women or the women’s suffrage movement. She also seeks to determine if she can find sex pleasurable and propositions a man to assist her. Jacob is the illegitimate son of an earl and half-brother to Christian from Book 2. He refuses Camille’s proposition at first, not wanting to make things awkward as their social circles overlap. He ends up needing a fake fiancee to prove his stability for a business arrangement and asks Camille to play the part; of course she only agrees in exchange for the sex lessons she wanted in the first place. We soon realize that Camille has underlying fears of the act due to the ill treatment from her husband and Jacob needs to be gentle and patient as well as allow Camille to be in control of their intimacies. We get to see our charming rakish hero slowly fall in love with Camille and help in her journey towards empowerment. Overall, this was a great way to conclude the series and see our poor Camille finally get a happy ending.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
The Ice Duchess by Tracy Sumner (2020)
Prequel novella to the Duchess Society series. We have a childhood friends-to-lovers second chance romance with this book. Our very own Ice Countess, Georgiana, does not want to marry again after she was forced into a cruel and loveless marriage to save her father’s finances. She meets her childhood crush Dex again while he’s back from his geological expeditions. He had left her many years ago before any romance could properly blossom. Now that Dex is back and promised his dying father he would wed, he realizes that he is in love with Georgiana and must convince her of his suit. I enjoyed this quick novella and love the set up for future books in the Duchess Society.
Shop this book via Amazon
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
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.
Weekly Reads: September 18 to 24, 2023
Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale (2012)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Writing Girls series. Annabelle has been in love with the newspaper editor and owner Derek Knightly for ages, but he has not noticed her in the least. Finally tired of being overlooked, Annabelle turns to her own advice column to ask the people of London for tips on how to attract her man. Meanwhile, Derek is being influenced by a marquess who has the ability to shut down the newspaper but also wants Derek to court and marry his sister. This scheme has the benefit of protecting the newspaper as well as gain entrance into proper society by marrying the sister of a marquess. Clearly, Derek has his own hang-ups being the illegitimate and unacknowledged son of an earl, and is a complete workaholic to prove his worth. As Annabelle starts to enact her schemes of wooing Derek, he’s completely baffled by her behavior and wondering why he’s suddenly noticing her. It’s pretty heartbreaking to watch him be completely oblivious to her efforts, proving that he really is the idiot that’s mentioned in her column. He finally does wise up to Annabelle’s charms, but there’s definitely a lot of drama along the way.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
One Night in London by Caroline Linden (2011)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of The Truth About the Duke series. Three sons of a duke are forced to deal with a sixty year old scandal after their father’s death when it turns out that the duke had legally married a woman (and never divorced her) before marrying their mother. That woman had disappeared and it’s unknown if the duke’s second marriage was bigamous or not, which may make his sons illegitimate. Second son Edward is the responsible and industrious one set on hiring the best solicitor to resolve the situation. Unfortunately, he has stolen away that best solicitor from Francesca, who needed legal assistance in seeking custody of her niece. While agitated and upset, Francesca confronts Edward and insists upon his help in securing a new solicitor. He reluctantly agrees and the rest of the book is focused on Edward helping with Francesca’s problems in locating and gaining custody of her niece.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Blame It on Bath by Caroline Linden (2012)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of The Truth About the Duke series. This book follows the youngest son of the duke Gerard who was an army officer on leave from his duties after his father’s death. With the rumors surrounding his father’s secret wife, Gerard is contemplating marrying an heiress to secure his finances. Luckily for him, he has been proposed to by a quiet and unassuming widow, Katherine, who seeks to free herself from marrying her late husband’s nephew. Gerard agrees to the proposal and also tries to gain Katherine’s affections in the process. After a hasty wedding, they’re off to Bath where Gerard attempts to find the person who was blackmailing his father with knowledge of the long-ago secret marriage. While Gerard is good-natured and easy-going with his new wife, she is insecure and wary of his motives. She’s had a history of being brow-beaten by her social climbing mother and poor treatment by her late husband. It takes quite a bit of effort on both Gerard and Katherine’s parts for her to trust him.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Way to a Duke’s Heart by Caroline Linden (2012)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of The Truth About the Duke series. It’s the eldest son Charlie’s turn to take up the fight for his family’s legacy. We start with a prologue which explains the rift between Charlie and his father and the descent into his rakehell ways. As we start Chapter 1, we overlap a bit in time with the previous book and Charlie’s appearance in Bath to assist Gerard with his search. While checking into the hotel, a young widow Tessa seems to be aggrieved by him and callously mentions him being indolent. Tessa and her companion are in town to discuss an investment opportunity with a local mill owner. That mill owner is the man that Charlie seeks as a suspect for the blackmailing, so Charlie arranges an introduction via Tessa. Charlie is the ever-charming and rakish aristocrat he has always been, but this demeanor causes Tessa to be suspicious, since she once had her heart broken by a man who seemed to charm her. Tessa is analytical and unladylike and not used to having this type of attention. With all the time that Charlie and Tessa are spending together, she realizes that he has more depth than she originally thought and he realizes that he likes her prickly directness. We do also learn about what happened to the duke’s first secret wife and who was responsible for the blackmailing.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
One Fateful May Day by Amanda Mariel (2020)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Emma is begrudgingly out at the village May Day festival with her friends. When a handsome stranger kisses her out of nowhere, she’s outraged and upset at him, especially as she’s lost sight of her friends in the distraction. Archer is glad to have done it as he’s had a longstanding admiration for Emma, but now he’s spending the day with her as she searches for her friends. They end up having a lovely time together at the festival and it quickly turns into a proposal of marriage when they’re caught together without a chaperone. This one was a quick, fluffy, low-angst novella.
