Book Reviews | Random Olive

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Weekly Reads: October 9 to 15, 2023

Oct 17, 2023

Heiress in Red Silk by Madeline Hunter (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Duke’s Heiresses series. Kevin is distressed and annoyed that his uncle gave partnership of his business to a stranger. When he finally discovers that Rosamund is a milliner in a country town, he sends his cousin-in-law to inform her of her inheritance. At first, Kevin is anxious to meet her so that he can convince her to sign away her decision-making rights to his enterprise, but she’s far savvier than that and wants to have an equal say in anything that happens. Rosamund has her own history of having worked as a maid, then becoming an milliner’s apprentice and ultimately opening her own shop for fine hats. She anticipates that her newfound fortune will help improve her and her sister’s station. Once Kevin realizes that Rosamund is not a total pushover, he tries to befriend her to gain influence instead. Along the way, there’s the meddling of his family, the mystery of his uncle’s death, and Rosamund’s attachment to a former love. I loved seeing Kevin and Rosamund interact with each other and Rosamund demand to have things her way. She’s clever and strong-willed and is delightful to read.

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

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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.

The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Christmas Belles Anthology and the Duchess Society series. We have the next generation of the Leighton cluster here with Nigel and Arabella. Nigel was a street orphan adopted by Tobias and Hildy and now runs the gambling hell owned by Arabella’s father. These two grew up together as close family friends and now Arabella is all grown up and going after the man she wants, despite his general feelings of unworthiness and the age difference between them. Super quick and steamy novella, where both people get the full support of their families in this relationship.

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner.

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Drop It Like It’s Scot by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 5 of the Hots for Scots series. Alistair is too busy running the clan to find a bride. Even though his father has stated that the first son to marry and sire an heir will become the next laird, Alistair is still stuck being a workaholic. The housekeeper’s daughter, Lara, has had a crush on Alistair for ages even though he has never noticed her. She’s determined to assist Alistair in relaxing and finding pleasure and he is very happy to go along with it. It’s your classic oblivious male main character type of story with our gal finally being bold enough to go after what she wants.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Rake and the Rose by Eva Devon (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Once Upon a Wallflower Series. Many years ago, Alex’s father was a patron of an artist and then withdrew his support when that man behaved badly. This caused the entire family to end up in dire financial condition, including Alex’s childhood friends Harry and Rose. While Alex and Harry were able to continue their friendship as adults, Harry insisted that Alex stay away from Rose completely, as his rakish reputation would harm hers. Present day Rose works as a writer and is way too pious and self-righteous in my opinion. With her history of being let down by her father’s rakish behavior, she seeks to right the wrongs of humanity by exposing the harms of such behavior. When she needs access to a club, she ends up asking Alex for help, who does so with Rose in disguise as his mistress. This book has Rose being the morally uptight person needing to let go and let joy into her life, along with accepting that Alex is not the depraved soul that she thinks he is. Alex is mostly a charming positive sort of fellow who uses his money to support artisans to the best of his ability.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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The Heiress Bride by Madeline Hunter (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Duke’s Heiresses series. New duke Nicholas is still adjusting to his inherited status and feeling the stresses of his responsibilities. He’s surprised when he receives a visit from the last of the late duke’s heiresses, Iris. She is a rare book dealer and has come to inquire about a particular rare book that the late duke had said that he would assist her in finding. Iris had only recently learned that the duke had passed away and is completely surprised by her inheritance. Nicholas agrees to assist her in finding this book, but is also suspicious of Iris, so he intends to keep a close eye on her. This one is another book in the series where the two main characters really start on opposite sides of an argument but also can’t seem to stay away from each other. This book was super interesting in terms of Iris’s family history and scandal with her grandfather. We also re-open the investigation into the late duke’s death and wonder if Iris or Nicholas become targets for violence as well. And I also enjoyed the big reveal at the end when we start to dig into the attics.

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

Scot to the Touch by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 6 of the Hots for Scots series. Kiergan is the charming rake of the clan with no desire to marry or to inherit the lairdship, so he’s shocked to find that his father has arranged for him to marry a lady from another clan. But not to worry, Davina is not interested in marrying him either, so she’s disdainful and rude to Kiergan when she and her family arrive at the castle. However, Katlyn is the sister who catches Kiergan’s attention and affection, even though she believes she’s cursed and destined to not marry. Spending time with Katlyn is enough to cause Kiergan to change his tune on marriage, and support from Katlyn and his father boosts his confidence in his ability to serve a purpose to the clan. We get all sorts of humor and hijinks in the secret passages of the castle here, along with discovering the reason why Davina is so hesitant to marry.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Scot Under the Mistletoe by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 7 of the Hots for Scots series. Nessa is tired of her father setting up betrothals to Henrys who keep dying before she even gets a chance to meet them. She’s determined to convince the man she actually loves to stand up for himself and ask her father for her hand. Brohn is the son of the housekeeper and feels that he’s unworthy of marrying Nessa, so he shrinks back and allows her father to continue to arrange her betrothals. Luckily Nessa is super insistent and forces Brohn to realize the depths of her feelings. This was a quick novella with an easy resolution once everyone declares their feelings out loud.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Too Scot to Hold by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 8 of the Hots for Scots series. We get the conclusion of the great baby race for the lairdship in this book, with so many of the wives soon to give birth. Davina is back at the castle to assist her sister Katlyn, along with Graham, the man that her grandfather had disapproved of previously. Graham turns out to be a seventh son of the laird and is also a doctor, so having him around for all his sisters-in-law proves to be very useful. We get to see Davina and Graham reunited after a six month long separation (where their letters were intercepted) and they quickly reconnect and try to convince her grandfather to support their marriage. It was fun to catch up with all of the previous couples of the series with the wives in varying stages of pregnancy. And we do ultimately find out which couple bears a son first and will become the next laird.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Some Winter’s Evening by Erin Langston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Related to Forever Your Rogue. We get to see Cora’s barrister brother Gavin find his match in this holiday novella. Gavin is struggling with an ethical dilemma in whether or not to represent some unsavory client in attempts to boost his own chances at a promotion. While he is stressed and mulling this over, he is also on his way to his sister’s house for the holidays and ends up at an inn due to a snowstorm. Emilia is also stuck at the inn overnight on her way to her new governess position and meets Gavin. They share a lighthearted night together with no exchange of last names or contact information. Luckily though, Emilia is on her way to being the governess of Gavin’s very own nephew, so they meet again a couple days later when Gavin shows up at the house. They try to stay away from each other at first since she needs to keep her job and he needs to focus on being an upstanding gentleman, but that doesn’t last long, especially as Gavin’s brother-in-law (the ever-charming Nate) catches onto their obvious feelings for each other. From there, we get to see the uptight and serious Gavin learn to let loose and go with his emotions rather than strict adherence to the logical. His caretaking and worry for Emilia is delightful to read. It was also fun to see the boisterous family dynamics of the house and the affection between Gavin and his sister.

