Book Reviews | Random Olive

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The Derrings Series by Sophie Jordan / Historical Romance Book Series

Jun 8, 2023

Once Upon a Wedding Night by Sophie Jordan (2006)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Derrings series. Meredith is a widow to an earl and she’s worried that the new earl is coming to take over the estate and kick her and her aunt and father out. She and her aunt come up with a plan to make it seem like she is pregnant with the next heir so that she can stay on the estate. Nick is the younger half brother of the previous earl who has been found out his gambling hell and told that he is the new earl. Nick wants nothing to do with being a titled gentleman and wants to pass it on to someone else. He’s somewhat relieved to find that he might not be the next earl after all if Meredith delivers a son. Meredith and Nick are terribly attracted to each other, but he goes back to London to avoid her; when he learns that she has deceived him, he is brutally vindictive and insists that she marry someone else to become someone else’s responsibility. Except that he gets jealous and desires her for himself. Both characters are extremely stubborn and do not want to fall in love at all and both have seen pitfalls of falling in love.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Too Wicked to Tame by Sophie Jordan (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Derrings series. After five unsuccessful seasons, Portia is sent off to the country to make a match with Heath, a bachelor earl. That earl has no interest in marriage whatsoever because he believes that madness runs in his family and he will not subject the next generation to that sort of madness. Even though Portia is not interested in marriage, he thinks that she is trying to trap him and he tries very hard to resist her until one day he can’t. I’m not sure if this counts as enemies to lovers or not, but there’s definitely animosity and him being stubborn and not believing her when she says that she’s not interested in marriage. I did enjoy reading about Heath’s conniving grandmother and seeing her throw these two together as often as possible.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Night With You by Sophie Jordan (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Derrings series. Oppressed widow Jane accidentally sees her childhood friend Seth at a scandalous masked party that her friends dragged her to attend. Seth had previously been in love with Jane’s sister and was humiliated by her family before going away to war; upon his return to the country, he finds that his father and older brother had died, leaving him the earl and responsible for his blind younger sister. Although Seth is interested in a tryst with the masked lady he met one night, he is looking for a respectable wife that can cause no heartbreak to help protect his sister. When meeting Jane again in the daylight, he’s attracted to her but refuses to become entangled with her. It was interesting to see how Jane steps away from her terrible circumstances through the support of her friends. I also liked reading more about Seth’s sister and her secondary romance within the book, even though Seth was a stubborn idiot for most of the book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Surrender to Me by Sophie Jordan (2008)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Derrings series. Lady Astrid’s fugitive of a husband left his family years ago but has been spotted in Scotland under an assumed name and ready to marry an heiress. Astrid feels responsible somehow and hies off to Scotland to confront the man. Along the way, she meets Griffin, who rescues her from highwaymen. For the most part, Astrid is trying to cling to propriety and avoid any physical or emotional entanglement with Griffin. She’s got a tragic backstory of a mother who left her family for an unsuitable man and a father who was rigid and forced her to be proper and unfeeling. Astrid believes that following any emotions will lead to ruin and scandal, so she always does what she is supposed to. Meanwhile Griffin is dealing with his own issues, but his need to protect Astrid becomes his priority. This story has Griffin being the one to pursue a physical relationship with Astrid, despite her protests and comes across as lacking in full consent, reading it now in 2023. It was still an interesting story, especially as we find out more about Griffin’s family and the shady dealings of Astrid’s husband.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: May 29 to June 4, 2023

Jun 6, 2023

Bridgerton Fanfic: Begin Again by The_Cosetta_Stone

Anthony/Penelope Romance. Multi-chapter, approx. 30k words. Diverges from Season 2, where Penelope tells Eloise the truth before that big fight in episode 8, and Kate rejects Anthony in the garden at the Featherington ball. After Colin’s disparaging words about Penelope, somehow Anthony gets involved with trying to protect Penelope. This one is a relatively short fic with Anthony realizing the slow burn comfort of being in Penelope’s company.

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (2023)

Contemporary romance. Elsie is a recent PhD grad with no money and way too many adjunct teaching positions who is on a fake dating app for extra money. One of her clients has an older brother Jack who seems to hate Elsie. Except he doesn’t. And one of the parameters of Elsie’s gig has her being vague and untruthful about her real identity and personal information. When Elsie shows up for a physics faculty job interview, she’s surprised to see Jack there as one of the other faculty members. Jack is upset because it seems that Elsie has been lying to his brother, but Elsie can’t tell Jack the truth about the fake dating without her client’s permission. It’s a huge mess that is complicated by the fact that Jack is in charge of the rival branch of physics and there’s another candidate for the job. But really Jack just feels terrible for having had a crush on his brother’s “girlfriend” all this time and he’s even more impressed with her once he realizes she’s also a physicist. This book has all the humor and awkwardness you’d expect out of an Ali Hazelwood novel.

Advance ebook provided by Berkley Romance via Edelweiss.

