Weekly Reads: January 13 to 19, 2025

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Paris. Book 3 of the Las Leonas series. Our grumpy stuffy doctor friend Aurora gets her romance here with Apollo, the half-brother of Evan from Book 1 of the series. The set-up here is mostly a no-strings attached affair, since Aurora is busy running her illegal women’s clinics and Apollo is trying to cement his place into the English aristocracy. Except they catch all sorts of feelings and are insanely protective of each other. We get all sorts of drama in the form of Aurora’s traumatic past and Apollo’s political ambitions, which is interesting to read about. The book is super steamy, and I especially loved Apollo’s caretaking of Aurora. Great conclusion to the Las Leonas series.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Collins via NetGalley.

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Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Big Shots series. Super fun golfer-fangirl/caddy romance here. Josephine is Wells’ biggest fan. Even though he’s been terrible at the game for years. And she’s really the only reason why he’s been hanging on, even though he really wants to quit. He finally does get fed up and quit, but two weeks later, there’s a hurricane that blows through Florida and he’s concerned about Josephine’s well-being and somehow he ends up back playing golf with her as his caddy. Josephine really does love golf and has been running her family’s pro shop, but the hurricane devastated the place and she doesn’t have the money (or insurance) to fix it up. She won’t take charity from Wells, but she will take that high-paying job. The flirting and banter and steam here is top-notch, even though they try to resist each other due to their workplace relationship. It’s funny and emotional and such a good book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Sapphire Heiress by Ella Leon (2025)

Historical Fantasy Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Silver Order series. Mae was the daughter of a wealthy ship merchant, until her family loses all their money, her father and brother pass away, and now she’s the governess to the new occupants who bought her family’s house. And somehow she gets tangled up in a treasure hunt that her neighbor (who mysteriously has not aged in thirty years) and some other villain is undertaking at her home. Ethan was a pirate who sailed with Mae’s father until they became enemies once upon a time and he’s trying to reclaim a sapphire that he believes that her father had hidden in his vaults. Ethan and Mae have an instant attraction for each other, though she is definitely wary of him. I’d say this book is a lot more action-adventure than romance, with the treasure hunt and running from danger taking forefront of the story. Still, really enjoyable read.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Unromance by Erin Connor (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. We start with a bang here with an elevator meet-cute and a one-night-stand for Sawyer and Mason. And then we find out that Mason is a famous actor who is being maligned in the press for a string of break-ups (none of which were his fault) and Sawyer is a romance novelist who is having major writers’ block. When they run into each other again, they decide to strike a deal where they hang out with each other doing cheesy romantic things so that Mason can desensitize himself from being a total romantic and so that Sawyer can find inspiration for their writing. And of course, they have a list of rules to go with their deal. The rules are clearly going to go out the window as these two people spend time together and get all emotionally entangled (on top of the physical attraction that started this whole thing). This book was both emotional and super funny and steamy all at once. The flirty witty banter was so much fun to read, plus all their meddlesome friends made a great supporting cast.

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

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins (1996)

Historical romance. Pre-Civil War Michigan. Standalone novel. If you haven’t read this book before, you need to. It’s heavy and emotional and romantic all at once. Hester is a former slave who now lives in Michigan and provides shelter for runaways headed north to Canada. She helps treat the injured Galen (a well-known and wanted conductor known as the Black Daniel) when he is nearly stabbed and beaten to death. As she tends to him, their relationship changes from a tenuous friendship to something more. It’s definitely a slow-burn romance layered on top of the fight against slavery. We get loads more drama and danger in the form of a cruel slave catcher and a potential traitor in town. I appreciated how Galen wanted so much to protect Hester, make her smile, and then provide safety and security for her. Learning both Hester and Galen’s backstories were heartbreaking, but I loved seeing him fall for her so hard.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Duke of Luhst by Mariah Stone (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Fairly typical brother’s best friend romance here between Lucien and Chastity. Lucien is a terrible rake who seeks to comfort his own loneliness with willing bed partners. He’s always had a soft spot for his best friend’s sister Chastity, but has been adamantly warned away by her brother. Chastity seeks to stay a plain and unremarkable spinster scientist, but she’s trying to get her research acknowledged by the local hospital. Somehow Lucien and Chastity end up in a wager with each other during a house party, where he has to maintain celibacy and she needs to be more sociable. Clearly, these two are headed for a romance of their own, but their very different goals and personalities may become a hindrance. This was a quick read for me, with the house party moving swiftly, and lots of drama from external players.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.