Advance ebook provided by Erin Langston.

The Lady Is Tempted by Cathy Maxwell (2002)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Deborah and Tony have a happenstance meeting at an inn during a rainstorm and have an instant attraction for each other. They fall into a tryst during their stay, but both have totally separate obligations that keep them apart. Deborah is a country widow who has also been responsible and cared for her younger sisters, while Tony is a somewhat disgraced earl with scandalous parents. Oh, and Tony is also already engaged to a proper young lady to improve his social station. It was interesting to see how these two end up together and work through their respective family issues.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Halifax Hellions Series by Alexandra Vasti / Historical Romance Book Series

Oct 16, 2023

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.

Ebook provided free by subscribing to the author’s email newsletter.

In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint by Alexandra Vasti (2023)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 2 of the Halifax Hellions Series. There’s so much going on in this book that it’s hard to summarize it all in one line. Matilda is a twin and scandalously known as one of the Halifax Hellions; she and her sister Margo have a reputation of behaving outrageously and getting into trouble. However, Matilda has a secret that no one knows about: she draws naughty pictures and sells them to printers who put together erotic pamphlets. Christian finds himself the subject of these naughty drawings and confronts Matilda. He has his own problems with scandal and speculation since he was rumored to have murdered his wife. Matilda is apologetic and wants to make it up to Christian, but he won’t allow it; she finally wears him down and convinces him to let her come to his home to serve a painting tutor for his younger sister and they set off on the road. Matilda leaves a note for her sister that she’s eloped, hoping that she won’t be followed. (We see twin sister Margo’s perspective in the previous book) From there, we have an easygoing road trip, a confrontation with Margo, a rescued cat, arrival at a dusty castle, a reluctant sister, and finally an honest conversation with Christian. This book will keep all the pages turning for you because you want so badly to find out what happens next.

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

In Which Winnie Halifax Is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Halifax Hellions series. Winnie just wants to rent a cottage and start a sheep farm but isn’t able to secure the lease as a single woman, so she makes up a fake estranged husband by the name of Spencer Halifax to secure her position. Ten years later, Spencer is notified by his solicitor-best friend of the possibility of actually being legally married to a conwoman using his name. He travels to her farm in Wales to find her and to bring her back to London to settle their annulment. Along the way, Spencer and Winnie find themselves attracted to each other and wanting more. However, Winnie is hesitant to overburden Spencer since she has already inconvenienced him with the fake marriage and she is wary of becoming selfish and manipulative like her mother was. Spencer is an all-around nice guy here and hungrily lusts after Winnie. This book is humorous and steamy in all the best ways and we get to hear about Margo and Matilda’s respective exploits from Spencer’s POV. An excellent addition to the Halifax Hellions series!

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

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

The Debutante Files Series by Sophie Jordan / Historical Romance Book Series

Oct 12, 2023

A Good Debutante’s Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Debutante Files series. Stepbrother romance, but make it historical. Rosalie has overstayed her welcome at the girls’ school her mother sent her to, so the headmistress has dumped a 20-year old Rosalie in the care of her ducal stepbrother Declan, who she hasn’t seen in many years. She had idolized and adored him as a child, but knows that he’s the cold and distant rakish duke now. Declan’s plan is to offer a dowry for Rosalie and get her out of his house and hair as soon as possible, especially since he despises her mother. It’s not a very successful plan since Declan and Rosalie are very much attracted to each other, and then happen to run into each other at a scandalous club where Rosalie is in disguise. Loads of scandal and drama, especially when Rosalie’s horrible mother gets involved.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

An Heiress for All Seasons by Sophie Jordan (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1.5 of the Debutante Files series. Quick, relatively low-angst novella. Violet is an American heiress being shown off around England by her title-seeking mother. She has no intention of marrying anyone in England, since she has a suitor back home, but goes along with her parents until they accept her other suitor. Will is an impoverished earl being set up by his mother to meet Violet, but has no interest in marrying until he actually does meet Violet and is intrigued by her. He spends most of his time trying to pursue her, even though she rebuffs him, and at some point they get stuck in a cabin together during a snowstorm. Easy peasy with fun flirty spice.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Debutante Files series. Aurelia has been in love with her brother’s best friend Max since first setting eyes on him at the age of 9. However, at age 15, she witnesses him having a tryst with a maid in the greenhouse, and broken-heartedly draws a caricature of him which accidentally gets discovered and setting him up for humiliation. From that day on, they’ve endured a bickering and spiteful relationship. We are many years later, with Aurelia having been uninterested in the social season or finding a match, until she realizes that she will be a burden on her newly married brother’s household and attempts to find a husband before she and her mother move to Scotland. Max is critical of all of Aurelia’s suitors, even though he has no desire to marry her himself. Max has his own issues stemming from the death of his mother and sister and his father’s subsequent suicide and swears he will never fall in love and set himself up to be in such a vulnerable position. However, all those years of angry bickering has caught up to Max and Aurelia who can’t seem to keep their hands (and mouths) to themselves this year.

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

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.

A Dozen Dukes to Add to Your TBR: Historical Romance Round Up

Oct 11, 2023

Desert Island Duke by Kate Bateman (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era. Novella-length story part of the Ruthless Rivals series. Caroline and Max get stranded together alone on an island when their ship crashes. Not to worry too much, they’ve spotted the rest of her family in the distance at a neighboring island. Caro and Max have had a bantering relationship up to this point, with Max being friends with Caro’s brother. Max has seemingly lost his memory, so Caro decides to tease him by saying that he is a groom (rather than the duke that he actually is). We find out pretty soon that Max is faking his amnesia and knows exactly who he is and using this opportunity to woo Caro, who he wishes to court and marry. It’s a fun quick read with pretty low angst.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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One Duke Down by Anna Bennett (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 2 of the Rogues to Lovers series. Another fun book from Anna Bennett. Fisherman’s daughter Poppy discovers an injured man washed up on shore who claims to be a duke. She trades him shelter for money while he figures out who might have attacked him. These two have instant rapport and chemistry with each other with a lot of easy teasing and flirting. However, there’s Poppy’s poor history with members of nobility, the duke Keane actually turning out to be a duke, plus the drama of Poppy’s wayward brother, and the mystery of Keane’s assault. Despite all of these obstacles, Poppy and Keane are sure of each other’s character and integrity and never once doubt the other person. Absolutely enjoyable read!

