Book Reviews | Random Olive

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Weekly Reads: October 28 to November 3, 2024

Nov 5, 2024

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Bellinger Sisters series. Fox is not a commitment kind of guy, but he starts a text-based friendship with Hannah after she leaves his small fishing town. And then when she’s back in town on location for a movie she’s working on, she’s also staying in his guest room. But everyone in Fox’s life has basically warned him away from Hannah and reinforcing that he’s not boyfriend material. Poor Fox has had it rough. But what he feels for Hannah is real and deep and lasting, aside from his own insecurity. Luckily, once Hannah realizes that she has feelings for Fox, she’s quick to believe the best in him and defend his honor. Loved it!

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

When the Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath (2014)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series. Duke’s daughter Grace is looking to make a love match this season and does not want to be misled by a blackguard’s sweet words to gain her dowry. She recruits her childhood friend, former crush, and now debauched widower the Duke of Lovingdon to help assess her suitors. He says no since he’s not ready to re-enter society nor find love ever again, but then feels protective and surprisingly attracted to Grace. He knows that he’s still heartbroken after the loss of his first wife and daughter, so he has no interest in marrying again, nor in dallying with a proper lady like Grace. But of course, his resistance only lasts for so long as he attempts to teach her lessons about false promises and words of seduction.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Mr. Notorious and the Nefarious November by Shana Galen (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 11 of the Rake Review series. Munro is the rake of the month, back in England at the request of his viscount brother. He fled the country years ago when the woman he loved rejected his offer of marriage and married his best friend instead. And he’s still hung up on her. And forced into proximity with her since Beatrice is now widowed and the sister of Munro’s brother’s wife. He drunkenly admits his feelings for her, which she refuses to believe, and then she decides to test his loyalty. The final prize is her hand in marriage, but she’s just so slow to trust him and she believes all of the terrible gossip about him. While Munro has been solicitous and dedicated to Beatrice’s tests, she’s really the one who needs to decide if she can trust him after all.

Advance ebook provided by Shana Galen.

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Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson (2022)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Phoebe is exceptionally paranoid and may suspect the next door neighbor of being a serial killer, but he’s actually just a really nice guy. She’s at her late father’s house cleaning it up and getting it ready to sell and working on her dissertation about serial killers at the same time. But see, Phoebe has a lot of growing to do here in terms of getting to know her younger brother, coming to terms with her estranged father’s death, and learning to trust an actual real live man. And Sam is the best of them, so he’s totally worth it. He’s an elementary school music teacher, super nice, great at commitments, and I’m not sure he has any growing to do through this story, but he makes for great supportive boyfriend material. If only Phoebe knew how to accept a relationship. But she’ll eventually figure it out.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Quick novella. Jamie and Marc have known each other for Marc’s entire life since he’s Jamie’s best friend’s younger brother. And Marc has been in love with Jamie for ever, but they never did get together. Until he goes for it and then she rejects him, and now a few months later, they’re stuck together in a snowstorm. Feelings get discussed and resolved and things get steamy in pretty short order. Fun lil quick read.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley.

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Another super short steamy novella. Single mom and thrift shop employee Evie has charmed the pants off gruff and burly farmer Luke. Literally, he can’t find pants that fit at the thrift store. But he goes there just to see Evie anyway. She’s wary of men, but he’s an absolute girthy sweetheart. Quick and steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley.

Freed by the Marquess by Stevie Sparks (2024)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 3 of the Lords of Desire series. Lady Caroline is running off to marry a man and it turns out he’s awful when she finds him in bed with the maid on their supposed wedding night. Well, after the husband disappears completely, she’s left in the care of her new father-in-law David, who actually is quite caring. They form a tentative friendship and then feelings develop even further, but David’s trying his best to be loyal to his son. But he can only resist temptation for so long when it’s clear they’re really fallen in love with each other. Steamy and emotional read.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

All by My Elf by Olivia Dade (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Co-workers at the their day job and co-workers on their holiday gig, Nina and William have been friendly and not-quite-flirting for months. They’re on the road in their side gig and get caught in terrible snowstorm traffic and end up cuddling for warmth. And then more than cuddling for more than just warmth. Quick, steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing 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

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

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Marriage Historical Romance Book Series by Cathy Maxwell

Nov 4, 2024

Married in Haste by Cathy Maxwell (1999)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marriage series. Heiress Tess has been stalling on settling down since she seems to enjoy the attentions of the marriage mart, but when she starts a scandal at a ball, her brother forces her to marry the earl that offers for her. Brenn needs a wealthy heiress to rebuild the decrepit estate he’s inherited and has gotten lucky with Tess, even though he suspects she’s pregnant with another man’s child. She’s not pregnant but has just learned that her brother has lost her entire fortune, so now she’s keeping that a secret from Brenn. He also has not disclosed that he’s poor since he doesn’t want to seem like a fortune-hunter. It’s bound to be a huge mess when they both find out the truth about the other person. I enjoyed this book a lot and how the relationship develops between Brenn and Tess. I appreciated that Tess was a lot tougher than she seemed and was able to adapt to her circumstances quickly.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Scandalous Marriage by Cathy Maxwell (2000)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Marriage series. Super interesting set up here with a prologue that starts with Devon running into a pregnant Leah in the countryside unexpectedly. We then jump a year backward to their first meeting, initial flirtation and secret relationship, until it ends in a duel between Devon and Leah’s brother. We then go back to the present where Leah is having a difficult labor for her baby and things seem dire. It’s interesting to follow these two people and the mistakes they both made in their initial encounters, especially knowing the history of their family rivalry. I loved seeing Devon become the true hero of the story saving Leah from her situation and opening up to a second chance with her, even with a baby that isn’t biologically his.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Marriage Contract by Cathy Maxwell (2001)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marriage series. Poor overlooked Anne is forced into an arranged marriage by proxy to the mad Earl Tiebauld, who lives in Scotland. Aiden doesn’t want anything to do with her when she lands on his doorstep, so he tries his best to run her off. But Anne is super resilient and stubborn and makes herself useful to the estate. It’s pretty much a battle of wills, until they grow to respect and then like each other. Meanwhile, Aiden is involved in some possibly treasonous activity and a nearby Major is making trouble for them all. We get to read a fairly fast-moving plot here between the unwanted marriage, Anne’s hard work and integration into the clan, and then the threat of being arrested for treason.

