Book Reviews | Random Olive

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Weekly Reads: April 15 to 21, 2024

Apr 23, 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.

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.

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.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

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.

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

Apr 22, 2024

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books Featuring a Road Trip

Apr 18, 2024

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Sutherland Scandals Historical Romance Book Series by Anna Bradley

Apr 17, 2024

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.

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.

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Weekly Reads: April 8 to 14, 2024

Apr 16, 2024

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.

Our Revels Now by Alexandra Caluen (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. I probably would not have picked up this book on my own and only read it because it was assigned to me as a judge. The cover is actually totally deceiving and I surprisingly really enjoyed this book. We have two men here who are artisans at an annual renaissance fair: Lachlan is a metalsmith and Taran is a textile designer. They’ve been crushing on each other for years but never got the nerve to strike up any conversation. This year, with some meddling from the fair organizers, their booths are right next to each other and they finally end up talking and flirting and dating. This was light and fluffy and steamy and such a fun and easy read.

Ebook provided by the New England Readers’ Choice Awards.

Shop this book via Amazon

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Nashville Love series. Cooking show hijinks here where London is the first openly nonbinary contestant on the show with goals of opening a nonprofit to help queer kids with the prize money and Dahlia is a bubbly and clumsy divorcee who just wants to pay her student loans. Neither are professional chefs or have dreams of working in the food industry, but both have a love of cooking and find it calming and soothing. Dahlia and London get off to a rough start when Dahlia basically word vomits in front of a grumpy-seeming and stoic London; but we later find out that London was totally distracted by their attraction to Dahlia. As they become friends, it’s clear that they’re both totally attracted to each other. Things get messy with the thought of one of them being possibly eliminated from the show and things are especially stressful for Dahlia who is generally less secure with herself and her life direction. This book was funny and sweet and emotional all in one.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Nashville Love series. After being the twin sister and best friend dispensing wisdom in Books 1 and 2 of the series, Julie is faced with her own dilemma this time around. She’s flailing a bit as her sibling and friends are moving on with their romantic lives but doesn’t know what she wants for herself or how to approach it. And then she’s hit with awkward feelings when her teen idol and maybe crush Elle, former basketball star, is put in front of her path. Julie’s the high school basketball coach and Elle is serving as the foster parent of the newest member of the team, so they meet when Elle is picking up the kid from practice. There’s awkwardness on both ends since they’re each attracted to the other one and there’s plenty of drama with Julie never having dated anyone before and Elle having been out of the basketball spotlight for the past eight years. They start a friendship and then partnership as Elle becomes the assistant coach, and then Elle makes an offer to help Julie practice her dating skills. It’s only a matter of time before feelings get entangled and things get real. I loved how both characters were a little bit insecure about the other person’s feelings, but still found a way to integrate into each others’ lives. I also loved seeing the bigger family dynamic that Julie had and also wrap up the stories from our favorite characters from earlier books in the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Lady Eleanor’s Seventh Suitor by Anna Bradley (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Sutherland Sisters series. Eleanor is the sister of an earl who is renowned for rejecting a multitude of suitors, but really, she’s just trying to hold out until she falls in love. Unfortunately, Camden has decided to orchestrate her sister’s potential ruin so that he can blackmail Eleanor into marriage. He’s got his own ulterior motives on why he wants to marry into Eleanor’s prestigious family and it’s not for her dowry money. He basically wants the good name of the Sutherland family to elevate his own status and provide societal acceptance for his younger sister. Eleanor is trying her best to dissuade Camden from the match, and also trying not to get her heart entangled or broken in the process. It’s an emotional mess all the way through, but super interesting to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Lady Charlotte’s First Love by Anna Bradley (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Sutherland Sisters series. Charlotte is a widowed marchioness courting scandal and ruin with her new wicked widow friends and the newly returned army hero Julian is tasked by his cousin to oversee and protect her. Except that’s a terrible idea because Julian and Charlotte have a complicated history: he seduced her so that his cousin could blackmail her sister into marriage, then she married someone else, and he joined the army. Now she’s a widow and all sorts of emotionally distraught and he’s come back from war with his own emotional distress. It’s a bad match all around, except for those nostalgic feelings and their attraction for each other. This book was delightfully chaotic to read and I was just waiting to see when they’d finally talk through their problems.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Twelfth Night with the Earl by Anna Bradley (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Sutherland Sisters series. This book packs an emotional transformation in a relatively quick novella. Ethan is a debauched earl and rumored to have murdered his older brother coming to his estate in Cornwall to close it down for good. He does not find the house abandoned as he expected, but a full blown Christmas party is taking place. The new housekeeper of the estate is his childhood friend Thea who has made this place her home and she’s stubborn about the idea of being kicked out. She takes this opportunity to try to remind Ethan about his happy memories of the house to convince him to stay. However, despite their childhood crushes on each other, Ethan’s got way too many demons regarding this house, the death of his mother, and the death of his brother. And now that he’s there, he’s got to face all these feelings he’s been trying to repress as he leads his scandalous life in London. It was nice seeing Ethan slowly start to reconnect with Thea as well as connect with the orphan children who are temporarily occupying the house. But he’s not sure if her feelings are true or if she’s just doing whatever it takes to keep the house open. Complicated mess, but fun to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