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What’s a Duke Got to Do With It by Christina Britton (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Synneful Spinsters series. We start with a tragic prologue for Katrina, who is the sister of a baronet, enjoying her first flirtatious season. Just as it seems like her flirtation with a young lord might be headed somewhere, he’s called away from a ball unexpectedly. What follows is another lord sneaking into her window uninvited, being caught by her brother, and imminent scandal. Years later, Katrina is resigned to living as a companion to a stern dowager viscountess. And that idiot lord has attempted again to climb into her window, this time falling to his death, and causing tons more scandal for Katrina. Meanwhile, Sebastian (the man called away from that last ball) has been digging his way out of his father’s debts and is on the cusp of marrying a wealthy heiress. He just needs to fulfill one assignment for her father, which is to distract her brother from marrying an actress. Sebastian and his charge find themselves hosted by the dowager viscountess. Sebastian and Katrina have the opportunity to meet again and reconnect, even though both of their circumstances have changed, and for very practical reasons, they don’t have a future together. It was still fun to read how much Sebastian has been pining for Katrina all these years and how Katrina’s odd group of friends rally behind her. And the matchmaking dowager is also the best.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

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The Duke’s Secret Cinderella by Eva Devon (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Never a Wallflower series. While this book is part of a series, it reads completely standalone with no apparent connection to the other books in the series. This one starts off a lot of the movie Ever After (the Cinderella movie retelling from 1998 starring Drew Barrymore, which is one of my favorite movies ever). Charlotte is the servant of the house who schemes with her beloved stepsister to dress nicely and go down to the prison to free her servant. While there, she meets Rafe, a duke whose mother has just decreed that he should marry. They part ways before she can tell him her name, but when he comes to her home to call on her stepsister, she somehow gets introduced as a lady and cousin. Rafe is smitten with Charlotte the whole way through and is determined to make her his duchess, but she is resistant because of the punishments she will face from her stepfather if she’s usurped her stepsister’s place. This book was delightful with how straightforward Rafe is with his feelings and how his mother and grandmother are completely supportive. It makes a nice contrast to how evil and scheming Charlotte’s stepfather is.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. Print book provided by Entangled Publishing.

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How Not to Marry a Duke by Tina Gabrielle (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Daring Ladies series. We follow the duke friend from Book 1 here about a year after that book ends into the country where he is working on his inventions. The Duke of Warwick (known to his sweet godmother as Daniel) is not your typical duke: he’s socially inept and awkward and focuses mostly on his passion for science and technology. While hiding in the country to escape the bustle of town and the matchmaking efforts of his godmother, he meets his new neighbor Adeline, who has her own problems. Adeline is the banished half-sister of an earl who is in the country to work as the village healer; however, her brother has tried to arrange her marriage to a moneylender to pay off his debts. When Warwick overhears the argument between Adeline and her brother, he steps in and says that she cannot marry another because they are courting. We start a fake courtship here so that Warwick can avoid his godmother’s pressure to marry and so that Adeline can avoid her brother’s arranged betrothal. Both characters are pre-occupied with their own individual goals and not looking to marry, especially not to each other. Of course, as they spend more time with each other, they learn to appreciate each other’s strengths, even if typically dismissed by society. I especially loved how Warwick was supportive of Adeline’s work as a healer. The romance built up slowly in this book, but the respect they had for each other was a strong foundation for their partnership.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Say I Do series. We start here with one of the silliest reasons for a marriage of convenience, which is an inheritance-related reason. Our duke Wyatt has just been informed that he needs to marry within 7 days to keep the property that his grandmother left for him. Not to worry though, his solicitor has already found him a bride: Fredericka is in a custody battle with her cousin over the guardianship of her sister’s orphaned children and needs a husband to bolster her cause. When the duke shows up at her house to offer marriage, she’s stunned and would rather have had more time to consider the proposal, but they’re on a time crunch, so she accepts. Along the way, we find that Fredericka is the strict caregiver and expecting proper behavior from the children (but mostly so she doesn’t get the kids taken away from her) and Wyatt is the one who wants to see the kids rambunctiously playing. These two are constantly bickering from their opposing views on childrearing, plus misinterpreting each other’s words anytime they’re speaking. It was a fun book to read and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

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

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Never Seduce a Duke by Vivienne Lorret (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. This one makes more sense if you’ve already read Book 3 of the series, The Wrong Marquess. Meg is the younger sister of the male main character of that book and she’s traveling on holiday with the spinsterly aunts of the female main character of that book. After having her heart broken, Meg is intent on having a grand holiday (and possibly flirtation) before returning to her brother’s home to stay a spinster. However, the meddlesome aunts are at their recipe-stealing antics again and somehow get entangled with a surly hermit of a duke, Lucien. His family relic, a recipe book covered in jewels and myths, has disappeared the same time that Meg is caught trespassing in his home, so he chases her across her European vacation to find the book. Lucien seems to think that Meg is the seductive and mysterious Lady Avalon, known the be a thief, while Meg (who has been fresh-faced and overlooked by gentlemen) is flattered by his attentions. The banter and flirtation and fighting goes on for half the book… it’s a bit tedious at times to read, with them misunderstanding each other, and him being a stubborn stoic scientific arse. When they finally come together and perhaps the truth may be uncovered, there’s another set of miscommunications that keep them separated, and from Lucien never knowing Meg’s real name or identity. And as the summary alludes to, Meg ends up pregnant. Though the front half moved slowly and tediously, the pace of the plot picks up in the back half of the book with a gasp-worthy time-jump and we do ultimately find out the identity of Lady Avalon.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Socially awkward duke turns a socially awkward wallflower into a duchess. Alex, second son of a duke, never expected to inherit and would rather be working on his experiments in botany. However, he knows that he will have to pick between three sisters to fulfill the agreement that his father made with their father. Lavinia is the often-overlooked and shy middle sister who would rather read and hide behind potted plants than dance. When Alex comes to call on the sisters, he chooses Lavinia as his bride instead of the other more socially outgoing sisters. From there, Lavinia is doing her best to arrange their social calendar to the duke’s benefit, while Alex is wondering why he is being dragged to all of his events when he should be working. Add in a possibly nefarious rival and work partner who disparages Alex spending time with his new wife, and we have our befuddled duke doing and saying all the wrong things. I was definitely feeling most of Lavinia’s heartbreak throughout this book as she is trying so very hard to be a good wife and duchess to Alex. I really enjoyed this book!

