Book Reviews | Random Olive

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Weekly Reads: April 7 to 13, 2025

Apr 15, 2025

When Sparks Fly by Sabrina Jeffries (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4.5 of the School for Heiresses series. Quick little Christmas novella. Wealthy heiress Ellie is traveling with her aunt and young cousins home for Christmas when her aunt is in a carriage accident and injures her ankle. They whole crew need to stay with the nearby grumpy baron, Martin, who has a terrible reputation after the death of his brother. He’s a total grump, feels guilty over his brother’s death, and would rather be experimenting with explosives to help the miners who work on his land. But he’s totally drawn to Ellie, despite his original misconceptions about her. It’s a quick burn romance here for these two and very fun to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Second chance romance time after crashing on a deserted island. Piper is on her way to her best friend’s destination wedding and a cancelled flight puts her on a private plane with her ex-boyfriend Wyatt piloting. And then they crash and are stuck together on an island til rescue can come. Awkward. But also gives them a chance to actually talk to each other and make-up. We get a split of present-day and past-day chapters, all from Piper’s POV, so we get to slowly see how they got together as high schoolers and then we slowly see how they become more comfortable around each other on the island. Between the survival terror and the emotional angst here, it makes for a higher-stakes read than most contemporary romances. I enjoyed it and thought that Wyatt’s caretaking of Piper was really nice. Spice level is fade-to-black.

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

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

A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. A quick little trip to spy on Meg’s future husband has turned into total disaster in this very funny historical rom-com. Basically, Lady Meg is in an arranged marriage to a duke with a terrible reputation, so she and her aunt Clara go playing a part of a lady and companion to visit the duke’s estate. Except James is a grumbly sort of duke who is not interested in playing tour guide, so he pretends to be the butler and introduces his man of business Elliot as the duke. We have four different people pretending to be someone they’re not, and it all gets worse when Meg injures her ankle and they have to stay there (and keep up their roles for two weeks). And of course, we get a double romance here with Clara and Elliot pairing off and Meg and James growing closer together, no one knowing the other person’s true identity. It’s mostly funny and sweet and an enjoyable read, especially since we get to see all four characters POVs along the way.

Advance ebook provided by Bramble via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Dreamscape Media.

Once Upon a Midwinter’s Kiss by Fenna Edgewood (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Gardner Girls series. So much drama and danger! Gracie is traveling alone to visit some family friends when her carriage driver is attacked, the carriage overturns, and she is injured and alone in the snowy forest. She finds her way to the nearest shelter and taken in by the local lord, but they believe her to be a boy because she is dressed in the driver’s clothes. The housekeeper suggests to Gracie to keep up the ruse of being a boy, so she meets Linden, the baron of the castle, as Grayson. There’s definitely a spark of attraction between them, which mostly confuses Linden, but he also feels guilty because he’s kinda sorta engaged to the woman his parents supposedly arranged for him to marry. There’s of course the mystery of how his parents died all those years ago, but it’s pretty clear that the overbearing steward is a prime suspect for the reader. Lots of twists and turns as the mystery gets unraveled, but luckily the romance part is easy and delightful. Loved this story.

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

Mistletoe Journey by Fenna Edgewood (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4.5 of the Gardner Girls series. Quick and steamy novella with 50+ year old leads. Widowed Caroline Gardner and Captain John Merriweather are traveling together to go meet John’s new ward. There’s been a bit of simmering attraction for each other for awhile now as they’ve spent the holidays with the extended Gardner family, and they finally get a chance to act on that attraction while stuck in a small village during a snowstorm. This one is a bonus story free on the author’s website, so it’s nice and quick to read. Loved seeing this older couple find love together.

Ebook free from author’s website.

