My Fair Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Mistress Trilogy series. Widowed lady Julianna goes to her brother’s debtholder to beg for leniency, only to be offered the position of his mistress for six months to forgive the exorbitant debt. She agrees so that her brother does not lose his estate and so that her sister’s debut will not be affected. While Julianna is ready to do her duty, she doesn’t expect that the cold and calculating Rafe will treat her well and see to her pleasure. She begins to look forward to their afternoons together and they both become more emotionally entangled that originally anticipated. Meanwhile, Rafe is seeking revenge upon a group of lords who are responsible for the death of his fiancee many years ago and Julianna is trying to shepard her younger sister through the marriage mart. At some point, these worlds collide and there’s a load of danger to protect themselves from.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

Barons Adore Curves by Jemma Frost (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Lords Love Curves series. Quick little novella. Noah grew up with an abusive father, then lived in an orphanage after his parents died. He pined after the girl who lived next door with her cruel aunt and uncle, but knew he couldn’t talk to her because she wasn’t permitted to talk to the orphans. Once he was an adult with means, Noah tracked down the girl Ivy and found that she was to be sold to the highest bidder at auction. So of course he buys her, rescues her, and marries her. She’s a bit wary at first, but then realizes that she’s attracted to Noah and eventually falls in love with him.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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Someone to Love by Mary Balogh (2016)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Westcott series. The entire Westcott family is turned upside down when the Earl of Riverdale passes away. Leaving no will behind, his widow seeks to make a settlement on a young woman that the earl had been financially supporting so that the woman would never interfere with their lives in the future. The solicitor uncovers critical information that requires the gathering of a huge family tree of people as well as the orphaned schoolteacher Anna who has traveled to London from Bath to hear the news. All are gathered at the Avery, Duke of Netherby’s house, where his stepmother was sister to the recently deceased earl. It turns out that the earl (who was a viscount at the time) legally married Anna’s mother, and before Anna’s mother passed away, bigamously married the supposed countess, making that second marriage invalid and the children from that union (one son and two daughter) illegitimate. Knowing this, the earldom does not go to his son, but passes to a second cousin who had never any intention of becoming earl. This book is critical for introducing all the people in the Westcott family, how they are related, and what we might expect in terms of future books in the series. Since Anna’s discovery that she is the legitimate daughter of an earl and therefore a proper lady, her relatives have banded together to polish her up for her debut into society. Avery, who is tied to the family, but not actually related to the Westcotts is always present in these interactions and finds himself drawn to Anna despite her apparent plainness. The romance is soft and slow-burn and oh so delightful as you learn more about this world. Excellent start to this series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Westcott series. Camille Westcott has been the perfect proper snooty earl’s daughter and probably suffered the biggest shock when she found out that her parents were not legally married and that she is now illegitimate. In the previous book, she’d suffered a broken betrothal, fled London, and very loudly expressed her distaste for her new half sister Anna. In an effort to learn more about herself and to put herself in her half sister’s shoes, she starts teaching at the orphanage where Anna grew up. Joel is a portrait painter who grew up with Anna, was her best friend, and had proposed marriage to her many years ago. He dislikes Camille on sight because of her pettiness towards Anna and her severe and haughty appearance. However, as the two spend more time together at the orphanage and as he is commissioned by her grandmother to paint her portrait, they start to understand each other and confide in each other. It’s a total opposites attract situation with Camille being the one who needs to adapt to her new station in life and open her heart to the possibility of love and affection.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

An Accidental Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren (2007)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Mistress Trilogy series. Lily fakes her death to escape her stepfather and the man that she’s arranged to marry. She dresses as a boy to travel to London and meets handsome marquess Ethan along the way. When in London to claim an inheritance left by her maternal grandfather, Lily needs to pose as a widow to do so. A short while later, Lily and Ethan cross paths at a society dinner and he pursues her for an affair. There’s a bit of back and forth here as Lily refuses at first and then eventually gives into her desires. Eventually though Lily’s secrets will catch up to her, along with Ethan’s verbal understanding with a young lady’s father.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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.

Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh (2017)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Westcott series. The ever dutiful and honorable Alexander Westcott is not happy with becoming the earl. Just when he has recently made his own estate profitable and considered finally looking for a wife, he inherits a run-down estate with the earldom and none of the money. He now has to change course and seek a wealthy wife to support his new estate. Wren is out of mourning for her aunt and uncle who raised her, has been a recluse all her life, and is now looking for a husband. She thinks that the birthmark on her face will prevent any eligible gentleman from marrying her, so she approaches her offer as a business proposal, offering Alex the money to fix his estate in exchange for marriage. Alex is much too noble to just take the money and he tries to get to know Wren and determine if they’ll suit. Her demeanor is guarded and severe and Alex does not think it’ll work; she’s also a recluse and has difficulty meeting people in social settings. It seems to be a total mismatch from the get-go. However, Alex cannot seem to stop thinking about her and she somehow feels challenged by him (and his family) to confront her fears and slowly venture into society. It’s a delightful slow burn and amazing to see how the Westcotts welcome Wren into their fold and rally around her. Another great story in this series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters (2020)

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters (2021)

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Regency Vows series. We finally get to see the romance between Emily and Julian here in a marriage of convenience story. We start at the end of the house party from Book 2, where Julian has been sort of courting Emily and hinting to her that he would be able to save her family’s debt as her husband. We start right with a proposal in Chapter 1 and learn Julian’s motivations for marrying (he wants to improve the reputation of his scandalous theater to gain the approval of his estranged father). Emily is finally enjoying a bit of freedom away from her overbearing parents and learning to express her own opinions, instead of always being so prim and proper. The romance between these two was easy and fun to read, with an interfering kitten adding to the comedy-factor of the story. Loved this book and probably my favorite of the series so far.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Regency Vows series. Viscount Penvale (older brother to Diana, from Book 2) finally has the opportunity to purchase his family’s estate back from his uncle, but he needs to marry his uncle’s ward, Jane, as part of the deal. Jane is socially awkward and kind of sharp, so Penvale’s group of happily married friends are all skeptical of the union. After the arranged marriage takes place and Penvale and Jane are back at the estate, she starts to enact her plan of haunting the castle to drive Penvale away. Jane thinks that he’ll just go back to his life in London, leaving her alone in the seaside as she desires. This one is definitely a slow-burn towards friendship and then love, with lots of humor as Penvale figures out pretty quickly that Jane is the culprit of the haunting. And we get to see everyone back together for a house party towards the end of the book. Since I read an advanced copy of this book, there wasn’t a sneak peak of the next book that the author is working on. I’m hoping that we will finally get the romance between Sophie and West (the older brother of James from Book 1), which has been strongly hinted at through the course of four books. I was absolutely delighted by all four books in this series and looking forward to reading anything that Martha Waters writes in the future!

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.

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Somehow this week ended up with a bunch of emotionally heavy and angsty books, in addition to a Thursday binge-watch of the entire six episodes of Queen Charlotte on Netflix, followed by tons of clips from the show flooding my For You Page on TikTok. It’s been a teary week of entertainment in all the best ways.

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.

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.

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.

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.

What Happened in the Garden by Ginny B. Moore (2022)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Prequel novella to the Flower Sisters series. Super short little meet cute of a soon-to-be viscount and his wife. Benedict’s mother has thrown a house party full of eligible ladies so that he can pick a bride. While escaping the crowd, he meets Clara in the garden. They meet, they flirt, they should just get married.

Ebook available from the author’s website.

Adding Up to Love by Ginny B. Moore (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Flower Sisters series. Fern is the youngest sister of five and has been awkward and prefers books. At her father’s birthday ball, she and her twin Rose switch dresses and identities for the evening, where Fern meets a handsome mathematics student from Oxford. Alex has been dragged to the ball by his friend but feels like a total outsider due to his merchant class upbringing. He’s happy to spend time with who he believes is Rose because they can talk about books and his studies. When he comes to call upon her the next day, Fern is distressed and thinks that he will not like who she is, so she convinces Rose to keep up the ruse. What follows is Fern befriending Alex and assisting him in courting Rose, while he assists her goals in becoming a student at Oxford. Alex begins to have feelings for Fern and is torn because of the expectations that Rose now has of him from their courtship. It’s a tangle of emotions here and Fern is the one being dishonest with everyone. This book was so good. A great introduction to Ginny B. Moore.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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.

