Weekly Reads: July 31 to August 6, 2023
An Earl to Remember by Stacy Reid (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Unforgettable Love series. Georgianna is an impoverished orphan caring for her three younger sisters but hopes to make a living as a fancy chef to aristocrats. When she gets the opportunity to cater an earl’s yacht party, she is excited at the prospect, despite the earl’s scandalous reputation. However, an argument aboard the ship leads to Georgianna being sent home without proper payment. Sometime later, our rakish earl Daniel somehow falls off the ship and is recovered along a shore near Georgianna’s village with no memory of who he is. He does vaguely recognize Georgianna and to prevent further scandal, she claims him as her husband. She brings him home with her to recover and help assist with the chores around the house, in retaliation for her owed wages. Of course, she feels terribly guilty along the way but also grows to admire his work ethic and his kindness towards her sisters. Daniel’s memory returns in bits and pieces but he is charmed by Georgianna and respects the way that she unselfishly cares for her family. I enjoyed reading the slow-burn wary romance between Georgianna and Daniel, despite knowing that he will likely eventually be upset at her deceptions.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.
Shameless Duke by Scarlett Scott (2019)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the League of Dukes series. After the events of the previous book, secret league leader and duke Lucien has been assigned a partner from America to assist with his investigation of the Irish terrorists. The overbearing and arrogant duke is of course completely surprised when the agent who shows up is the ultra-competent female, Hazel. They spend the first quarter of the book arguing with each other until Lucien starts to begrudgingly accept Hazel’s input. Things get even more fiery when they give into their attraction to each other and start a physical affair. Meanwhile, they’re still trying to solve the case of the Irish terrorists. Lucien starts the book as someone totally judgmental, but slowly starts to realize his own limitations and softens towards Hazel. Both Lucien and Hazel have tragic histories in relation to love and it was nice to see them open up to each other about their pasts.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
While the Duke Was Sleeping by Sophie Jordan (2016)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rogue Files series. Poppy is a worker in a flower shop who is smitten with one of the regular customers, even though the duke doesn’t pay her much attention. When she sees him fighting in the street with another man and does not see an oncoming carriage, she pushes him out of the way, saving his life, but also rendering him unconscious. The man he was fighting with turns out to be his illegitimate half-brother, Struan, who he refuses to acknowledge. In the confusion of bringing the injured duke home, Poppy is assumed to be the duke’s fiance. Struan is skeptical of that, but still believes Poppy to be the duke’s paramour. The duke’s household and family are overjoyed the meet Poppy and enthusiastically welcome her to the family, causing her to feel even more guilty for the deception. Throughout all of this, Struan both antagonizes and physically pursues Poppy, which she both enjoys and rejects. Even though she isn’t truly engaged to the duke, she still isn’t free to pursue Struan, who is not offering anything honorable to her anyway. Still, this book was an entertaining story and I enjoyed meeting the duke’s warm and welcoming family.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Duke’s Bartered Mistress by Caroline Lee (2022)
Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 2 of the Surprise! Dukes series. Scarred and reclusive Demon is unwilling to accept money to repay an earl’s debt, wanting instead the location of the earl’s brother who betrayed him. Dutiful daughter Georgia comes to the castle to take on the negotiations, but Demon wants her gone so he crudely proposes that he’ll release the debt if she stays as his enthusiastic mistress. Georgia wants the approval of her father so she’s willing to do whatever it takes to wipe out this debt and it doesn’t hurt that she does actually desire Demon. She agrees to the bargain and spends the next five weeks in Demon’s castle. As they spend more time together (both in and out of the bedchamber), they slowly start to fall in love, but are hesitant to ask for anything beyond their initial agreement. Despite the steam starting early and often, the romance here was slow burn with a slow progression of trusting each other and sharing about their pasts. We also get to see Demon’s friends from the previous story and get an update on the ruthless villain that they’re searching for.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
The Scandal of It All by Sophie Jordan (2017)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Rogue Files series. Widowed duchess, Graciela, hesitantly seeks a night of fun at a pleasure club, but needs rescuing by her stepson’s best friend, Colin, so she isn’t caught by her stepson. There’s barely an age gap here with Graciela being only six years older than Colin, but everyone feels a little scandalous about it. Graciela was poorly treated by her late husband even though she tries to project a happy loving image to her stepchildren and daughter, and she tries to have a bit of an adventure at the cajoling of her best friend. She gets in way over her head at the pleasure club and somehow ends up kissing Colin to hide her identity. He proposes an affair with her, and she is both intrigued by his attention but also insulted that she isn’t worthy of courtship or marriage. Meanwhile Colin has his own family issues having been orphaned at a young age, and he’s been attracted to Graciela for years, but kept his honor and manners in check for the most part. Colin is pursuing Graciela pretty ardently here and she tends to give in, even though she knows it’s unwise. A fun book to read, especially when we start to see the fallout of everyone’s actions.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
One Night to Remember by Erica Ridley (2019)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Wicked Dukes Club series. Lady Felicity who is the sister of a duke who grew up in poverty and is looking for a wealthy and titled husband so that she will find financial security plus have money to be able to start a charity to assist poor children. Secretly, she is a mechanic who loves to fix up her brother’s carriages. Her brother enters a curricle race and has tasked local blacksmith Giles with riding in the race and working with Felicity to make sure the vehicle is in the best racing condition. Giles is gruff at first with having to work with a partner, but very quickly becomes impressed with Felicity’s skill. These two are obviously a perfect match for each other; Felicity just needs to get over her desire to wed a wealthy and titled lord.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
One Night of Temptation by Darcy Burke (2019)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Wicked Dukes Club series. Penelope, daughter of a marquess, sets out to ruin herself and her arranged betrothal to an elderly earl by faking her kidnapping. The neighborhood rector, Hugh, ends up rescuing her from a very real kidnapping and also helps her hide from her parents for the night. Penelope hopes that the appearance of a kidnapping with help call off the betrothal. With all their hiding and running around town through the night, Penelope and Hugh very quickly develop camaraderie, friendship, and affection. Despite their differences in social station, Penelope just wants to be happy and useful, and Hugh has friends in high places to assist him when needed.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Duke Buys a Bride by Sophie Jordan (2018)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Rogue Files series. Marcus has run away from his ducal responsibilities after he catches his best friend with his stepmother in a compromising position and is on his way to his estate in the north of Scotland. On the way there, he happens across a village wife auction and buys/saves the girl who is being so crudely sold off. Alyse has been married in name only to her late father’s friend since the age of 15 and provided care of the man’s children and household. Her childhood friend was supposed to bid on her during the auction so they could start their new lives together, but that man disappeared and didn’t show up. Although she is purchased by Marcus, she has no idea who he is or if he’s trustworthy. He declares that theirs won’t really be a marriage and that he will employ her as a housekeeper at his estate. We end up embarking on a road trip romance here, traveling on horseback and stopping at various inns along the way. This book had a really interesting set up and it was nice to see Marcus slowly let down his walls and realize what a privileged life he has led thus far.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Duke’s Counterfeit Wife by Caroline Lee (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Surprise! Dukes series. The set-up of this book is totally crazy and definitely not historically accurate, but the author totally acknowledges this in an author’s note before you even start the book. An elderly duke in the Highlands sets a contest in the newspaper to select his next heir out of a list of distantly related contenders. One of the eligible candidates is Griffin, ex-spy and single father, who is trying to keep a low profile and keep his kids out of danger. He lives next door to Felicity and her teenage son, who inconveniently comes over through a door on a shared wall between their homes to spend time with his new best friend, Griffin’s daughter. The kids come up with a scheme to claim the inheritance and somehow wrangle their respective parents into a fake marriage to win the dukedom. There’s a ton of calamity and humor here with our blended family, but the duke and his secretary are very understanding and kind. Plus, the ongoing plot throughout the series of finding the spy boss who betrayed them all is still at play. I loved learning about Felicity’s backstory and how she became separated from her son; and I especially loved how they all came together as a new family.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