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Wilmot Sisters series. Juliet is all sorts of reluctant around romance after ending a toxic relationship last year, but she keeps crossing paths with Will as if it’s fated. Plus, he’s completely awkward at romance too, and somehow feels safe to Juliet. They strike up a deal to help each other practice flirting and dating. And of course they fall for each other along the way. The plot here was fairly straightforward and fun to see them interacting with their larger friend group. Sweet and humorous and steamy all in one.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Ten Reasons to Stay by Sabrina Jeffries (2013)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2.5 of the School for Heiresses series. Quick little novella. Eliza is running away from her uncle guardian who means to marry her off to his friend. She tries to borrow a horse from the new earl’s stable, not realizing he’s in residence. Colin is newly arrived to his estate from India and distrustful of almost everything. There’s a lot of verbal sparring between Eliza and Colin as he tries to high-handedly protect her, but also scare her about the dangers of men. It’s an insta-lust, steamy novella here, with a neat and tidy happily ever after.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: March 31 to April 6, 2025

Apr 8, 2025

Let Sleeping Rogues Lie by Sabrina Jeffries (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the School for Heiresses series. Anthony is a wicked gentleman who has just inherited a viscount title and wants to gain custody of his niece away from his cruel aunt and uncle. He tries to get the niece enrolled at a reputable girls’ school, but his terrible reputation and looming custody battle make all the schools wary of taking her on. Madeline is a teacher at Mrs. Harris’ school and somehow manages to negotiate a deal for Anthony, where he cleans up his act and gives rake lessons to the girls at the school so they know what to avoid. She has her own ulterior motives because she needs to meet one of Anthony’s scientist friends to help her own father’s dire situation. It’s all a muddle with lies and secret keeping (mostly on Madeline’s part) and of course Anthony is trying his best to seduce Madeline in the meantime. This book had the perfect blend of external conflict with the slow burn romance between our main characters. Loved seeing Anthony start to sober up and take care of his responsibilities.

Ebook and audiobook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited

The Duke and Lady Scandal by Christy Carlyle (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Princes of London series. Super fun adventure-type romance between an outspoken bluestocking and a gruff Scotland Yard inspector. Alexandra (Allie to her friends and family) has been left behind to run the family antique shop while her siblings are off on an excavation and she overhears some possibly nefarious plotting at the coffee shop next door. She’s instantly off to Scotland Yard to warn someone and instantly connects with Ben, the serious inspector she meets there. Ben’s pretty much the only person to take her seriously, so she’s extra impressed by him. It’s most definitely instant attraction for both of these two, but they’re doing their best to keep things professional. Somehow, they end up entangled with each other through this mystery and have to team up to put all their clues together. Really enjoyable read.

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

Better Hate than Never by Chloe Liese (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Wilmot Sisters series. This book dragged for me a little, but it was still entertaining. This series feels like a low-drama, typical contemporary romance, where the only thing happening is two people learning to communicate with each other. Kate and Christopher have known each other their whole lives, being next door neighbors and all, but Christopher does not have any brotherly affection for Kate at all. He’s basically trying to suppress his own attraction and longing for her because of his own worries and anxieties about commitment and her nomadic lifestyle. Kate pretty much hates everything about Christopher’s straight-laced non-risk-taking life, but it’s mostly because she doesn’t try to get to know him either. It’s all a big huge mess of Christopher attempting to distance himself from Kate, not realizing that he’s hurt her in the process. It’s a bit rough watching them both try to communicate directly and second-guessing themselves along the way. Still, the steaminess is great, and once Christopher stops being an ass, he’s really very sweet and thoughtful.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Lady Who Left by Ginny B Moore (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Flower Sisters series. Loads of drama and angst with this book. Marigold is tired of being talked down to and takes a stand against her husband when he wants to send her sweet son off to a cruel school. She’s looking to divorce the man, but knows her case is shaky. She’s lucky that her new barrister, Archie, is so tenacious. She’s less lucky that they’re both attracted to each other and need to fight their feelings to keep things professional. Archie is super sweet and outgoing and charming, and also very protective of Marigold. Watching these two fall in love is an absolute delight. I loved how he was interested in almost anything that Marigold talks about and believes that she deserves care and love. He’s also absolutely amazing with her sons and treated them with so much respect. Loved this book.

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B Moore.