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Someone to Trust by Mary Balogh (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Westcott series. This book starts at the same Christmas family gathering that ends the previous book. By this point, it makes the most sense to have read this series in order to keep all of the Westcott family members straight, even though a family tree is printed in the beginning of each book. Colin is the younger brother of Wren (from Book 3) and joining in on the Westcott holiday celebrations; while he is enjoying the celebrations, he’s a bit wistful that his own family does not have this sort of affection for each other and considers searching for a bride next Season and taking responsibility for his estate, where his mother currently resides with her entourage. While he is considering the young eligible ladies in attendance as potential brides, he’s mostly enamoured of Elizabeth, who is the older sister of Alex (Wren’s husband) and nine years older than Colin. Elizabeth is widowed to a man who turned violent with drink and has not been interested in remarriage; however, seeing all the happy couples around her has made her lonely and she may actually consider marriage this upcoming Season. Colin and Elizabeth form a bit of a connection, with good conversation, light flirting, and even a kiss, but Elizabeth feels too old for Colin and Colin feels too immature for Elizabeth. They do eventually agree to a dance together at every ball they both attend during the Season. When we get to London a few months later, they fulfill the promise of the dance, but are actively courting other people, while Colin contends with his mother’s machinations. It’s interesting to see how these two people end up having honest conversations about their traumatic pasts and somehow end up together to everyone’s surprise. And as always, I love the ever-supportive Westcott family.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Chessmen series. There’s a scandalous book written anonymously about the seductive exploits of a Lord K and the ton suspects that the Earl of Knightly, known as Knight, is the man in the story. In reality, he is the subject of the story which is written by Regina, the illegitimate daughter of an earl whom Knight jilted on their wedding day five years prior. We see a few chapters told from the past interspersed with present day chapters and learn more about the past and present relationship between Knight and Regina. He basically left her heartbroken and ruined all those years ago and she has been trying to rebuild her life since then. The notoriety of this book has drawn them back together, but there is still a lot of resentment on Regina’s side of things and lots of guilt from Knight’s. It’s interesting to see how they ultimately overcome the issues that kept them apart all those years ago and learning the truth about Knight’s betrayal.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Designs on the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Suddenly a Duke series. Tragic upbringing for Elijah, who’s crusty old duke of a father accused his wife of being unfaithful and tossed the pregnant duchess off to a small cottage at one of his estates with no money or support. She gave birth to twins and eventually sent them off to war. While in battle, the elder of the twins passes away, leaving Elijah to be the heir. He then receives a letter that his father has died, leaving his brother the next duke, though his brother is gone too, meaning Elijah is the new duke. He’s back in England to reclaim his birthright and set things to rights. Unfortunately, the crusty old duke was a spiteful piece of work who sold off every single piece of furniture in the house. Luckily, they run into Abby, who is soon to open her own furniture shop filled with her designs. Abby lived in poverty until her father’s death, when her new guardian took her own and brought her with him in his worldwide travels. With all the knowledge gained in traveling the world, she has developed a keen sense of style and design. Neither Elijah or Abby are interested in marriage: Elijah doesn’t want to continue his horrible father’s bloodline and Abby doesn’t want to cede her independence. But as they start working together to furnish his home, they begin to admire each other’s strength and honor more than even their initial attraction.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Portraits, Passion, and Other Pastimes by Charlie Lane (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Art of Love series. A financially irresponsible marquess puts his family’s livelihood in danger by overspending money on art and frivolity, rather than care for his estate. When his eldest son, Raph, learns of the financial state when the steward quits, he’s shoulders the burden of responsibility to keep them afloat. Unfortunately, he also needs to dismiss his sister’s governess, Matilda, because there’s no money to pay her, but he promises to always help her find a suitable position. Fifteen years later, the marquess has passed away and Raph is still struggling with all the bills. His father has donated all his art, leaving none for his children to sell, except for five items which each person must earn by creating a piece of art themselves and presenting it to their mother for approval. With no talent and not enough time for frivolity, Raph knows that he will not be able to come up with anything to his mother’s standards; nevermind the loud wailing and grieving that his mother is doing to distract him. He decides to hire his mother a companion and seeks out Matilda as the best candidate. She has served as a governess and a companion in the past fifteen years and will soon move to her own cottage. While she rejects the offer from Raph at first, the lady she’s currently serving suggests they go together to help the marchioness with her grief. Raph is also attempting to save the estate by marrying an heiress, but does not feel anything for the ladies he’s courting. With everyone back at the marquess’ estate, Raph and Matilda spend more time together and try to resist their attraction. After all, Matilda is used to a life of work and solitude and Raph needs to marry for money. It was interesting to read all of the family interactions in this story and the support they all have for each other, despite the begrudging feelings towards the old marquess’ spending habits.

Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane via NetGalley.

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.

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.

Marrying Off Morgan McBride by Amy Barry (2023)

Historical romance. 1880s Montana. Book 2 of the McBrides of Montana series. Meddlesome little sister Junebug is at it again by putting an advertisement for a mail-order bride for oldest brother Morgan. She can feel Morgan itching to get back out on the cattle trail and hopes to snare him a wife to keep him at home. Pip answers the ad and sets off with her granny to come meet Morgan; she’s been overlooked and rejected her whole life due to her plain looks, but hopes that Morgan will appreciate her skillful cooking and housekeeping skills. With Junebug’s scheming and dishonesty, both Pip and Morgan are in for surprises and disappointment, despite both of their attraction for the other. When Morgan tells Pip to go home without listening to her at all, she decides to confront him and demand that the marriage go through. He’s still packing up to leave town and has no intention of changing his plans. This book was funny and sweet and heartbreaking in all the right places and we get to finally see Pip stand up for herself and Morgan start to listen more than he talks. And Pip’s granny is the absolute best.