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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Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books Featuring a Lady with Her Brother’s Best Friend

Apr 15, 2024

Intolerable by Darcy Burke (2021)

Book 3 of the Phoenix Club series. Cassandra, younger sister to Constantine and Lucien, is out on the marriage mart this season. Her father is insisting that she marry this year. However, she cannot stop thinking about the secret kisses that she shared with Lucien’s friend Ruark, the Earl of Wexford. Ruark has been an earl for quite some time and tends to fall in love easily. But he’s never sure if it’s a lifelong sort of love. He made a deathbed promise to his father to not marry until he was at least 30, so that he can be sure of his choice. He’s not 30 yet, so isn’t quite eligible to propose to Cassandra, even though he can’t seem to stay away from her. We just get to read about their interactions until he finally wises up, or potentially loses her to another suitor.

Shop this book via Amazon

Earls Rush In by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Charlotte is about to accept a proposal to a man she doesn’t love in order to save herself and her sister from being thrown out of her uncle and aunt’s care. The man in question seems harmless enough, but Charlotte’s brother’s longtime friend Finn believes the man a villain and rescues Charlotte by kidnapping her in a carriage. Finn has taken it on himself to watch out for Charlotte after the death of her older brother, but the reader knows that he’s been pining for her for ages and does not believe himself worthy. He’s actually hiding the truth surrounding her brother’s death and we learn about it in bits and pieces throughout the book. Finn and Charlotte get stranded in a snowstorm and find shelter at an inn where they pretend to be married to protect her reputation. While there, they grow closer and Charlotte realizes that she is attracted to Finn. He has the lowest self-esteem imaginable and is still hiding secrets about her brother’s death, so he feels he’s unworthy of her, and decides to help her find a suitable husband. They eventually are able to leave the inn and are back in London, but that villainous suitor is still hanging around causing trouble. Lots going on in this book and will definitely keep the pages turning.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

What Happens in the Ballroom by Sabrina Jeffries (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Designing Debutantes series. Widowed Eliza knows that her late husband who died in battle was a waste of space, but we really hit it home here in this book. Nathaniel, an earl, and her husband’s best friend has tasked Eliza and her sisters with polishing up his young widowed ward for the marriage mart. However, we suspect early on that the ward (and her two year old son) are not exactly as they seem and may be holding onto some major secrets there. The romance part of the story was relatively uncomplicated, with Eliza and Nathaniel falling easily into lust, embraces, and an affair. The main issue is that Nathaniel is keeping secrets and Eliza is unwilling to trust a man, after being treated poorly by both her father and her late husband. Overall an enjoyable book, even if you were able to guess those secrets for yourself.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

A Rake’s Guide to Seduction by Caroline Linden (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Reece Family Trilogy series. Celia is the younger sister of a duke in her first Season and enjoying the balls and parties and suitors; she is rescued from a proposal by her brother’s scandalous friend Anthony and is somewhat intrigued by him. Anthony is heir to an earl who had cast him out and cut off any financial support, so he is forced to gamble and make investments for his living. Anthony seems to believe that he is an unworthy suitor for Celia, but still takes a chance and asks the duke for permission to court her. Unfortunately, he’s too late, and Celia is already engaged to someone else. We learn more about Celia’s engagement and marriage through her diary entries up until her husband’s death four years later. We pick up the story again when Celia is out of mourning and her mother has arranged a house party to lift her spirits. There, Anthony and Celia slowly reconnect, as much as he tries to avoid her due to his scandalous reputation.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