This Scot of Mine by Sophie Jordan (2019)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Rogue Files series. Clara, the younger sister of a duke, gets herself into a scandal by declaring herself pregnant to break off an unwanted engagement. She banishes herself to her brother’s Scottish estate to preserve her family’s reputation. Her brother’s neighbor and local laird Hunt is visiting and quickly offers her marriage in light of the scandal. Hunt is eager and willing to take on another man’s child since his own family seems to be cursed. The men of Hunt’s family tend to die before their first child is born and has been doing so for five generations. Hunt has long denied himself a wife and children, and bringing up another child seems to be a way to circumvent the curse. The downside is that Clara isn’t actually pregnant and this betrayal and risk of Hunt’s death hovers over their entire relationship.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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The Reece Family Trilogy Series by Caroline Linden / Historical Romance Book Series
What a Gentleman Wants by Caroline Linden (2006)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Reece Family series. Marcus, Duke of Exeter, is always getting his brother out of scrapes, but this one is pretty bad. Younger twin David gets into a carriage accident and ends up in the care of a vicar’s widow; he offers her a marriage of convenience, but at the last moment, forges his twin brother’s name on the marriage register instead. Hannah has agreed to marry David since she has little other alternative after the death of her husband, and brings her daughter with her to London where they’ll set up house while David is away on business. Of course, Hannah doesn’t know that David is the brother to a duke and that he signed Marcus’ name on the marriage. When Marcus finds out and confronts Hannah, he at first wants to pay her off, but then convinces her to stay with him temporarily to appease his overexcited sister and stepmother. It’s a tangle of lies, but Marcus and Hannah are attracted to each other under all that stubborn bickering. Add in a counterfeit money plot in the background, and we have some potential for danger.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
What a Rogue Desires by Caroline Linden (2007)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Reece Family series. Younger twin brother to a duke, David, is charged with overseeing the estate while the duke is on his wedding trip with his wife. He is robbed by highwaymen on his way to London, somehow catches one of the thieves trying to pawn off his signet ring, and then imprisons her in his house. Vivian has worked with a band of thieves to survive and in trying to sell off some goods, get captured by David. They’re both stubborn and argue and she’s basically trapped in his house for weeks because he’s unscrupulous thief-mate kept the ring that David wants. Over time though, these two start talking and spending time together and eventually start an affair. It was fun to read these two start to open up to each other about their pasts and then team up against a common enemy later on in the book. This one has a pretty believable transformation of David’s character, with him starting as a guilt-ridden repentant scoundrel who slowly realizes that he can try to reform himself.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
A Rake’s Guide to Seduction by Caroline Linden (2008)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Reece Family Trilogy series. Celia is the younger sister of a duke in her first Season and enjoying the balls and parties and suitors; she is rescued from a proposal by her brother’s scandalous friend Anthony and is somewhat intrigued by him. Anthony is heir to an earl who had cast him out and cut off any financial support, so he is forced to gamble and make investments for his living. Anthony seems to believe that he is an unworthy suitor for Celia, but still takes a chance and asks the duke for permission to court her. Unfortunately, he’s too late, and Celia is already engaged to someone else. We learn more about Celia’s engagement and marriage through her diary entries up until her husband’s death four years later. We pick up the story again when Celia is out of mourning and her mother has arranged a house party to lift her spirits. There, Anthony and Celia slowly reconnect, as much as he tries to avoid her due to his scandalous reputation.
Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
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Top Five Reads of July 2023 – Historical Romance Books and One Contemporary Romance
The Outlaw and the Lady by Lorraine Heath (2001)
Historical romance. 1890s Texas. Book 1 of the Daughters of Fortune series. Second generation of characters from the Rogues in Texas series. Angela is out for a midnight stroll in Fortune, TX, when she accidentally interrupts a bank robbery. The robbers believe she’s seen their faces and can identify them, so they kidnap her, not realizing until they’re too far away that she’s blind. Lee Raven is the ringleader of the robberies, seeking revenge on a single man who ruined his family, and gaining a reputation as a wanted murderer. As Lee and Angela are stuck together, she starts to realize that he isn’t as cruel as she thought he would be, and it sounds as though he has the admiration of his brothers who ride with him. This was a book with so much plot going on and so much mystery to unravel that I had to keep reading to find out if my hunch was correct. And it was delightfully satisfying to know that I read all those clues correctly throughout. It was angsty and tragic and amazing to see it all tie together.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
To Marry an Heiress by Lorraine Heath (2002)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Daughters of Fortune series. We’re in England for this story, with Georgina visiting her friend Lauren (stepdaughter to the Earl of Ravenleigh) for the Season and her wealthy father setting up a match for her with Devon, another earl and cousin to Ravenleigh. Devon’s impoverished estate needs the cash and he agrees to Georgina’s father’s terms for courtship and the appearance of a love match. Upon meeting Georgina at a ball, she sees through him immediately and insists that he not lie to her if they are to marry. We see a quick wedding very early on in the book, followed by a surprising tragedy that sets off resentment and animosity between Devon and Georgina through the rest of the book. It was most interesting to see how Georgina could be sweet and accommodating, but also have strength in her convictions throughout the book. Devon thought he would be getting himself a demure and grateful wife, but instead finds a strong courageous partner worth falling in love with.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Say Yes to the Princess by Charis Michaels (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Hidden Royals series. Elise is an exiled French princess being housed by the royal family and being redirected and managed after asking too many questions about a possible sighting of her lost younger brother. The royal family has hired Killian, the second son of an earl and all-around fixer, to distract Elise from her goals and to keep her from being nosy. While Elise and Killian start off at odds, they are instantly attracted to each other and want to know more about the other person’s background. Elise has her own issues of loneliness and despair, while Killian has also suffered from ostracism due to his mother’s background. It was so interesting to find out more about Killian’s backstory, especially in meeting his family at the estate where he grew up. And just like Elise, we start to fall in love with Killian in seeing his kindness towards his nephew. With all the mysteries to unravel, this book will keep the pages turning. The structure reminds me a lot of Michaels’ other work, A Duchess a Day, with a noblewoman falling in love a fixer/huntsman type of fellow who she recruits to assist with her own goals, which is also a wonderful book.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
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.