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Hellions of Havisham Historical Romance Book Series by Lorraine Heath

Apr 7, 2025

Falling Into Bed with a Duke by Lorraine Heath (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Hellions of Havisham series. Tragic prologue for a group of young boys orphaned by a train accident and sent to live with a mad marquess. As the boys grow up, they’re known as the Hellions, giving the name to this series. Minerva (daughter of a former gambling hell owner) and the Duke of Ashebury end up meeting at a scandalous club where ladies attend to find trysts. She figures she’s an outspoken overlooked spinster who refuses to marry a fortune-hunter and she wants to feel desired for once in her life. There, she encounters Ashe, who does actually want her, without knowing who she is. When they encounter each other in society, Ashe starts suspecting Minerva of being the masked woman he met at the club and is completely intrigued by her. I loved how he appreciates her outspokenness and candor and how he comes to her defense when he overhears people speaking ill of her. There’s a lot of insecurity for Minerva to overcome though, so Ashe has his work cut out for him in his pursuit of her. As I do with most books by Lorraine Heath, I loved it.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Hellions of Havisham series. This book is a reputation in the historical romance space and with good reason. Twin brothers Albert and Edward were orphaned as children, making Albert the earl at age 7. When they go on a safari together, Albert is tragically killed by a gorilla and he extracts a deathbed promise from Edward to pretend to be him so that his pregnant wife Julia waiting at home does not suffer a miscarriage. We start the book pretty much at the funeral of “Edward” and the countess worrying over how distant her husband has been since his return. It’s all sorts of angsty here right off the bat, since she doesn’t know her actual husband has died, she’s feeling insecure about her changed appearance during pregnancy, and her husband is acting strange. Edward is basically scared of any wrong move harming Julia and the baby and fighting his attraction for her. Huge mess of confusing emotions throughout the entire book and such a great read. This one is required reading for all historical romance fans.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Viscount and the Vixen by Lorraine Heath (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Hellions of Havisham series. Viscount Locksley is not interested in falling in love, since it drove his father mad when his mother died in childbirth. And then Portia shows up at the front door answering the mad marquess’ advertisement for a wife. Locke wants to spare his father the trouble of dealing with a fortune and title-hungry schemer, so he marries her himself. It’s a quick marriage of convenience here with the aim of bedsport and making an heir. However, Locke soon realizes that Portia is not exactly what she seems and he becomes highly possessive and intrigued by her. Portia is doing her best to find security within the walls of the dusty old manor house. I liked seeing the slow development of real feelings between these two and also how Portia brings the manor back to life. I also enjoyed uncovering Portia’s secrets along with Locke and finding out just why the security of the country was so important to her.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

When the Marquess Falls by Lorraine Heath (2017)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3.5 of the Hellions of Havisham series. Quick novella telling the backstory of the Marquess of Marden’s romance with his beloved Linnie. We get some peaks of this romance in the previous book, but this one expands a bit and ties together with the set-up of the whole series. It’s a pretty straightforward romance here with George, the marquess, falling in love with Linnie, the baker’s daughter and his childhood friend. He’s got to overcome his mother’s disapproval, but it’s easy enough to do with how much he loves Linnie. Heads up that the plot does include the childbirth of Locke that leads to Linnie’s death, plus a retelling of the prologue of the first book (where the orphaned boys come to the manor) but from Marden’s point of view.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

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

Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

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

Weekly Reads: March 24 to 30, 2025

Apr 1, 2025

The Seafaring Lady’s Guide to Love by Fenna Edgewood (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Gardner Girls series. Rosalind Gardner is ready to set off on her adventure, so she’s at the docks getting ready to set sail. Except that when she goes to purchase her passage, the clerk says that the man who was previously there bought all the cabins. And then the reckless Rosalind tells the clerk that it’s no problem since she’s married to the man who just left. She figures she can just sneak onto the ship, reimburse the man, and then enjoy her journey across. Except Philip is a grumpy widower and a bit sensitive about the subject of a wife, and he’s the owner of the ship. It’s a lot of gruff and grumbly banter between Rosalind and Philip, despite the clear attraction they have. Also, get ready to hear Philip’s tragic backstory and an exciting brush with pirates. Super action-packed book that was very fun to read.