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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Bed Me, Duke by Felicity Niven (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Bed Me Books series. The action starts in chapter 1 with our countess (in her own right) Helen asking Jack for lessons in seduction so that she can somehow convince the new duke to marry her. Although we find out that the plain old Jack, retired ship captain, is actually the new duke but he has been a commoner in disguise as he gets the lay of the land. We rewind to three weeks prior when Jack finds out that he has inherited after his cousin dies, and learns a bit more of his backstory and why he treats women with such distrust. Loved the character build of Jack and you definitely understand why he is the way he is. When he goes to visit his new estate in Scotland, he uses his common name and does not let anyone know he’s the duke, when he meets Helen, the neighboring countess. She has had her own share of struggles with an impoverished estate and sees marriage to the new duke as a solution to her troubles. She’s also terribly unsure of herself as a woman and lack of sensual appeal, even if she’s a strong and effective leader. Helen is loud and brash and forthright and somehow all of these things appeal very much to Jack, who is the most appealing and desirable man that Helen has ever seen. We get to see Helen and Jack slowly fall in love, but really cannot commit to each other, since Helen needs to snare the duke despite her ugly appearance, and Jack feels guilty for deceiving Helen about his identity. It’s a horrible muddle that will keep you reading to find out how it resolves.

Advance ebook provided by Felicity Niven.

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Stealing the Duke by Lexi Post (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marrying a Mabry series. Loosely modeled after the March family of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, we start the series with Joanna, who is in the process of stealing a book from an arrogant and pretentious duke. Unfortunately, that book has a false cover, and she doesn’t realize that she has stolen a book of scandalous illustrations and tutorials. When James finds that his book has gone missing, he suspects Joanna of the crime. These two banter and debate and talk around the stolen book, but Joanna thinks that he suspects her of stealing it. There’s lots of discussion of the roles of women and what constitutes a good match in society, and Joanna enlightening James on the intellect and goals of women. Add in James’ dislike for society, the perfect lady he’s half-heartedly courting, his all-too-knowing aunt, plus a cousin making her debut, and we’ve got lots of moving pieces in this story. The flirtatious banter was great, even when both characters don’t even realize they’re flirting or genuinely enjoying each other’s company. Looking forward to reading about the rest of the Mabry clan in future books.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

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The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe (2023)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 4 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. If you’ve read the first three books in this series, you’ll have seen hints of an uneasy relationship between Nellie and the Duke of Lockwood. Nellie is everyone’s scandalous best friend with knowledge about affairs and men. Meanwhile the destitute Duke of Lockwood needs an American heiress to marry for money. In Book 1, he was engaged to Maddie for about a day before that didn’t work out. In Book 2, he’s almost courting our favorite sweet Alice, until he realizes Kit is in the picture and bows out. In Book 3, he’s sworn off courting anyone from this unlucky friend group, but still friendly with Katherine. Well, we finally get to see his true nature and desires here in Book 4 with our dear Nellie. We go back to the beginning of the Newport house party from Book 1 and 2, where Lockwood and Nellie meet as strangers at the beach at midnight, and after some flirting, and kissing, they plan for a tryst the next day. However, when Lockwood shows up at the house party the next day and is introduced to all the guests, he and Nellie realize that the connection is impossible and over. We meet again in six months after Nellie’s other friends are all settled and Nellie’s feeling listless and aimless since all her friends are married and don’t need her anymore plus Lockwood’s still looking for a docile and wealthy bride. What starts as angry flirting turns into an angry affair with neither of them wanting to engage their hearts. Lockwood’s got some secrets of his own with a health condition, plus Nellie is unwilling to risk her emotions after her mother died at a young age. An important side story here is Nellie’s work in educating women on contraception and taking control of their reproductive rights. I appreciated seeing this play out in a historical setting and seeing Nellie’s championing of women’s education on the subject.

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Surrendering to the Duke by Stevie Sparks (2023)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 1 of the Lords of Desire series. Content warnings galore on this one for violence, post-war substance abuse, and history of sexual assault. We have a duke’s widow, Emmaline, living with her late husband’s family with her young daughter, with a history of abuse at the hand of her uncle who raised her after she was orphaned at the age of 3. Michael, her late husband’s younger brother, and now duke, is back at home after completing his war-related duties after the Great War. His mother suggests that he marries Emmaline to provide her with more children and provide the dukedom with an heir. Of course Michael had been in love with Emmaline since he first saw her, but has had extreme guilt over coveting his brother’s wife. These two embark on a courtship of convenience with the possible goal of marriage, but both have secrets and traumas that may prevent them from living happily ever after. Loads of drama in this book and all the angst. Excellent read!

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

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Weekly Reads: October 2 to 8, 2023

Oct 10, 2023

My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine (2023)

Paranormal romance. Standalone novel. Cassie is an artist in Chicago working too many jobs for not enough money and comes across an apartment listing for a ridiculously low price. Having few other options, she ends up taking the apartment and finds that her new roommate Frederick is a little eccentric. His manner, dress, and penmanship are completely out of this century and he seems to have trouble navigating technology and basic errands. When Cassie eventually finds out that Frederick is a vampire, she’s horrified at first, but then agrees to tutor him in the ways of modern age since he was in a coma for the last century. While most of the text is from Cassie’s perspective, we get glimpses into Frederick’s perspective at the start of every chapter with letters, text messages, and diary entries that Frederick composes. This book is super funny and delightful to read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Earl Was Wrong by Britt Belle (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Greydon series. Sebastian is trying his best to be the stuffiest earl in town, since his debaucherous parents were embarrassing and his father was incapable of being financially responsible. When he finds that his younger sister is skirting ruin, his friend advises that he take a wife. Sebastian asks his aunt for a recommendation and she points out Emmaline, the sister of a viscount who appears to be practical and responsible. Emmaline is surprised to find the handsome earl asking her to dance and then asking to court her, but she believes that he would be her only chance at marriage and children and agrees to marry him. While Emmaline tries her best to be a good wife and member of her new family, Sebastian is cold and distant. He has an underlying fear of love and passion, believing that he will turn into his flighty and irresponsible father if he gives into such emotions. Basically, Emmaline is awesome throughout this book and Sebastian is the one who needs to grow and realize the woman and family he has in front of him. This was an entertaining debut from Britt Belle and I’m looking forward to reading more about the Greydons.

Advance ebook provided by Britt Belle.