Ebook and audiobook 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.

Five Favorite Books from October 2024 // Historical Romances and Contemporary Romances

Oct 31, 2024

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Gah, the angst. This one is a second chance romance that involves one person having left the other at the altar. And we do get a flashback to the wedding day and it is absolutely heart-breaking. Charlotte believes her Decembers are cursed, between her absentee mother and a fiancee that left her at the altar during a December wedding. She ends up on Christmas vacation with her quartet of holiday loners at a very cheery queery mountain town in Colorado. Only to find out that her ex-fiancee, Brighton, is also there, being dragged there by a different family member. It’s totally awkward, Brighton is all sorts of guilty, Charlotte wants to pretend they don’t know each other, and their hostess’ mom is trying to set everyone up on this matchmaking activity. We get all sorts of small town small group chaos along with angst oozing out of every interaction. Even when you think that Charlotte and Brighton can’t reconcile their issues, we get to see how it all plays out. Loved it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

Love Story by Lindsey Kelk (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Sophie has secretly written a best-selling romance novel, but has not told her pretentious family about it. And the smug and charming Joe is somehow involved in the process and knows her secret. They’re all at her family home for her dad’s big birthday bash and Sophie and Joe keep getting thrown together at various circumstances. They’ve got loads of bickering and bantering and flirting, which is really fun to read. Plus, I loved all the references to the romance genre and its media criticism. Sophie’s family was chaotic and hilarious and just what you would expect in a rom-com situation with a big event that everyone’s gathered at. If you’re a regular romance-reader, I highly recommend this book.

Advance ebook provided by Harper360 via NetGalley. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 8 of the Palace of Rogues series. Alexandra and Magnus have been estranged the entire five years of their marriage but reconnect when Magnus is back in England and needs to spring Alexandra out of jail. He insists that they make some strategic public appearances to maintain their reputations and then separate permanently. We slowly learn about how they came to be married in the first place and what caused their estrangement, but these two are essentially strangers to each other. I enjoyed seeing these two get to know each other in the present and realize that they have a simmering attraction to each other. The setting of our favorite boarding house also provided moments of levity and humor to balance the heartbreak and angst of our main couple. Another great book in this series.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

A Scandalous Marriage by Cathy Maxwell (2000)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Marriage series. Super interesting set up here with a prologue that starts with Devon running into a pregnant Leah in the countryside unexpectedly. We then jump a year backward to their first meeting, initial flirtation and secret relationship, until it ends in a duel between Devon and Leah’s brother. We then go back to the present where Leah is having a difficult labor for her baby and things seem dire. It’s interesting to follow these two people and the mistakes they both made in their initial encounters, especially knowing the history of their family rivalry. I loved seeing Devon become the true hero of the story saving Leah from her situation and opening up to a second chance with her, even with a baby that isn’t biologically his.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Dangerous Gifts series. Historical romance with a little bit of paranormal magic. Bran is one of the adopted sons of an earl and countess known for working with gifted children. These gifts encompass a wide variety of powers, like heightened intuition or healing or foretelling. Oftentimes, this society shuns those with these gifts, like Bran’s father did. As an adult working for the Home Office, Bran is approached by a baron’s solicitor with speculation that Bran is the heir to the title. He decides to visit the family and learn more about the estate, guided by his intuition. While in Cornwall, he ends up rescuing a young woman who had been kidnapped and held against her will. These two have a strong connection to each other, but her mind needs to be healed before anything further can occur. This book was packed with so much action and plot and I was intrigued by the world of these special gifts and powers. I enjoyed watching Bran and Merryn grow closer together and then work together to thwart a bigger villain.

Ebook and audiobook 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.

New Releases for October 2024 – Historical Romance Books and Contemporary Romance Books

Oct 30, 2024

The Duke’s Guide to Winning a Lady by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. Final book in the series. Tragic prologue for Malcolm where he loses his wife and child during childbirth, but he married a woman his mother picked out and didn’t have a real relationship with her. He decides to do better the next time around. Fast forward a couple years and we have the youngest Strong sister Effie planning her debut into society at the same time as Malcolm’s younger sister is debuting. Effie and Ada become fast friends at the modiste and spend several weeks together before the Season starts, most often chaperoned by Malcolm. He’s impressed by Effie and intends to make her his duchess, but she has no idea of his feelings since he rarely speaks around her and she sees him as an older brother figure. He’s got a lot of courting and wooing to do if he plans to convince Effie of his suit. The best part here is when Effie’s brother and brothers-in-law team up to help Malcolm win Effie’s affections. It was a lovely cap to the series, seeing all the family members so happily wed and supportive of each other.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Gah, the angst. This one is a second chance romance that involves one person having left the other at the altar. And we do get a flashback to the wedding day and it is absolutely heart-breaking. Charlotte believes her Decembers are cursed, between her absentee mother and a fiancee that left her at the altar during a December wedding. She ends up on Christmas vacation with her quartet of holiday loners at a very cheery queery mountain town in Colorado. Only to find out that her ex-fiancee, Brighton, is also there, being dragged there by a different family member. It’s totally awkward, Brighton is all sorts of guilty, Charlotte wants to pretend they don’t know each other, and their hostess’ mom is trying to set everyone up on this matchmaking activity. We get all sorts of small town small group chaos along with angst oozing out of every interaction. Even when you think that Charlotte and Brighton can’t reconcile their issues, we get to see how it all plays out. Loved it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