One Night for Seduction by Erica Ridley (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Wicked Dukes Club series. A group of guy friends congregate at the local tavern own by two of the dukes in their group. One gentleman complains of his unmarriageable ward, and Cole sees a challenge he cannot refuse. He has until the end of the season to find Diana a husband with a bunch of stipulations set into place. Diana has been sneaking out into town and dressed as some sort of investigator to enforce uniform measurements for shopkeepers. It’s her way of serving justice for the common man. In order to keep this up, she blends in whenever she is in society and tries to be completely unnoticeable. Of course, after Cole meets her, he starts to notice her all the time and is quickly onto her scheme. This one was a relatively quick low-angst read with the duke falling first.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

What a Woman Needs by Caroline Linden (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novel. Stuart is the heir to a viscount who has been financially cut off from his parents and needs to marry an heiress to pay the mortgage on his estate. He has been courting a girl and will soon formally propose, but she has an overbearing aunt serving as guardian that he needs to win over. The young widowed aunt Charlotte sees Stuart as a fortune-hunter and thwarts the match. But the attraction between Stuart and Charlotte causes much frustration even as they are enemies through the first half of the book. Midway through, the plot shifts with some villainous acts underfoot, and these two need to team up against a common enemy. Tons of plot twists and lots of fun seeing these two soften as they learn more about each other.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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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My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Union of the Rakes series. Lady Grace is a bookish researcher interested in reptiles and amphibians, but unfortunately, the gentlemen of the ton are not interested in her as marriageable material. In order to catch the attention of her long-time crush, she recruits her bookish friend Sebastian to play the part of a rake and pay her court. Shy and awkward Sebastian is willing to go along with it to help Grace, but struggles with crowds and strange people. Of course, as these two spend more time together, they realize their feelings run deeper than friendship (but each thinks the other person is only interested in being friends). It’s just a bad case of both being complete cowards and unwilling to communicate what they really want.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Union of the Rakes series. Our duke friend, Noel, from Book 1 is back this time and he meets an intriguing woman who has a head for business, doesn’t fuss at him for his title, and is entirely attractive. However, Jess is merely a farmer’s daughter hoping to find investors for her family’s soap-making business. When she tries to sneak her way into a business exposition, she’s nearly halted at the door, and ends up pretending to be widowed to a baronet to gain entrance. While there, she tries hard to focus on finding ways to subtly promote the soap business and to avoid the attentions of the duke, but can’t seem to help being drawn to him. I spent the whole book anxious about the impending heartache because I just knew that Noel would be upset at the idea of being used for his connections and money, even though Jess was trying to avoid his involvement at all. I really enjoyed this book though and looking forward to the next one that was hinted at here.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Waiting for a Scot Like You by Eva Leigh (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Union of the Rakes series. Beatrice, the widowed Lady Farris, and Major Duncan McCameron had met in Book 2 of the series, and there was a hint of exasperation on Duncan’s part with Beatrice’s antics. We find them here on a road trip together: Beatrice is en route to a debaucherous house party while Duncan has been tasked by his duke friend to protect her. They’re also complete opposites in personality: Beatrice is out of mourning and plans to enjoy her freedom and widowhood, grasping at every opportunity to enjoy life and learn more about her surroundings; Duncan is the second son of nobleman, war veteran, and a serious rule-follower. As these two grow closer together, it’s exciting to see Duncan soften and skirt away from the rules bit by bit. I loved this book and the whole series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

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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.

Lots of shorter, relatively low-angst books this week, which are really quick to read.

About an Earl by Diana Lloyd (2020)

Historical romance. Georgian-era England. Book 2 of the What Happens in the Ballroom series. Julianna attempts to prevent her cousin from compromising an earl into marriage but gets caught kissing him herself. Oliver is a scarred reclusive earl that is not often seen in society. After the scandal, Julianna’s uncle packs her up and sends her to Scotland without entertaining Oliver’s offer of marriage. Oliver chases after her to offer protection, but finds his own troubles when he returns to his country estate. Apparently, as the scarred and reclusive gentleman, his claim to the House of Lords and his sanity is being questioned. Julianna tries to help by declaring them engaged, but she’s about ready to jump back on a ship to the Americas to rescue her imprisoned father. There’s a ton of different nefarious plots going on here with both parties being insecure in the other person’s affections, but it was still entertaining overall.