Getting Scot and Bothered by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 3 of the Hots for Scots series. Son of a laird Rocque has repeatedly asked his lover and clan healer Merewyn to marry him, but she keeps refusing and he has no idea why. It’s clear that they have a cozy domestic relationship, with Rocque spending his nights at Merewyn’s cottage more than in his assigned barracks. However, Merewyn believes that Rocque does not love her and she does not want to be in a marriage where the love is one-sided. Oh, and she’s carrying his child without having told him yet. While it takes a bit of meddling from Rocque’s aunt and sister to get Merewyn to confront Rocque with her fears, he is shocked and surprised and needs his own time to unpack his feelings. Watch out for some danger from another member of the clan, and we have dire circumstances that lead to necessary declarations.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Training the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Suddenly a Duke series. Finola is the daughter of an earl who was orphaned and then neglected by her much older sisters only to be taken in by a lonely baron. In her first Season in London, Finola was publicly humiliated by a viscount who led her to believe he was courting her. After that, she retreated back to the country where she works to train hunting dogs. Many years after that, we meet Cy who has recently left the army after an accident left him blind in one eye. Cy is the younger son of a duke, neglected by his father and older brother. When he returns home, he finds that his father has died and his brother is now the duke. His brother allows Cy to live at the hunting lodge at the edge of the property. One day when Finola is walking her dogs, the dogs discover and befriend Cy and his charge Bertie. Finola’s and the duke’s lands border each other, though Cy does not admit that he is the brother of a duke. We have a quick and easy friendship between Finola and Cy, with Bertie needing the use of Finola’s schoolroom and learning to train dogs with Finola. The romance here builds very naturally and it seems that these two are perfect for each other and will be well-situated at Finola’s home. However, we have Cy’s looming secret and the fact that his brother is quite ill. I enjoyed this book and seeing another woman in an unconventional profession.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Duke’s Heiresses series. A duke with no wife or children passes away and leaves none of his fortune to his many family members; instead, he leaves an inheritance to three strangers who the family is not acquainted with. The duke’s nephew Chase, who was previously in the army, is charged with finding these women who have been left with such a fortune. He ends up entangled with one of the heiresses, Minerva, who has never met the duke before and has a history of an abusive husband and changing her name after his death. Since the duke had died under suspicious circumstances, Minerva believes that she’ll be a suspect with motives for his death. She thinks the best way to protect herself from being accused is to find the person who was actually responsible for the duke’s death. Meanwhile, Chase is leading his own investigation into the matter, and keeps running into Minerva as they’re simultaneously separately working on the same case. I liked seeing these two continually interact and bicker with each other and slowly develop a romance. With Minerva’s terrible late husband, it was nice to see Chase be so protective and patient with her. This was a good introduction to the duke’s family dynamics and interesting set up for the mystery of his death.

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

The Duke Starts a Scandal by Sophie Jordan (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Duke Hunt series. A new duke and his housekeeper have gotten off to a rocky start and now seem to have a contentious relationship. Susanna has been the housekeeper at the estate, despite her relatively young age for the role, and is peeved by the arrogance of the new duke. Lucian had lived in poverty with his younger sisters until it was discovered that he was the duke and has a scandalous secret of how he earned the money to support his family. These two don’t trust each other much, but Lucian’s irritation is mostly due to the stress of his new role and the attraction he feels for Susanna. A house party that Lucian hosts sets up more trouble as Susanna is confronted by a man who knew her when she was young. We get to find out Susanna’s secrets and what brought her to work as a maid and then housekeeper all those years ago. The romance between Lucian and Susanna is pretty straightforward once we get past the disgruntled misconceptions they have of each other, and we get to see these two become open and honest with their secrets.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

In Scot Water by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 4 of the Hots for Scots series. The scientific-minded son of a laird, Malcolm, is approaching his father’s ultimatum to marry logically. He plans to seek out a relatively young widow with a track record of giving birth to sons and living in such conditions where a proposal from a laird’s son will be seen as a boon. He identifies the perfect candidate in Evelinde and is instantly attracted to her when he sees her at the market. Soon, he’s journeying to her cottage to propose marriage, but decides to get to know her and her sons while they’re all stuck inside during a rainstorm. Evelinde has been living in rough conditions caring for her two young children and is grateful to have the help and support of Malcolm. Both Evelinde and Malcolm very quickly fall in love with each other while weathering the storm and it was nice to see both of them appreciate the other person’s intellect and ingenuity. I loved how Malcolm interacted with the kiddos and it was clear that Evelinde was softened by this as well.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Devil of Drury Lane by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Scandals and Scoundrels of Drury Lane series. Mercy is the awkward daughter of an earl who would rather draw than comport with society; she’s definitely pining after the youngest son of the duke next door and draws his picture. Many years later, Mercy has become a lady who follows all the rules of society in public while pursuing her art in secret and even taking commissions from Drury Lane. When Damien sees her artwork in a shop window, he spends more time at the theater, trying to track her down. Once these two reconnect, they share a liaison along with their stories. It’s a maddening few days where Mercy gets to indulge in her girlhood fantasies and Damien questions whether fate exists. Quick and steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner.

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Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books with “Wallflower” in the Title

Oct 9, 2023

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare (2019)

Book 3 of the Girl Meets Duke series. Gabriel is a wealthy businessman who worked his way up from the slums and now he’s setting up house in a fancy Mayfair mansion. While he’s fixing it up, he’s irritated by his animal-loving neighbor Penelope. Somehow he’s wrangled her into rehoming all her animals, but she insists that he help her to do that. As they spend more time together, they obviously have a deep attraction for each other. Penelope is odd and spinsterly and prioritizes her care of all creatures. This book is pretty light and humorous, and there’s a parrot who constantly says inappropriate things.

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How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James (2022)

Historical romance, Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Would-Be Wallflowers series. Cleo is interested in being a wallflower and plans to order a drab wardrobe. When she visits a costumer, the company has been purchased by an American businessman who wants to move the company out of England. She gets into a confrontation with Jake, the businessman, and declares that she’s purchased the company instead. These two start a competition, and then strike a bargain, and then he starts to court her in earnest. It’s definitely a case of him falling first and changing all his plans, while trying to break down her defenses with her late mother’s fickle behavior and her previous fortune-hunting fiancee. Fun to read and pretty light on the drama and angst.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas (2008)

Book 5 of Wallflowers Series. Rafe Bowman (brother to Lillian and Daisy) is being matched with Lady Natalie Blandford by their collective parents. As he arrives in England to meet the lady, he is distracted by her cousin and companion, Hannah. Rafe needs to choose between the future his father has planned for him with Natalie and the desire he has for Hannah. The plot moves pretty quickly and we get glimpses of how life is faring for all our favorite Wallflowers. Short, sweet, Christmas-time story.

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Temptations of a Wallflower by Eva Leigh (2016)

Book 3 of the Wicked Quills of London series. I’m not exactly sure how these two people have met, but they each have their own secret agendas. Sarah is actually the writer of scandalous novels under the name of A Lady of Dubious Quality, and Jeremy is a vicar tasked by his family to unmask the author. She doesn’t know that he’s after her alter-ego, and he doesn’t know that she’s the writer. Except that he also secretly reads her books and uses them to help him perform more admirably in the marriage bed.