As the Earl Likes by Darcy Burke (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Rogue Rules series. We have a fun fake engagement story here between an earl and the daughter of a gambling club owner. Sheff is tired of his mother pressuring him to marry, so he has the bright idea to fake an engagement to a woman who is totally unsuitable. Jo is the manager of her mother’s gambling club and trying to figure out if she wants to take over the club, but decides to accept Sheff’s offer of fake engagement for the money that he’s willing to pay her. They’ve been friendly with each other for years, but their sudden closeness has caused their attraction to come forth. I enjoyed seeing them try and fail to resist their attraction, plus untangling some of the reasons for Sheff’s father’s behavior. Overall, a solid read.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

The Wolf of Mayfair by Christi Caldwell (2024)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Standalone novel. The Marquess of Wingrave is known for being cold and ruthless, but he surprises even himself when a young woman comes to his doorstep claiming to be his mother’s goddaughter. Helia is recently orphaned and running away from a dastardly cousin who seeks to marry her for her dowry. She’s looking for refuge, but finds a heartless Wingrave instead. He insinuates that she’s lying about the connection to his family and that she would only be suitable as a mistress. And then he offers her refuge from a snowstorm and also cares for her when she’s ill. This stubborn self-assured sunshiney woman is suddenly causing him to behave in ways he isn’t used to. He’s definitely domineering and an unrepentant rogue for most of the story, but still soft when it comes to caring for Helia. The story definitely kept me reading to see how it all worked out.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake Publishing via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Brilliance Audio via NetGalley.

Devils Covet Curves by Jemma Frost (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. We’re all at a house party where Drake is besotted with his best friend’s fiancee, but then finds a distraction in the wallflower Wren. They decide to help each other have fun during the party and keep Drake away from revealing his feelings about his friend’s fiancee. And of course, a physical affair ensues, followed by actual feelings. Drake is surprised to find that he’s drawn to both the physical relationship and conversational relationship he has with Wren and that he hardly thinks of the other woman at all when he’s with Wren. She’s glad to experience passion for the first and seemingly last time, while doing her best to protect her heart. Quick and steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Jemma Frost.

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Dream Harbor series. Bennett is in town to visit his sister Jeanie (owner of the Pumpkin Spice Cafe) and has somehow been appointed by the town to check in on the grumpy Christmas tree farm owner Kira. She had dreams of owning a farm and homesteading, so she bought a farm sight unseen without realizing it was the town’s beloved Christmas tree farm. She’s been a hermit for the past few months trying to prove that she can be independent and she doesn’t need anyone’s help. Until she runs out of money and needs to re-open the farm for tree buyers. Bennett is the ever-helpful rescuing type of guy who relies on his helpfulness to be wanted by his dates. He’s trying both the help and resist helping Kira, and she is definitely resisting any assistance. It’s a lot of push and pull, but they ultimately get stuck together in a snowstorm and a temporary fling develops. It was fun to revisit this quirky little town and to see Bennett and Kira integrate into a bigger friend group.

Advance ebook provided by Harlequin Books via NetGalley.

Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. Viola and Jesse are video game designers who work for rival companies and are stuck together at a winter company retreat where the two companies need to bond in preparation for a joint project. Things are awkward for Viola since Jesse has pretty much been ignoring her for the past five years, but it’s really a big misunderstanding and they’re happily snowed in to work out their issues. This was a fun and quick read, with all the miscommunication, humor, and steam you should expect from Ali Hazelwood.

Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Double Apex by Josie Juniper (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Frontrunners series. Phaedra and Cosmin are antagonistic co-workers with Phaedra as the race engineer who has not succumbed to race car driver Cosmin’s unwanted flirting. And then somehow they form a truce and then a secret fling that helps distract Phaedra from the troubles of her dying father. But Cosmin’s actually invested in a real relationship between the two and is merely settling for what he can get. When a potential for scandal erupts, Phaedra’s the one to call it quits and put up emotional walls. The pacing of this book was a bit quick at first, making the romance a little less than believable. The big break-up also happens at about the halfway mark of the book, leaving quite a bit of time for Phaedra and Cosmin to each deal with their issues. I was very interested in Cosmin’s family backstory and the issues he had with his sister. There was also a nice set-up for the couple that will be featured in the next book of the series.

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

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fmCurves and Counterfeit by Charlie Lane (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. The purposeless and drunken earl Keats sees his sister running away in a carriage, so he jumps aboard to figure out where she’s gone. Turns out that she’s running away from an elderly fiancee and ruination from a different man and seeing refuge at a home for women. Keats is stunned to find that his sister has been so displeased by her position and didn’t realize what a dissolute brother he has been. He decides to stick around as a stable hand to make sure his sister is safe and find his conscience a bit. He also is completely smitten by Lucy, one of the women who runs the house. She’s equally intrigued by Keats and allows him some moments of passion, since she’s soon to be bound for the London Season to find a respectable husband. Trouble is ahead though, since Keats is lying about his identity and his sister’s fiancee is still on the loose. I enjoyed how this story was tied up, with plenty of drama, despite its short length.

Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane.

