Weekly Reads: December 9 to 15, 2024

Undercover with the Heiress by Alivia Fleur (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Tales from Honeysuckle Street series. Rosanna is a hotel heiress who is almost about to be engaged to a younger son of a lord, but then gets caught in a compromising situation with her stodgy neighbor instead. Phineas is not your average bank clerk but actually secretly investigating some sort of financial fraudster and Rosanna has now become entangled with someone dangerous. He marries her to protect her reputation and her person, even though the union is in name only. He hopes to solve the case and then set her free. Except Rosanna and Phineas are actually fairly attracted to each other, despite their opposite personalities. It was fun watching them learn to work together, to coexist, and to see the sparks fly. Best scene of the book goes to Phineas being super sweet to Rosanna’s younger brother.

Advance ebook provided by Alivia Fleur via BookSirens.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Vine Mess series. Natalie and August have been at odds upon first meeting, most likely because he said something boneheaded to thwart a potential one night stand. Now, a couple months later, August has run out of money trying to make his late best friend’s vineyard dreams come true. As he’s about to leave town, Natalie comes to him with a proposition. She needs access to her trust fund and her father has put an archaic clause that requires that she be married. She proposes a marriage of convenience to August so she can get the money she needs to start her own investment company and August will look like an upstanding stable guy to get a small business loan for his vineyard. Of course, the underlying burning attraction between them leads to all sorts of angry flirting and seductive games. August is basically your bumbling golden retriever, but when he goes into Navy SEAL mode, it’s all sorts of appealing for Natalie (and the reader). Emotional, funny, flirty, and steamy.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by HarperCollins via TikTokShop.

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

No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Greycourt series. Elspeth and Julian are total opposites and also keeping secrets from each other. She’s looking for some ancient diary that’s hidden at one of his family estates and he’s just doing his best to keep his evil uncle from harming his sisters. There’s some terrible tragic backstory between their families from a decade ago, which causes Julian to be terribly wary of Elspeth. She’s all bright smiles and sunshine though and almost convinces Julian to let down his guard. He’s keeping secrets about his bedroom inclination (but it sure is steamy once Elspeth gets involved). Twisty and turny and there’s definitely an assassination attempt thrown in.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Print book provided by Forever Books. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Surprised Dukes’ Heirs by Caroline Lee (2024)

Historical romance. Quick novella to serve as a bridge between the Surprise! Dukes series and Surprise Heirs series. It’s really just kind of an extended epilogue where we catch up with all the characters from the Surprise! Dukes series. This will make very little sense if you haven’t read that series. Everyone is gathered around at the holidays five years after the last book of the series. We’re pretty much just re-introduced to the nearly adult kiddos so we know who they are in the next generation series.

Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.

The Marquess Returns by Jane Maguire (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Rockliffe Dynasty series. This one starts as your typical governess romance with the Marquess of Rockliffe hiring Phoebe to care for his sullen daughter Emily. She’s formed a connection with the girl and tries to bring father and daughter closer together, but there’s some underlying scandal that she’s not privy to. Nicholas feels more like himself and less like a lord when he’s with Phoebe, so naturally, they start a dalliance. But then Nicolas’s interfering mother shows up, Phoebe’s drunkard cousin believes himself to be her betrothed, and then we get so many more twists and turns. I loved that these two were able to open and honest with each other about their pasts and find a way to work through them through direct communication.

Advance ebook provided by Jane Maguire via BookSprout.