Forget Me Not by Julie Soto (2023)
Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Debut novel from one of my favorite fanfiction authors (known as LovesBitca8 on AO3). This one is a second-chance romance between Ama, a wedding planner who doesn’t believe in commitment, and Elliot, a florist who took over his father’s shop. The present-day chapters are told from Ama’s perspective, with past timeline chapters told from Elliot’s. In the present timeline, Ama has booked a high profile wedding that could elevate her career but has to work with Elliot on the florals, even though they haven’t spoken in about two years. In the past timeline, we get to see how they meet and get together, and it’s absolutely delightful reading Elliot’s self-deprecating awkwardness and internal monologue. In both timelines, we get to see Elliot’s gruff, but caring nature, and that he’s a total sap. (Think Luke Danes from Gilmore Girls, but younger and hotter, but still wearing plaid). This book had all the best emotionally written lines and you can feel Ama’s angst in the present day even if you don’t quite understand where it all went wrong. Amazing book and I’m super excited for more people to read it.
Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Forever Books. Advance audiobook provided via Libro.fm.
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Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
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Weekly Reads: July 24 to 30, 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.
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.
The Luck of the Bride by Janna MacGregor (2018)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Cavensham Heiresses series. Things are sad and tragic in the prologue for the Lawsom family who have lost their parents to influenza. It’s now up to oldest sister March to take care of two younger sisters and a baby brother. Eight years later and still destitute with no support from any appointed guardians, March forges the Marquess of McCalpin’s signature to withdraw funds from her own dowry to care for her home and family. McCalpin, heir to a duke, isn’t great with numbers, so it takes awhile for the embezzlement to be caught and identified. He and March meet and they’re instantly wary of each other (and attracted): she’s upset that he hasn’t been paying attention to his duties or correspondence, and he’s concerned that she might really be stealing money for nefarious purposes. Nevermind that March is friends with McCalpin’s sister Emma or that her clothing is very obviously threadbare. We do eventually see McCalpin’s family provide much needed food and assistance to the Lawson family and it’s all going fine until March’s horrible cousin stirs up more trouble. The romance between these two is a bit fraught since March in insecure about her station and does not want to accept pity or charity; plus McCalpin is hiding the fact that he’s bad at math and doesn’t want March to find out he’s an idiot. Luckily, McCalpin has a supportive family and pushes them together when necessary.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Swipe Up for More by Stephanie McNeal (2023)
Nonfiction. This book was a look into influencer culture with in-depth interviews with three different influencers: a mom blogger, a fashion blogger, and a runner. It was slightly interesting to see how their businesses were monetized, but this wasn’t particularly instructional or entrepreneurial. If you already spend time in the influencer space, this book does not provide any additional insight on how to become an influencer or make money as a content creator. If you’re a casual consumer, it might be interesting to learn how your favorite internet stars make it work. I mostly skimmed it.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
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.
The Enraptured Heir by Merry Farmer (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Secrets of Nedworth Hall series. Lady Angeline has not been in society for a few years caring for her ill father and is shy and skittish at the matchmaking house party. She has an awkward first meeting with Rafe when she knocks a vase of flowers to the floor and onto him. Rafe is a very stern and serious marquess who is suffering rumors of his ruined ex-fiancee who ran off with another man. Angeline and Rafe are instantly smitten with each other and spend much of the book talking and getting to know each other, even though Rafe has trouble trusting women after the deceit of his ex-fiancee. Angeline is everything wholesome and good though and he easily falls in love with her. It’s a relatively low-angst story, despite Angeline’s brother’s disapproval and the surprise appearance of the ex-fiancee at the party.
Advance ebook provided by Merry Farmer via BookSprout.
The Duke’s Deceitful Governess by Caroline Lee (2022)
Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 1 of the Surprise! Dukes series. Rourke has custody of his brother’s illegitimate twin children who are a crazy handful and have been kicked out of a bunch of schools and scared off many governesses. He’s giving them one last chance to behave for their latest governess, threatening to send them to school separately if they don’t behave. Sophia is the new governess, but she actually doesn’t have any experience with children and forged her recommendation letters so that she can come to Rourke’s estate to search for evidence that he is either complicit or innocent in her old boss’ crimes. Sophia is actually a surprisingly good governess though, connecting with the children, and helping Rourke to connect with them too. Rourke and Sophia are instantly attracted to each other and find ease and companionship with each other. This book is humorous and steamy but also has a bit of danger involved. Definitely recommended if you want to see a stern serious cold duke learn to love his niece and nephew along with their governess.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Dangerous Duke by Scarlett Scott (2019)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the League of Dukes series. Griffin is a secret agent duke in the special league, but he is currently being accused of treason and being kept locked up in another stuffy duke’s house. That duke’s sister Violet seems to have caught Griffin’s attention, while he has also ignited her passions. Unfortunately, Violet is engaged to someone boring and dull who prefers his botany and overbearing mother to Violet. She doesn’t actually think that Griffin and guilty of treason and proposes to work with him to clear his name. Griffin needs all the help he can get and enjoys Violet’s company, so he agrees to her offer. Both slowly start to open up to each other about their past traumas related to the deaths of their parents, and we see their dangerous scheme fall into place. Plus, the actually traitor is still out there making trouble, so we eventually see how that crime is solved.
Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Duke Seeks Bride by Christy Carlyle (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Love on Holiday series. Our guy Alex is a new duke with a marriage stipulation in his father’s will, stating that he needs to marry in six months in order to keep his castle in Ireland. His annoyingly meddlesome aunt has tried to matchmake him with a wealthy widowed countess and invited her to the castle for a supposed equestrian charity event. The countess sends her secretary instead, mostly to avoid the matching making. Evie is the ultra-organized secretary who has been working with the countess for the past three years but also secretly pens romance novels in her spare time. When she shows up at the castle, she’s shocked to find that they were expecting the countess, even though a letter should have explained the switch. Alex and Evie have actually met briefly once before in the garden of a ball, but Evie is very much aware of her social status and that a romance between her and a duke is impossible. It’s not actually impossible, since this is a romance novel after all, but it takes some time for each person to realize that they really do want and need each other. This book is a relatively low-angst straightforward romance with a quick resolution to external conflict.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
Earl of Passion by Shirley Shadow (2023)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Wicked Rakes series. This story is a pretty straightforward best friend’s brother romance. Helena has been in love with her best friend’s brother Alastor since forever but he has always seen her in a sisterly capacity until recently. After seeing Helena in translucent undergarments swimming in the pond, Alastor is starting to see Helena in a new light. Alastor gives in a little bit to Helena’s amorous advances but feels terribly guilty about it since he is meant to be her brother-like guardian and protector and he has no intentions of marrying her. Throw in a few society dances, Helena’s deadbeat father trying to marry her off to someone else, and now suddenly Alastor wants to marry her. The plot here is simple and predictable and the book is full of steamy scenes. However, I found the writing to be overly simplistic and that the characters experienced shifts in emotions very quickly.
Advance ebook provided by Shirley Shadow.
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July 2023 New Releases in Historical Romance Books (and a few contemporary romance books)
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.