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.

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:

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

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.

Sisters of Scandal Series by Lily Maxton / Historical Romance Book Series

Jun 1, 2023

The Affair by Lily Maxton (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Sisters of Scandal series. Novella-length story. Elizabeth is out of mourning and ready to wear colorful dresses again; when she escapes from the rain, she meets a handsome rake of a bookseller, Cale, and is intrigued by him. Somehow Elizabeth is being courted by her late husband’s cousin and heir while also being pursued by Cale for an affair. She ends up starting an affair with Cale, even knowing that he is uninterested in marriage and their differences in social station may impede a serious relationship. Quick read that resolves fairly quickly, but still really enjoyable.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Wager by Lily Maxton (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Sisters of Scandal series. Novella-length story. Outspoken sister Anne is trying to steal a copy of a scandalous memoir by a courtesan and runs into Michael, the earl that her sister had refused for marriage the previous year. They start a flirty bit of letter exchanging and then some flirtatious wagering when they’re in the same town. When they’re caught in a compromising situation together, they’re pressured to marry, even though Anne doesn’t want to marry someone who’s in love with her sister. Another quick and straightforward romance to read from this series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Love Match by Lily Maxton (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Sisters of Scandal series. Novella-length story. With Olivia’s older sisters settled and married, her mother is now trying to make a suitable match for the shy and bookish Olivia. At a house party, Olivia’s non-flirtatious demeanor has caught the attention of William, a mere mister who’s known to be a flirt. They start a dalliance while at the house party despite having no intention of courting or marrying. I think I liked this one best out of the three novellas since William was so good at defending Olivia when needed.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Mistake by Lily Maxton (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Sisters of Scandal series. This one is actually a full-length novel from this series, following the romance of Julia, the high-profile courtesan that we met briefly in Book 1 and heard about with her memoir in Book 2. She is currently pregnant with a marquess’s child and is under contract to remain his mistress in exchange for his monetary and social support of the child. Feeling disgusted with him (and herself), she feigns illness and ends up being housed at his country estate temporarily. While there, she reconnects with the head gardener, Adam, who was her childhood friend. A tragic prologue will tell you that Adam has been in love with Julia for years, but their paths diverged when she became a courtesan. It’s all sorts of emotional angst in this second chance romance.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Improper Bride by Lily Maxton (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Sisters of Scandal series. This book will be much more rewarding after reading Book 4 because we meet both characters there. Henry, the marquess, is basically the most unlovable friendless asshole ever, and he nearly dies in a fire at his estate. Miraculously he survives, but is a curmudgeon during his recovery. The widowed housekeeper, Cassandra, is somehow tasked by the doctor to keep him occupied, so she asks for lessons in a foreign language. As they spend time together each day, they grow closer together and start to see the person beneath the title or role that each one has. Of course, they’ve got that whole employer-employee relationship there and massive social class differences, so even any affection between them would be improper and lead to heartbreak. Henry’s near-death experience has also reminded him that he has a duty to marry and sire heirs, so he enlists his sister in hosting a house party and bringing eligible women for him to meet. But none of them compare to Cassandra, so there’s tons of emotional angst there. Such an amazing romance. And! We do eventually find out the cause of the fire that started the book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Weekly Reads: May 22 to 28, 2023

May 30, 2023

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.