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

Beware a Scot’s Revenge by Sabrina Jeffries (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the School for Heiresses series. Lady Venetia is visiting Scotland with her aunt, after having been living in London for many years, and promptly gets kidnapped by her childhood neighbor Lachlan. He’s got a rivalry with her father over some unpaid debts and is trying to use Venetia for ransom. But it’s way more complicated than that because Lachlan and Venetia keep switching between yelling at each other and lusting at each other. This is one of those stories where Lachlan is the one who needs to get over himself and his need for vengeance if he wants to have a true relationship with Venetia.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Muscles & Monsters by Ashley Bennett (2022)

Paranormal romance. Book 1 of the Leviathan Fitness series. I had heard of this series before, but hadn’t gotten around to reading it yet. But then I heard this week that the series got picked up for traditional publishing and I figured I’d read the indie version on Kindle Unlimited while I still could. We basically have an insta-love situation between a human baker, Tegan, and a wolven gym owner, Atlas. Super cute flirty banter, heavy steam, and small town charm. This one is a really quick read in its current edition, with a smidge of set-up for the town, but really, it’s just Tegan and Atlas very quickly falling for each other. Really cute and definitely looking forward to reading more.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Taming of Jessi Rose by Beverly Jenkins (1999)

Historical romance. Post-Civil War Texas. Standalone novel. Loads of drama here in all the best ways. Jessi is trying to keep hold of her land when a villain in town is trying to buy up everyone’s land to sell to the railroad. She’s the last holdout and the town is fairly hostile. Griffin is a train robbing outlaw sent to protect her in exchange for freedom from prison. He gives off the pompous air of incompetence, so it’s a nice surprise when he turns out to be pretty resourceful. I loved seeing Griffin slowly start to break down Jessi’s walls and also start to find a home to settle into. Their relationship was most definitely a delicious slow-burn amongst the danger surrounding them. Loved this book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

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Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

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

New Releases for March 2025 – Historical Romance and Contemporary Romance Books

Mar 27, 2025

The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett (2025)

Historical Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Damsels of Discovery series. Combine an emotionally traumatized exiled scientist with an upbeat and fairly emotionally happy kind of guy, and we get this absolute gem of a book. Phoebe is back in the country to deal with her late father’s estate, after having been exiled off to America for inventing a bomb that killed someone. She’s all sorts of detached and cold to everyone around her, and we learn that it’s because of her horribly abusive father. Somehow, the wealthy shop owner and newspaper owner Sam gets involved in her affairs, first by offering to buy her house and second by trying to court her sister. Sam’s just trying to improve his overall station in life and thinks a titled wife is the way to do it. But of course, Sam is more interested in Phoebe than anything else and wants to soothe all of her hurts. Tons of emotional angst here as we dig up all of Phoebe’s traumas and come to some resolution. Excellent read.

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

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 4 of the Dream Harbor series. Loved this super cute and steamy single dad-nanny romance. Archer has just found out that he’s the father to a five year old girl whose mother had recently passed away. He’s way out of his depth as a father since he needed to uproot his life as a chef in Paris to move to the small town of Dream Harbor. And he has no idea what he’s doing with the kid. He hires Iris as the new live-in nanny, and she also has no idea what she’s doing with the kid. She basically has zero experience but she’s needs the money and a free place to live. And of course, the physical attraction and tension between Iris and Archer is high. Though they’re both starting to catch real feelings, especially as a built-in family unit. Iris is the skittish one here and needs to overcome her fears of commitment, while Archer has done a fairly good job of warming up to his new life. Loved this addition to the series.

Advance ebook provided by Harper360 via NetGalley.