How the Scot Was Won by Caroline Linden (2021)

Historical romance. Georgian-era Scotland. Book 2.5 of the Desperately Seeking Duke series. Companion to Book 2 of the series, where we follow the sister and best friend of Andrew. We’ve seen hints of the romance between Agnes and Felix in the previous book, but we get the whole story here. There’s a sweet coffee shop flirtation, that leads to a scandalous tryst at an assembly, then a somewhat insulting marriage proposal, and finally avoiding each other until forced to interact with each other again. Quick whirlwind of a relationship here and so much better once Felix actually talks to Agnes directly.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Bed Me, Earl by Felicity Niven (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Bed Me, Books series. Caroline decides to bed her long-time crush Phineas when he’s at her country home with her brother’s hunting party. The easy-going Phineas is delighted that a woman has come to his bed and thinks he’s got the best luck ever. When he realizes that he slept with his friend’s sister and that he might be forced to marry her, he thinks that wouldn’t be a hardship at all. Of course, Phineas says this out loud to Caroline and upsets her in the process. Despite all this, Phineas has decided that he wants to pursue Caroline and dismisses all his mistresses upon his return to London. Caroline was really only looking for a tryst and doesn’t aim for any type of relationship with Phineas, as her lisp and stutter were cruelly disparaged by her father. She’s been hidden away in the country for the past decade and has no interest in letting anyone know about her condition. After her father’s death, her brother brings her to London, hoping to make up for his neglect over the years. There, she finds an eager Phineas wanting to court her. There’s a lot of back-and-forth here as Caroline tries to push Phineas away, but their physical attraction is much too strong and gets them into trouble. Even though Phineas gives the impression of a confident and charming man, we see hints of his insecurity every time Caroline rejects him. When we finally do see them settle down together, we get to see Caroline step up and take charge of the household with utter confidence. I loved seeing this side of Caroline, even if it leaves Phineas questioning his own worth and competence. I really enjoyed reading this book and seeing how these two very opposite personalities come together.

Advance ebook provided by Felicity Niven.

Despising the Duke by Stevie Sparks (2023)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 2 of the Lords of Desire series. Angsty second chance romance with the sister of a duke and her brother’s best friend. Lady Annabelle is a suffragist completely uninterested in marriage but is charmed by the rakish best friend of her brother, Kit. Over a few months of flirtation, they engage in a liaison and promise each other they’ll wait for Kit’s return from a years-long expedition to Antarctica to marry. Circumstances force Annabelle to marry someone else while Kit is away, so he’s hurt and betrayed when he returns. We jump sixteen years and Kit has publicly humiliated and ruined Annabelle (now a widow) and she’s run off to a remote estate in Scotland. After learning some critical information about Annabelle, Kit tracks her down and confront the truth about what happened all those years ago. We then have these two trying to work out their issues (in a pretty steamy fashion) and try to move on with their future. I was glad to see these two have a pretty direct conversation with each other about the past and work together.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti (2022)

Historical romance novella. Margo is a scandalous young lady known for causing trouble with her twin sister. When her twin has eloped with a much older man, Margo seeks out the calm and steady Henry (her brother’s solicitor friend) to assist in chasing her down. Of course, Henry has been in love with Margo forever, knows it’s a bad idea to be in close proximity to her, and goes with her anyway. Steamy road trip romance that’s a quick read and I highly recommend it.

