Accidental Heirs Historical Romance Book Series by Christy Carlyle

One Scandalous Kiss by Christy Carlyle (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Accidental Heirs series. Impoverished bookshop owner Jessamin accepts payment from a marquess’ daughter to kiss a grumpy viscount in public. She ruins her reputation in the process and causes a huge scandal, thereby losing her bookshop and finding herself a complete loss. Luckily, a noblewoman takes her on as a companion and provides a healthy salary. Our grumpy viscount Lucius can’t stop thinking of the ambush kiss or the lady who bestowed it, but he’s determined to get on with his duties by marrying an heiress to replenish the family coffers and restore his estate. Except that his aunt unexpectedly brings Jessamin to his house as her companion and he only has eyes for her. It’s an ill-suited match socially and financially, but they’ve clearly got deeper feelings here. I enjoyed the support from Lucius’ aunt and seeing him finally stand up for his choices over his duties.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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One Tempting Proposal by Christy Carlyle (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Accidental Heirs series. We have the oldest daughter of a marquess and a freshly inherited duke in a fake engagement romance in this book. In order for her father to allow her younger sister to marry, Kitty has to marry first. Except that Kitty is super picky about her choice in husband because she does not want to go from being under her father’s control to some other unworthy lord’s control. However, her sister has found a suitor she’d like to marry, forcing Kitty’s hand this season. Meanwhile, Sebastian’s best friend is the man who needs a little help arranging a match for Kitty so that he can marry his one true love. Sebastian is all-sorts of hesitant due to a past heartbreak and his general observation that Kitty is one of the popular but mean girls of the season. To help secure her father’s blessing for the sister’s marriage, Kitty and Sebastian agree to the fake engagement. And of course, they both find that the other person is more intriguing than they expected. Loads of drama with a tangle of side characters in this one and lots of fun to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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One Dangerous Desire by Christy Carlyle (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Accidental Heirs series. American businessman Rex just wants to build a fancy hotel in Mayfair and he needs the financial backing of a duke to do so. Somehow, he figures that flirting with the duke’s daughter may help his cause and he’s shocked to find that the daughter has befriended May, an American heiress, and the woman he failed to elope with six years ago. Turns out May is the daughter of some department store mogul and Rex was an impoverished shop clerk all those years ago and threatened into leaving by her father. Now that they’re both on more equal social standing, they still have different goals and needs, like each marrying some titled noble so that they can improve their business prospects. But of course, these two are still attracted to each other and end up ditching everyone else. Throw in some drama of May’s disapproving father and some gambling debts and we get all sorts of chaos.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Top Five Reads of April 2024 – Historical Romance Books and Contemporary Romance Books

Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath (2011)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the London’s Greatest Lovers series. This one has a crazy set up that will lead to heartbreak for everyone involved. The Duke of Ainsley is being asked by his incapacitated best friend and cousin, Walfort, to bed the man’s wife Jayne and get her with child. Three years prior, these two were in a massive curricle accident which left Walfort paralyzed and the stress of which caused his wife to lose her unborn baby. Walfort seeks to give Jayne comfort, passion, and a baby in the form of his friend. Except Jayne is definitely not on board because she hates Ainsley for having caused the reckless accident in the first place. However, the plot must go forth, and Jayne and Ainsley end up going through with the plan, causing tons of emotional upheaval as they try and fail to stay emotionally distant from each other. It’s a guilt trip all around and even more heartbreak anticipated. If you want to feel feelings, this book is for you.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Nashville Love series. We’re on the Pacific Crest Trail in this one where two strangers meet, hike, and fall in love. Alexei is re-evaluating his life after his parents disowned him for being gay and he’s trying to work through his grief and lifeplan alone on the trail. A chance meeting with Ben and a reluctant friendship develops and causes Alexei to learn more about himself and his happiness along the way. Ben is trying to get that last bit of wanderlust out of his system before settling down with a nursing job that he’s worked towards and he’s trying to be mature and logical, instead of jumping into bed with the first handsome guy he meets on the trail. Both of these men are insecure and slightly damaged from their past experiences (Alexei especially), but it’s clear that the trail and its physical exertions help to bring peace and clarity to everyone involved. We get to see a slow build of trust and friendship and then tentative steps towards a relationship, even though they’re not quite dealing with reality while they’re in the trail bubble. Watch out for the good kind of heartbreak and angst when you’re reading this one.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We get right to the tragic root of the problem here with chapter 1 at Helen’s younger sister’s funeral. Turns out Helen’s 16-year-old sister jumped in front of high school all-star Grant’s moving vehicle. Clearly not his fault, but still causing lots of grief and resentment for Helen and her family. Fast forward thirteen years and Helen’s book series is being adapted for television. Grant is a fairly talented screenwriter who is tapped for the job and these two meet again as co-workers. It’s awful and awkward and tragic and they somewhat come to a truce and then somehow become entangled in a physical relationship. But despite how much they actually like each other in the present-day, an actual real relationship isn’t possible with all of the animosity that Helen’s parents have towards Grant. And Helen’s the one enforcing the boundaries of their pre-planned expiration date. There’s all sorts of emotional angst and bonding here with their shared past experiences and their compatibility in the present. Add a splash of overbearing immigrant Asian parents and we have a perfect scenario for impossibilities.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm. Print book provided by Avon Books.

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My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Palace of Rogues series. Catherine is the daughter of a country doctor in London to find a husband and has an optimistic outlook for the Season while staying at the Grand Palace on the Thames. While it seems unlikely that she’ll get along with the grumpy Dominic while he’s also staying at the boarding house, he admires her cleverness and wit when they converse in secret alcoves at various balls. He’s got a sordid history and a scandalous reputation, despite his well-spokenness at Parliament defending the rights of young laborers. He’s grumpy and jaded and is definitely too old for Catherine, but he cannot help being drawn to her. Despite his own reservations, he continually finds ways to protect and care for Catherine. And his ultimate grand gesture is one for the ages here.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian (2023)

Historical romance. 1950s New York City. Nick is the gruff and serious newspaper reporter and Andy is the clumsy son of the owner who is newly installed in the newsroom to prepare for his eventual succession to the owner position. Somehow, Nick has taken Andy under his wing and they form a close-knit friendship over the first year of their acquaintance. Despite being from totally different socioeconomic backgrounds, they make things work, and Andy never realizes Nick’s unrequited feelings for him. However, things get complicated when Andy’s fiancee calls things off and Andy moves into Nick’s apartment for emotional support. The close quarters ramp up the underlying attraction between these two. This book was all sorts of angsty and emotional. Despite Nick’s somewhat estranged relationship with his family, he slowly builds a found family with Andy and their trusted friends. I loved seeing Andy going after what he wants and being the one to poke Nick out of his cave of isolation. Such a great book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: April 22 to 28, 2024

Breakaway by Grace Reilly (2022)