The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 8 of the Palace of Rogues series. Alexandra and Magnus have been estranged the entire five years of their marriage but reconnect when Magnus is back in England and needs to spring Alexandra out of jail. He insists that they make some strategic public appearances to maintain their reputations and then separate permanently. We slowly learn about how they came to be married in the first place and what caused their estrangement, but these two are essentially strangers to each other. I enjoyed seeing these two get to know each other in the present and realize that they have a simmering attraction to each other. The setting of our favorite boarding house also provided moments of levity and humor to balance the heartbreak and angst of our main couple. Another great book in this series.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Wallflower List by Jess Michaels (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the About an Earl series. Wallflower Marianne is set on completing her late best friend’s list of scandalous activities and she unwittingly involves her brother’s best friend Sebastian on the scheme. She’s had a longstanding crush on Sebastian, but he has only ever seen her as a friend, especially since he is a huge rake and warned away from her by her brother. Now that Marianne is showcasing a bolder personality, Sebastian is very much drawn to her and trying to resist. However, their connection is more than just physical, and it will take some soul searching for Sebastian to realize he’s in love with her. Pretty straightforward plot here, with plenty of steam.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Blacksmith’s Borrowed Bride by Ginny B Moore (2024)

Historical romance. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Heiress and suffragist Adelaide is on her way to her own wedding when carriage trouble puts her in proximity to handsome burly blacksmith Will. This quick novella is a mix of road trip obstacles, social class differences, and a physical affair between Adelaide and Will. Super steamy and enjoyable to read.

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

Voluptuous by Felicity Niven (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Henrietta has been pining for her father’s friend Oliver for ages and ends up marrying him when they get caught in a compromising situation. But the dour and moody Oliver feels guilty for his previous wives’ deaths and feels guilty for lusting after his friend’s daughter, so it’s a marriage in name only. We get to see a friendship and partnership develop over the first two years of the marriage, until finally Henrietta asks for a baby. And then they realize they’ve both been attracted to each other the whole time. This book was sweet and steamy, all in one, and I loved seeing Henrietta’s sunshine help to bring Oliver closer to his young son. Delightful read with some vibes that remind me of Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas.

Advance ebook provided by Felicity Niven.

The Baron Who Never Danced by Barbara Russell (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Victorian Outcasts series. A footman and the daughter of an earl’s mistress meet at the theater where he rescues her (and a bunch of other people) from a fire. Two years later, they meet again when Angeline is socializing at balls and Royston has been elevated to a baron. Royston is being manipulated into stealing from Angeline’s mother, but he’s not comfortable with becoming a thief again, so he’s a bit clumsy about it. Overall, Royston and Angeline are getting together, despite Angeline’s mother and Royston’s former employer being scheming villains.

Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber Books via BookSprout.

The Scandal of Rose by Joanna Shupe (2024)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Standalone novella. Famous actress Rose refuses to become a man’s mistress and prides herself on being independent, but she hadn’t anticipated on being worn down by Moore. He’s a divorced tycoon who is uninterested in marriage again after the scandal of his previous divorce and is very happy to set Rose up in a townhouse and lavish her with gifts. Until he gets coerced into an engagement and loses Rose in the process. Quick read with tons of steam and angst.

Advance ebook provided by Joanna Shupe.

Christmas Sweater Weather by Jaqueline Snowe (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Fairly typical brother’s best friend romance. Charlotte has been in love with Hayden for years, had an opportunity to kiss him three years ago, and was rejected. She’s pretty much avoided him all this time, except to help care for his young daughter. Hayden is basically afraid and avoidant and he rejected Charlotte because he didn’t want to betray her brother and so he could figure out his messy life. They’re thrown together at a ski resort during Charlotte’s brother’s pre-wedding vacation, and finally talk through their issues and see about possibly making a go of a relationship. And then things get messy again when Hayden is second-guessing all his decisions. But it all gets resolved exactly how we would all expect it to.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

When the Duke Comes to Play by Kelsey Swanson (2024)

Historical romance. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Quick steamy novella here. Ariel is about to turn 30 years old and hires a male courtesan to take her virtue. We get a case of mistaken identity when Charles comes to the door instead. He’s at the house to buy a horse from her brother, but her brother isn’t there, and Charles decides to go through with the seduction and bedding of Ariel. He’s leaving town shortly thereafter and it won’t be a big deal. Except he’s actually a duke and she’s a proper lady and they run into each other at a ball a few days later. They decide to continue with the affair until he goes back home to America and both try really hard not to fall in love with each other. Super steamy romance!

Advance ebook provided by Kelsey Swanson.

The Hunt for Mr. October by Tabetha Waite (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 10 of the Rake Review series. Meliah is a weaver’s daughter with dreams of being a published writer and decides that writing an expose on the rake of the month will help get her there. She seeks out the earl in question, Elwood, and he agrees to entertain her request for an interview of she comes with him to his father’s hunting box in the country. While there, Meliah discovers that Elwood is not exactly the rake that he seems. He’s definitely flirtatious and charming and seductive, but he’s also kind and caring to everyone in the village. There’s a definite mismatch in their social stations, so Meliah knows there’s no future between them, but she decides to take Elwood up on his offer of pleasure while they’re together anyway. We just need to wait for Elwood to make the final move to secure Meliah’s affections for life.

Advance ebook provided by Tabetha Waite.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Charlotte is an artist who starred in a Christmas movie once as a child and is trying to run away from her past. She’s visiting her sister’s family in England and somehow meets the owners of a house that is featured in the movie she was in. While Charlotte shies away from all things Christmas cheer, the owner of the historic home Graham has commissioned a series of house portraits to sell in his home’s gift shop. They spend more time together, bantering, and flirting, and finally becoming more, but she’s only in England temporarily. There’s also the concern of whether her past fame is being used to promote tourism to the historical family home. I enjoyed all of the banter and flirting, which made me smile so much. It was the perfect amount of sarcastic ribbing that I enjoy. Super fun little Christmas romance.