The Duchess Takes a Husband by Harper St. George (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 4 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. We revisit the woman from our tragic prologue of Book 1, Camille, an American heiress who was married off to a much older duke. Throughout the first three books, we’ve seen bits of the cruel treatment she has endured from her husband, ultimately seeing his death in the bed of his mistress at a house party. Now a widow for the past two years, Camille is slowly trying to reclaim her identity and participating in causes her husband would have disapproved of, like the home for young women or the women’s suffrage movement. She also seeks to determine if she can find sex pleasurable and propositions a man to assist her. Jacob is the illegitimate son of an earl and half-brother to Christian from Book 2. He refuses Camille’s proposition at first, not wanting to make things awkward as their social circles overlap. He ends up needing a fake fiancee to prove his stability for a business arrangement and asks Camille to play the part; of course she only agrees in exchange for the sex lessons she wanted in the first place. We soon realize that Camille has underlying fears of the act due to the ill treatment from her husband and Jacob needs to be gentle and patient as well as allow Camille to be in control of their intimacies. We get to see our charming rakish hero slowly fall in love with Camille and help in her journey towards empowerment. Overall, this was a great way to conclude the series and see our poor Camille finally get a happy ending.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior by Jennifer McQuiston (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Seduction Diaries series. This book takes place about 4 years after the events of Book 1 and is about Clare’s younger sister Lucy. We actually start the prologue with Thomas, a young drunken marquess, who is at his sister’s funeral and his fiancee has just broken off their engagement. We jump three years after that for the “present day” of the novel. The eccentric Lucy, a viscount’s daughter, is not looking forward to her debut season. With a delayed debut after some family scandal, she is 21 years old and stubbornly set in her ways. She surprisingly receives a package after her aunt’s death with her aunt’s diaries and the keys to her seaside cottage, offering the ability for Lucy to make her own decisions about her future. Unfortunately, meddlesome men make trouble when her father sells the property without her consent or knowledge to Thomas, who has been holed up in the small seaside town for the past three years. Lucy of course denies the sale, refuses all negotiation, and sets off to inspect the property herself. Lucy and Thomas are at odds for most of the story here with Thomas wanting very badly to purchase the property and Lucy not trusting his motives. It’s fun to see Lucy start to see a more honorable side to Thomas in his interactions with the folks in town and I love seeing Thomas appreciate Lucy’s stubbornness and outspokenness.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Rumors and a Rake by Jane Maguire (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Inconveniently Wed series. Catherine is the younger sister of the earl from Book 1 and has been shy throughout her season. We start this book at a house party where Catherine is attending with her friend Lavinia, and Catherine is trying to make a match with a gentleman who is quiet and bookish like she is. Philip is a dissolute rake, third son of a marquess, but now the heir due to the deaths of his older brothers. With the marquess in ill health, Philip’s mother had decided to drag Philip to this house party to select a bride. Catherine very much wants to avoid Philip after having witnessed him debauching a lady at a ball, but is still quite attracted to him. However, they keep bumping into each other at this house party and Philip ends up rescuing Catherine from the unwanted attentions of another man, ultimately leading to their marriage. After that, we have both people keeping secrets from each other, but somehow having it all work out.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Longing for a Lady by Jane Maguire (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Inconveniently Wed series. Our friend Lavinia from Book 2 finds herself in a situation where she’s pregnant by an earl who has recently married someone else. To avoid being married off to a much older man to cover up her indiscretion, she seeks out her childhood friend and now surgeon Will for help. He offers her marriage and his protection and she ultimately accepts. Since Lavinia is a baron’s daughter, she has enjoyed the frivolity of balls and society, so moving to a small village as the surgeon’s wife is a big change for her. She loses the pregnancy early on in the book and feels guilty for trapping Will with her. But he’s been in love with her forever and feels like he cannot provide the type of lifestyle that she is accustomed to. Both are poor at communicating their true feelings, which leads to a lot of guilt and insecurity. It was nice to see Lavinia try to show her appreciation for Will, even if her surprise didn’t turn out as planned.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel by Jennifer McQuiston (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Seduction Diaries series. This book takes place about five years after the end of Book 2. Our prankster younger brother Geoffrey, heir to a viscount, is now an adult who has survived a stint as a naval officer and back in London as a dissolute rake. We first see him urinating on a rosebush in his neighbor’s garden through the fence, where he meets Mary, who is the sister of an earl in town for her twin sister’s confinement. Geoffrey and Mary are instantly at odds with each other, with him being overly cocky and her being prim and meek. Both of these people have their own tragic backstories, but the bottom line is that Mary is nearly a spinster who has hidden herself away in the country and Geoffrey is a prankster with a terrible reputation in society. When they meet again, they get stuck together in the library at a hospital event and overhear an assassination plot. With both their reputations, no one believes the plot to be anything but a joke or an overactive imagination. Oh, and there’s the matter of them being caught alone together in a room and Mary looking terribly disheveled upon discovery. They end up teaming up to investigate what they’ve heard and find themselves drawn together more often. The mystery part of the story was pretty interesting here, but the romance plot was just ok for me; I had a hard time believing that Geoffrey’s redemption from prankster to devoted partner could take place in such a short timeframe because of just one woman. Overall, it was nice to see this series finish out with Geoffrey being responsible and caring.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Kiss the Rake Hello by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 13 of the Wicked Widows’ League series. This one is a pretty quick novella where a widow, Alexandra, and her childhood neighbor, Cortland, meet again. He’s had a crush on her forever and she’s looking for a night of pleasure after her disappointing marriage. A pretty uncomplicated plot but sweet to see Cort shy and fumbling around the woman he’s loved since he was a kid playing pranks on her. Super short to read and enjoy.

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner via BookSirens.

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A Study in Desire by Jane Maguire (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Rockliffe Dynasty series. Impoverished widow, Theo, has no option except to move herself and her two sons into her estranged mother-in-law’s house. The dowager marchioness and managing and strict, so it really was the last resort to accept her assistance. There’s of course family drama behind the scenes, with Theo’s late husband being the second son a marquess and estranged because of his occupation as a poet and his choice of bride. The marquess himself is embroiled in his own scandal and away from England, and Theo’s sister-in-law is a spinster who still lives with the dowager marchioness. As Theo’s sons are settling into their new home, they’re assigned to a new tutor. Jeremy has had his own recent troubles with a broken engagement and lack of career. Even though he is new to teaching children, he exhibits creativity and care with his charges. Theo and Jeremy interact sparingly at first, but the attraction and longing between the two is strong. It was nice to see Theo start to thaw towards Jeremy and trust him, as she’s seen him continually be supportive and caring. This book had a good blend of external drama and a build up of the romantic relationship within. I’m excited to see how the rest of the series plays out as well.

Advance ebook provided by Jane Maguire.

Harry Potter Fanfic: An Act of Charity by Ciule

Snape/Hermione Romance. Victorian-era AU. Multi-chapter; approx. 53k words. Hermione is the only seventh year witch at Hogwarts, orphaned and Muggleborn in a Pureblood-centric male-dominated society. She gets into a situation that necessitates Headmaster Snape marrying her. Be mindful of all content warnings on this fic… it’s full of period-typical misogyny and assertion of marital rights.