The Wicked Heir by Merry Farmer (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Secrets of Nedworth Hall series. Lady Patience is sent off to a summer house party by her mother, hoping that the bookish bespectacled Patience will make a match and marry. The house party is full of intrigue as everyone tries to figure out who the mystery heir to a fortune is. Arden is a renowned rake and scoundrel, but really he just gambles to make money to send to the orphanage that his mother runs. Both Patience and Arden think that the other person is the mystery heir and attempt to seduce the truth out of the other one. The seduction part works to assist them falling in love with each other, at the very least. Quick and fun steamy read.
Advance ebook provided by Merry Farmer via BookSprout.
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.
Odds on the Rake by Sofie Darling (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the All’s Fair in Love and Racing series. Gemma dresses up as a stable hand to infiltrate the Duke of Rakesley’s racing stable and collect information for a rival horseman. Gemma and her twin brother were the illegitimate children of an earl and are running away from his overbearing care. When Gemma gets to the duke’s stables, she has a way with the wild and untrained horse and quickly moves up to being a jockey. While Rake runs an impressive stable, he’s curious about the new stable hand “Gem”. When he finally realizes that his new employee is a woman (and a very attractive one), they start a steamy affair that keeps her feeling guilty about her initial motives for being there.
Advance ebook provided by Oliver Heber Books via NetGalley.
A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Recently widowed countess Eliza finds that her inheritance is dependent on her staying away from any scandal. The new earl, Lord Somerton, is the nephew of her late husband and happens to be a former suitor that was rejected when Eliza’s parents forced her to marry. As a widow, Eliza finally has a small taste of freedom when she spirits herself (and her cousin) away to Bath to visit before she makes her way back to her family’s home. Eliza ends up meeting the charming and scandalous Lord Melville and tries very hard to avoid him due to his reputation. Eventually Melville convinces Eliza to paint his portrait and she seizes this opportunity to utilize her artistic talent. Additionally, Somerton has renewed his acquaintance with Eliza and they confront their romantic past. We have a slowly building love triangle here, where you’re mostly rooting for Eliza to break free of her oppressive marriage and reunite with her long lost love, but then we start to see her friendship with Melville develop and wonder where that will lead. Since this book was a single POV (only Eliza’s), it wasn’t clear who the ultimate love interest is going to be, and I was intrigued to find out who she ended up with. There are also some delightful side pairings that we discover along the way as well. Despite this being a super low-steam book, the emotional build-up was really well done and it was an enjoyable book to read.
Advance ebook provided by Penguin Random House via NetGalley.
Say Yes to the Princess by Charis Michaels (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Hidden Royals series. Elise is an exiled French princess being housed by the royal family and being redirected and managed after asking too many questions about a possible sighting of her lost younger brother. The royal family has hired Killian, the second son of an earl and all-around fixer, to distract Elise from her goals and to keep her from being nosy. While Elise and Killian start off at odds, they are instantly attracted to each other and want to know more about the other person’s background. Elise has her own issues of loneliness and despair, while Killian has also suffered from ostracism due to his mother’s background. It was so interesting to find out more about Killian’s backstory, especially in meeting his family at the estate where he grew up. And just like Elise, we start to fall in love with Killian in seeing his kindness towards his nephew. With all the mysteries to unravel, this book will keep the pages turning. The structure reminds me a lot of Michaels’ other work, A Duchess a Day, with a noblewoman falling in love a fixer/huntsman type of fellow who she recruits to assist with her own goals, which is also a wonderful book.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
No Dukes Allowed by Jess Michaels (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Kent’s Row Duchesses series. Widowed duchess Valaria has just moved to a street of townhouses full of widowed duchesses. She’s keeping secrets regarding the death of her cruel and terrible husband and is hesitant to make new friends. However, her late husband’s friend Callum is intent on checking on her well-being, even though she wants to push him away. Callum is the ultimate nice guy has admired her for many years but denied his feelings for her due to his friendship. Now that his friend has died, he feels guilty for calling on Valaria, but can’t seem to help himself. And Valaria has always been attracted to Callum as well, not knowing why this seemingly upstanding gentleman was friends with her husband. Callum didn’t know that his friend was completely awful, so he feels even worse when he discovers that Valaria did not have a happy marriage. At some point, these two start an affair, but there’s still a heavy secret between them and Valaria’s overall skittishness to overcome.
Advance ebook provided by Jess Michaels via NetGalley.
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.
Forget Me Not by Julie Soto (2023)
Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Debut novel from one of my favorite fanfiction authors (known as LovesBitca8 on AO3). This one is a second-chance romance between Ama, a wedding planner who doesn’t believe in commitment, and Elliot, a florist who took over his father’s shop. The present-day chapters are told from Ama’s perspective, with past timeline chapters told from Elliot’s. In the present timeline, Ama has booked a high profile wedding that could elevate her career but has to work with Elliot on the florals, even though they haven’t spoken in about two years. In the past timeline, we get to see how they meet and get together, and it’s absolutely delightful reading Elliot’s self-deprecating awkwardness and internal monologue. In both timelines, we get to see Elliot’s gruff, but caring nature, and that he’s a total sap. (Think Luke Danes from Gilmore Girls, but younger and hotter, but still wearing plaid). This book had all the best emotionally written lines and you can feel Ama’s angst in the present day even if you don’t quite understand where it all went wrong. Amazing book and I’m super excited for more people to read it.
Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Forever Books. Advance audiobook provided via Libro.fm.
In the Eyes of the Earl by Kristin Vayden (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Cambridge Brotherhood series. Collin is trying to investigate the criminals who have been using his name and it leads him back to the town of Cambridge. While there, he visits an old professor and meets the professor’s daughter Elizabeth, who is a scholarly bluestocking. As Collin and Elizabeth cross paths with mutual acquaintances, they end up arguing and bickering, and somehow this turns into attraction and passion. Their romance follows a relatively uncomplicated progression, while Collin’s investigation runs in the background. Nothing too twisty or turny here but still pleasant to see Elizabeth’s supportive father.
Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley.
One Season with the Duke by Addy DuLac (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Standalone novel. Hettie is the niece of a marquess and suddenly being blackmailed by her slimy cousin (who I didn’t catch or remember how he’s related to her) into marriage. She doesn’t like him at all, but seems to go along with it because she doesn’t want to jeopardize her family’s reputation. Meanwhile, her childhood friend Finn is finally back in London having been away for many years taking care of his estates in Scotland. He’s disappointed to learn that Hettie is already engaged, but offers to rescue her from her dire circumstances. These two elope pretty early on in the book and I was really expecting a road trip romance with a big chase from the blackmailer, but we ended up with an overbearing mother-in-law story instead. Plus Hettie’s still keeping the secrets of what she was being blackmailed with, Finn is both arrogant and self-doubting and insecure, and really, the villain took way too long to catch up with them. The childhood friends to lovers romance was nice and I liked how Hettie stood up to her mother-in-law, but overall, this book was just ok. If you like stories where someone swoops in to save a lady from an unwanted marriage to a villain, I also recommend The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.