Contemporary sports romance. Book 2 of the Beyond the Play series. Cooper is the second son of a famous football player who is often overshadowed by his famous football player brother, but is a talented college hockey player. He’s well-known for his skills with women, but he’s hit a bit of a dry spell and feeling frustrated because of it. Somehow, he gets assigned to assist with skating lessons for little kids and meets Penny there, who he does not realize is his coach’s daughter. Penny is a former figure skater who seems to have had a traumatic sexual encounter (though we don’t find out what it is until much later); she’s wary of guys and has a list of things she’d like to try, but doesn’t want a boyfriend to do it. Ultimately, Penny and Cooper comes to a friends with benefits agreement where he helps with her list and she helps with his frustrations. But being actual friends with each other leads to a lot more emotional connection than each person was expecting. This book was high on the steam, and humor, and caring. Cooper is basically the best not-boyfriend ever.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Passions of a Wicked Earl by Lorraine Heath (2010)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the London’s Greatest Lovers series. The Earl of Westcliffe and his wife Claire have been estranged since their wedding night when he found his younger brother in her bed. Claire was basically too young and skittish of her new husband, so she and her friend contrived a way for Westcliffe to postpone the wedding night. Except that didn’t work out so well because Westcliffe is holding a massive grudge and Claire’s been exiled to the country estate for the past three years. Claire’s finally growing some backbone though because she’s in London to claim her place as countess and launch her younger sister in society. We get to see Claire and Westcliffe actually talk to each other and get to know each other as they hadn’t before, being betrothed since before Claire was born. They’ve definitely got a lot of learning and groveling to do on both sides. It was interesting to get to know Westcliffe’s family dynamic and meet his brothers who feature in the next books of this series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Rake’s Daughter by Anne Gracie (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Brides of Bellaire Gardens series. New earl Leo is back from his year long travels to find himself saddled as the guardian of a young lady, Clarissa, who is kicked out of her home and needs to find a husband quickly. And then he finds that his ward has come with an illegitimate half-sister, Isobel, who refuses to leave her side. The two sisters are adamant that they stay together, despite Isobel’s potential to ruin any of Clarissa’s prospects. Leo is annoyed and tries very hard to stick to the proper course of action, but he’s basically rendered stupid everytime he looks at Isobel. It’s all fiery sparks between these two and I liked seeing Leo slowly start to learn more about and appreciate Isobel. With the sisters in residence at Leo’s eccentric aunt’s house, it’s a very amusing read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian (2023)

Historical romance. 1950s New York City. Nick is the gruff and serious newspaper reporter and Andy is the clumsy son of the owner who is newly installed in the newsroom to prepare for his eventual succession to the owner position. Somehow, Nick has taken Andy under his wing and they form a close-knit friendship over the first year of their acquaintance. Despite being from totally different socioeconomic backgrounds, they make things work, and Andy never realizes Nick’s unrequited feelings for him. However, things get complicated when Andy’s fiancee calls things off and Andy moves into Nick’s apartment for emotional support. The close quarters ramp up the underlying attraction between these two. This book was all sorts of angsty and emotional. Despite Nick’s somewhat estranged relationship with his family, he slowly builds a found family with Andy and their trusted friends. I loved seeing Andy going after what he wants and being the one to poke Nick out of his cave of isolation. Such a great book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman by Lorraine Heath (2010)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the London’s Greatest Lovers series. Middle brother Stephen has always been a shameless rake and completely purposeless with an earl older brother and a duke younger brother. When his brothers buy him a commission in the army to build his character, he goes and hopes for the best. Except that he’s come home injured and with no memory at all of his time at war. When nurse Mercy comes calling at his brother’s English estate with a baby that is clearly his son, he feels terrible that he doesn’t remember her and marries her to provide for his new family. Mercy’s keeping her own secrets and is almost glad about Stephen’s memory loss. They’re basically starting from scratch here and developing a relationship anew. This is probably one of the angstiest amnesia stories I’ve read because Mercy’s secret is a big one and Stephen will definitely feel betrayed when he learns the truth.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath (2011)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the London’s Greatest Lovers series. This one has a crazy set up that will lead to heartbreak for everyone involved. The Duke of Ainsley is being asked by his incapacitated best friend and cousin, Walfort, to bed the man’s wife Jayne and get her with child. Three years prior, these two were in a massive curricle accident which left Walfort paralyzed and the stress of which caused his wife to lose her unborn baby. Walfort seeks to give Jayne comfort, passion, and a baby in the form of his friend. Except Jayne is definitely not on board because she hates Ainsley for having caused the reckless accident in the first place. However, the plot must go forth, and Jayne and Ainsley end up going through with the plan, causing tons of emotional upheaval as they try and fail to stay emotionally distant from each other. It’s a guilt trip all around and even more heartbreak anticipated. If you want to feel feelings, this book is for you.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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My Fake Mistress by Alivia Fleur (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Standalone novella. Super quick and steamy novella. Blythe is at her best friend’s birthday house party and is trying to avoid the attentions of a gentleman who wants to make her his mistress. She lies that she already has a protector and says that Julian (her best friend’s father) is that man. When she tells him about the trouble, he goes along with it. And then of course they turn it into a true physical affair while she’s there.

Advance ebook provided by Alivia Fleur via BookSirens.

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The Letters We Keep by Nisha Sharma (2024)

Contemporary new adult romance. Standalone novel. Jessie and Ravi start off awkwardly with her being ultra-focused on school and him being the infamous son of a tech billionaire. They have a cute little rivalry where they fight over the same study room in the library and are also in the same writing class. However, their friendship starts to turn around when they stumble upon some hidden letters in the library which chronicle the secret relationship between two students in the 1970s, who may or may not be part of a legend that haunts the school. I liked seeing Jessie and Ravi bond over the letters that they find and realize their own feelings for each other. While it seemed like their relationship moved a little fast for me, I appreciated learning what happened to the mystery couple from the past and it kept me reading to find out more.

Advance ebook provided by Nisha Sharma via NetGalley.

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One Fine May by Courtney McCaskill (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Rake Review series. Disappointed by Vander’s exploits being featured in the latest gossip column, his father sets down the expectation that he must marry and start coming into the office this month or risk his inheritance being passed onto his cousin. Upon his mother’s suggestion, he asks his best friend’s sister Letty for assistance. Except she’s had a crush on him for years and is disappointed that he isn’t actually proposing to her but asking her to introduce him to suitable women. Meanwhile, she’s juggling her own ill-matched suitors and needs to decide between them soon. Clearly, Vander needs to open his eyes and realize that Letty is the perfect match for him, but it takes him a few days to get there. This book was light and fun and only a smidge of angst.

Advance ebook provided by Courtney McCaskill.

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You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian (2024)

Historical romance. 1960s New York City. Slow-burn forced proximity romance here with Mark, newspaper reporter, being assigned to write about Eddie, the new baseball player who has basically thrown a public tantrum over his new team. They’re both individually lost and lonely and stuck with each other. Mark’s been grieving the death of his partner, who he basically had to keep secret for their entire relationship, and it’s been a pretty rough time of it. When he’s assigned to write about Eddie, he’s only begrudgingly doing the job, and also trying to find an angle to make the kid seem more sympathetic, rather than the asshole that every other news reporter is portraying him as. Eddie’s just shocked out of his comfortable situation in the Midwest where he got to play ball, see his mom occasionally, and know where to keep his private life out of the spotlight. Being in a new place that doesn’t feel like home and where everyone is watching him fail at baseball is fairly excruciating for him. But Eddie and Mark start a tentative friendship and it takes a lot of convincing on Eddie’s part to get Mark to take a chance on him. I liked seeing Mark finally opening up about his previous partner and the difficulties he had there, plus seeing Eddie getting along with his teammates better. It was definitely a slow and quiet type of romance that involves being yourself in a world that doesn’t really accept you.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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

Duke Seeks Bride by Christy Carlyle (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Love on Holiday series. Our guy Alex is a new duke with a marriage stipulation in his father’s will, stating that he needs to marry in six months in order to keep his castle in Ireland. His annoyingly meddlesome aunt has tried to matchmake him with a wealthy widowed countess and invited her to the castle for a supposed equestrian charity event. The countess sends her secretary instead, mostly to avoid the matching making. Evie is the ultra-organized secretary who has been working with the countess for the past three years but also secretly pens romance novels in her spare time. When she shows up at the castle, she’s shocked to find that they were expecting the countess, even though a letter should have explained the switch. Alex and Evie have actually met briefly once before in the garden of a ball, but Evie is very much aware of her social status and that a romance between her and a duke is impossible. It’s not actually impossible, since this is a romance novel after all, but it takes some time for each person to realize that they really do want and need each other. This book is a relatively low-angst straightforward romance with a quick resolution to external conflict.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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Bride by Mistake by Anne Gracie (2012)