Shop this book via Amazon // Libro.fm

To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Regency Vows series. Widowed Diana has bet marquess Jeremy that he’ll marry within the year, adding drama to their bantering bickering semi-friendship over the years. Meanwhile, his last lover has critiqued his bedroom skills and he needs some honest feedback, so he propositions Diana for the job. She accepts, but is also meanwhile trying to set Jeremy up with another eligible miss. They’re both completely stubborn about their feelings and often put up a charming and carefree facade in society; and of course are only ever open and vulnerable with each other. Another great book in the series with a nice set up for the next one.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Dozen Dukes to Add to Your TBR: Historical Romance Round Up (Volume 6)

Apr 11, 2024

Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Her Majesty’s Rebels series. How many tropes can you roll into a single book? We’ve got a virgin widow, female detectives, one-night stand in disguise, widow with her late husband’s heir, and marriage of convenience all in one. Tess becomes a widow to her much older husband on her wedding night and then uses her newfound freedom and independence to open an investigative agency with her two best friends. Two years later, wealthy shipping merchant Justin is identified as the next duke and stops by a scandalous house party on his way to claiming the title. There, he meets Tess is disguise and they have an amorous encounter as strangers, neither realizing that they will soon meet under different circumstances. When they properly meet at a ball, Justin immediately proposes a marriage of convenience to Tess, since it will save Justin the trouble of finding a proper wife and they get to continue their physical relationship. From there, we navigate a relationship where Tess is trying hard not to fall in love, and Justin denying that he has a heart. We also have Tess and her friends working on a case in secret in the background. With all the things going on in this book, it was definitely a page-turner and kept me entertained.

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

A Duke’s Lesson in Charm by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Gentlemen Authors series. Callum and Emily have known and avoided each other for years because they keep having physical mishaps and calamities with each other (trodden toes, ruined gowns, falling in water, and even a dress burn). It’s fairly obvious to the reader that Callum is clumsy because he’s nervous around Emily, though she has not seen it that way. One day at the park, Callum’s orphaned ward seems to perk up when coming across Emily’s dog, and Callum arranges for the boy to spend more time with the dog. Callum and Emily talk out their clumsiness and misunderstandings and slowly develop a friendship with each other. It’s nice seeing them interact and form a bit of a family unit around Callum’s ward, and when Emily’s grandmother is ill, she lies about a courtship with Callum to make her happy. We also get to catch up with the couples from the previous two books of the series and see the progress of the romance novel that the three gentlemen friends have written.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

You’re the Duke That I Want by Lenora Bell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Thunderbolt Club series. This book is a super fun Grease-retelling, with Sandrine being the sheltered young miss who meets Lord Dane (pretending to be a mere Danny) at the seaside. Lord Dane is typically a scoundrel and a rake, but is kind and sweet and enjoys the simple things when he’s with Sandrine. He leaves the seaside town unexpectedly when his brother is gravely injured and is concerned that he’s the heir to the dukedom. Sandrine ends up traveling to London to petition a certain duke to restore an old manor house, and is pretty angry to find that Dane has both lied to her and related to the duke that owns the manor. With a new set of lady friends, Sandrine gets to experience more of London adventures away from her overly strict mother while also continuing to run into Dane. There’s lots of interesting plot going on in this book, with Dane dealing with a blackmailer and Sandrine breaking free from her mother’s constraints. This book was a very enjoyable read.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Never Defy a Duke by Christy Carlyle (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Rogues’ Rulebook series. This one is similar in set-up with the first book in the series with the duke’s heir, Gray, being set up at a house party full of eligible ladies. Except he only cares for his childhood friend Evie, who somehow isn’t considered eligible. Of course, they both have been attracted to each other for ages and somehow seeing Gray on the cusp of marriage to someone else has sparked Evie’s jealousy. This one was another quick resolution once Gray figured out who it is he really wants to marry.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Governess and the Duke by Lydia Drake (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Renegade Dukes series. Viola is the governess to one duke’s rambunctious ward with a long-standing crush on that duke’s best friend. When traveling with her charge, the teenage girl falls and sprains her ankle, forcing the pair to stay at James’ ducal castle. Although James has been hiding away in the country after the embarrassment of a rejected proposal, he finds himself intrigued and attracted to Viola and wondering why he had never noticed her before. Both James and Viola try to fight their attraction to each other at first, being of different social standing, but that doesn’t last for too long. Viola’s charge and James’ sister become fast friends and cause all sorts of trouble, which is humorous to read. When we find out about Viola’s past and the secrets she’s been keeping, she’s pleasantly surprised by James’ reaction. Overall, this was a pretty straightforward social class difference romance, made more interesting by the antics of the teenage ward and sister.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Light and funny low-steam romance here. Socially awkward duke, Michael, would rather be at home working on his chemistry experiments but finds himself caring for his aunt’s beloved poodle while she is out of town. While out walking the dog in the park, he meets Elizabeth, a popular debutante who has her own menace of a poodle. When the two dogs get into a tussle at the park, somehow Michael and Elizabeth each go home with the wrong dog. Michael is forced to go out in public to correct the mistake, but ends up in even more drama when it’s discovered that Elizabeth’s home has been broken into and the dog has been stolen. This book gives us multiple points of view, so we know early on who is responsible for the dognapping, but we get to see Michael and Elizabeth work together to recover the missing dog. While these two are seemingly total opposites, we get to see them start to slowly recognize and appreciate the other person’s unique qualities. Plus, we have Michael’s complete dedication to the dog search. There are lots of humorous moments in the book, mostly due to Michael’s plain-speaking and social awkwardness. And we eventually get to see the villain get his comeuppance.