Her Scandalous Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Highland Knights series. Previously published as Highland Awakening in 2015 and this version is updated with content changes. This book is connected to the House of Trent series. Lady Esme is the socially awkward sister of a duke but also a secret author of romance novels. While doing research at a brothel. She runs into Camden, while he is on protection duty of an earl. He doesn’t know who she is at first, but uncovers her identity while at the duke’s dinner party. She’s nearly engaged to a seemingly safe family friend and is trying not to succumb to Cam’s advances. These two are argumentative throughout the book, with Cam being overbearing about Esme’s social standing and obligations but also impressed by Esme’s secret career. We also have a deadly threat against Cam’s friends to contend with in the background. After reading this book, I’m interested in going back to read about Esme’s siblings from previous books too.

Advance ebook provided by Jennifer Haymore via NetGalley.

Want more Harry Potter fanfic? Here’s a spreadsheet of my all-time favorites.

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May 2023 New Releases in Historical Romance Books

May 26, 2023

The Spinster and Mr. Scott by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Highland Knights series. This book is an updated edition of Highland Heat (2015). This story takes place at the same timeframe as the prequel. Lady Grace, daughter of an earl and a spinster, has escorted her sister Claire to the battlefield to search for Claire’s husband. While there, Grace has made herself useful by caring for the wounded soldiers. She meets Duncan, one of her brother-in-law’s sergeants and forms a connection with him. Despite the social class differences between them, they converse easily and quickly fall in love. This was a relatively quick story to read with things progressing pretty predictably until we head into treacherous territory with a disapproving father and an insurgent group the men are investigating.

Advance ebook provided by Jennifer Haymore via NetGalley.

Earls Rush In by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

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

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Scandalizing the Scoundrel by Charlie Lane (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 9 of the Wicked Widows League series and related to the Cavendish Family series. Freddy is a quiet unassuming widowed viscountess with two young daughters. When she decides that she would like to become a bit more wicked, she decides on having a tryst with the ever-so-handsome horseman, Grant, from her cousin’s circus. Grant has been secretly pining for Freddy for awhile now and has been resisting her since he knows he could easily fall in love. He’s worried about getting too attached since his performing could be dangerous and decrease his lifespan. Meanwhile Freddy has no interest in emotional entanglements or marriage since she does not want her children to suffer through the loss of another father. Both are clear that they don’t want anything more from each other, but it’s obvious that they care for each other a great deal, and their problems could easily be solved by Grant giving him his stuntwork (or at least cutting back). This was a fun addition to the Cavendish stories and it’s always nice to see a seemingly demure lady find joy.

Advance ebook provided by Charlie Lane.

Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes (2023)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. This is the book adaptation of the Netflix series that takes place in the Bridgerton universe. If you’ve watched the six episode series, you’ll see the plot of the book follows much of the same, with a few tweaks to make it work as a book. There are also components of the series that are omitted from the book and a few bonus perspectives (like whole chapters of Brimsley’s POV, the Queen’s man, and conversations he has with Reynolds, the King’s man). This book reminded me that Julia Quinn’s historical romance books fall on the light and funny side of the genre and the book overall was not tear-inducing the way that the Netflix series was. Much of the dialogue is the same as the series, with a lot less emotional punch without the facial expressions of the very talented actors from the series.

For the romance novel aspect, we follow Princess Charlotte and her journey to an arranged marriage with the King of England. While trying to escape the wedding, there’s a meet-cute in the garden where he declares himself “just George”, and then follow the trials of a husband who deposits his new bride in her own house while he runs away to a different one. We get a bunch of eavesdropping-miscommunication here with George keeping secrets for the first half of the book and these two spending much time apart and in isolation. The book throws in the sub-plot surrounding Agatha Danbury, a newly elevated lady who is widowed and subsequently courted within the same book. (The book ignores a certain sideplot where she has a tryst with a lord on the Netflix series)

Do you need to read this book if you’ve watched the series? No, the plot elements are the same. However, it’s nice to read about some of the internal thoughts characters have. And basically, I’m just here for the Brimsley chapters. His thoughts and fears of everything he does being a hangable offense are hilarious.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Last Lord Standing by Diana Lloyd (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the What Happens in the Ballroom series. Headstrong daughter of an earl, Libby, dances with a stranger at her birthday ball. Kerr, the second son of a second son, is somehow tasked by three of his friends to keep Libby distracted from other suitors while they’re considering her as a potential bride. Kerr and Libby soon form a friendship of sorts and spend more time together. This one is another story from Lloyd that has lots going on in a short amount of time, but what stands out here is Kerr’s instant attraction to and respect for Libby, and Libby’s strength and independence. Despite all the chaos and drama surrounding them, I appreciated the connection between the two and their lively relationship.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marleigh Sisters series. Lila is the illegitimate daughter of an earl, estranged from her sisters, and lived with her father’s first wife after her own parents passed away. She runs a somewhat successful salon in London, offering gaming and entertainments. She’s accused of being Ivor’s father’s mistress and told to stay away from the old man. She’s never been anyone’s mistress, but Ivor seems to think the worst in her. We have some added mystery to the story when a former servant comes to Lila asking for help with a man who is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, and Ivor is somehow involved because it was his young cousin who was attacked. Honestly, the mystery-solving part was the most interesting. The romance seemed to come out of nowhere even though the attraction was obvious from the start and didn’t particularly feel genuine. I suppose we’ll learn more about those estranged sisters in future books, but I didn’t get the feeling this would be a tight-knit series. And while I don’t usually comment on book titles, I don’t actually see the connection between the title and the plot of the book here.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Avon Books.