Book 5 of the Devil Riders series. Eight years ago, Luke had rescued a young girl from the Spanish roadside, delivered her to a convent, and then married her for her protection. Now he has found that he cannot get an annulment from her, so he has returned to claim her. Before they leave Spain, she needs to visit her hometown to find her sister, so there’s a lot of road trip travel her along the Spanish countryside. Both Isabella and Luke have lingering traumas from the war and have trouble communicating with each other. It was nice to see a road trip in a different setting here, and then uncover a few more mysteries from Isabella’s past.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Heiress Bride by Madeline Hunter (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Duke’s Heiresses series. New duke Nicholas is still adjusting to his inherited status and feeling the stresses of his responsibilities. He’s surprised when he receives a visit from the last of the late duke’s heiresses, Iris. She is a rare book dealer and has come to inquire about a particular rare book that the late duke had said that he would assist her in finding. Iris had only recently learned that the duke had passed away and is completely surprised by her inheritance. Nicholas agrees to assist her in finding this book, but is also suspicious of Iris, so he intends to keep a close eye on her. This one is another book in the series where the two main characters really start on opposite sides of an argument but also can’t seem to stay away from each other. This book was super interesting in terms of Iris’s family history and scandal with her grandfather. We also re-open the investigation into the late duke’s death and wonder if Iris or Nicholas become targets for violence as well. And I also enjoyed the big reveal at the end when we start to dig into the attics.

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

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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.

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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.

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The Duke Buys a Bride by Sophie Jordan (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Rogue Files series. Marcus has run away from his ducal responsibilities after he catches his best friend with his stepmother in a compromising position and is on his way to his estate in the north of Scotland. On the way there, he happens across a village wife auction and buys/saves the girl who is being so crudely sold off. Alyse has been married in name only to her late father’s friend since the age of 15 and provided care of the man’s children and household. Her childhood friend was supposed to bid on her during the auction so they could start their new lives together, but that man disappeared and didn’t show up. Although she is purchased by Marcus, she has no idea who he is or if he’s trustworthy. He declares that theirs won’t really be a marriage and that he will employ her as a housekeeper at his estate. We end up embarking on a road trip romance here, traveling on horseback and stopping at various inns along the way. This book had a really interesting set up and it was nice to see Marcus slowly let down his walls and realize what a privileged life he has led thus far.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Duke’s Stolen Bride by Sophie Jordan (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Rogue Files series. Impoverished oldest sister Marian seeks to save her family’s circumstance by becoming a courtesan. However, she has no experience at all, so she seeks out the neighborhood depraved duke, Nate, for some lessons. He’s affronted at first, but then gives in, and the relationship is mostly him trying to get her to loosen up. It’s sad to see how very poor Marian and her family are and how their choices are limited, but Nate feels sorry for Marian and also desires her so much that he can’t stay away from her.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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The Duke’s Daring Bride by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Surprise! Dukes series. Alistair is a reclusive duke who does not speak but makes his case in the House of Lords through letters and support documents; at night, he stalks the streets fighting crime as the Dark Knight. One night, he saves Olivia from ruin while she’s out there looking for a story that might save her newspaper. One of her investors just happens to be Alistair and she shows up at his house the next day to ask for him to reinstate his financial support, not knowing he was the one who saved her. He decides to propose to her in exchange for the newspaper support, mostly because he needs a wife, but doesn’t want to go out into society to acquire one. These two enter into a marriage of convenience, but have an instant attraction for each other. It’s fun to read about Olivia integrating into Alistair’s boisterous family: a meddling mother and two quirky younger sisters. Of course we also get a slow progression of Alistair and Olivia learning to trust each other and fall in love. This one was another great book in the series and I love how everything ties back to the overarching villain of the series.

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Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret (2020)

Book 1 of the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. A female friend group finds one of their own ruined and banished to the country, so they want to do some research on how to avoid rakes and scoundrels. They somehow kidnap Lord Holt so they can question him about his habits while complaining about one of them not wanting to marry the oaf that her parents picked out. At some point, Winnifred has run away from that wedding she doesn’t want and into a waiting carriage. That carriage contains a certain Lord Holt, otherwise known as Asher. And off they go to run away from London and her unwanted wedding. There’s some drama here involving ransom and whether Asher was an unwilling participant in the road trip, but the circumstances here push them together.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Improper Bride by Lily Maxton (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Sisters of Scandal series. This book will be much more rewarding after reading Book 4 because we meet both characters there. Henry, the marquess, is basically the most unlovable friendless asshole ever, and he nearly dies in a fire at his estate. Miraculously he survives, but is a curmudgeon during his recovery. The widowed housekeeper, Cassandra, is somehow tasked by the doctor to keep him occupied, so she asks for lessons in a foreign language. As they spend time together each day, they grow closer together and start to see the person beneath the title or role that each one has. Of course, they’ve got that whole employer-employee relationship there and massive social class differences, so even any affection between them would be improper and lead to heartbreak. Henry’s near-death experience has also reminded him that he has a duty to marry and sire heirs, so he enlists his sister in hosting a house party and bringing eligible women for him to meet. But none of them compare to Cassandra, so there’s tons of emotional angst there. Such an amazing romance. And! We do eventually find out the cause of the fire that started the book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Chasing the Bride by Erica Ridley (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Lords in Love series. Tabitha has been betrothed to her father’s viscount friend since before she was born and with her father on his deathbed, the wedding shall be held in short order. Tabitha has no interest in marrying a lecherous old man, but feels that it is her role as dutiful daughter to comply. She spends some of her last few days of freedom at the Marrywell Matchmaking Festival, but her betrothed has assigned his man of business to watch over her. Hudson has worked for the old viscount for years and has been unwisely pining for Tabitha despite being at a much lower social standing. While he is competent at his assigned tasks, he is dreading the day when Tabitha must submit to marriage to the viscount. When she’s spending time with Hudson, Tabitha realizes true joy and companionship, making her dread her looming marriage even more. She ultimately runs from her wedding day, hoping to forestall her fate for just a little while longer. Hudson eventually catches up to her and she convinces him to spend a week with her before she has to meet her doom again, even though his job is to bring her back to his employer. This book was a lot of fun to read with our two people easily falling in love, but kept apart due to their external circumstances.

Advance ebook provided by Erica Ridley via NetGalley.

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The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe (2021)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 3 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Katherine is finally going to settle those wedding details with the fiancee that her father arranged, only to find that Preston had no intention of marrying her at all. He’s got a grudge against her father for abandoning Preston’s family in their time of financial turmoil, so wants nothing to do with their family. With Katherine suddenly un-engaged, she’s ready to find an affair, so she goes to a masked ball with her friend and meets a man there. When she goes to meet with him unmasked in a follow-up tryst at his apartment, she finds that it was Preston all along. These two spend a lot of time fighting, somehow call a truce, then fall into an affair with each other, with no intention of marriage. It’s messy and complicated and meanwhile Preston’s still mad at her father, Katherine’s dealing with her own father moving on from her late mother, and the poor Duke of Lockwood can’t catch a break in the background.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas (2012)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Fitzhugh Trilogy series. Helena is nearly caught in a compromising situation with a married man and forced to marry her brother’s best friend and actual enemy, David. What she doesn’t know is that David has been in love with her for decades and catches her attention by antagonizing her. She shortly gets into an accident where she’s gravely injured and wakes up with no memory of her supposed husband. Now that David has a second chance to make a first impression, he’s kind and solicitous, even though he fears the day that Helena gets her memory back. It’s the worst sort of pining that David has for Helena, with his own self-destructive behavior. Bonus points for the kindness and caring he has for his young daughter.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Historical Romance Books with the Word “Heiress” in the Title

Romancing the Heiress by Darcy Burke (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Lords in Love series. Leah is back in Marrywell for the annual matchmaking festival as a companion to a young debutante in search of a husband. Of course Leah is still enamored with her childhood friend Phineas, who is considering marrying an heiress to save his secretly impoverished estate. This one is a relatively quick read, with somewhat tragic backstories for everyone involved: Leah had an abusive childhood so she was desperate to escape the village of Marrywell; Phineas had a gambling father who left the estate in dire financial condition; and even the young debutante who is not at all who we’re concerned with has an overbearing managing mother. However, the attraction between Leah and Phineas was a delight to read and their shared history made for a stronger connection. And we get to see the couple from Book 1 of the series again for the festival.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.