Saved by the Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Highland Knights series. We jump right into the drama here with Lady Emilia showing up at the Knights’ house a big bloody mess. Turns out her father has viciously whipped her after she found evidence of a treasonous plot against the crown. Sir Colin is the only man that she trusts and he’s tasked with hiding her away in Scotland until her father can be apprehended. We get a road trip romance here with both Colin and Emilia suffering from past trauma (him from his time in the war, her from her abusive father) but getting to know and trust each other. Things continue to take a dangerous turn when her father eventually catches up to them. It’s a lot of action and adventure in this one, but luckily no third-act break-ups.
Advance ebook provided by Jennifer Haymore via NetGalley.
Fashioning the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Suddenly a Duke series. Fox is the much younger second son of a duke, never expecting to inherit, when he receives word that his older brother has died, leaving two nieces in his care. At the solicitor’s office, he has a chance meeting with Delaney who is there to sell off her millinery shop after her half-brother has basically barred polite society from shopping there. Delaney is the illegitimate daughter of an earl who was always favored and adored by her father. Fox decides to hire Delaney to assist in outfitting his nieces for the upcoming Season and also pretty much instantly decides that he wants her as his duchess. She doesn’t want to give up her independence or marry, so he’s got some work cut out for him in wooing her. Enjoyable to read and I love how well Fox takes to his responsibilities and his nieces.
Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.
The Make-Believe Widow by Darcy Burke (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Matchmaking Chronicles series. A matchmaking house party is afoot with eligible widows, widowers, and other single gentlemen. Charlotte is attending mostly to see her friend, the hostess, and is not interested in finding a match. She enjoys her position and independence as a widow in a small village, but is also hiding the fact that she is not truly a widow, as her fiance had died a few days before their wedding. At the house party, Charlotte makes a connection with Roth, a widowed earl looking to remarry and find a mother for his two daughters. He is purposely avoiding a love match because he had loved his first wife dearly and was shocked to learn that she never loved him at all. While Charlotte and Roth have different goals from this house party, they can’t resist starting an affair while they’re there. Short, steamy, easy read.
Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.
The Heiress Swap by Maddison Michaels (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Dollar Princess series. Evie is the orphaned illegitimate cousin and companion to American heiress Aimee who convinces Evie to switch places for the Season: Evie will go to balls and events while Aimee works as a secretary at her father’s company. Stern, serious, skeptical duke Alex believes that Evie (as Aimee) has set her sights on his cousin’s title and swears to prevent such deception and heartbreak from taking place. He has his own hang-ups after he caught his ex-fiancee cheating on him the night before their wedding and he’s completely distrustful of women. But of course, Alex and Evie have a lot of common interests and he slowly starts to realize that she is not trying to entrap a titled lord after all. Evie feels terrible for not being honest about her identity, especially as she starts to actually fall in love with Alex, knowing that he will hate her dishonesty. The book was a little slow-going at times, but we get a bit of external drama with fossils and caves and thugs hired to scare Evie, which brings out Alex’s protective side.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.
Not That Duke by Eloisa James (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Would-Be Wallflowers series. Half of this book takes place in the same timeline as Book 2 of the series, so there are a lot of overlapping events in both books. Stella is bookish and clumsy and awkward and the mean girls make fun of her, but she is definitely attracted to Silvester, even though he will never see her as a potential bride. Silvester grew up with eccentric parents and wants to conform more to social standards, so ignores the possibility of Stella as a wife, even though his mother suggests he. He’s busy pining over another lady for half the book, to the point where Stella knows she definitely has no chance at all with him, even though they’re sort of friends and spend a lot of time together. Poor Stella is just getting the short end of the stick for the whole book and is incredibly insecure, while Silvester is constantly doing and saying the wrong thing and oh so very slow to realize that Stella is worthy of his love and adoration. So much angst over this idiot and you just want to wrap Stella up and choose her first.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
Read an introduction to fanfiction
Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction
Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive
Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy
Support this page with a donation
Affiliate links may be used within this post. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Penwich School for Virtuous Girls Series by Sophie Jordan / Historical Romance Book Series
Sins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordan (2009)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Penwich School for Virtuous Girls series. We start with a tragic prologue of three girls who become friends at a terrible girls’ school where meals are withheld and punishments are severe. Fallon escapes the unwanted advances of her employer’s son, and meets a devilish duke who attempts to both save her and seduce her. She rejects him as well and decides to dress as a boy for her next employment. Unfortunately, the employment agency has sent her to the demon duke himself, where she obtains a position as a footman. Although she hopes to escape Dominic’s notice, she sees firsthand the wicked behavior that he engages in and can’t help expressing signs of disapproval. Dominic has his own troubled backstory with a pious grandfather and physically punishing governess and seeks to live up to his wretchedness. He’s baffled by his unease around the new footman and unsure why he cares so much about the boy’s approval. He doesn’t yet realize that the footman is the very same woman he can’t get out of his mind since that chance meeting long ago. This one was fun to read to see all the chaos and calamity unravel, which is often the case with a servant in disguise.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.
In Scandal They Wed by Sophie Jordan (2010)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Penwich School for Virtuous Girls series. The prologue starts with Evie’s younger sister Linnie giving birth to an illegitimate child and Evie’s stepmother wants to send the baby away; Evie convinces her father to let her raise the baby as her own to save her sister’s reputation. We time-jump a few years later, and find out that Linnie’s suitor was a soldier and was sent to war before they could marry. As he’s dying in battle, he asks his cousin Spencer to take care of Linnie and the child. When we catch up to Evie in her impoverished living situation, the reader finds out that her sister had married and passed away in the intervening years. Spencer does eventually show up at Evie’s cottage and believes her to be the Linnie that his cousin had pined over all these years. Since Evie doesn’t want to lose custody of her son, she lies and says that she is Linnie. It’s a tangled mess and everyone feels guilty for being attracted to someone they shouldn’t, eventually ending up with a marriage between Evie and Spencer for the benefit of the child (and so that Spencer can fulfill his duties to his new title). There’s lots of potential for betrayal here with Evie lying about being a mother and Spencer not being forthcoming about him being a viscount. This book keeps the pages turning just so you’ll find out what calamity happens next.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Wicked Nights with a Lover by Sophie Jordan (2010)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Penwich School for Virtuous Girls series. Marguerite has a run-in with a fortune-teller who tells her that she will be dying before the year is out. Having lived modestly for years and saving up for the future, Marguerite decides to take a year of sabbatical from work as a nurse and go on an adventure. Before she can go do that, she ends up being kidnapped by her father’s business associate, Ash, and carried off to be married. Based on what the fortune-teller had said, Marguerite believes that the marriage will be one step closer to her death, but she also is terribly attracted to Ash. There’s a ton of back and forth on whether Marguerite will agree to marry Ash, which isn’t terribly interesting to read. This book is light on the plot and pretty average on the romance. On the plus side, we do get to meet a couple of Marguerite’s sisters, who end up being featured in a future series.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive
Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy
Support this page with a donation
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: July 17 to 23, 2023
Knockout by Sarah MacLean (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Hell’s Belles series. Lady Imogen is the chemical explosives expert of the Belles and is often spotted at the scene of the crime collecting her own evidence, much to the dismay of Scotland Yard’s Detective Inspector Tommy. While these two aren’t exactly teaming up, they’re both trying to solve the same crimes and keep running into each other. At some point, Tommy is tasked with finding an earl’s missing sister to keep himself in line with a promotion. That sister is of course Imogen and she’s not really missing at all. Throughout the book, Imogen is the pursuant and Tommy is the one who hesitates due to his social station (or lacktherof), but Imogen’s self-esteem takes the rejection much differently. Once they do finally team up, the sparks are well worth it, though Tommy will have to decide whether to trust Imogen and the Belles or the side of police authority. Another excellent book in this series, with women fighting for themselves and their rights.
Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.
The Earl in My Bed by Sophie Jordan (2013)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 2.5 of the Forgotten Princesses series. Paget is the vicar’s daughter who has been longtime friends with two of the local earl’s sons, but not so friendly with the middle son, Jamie, who was always pretentious and snotty. Jamie is back as the new earl after the death of his older brother and is just as snotty as he always has been. While Paget has always had a bit of an understanding with Jamie’s younger brother, the wartime separation has dimmed her affection. With Jamie back in town, Paget is physically attracted to him, despite her distaste for his attitude. Jamie’s had his own feelings of inadequacy and loneliness with not being the preferred playmate of his own brothers and covets Paget’s attention. This one is a short novella that wraps up pretty easily and neatly.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
How to Lose a Bride in One Night by Sophie Jordan (2013)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Forgotten Princesses series. We start with the wedding day for Annalise where she’s marrying a handsome duke and then setting off on a honeymoon barge on the river. Except her charming duke turns out to be an attempted murderer: suffocating her with a pillow and then throwing her in the river. She washes up on shore unconscious and is rescued by Owen, an earl back in England from war with his own nightmares and demons as a former assassin. Owen is stuck with an injured, feverish, and unconscious Annalise until he finds some assistance with her care. When she regains her consciousness, she feigns amnesia so she doesn’t risk being returned to her husband by this upstanding stranger. With a broken leg, Annalise is even more vulnerable to danger, but somehow extracts some self-defense lessons from Owen, despite his hesitance to get closer to her. These two are very clearly attracted to each other, but Annalise is keeping secrets and Owen is all sorts of emotionally damaged. Still, the bonkers set up was a great way to hook me into the story immediately.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Nobody’s Duke by Scarlett Scott (2019)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the League of Dukes series. Second chance romance between a newly widowed duchess and the illegitimate son of a duke. Eight years have passed since Ara and Clay have seen each other, but now that Ara’s husband was brutally murdered by Irish vigilantes and Ara herself is also a target, the Home Office has assigned special agent Clay to protect her and her son. These two definitely have lots of tension and bitterness towards each other, mostly because they each believe that the other person betrayed them all those years ago, even though the reader knows that it was all orchestrated by Ara’s disapproving parents. We get to read some chapters from the past and see the neighbors Ara and Clay meet and fall in love in the forest between their lands. However, in the present-day, it’s all angry bickering and fighting and the epitome of the miscommunication trope because they won’t just come out and say why they’re mad an betrayed by the other one. Even though the physical attraction is still there among the heartbreak. Add in the fact that Ara’s son (and new duke) is the spitting image of Clay, we have yet another layer of betrayal and anger. The external danger drives a lot of the story forward and emotions and adrenaline is running strong and I think we eventually finally get some truth-telling in the last quarter of the book.
Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. 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.
Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Once Upon the East End series. Isabelle needs to marry quickly to prevent her late father’s business partner from pushing her out from the business. She and her grandmother set up a series of festivals where she invites all eligible suitors to attend and plans to declare her betrothed before midnight of the third festival. A chance meeting with the synagogue custodian Aaron intrigues Isabelle, but since he’s not actually a suitable candidate, she hires him to help investigate actual contenders for her hand. Isabelle is stubborn and cold for the most part, seeking a business partner in her future husband, while Aaron is self-deprecating and kind. Even though they eventually give into their attractions, Isabelle is adamant that she must secure her father’s legacy rather than pursue her own happiness. She’s annoyingly stubborn and consistently breaks Aaron’s heart, but luckily Aaron has his own fairy godmother on his side. The first half of the book moved pretty slowly for me, but the second half had much more action and kept me reading to find out how it all gets resolved.
Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.
Heartless Duke by Scarlett Scott (2019)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the League of Dukes series. This book overlaps a bit with the previous one and will make more sense when read in order. Leo is the head of the special league of agents tasked with fighting some Irish crime organization. When he arrives at his half-brother’s house for a wedding, he finds himself intrigued by his nephew’s governess. Bridget is actually there pretending to be a governess so she can kidnap the young duke in exchange for her own brother’s freedom. A standoff in the woods leads to Leo shooting her and taking her prisoner. A lot of this book has Leo and Bridget at odds with each other since they’re sworn enemies, but they’re also fiercely attracted to each other, and sometimes try to use that attraction to manipulate each other. The manipulation doesn’t work very well since they both lose their heads when they surrender to their lust. It is interesting to learn more about Leo’s backstory, since he’s the stern and serious duke when it comes to his work, but he has a debaucherous reputation to throw everyone else off, and then claims to be completely heartless and untrusting of women. Quite the combination there, and it all makes Bridget’s secrecy all that more painful for him. I did enjoy seeing his relationship with his half-brother’s mother, who was more caring and nurturing than his own mother ever was.
Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Tall, Duke, and Scandalous by Amy Rose Bennett (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Byronic Book Club series. Jane gets caught trying to steal a rare book from a duke’s library but instead of getting into trouble, he proposes marriage to her instead. Christopher is the newly inherited duke with a reputation for throwing debaucherous parties, but really, he’s hiding the fact that an assassination attempt has left him unable to recognize or remember faces of the people around him. He needs help navigating the people around him as well as find his killer. Jane has her own burdens, with a scarred face after an accident with her ex-fiancee ten years ago, a gambling mother, and a sudden blackmailer. She takes Christopher up on his offer, mostly because she needs the money, but also because she’s very much attracted to him. Both are slow to trust the other person due to each of their past hurts, but the physical affection starts early and often. Loved seeing them team up against his mystery murderer.
Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.
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Somerset Stories Series by Mimi Matthews / Historical Romance Book Series
The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews (2019)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Somerset Stories series. We’ve got a strikingly beautiful and kind young lady, Phyllida, living with her uncle and cousins after her grandfather has passed away and now she’s being prepared for her debut and season. However, her uncle has almost sold her to a much older and cruel duke who is known for collecting rare and beautiful things. She finds kindness and connection with another man, Arthur, who is an injured war veteran. When it seems that her marriage to the duke is imminent, she enters into a marriage of convenience with Arthur, and he takes her away to his estate for protection. In reading this book, I appreciated the slow build of trust and companionship between Phyllida and Arthur and that they were able to talk through their issues for the most part. Even with the external drama of meddlesome family members, the romance here was solid and heartwarming.
Ebook purchased via Amazon.
Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews (2020)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Somerset Stories series. Childhood friends Nicholas and Maggie are separated when Nicholas is accused of a crime and she helps him escape. Ten years later, Maggie is in London for the Season after an illness and mourning her father and her aunt, when a handsome viscount new to London is paying her court. It doesn’t take long for Maggie to suspect that the handsome viscount is really her childhood friend Nicholas in a new identity and persona. Both have their money and property at stake if they continue their association, but cannot seem to stay away from each other. It’s also interesting to watch them uncover the mysteries of the past and explanations for the viscount’s current identity.
Ebook purchased via Amazon.
Return to Satterthwaite Court by Mimi Matthews (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Somerset Stories series. Take the son of the couple from Book 1 and the daughter of the couple from Book 2, throw them together, and you get Book 3. Kate and Charles have a chance meeting in a London street when Charles rescues a stray dog (much like his mother) and Kate finds herself completely enthralled and ready to pursue him. Kate is uninterested in any of the other gentlemen she’s met this year and Charles is newly returned from serving in the Navy. The romance here is pretty straightforward and we get to revisit the families we loved from the previous books. Plus, there’s a nice setup for Book 4, which comes out later this year.
Advance ebook provided by Perfectly Proper Press via NetGalley.
Appointment in Bath by Mimi Matthews (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Somerset Stories series. Meg and Ivo are from neighboring rival families, but that doesn’t stop them from hesitantly forming a friendship (and further attachment). This book takes place in the same timeframe as Book 3 and results from the rivalry of Book 2, so it will make the most sense reading in order. Even without the backstory, the shy and stammering Meg slowly learns to stand up for herself and go after what she wants with the confidence built from her friendship with Ivo. She interprets Ivo’s kindness as pity and is dismayed that he only sees her as a friend. However, Ivo believes that their friendship is precious and hopes to mend the rift between their families (even if he doesn’t know all the details of how bad things are between the parents). This one was a pretty quick and straightforward read.
Advance ebook provided by Perfectly Proper Press via NetGalley.
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Weekly Reads: July 10 to 16, 2023
An Invitation to Seduction by Lorraine Heath (2004)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Daughters of Fortune series. Kitty spends almost the whole book feeling shameful of her lustful desires for the man she spied swimming in the sea and wants to retreat into the safety and comfort of her soon-to-be fiance who stirs absolutely none of these emotions. Richard is a duke who is baffled that his longtime friend will wed an American heiress, since he knows that his friend will be unable to be a good husband. Turns out that’s the guy that Kitty is almost engaged to and Richard tries to steal her away from him. It’s a lot of seduction and maneuvering in this book with Kitty learning to accept her own desires and attraction towards Richard. As always, there’s lots of drama and angst and heartbreak along the way, even though there isn’t too much character growth for Richard himself.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Earl’s Brazen Widow by Caroline Lee (2022)
Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 2 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. Malcolm is the illegitimate son of an earl who once had a relationship with his late father’s widow, Violet. He’s ignored her letters for the past ten years but happens to open the one where she says that his home and farm is going to be sold. Malcolm travels to the earl’s estate to confront Violet and somehow strikes a bargain where he’ll tutor her son in exchange for the deed to his house. (But I thought Violet needed the money from selling that house, so why can she just give it away right now?) As Violet and Malcolm spend more time together, it’s clear they’re still in love, but need to talk through what went wrong all those years ago and how she ended up married to his father. And of course the age of her son is a bit suspicious, even though Malcolm hasn’t put the pieces together yet. Quick read, steamy, and humorous, especially the kid’s fascination with animal waste.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
The Heiress Swap by Maddison Michaels (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Dollar Princess series. Evie is the orphaned illegitimate cousin and companion to American heiress Aimee who convinces Evie to switch places for the Season: Evie will go to balls and events while Aimee works as a secretary at her father’s company. Stern, serious, skeptical duke Alex believes that Evie (as Aimee) has set her sights on his cousin’s title and swears to prevent such deception and heartbreak from taking place. He has his own hang-ups after he caught his ex-fiancee cheating on him the night before their wedding and he’s completely distrustful of women. But of course, Alex and Evie have a lot of common interests and he slowly starts to realize that she is not trying to entrap a titled lord after all. Evie feels terrible for not being honest about her identity, especially as she starts to actually fall in love with Alex, knowing that he will hate her dishonesty. The book was a little slow-going at times, but we get a bit of external drama with fossils and caves and thugs hired to scare Evie, which brings out Alex’s protective side.
Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.
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.
Saved by the Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Highland Knights series. We jump right into the drama here with Lady Emilia showing up at the Knights’ house a big bloody mess. Turns out her father has viciously whipped her after she found evidence of a treasonous plot against the crown. Sir Colin is the only man that she trusts and he’s tasked with hiding her away in Scotland until her father can be apprehended. We get a road trip romance here with both Colin and Emilia suffering from past trauma (him from his time in the war, her from her abusive father) but getting to know and trust each other. Things continue to take a dangerous turn when her father eventually catches up to them. It’s a lot of action and adventure in this one, but luckily no third-act break-ups.
Advance ebook provided by Jennifer Haymore via NetGalley.
Wicked in Your Arms by Sophie Jordan (2011)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Forgotten Princesses series. Grier is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman and being trotted out on the marriage mart with a huge dowry. While she’s hiding behind potted plants and avoiding the gossip about her, she overhears a prince disparaging her. Sevastian is out to find an heiress to marry and bring home to his impoverished war-torn country and believes Grier to be completely unsuitable for anything except his mistress. Sev and Grier angrily flirt every time they’re together, though they’re both courting other people. They somehow end up having an affair and ultimately get caught in a compromising situation. There’s tons more drama involving some shady side characters, which definitely keeps things interesting.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Lessons from a Scandalous Bride Sophie Jordan (2012)
Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Forgotten Princesses series. Cleo is the sister of Grier and also on the marriage mart. She’s been courting a very elderly earl, much to the concern of her family. She has a good reason though: She’s looking to marry someone who will not (cannot) make demands of her in the marriage bed. Cleo has had the trauma of caring for too many siblings, watching weak ones die, carrying away stillborn siblings, and seeing her mother suffer the ills of labor. She wants very much to avoid that type of life and entrapment so avoids men who might prompt that future. Meanwhile, Logan is in London to find an heiress to marry and restore his castle in Scotland. While he is busy courting some vapid debutante, he’s more intrigued by Cleo and declares that he’d rather marry her instead. She refuses of course, but he is persistent in his pursuit. In this book, we’re mostly dealing with Cleo and her emotional issues and learning to accept the affection and passion that she has been denying herself.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
The Rake’s Insatiable Bride by Caroline Lee (2022)
Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 3 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. Jade seeks a night with a courtesan so she can lose her virginity on her own terms before her guardian/uncle forces her to marry. Cameron is a charming rake of a man who plays up his debauched reputation by giving women pleasure. Both are victims of a marriage-by-proxy scheme that surprisingly brings them back together and then forces them to stay in the same cottage in a rainstorm. While Jade had no intention of getting married, she’s slowly falling in love with Cam as they spend more time together. It’s an isolated little vacation for them, until the storm breaks and we have to clear up the mess.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
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.