The Countess and the Casanova by Ginny B. Moore (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Flower Sisters series. We detour away from the Flower sisters themselves in this book and follow Alex’s best friend Henry and his intermittent friendship with Ellie. This book is told in two timelines, with the present day adventure that Henry and Ellie are taking to Italy and intermittent flashbacks to the times they’ve spent together at his mother’s annual Christmas balls. Henry is known for being a dissolute rake, but really, he suffers from insecurities related to his periods of darkness and his slowness of reading and writing. He hides this part of himself and carries on a facade of fun-loving charm. Ellie is slightly awkward and curvy and overlooked by almost all gentlemen; she eventually marries an elderly earl that her father arranges for her and is soon widowed after a miserable marriage. The widowed Ellie has a bit more freedom, so she attends art lectures and desires adventure. Henry arranges a trip for her to see Italy, but they need to pretend to be married to travel together. This book had all sorts of painful pining and longing on both sides here and it was such an interesting way to tell the story and unravel Henry’s past actions. Such a good book!

Advance ebook provided by Ginny B. Moore.

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.

His Study in Scandal by Megan Frampton (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the School for Scoundrels series. Alexandra is a widowed duchess out of mourning, seeking to take charge of her life by tearing up her mourning gowns, shopping at a modiste her late husband did not approve of, and enjoying a night of pleasure at a hedonistic garden with a handsome stranger. Theo is a wealthy businessman who has just made a deal to marry a duke’s sister but plans to spend one last night at the pleasure gardens before officially meeting her. Theo and Alexandra meet there and spend a steamy night together before parting ways. Complications arise when they realize that Theo has been intended for Alexandra’s daughter, as a way for her stepson, the new duke, to cover the debts that he’s incurred in the last two years. With the brimming attraction between Theo and Alexandra, it’s obvious he cannot marry her daughter, but they need to figure out a way to extricate themselves from this delicate situation or else Alexandra’s stepson will ruin Theo’s business prospects and leave Alexandra and her daughter destitute. With an fun little plot twist of how the daughter gets herself out of the bind.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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Once Upon a Scandal Series by Liana De la Rosa / Historical Romance Book Series

May 25, 2023

To Love a Scandalous Duke by Liana De la Rosa (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. Childhood friends who were separated by tragic circumstances (and possible family betrayal) are reunited here. Declan has returned to England after being sent away for the past twelve years following the tragic death of his father; upon his return, he finds that his brother has died and is now the duke. Lady Alethea is the daughter of an earl, Declan’s childhood neighbor and friend, and is instantly drawn to Declan again, despite his hurtful accusations about her father before he left the country. There’s definitely a bit of mystery here between the two families, with Declan’s father being blamed for a huge financial scandal before killing himself, and Declan’s older brother dying under suspicious circumstances. While Declan is trying to uncover the truth, he’s distracted by Alethea’s presence. Alethea is mostly just trying to get by and assert her independence, not believing her own father capable of the misdeeds Declan suspects of him. The romance part of this book was fairly straightforward, and I was mostly captivated by the mystery element and wanting to know the truth of the scandal that happened all those years ago. And with our luck, we got to uncover another juicy secret in the meantime.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Resist a Scandalous Rogue by Liana De la Rosa (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. After the scandal that Alethea uncovers in the previous book, her twin brother Finley is at a bit of a loss of direction. At an earl’s debaucherous house party, he meets a woman in the garden and spends one night with her before she disappears on him. Charlotte is a widow who was left with no money, no family, and no protection. She ended up at an earl’s house party thinking to get a maid’s position, but was dismayed to learn that her cousin has offered her an opportunity to be a courtesan. Although she rejects that role, she ended up in Finley’s bed anyway, and runs off before she’s tempted to become his mistress. A year later, Finley is seeking a position in Parliament and Charlotte has become a schoolteacher at a foundling home, and the two cross paths again. With their social class differences, his secrets, her secrets, and his political aspirations, this match is certainly unwise. We get to see them both slowly bring the other person into their confidence and become emotionally entangled. I enjoyed reading this one too and it was a great follow-up to the first book in the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Tame a Scandalous Lady by Liana De la Rosa (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. Lady Flora, daughter of a duke and sister to a marquess with political ambitions, disguises herself as a man to become the assistant trainer at a horse racing operation. While she has set herself up to learn how to run a racing stable, she is surprised to find herself attracted to the marquess who owns the place. Christian aims to rebuild his family’s legacy after a stable fire took the lives of his father and many prized racehorses; after spending all his money to rebuild the stables, he needs this new horse to win in order to recoup the costs. When he finds out his horse trainer is actually a woman, he first wants to dismiss her, but keeps her on after Flora stubbornly defends her actions. They start a dalliance while they aren’t busy with the horses, but the truth of Flora’s identity could leads to scandal for them both if she’s caught. I loved reading about the defiant and competent Flora here and how she doesn’t cower to the men in her life.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Tempt a Scandalous Lord by Liana De la Rosa (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Once Upon a Scandal series. Flora’s older brother Niall is in the race for Prime Minister, but is being maligned in a series of political articles. He’s focused on his work and wants to find the culprit of the articles, but is suddenly distracted when he meets Alicia, the widow of an earl. When she experiences a wardrobe malfunction which may lead to potential ruin, he declares them engaged to save both their reputations. While the two are most definitely attracted to each other, Alicia is keeping secrets from everyone. She’s actually the anonymous writer of the political articles that are meant to provoke thought and incite action from the politicians. With such a big secret hanging over her head, we’re just waiting for the fallout. I liked reading about Niall’s interactions with the orphans from the foundling home he supports and how Alicia softens towards him when she realizes his care for the children. I also liked seeing all the men from the previous books of the series rally around Niall and support him. Excellent ending to an enjoyable 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!