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How the Wallflower Was Won by Eva Leigh (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. At the start of this book, Finn is trying to set up Dom with bluestocking Tabitha, thinking that they would make for an easy marriage-of-convenience. However, Dom is not interested in courting or marrying and Tabitha is completely intimidated by Dom anyway. Plus Finn and Tabitha are clearly drawn to each other. The problem is that Tabitha is a well-read intellectual lady trying to gain entry into a prestigious academic society, while Finn has always been berated and thought to be an imbecile. He’s not, he just has trouble reading, but he’s clever and observant. Finn thinks that he’s no match for Tabitha and is afraid that she will despise him once she finds out the truth about his intellect (or lacktherof). Tabitha is also wary of emotional entanglements because of a hurtful experience in her past, but is slowly opening up to Finn. These two are deeply guarded with their feelings and with each other, but it’s plain to everyone else that they adore each other. I loved how supportive Finn was of Tabitha and that he respected her opinion and knowledge.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (2018)

Lady Felicity is a spinster wallflower who I guess was ruined by some sort of scandal. Devil seeks her out to set her up with a suitor that he wants revenge on. But she’s negotiates her own deal with Devil for lessons in passion while they’re together. Honestly, I don’t remember much about this story, aside from Devil having some smuggling operation related to shipping ice and that Felicity is really really good at picking locks. The overall premise of the series is interesting though, with the four children of the duke born on the same day and then where they end up as adults.

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Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Seduction Diaries series. Clare is a viscount’s daughter who is hoping to make a match with a duke’s heir this season but an accidental turn of her ankle sets her on the wallflower line at a ball. She catches the attention of a young doctor named Daniel who is curious about her shuffle and gait. It’s clear from the start that they are totally mismatched in terms of social status, but that doesn’t stop the attraction from developing as Daniel tends to Clare’s ankle over time. Daniel is also very good at managing Clare’s rambunctious younger siblings. It was nice to see the social-climbing Clare realize that her friends are horrible villains, she doesn’t really have a chance with the duke’s heir, and that Daniel is a kind, respectable, and honorable man who is deserving of love and affection.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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How to Win a Wallflower by Samara Parish (2022)

Historical romance, Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Rebels with a Cause series. We have our duke’s sister Charlotte, who’s the younger sister of the hero from Book 2 and she’s in her like 4th Season and uninterested in any suitors. She mostly spends her time helping her brother’s political causes and charitable causes. Charlotte is the ultimate do-gooder social butterfly and clearly not the wallflower in this story. That goes to our guy John who is Charlotte’s brother’s friend who has spent the past ten years away from the London scene, working on his various scientific inventions. He’s back in town though because his older brother died, leaving him as the new viscount and in a whole a lot of debt. John needs to figure out a way to pay off all these debts, so he can go back to his very solitary lifestyle in a cabin in the woods. Charlotte’s had a crush on John for years and years, so she decides to help him with his debt problem. They need to work together and they get closer, even though our dear brother duke has already warned each person away from the other. We’ll see how that actually turns out…

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

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The Wicked Wallflower by Tracy Sumner (2022)

Pippa (a duke’s sister) has an unhealthy attraction to her brother’s friend Xander (a rogue and ex-smuggler). After running into each other enough times, they finally give in to the attraction, even though Xander is working through feelings of not being worthy and swearing off love. A fun adventure for Pippa and Xander, they just keep staring at each other and meeting up.

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Tales of Harlot’s Guide Series by Caroline Lee / Historical Romance Book Series

Oct 5, 2023

His Perfect Princess by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era European Island. Book 1 of the Tales of the Harlot’s Guide series. Quick and dirty novella. Rickard, the crown prince of an island nation is told by his father that he must marry, and he already has a bride picked out. The sweet, innocent, and docile Clarissa is his choice of bride and thoughts of dominating her in the bedroom stir up plenty of emotion in Rickard. Lucky for him, Clarissa is very willing to go along with all of Rickard’s commands and enjoys being told what to do. Really, that’s it. The romance is on the instantaneous side of the spectrum with no angst whatsoever.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

His Savage Sweet by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era European Island. Book 2 of the Tales of the Harlot’s Guide series. Quick and dirty novella. Second son Wulf doesn’t believe in love, but he does enjoy food and pastries. While in the kitchens to investigate a new pastry he had at dinner, he sets eyes on the most beautiful woman ever and helps himself to her person on top of the baking table in the chilled room. He runs from his feelings for a few days, but he’s back in short order to take her to dinner and marry her. Anna has been imagining herself with the prince in all sorts of scandalous scenarios, so is willing to take whatever he has to offer. Super short and steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.

His Bound Bedmate by Caroline Lee (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era European Island. Book 3 of the Tales of the Harlot’s Guide series. Quick and dirty novella. Youngest son Findlay is a bookish sort but likes his submissive mates bound up; luckily for him, his library assistant Millicent is eager to join him. Findlay has a special room full of restraints and devices that he and his partner can use for pleasure, and shows it to Millicent to gauge her willingness and consent. Another perfect match for the princes of this family and a quick and easy wedding to come.

Advance ebook provided by Caroline Lee.

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Trope Round Up: Marriage in Trouble Historical Romance Books

Oct 4, 2023

A Counterfeit Betrothal by Mary Balogh (1992)

Book 2 of the Waite series. So this one starts with a group of young people picnicking and one of them decides she wants to see her estranged parents get together, so she plots a betrothal with her friend (who is slightly rakish and unsuitable) so that her parents will be forced to spend time together, either to break up the engagement or to stay for the wedding planning. Most of this book does actually have to do with the parents’ relationship and only very little of the fake betrothed couple. We get to see an older couple who have been apart for over a decade, only corresponding through letters and shared custody of their daughter. We find out the cause of that estrangement and whether or not they can overcome it. This story is actually intensely emotional, with bits of lighthearted fun with the younger couple. Definitely an interesting set up using the fake engagement to further a different romance plot that you would not have expected from reading the summary alone.

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Impassions by Darcy Burke (2021)

Book 2 of the Phoenix Club series. Constantine and Sabrina have a polite arranged marriage, where they mostly live separately because Sabrina is shy and socially anxious – she stays at their country home while Constantine does business in London, and they see each other maybe twice a year. After two years of this strained marriage, Sabrina decides she wants children and demands it of Constantine. Both of these people are terrible at communicating with each other, so they each separately end up enlisting the help of younger brother Lucien and club manager Evie to help gain some skills in seduction. Lots of potential for drama here as Sabrina meets Constantine in disguise for his lessons in seduction.

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A Tryst by the Sea by Grace Burrowes (2022)

Book 1 of the Siren’s Retreat series. These two have a very cold and formal relationship, so the viscountess is planning to spend some time alone at the seaside before she tells her husband she wants to leave him. The husband has been hesitating on making any overtures for reconciliation for years and decides this year to follow her. They’ve both ended up at the seaside cottage where they spent their honeymoon and renew their affection for each other there. Except they still need to actually talk about the reason why they’ve been so distant in the first place and the reader gets to find out what this coldness is all about.