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The Heiress at Sea by Christi Caldwell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone, but tied to The Duke Alone, as we are following the older sister of the main character from that book. Cassia, the often invisible eldest daughter of an earl, is setting off an adventure, dressing as a boy and sneaking onto her brother’s best friend’s ship so she can see the world. Turns out she’s on the wrong ship and ends up on Nathaniel’s boat, which is aimed to intercept a French war ship. Nathaniel is the second son of a duke, but recently became the heir after his brother fell off a horse. With his father’s demands in mind, this mission is likely to be his last. With everyone trapped on a ship, there’s plenty of drama to go around: Cassia is still pretending to be a boy, but she’s so terribly naive and sensitive that the other men mock her work; when they discover she’s actually a lady, there’s most definitely potential for scandal; and she cannot stop talking and chattering and also cannot detect sarcasm. It makes for annoying and infuriating conversation every time Nathaniel has to deal with her. But it’s a romance novel after all, and he starts to see her as someone brave (though naive) and also someone he wants to care for a protect. It was definitely a fun read and I enjoyed how all the conflict got resolved.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake Books via NetGalley.

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To Marry an Heiress by Lorraine Heath (2002)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Daughters of Fortune series. We’re in England for this story, with Georgina visiting her friend Lauren (stepdaughter to the Earl of Ravenleigh) for the Season and her wealthy father setting up a match for her with Devon, another earl and cousin to Ravenleigh. Devon’s impoverished estate needs the cash and he agrees to Georgina’s father’s terms for courtship and the appearance of a love match. Upon meeting Georgina at a ball, she sees through him immediately and insists that he not lie to her if they are to marry. We see a quick wedding very early on in the book, followed by a surprising tragedy that sets off resentment and animosity between Devon and Georgina through the rest of the book. It was most interesting to see how Georgina could be sweet and accommodating, but also have strength in her convictions throughout the book. Devon thought he would be getting himself a demure and grateful wife, but instead finds a strong courageous partner worth falling in love with.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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An Heiress for All Seasons by Sophie Jordan (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1.5 of the Debutante Files series. Quick, relatively low-angst novella. Violet is an American heiress being shown off around England by her title-seeking mother. She has no intention of marrying anyone in England, since she has a suitor back home, but goes along with her parents until they accept her other suitor. Will is an impoverished earl being set up by his mother to meet Violet, but has no interest in marrying until he actually does meet Violet and is intrigued by her. He spends most of his time trying to pursue her, even though she rebuffs him, and at some point they get stuck in a cabin together during a snowstorm. Easy peasy with fun flirty spice.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Heiress Swap by Maddison Michaels (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Dollar Princess series. Evie is the orphaned illegitimate cousin and companion to American heiress Aimee who convinces Evie to switch places for the Season: Evie will go to balls and events while Aimee works as a secretary at her father’s company. Stern, serious, skeptical duke Alex believes that Evie (as Aimee) has set her sights on his cousin’s title and swears to prevent such deception and heartbreak from taking place. He has his own hang-ups after he caught his ex-fiancee cheating on him the night before their wedding and he’s completely distrustful of women. But of course, Alex and Evie have a lot of common interests and he slowly starts to realize that she is not trying to entrap a titled lord after all. Evie feels terrible for not being honest about her identity, especially as she starts to actually fall in love with Alex, knowing that he will hate her dishonesty. The book was a little slow-going at times, but we get a bit of external drama with fossils and caves and thugs hired to scare Evie, which brings out Alex’s protective side.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale (2020)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 3 of the Gilded Age Girls Club series. Department store heiress Beatrice accepts a marriage proposal from a money-seeking duke instead of running away with her secret love Wes, who is a mere assistant in her father’s store. Sixteen years later, after a scandalous divorce from the duke, and a depressing existence in England, Beatrice is back in New York. In the time that she was gone, her brother has nearly bankrupt her beloved department store and is about to sell it off. And her brokenhearted suitor Wes has opened his own rival department store and somehow become the third wealthiest man in Manhattan. Beatrice takes over her family’s store and aims to turn things around with the support of her new empowering female friends, stoking a business rivalry with Wes. Except those feelings of attraction and admiration are still simmering in the background, just waiting to break through.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Heiress Hunt by Joanna Shupe (2021)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York and Rhode Island. Book 1 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Harrison Archer is back in town after living in Paris for the past three years; his horrible family is broke and he’s intent on finalizing their financial ruin. While they want him to marry an heiress to pay off their debts, he only has eyes for his childhood friend Maddie Webster, who broke his heart years ago by declaring that she only thinks of him as a brother. With the time apart, he’s hoping that she’ll change the way she sees him. I’m a total sucker for the emotional gut wrench of rejection, even though Maddie had no idea that she was the cause of Harrison’s departure. So now Maddie is trying to help Harrison find a bride, even though he just wanted to use the Newport house party as a way to get close to her again, and she’s kind of almost engaged to a duke. Messiness all around. Still, Maddie was incredibly stubborn in this book and totally oblivious to the fact that Harrison has loved her for years, even though everyone else in the world had seen it. Great set up for all the other characters that will feature in the remainder of the series and looking forward to finishing the rest of the books.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. A semi-tragic prologue starts the series with Camille, an American heiress, being married off to a much older and impoverished duke in England against her wishes. August is one of Camille’s friends who sees how awful the whole situation is and is thankful that her own parents would never do such a thing to her or her sister. Fast forward to a few months later, when August visits England with her parents and younger sister, and her parents are doing exactly what she feared. They attempt to set up a match between younger sister Violet and impoverished duke Evan, but August intends to thwart it. It doesn’t much matter since Evan prefers the fiesty August instead and tries to convince her to marry him. He needs the money because his father’s antiquated ideals have left the estate in much debt and the tenants on his lands are suffering. August refuses because she would prefer to stay working for her father’s company and has no interest in becoming a duchess. There’s a lot of cajoling involved here, even though these two are very clearly attracted to each other. The romance was great here and I enjoyed seeing August’s family dynamic. We also get to meet all the key players in future books of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. This book deals with August’s younger sister Violet and Evan’s best friend Christian in a road trip escape from the suitor that Violet’s parents have selected for her. Believing that she is safe from her parents’ meddling now that her sister has settled with the duke in Book 1, Violet is caught off guard when she realizes that her father has agreed to a match with a viscount. She plans to run away and is aided by an earl, Christian, who has his own designs on her and hopes to force a marriage when they’re caught together. Of course, during the trip, these two actually talk and get to know each other, so Christian feels guilty for his planned betrayal. Violet is also opening up to the idea of marriage, since she feels so connected to Christian. In the background, Violet is working on writing a novel and has based her main hero on Christian without him realizing it. This book has all the calamities you would expect in a road trip novel plus the added dread of uncovering Christian’s deception. We also introduce the pairing on Violet’s brother Maxwell with her friend Lady Helena when they team up to chase after the runaway pair.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas (2012)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Fitzhugh Trilogy series. Millie and Fitz have been married platonically for eight years and soon to embark on their agreement to try to have children. Except that Fitz is distracted and excited by the fact that his first love is recently widowed and on her way back to England. This book is told over two timelines, showing the progress through Millie and Fitz’ eight year marriage and showing their present day friendship. Fitz had inherited an impoverished earldom, necessitating his marriage to a wealthy heiress even though he had hopes of marrying someone else. Millie has been in love with Fitz for all this time, but she has not given him any clues about her feelings and maintained quiet dignity and strength while he has been heartbroken over his lost love. However, over the years, we get to see Fitz become a strong and steady presence in Millie’s life and ever-so-slowly becoming her closest friend. This whole book is the slowest of slow burns and heartbreaking in all the best ways.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Next Contemporary Romance Series by Hannah Bonam-Young