The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffiths (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. I almost missed out on reading this book because I did not realize it was a historical romance. The cover design is fresh and fun but kind of confusing for which genre the book belongs in. Anyway, we have Anna, a socially awkward daughter of an earl who lives with her maternal grandfather and pretty much hates going to balls and parties. And then her grandfather dies and turns out he only leaves her the house, horses, and stables if she marries the earl next door. Julian is doing his best to do his duty and fulfill his obligation but he certainly does not want to marry Anna and thinks that the whole thing is a trap. But then he actually spends time with her and is honestly intrigued and a little bit smitten. And he’s terrible at communicating and she thinks he’s just courting her for duty-bound reasons, even though he kisses her every chance he gets. It’s basically all chaos in a book with an inheritance clause, a somewhat arranged match, and lack of communication. I enjoyed this book a lot and couldn’t wait to see how they resolved their issues.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Midsummer Night’s Duke by Colleen Kelly (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novella. Steamy and emotional one-night stand romance between a duke and an actress. Basically, Bitty and Rex meet each other on the road at an inn, have a wonderful night together, and go their separate ways. But of course they can’t stop thinking about each other, even though Bitty is about to be a respectable teacher at a girls’ school and Rex needs to get on with business as a duke. Neither of them know who the other person is, so are totally shocked when Rex shows up to visit his sister at school and finds Bitty there as her teacher. Awkward. But also, fortunate because they can rekindle their relationship, despite it being a terrible idea. Full of steam and sweetness and longing. Loved it.

Advance ebook provided by Colleen Kelly.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Be prepared for lots of angst here. Brooke is a ghostwriter after being unable to graduate school for reasons we will find out later in the book. She’s co-writing her mentor’s memoir and decides to go out on the hiking trail the mentor founded to get some more perspective for her next revisions. Problem is that her ex-boyfriend Jack is also on the trip as a the photographer. The book is told from both Brooke and Jack’s POV, with chapters switching between present-day and the past development (and dissolution) of their relationship. I liked reading about their adventures on the hiking trail and all the elements that they had to overcome. There was a lot of time for Brooke and Jack to each self-reflect on their goals and dreams in life and how they might be able to make a relationship work this time around. It was also interesting to read the chapters from the past and how their relationship was both fated and doomed from the start. The story also gets a bit teary as we deal with the mentor’s illness and how that is shared (or not shared) with our main characters. Great story, but you have to be in the mood for it.

Advance ebook provided by Harlequin Books via NetGalley.

Our Dear Miss H. Is on the Case by Violet Marsh (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Connected to the previous historical romance by Violet Marsh. Loved this caper of a romance. Georgiana is the sister of an earl and spinster who is an antiquarian who digs for artefacts. Her cousin Percy usually takes the credit for all the work, since she won’t be taken seriously as a woman. But when she overhears her brother trying to broker a marriage for her to an unknown marquess, she’ll do her best to escape the situation. On top of that, her cousin has gone missing and she needs help figuring out what happened to him. Alexander is one of Percy’s friends, so he quickly volunteers to help, and we get a load of adventure as these two take on the town and beyond. Oh, and Alexander also happens to be the marquess that Georgiana is trying to avoid. He has his own problems with a father who hates him and tries to dictate his life, so he’s also trying to avoid an unwanted marriage. But of course, these two complement each other quite well, so it’s only a matter of time before they fall in love.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio via NetGalley.

The Earl’s Gamble by Stevie Sparks (2025)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 1 of the Lovers’ Arch series. Quick and steamy novella. Widowed Rose is at the workhouse after falling into some tough circumstances after the death of her husband and her brother. While at the garden to honor what would be her brother’s birthday, she meets Griff, who served in the war with her brother and also there to pay tribute to the fallen man. And it turns out he’s an earl with plenty of money and power to help Rose get back on her feet. So he brings her home and almost certainly falls in love with her, despite the differences in their social station. We get a scheming butler thrown in the mix for some drama, but it’s still a quick read.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

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

Weekly Reads; March 17 to 23, 2025

Mar 25, 2025

The Bastard Heir by Harper St. George (2025)