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

The Duke’s Counterfeit Wife by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Surprise! Dukes series. The set-up of this book is totally crazy and definitely not historically accurate, but the author totally acknowledges this in an author’s note before you even start the book. An elderly duke in the Highlands sets a contest in the newspaper to select his next heir out of a list of distantly related contenders. One of the eligible candidates is Griffin, ex-spy and single father, who is trying to keep a low profile and keep his kids out of danger. He lives next door to Felicity and her teenage son, who inconveniently comes over through a door on a shared wall between their homes to spend time with his new best friend, Griffin’s daughter. The kids come up with a scheme to claim the inheritance and somehow wrangle their respective parents into a fake marriage to win the dukedom. There’s a ton of calamity and humor here with our blended family, but the duke and his secretary are very understanding and kind. Plus, the ongoing plot throughout the series of finding the spy boss who betrayed them all is still at play. I loved learning about Felicity’s backstory and how she became separated from her son; and I especially loved how they all came together as a new family.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

My Once and Future Duke by Caroline Linden (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Wagers of Sin series. This book starts with a tragic prologue for Sophie, an orphan who is discarded by her viscount grandfather at a girl’s school. Her mother was an opera singer and her father defied his family’s wishes to marry her, and when they passed away, they left Sophie with very little support. She befriends her two roommates at school and uses cards to teach mathematics to one of the girls until they’re caught. Fast forward to present day and we start with Jack’s point of view where he is bailing his brother out of debt at a gambling hell. He sees a beautiful woman gambling with his brother (who just said he was going to stay away from gambling) and somehow ends up winning a week of her company. Now an adult and without any means of support, Sophie has decided upon gambling as her occupation until she can save enough to invest and live on. While her bet with Jack is terribly scandalous, she’s both angry and intrigued by him. They do end up spending time together at one of his country homes, stuck there with rain and poor road conditions, and quite obviously fall in love. However, Jack is the ever-sensible and dutiful duke who proposes a liaison instead of marriage and bungles the whole thing up. It’ll take a bit of suffering on his part before he gets it right.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

It Had to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Liar’s Club series. Verity is the oddball of her family, being sensible and plain, rather than an outrageous actor. Faced with an embarrassing situation with her catty neighbor, she makes up a lie that she’s engaged to a duke. When Magnus hears a rumor about this from the father of the heiress he means to marry, he hastens to the village where Verity lives to settle this issue. Magnus and Verity are longstanding family rivals from a time when Magnus’ father lost a lot of money in an investment and Magnus has blamed Verity’s father for the swindle. He definitely does not want to be associated with Verity or her family, but he seems to need to rescue her from her own clumsiness and daring. He’s also annoying stiff and proper and sometimes even mean to her. Of course, he’s only mean to her because he’s attracted to her when he doesn’t want to be. They continue a temporary fake engagement so that he doesn’t appear outwardly cruel, and he slowly starts to soften towards her. There’s definitely a lot of grudge-holding and angry bickering in this story, so it’s interesting to see how these two find common ground.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Not the Duke You Marry by Jess Michaels (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Kent’s Row Duchesses series. With both of her widow friends married now, Bernadette is feeling lonely and undesirable. She expresses her interest in finding a lover to Theo, a childhood friend who she recently reconnected with. His aghast reaction makes her feel horribly rejected and insecure, but she rallies and finds her way to a pleasure club. When Theo spots her there, he tries to emphasize how dangerous her actions are, but really he just lusts after her himself and is conflicted about his feelings. These two go back and forth a bit, but end up having an affair, and try very hard not to fall in love with each other. Add in a backstory where Theo had long ago rejected a chance to marry Bernadette and we’re just waiting for her to be heartbroken by the revelation. Lots of steam and internal revelations in this one, without too much external drama.