Ebook provided by Amanda Mariel.
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.
Fate Gave Me a Duke by Amanda Mariel (2021)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Juliet is bored and lonely at a ball, so she goes to find a book in the library. Giles is also bored at this ball and sets up an assignation with a widow in the library. When he gets there, he finds Juliet instead and decides to kiss her. While Juliet knows that their behavior is risky, she’s enjoying the attentions of a handsome man. Unfortunately, they end up getting caught and having to announce an engagement at this ball. Juliet is worried that Giles will continue his rakish ways and not be faithful to her, while Giles is looking forward to the opportunity to marry someone he finds attractive and intriguing. As they get to know each other more leading up to their wedding and beyond, they slowly start to truly fall in love. Another relatively low-angst story in this series, though Giles has a bit of a painful backstory witnessing his parents’ volatile relationship.
Ebook provided by Amanda Mariel.
Earl of Stone by Amanda Mariel (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Louisa catches her betrothed with his former mistress and realizes that their courtship did not lead to a love match, as she thought it did. Stephen chases after her trying to mend their engagement, but they both end up being kidnapped for ransom. As they’re trapped together and in their escape, they have the chance to talk and understand the other person a bit better. Louisa is still adamant that they do not marry, since he isn’t in love with her and she requires that in a husband. However, as Stephen spends more time with Louisa in this situation, he learns that she’s not a shallow debutante and has more backbone than he initially expected. He needs to work pretty hard at convincing her that he’s suddenly fallen in love with her in order to maintain the betrothal.
Ebook provided by Amanda Mariel.
Revealing the Viscount by Lexi Post (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marrying a Mabry series. Mariel is the eldest Mabry sister whose beloved fiancee had died in the war, married a much older man to restore her family’s finances, and is now a widow. She’s just learned that her once-fiancee is not dead after all and is forced out of hiding to become a viscount after his brother’s death. Marcus has indeed been hiding from Mariel, at first because he believed she betrayed him by marrying so soon after his supposed death and then because he believed himself incapable of siring children after witnessing atrocities during the war. When Mariel comes to confront Marcus over his deception, they both observe that the other person is changed from the person they knew all those years ago. They ultimately agree to a fake betrothal to preserve Mariel’s reputation and to keep away all the debutantes vying for Marcus’s hand. As these two spend more time together, it’s clear that they’re both still in love, but very damaged from their separate experiences. They definitely need to talk through their issues and attempt to overcome them before being able to be together.
Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.
Yule Be My Duke by Darcy Burke (2023)
Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Prequel novella to the Matchmaking Chronicles series. Cecilia and John dislike each other because of some mishaps that happened five years ago while they were young and immature. Now they’re at a house party where their parents are trying to set them up together. Both insist that the other will not suit, but they end up stranded together in a snowstorm. With the forced proximity, they talk out their issues and anger at each other, discovering that they can get along and that they’re attracted to each other. It’s a pretty quick turnaround there from hate to love, but still fun to read.
Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke.
Who Needs a Duke by Amanda Mariel (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Catherine is the sister of a duke who does not want to marry because she likes her independence and wants to continue her charity work with orphans. She believes that she needs to do this secretly and any future husband of hers would forbid her from continuing. Charles is tired of the title-hungry mothers and debutantes and would like to avoid being targeted for matrimony this season; when he hears that his friend’s sister would also like to avoid marriage, he develops a plan that will hopefully satisfy them both. Catherine and Charles then spend the rest of the season in a fake courtship, then fake engagement, and with all the time they’re spending together, they actually fall in love. Loved this low-angst read.
Advance ebook provided by Amanda Mariel via BookSprout.
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
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.