Historical romance. American West. Book 2 of the Gilded West series. Caroline is not happy about her parents’ stipulation that she get married before going to medical school, but she’ll deal with that after her trip out West for a family wedding. Except she runs into a bit of danger on the train and gets entangled with an outlaw, who just happens to be the brother of the groom at the wedding she’s attending. Castillo wants to make sure Caroline keeps quiet about his dual-identity, and she bargains with him to snag a fake courtship so her parents will stop nagging about marriage. But of course, these two are intensely attracted to each other, despite their very different goals in life. It’s high drama and high steam in this quick read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Only a Duke Will Do by Sabrina Jeffries (2006)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the School for Heiresses series. This one will make a little more sense if you’ve also read To Pleasure a Prince, because Simon and Louisa feature quite a bit with that book. Basically, in the previous book, Simon was courting Louisa at the King’s request in exchange for political favors; she figures out the deception and uses her influence as the King’s natural daughter to have Simon sent to India. We start this book seven years later, Simon has returned, and the King is still playing tricks with him. Simon renews his attentions on Louisa, but she’s more wary now. Plus, she has the added fear of childbirth because her half-sister Princess Charlotte died during the process. It’s mostly a redemption story for Simon here, since Louisa is already pretty awesome. Loved seeing him soften for real and learn to stand on his own morals, rather than the political jockeying that he’s accustomed to.

Ebook and audiobook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited

Mistakes Not to Make When Avoiding a Rake by Fenna Edgewood (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Gardner Girls series. Claire and Thomas do not make good first impressions of each other, mostly because the stuck-up Thomas is wary of females in general. But he seems to always be coming to Claire’s rescue, even if she is irritated by him. This story takes place primarily in a small country village, so everyone is up in everyone else’s business and gossip plays a big role in the misunderstandings between Claire and Thomas. This book is a pretty close Pride and Prejudice retelling with a few little shifts on the character relationships. I liked seeing the angry banter between Claire and Thomas and him realizing he was an arse most of the time. Definitely an entertaining read.

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

Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Wilmot Sisters series. Everyone gets off on the wrong foot here when autistic Bea and anxious Jamie are pushed towards each other at a party. He basically says the wrong thing all the time, coming off as an arrogant jerk when he’s really just tongue-tied, and Bea is the ultimate klutz that night spilling drinks on Jamie multiple times. Despite the horrible meet-disaster, their meddling friends and family trick them into a date. So Bea proposes they fake-date and then break up as revenge for the meddling friend group. And of course, in the time they spend together, they realize they’re a perfect fit. This book had so much cute witty banter, plenty of steam, and I loved how Bea and Jamie understood each other so well once they opened up to each other.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To All the Earls I’ve Loved Before by Fenna Edgewood (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Gardner Girls series. Widowed Gwendolen is in a whole heap of trouble, being threatened by one man and being evicted by another. Luckily, a duke named Angel is ready to save the day by proposing a marriage of convenience. He’s the ultimate himbo character with a bit of a carefree foolish demeanor, but his protective instincts are spot on. He’s basically the best sort of man, offering his name and home and all his worldly resources to protect Gwendolen and her five-year-old son. Even though they’ve agreed on a marriage in name only, it’s so easy for these two to fall in love and desire more from each other. Lots of twists and turns here with the villain of Gwendolen’s story and how more information is revealed as the story proceeds. Loved this one.

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

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Celestial Kingdom Fantasy Romance Series by Sue Lynn Tan

Mar 20, 2025

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan (2022)

Fantasy romance. Book 1 of the Celestial Kingdom series. Epic fantasy told from the perspective of Xingyin, the daughter of the fabled Moon Goddess who stole the Elixir of Immortality from her husband and imprisoned on the moon. Well, apparently, in the process of drinking the elixir to save her and her daughter’s life, the moon goddess did not tell anyone of Xingyin’s existence. When the Celestial Empress comes to visit and investigate a disturbance of magic on the moon, Xingyin is forced to flee before she can be discovered. She ends up right in the heart of the Celestial Kingdom, first serving as a lady’s maid, and then becoming the friend and companion to Prince Liwei. We get to watch Xingyin’s knowledge, power, and skill grow as she navigates both political and dangerous territory. Tons of action and adventure taking place over many years, all with the goal of eventually re-uniting with and freeing her mother. There’s a love triangle afoot here as Xingyin’s relationship with Prince Liwei blossoms and a newcomer joins the scene. However, the romance is very much secondary to Xingyin’s personal growth and quest. Loved it!

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by Harper Collins via TikTok Shop.