Advance ebook provided by Jess Michaels via NetGalley.

It’s Hard Out Here for a Duke by Maya Rodale (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Keeping Up with the Cavendishes series. James and his sisters are bound for London to take up his new role as duke, but he enjoys one last night as “Just James” with a beautiful woman he meets at a tavern. Meredith is traveling back to her role as a duchess’ companion when she meets James’ eye across the tavern and decides to take this one opportunity for passion before she continues being a proper companion. Of course, they’re in for some bad luck when they realize that they’re stuck in the same household with completely disparate social stations and need to forget their one night stand ever happened. While James struggles with his new role and responsibilities, he’s continually tempted by the presence of Meredith and wishes he could give everything up to be with her instead. Meredith is the one that is usually sensible and explains to James the ways of the ton and how their relationship would be completely inappropriate. However, all the hints of the relationship between James and Meredith that we’ve seen from the first three books come into full force in this one, where they both need to decide what’s really important to them.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Taming the Savage Duke by Barbara Russell (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Victorian Outcasts series. Chaos and tragedy for everyone involved in this book. Maddie is on the cusp of receiving entry into a prestigious art academy, but an accident involving an overzealous botanist leaves her painting ruined and her hand injured and unable to paint. Hector is the brother of a duke who wants acceptance into his own scientific academy and accidentally injured Maddie in an attempt to collect a rare plant. He feels horribly guilty for her injury and only accepts his place on a South American expedition after Maddie’s encouragement to leave. Unfortunately, his ship goes down before he even reaches his destination and he’s declared dead. Eight years later, Hector is found alive, having survived alone on an island all this time. In this time, his brother and mother had both passed away and his horrible cousin is now the duke. Maddie gets involved to assist Hector in regaining his manners and civility to gain his title back. The romance is slow and sweet and low-angst, while we work through all of the external struggles that Maddie ad Hector have. This was action-packed and kept me enthralled the whole way through.

Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber via NetGalley.

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Enterprising Scoundrels Historical Romance Book Series by Sophie Barnes

Apr 10, 2024

Mr. Donahue’s Total Surrender by Sophie Barnes (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Enterprising Scoundrels series. Calista is an American lady stranded and penniless in London, seeking employment at a fancy hotel. While she’s lucky to find a position as a scullery maid, she doesn’t know what she’s doing and all the other staff members are cruel to her. Hotel owner Steven finds out about her mistreatment and moves her up to become a guest of the hotel while he helps to arrange her passage home to New York. These two end up spending more time together and getting to know each other and slowly form an attachment. However, Calista is determined to go back home and settle the expectations of her father’s debts. Steven has his own issues with being an ambitious businessman and son of a lord, but he quickly reprioritizes when it comes to Calista. This was a relatively low-angst story that wraps up in a short timeframe.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Mr. Clarke’s Deepest Desire by Sophie Barnes (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Enterprising Scoundrels series. Lady Rosamund plans to invest her small inheritance in a locomotive company, only to be turned away by the owner, Mr. Matthew Clarke. He’s holding a grudge against her and her family after her father had taken advantage of Matthew’s mother when she worked as a maid and then turned her out into the streets. Rosamund has believed her father to be a good man and is baffled at Matthew’s poor treatment of her. They both end up at the same house party of innovators and investors and pretty much spend the whole time bickering with each other. And as they get into heated arguments, they also get into heated embraces. Matthew of course is hesitant to pursue anything further with Rosamund because of his grudge against her father and because he believes his social status is far below an earl’s daughter. Rosamund has to be the pursuant here to convince Matthew of his worth. Plus, there’s some added drama with a rival suitor, making this novella action-packed.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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