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The Devil’s Submission by Nicola Davidson (2017)

Book 2 of the Fallen series. We start with the couple being estranged and the wife not really knowing why. She had enjoyed the marital bed, but tries to tamp down her enthusiasm, thinking that she’s supposed to be proper and docile and obedient. Meanwhile her husband is hiding the fact that he’s the submissive one and wants her to take charge in the bedroom. Neither of them talk about what it is that they really want, mostly because of propriety and all that. But they’ve got to have it out at some point if they’re going to get back together.

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To Love a Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Prequel novella of the Highland Knights series. This book is an updated edition of A Highlander’s Heart (2015). Claire and her husband Rob have been estranged for the past year after an argument following the death of their one year old son. When Claire’s informed of his position in the battle against Napoleon, she decides to go to him before it’s possible too late. They re-unite on the battlefield after it’s all over, glad for his survival, and slowly make progress towards reconciliation. However, they still have starkly contrasting communication styles and approach to emotions, so there’s much to overcome there. Additionally, this book sets up the series of Scottish soldiers turning into a group of agents working for the Home Office, bringing the group of men back to England (and onto their own separate romances).

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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The Rakehell of Roth by Amalie Howard (2021)

Book 2 of the Regency Rogues series. At the end of the Book 1, we see Isobel and Winter get married, basically saving her from the unwanted attentions of a villain, and we’re thinking everything will be happily ever after for them. Except, it’s not. We’re three years later and Isobel has basically been left in the country by herself while her husband goes back to London to run his gaming hell and being a rake with a scandalous reputation. She decides to go and confront him and try to make a real marriage of the deal, but he’s all afraid of feelings, so he pushes her away. Until he doesn’t.

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Keep No Secrets by Charlie Lane (2021)

Book 3 of the London Secrets series. So this is an older couple who have been married for a long time and childless. And then one day the wife is pregnant and she thinks her husband will be happy about it, but he actually thinks that she cheated on him. So there’s a big huge fight because he’s basically an idiot and he retreats to the country to work with his plants. He really does need to grovel pretty hard to get his wife back after such horrible accusations.

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The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean (2017)

Book 3 of the Scandal and Scoundrel series. We meet this couple at the start of book 1, where the duke is visibly cheating on his wife at a garden party, setting off the events in that book. This book is told in a non-chronological timeline, showing how these two ended up married in the first place, and the current status of their relationship. At some point, Sera has left her husband and left the country, not to be found, and she has returned after two years to ask for a divorce. Malcolm, meanwhile has been spending that time chasing after her and looking for her and is very hesitant to give into her request. He finally does relent on the condition that she help him find a replacement wife. With the chapters from the previous timeline, we see how these two meet, fall in love, and end up in an entrapped and loveless marriage. Even though Malcolm seemed villainous before we even started this book, we start to see a bit of how things turned out the way they did. It’s definitely a twisty angsty story here that packs an emotional punch.

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Lessons from a Courtesan by Jenna Petersen (2008)

Standalone novel, but related to the Bellingham Bastards series. Justin, an earl with a secret about his brother, is blackmailed into marrying Victoria by her father. He’s not sure if she knows about the blackmail or not, so he basically leaves her alone at his country estate the day after the wedding and returns to his own life in town. Years later, Victoria is looking for a friend who has gone missing or gone to London as a courtesan, so she dresses herself up as a courtesan to enter society. Of course when her husband sees her, he recognizes her immediately and is angry at her. She’s focused on finding her friend, and he’s in the way, and she doesn’t even know why he left her in the first place. It’s all a huge mess, and eventually those family secrets Justin is holding are revealed, and tie into Book 3 of the Bellingham Bastards series.

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The Earl in My Bed by Stacy Reid (2018)

Book 2 of the Rebellious Desires series. Cold and stony marriage here because the guy was blackmailed by her father into marrying her, even though she didn’t know it. Well, now she’s fed up after all these years and wants a divorce. Just when the idiot earl decides he wants to bed her and make an heir. Lots of angst and grudgeholding in this one.

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The Courtesan Duchess by Joanna Shupe (2015)

Book 1 of the Wicked Deceptions series. This one starts with an arranged marriage where the groom is drunk and has no idea who he’s just married… he leaves her pretty much immediately and resumes his debaucherous lifestyle. Several years later, the duchess wants to solidify her claim to the money and land of the estate and decides she needs to be pregnant with the duke’s heir to do so. She comes up with a plan to seduce her own husband to get herself pregnant, without him knowing who she is. Super interesting plot here with both people keeping secrets and basically being slightly shady.

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Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas (2008)

Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 2 of the London Trilogy series. This one is an estranged marriage story told in non-chronological order. We learned in the last book that marchioness has an arrangement with her husband allowing her to dally with affairs. In this book, we learn how their marriage starts, becomes fractured, and how they might find their way back to each other. In the non-chronological storytelling, it takes awhile for the reader to uncover what happened ten years ago and all the intervening years since. When we start the story, Gigi has requested a divorce from Camden so that she can be free to marry another man. He comes back to town from abroad to demand that she gives him an heir before he’ll grant the divorce. We get to learn all the dirty angsty history of how Gigi and Camden ended up married in the first place and how they both acted immaturely along the way. In reading this book, I could tell that something terribly manipulative was going to happen and not at all looking forward to the fallout. Meanwhile, in the background, Gigi’s mother is trying to cultivate a backup plan for Gigi to meet a neighboring duke, but falls for him herself.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Regency Vows series. Violet and James have been married for five years, and four of them have been spent in chilly silence from an argument that none of their friends know the details about. And now suddenly Violet is feigning consumption to get James’ sympathy and attention. But he’s onto her pretty quickly. It’s basically just a comedy of errors and miscommunication all the way around and really fun to read and watch these two get back together. This book was a really nice set up for the friend group that surrounds both Violet and James and these meddlesome friends get their romances in future books of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: September 25 to October 1, 2023

Oct 3, 2023

Rogue for the Taking by Amanda Mariel (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Fated for a Rogue series. Also part of the Wicked Widows League series. Othelia is out of mourning for her much older late husband and is looking to regain her independence. She’s a wealthy widow and starts a flirtation with a rogue of a duke. Alister is a duke who needs to marry a wealthy woman to restore his estates, but he’s hesitant to marry a young debutante. When Othelia approaches him for an affair, he’s happy to go along with it, and plans to propose to her after their tryst. As they spend the week together at his country estate, it’s clear that they’re falling in love with each other. However, Alister is wary of love having seen it’s destructive nature in his parents, and is unwilling to admit that he loves Othelia, risking her rejection at his marriage proposal.