New Releases for September 2023 – Historical Romance Books
The Duke and the Dressmaker by Eva Devon (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Once Upon a Wallflower series. Newly inherited duke James attempts to rescue a young woman at a tavern and finds out that she’s the sister of his missing ward. Lily and Violet are granddaughters of the old duke but not part of society due to their mother’s scandalous marriage to a French painter. Now orphaned and impoverished, Lily works as a dressmaker’s seamstress while caring for her young sister. James insists that they both move into the ducal townhouse and after a bit of a disagreement, they do. However, James and Lily are starting to stir up a scandal with all the time they spend together unchaperoned, as much as they try to keep things proper. They do ultimately get married, since Lily is so good at managing James’ household, but conflict looms ahead as James plans to leave England without having mentioned his plans to Lily. I liked how well Lily and James worked together and started to soften towards each other, even though both have been disappointed by their own parents in the past.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.
The Duke’s Best Friend by Jane Ashford (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Duke’s Estates series. Henry and Kate met under different circumstances at the end of Book 4 and reconnect here in London. Henry is the eldest son of a gentleman horse breeder who is starting his new career as a diplomat. He runs into Kate sneaking her way into receptions and events and learns that she is the granddaughter of a well-known diplomat. She offers to introduce him to important people in their field in exchange for his escort at these events. When they spot a villain out in the world and no longer in police custody, they follow the lead and investigate on their own. Kate is resistant to forming any connection to Henry or pursuing marriage of any sort, but Henry is accepting of his growing feelings for Kate. While Henry usually tries to maintain order and propriety, he seizes the opportunity to be daring and go after what he wants.
Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.
Not Another Duke by Jess Michaels (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Kent’s Row Duchesses series. Widowed duchess Flora has horribly cruel stepchildren who recruit their own impoverished cousin Roarke to spy on Flora and determine if she’s breaking the terms of an additional clause of her late husband’s inheritance. Roarke barely has any funds to support himself and his ill mother, so needs to rely on the charity of his cousins. When he meets Flora, he finds that she is attractive and kind and not at all the seductress that his cousins described. Flora had genuinely loved her much older husband and had no intention of entertaining future suitors. However, when she meets Roarke, she’s surprised to find that she is attracted to him. These two start up a friendship which may lead to more, but Roarke’s feelings of guilt are attached to everything he does. It seems like the reveal of Roarke’s betrayal may cause the couple to split before they’ve even begun, and they still need to deal with the dangers of Flora’s stepchildren. I liked how Roarke was a reluctant villain here, being torn between his obligations towards his mother and his growing feelings for Flora.
Advance ebook provided by Jess Michaels via NetGalley.
Bed Me, Baron by Felicity Niven (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Bed Me Books series. Lady Phoebe asks her best friend George for bedding lesson since she’s newly engaged to a duke and wants to know what she’s doing in the marital bed. George has been her friend since childhood and has never noticed Phoebe in that way before, but now realizes that he’s attracted to her. The steam starts early and often in this book, but the idiotic pining that George has for Phoebe is apparent throughout the book. And all of these hints from everyone in his life that they thought he would have married Phoebe years ago grates at him. While Phoebe is trying to be content with her new fiance, she continues to seek George’s tutelage and approval every step of the way. It’s heartbreak all around as these two learn to connect with each other as adults instead of the roles they’ve played all their lives. While I was annoyed with the scheming of Phoebe’s friend and George’s sister, I was glad to see Phoebe finally stand up for herself and decide that she needed some time alone to think through her options. This book was emotional and angsty in all the best ways.
Advance ebook provided by Felicity Niven.
Despising the Duke by Stevie Sparks (2023)
Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 2 of the Lords of Desire series. Angsty second chance romance with the sister of a duke and her brother’s best friend. Lady Annabelle is a suffragist completely uninterested in marriage but is charmed by the rakish best friend of her brother, Kit. Over a few months of flirtation, they engage in a liaison and promise each other they’ll wait for Kit’s return from a years-long expedition to Antarctica to marry. Circumstances force Annabelle to marry someone else while Kit is away, so he’s hurt and betrayed when he returns. We jump sixteen years and Kit has publicly humiliated and ruined Annabelle (now a widow) and she’s run off to a remote estate in Scotland. After learning some critical information about Annabelle, Kit tracks her down and confront the truth about what happened all those years ago. We then have these two trying to work out their issues (in a pretty steamy fashion) and try to move on with their future. I was glad to see these two have a pretty direct conversation with each other about the past and work together.
Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck (2023)
Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This one has all the When Harry Met Sally vibes with Ari and Josh having horribly awkward run-ins with each other over the years, then becoming friends, and then making things messy with all their feelings. There’s so many time-jumps in this book that it’s labeled with nine different parts, but it’s very clear where we are in everyone’s lives. If this turns into a movie, you’ll be able to tell what era you’re in based on Ari’s hairstyle and clothing. Ari is a stand-up comedian with all sorts of aversion to commitment and thinks Josh is an arrogant asshole (who is weirdly romantic and believes in soulmates). He’s actually a chef with big dreams and wanting to distance himself away from his famous deli-owning father. We get to see the evolution of both Ari and Josh separately in both their relationships and their careers. When they finally meet again and strike up a reluctant friendship, they’re both at all-time lows and miserable company is somehow comforting for them. They keep things totally platonic, but it’s clear they have some emotional dependence on each other, complete with late night telephone conversations while watching a movie together (separately in their own apartments). It all blows up when Josh pushes for more and Ari freaks out (as expected). We get to see both points of view in this story and the humor mixed with heartbreak hurts in a good way. I love how small little details early in the story get remembered and called back to later on, in the best sort of inside jokes between Ari and Josh. The supporting cast of friends and family rounded out the story and it was nice to see how everyone interacted with each other. An amazing book and I will definitely be reading anything in the future that Kate Goldbeck writes.
Advance ebook provided by Random House Publishing via NetGalley.
The Lyon Who Loved Me by Tracy Sumner (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Part of the Lyon’s Den series. Wilhelmina has been left at the altar by her arranged groom on her wedding day, but she’s got the support of her sponsor to set up a new match. Meanwhile, Griffin has missed the wedding because he’s been kidnapped and tied up due to his brother’s debts and finds himself making a new deal to get himself freed. Seven months later, Griffin is horribly injured and somehow gets sent to recover at Wilhelmina’s lodgings. Since they’re thrown together again, Griffin wants to renew his attentions towards Wilhelmina, especially now that he isn’t just in it for the money. It’s a fast-moving novella here with relatively low-angst (except that initial jilting). Quick and steamy and fun to see these two team up.
Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.
The Duchess and the Wolf by Lydia Drake (2023)
Historical Romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Debutantes of London series. Susannah is nearly engaged to a duke, but is having misgivings about it and would rather travel and see the world. While out with a friend at a gambling den, she happens to play the piano is a seemingly empty room. Rafe, the owner of the club, stumbles upon her there and is encouraged to hire her to bring more sophisticated patrons to the club so that he can secure a business deal. He offers her a large sum of money in exchange for her playing at the club. While Susannah declines at first, she soon realizes that the money would give her the opportunity to run away from her imminent engagement. Rafe and Susannah attempt to keep their relationship professional, but Rafe is an awe of her playing and Susannah sees glimpses of Rafe’s kindness towards his employees. It’s a total social mismatch here, but Susannah goes after what she wants, even at the risk of displeasing her family.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.
Earl of My Dreams by Sylvie Sinclair (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Romancing the Rogue series. Sophie once had a childhood crush on James, but hasn’t seen him in years and believes herself to outgrown her interest in him. When the now widowed James shows up at a house party with intent to court Sophie’s cousin Olivia, she tries to deter him since he’s outspokenly against a love match, while Sophie believes Olivia to be in love with someone else. This leads to Sophie and James arguing and getting in each other’s way, while still somewhat flirting and admiring each other. Sophie is so preoccupied with protecting Olivia’s interests that she doesn’t realize her own merit as someone to be romantically pursued. James has his own tragic past with his prior wife that cause him to avoid any sort of love or emotional entanglement. We don’t find out the details of this relationship until later in the book, but we know that this motivates him to avoid his feelings for Sophie. The thwarted matchmaking plot from the house party finishes up in the first half of the book, and then we move onto the London Season for the second half of the book and meet a new villain to complicate the story. I enjoyed seeing how protective James was of Sophie even though he was slow to realize his own feelings towards her. I liked that they had a shared history and a shared social circle, providing a nice set up for future books in the series.
Advance ebook provided by Sylvie Sinclair via NetGalley.
Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Light and funny low-steam romance here. Socially awkward duke, Michael, would rather be at home working on his chemistry experiments but finds himself caring for his aunt’s beloved poodle while she is out of town. While out walking the dog in the park, he meets Elizabeth, a popular debutante who has her own menace of a poodle. When the two dogs get into a tussle at the park, somehow Michael and Elizabeth each go home with the wrong dog. Michael is forced to go out in public to correct the mistake, but ends up in even more drama when it’s discovered that Elizabeth’s home has been broken into and the dog has been stolen. This book gives us multiple points of view, so we know early on who is responsible for the dognapping, but we get to see Michael and Elizabeth work together to recover the missing dog. While these two are seemingly total opposites, we get to see them start to slowly recognize and appreciate the other person’s unique qualities. Plus, we have Michael’s complete dedication to the dog search. There are lots of humorous moments in the book, mostly due to Michael’s plain-speaking and social awkwardness. And we eventually get to see the villain get his comeuppance.
Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
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.
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.
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
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.