Next of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young (2022)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Next series. Lane and Matt are in the same social circle because their friends Chloe and Warren got together in the first book of the series. They meet, they flirt, they share a New Years kiss, but do not hook up. Fast forward a year and a half and they’re both thoroughly stuck in the friend zone. Lane has all sorts of social anxiety and insecurity with an unwillingness to commit to any relationship, so it’s probably for the best that she and Matt never hooked up because it would make their friend group very awkward. Except that she’s totally attracted to him and can’t help thinking lustful thoughts. Matt is basically the nicest guy ever, even though he isn’t particularly knowledgeable about current pop culture references due to his remote homeschooled upbringing. When Lane spontaneously buys a school bus that needs fixing up to turn into some sort of livable tiny home on wheels, she enlists Matt’s help to go pick up the bus and drive it home and to help her fix it up. And of course Matt is awesome and helps Lane every step of the way. They soon heat things up with a friends with benefits situation, even though Lane is very clear that she’s not looking for a relationship. Matt’s just happy to take what he can get, but we all know that he’s patiently waiting for more. We get an emotional rollercoaster in this book as Lane deals with her past traumas and her relationship with her mom and sister. But the payoff here is well worth it.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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Weekly Reads: April 15 to 21, 2024

Make Mine a Marquess by Tina Gabrielle (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Daring Ladies series. The newly returned Marquess of Landon is out for revenge against his cousin, who seems to have orchestrated the shipwreck that left him for dead five years ago. The gross cousin spends money recklessly and is draining the estate’s funds, while also neglecting the tenants and estate repairs. Landon hopes to find evidence of his cousin’s guilt while also seducing the man’s fiancee to add further injury. Phoebe is mostly the innocent victim here, but she was apathetic enough to become engaged to the villain of the story because she wanted to avoid any type of desire or passion. However, all those repressed feelings flare back to life when she meets Landon and is instantly intrigued and attracted to him. She tries and fails to stay away from him and sees that he really is an upstanding guy, for the most part, but she doesn’t yet know that she’s being used for revenge. This was your fairly typical revenge love story and it’ll take a bit of groveling on Landon’s part to get the girl.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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A Touch Wicked by Katrina Kendrick (2018)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 0.5 of the Private Arrangements series. Emma is looking for her sister who disappeared under mysterious circumstances and now she’s working as a lady’s maid to a stuffy earl’s sister to support herself. James is the stuffy earl who is pretty much instantly attracted to Emma and totally distracted by her, even though he says he’s looking for a proper society wife to keep his rebellious sister in line. James and Emma run into each other at a masquerade where he’s trying to put the maid out of his mind and she’s trying to find clues about her sisters whereabouts. Although James does not recognize Emma, she definitely recognizes him and tries to stay away. Except for that whole instant attraction business and they soon start a masked affair. It’s going to be a huge mess when he finds out the truth, but the mystery of Emma’s missing sister is super intriguing to read about.

Advance ebook provided by Katrina Kendrick via NetGalley.

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Falling for the Marquess by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. We start with August’s story as he’s injured at war and sent home, finding that his father died and his brother is on his deathbed, and leaving him the newly inherited marquess. He’s pretty frightened of his own physical scars and his new responsibilities, but makes his brother a deathbed promise to marry next Season and sire an heir. Meanwhile, Georgina is the daughter and sister of a duke getting ready for her debut into society with her sister and two cousins and hoping to hold out for a love match, like she’s seen her twin sister and older brother achieve. She has a chance meeting with August in a bookstore and instantly feels a connection to him and boldly introduces herself and invites him to tea with her family. She’s even more glad to find out that he’s their neighbor and that their two homes share a garden. He’s hesitant at the attention, believing himself to look like a monster, but she’s certainly charming and assertive. We find that the Strongs are a supportive family and show their approval of August quite publicly. He’s just got to get over his own insecurity if he wants to build a life with Georgina.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. This one is a relatively low-drama low-angst childhood friends to lovers story. Archie is on his way to his annual guys trip with his two best friends but is detoured when he needs to rescue family friends Clementine and Olive from a rogue. Olive is the younger sister who Archie only has brotherly feelings for. Meanwhile, the outspoken and outdoorsy Clementine is someone that Archie obliviously takes all book to realize he’s in love with. We get to see these two rekindle their friendship which drifted apart as they got older as well as see this bigger friend group form a connection. While Clementine has vehemently expressed her desire to never marry, it also takes her all book to realize that Archie would be a different kind of husband and that she would get to be true to herself when she’s with him. This was a quiet slow-burn type of romance which I really enjoyed.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via Edelweiss.

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Because the Baron Broods by Darcy Burke (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Rogue Rules series. Grumpy baron Isaac meets sunshine cousin of a viscount Tamsin on the annual trip to a seaside town. They’re total opposites, but still drawn to each other, and no one in their friend circle seems to understand the connection. Isaac is mostly grumpy and serious because a youthful indiscretion left him feeling guilty and ashamed of his actions. Tamsin is just trying to stay happy and optimistic despite her aloof father and a mother who abandoned their family. They somehow end up getting engaged because a busybody lady catches him defending her from an over-persistent suitor. And then they go through with the arrangement even though Isaac insists on keeping his emotional distance from Tamsin. It takes a lot of persistence and kindness on Tamsin’s part to get Isaac to open up to her and to the possibility of happiness.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke.

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The Scoundrel’s Daughter by Anne Gracie (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Brides of Bellaire Gardens series. This one is a double romance, so don’t get confused when you get to read four different points of view. Alice is a widowed countess finally free of her horrible husband but it turns out that horrible husband had written scathing letters about her to his mistress and a blackmailer has gotten a hold of the letters. The blackmailer is forcing Alice to sponsor his daughter Lucy into society and find her a titled husband or else he’ll release the deeply embarrassing letters. Stuck together, Alice and Lucy need to learn to get along and muddle their way through society. It’s a slow build of trust between these two ladies, but soon they form a true connection. Alice’s nephew Gerald somehow gets involved and Alice asks him to help introduce Lucy to his friends, except he’s irritated that Lucy doesn’t pay him any attention and only introduces her to men who are annoying or unsuitable. Clearly, some resentment and jealousy on his part, though he’s not doing a great job of making a good impression on Lucy. Gerald has an older army friend James who’s newly returned to England and regaining custody of his three daughters; he hadn’t planned on marrying again but is instantly smitten with Alice on meeting her. He’s embarking on a very careful courtship of Alice, even though she’s not interested and pretty skittish when it comes to men. It seems that Alice and James’ relationship takes up most of this book, with him being patient and kind as she works out her demons from her previous marriage, with Gerald and Lucy’s cantankerous relationship taking place in the background. Overall, this was an entertaining story and I liked seeing these four band together.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Lady Plays with Fire by Susanna Craig (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. One of our secret columnists, Julia, has made an enemy of a certain playwright for her scathing review of one of his plays. That playwright is the pseudonym of grumpy Scottish earl Graham who prefers solitude and sarcasm. On a chance meeting at the theater, Graham and Julia meet face-to-face without knowing that the other person is their secret rival. However, they continue to run into each other in London and then Julia is trying to find out more information and subsequently influence a play that Graham is a patron of. It’s kind of messy to follow, but things heat up once they realize their attraction for each other and Graham opens up about his history. While this book felt like a slow start for me, I enjoyed seeing these two come together and how the final drama was resolved.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