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan (2022)

Fantasy romance. Book 2 of the Celestial Kingdom series. We continue where the last book left off, but peace is a fragile thing with more treachery threatening the Celestial Kingdom. I loved how we revisit so many of the beloved characters from Book 1, but there is much heartbreak as we fight the evil villain here. The love triangle is still triangulating up til the very end here, but these characters are busy fighting villains, so the romance is very much a background plotline. I loved this book as much as the first one and couldn’t put it down.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Tales of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan (2024)

Fantasy romance. Book 3 of the Celestial Kingdom series. Consider this book a collection of bonus chapters and an epilogue for the Celestial Kingdom duology. We get a bunch of chapters from different characters’ perspectives, taking place before, during, and after the events of the first two books. There is a bunch of artwork embedded into the chapters, so I recommend picking up the ebook or physical book. Super fun addition to the series. And of course, the epilogue from Xingyin’s perspective ties the whole thing up.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

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Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!

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

Weekly Reads: March 10 to 16, 2025

Mar 18, 2025

The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffiths (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. I almost missed out on reading this book because I did not realize it was a historical romance. The cover design is fresh and fun but kind of confusing for which genre the book belongs in. Anyway, we have Anna, a socially awkward daughter of an earl who lives with her maternal grandfather and pretty much hates going to balls and parties. And then her grandfather dies and turns out he only leaves her the house, horses, and stables if she marries the earl next door. Julian is doing his best to do his duty and fulfill his obligation but he certainly does not want to marry Anna and thinks that the whole thing is a trap. But then he actually spends time with her and is honestly intrigued and a little bit smitten. And he’s terrible at communicating and she thinks he’s just courting her for duty-bound reasons, even though he kisses her every chance he gets. It’s basically all chaos in a book with an inheritance clause, a somewhat arranged match, and lack of communication. I enjoyed this book a lot and couldn’t wait to see how they resolved their issues.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Topaz by Beverly Jenkins (1997)

Historical romance. Post-Civil War Old West America. Standalone novel. I love the chaos and villainy of a Beverly Jenkins book. Katherine is a newspaper woman who’s investigating a stock fraud crime, gets caught, and needs rescuing by Dix. He’s a deputy marshall who was originally looking for Katherine’s father for his crimes, but then the old swindler promises Katherine’s hand in marriage to Dix since that’s the only thing he has of value. We start pretty early with an arranged marriage for Katherine and Dix and the slow wagon trail to Indian territory as they make their way to Dix’s home, while avoiding the crooks that are after Katherine. It’s danger around every corner and a slow burn romance rolled into one. So much happening in this book and I loved all of it.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Midsummer Night’s Duke by Colleen Kelly (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novella. Steamy and emotional one-night stand romance between a duke and an actress. Basically, Bitty and Rex meet each other on the road at an inn, have a wonderful night together, and go their separate ways. But of course they can’t stop thinking about each other, even though Bitty is about to be a respectable teacher at a girls’ school and Rex needs to get on with business as a duke. Neither of them know who the other person is, so are totally shocked when Rex shows up to visit his sister at school and finds Bitty there as her teacher. Awkward. But also, fortunate because they can rekindle their relationship, despite it being a terrible idea. Full of steam and sweetness and longing. Loved it.

Advance ebook provided by Colleen Kelly.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Be prepared for lots of angst here. Brooke is a ghostwriter after being unable to graduate school for reasons we will find out later in the book. She’s co-writing her mentor’s memoir and decides to go out on the hiking trail the mentor founded to get some more perspective for her next revisions. Problem is that her ex-boyfriend Jack is also on the trip as a the photographer. The book is told from both Brooke and Jack’s POV, with chapters switching between present-day and the past development (and dissolution) of their relationship. I liked reading about their adventures on the hiking trail and all the elements that they had to overcome. There was a lot of time for Brooke and Jack to each self-reflect on their goals and dreams in life and how they might be able to make a relationship work this time around. It was also interesting to read the chapters from the past and how their relationship was both fated and doomed from the start. The story also gets a bit teary as we deal with the mentor’s illness and how that is shared (or not shared) with our main characters. Great story, but you have to be in the mood for it.

Advance ebook provided by Harlequin Books via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

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