The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Improbable Meet Cutes series. Super cute short story, where two strangers have been emailing each other on Valentine’s Day every year. No identifying information, but they’ve definitely grown close over the years and might be making plans to meet. I gave a twenty second try to listen to this on audiobook, and then realized they had to read out their email addresses and time and date stamps, so switched to ebook real quick. So stinking cute and totally worth the read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Remember That Day by Mary Balogh (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Ravenswood series. I love the slow and quiet romance of Mary Balogh’s books. Two people who are total opposites end up falling in love here, even when they’re supposedly courting other people. Winnie was an orphan who was adopted at the age of nine and now visiting London with her famous painter father. Her aunt, who happens to be a duchess, throws her a debut ball and pretty much pushes her into society a bit. She’s not quite courting Owen, who is a friend of her step uncle and waffles between being hopeful of a true courtship and just being happy being friends with him. The real romance here is between Winnie and Owen’s older brother Nicholas though. They’ve got a 13 year age gap and totally unsuited for each other. Except Nicholas can’t stop thinking of Winnie either. It all gets even more muddled when everyone is invited to Nicholas’ country estate for a few weeks in the Summer. Agh, I loved it.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey (2026)

Contemporary romance. Book 5 of the Big Shots series. A few flashback chapters in this one, since Eve and Madden have known each other for years. They’ve always had a bit of chemistry together, but Eve’s best friend has had a crush on Madden for years, so she’s always stayed away. Plus Eve is the local pariah since her father owned the local strip club. Madden does not care about any of that and only cares about Eve. When he’s got the chance to make his move, he proposes and marriage of convenience. She’s definitely the one setting boundaries, but it’s really only a matter of time before she gives in. Loved this super steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Odds of You by Kate Dramis (2026)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Fairly predictable contemporary romance set up here. Writer Sage meets actor Theo on an airplane, does not know who he is, gets photographed by the paparazzi and now kind of amidst a clout-seeking scandal. Oh, and she has massive writer’s block and her family is not at all supportive of her creative career path. But Theo is actually pretty sweet and funny and they get along great. Except for the whole being famous thing. They part ways pretty quickly, only to run into each other again a few weeks later in Scotland. Almost like fate. Single POV story from Sage’s perspective, so we don’t know any of Theo’s motivations, other than simply being attracted to Sage. They’re sweet and funny together, but of course their lives are in two totally different places, so the Scotland bubble will have to burst eventually.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio.

Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Vancouver Storm series. Grumpy Jamie is back in his hometown to care for his mother who suffers from depression and anxiety. He definitely does not have time to date, and ends up hiring a personal assistant to take care of his dog. When his high school crush Pippa shows up at his door, he doesn’t tell her he recognizes her right away. She’s down on her luck after her boyfriend dumped her and basically slashed her dreams of being a musician. Luckily, Jamie is the ultimate supportive boss, friend, and eventual boyfriend. They spend a lot of time trying to resist each other, but it’s super steamy when they stop fighting it. Fun intro to the series and looking forward to reading more.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Here’s a round up of a bunch of my favorite romance books narrated by Callie Dalton. Click on the image to go to the Libro.fm listing page to check it out. (Affiliate links used, so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission)

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

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

The Truth About Lord Stoneville by Sabrina Jeffries (2010)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Oliver and his siblings are given an ultimatum by their grandmother to all marry within the year to maintain their allowance and inheritance. Oliver tries to force the grandmother to back off by bringing home a totally unsuitable fiancee in the form of a brash and outspoken American woman. Maria is only in England to find her actual fiance and gets entangled into Oliver’s schemes. Lucky for them that they ultimately fall in love, plus all of Oliver’s siblings are loads of fun. Lots of drama and scandal in terms of the circumstances of how their parents passed away.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries (2010)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Lord Jarret is up next of our merry band of siblings with an overbearing grandmother. Jarret has been set up to take on the grandmother’s brewery while she’s ill and he’s negotiating with her that if he can keep it running well for a year, then he doesn’t need to follow her stipulation to marry. Grandma is up for the bargain, but she’s still secretly hoping he finds a wife. That’s why he’s super skeptical with the beautiful Annabel lands in his office with a business proposition. Except she has a legitimate proposition to combine their resources to aid her smaller brewery in the country. He’s resistant, so it comes down to a scandalous wager, and of course she wins. She’s got her own secrets with a drunkard brother and an illegitimate son that she calls nephew. But the romance here is delightfully steamy and Jarret is not the scoundrel he seems to think he is. Loved this continuation of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