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New Releases in April 2024 – Historical Romance Books and Contemporary Romance Books

It’s Raining Rakes in April by Annabelle Anders (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Rake Review series. Henry has returned to England to take his rightful place as duke, but he’s walking around town as a regular guy until the paperwork is settled, just in case his cousin contests the claim. In doing so, he observes Julia trying (and failing) to catch his cousin’s attention and being a total dunce at flirting. Julia is the oldest of seven sisters and is encouraged to make an advantageous match to position her sisters better in the future. Her aunt discourages her from spending time with Henry, since he’s rumored to be a rake and he seemingly has no financial prospects. However, Julia is still atrocious at flirting and needs some help, so she enlists Henry for some lessons. And in this process, he decides to keep her for himself, especially since she likes him for who he really is and not because of his title or money.

Advance ebook provided by Annabelle Anders.

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Falling for the Marquess by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. We start with August’s story as he’s injured at war and sent home, finding that his father died and his brother is on his deathbed, and leaving him the newly inherited marquess. He’s pretty frightened of his own physical scars and his new responsibilities, but makes his brother a deathbed promise to marry next Season and sire an heir. Meanwhile, Georgina is the daughter and sister of a duke getting ready for her debut into society with her sister and two cousins and hoping to hold out for a love match, like she’s seen her twin sister and older brother achieve. She has a chance meeting with August in a bookstore and instantly feels a connection to him and boldly introduces herself and invites him to tea with her family. She’s even more glad to find out that he’s their neighbor and that their two homes share a garden. He’s hesitant at the attention, believing himself to look like a monster, but she’s certainly charming and assertive. We find that the Strongs are a supportive family and show their approval of August quite publicly. He’s just got to get over his own insecurity if he wants to build a life with Georgina.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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The Madness of Miss Grey by Julia Bennet (2018)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Harcastle Inheritance series. Will is the new psych doctor at an insane asylum which happens to be located within the manor where he grew up as the housekeeper’s son. The old owner of the manor had passed away and his heir had sold the house to the doctor who now runs the asylum. One of the patients, Helen, is considered to be a difficult case and has a habit of trying to either run away or gain assistance by seducing other doctors. Will is wary of Helen’s manipulations, but doesn’t actually believe that she’s insane. As they spend more time together, Will decides he needs to help her escape the asylum, even though he’s not sure whether or not he’s being manipulated. This book was fascinating to read and kept me hooked the whole way through.

Advance ebook provided by Julia Bennet via NetGalley.

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Because the Baron Broods by Darcy Burke (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Rogue Rules series. Grumpy baron Isaac meets sunshine cousin of a viscount Tamsin on the annual trip to a seaside town. They’re total opposites, but still drawn to each other, and no one in their friend circle seems to understand the connection. Isaac is mostly grumpy and serious because a youthful indiscretion left him feeling guilty and ashamed of his actions. Tamsin is just trying to stay happy and optimistic despite her aloof father and a mother who abandoned their family. They somehow end up getting engaged because a busybody lady catches him defending her from an over-persistent suitor. And then they go through with the arrangement even though Isaac insists on keeping his emotional distance from Tamsin. It takes a lot of persistence and kindness on Tamsin’s part to get Isaac to open up to her and to the possibility of happiness.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke.

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Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Logan and Rosemary were best friends as tweens, enemies as teens, didn’t see each other for a decade, and now enemy co-workers teaching at the same high school they attended. They’re also complete opposites in personality and demeanor and are constantly antagonizing each other. They’re also both completely dedicated to their former teacher and mentor Joe who is dying of cancer. When Joe wants both girls to drive him across the country so that he can die in his remote cottage, they think it’s a terrible idea, but then give in because they both want to honor Joe’s wishes. And it’s pretty much an awful road trip, with arguing and detours and dodgy accommodations. But through this trip, everyone gets to deal with all of their past regrets and inner demons and actually communicate with each other. And while the death trip is sad and full of grief, we do get to see Logan and Rosemary reconcile and begin to understand each other better. Funny, heartbreaking, and so very delightful to read.

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.

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What Is Love? by Jen Comfort (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Maxine and Teddy are total opposites in terms of personality and temperament and somehow end up rivals on a popular trivia question game show. We get to see them get under each others’ skin a few times before teaming up to study together to prepare for a final tournament against a common rival. Of course with their very different study styles (super regimented for Teddy and nonexistent for Maxine), they spend most of their time arguing and then trying not to sleep with each other. Until they realize that carnal acts make great study motivators. This book was super funny and steamy and highly entertaining.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake Books via NetGalley.

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The Lady Plays with Fire by Susanna Craig (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. One of our secret columnists, Julia, has made an enemy of a certain playwright for her scathing review of one of his plays. That playwright is the pseudonym of grumpy Scottish earl Graham who prefers solitude and sarcasm. On a chance meeting at the theater, Graham and Julia meet face-to-face without knowing that the other person is their secret rival. However, they continue to run into each other in London and then Julia is trying to find out more information and subsequently influence a play that Graham is a patron of. It’s kind of messy to follow, but things heat up once they realize their attraction for each other and Graham opens up about his history. While this book felt like a slow start for me, I enjoyed seeing these two come together and how the final drama was resolved.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

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The Lady He Lost by Faye Delacour (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Lucky Ladies of London series. Naval Lieutenant Eli is back from the dead after being shipwrecked and captured by pirates to find that he has no money, no fiance, and might be questioned by his bosses about his time away from the Navy. His former friend Jane is being cold and he doesn’t quite know why, but he wants to regain her friendship and affection. Well, we find out that Eli and Jane had a strong friendship up until the point where Eli gets caught in a compromising position with Jane’s prettier and more sociable cousin Cecily and then gets engaged to that woman. Stuck doing the honorable thing and staying engaged to a woman he doesn’t like very much, he runs off and joins the Navy. It’s basically a cluster of immaturity for Eli there. Meanwhile Jane is trying to run a discreet gambling club for ladies and gain her own financial independence. Due to the meddling of too many of Jane’s family members, she and Eli end up at the same house party attending the horse races at Ascot and sort of maybe start a physical affair. But both Jane and Eli is dodgy about their feelings, leaving the other person totally unsure and insecure. This is one of those books where I’m just waiting for the characters to just talk to each other already. However, it was fun to read about Jane’s adventures in gambling and Eli’s unwavering support.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

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Make Mine a Marquess by Tina Gabrielle (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Daring Ladies series. The newly returned Marquess of Landon is out for revenge against his cousin, who seems to have orchestrated the shipwreck that left him for dead five years ago. The gross cousin spends money recklessly and is draining the estate’s funds, while also neglecting the tenants and estate repairs. Landon hopes to find evidence of his cousin’s guilt while also seducing the man’s fiancee to add further injury. Phoebe is mostly the innocent victim here, but she was apathetic enough to become engaged to the villain of the story because she wanted to avoid any type of desire or passion. However, all those repressed feelings flare back to life when she meets Landon and is instantly intrigued and attracted to him. She tries and fails to stay away from him and sees that he really is an upstanding guy, for the most part, but she doesn’t yet know that she’s being used for revenge. This was your fairly typical revenge love story and it’ll take a bit of groveling on Landon’s part to get the girl.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Once Upon the East End series. This one is a Snow White retelling, where Solomon Weiss is the innocent dandy who needs rescuing. He’s trying his absolute darndest to help his older brother achieve his ambitions, while also working at a new job with the prominent Jewish families in town, and also flirting with the rogue of a woman who saved him from being robbed. The infamous Hannah runs a pawn shop and also is an informant-for-hire to the thugs of the night. Despite her unsuitability for Sol, he pursues her anyway because he can’t seem to get her out of his mind. She’s determined to keep Sol safely away from her because her reputation will ruin his, but he’s an incorrigible flirt and succeeds in at least seducing her into a physical relationship. Things take a dangerous turn for Sol though when he gets chased into the night in what feels like more than just an ordinary robbery. While we have initial suspicions of who the villain could be, it’s still a huge let down for the ever loyal Sol.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