The Sinner’s Tempting Captor by Caroline Lee (2022)
Historical romance. Victorian-era Scotland. Book 4 of the Those Kilted Bastards series. We start here with a kidnapping from prison, where Honoria has bribed a warden to let her take Crowe with her. We’ve learned about Crowe in the previous books, where his friends believed him to have murdered their other friend James (who is also Honoria’s brother). While we do eventually find out why Crowe went to prison and who actually killed James, this book introduces us to Honoria’s crazy family dynamics and allows the potential reconciliation between Honoria and Crowe. The standout star of the book is younger brother Bull for all his comic relief. Things definitely get dramatic in this book, setting up the events that lead to the Surprise! Dukes series.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
The Yellow Polka-Dotted Bathing Costume by Caroline Lee (2023)
Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Super short novella part of the Surprise! Dukes series. This one is a bridge between the Those Kilted Bastards series and the Surprise! Dukes series. We have Althea, daughter and sister of a duke, who is at Brighton with her brother. Her elderly earl fiancee has passed away recently, leaving her free to pursue someone else. Lucky for her, the neighbor who was totally unsuitable for her has recently inherited a dukedom. Sebastian is eager to marry Althea now that he will have the approval of her brother and that she is no longer engaged to someone else. Quick low-angst story here.
Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.
Want more Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.
Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!
Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
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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.
Lords in Love Series by Darcy Burke and Erica Ridley / Historical Romance Book Series
Beguiling the Duke by Darcy Burke (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Lords in Love series. A duke’s carriage loses a wheel in a small village and he takes shelter in the small village of Marrywell. The village is completely pre-occupied with its annual matchmaking festival, so there’s no room at the inn and no workers to help fix the duke’s carriage. The local squire provides shelter for the week the the duke grows closer to the squire’s daughter. Sadie has been maintaining her father’s home and taking care of her four brothers for years and hopes that this year’s festival will prove fruitful for her marriage prospects. And this time, with the duke at her side, she’s actually getting the attention she deserves. But of course, Sadie and the duke are finding themselves drawn to each other instead. Relatively low on the angst and heartache scale here and a delightful read.
Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.
Taming the Rake by Erica Ridley (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lords in Love series. Gladys the wallflower is at the Marrywell Matchmaking Festival for the fourth time and needs to find a marriage match before her dowry is given to her delightful younger sister. She finds herself kissed in a garden and expected a proposal from the handsome gentleman, but he never shows up, and she was spotted in a disheveled state, so now she’s publicly ruined as well. Her family cuts her off completely and she has to survive on her own. Five years later, she returns to Marrywell to find the man who ruined her and seek revenge. But he’s a lot less rakish than he seemed before and Gladys is at risk of falling in love. I really enjoyed Gladys’ transformation to a confident woman and the development of her relationship with Reuben.
Advance ebook provided by Erica Ridley via NetGalley.
Romancing the Heiress by Darcy Burke (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Lords in Love series. Leah is back in Marrywell for the annual matchmaking festival as a companion to a young debutante in search of a husband. Of course Leah is still enamored with her childhood friend Phineas, who is considering marrying an heiress to save his secretly impoverished estate. This one is a relatively quick read, with somewhat tragic backstories for everyone involved: Leah had an abusive childhood so she was desperate to escape the village of Marrywell; Phineas had a gambling father who left the estate in dire financial condition; and even the young debutante who is not at all who we’re concerned with has an overbearing managing mother. However, the attraction between Leah and Phineas was a delight to read and their shared history made for a stronger connection. And we get to see the couple from Book 1 of the series again for the festival.
Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.
Defying the Earl by Erica Ridley (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Lords in Love series. Titus is the grumpiest earl you ever did meet, eschewing all social niceties and events. He’s tasked by his godmother to take on a twenty-year old ward and comes to the Marrywell festival to meet her. But before he can do that, he’s kissed a stranger behind the potted plants at the assembly, and is aghast to realize that he’s kissed his ward Matilda. She’s out of mourning from her parents, nearly reaching her majority and inheritance, and wants to socialize and make friends with people. This one is very much a grumpy-sunshine story, with tragic backstories for both Titus and Matilda, but they differ greatly in how they’ve moved from their respective tragedies. Another fun and quick read from this series!
Advance ebook provided by Erica Ridley via NetGalley.
Matching the Marquess by Darcy Burke (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Lords in Love series. A widow meets a rake at a house party late at night in the library. A potential bedding is interrupted and the two part ways. Months later, Rebecca has become a popular matchmaker and a marquess’ aunt has hired her services for her nephew. Unfortunately, that marquess is the man that Rebecca met in the library, but she needs to employment so sets out to meet with him prior to the Marrywell Matchmaking Festival. Nash has decided it’s time to remarry but he is looking for a business arrangement rather than a love match, after the devastation of his beloved first wife’s death. When he meets his matchmaker, he’s surprised to find the woman that he met before and that he is still very much attracted to her. Both Rebecca and Nash have their past troubles that get revealed while they’re in town for the festival and become more friendly and honest with each other as they spend more time together. This one connects well with Book 3 of the series, which features Rebecca’s younger sister.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.
Chasing the Bride by Erica Ridley (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Lords in Love series. Tabitha has been betrothed to her father’s viscount friend since before she was born and with her father on his deathbed, the wedding shall be held in short order. Tabitha has no interest in marrying a lecherous old man, but feels that it is her role as dutiful daughter to comply. She spends some of her last few days of freedom at the Marrywell Matchmaking Festival, but her betrothed has assigned his man of business to watch over her. Hudson has worked for the old viscount for years and has been unwisely pining for Tabitha despite being at a much lower social standing. While he is competent at his assigned tasks, he is dreading the day when Tabitha must submit to marriage to the viscount. When she’s spending time with Hudson, Tabitha realizes true joy and companionship, making her dread her looming marriage even more. She ultimately runs from her wedding day, hoping to forestall her fate for just a little while longer. Hudson eventually catches up to her and she convinces him to spend a week with her before she has to meet her doom again, even though his job is to bring her back to his employer. This book was a lot of fun to read with our two people easily falling in love, but kept apart due to their external circumstances.
Advance ebook provided by Erica Ridley via NetGalley.
Undressing the Duke by Erica Ridley (2023)
Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Lords in Love series. Donovan is being pressured by his mother to fulfill his ducal duties to marry a young lady and sire an heir. He has no interest in doing so and only has eyes for his valet of twenty years, Geoffrey. Knowing that he would not want to be lusting after his valet when a wife is in residence, he dismisses Geoffrey as his valet. However, Donovan and Geoffrey must first make a visit to the Marrywell Matchmaking Festival so that Donovan can select a bride. While in Marrywell, they’ve agreed to act as friends instead of master and servant and find themselves finally giving into the attraction between them all these years. This one is a quick read with a nice resolution, especially since Donovan has a younger brother besotted with his wife an a bunch of children to take the role of heir.
Advance ebook provided by Erica Ridley via NetGalley.
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Useful Resources:
Read more about getting the most out of your library card
Want an intro to historical romance series? This post will help!
Learn more about Kindle Unlimited
Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited
Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive
Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy
Support this page with a donation
Affiliate links may be used within this post. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