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley. Audiobook 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: October 21 to 27, 2024

Oct 29, 2024

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Dangerous Gifts series. Historical romance with a little bit of paranormal magic. Bran is one of the adopted sons of an earl and countess known for working with gifted children. These gifts encompass a wide variety of powers, like heightened intuition or healing or foretelling. Oftentimes, this society shuns those with these gifts, like Bran’s father did. As an adult working for the Home Office, Bran is approached by a baron’s solicitor with speculation that Bran is the heir to the title. He decides to visit the family and learn more about the estate, guided by his intuition. While in Cornwall, he ends up rescuing a young woman who had been kidnapped and held against her will. These two have a strong connection to each other, but her mind needs to be healed before anything further can occur. This book was packed with so much action and plot and I was intrigued by the world of these special gifts and powers. I enjoyed watching Bran and Merryn grow closer together and then work together to thwart a bigger villain.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey (2021)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Bellinger Sisters series. Party girl Piper is banished from her glamorous life in LA by her stepfather to go to a small fishing village in Washington state. She has no idea what she’s doing and makes a poor first impression on grumpy widowed fisherman, Brendan. Except that he’s distractedly attracted to her and wants to help her survive her stay. There’s so much banter and flirting and humor here, along with dealing with grief (Brendan) and finding purpose in life (Piper). I enjoyed seeing them interact and get to know each other. Brendan was delightfully supportive of all of Piper’s efforts and her caring personality. And if you didn’t know, Tessa Bailey is a very smutty author.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Baron Who Never Danced by Barbara Russell (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 5 of the Victorian Outcasts series. A footman and the daughter of an earl’s mistress meet at the theater where he rescues her (and a bunch of other people) from a fire. Two years later, they meet again when Angeline is socializing at balls and Royston has been elevated to a baron. Royston is being manipulated into stealing from Angeline’s mother, but he’s not comfortable with becoming a thief again, so he’s a bit clumsy about it. Overall, Royston and Angeline are getting together, despite Angeline’s mother and Royston’s former employer being scheming villains.

Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber Books via BookSprout.

The Wallflower List by Jess Michaels (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the About an Earl series. Wallflower Marianne is set on completing her late best friend’s list of scandalous activities and she unwittingly involves her brother’s best friend Sebastian on the scheme. She’s had a longstanding crush on Sebastian, but he has only ever seen her as a friend, especially since he is a huge rake and warned away from her by her brother. Now that Marianne is showcasing a bolder personality, Sebastian is very much drawn to her and trying to resist. However, their connection is more than just physical, and it will take some soul searching for Sebastian to realize he’s in love with her. Pretty straightforward plot here, with plenty of steam.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Charlotte is an artist who starred in a Christmas movie once as a child and is trying to run away from her past. She’s visiting her sister’s family in England and somehow meets the owners of a house that is featured in the movie she was in. While Charlotte shies away from all things Christmas cheer, the owner of the historic home Graham has commissioned a series of house portraits to sell in his home’s gift shop. They spend more time together, bantering, and flirting, and finally becoming more, but she’s only in England temporarily. There’s also the concern of whether her past fame is being used to promote tourism to the historical family home. I enjoyed all of the banter and flirting, which made me smile so much. It was the perfect amount of sarcastic ribbing that I enjoy. Super fun little Christmas romance.

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

Golden Lord by Mary Jo Putney (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Dangerous Gifts series. This romance is between adoptive siblings who have known each other since children. Cade and Tamsyn are both gifted persons who work for the Home Office and are sent to escort the British ambassador back to England from France. While there, Cade gets captured and Tamsyn needs to come to his rescue. We get a lot of action and fast-moving plot here, along with a controversial sort of romance. Cade has been secretly in love with Tamsyn for years, but suppressed his feelings for her. And she has seen him as a brother for all these years, until circumstances have forced her to see him in a new light. It’s interesting how they discuss the subject with each other and grapple with what it would mean for their larger family. But really, we spend a lot more time on the capture/escape plot, which is much more interesting. I enjoyed this book a lot and am curious if there will be more books in this series.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

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Strongs of Shadowcrest Historical Romance Book Series by Alexa Aston

Oct 28, 2024

The Duke’s Unexpected Love by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. We start with a tragic prologue for James, who is a duke’s heir that gets abducted by sailors and forced onto a ship with limited memory of who he is. Many years later, we find that he’s the captain of a ship for a prosperous shipping line and recently landed in England for his next assignment. A drunkard who turns out to be his childhood tutor recognizes him in a tavern and insists that he’s a lord. James is pretty much shocked and surprised, but when he visits the duke’s household, he’s instantly recognized as the missing son of the duke. Meanwhile, Sophie, the owner of the shipping company is recently widowed and considering propositioning the handsome James for an affair, not knowing his newfound status or identity. James has bigger ideas (like marriage) and is actually trying to keep this all secret because he wants Sophie to accept him as a man, rather than a title. Add in the fact that James as a gaggle of sisters and cousins soon-to-debut, and we’ve got the beginnings of an interesting series.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

The Perks of Loving a Viscount by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. Lady Philippa Strong is a duke’s sister who would rather wear breeches and gallivant around her country home than become the sparkling debutante next Season. She’s not interested in becoming a wife and mother and property of a man, so would like to retain her independence. Although when she meets the handsome new viscount next door, she’s starting to question her path a little. Seth is the son of the fourth son of a viscount and never expected to inherit anything. After spending most of his life at sea, he’s shocked to find that he’s suddenly the new viscount after the death of his uncles and father. With no experience in being on land or the ways of polite society, he relies on his new neighbors for help. Especially the help of Pippa to teach him how to ride a horse. As they spend more time together, Seth is sure that Pippa will make him an excellent wife, but he’s careful not to scare her off with declarations too soon. This one was another fun look at the Strong family and how well they accept each other. I also appreciate a man who quickly knows what he wants and goes after it.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing 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.