How to Woo a Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffries (2011)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Minerva has had a crush on her brothers’ friend Giles for years but had her heart trampled after a kiss from him at age 19. It’s nine years later and she’s an independent gothic novelist with no need for a husband, except for her grandmother’s pesky ultimatum. She tries to hold husband interviews, but Giles shows up instead, wanting to actually marry her. She decides he will make a very good fake fiance to scare her grandmother off. Except that he really does mean to court her. I love the set up where the guy has a fake rake reputation because he’s secretly a spy, so everyone has the wrong impression of him. We get all sorts of drama and intrigue with Giles’ background and we’re all still investigating what happened to Minerva’s parents all those years ago. Lots of plot and steam here, which makes for an enjoyable read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries (2011)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Gabe is the daredevil of the siblings, racing carriages and wreaking havoc, but mostly he feels guilty over the death of his best friend Roger who died seven years ago when they raced each other at a particularly dangerous track. And then Roger’s sister Virginia issues her own challenge to race Gabe. He has a better idea and would rather court and marry her to make amends and also fulfill his grandmother’s ultimatum. She’s totally resistant, but don’t worry, he wears her down with his skills of seduction.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Celia is the last of the siblings left to marry to fulfill her grandmother’s ultimatum, so she sets her sights on three potential suitors. And of course, she asks the stern and serious Bow Street Runner Jackson to investigate them. But if you’ve been reading this series all the way through, you know that Jackson is actually interested in Celia for himself, even if he feels he’s way below her social station. More meddling from her grandmother makes things worse, implying that he’s a fortune hunter. We get to see how these two idiots work their way to each other though, plus conclude the mystery of how her parents died almost twenty years ago. Excellent conclusion to the series. Even though there’s on more book left.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Pierce has been estranged from his mother for reasons totally unknown (but we discover in this book) and his mother’s companion Camilla has taken it upon herself to write a letter to Pierce saying his mother is ill. It all blows up the moment he arrives at the dower house, but something (or someone) compels him to stay for awhile. As an add-on to the Hellions series, I expected this to be a novella, but it was a full-length story with Pierce and Camilla slowly learning to trust each other, Pierce being a total arse, and finally learning what caused his mother’s estrangement. Solid addition to the series.

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:

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

Hat Trick by Chelsea Curto (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 4 of the DC Stars series. Starting with a total downer here when hockey player Riley gets injured in a car accident and loses his right leg. We get a story of his progression through grief and rehabilitation, with athletic trainer Lexi by his side. Of course, he’s always had a crush on Lexi and she’s a total commitment-phobe, but let’s be real here, they will most definitely fall in love. I loved the slow burn process of building their trust and friendship and then the slow dance into a physical relationship. I like how they team up together to work on Riley’s physical training and how supportive Lexi is. Plus, Riley has his own ways of impressing Lexi.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Sin Bin by Chelsea Curto (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 5 of the DC Stars series. Timeline overlaps a little bit with Hat Trick and starts with a one night stand between hockey coach Brody and his player’s sister Hannah. Things get interrupted, but it’s a reminder for Brody to keep things professional and his distance. But then a year and a half later, his daughter needs a new figure skating coach and Hannah is available for the job. They rekindle their acquaintanceship and so much more. Even with the age gap between Brody and Hannah, you don’t feel it at all. These are clearly two mature and consenting adults here who are falling into more than just lust. Loved it.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