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Weekly Reads: May 15 to 21, 2023

May 23, 2023

His Favorite Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Mistress Trilogy series. This one starts with the daughter of the villain from Book 1 trying to avenge the death of her father, but then realizing that her father really was a villain. Gabriella is the illegitimate daughter of a viscount and an actress and has been orphaned by both. Her uncle offers her a home and protection and while she’s hesitant to take him up on it, eventually she’s convinced by her friend to do so. She meets Tony, who is the duke best friend of her uncle and he is interested in seducing her, even though she is technically an innocent miss. With her entry into the Ton for the social season, Tony tries to stay away from her, but that doesn’t exactly work out and they eventually need to marry. Tony has a tragic backstory with a terrible mother, distrust of women, and an inability to love. Meanwhile Gabriella is young and idealistic and believes that Tony has proposed to her because he is in love, despite him being unable to declare it. Of course this will ultimately lead to heartbreak for one or both of them as they’re so different in their ability to confront true emotion.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Beast and the Bookseller by Eva Devon (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Elizabeth is the daughter of a bookshop owner and basically runs the shop while her father drowns himself in alcohol after the death of her mother. It turns out that her father has been shirking his duties to a cold and starchy duke who normally receives weekly deliveries of books at his home. The duke, Garrett, comes calling at the shop to demand the bookshop service that he pays for or else he will remove his patronage to the shop. Elizabeth agrees to start making the book deliveries herself and they both find that they have their love of reading in common. Garrett has his own issues with his crusade against treacherous mental asylums and he has been somewhat of a cold recluse. With Elizabeth’s visits, they grow closer and he wants very much to care for her. The romance part of the story progressed pretty quickly with some conflict related to Elizabeth’s father and Garrett’s general coldness. It was a relatively quick read and fairly light on the angst.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