The Captain and the Duchess by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. Widowed duchess Dinah is back out in the courting scene after the death of her husband, but she’s uninterested in any of the suitors she’s met this season. In the back of her mind, she’s still thinking about her stepson’s captain friend Drake, who had flirted with her upon first meeting. Back from his first journey as captain, Drake’s first stop is the call on Dinah and see if he can arrange a dalliance. Lucky for everyone involved, she’s very much interested. It’s a quick connection for these two, both physically and emotionally, even with their different social stations. This was a pretty quick low-angst steamy romance that was very fun to read.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Courtship at Shadowcrest by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. This book has two parts, telling us about two different romances that occur at the same house party. Allegra and Lyric are twin sisters and nieces and cousins to a duke who felt bad about the expenses of a society debut, so they’ve agreed to a small house party thrown in their honor at the family estate. Their aunt and dowager duchess has invited five eligible gentlemen and three other eligible young ladies for the party. We get to meet everyone through both parts of the story and see how everyone gets paired off. Allegra and Lyric both end up in parallel situations with rakish bachelors, but while it’s fun to read both of their experiences at the house party, these two stories read back to back can get a bit repetitive. Allegra has paired off with Sterling, an earl who was unloved by his parents and spends his time steeped in debauchery. Lyric has paired off with Silas, a viscount who was unloved by his parents, but mentored by a beloved uncle and taking up his responsibilities after his uncle has died. Neither men believe in love, so they respond poorly when their chosen ladies start declaring theirs. I did like seeing them each start to appreciate the loving family dynamic of the Strongs and also realize their own depth of feelings. Quick, easy, fairly low-angst read, knowing these are novellas that wrap up in short order.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

The Marquess’ Quest for Love by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. Byron is the dutiful second son of a marquess who is called back home from the army when his older brother dies in a carriage race and is now the new marquess. He’s all sorts of disappointed to learn what a terrible person his brother is and vows to do better; including possibly marrying the neighbor girl that his brother was engaged to (even though she’s terrible and he won’t be happy). When visiting his aunt and uncle in the Lake District, he meets Mirella, sister of a duke, who turns his head a bit, but not enough for him to shirk his duties. She’s equally enamoured of him, but doesn’t see him as marriage material since he keeps running hot and cold. They meet again several months later in the London Season, but he’s still determined to marry the neighbor. I enjoyed seeing Byron learn to let go of his staunch feelings of duty and responsibility as he opens himself up to the possibility of love. And he fits right in with the boisterous and loving Strong family.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

The Duke’s Guide to Winning a Lady by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. Final book in the series. Tragic prologue for Malcolm where he loses his wife and child during childbirth, but he married a woman his mother picked out and didn’t have a real relationship with her. He decides to do better the next time around. Fast forward a couple years and we have the youngest Strong sister Effie planning her debut into society at the same time as Malcolm’s younger sister is debuting. Effie and Ada become fast friends at the modiste and spend several weeks together before the Season starts, most often chaperoned by Malcolm. He’s impressed by Effie and intends to make her his duchess, but she has no idea of his feelings since he rarely speaks around her and she sees him as an older brother figure. He’s got a lot of courting and wooing to do if he plans to convince Effie of his suit. The best part here is when Effie’s brother and brothers-in-law team up to help Malcolm win Effie’s affections. It was a lovely cap to the series, seeing all the family members so happily wed and supportive of each other.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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Weekly Reads: October 14 to 20, 2024

Oct 22, 2024

Christmas Sweater Weather by Jaqueline Snowe (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Fairly typical brother’s best friend romance. Charlotte has been in love with Hayden for years, had an opportunity to kiss him three years ago, and was rejected. She’s pretty much avoided him all this time, except to help care for his young daughter. Hayden is basically afraid and avoidant and he rejected Charlotte because he didn’t want to betray her brother and so he could figure out his messy life. They’re thrown together at a ski resort during Charlotte’s brother’s pre-wedding vacation, and finally talk through their issues and see about possibly making a go of a relationship. And then things get messy again when Hayden is second-guessing all his decisions. But it all gets resolved exactly how we would all expect it to.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

The Marriage Contract by Cathy Maxwell (2001)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marriage series. Poor overlooked Anne is forced into an arranged marriage by proxy to the mad Earl Tiebauld, who lives in Scotland. Aiden doesn’t want anything to do with her when she lands on his doorstep, so he tries his best to run her off. But Anne is super resilient and stubborn and makes herself useful to the estate. It’s pretty much a battle of wills, until they grow to respect and then like each other. Meanwhile, Aiden is involved in some possibly treasonous activity and a nearby Major is making trouble for them all. We get to read a fairly fast-moving plot here between the unwanted marriage, Anne’s hard work and integration into the clan, and then the threat of being arrested for treason.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Classic Case by Alicia Thompson (2024)

Mystery. Standalone short story. Audrey is a regular customer at her local classic video rental shop where she has a crush on the owner Grant and makes small talk with another regular customer. One Wednesday, the elderly regular customer doesn’t come in at his usual time, so Audrey tries to track him down at his house. And then Grant follows her there to prevent any sort of trouble. It’s super short and the mystery of the missing elder is solved fairly quickly. A fun little diversion from everything else you might be reading.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Wolf of Mayfair by Christi Caldwell (2024)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Standalone novel. The Marquess of Wingrave is known for being cold and ruthless, but he surprises even himself when a young woman comes to his doorstep claiming to be his mother’s goddaughter. Helia is recently orphaned and running away from a dastardly cousin who seeks to marry her for her dowry. She’s looking for refuge, but finds a heartless Wingrave instead. He insinuates that she’s lying about the connection to his family and that she would only be suitable as a mistress. And then he offers her refuge from a snowstorm and also cares for her when she’s ill. This stubborn self-assured sunshiney woman is suddenly causing him to behave in ways he isn’t used to. He’s definitely domineering and an unrepentant rogue for most of the story, but still soft when it comes to caring for Helia. The story definitely kept me reading to see how it all worked out.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake Publishing via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Brilliance Audio via NetGalley.

The Heiress Masquerade by Maddison Michaels (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Dollar Princess series. American heiress Aimee would rather take over her father’s company than marry a titled English lord, so she concocts a plan to swap places with her lowborn cousin when they go to England together. Evie will pretend to be Aimee and go to balls and such, while Aimee will work as a secretary in the London office of her father’s company. Except the outspoken Aimee is nothing like her father described to his protegee and head of the English brand, Harrison. He’s both annoyed and intrigued by Aimee and is disappointed that his beloved boss has misled him about the girl’s personality. Of course, the bickering and fighting serves as delicious foreplay for these two, who are distracted by their attraction for each other. We also get an interesting plot about business sabotage, which turns into a kidnapping scheme. Super exciting and fast-paced story.