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Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. This one is a relatively low-drama low-angst childhood friends to lovers story. Archie is on his way to his annual guys trip with his two best friends but is detoured when he needs to rescue family friends Clementine and Olive from a rogue. Olive is the younger sister who Archie only has brotherly feelings for. Meanwhile, the outspoken and outdoorsy Clementine is someone that Archie obliviously takes all book to realize he’s in love with. We get to see these two rekindle their friendship which drifted apart as they got older as well as see this bigger friend group form a connection. While Clementine has vehemently expressed her desire to never marry, it also takes her all book to realize that Archie would be a different kind of husband and that she would get to be true to herself when she’s with him. This was a quiet slow-burn type of romance which I really enjoyed.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via Edelweiss.

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A Touch Wicked by Katrina Kendrick (2018)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 0.5 of the Private Arrangements series. Emma is looking for her sister who disappeared under mysterious circumstances and now she’s working as a lady’s maid to a stuffy earl’s sister to support herself. James is the stuffy earl who is pretty much instantly attracted to Emma and totally distracted by her, even though he says he’s looking for a proper society wife to keep his rebellious sister in line. James and Emma run into each other at a masquerade where he’s trying to put the maid out of his mind and she’s trying to find clues about her sisters whereabouts. Although James does not recognize Emma, she definitely recognizes him and tries to stay away. Except for that whole instant attraction business and they soon start a masked affair. It’s going to be a huge mess when he finds out the truth, but the mystery of Emma’s missing sister is super intriguing to read about.

Advance ebook provided by Katrina Kendrick via NetGalley.

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How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We get right to the tragic root of the problem here with chapter 1 at Helen’s younger sister’s funeral. Turns out Helen’s 16-year-old sister jumped in front of high school all-star Grant’s moving vehicle. Clearly not his fault, but still causing lots of grief and resentment for Helen and her family. Fast forward thirteen years and Helen’s book series is being adapted for television. Grant is a fairly talented screenwriter who is tapped for the job and these two meet again as co-workers. It’s awful and awkward and tragic and they somewhat come to a truce and then somehow become entangled in a physical relationship. But despite how much they actually like each other in the present-day, an actual real relationship isn’t possible with all of the animosity that Helen’s parents have towards Grant. And Helen’s the one enforcing the boundaries of their pre-planned expiration date. There’s all sorts of emotional angst and bonding here with their shared past experiences and their compatibility in the present. Add a splash of overbearing immigrant Asian parents and we have a perfect scenario for impossibilities.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm. Print book provided by Avon Books.

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My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Palace of Rogues series. Catherine is the daughter of a country doctor in London to find a husband and has an optimistic outlook for the Season while staying at the Grand Palace on the Thames. While it seems unlikely that she’ll get along with the grumpy Dominic while he’s also staying at the boarding house, he admires her cleverness and wit when they converse in secret alcoves at various balls. He’s got a sordid history and a scandalous reputation, despite his well-spokenness at Parliament defending the rights of young laborers. He’s grumpy and jaded and is definitely too old for Catherine, but he cannot help being drawn to her. Despite his own reservations, he continually finds ways to protect and care for Catherine. And his ultimate grand gesture is one for the ages here.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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A Simple Seduction by Janna MacGregor (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Millionaires of Mayfair series. Honoria is the sister of a duke who hides out in the country and avoids society because her father had cast her out as a child and also believed that she was not his child. She plans to attend a masquerade for a one night tryst before she claims her spinster status for good. And she does meet a charming and delightful man named Marcus who is attractive and makes her feel desired and safe. The problem is that he’s really an earl and her brother’s best friend. Things get complicated when they find out their true identities and get caught because Honoria is adamant that she cannot marry Marcus. Turns out the old duke had arranged for a letter claiming Honoria’s status as illegitimate to be revealed if she ever marries, so Honoria is trying to keep her siblings’ reputations intact. Despite Honoria’s hesitance, Marcus continues to try to prove that he truly cares for her. This was a fun series started and I’m excited to read more about Honoria’s family members.

Advance ebook provided by Janna MacGregor.

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The Wrath of the Marquess by Barbara Russell (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Victorian Outcasts series. Cora and Ethan have a chance meeting when they’re caught together in an earthquake, but she’s married to an abusive husband and he’s on his way out to fight pirates on behalf of the crown. Four years later, they meet again and Cora is still stuck being married to a horrible terrible no good abusive earl, even though she’s planning to run away with her teenage son when she saves enough money. Meanwhile, Ethan has inherited the title of marquess, come back a scarred war hero, and running a home for injured veterans. It’s a slow moving romance as they meet again, become friends, and then fall in love under challenging circumstances. I appreciated how kind and protective Ethan was to Cora’s son and how they become a tight-knit family unit throughout the book. Cora’s husband is the true villain of the story here and the book kept me reading to see how they’d finally be free of him.

Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber Books via NetGalley.

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

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

Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House.

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Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books Featuring a Road Trip

A Bargain with the Rake by Sadie Bosque (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Necessary Arrangements series. Evie is a duchess in her own right, but her money and estates are controlled by guardians who wants to secure the dukedom for their own immediate family. She runs away from them after overhearing a plot to marry or murder her and proposes a marriage of convenience to Gabriel, who is a renowned rake. He agrees to her bargain and they set off on the road to elope. We get to see all sorts of road trip calamities here with broken carriage axles, brigands, rainstorms, and limited shelter options. Evie tries really hard to resist any physical relationship with Gabriel, since she believes he will someday break her heart. Gabriel has had a cold childhood and upbringing so he thinks that he won’t be able to love Evie, only that he’d be able to bring her pleasure. It’s a lot of back and forth between these two in terms of their emotional relationship, but their friendship is pretty strong as they make their way towards their wedding destination. Despite Gabriel’s overly flirtatious nature, he does care for and comfort Evie the best that he can and vows to always protect her.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Saved by the Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Highland Knights series. We jump right into the drama here with Lady Emilia showing up at the Knights’ house a big bloody mess. Turns out her father has viciously whipped her after she found evidence of a treasonous plot against the crown. Sir Colin is the only man that she trusts and he’s tasked with hiding her away in Scotland until her father can be apprehended. We get a road trip romance here with both Colin and Emilia suffering from past trauma (him from his time in the war, her from her abusive father) but getting to know and trust each other. Things continue to take a dangerous turn when her father eventually catches up to them. It’s a lot of action and adventure in this one, but luckily no third-act break-ups.

Advance ebook provided by Jennifer Haymore via NetGalley.