Ebook provided by Amanda Mariel.

Wallflower Gone Wild by Maya Rodale (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Wallflower Trilogy series. Lady Olivia has a reputation of being the ultra demure wallflower with an overbearing mother. Since she has no suitors in sight, her parents have arranged for her to marry the Mad Baron. Olivia is not interested in marrying this stranger, so she plans to behave poorly to convince him to stop his pursuit of her. Phinn would rather spend time building machines than interact with society and has no idea that the scandal of his first wife’s death still circulates among debutantes. As he meets and attempts to court Olivia, he’s baffled by her behavior and wonders what has happened to the biddable and demure young lady her parents described. It’s a comedy of errors for everyone, as Phinn tries to woo Olivia using bad advice from his friend, and Olivia is completely fearful of the man while also trying to behave scandalously. It’s the slowest of slow burns here as Phinn learns to actually listen to Olivia, and Olivia learns the truth behind the rumors and slowly trusts Phinn.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

His Mistress, His Muse, and Other Madness by Charlie Lane (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Art of Love series. The youngest son of a marquess is completely cynical of those who lead an artistic lifestyle, since he has seen the financial destruction such patronage has caused his own family. As one of the remaining loose ends of his father’s will, Theo has been finding new patrons for artists that his father supported, so that the family will finally be released from this financial burden. When he meets Cordelia, he is resentful of lush accommodations since his own siblings had to work hard and go without. He’s even more irritated to learn that she doesn’t have any artistic talent whatsoever and has no idea why she was supported at all. Cordelia fell into lonely circumstances after her father died and her fiance abandoned her, so she is grateful to the old marquess for saving her. In trying to become independent now that she’s at risk of being kicked out of her home, she aims to open an art school, but needs donations to run it. Theo and Cordelia agree to work together in attending an artistic house party so that he can collect gossip for his satirical cartoons and so that she can try to solicit donations for her school. Although Theo and Cordelia have had an antagonistic relationship so far, they need to pose as lovers to attend the party, and all their physical desires bubble up during the course of the party. We get to see these two open up to each other about their past hurts and work together in creating artwork.

Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane.

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon (2023)

Fantasy Romance. Book 1 of the Hurricane Wars series. Talasyn and Alaric fight on opposite sides of a war, each wielding a different powerful form of magic. While they haven’t yet killed each other, the yearning is there. Amidst one of their skirmishes in territory where they’re both trespassing, Talasyn learns that she might be the long lost heir, living as an orphan after being sent away during a civil war. She ignores this newfound connection and returns to her comrades at the height of war. After Alaric’s side wins the war and Talasyn is forced to retreat, she begs for sanctuary inside her homeland. In exchange, Talasyn must take her rightful place as heir and learning politics and diplomacy at her grandmother’s side. Months later, Alaric is trying to gain control of this territory and a political marriage to the heir is proposed. He has no idea that the heir in question is Talasyn, and he is both shocked and pleased to find her alive and his betrothed. We spend the rest of the book in marital and diplomatic negotiations in preparation for the wedding and alliance, with lots of angry banter and fighting. Both of these characters are insecure due to their respective upbringings and are completely unable to trust each other due to being on opposites sides of the battlefield. With them truly being enemies, glimmers of attraction and tenderness between them are all the more meaningful.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Voyager 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.

Dreaming of a Duke Like You by Sara Bennett (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Romancing the Dukes series. Vivienne is the sister of a young baronet who has gotten himself into a load of gambling debt after the bad influence of his friends. She tries to appeal to the gambling hell owner Gabriel for a reprieve, since they’re really very poor and unable to pay the debts. He’s a shrewd businessman and refuses, leaving her to worry over her brother’s financial situation. Gabriel soon learns that he is actually the legitimate son and heir to a duke, despite being abandoned at an orphanage after his mother’s death. He has inherited an impoverished estate, a dragon of a grandmother, and six unruly sisters. He and his sisters all need polishing in order to fit in with London society. Vivienne and her brother are still worrying over their debts to Gabriel with their stepfather’s treachery looming over them, but Gabriel hasn’t had the time to deal with that yet. Eventually, Gabriel comes to an arrangement with Vivienne where he will forgive the debt completely, if she will assist in tutoring his sisters for society. This book had a bit of a slow start as Gabriel and Vivienne deal with their circumstances separately for awhile. Their bargain and proximity to each other doesn’t really begin until halfway through the book. However, once Vivienne starts to see how Gabriel interacts with his many sisters, it’s clear that she’s falling in love with him.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Courting the Earl by Suzanna Medeiros (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 8 of the Landing a Lord series. An earl and a debutante are arranged to be married by their fathers. The debutante, Lydia, is excited about it even though she would like to flirt and enjoy her first season. However, Geoffrey is completely opposed to his late father’s high-handedness and would like to get out of the engagement. Also, Geoffrey is much more intrigued by Lydia’s cousin Eleanor, who believes herself to be plain and ineligible next to her young and pretty cousin. While Eleanor is stuck chaperoning Lydia and Geoffrey’s many outings, she is trying very hard not to be attracted to Geoffrey. He’s not trying quite as hard and even encourages Lydia to entertain other suitors. This one was pretty quick and easy to read, with not too much angst in its resolution.

Advance ebook provided by Suzanna Medeiros via BookSprout.

A Scot Mess by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 1 of the Hots for Scots series. Six brothers are told by their father that they need to marry within the year and the first to sire a son will become the next laird of the clan. Finn has no problem adhering to this decree since he has already met the love of his life, Fiona. While Finn is excited to become officially betrothed and marry, Fiona is hesitant and unsure of the commitment. We also experience a bit of mistaken identity due to both Finn and Fiona having identical twin siblings. However, it’s clear that Finn and Fiona will work things out in pretty short order. This was a quick and steamy read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Scot on Her Trail by Caroline Lee (2020)

Historical romance. Medieval Scotland. Book 2 of the Hots for Scots series. Duncan has met his new sister-in-law’s twin Skye in Book 1 and has appreciated her outspoken strength ever since. However, he has no intention of following his father’s decree to seek a wife and would rather live a simple life as a goldsmith. On a journey to deliver his master’s handcrafted jewelry, he’s stopped by highwaymen and robbed. He’s shocked to learn that Skye is the ringleader of the thieves and wonders why a well-born lady needs to steal. In the tussle over the jewelry, Duncan absconds with Skye, they spend more time together on the road, and absolutely fail at resisting their attraction for each other. It’s fun to see these two bicker and argue with fiery passion. When Duncan finds out Skye’s reasons for stealing from strangers, he jumps to her defense and we get to resolve that plot pretty neatly. This was another quick and steamy read in the series.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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