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

Curves and Counterfeit by Charlie Lane (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. The purposeless and drunken earl Keats sees his sister running away in a carriage, so he jumps aboard to figure out where she’s gone. Turns out that she’s running away from an elderly fiancee and ruination from a different man and seeing refuge at a home for women. Keats is stunned to find that his sister has been so displeased by her position and didn’t realize what a dissolute brother he has been. He decides to stick around as a stable hand to make sure his sister is safe and find his conscience a bit. He also is completely smitten by Lucy, one of the women who runs the house. She’s equally intrigued by Keats and allows him some moments of passion, since she’s soon to be bound for the London Season to find a respectable husband. Trouble is ahead though, since Keats is lying about his identity and his sister’s fiancee is still on the loose. I enjoyed how this story was tied up, with plenty of drama, despite its short length.

Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane.

Devils Covet Curves by Jemma Frost (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. We’re all at a house party where Drake is besotted with his best friend’s fiancee, but then finds a distraction in the wallflower Wren. They decide to help each other have fun during the party and keep Drake away from revealing his feelings about his friend’s fiancee. And of course, a physical affair ensues, followed by actual feelings. Drake is surprised to find that he’s drawn to both the physical relationship and conversational relationship he has with Wren and that he hardly thinks of the other woman at all when he’s with Wren. She’s glad to experience passion for the first and seemingly last time, while doing her best to protect her heart. Quick and steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Jemma Frost.

The Hunt for Mr. October by Tabetha Waite (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 10 of the Rake Review series. Meliah is a weaver’s daughter with dreams of being a published writer and decides that writing an expose on the rake of the month will help get her there. She seeks out the earl in question, Elwood, and he agrees to entertain her request for an interview of she comes with him to his father’s hunting box in the country. While there, Meliah discovers that Elwood is not exactly the rake that he seems. He’s definitely flirtatious and charming and seductive, but he’s also kind and caring to everyone in the village. There’s a definite mismatch in their social stations, so Meliah knows there’s no future between them, but she decides to take Elwood up on his offer of pleasure while they’re together anyway. We just need to wait for Elwood to make the final move to secure Meliah’s affections for life.

Advance ebook provided by Tabetha Waite.

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Christmas Notch Contemporary Romance Book Series by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Oct 21, 2024

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2022)

Contemporary romance on the set of a sweet holiday rom-com movie for a squeaky clean network. Our heroine is a plus-sized adult entertainer and our hero is an ex-boy band member trying to rehabilitate his reputation. And of course, they each have a pre-existing crush on each other, so sparks fly and they start secretly spending naked time together. This book had all sorts of great callbacks to boy band hijinks (reality TV shows, rabid fans, and sketchy managers). We get to meet the other boy band members as well and I’m looking forward to reading their future stories.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by Avon Books and BiblioLifestyle.

Snow Place Like LA by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 1.5 of the Christmas Notch series. Being in the same working circle (in the adult film industry), Luca has had a crush on Angel for ages and they finally hook up when working on the same movie set. After a month together, it seems that Angel has ghosted Luca, so Luca blocks Angel everywhere. Fast forward seven months and they’re stuck working on yet another film together and need to confront their feelings and what all went wrong. It’s a quick and dirty novella with lots of steam. Standout page of the book goes to Luca explaining to Angel what omegaverse and knotting is.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Christmas Notch series. Ex-boy band member turned pizza mogul Kallum is set to star in a sexy Santa movie after gaining notoriety after a sex-tape was leaked. Former child actor and all-around good girl Winnie is in a tough spot following her divorce and an illness that prevented her from starring in last year’s Christmas movie, and is now given the opportunity to rebrand herself by co-starring with Kallum. She’s super hesitant at first, but finally decides to give it a try. Upon her first meeting with Kallum and the movie’s intimacy coordinator, Winnie soon realizes she’s totally in over her head and has no idea how to portray sexual satisfaction on screen (having never experienced it off screen). She’s got plenty of homework to do there, but her super conservative purity-based upbringing is definitely creating a lot of blocks there. Kallum has his own insecurities of being the least sought after boy band member and always being looked at as a hook-up rather than relationship material. He’s totally excited to work with Winnie after having had a crush on her since they were teenagers. With Winnie’s insecurities in the bedroom, she asks Kallum to help her in that department, agreeing that it’s all for the sake of research and her performance in the movie. There’s definitely a lot of steam in this book, as Kallum takes on the role of tutor for Winnie. While the physical attraction between Winnie and Kallum definitely exists, neither of them are sure about their long-term compatibility, being total opposites in personality and in family dynamics. It’s takes a bit of emotional growth for both of them: for Winnie to learn to trust someone and for Kallum to behave a bit more responsibly. A super humorous read with tons of support from our favorite characters from Book 1 of the series.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Seas and Greetings by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 2.5 of the Christmas Notch series. Quick and fun flirty steamy novella. Addison is set to launch the maiden voyage of her cruise line and she needs everything to go perfectly and not be distracted by her bodyguard Krysta. Except she is very much distracted by Krysta, who is authoritative in the most delicious way. And she may or may not have a stalker aboard the cruise ship. It’s really just a very quick and not super emotional read here with plenty of steam.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Christmas Notch series. We’re at the wedding of Bee and Nolan (from Book 1) and start with a second one night stand for adult film actor Sunny and widowed boy-band member Isaac. And then Sunny’s motel room floods and she ends up staying at Isaac’s mansion while she’s working on a screenplay. Meanwhile Isaac needs to finish writing one more album to fulfill his contract with his music studio and the dead wife card just isn’t working anymore. They peacefully cohabitate with Sunny’s cantankerous cat and try really hard not to fall in love. High steam, high chaos, and high emotion here with both Sunny and Isaac dealing with their separate feelings of grief and figuring out how to move on with their adult lives.