My January Duke by Kate Bateman (2026)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rake Review, Season Two series. Novella that takes places in the same universe as the Her Majesty’s Rebels series. Olivia has just buried her father, found herself in a heap of debt, and suddenly being rescued by her friend’s older brother and longtime crush Devlin. He’s kind of offering a marriage of convenience or a marriage of lust, but she’s hesitant since she’s been in love with him for many years and doesn’t want to commit to something that’ll break her heart later. What’s interesting about this book is that you don’t get Devlin’s point of view until at least halfway through the book, and it’s all fairly typical motivations once we hear about it. Easy breezy straightforward historical romance read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. If traveling gives you anxiety, this book isn’t for you because everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Ada is on her way to her sister’s destination wedding in Ireland, but her flight gets cancelled, she is low on funds, and has no place to stay. She meets a nice handsome stranger named Jack along the way, only to find out that he’s actually the best man at the wedding, and she’s probably supposed to hate him. It’s a lot of arguing and bickering through their road trip from London to Belfast, with some minor flirting along the way. Mostly made me anxious, wondering what catastrophe would strike next.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Mostly fluffy and super cute. Landon is the newbie on the Calgary team and the very outgoing Casey invites him to stay at his house instead of finding his own place because he’s got the room anyway. Well, actually Casey is afraid of the dark and living alone, but no one talks about that. We’ve got a grumpy-sunshine romance here that is an absolute delight to read. Teammates to friends to roommates to lovers and they fit so perfectly together. Loved it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Wow, this one will rip your heart out. Adam and Riley haven’t spoken to each other in about 12 years, when Adam suddenly shows up at Riley’s dad’s funeral. Bad timing man. They also had a teammates, roommates, friends with benefits thing going on back when they played hockey together, except it was only when Adam was drunk enough and he definitely did not fall in love the way that Riley did. We get a few heartbreaking flashbacks mixed in with Adam’s present-day redemption scheme. Everyone’s skittish and wary here, because Adam seriously broke Riley’s heart and I am skeptical too. But feelings are feelings and totally undeniable in this romance novel setting. It’s pretty much a small-town second chance romance here, no one plays hockey anymore, and Adam is actually divorced to his wife because he realized he was gay. Duh. Full of angst, so you have to be in the right headspace for this one.

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!

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Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

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

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

Here’s a round up of some of my favorite audiobooks narrated by Morag Sims. Click on the images to be taken to the LibroFM sales page and grab a copy for yourself. (Affiliate links used, so I get a small commission if you purchase from my link)

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.

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

Hat Trick by Chelsea Curto (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 4 of the DC Stars series. Starting with a total downer here when hockey player Riley gets injured in a car accident and loses his right leg. We get a story of his progression through grief and rehabilitation, with athletic trainer Lexi by his side. Of course, he’s always had a crush on Lexi and she’s a total commitment-phobe, but let’s be real here, they will most definitely fall in love. I loved the slow burn process of building their trust and friendship and then the slow dance into a physical relationship. I like how they team up together to work on Riley’s physical training and how supportive Lexi is. Plus, Riley has his own ways of impressing Lexi.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

A Most Worthy Husband by Faye Delacour (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Lucky Ladies of London series. Hannah is fed up with her mother’s matchmaking, so she seizes an opportunity to ruin herself by paying a man to kiss her where they can be seen. Silas is all sorts of hesitant, but eventually agrees for the money. It’s a whirlwind of scandal that turns into a fake courtship and a fake engagement. But Silas really is a stand-up guy, even if a bit misunderstood, and totally deserving of love an affection. Hannah is a bit naive in regards to scheming to get her parents back together, but aside from that, she does have genuine affection for Silas. Definitely a case of he falls first and harder though, which I adore.

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

Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Stella is ready to lose her virginity at a sex club and luckily meets an awesome guy there, Max. But things don’t go as planned and they end up with unfinished business before parting ways. Stella’s in for a rude surprise when Max ends up being the brother of her boss’s boss and at her workplace to launch a new AI writing tool for their company. This would seem like the perfect set up for an enemies-to-lovers situation, but they have very wisely kept their work separate from their personal lives and continue with a semi-secret relationship. This book is all sorts of spicy and the workplace conflict doesn’t affect the romance plot much at all. Loved seeing how Max treats Stella and how they very easily and quickly fall in love.

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

Winds of the Storm by Beverly Jenkins (2006)

Historical romance. Reconstruction-era America. Book 2 of the Le Veq Family series. Archer and Zahra meet during the war when she rescues him from capture and saves his life. They cross paths again after the war when Zahra poses as a brothel madam to gather intelligence. He doesn’t recognize her, but certainly plans to seduce her. We get a simmering seduction here alongside the espionage associated with Zahra’s mission. Steamy and dangerous.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid (2019)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Game Changers series. The hype is real. Everything anyone says about this book being amazing is true. Did it take a TV adaptation and all the hype to get me to read it? Yes. Have I even seen the show yet? No. But this book was so good. How the heck does a secret romance spanning 8 years over the course of the book hook you in? I don’t know, but it’s amazing. We start with Shane and Ilya being total sports enemies, sports prodigies, totally famous rookies, but also terrified of being attracted to each other. There’s hockey and then there are all the secret hookups, that start off as an angry way to get it out of their systems, but keep happening. For years. And the pining when they aren’t together is insane. Loved this book. It will change your life.

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

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.