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Surrender to Me by Sophie Jordan (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Derrings series. Lady Astrid’s fugitive of a husband left his family years ago but has been spotted in Scotland under an assumed name and ready to marry an heiress. Astrid feels responsible somehow and hies off to Scotland to confront the man. Along the way, she meets Griffin, who rescues her from highwaymen. For the most part, Astrid is trying to cling to propriety and avoid any physical or emotional entanglement with Griffin. She’s got a tragic backstory of a mother who left her family for an unsuitable man and a father who was rigid and forced her to be proper and unfeeling. Astrid believes that following any emotions will lead to ruin and scandal, so she always does what she is supposed to. Meanwhile Griffin is dealing with his own issues, but his need to protect Astrid becomes his priority. This story has Griffin being the one to pursue a physical relationship with Astrid, despite her protests and comes across as lacking in full consent, reading it now in 2023. It was still an interesting story, especially as we find out more about Griffin’s family and the shady dealings of Astrid’s husband.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Duke Buys a Bride by Sophie Jordan (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Rogue Files series. Marcus has run away from his ducal responsibilities after he catches his best friend with his stepmother in a compromising position and is on his way to his estate in the north of Scotland. On the way there, he happens across a village wife auction and buys/saves the girl who is being so crudely sold off. Alyse has been married in name only to her late father’s friend since the age of 15 and provided care of the man’s children and household. Her childhood friend was supposed to bid on her during the auction so they could start their new lives together, but that man disappeared and didn’t show up. Although she is purchased by Marcus, she has no idea who he is or if he’s trustworthy. He declares that theirs won’t really be a marriage and that he will employ her as a housekeeper at his estate. We end up embarking on a road trip romance here, traveling on horseback and stopping at various inns along the way. This book had a really interesting set up and it was nice to see Marcus slowly let down his walls and realize what a privileged life he has led thus far.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Duke’s Virgin Sister by Caroline Lee (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. Keith, the illegitimate son of an earl, is tasked with escorting Carlotta, the duke’s sister to Scotland for her sister-in-law’s birthday celebration. Carlotta is engaged to a baron who is an arrogant pompous asshole and we all just want to see him go away; he does make for some comedic lines with everyone around him calling him names behind his back. Keith is a boxer and now owner of his very own castle in Scotland and doesn’t really want to play escort here, but the duke offers him the money he will need to repair his castle. Keith and Carlotta fall for each other pretty quickly here, but he pushes her away, thinking that he will never be good enough for her due to their differences in social station. We get a little bit of road trip hijinks here with travel delays and bandits, and we do eventually learn the reason why Carlotta cannot take the train. Humor and steam in a quick and easy read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Waiting for a Scot Like You by Eva Leigh (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Union of the Rakes series. Beatrice, the widowed Lady Farris, and Major Duncan McCameron had met in Book 2 of the series, and there was a hint of exasperation on Duncan’s part with Beatrice’s antics. We find them here on a road trip together: Beatrice is en route to a debaucherous house party while Duncan has been tasked by his duke friend to protect her. They’re also complete opposites in personality: Beatrice is out of mourning and plans to enjoy her freedom and widowhood, grasping at every opportunity to enjoy life and learn more about her surroundings; Duncan is the second son of nobleman, war veteran, and a serious rule-follower. As these two grow closer together, it’s exciting to see Duncan soften and skirt away from the rules bit by bit. I loved this book and the whole series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Six Degrees of Scandal by Caroline Linden (2016)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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About an Earl by Diana Lloyd (2020)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Book 2 of the What Happens in the Ballroom series. Julianna attempts to prevent her cousin from compromising an earl into marriage but gets caught kissing him herself. Oliver is a scarred reclusive earl that is not often seen in society. After the scandal, Julianna’s uncle packs her up and sends her to Scotland without entertaining Oliver’s offer of marriage. Oliver chases after her to offer protection, but finds his own troubles when he returns to his country estate. Apparently, as the scarred and reclusive gentleman, his claim to the House of Lords and his sanity is being questioned. Julianna tries to help by declaring them engaged, but she’s about ready to jump back on a ship to the Americas to rescue her imprisoned father. There’s a ton of different nefarious plots going on here with both parties being insecure in the other person’s affections, but it was still entertaining overall.

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

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When the Duke Loved Me by Lydia Lloyd (2023)

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

Advance ebook provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley.

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How to Best a Marquess by Janna MacGregor (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Widow Rules series. The prologue consists of a very charming proposal from Julian to Beth, but things didn’t quite turn out the way they expected. Eight years later, Beth is now one of three widows of a duke’s younger brother, and was not in fact married to the scoundrel at all. In a quest to recover her lost dowry and get away from her older brother’s influence, she seeks out the destitute Julian, now a marquess, for assistance, offering him half the money in payment. We follow with a road trip and second chance romance, though Beth is adamant that she never marry and she knows that her reputation will be detrimental to the honorable Julian’s reputation. Julian however just wants to convince Beth that he’s sorry for walking away all those years ago when her brother denied his proposal and that he’s still in love with her. I mostly empathized with poor Julian there who just can’t catch a break. And of course all of those road trip adventures are a fun read as well.

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

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What a Wallflower Wants by Maya Rodale (2014)

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

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. This book deals with August’s younger sister Violet and Evan’s best friend Christian in a road trip escape from the suitor that Violet’s parents have selected for her. Believing that she is safe from her parents’ meddling now that her sister has settled with the duke in Book 1, Violet is caught off guard when she realizes that her father has agreed to a match with a viscount. She plans to run away and is aided by an earl, Christian, who has his own designs on her and hopes to force a marriage when they’re caught together. Of course, during the trip, these two actually talk and get to know each other, so Christian feels guilty for his planned betrayal. Violet is also opening up to the idea of marriage, since she feels so connected to Christian. In the background, Violet is working on writing a novel and has based her main hero on Christian without him realizing it. This book has all the calamities you would expect in a road trip novel plus the added dread of uncovering Christian’s deception. We also introduce the pairing on Violet’s brother Maxwell with her friend Lady Helena when they team up to chase after the runaway pair.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

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Sutherland Scandals Historical Romance Book Series by Anna Bradley

A Wicked Way to Win an Earl by Anna Bradley (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Sutherland Scandals series. Delia and her sister Lily are on their way to a house party when their carriage breaks down and Delia comes across a man rutting with a woman against a tree. Well, it turns out that man is Alec, the earl and host of the house they’re going to. We see Alec and Delia immediately at odds, with Delia believing him to be more of a rogue than he lets on and Alec believing her to be a title and fortune-hunting lady wanting to trap his brother in marriage. They’re both wrong and drawn to each other. And somehow they each independently decide to seduce each other for sport. Which of course does not go well because there’s some old family scandal with her mother and his father and the fact that Alec is supposed to be courting some other proper young miss. I’m not quite sure how their animosity here turns into love, but there it is.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Season of Ruin by Anna Bradley (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Sutherland Scandals series. We start off with a potential scandal almost immediately when Robyn is waiting for his planned dalliance to come to a secluded room and Lily mistakenly enters it looking for the ladies’ retiring room. Rogue that Robyn is, he immediately kisses the woman in the dark, not realizing that he’s got the innocent young debutante his family is hosting for the season and not the seasoned married woman he planned to meet. Oops. Lily resists at first, then gives in, and then resists again, and she’s hoping to get away from Robyn before he realizes who she is. No luck there. In addition to that, news of the indiscretion hits the scandal sheets the next day and Lily is essentially ruined. While Robyn’s sisters try to mitigate the damage, he’s unconcerned and does not realize how awful things are for Lily. And then he makes them worse by waltzing with her when she doesn’t have permission to waltz. Robyn is chaotic and takes nothing seriously, and Lily is pretty much afraid of any sort of strong emotions, preferring to keep things neat and orderly and controlled. These two are clearly opposites and ill-suited, but they’re also intensely attracted to each other and bring out all sorts of heightened emotions. Both have a lot to overcome in the personal hang-ups department before they can make a real relationship work.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

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Who’s Olive?



Hi, I'm Olivia, aka Olive. I'm always trying out random crafts and things... so this blog shows the evolution of all the stuff I'm interested in.

Hobby Timeline:
2014-2015: Photography, digital scrapbooking
2015-2017: Brush lettering
2018-2021: Crochet
2021-present: Romance book reading

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