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

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Weekly Reads: October 7 to 13, 2024

Oct 15, 2024

Double Apex by Josie Juniper (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Frontrunners series. Phaedra and Cosmin are antagonistic co-workers with Phaedra as the race engineer who has not succumbed to race car driver Cosmin’s unwanted flirting. And then somehow they form a truce and then a secret fling that helps distract Phaedra from the troubles of her dying father. But Cosmin’s actually invested in a real relationship between the two and is merely settling for what he can get. When a potential for scandal erupts, Phaedra’s the one to call it quits and put up emotional walls. The pacing of this book was a bit quick at first, making the romance a little less than believable. The big break-up also happens at about the halfway mark of the book, leaving quite a bit of time for Phaedra and Cosmin to each deal with their issues. I was very interested in Cosmin’s family backstory and the issues he had with his sister. There was also a nice set-up for the couple that will be featured in the next book of the series.

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

Married in Haste by Cathy Maxwell (1999)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marriage series. Heiress Tess has been stalling on settling down since she seems to enjoy the attentions of the marriage mart, but when she starts a scandal at a ball, her brother forces her to marry the earl that offers for her. Brenn needs a wealthy heiress to rebuild the decrepit estate he’s inherited and has gotten lucky with Tess, even though he suspects she’s pregnant with another man’s child. She’s not pregnant but has just learned that her brother has lost her entire fortune, so now she’s keeping that a secret from Brenn. He also has not disclosed that he’s poor since he doesn’t want to seem like a fortune-hunter. It’s bound to be a huge mess when they both find out the truth about the other person. I enjoyed this book a lot and how the relationship develops between Brenn and Tess. I appreciated that Tess was a lot tougher than she seemed and was able to adapt to her circumstances quickly.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey (2021)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. It reminds me a little bit of the book Miracle on Ladies’ Mile by Joanna Shupe, but present day New York, instead of Gilded Age New York. Stella and Aiden meet on a New York City sidewalk when she scoffs at a department store window display. It turns out Aiden is the general manager of that department store and he encourages her to apply for the position of window dress. Stella is all sorts of hesitant because she recently got out of prison and doesn’t know what to do with her life. Things turn out well for her when she gets hired on a trial basis to dress one window. While a romance between Stella and Aiden is off-limits due to their working relationship, Aiden is all sorts of attracted and smitten by her. We get to see their opposite personalities balance each other out and Stella thrive in her new creative endeavor. Just the right amount of depth and emotion between these two and with their families.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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As the Earl Likes by Darcy Burke (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Rogue Rules series. We have a fun fake engagement story here between an earl and the daughter of a gambling club owner. Sheff is tired of his mother pressuring him to marry, so he has the bright idea to fake an engagement to a woman who is totally unsuitable. Jo is the manager of her mother’s gambling club and trying to figure out if she wants to take over the club, but decides to accept Sheff’s offer of fake engagement for the money that he’s willing to pay her. They’ve been friendly with each other for years, but their sudden closeness has caused their attraction to come forth. I enjoyed seeing them try and fail to resist their attraction, plus untangling some of the reasons for Sheff’s father’s behavior. Overall, a solid read.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke.

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Dream Harbor series. Bennett is in town to visit his sister Jeanie (owner of the Pumpkin Spice Cafe) and has somehow been appointed by the town to check in on the grumpy Christmas tree farm owner Kira. She had dreams of owning a farm and homesteading, so she bought a farm sight unseen without realizing it was the town’s beloved Christmas tree farm. She’s been a hermit for the past few months trying to prove that she can be independent and she doesn’t need anyone’s help. Until she runs out of money and needs to re-open the farm for tree buyers. Bennett is the ever-helpful rescuing type of guy who relies on his helpfulness to be wanted by his dates. He’s trying both the help and resist helping Kira, and she is definitely resisting any assistance. It’s a lot of push and pull, but they ultimately get stuck together in a snowstorm and a temporary fling develops. It was fun to revisit this quirky little town and to see Bennett and Kira integrate into a bigger friend group.

Advance ebook provided by Harlequin Books via NetGalley.

The Duke’s Guide to Winning a Lady by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. Final book in the series. Tragic prologue for Malcolm where he loses his wife and child during childbirth, but he married a woman his mother picked out and didn’t have a real relationship with her. He decides to do better the next time around. Fast forward a couple years and we have the youngest Strong sister Effie planning her debut into society at the same time as Malcolm’s younger sister is debuting. Effie and Ada become fast friends at the modiste and spend several weeks together before the Season starts, most often chaperoned by Malcolm. He’s impressed by Effie and intends to make her his duchess, but she has no idea of his feelings since he rarely speaks around her and she sees him as an older brother figure. He’s got a lot of courting and wooing to do if he plans to convince Effie of his suit. The best part here is when Effie’s brother and brothers-in-law team up to help Malcolm win Effie’s affections. It was a lovely cap to the series, seeing all the family members so happily wed and supportive of each other.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

A Scandalous Marriage by Cathy Maxwell (2000)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Marriage series. Super interesting set up here with a prologue that starts with Devon running into a pregnant Leah in the countryside unexpectedly. We then jump a year backward to their first meeting, initial flirtation and secret relationship, until it ends in a duel between Devon and Leah’s brother. We then go back to the present where Leah is having a difficult labor for her baby and things seem dire. It’s interesting to follow these two people and the mistakes they both made in their initial encounters, especially knowing the history of their family rivalry. I loved seeing Devon become the true hero of the story saving Leah from her situation and opening up to a second chance with her, even with a baby that isn’t biologically his.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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