Secrets and a Scandal by Jane Maguire (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Inconveniently Wed series. An earl’s heir, Edward, has returned to England after staying away for 6 years and his ill father has informed him of the estate’s debts and that he’s secured a match to a wealthy merchant’s daughter, Eliza. After his father dies, Edward realizes the huge amount of debt he is in and decides to go through with the marriage. Edward is cold and aloof, mostly due to his past experience with a beautiful and fickle first wife, who he refuses to talk about. Eliza has grown up in the country and prefers her garden and herbal remedies to assist those who are ill; she got into some sort of scandal when she was in London for her first Season before being sent back to the country. She doesn’t have any interest in marrying, but understands that being Edward’s wife is preferable to being sent back to her aunt and uncle’s care. After they get married, there’s a lack of honest conversation between these two, mostly because Edward doesn’t want to share anything about his past. However, they’re both dedicated to the improvement of the estate and helping the people who live there, and slowly find common ground. Relatively quick read with somewhat predictable secrets that Eliza and Edward are hiding. Still an enjoyable read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Someone to Care by Mary Balogh (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Westcotts series. This one is not easy to describe by mere trope and that is the beauty of Mary Balogh’s creativity. Viola and her family found out after her husband’s death that their marriage was not legitimate, causing all sorts of calamity as the earl’s title passes to a cousin instead of her son, and her daughters cast out of society. Viola herself chooses to distance herself from her family and her in-laws since she is no longer (and has never been) a Westcott. Over the past three books, we’ve seen the Westcott family rally together and provide love and support for all its members, including Viola. But sometimes all this love and support can be smothering, and Viola decides to retreat on her own back home, taking a hired carriage with no servants or companions. When her carriage needs repair, she stays at a local inn, where she re-meets Marcel, a recently inherited marquess – though he doesn’t tell her that. Marcel has been a renowned rake and Viola had rejected his advances 14 years prior when her supposed husband was still alive. Marcel has not forgotten Viola and purposely strands himself at the inn to spend more time with her. He’s got his own tragic backstory with a wife who died many years ago and his nearly 18 year old children who he’s left in the care of their aunt and uncle, plus that whole rake and libertine reputation. These two end up spending their day (and night) together and escape from their reality for a bit. Things get more complicated once both of their families get involved, making for all sorts of angst and emotional revelations.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. A semi-tragic prologue starts the series with Camille, an American heiress, being married off to a much older and impoverished duke in England against her wishes. August is one of Camille’s friends who sees how awful the whole situation is and is thankful that her own parents would never do such a thing to her or her sister. Fast forward to a few months later, when August visits England with her parents and younger sister, and her parents are doing exactly what she feared. They attempt to set up a match between younger sister Violet and impoverished duke Evan, but August intends to thwart it. It doesn’t much matter since Evan prefers the fiesty August instead and tries to convince her to marry him. He needs the money because his father’s antiquated ideals have left the estate in much debt and the tenants on his lands are suffering. August refuses because she would prefer to stay working for her father’s company and has no interest in becoming a duchess. There’s a lot of cajoling involved here, even though these two are very clearly attracted to each other. The romance was great here and I enjoyed seeing August’s family dynamic. We also get to meet all the key players in future books of the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George (2021)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. This book deals with August’s younger sister Violet and Evan’s best friend Christian in a road trip escape from the suitor that Violet’s parents have selected for her. Believing that she is safe from her parents’ meddling now that her sister has settled with the duke in Book 1, Violet is caught off guard when she realizes that her father has agreed to a match with a viscount. She plans to run away and is aided by an earl, Christian, who has his own designs on her and hopes to force a marriage when they’re caught together. Of course, during the trip, these two actually talk and get to know each other, so Christian feels guilty for his planned betrayal. Violet is also opening up to the idea of marriage, since she feels so connected to Christian. In the background, Violet is working on writing a novel and has based her main hero on Christian without him realizing it. This book has all the calamities you would expect in a road trip novel plus the added dread of uncovering Christian’s deception. We also introduce the pairing on Violet’s brother Maxwell with her friend Lady Helena when they team up to chase after the runaway pair.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Gilded Age Heiresses series. Maxwell (older brother to August and Violet) is called back to England from America after his father suffers from heart problems; he’s tasked with marrying and siring the next generation to take over the company or else his sister August loses her business deal. When he crosses paths again with widowed Lady Helena, the attraction he feels for her is reignited. Knowing that they don’t really have a future together on opposite sides of the ocean, he proposes a fake courtship and subsequent fake engagement so that he can appease his father long enough to not jeopardize his sister’s project. Lady Helena is facing her own parental pressure to marry in order to continue her charity work with abandoned women. She agrees to Maxwell’s proposal since she cares about his sister as well, but Helena does not want to marry in truth because she knows that she is unable to have children. But of course these two are highly attracted to each other and cannot seem to keep from being heartbroken. Add a subplot with some property dispute and Maxwell not understanding Helena’s mission and purpose, we have a high amount of angst here. It was really fun to read Helena and Maxwell’s flirting and banter here and we continue to see the rift between Maxwell and his siblings versus their parents.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Scandal at the Savoy series. Max is doing a favor for his cousin by collecting research and plans for a dinner party from bookseller Evie; when he meets her, he’s tailed by a few boisterous younger men who disparage Evie’s plain and bookish demeanor. He ends up wagering that with a bit of polish, she’ll be able to fill her dance card at a ball in six weeks time. Max tries to enlist Evie to be part of his wager, but she refuses at first, until a boiler bursts in her bookshop, closing it down and leaving her without a place to stay. Evie has basically been alone in running her shop and barely making ends meet and has never experienced any balls or parties, so Max’s offer forces her to experience new things. Meanwhile, as a duke with no heirs, Max is seeking the perfect society wife and trying to learn from the mistakes he made with his first wife, who was ostracized in society. While Max and Evie grow closer with their talking and banter, they both know that the social class differences between them would be unrealistic to try to overcome. This was a fun book to read and I liked reading about Evie gaining more self-confidence through the book.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Forever Books.

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.

Last Chance Scoundrels Series by Eva Leigh / Historical Romance Book Series

May 18, 2023

The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. After younger sons of an earl Kieran and Finn assist their friend Dom in jilting their sister Willa at the altar, both families set down an ultimatum for the three scoundrels: each needs to marry a respectable woman within twelve months time or they all get financially cut off. Kieran’s book is first, followed by Finn in Book 2, and Dom in Book 3. As a terrible scoundrel, Kieran doesn’t have the best reputation among respectable ladies of the ton, so he needs some assistance gaining entry into polite events. He asks Dom’s sister Celeste, the epitome of a proper young woman despite her upbringing, to help him get into these events so that he can find a suitable bride. She refuses at first, but when her father insists that she is to marry her suitor at the end of the Season, she decides to strike a bargain with Kieran: she’ll help him if he takes her to scandalous places at night. Of course in spending all this time together, they grow close and fall in love, and they were already attracted to each other from the start. It was fun to see Kieran learn a different side to Celeste and appreciate the tough and brave person she is underneath all of the societal propriety she exhibits in the daytime.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

A Rogue’s Rules for Seduction by Eva Leigh (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Last Chance Scoundrels series. It’s been nearly a year since Dom abandoned Willa at the altar, and his friends and her brothers Kieran and Finn have conspired to bring them both the same isolated island house party in Scotland. Dom and Willa have to finally talk out their issues if they have any hope of moving on. We quickly see that while they were courting and engaged, each were playing a bit of a role and enjoyed the shock value of the other person’s status, rather than the person they truly were. From dockworker to wealthy son of a shipping magnate, Dom has been considered an outsider to the aristocracy. Willa, daughter of an earl, has been brash and outrageous, and delighted in shocking the ton with her brutish suitor. Likewise, Dom viewed Willa as an unattainable prize, who he first felt proud to court, and then felt guilty that he was so far below her standing… ultimately leading to his abandonment. Now that they’re in the same place again, they start to realize that they treated each other superficially in their courtship and engagement and a marriage at that time would have been unhappy. But the spark and attraction continues to exist between them and now that they’re being more honest with each other, they’re starting to give into those desires, even if they’re not quite willing to risk their hearts yet.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

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