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

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 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.

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.

To Love a Scot by Jennifer Haymore (2023)

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

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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.

The Unaffected Earl by Suzanna Medeiros (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Landing a Lord series. This book starts directly after the events of Book 2. Rose’s father has confessed to treason, but she doesn’t believe that he is truly guilty. In trying to prove his innocence, she teams up with Brandtford, who is known to be cold and aloof and seems to have ties to spywork. And it just so happens that these two have been pining for each other all Season, despite Rose’s popularity among the gentlemen and Brandtford’s coldness.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Unsuitable Duke by Suzanna Medeiros (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Landing a Lord series. We follow Brandtford’s sister Ellen in this story, widow to a cruel husband, and her childhood friend Charles, who is now a duke. Apparently when they were young, Charles pushed her away as a friend, and then when he realized she grew to become an attractive young woman, she was already betrothed. Now out of mourning, Charles is taking the chance to court her, even though Ellen doesn’t trust his motives.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Written in My Heart by Caroline Linden (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone short story. Like, really short. Just five chapters and two people pining for each other. Jane and Ethan grew up together in the same town and when he went off to war, she promised to write him letters every week. After three years, he’s finally returned and realizes his feelings for her. Super sweet bit of fluff.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

The Unexpected Marquess by Suzanna Medeiros (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Landing a Lord series. We’re continuing this series with a time jump since the previous book. John Evans, brother to Louisa and Catherine from Books 1 and 2, is back in England after having been at war for 10 years and has surprisingly inherited a marquessate from a very distant relative. He finds that his predecessor has left behind a niece, Amelia, who is in residence at the estate. She’s trying to hide the fact that she’s writing a novel and modeled the hero after John after he rescued her while she was in disguise as a barmaid in London. There’s a smidge of angst with her hiding her identity, but it doesn’t last long.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

The Unwilling Viscount by Suzanna Medeiros (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Landing a Lord series. This one is about one of John’s friends, Viscount Ashford who we met in Book 5 and Amelia’s friend Mary. Ashford is being pressured by his mother and sister to marry, even though he is not looking for a bride. When he meets Mary again in London, he decides she will be perfect for a fake courtship to get his mother off his case. Mary has been living with her spiteful sister since her parents died and is making steps towards her independence this Season. The fake courtship between Mary and Ashford does not last long until they both realize they’re truly attracted to each other.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

The Baron’s Return by Suzanna Medeiros (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 7 of the Landing a Lord series. The third of the friend group from Book 5 and 6 is a baron who has had his heart broken when a lady cruelly rejects him and marries another. After the heartbreak, Gideon joins the army, becomes a rake, and is distrustful of women. Abigail is finally out of mourning from the much-older husband that her father forced her to marry. With Gideon back in England, she tells him that they have a daughter together, and then he declares that they’ll marry. He’s got no intention of falling in love again, but she’s determined to win him back.

Advance ebook provided by Suzanna Medeiros via BookSprout.

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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.

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.

Loving the Marquess by Suzanna Medeiros (2013)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Landing a Lord series. Nicholas was the second son of a marquess and now is the marquess after his father and brother both succumbed to an unexplained illness. Nicholas is now showing the same signs of that illness and worries for his health and the possibility of passing on the disease to a future generation. When he stumbles upon Louisa’s cottage, he is nursed back to health after passing out, but he knows that his uncle has wronged her family and feels terrible about it. When his grandmother pressures him to marry, he considers asking Louisa to be his bride. In fortuitous timing for him, Louisa shows up to ask for Nicholas’ assistance after his cousin is forcing her to pay rent that she cannot afford or pay with alternative means. Nicholas proposes a marriage of convenience and offers protection for Louisa and her two younger siblings. However, he is planning for her pregnancy to be sired by someone other than him so that his illness isn’t passed on. Of course, when Louisa finds out about his plan, she’s rightfully upset and these two need to figure out how to be honest about their feelings towards each other. Bonus, we do ultimately solve the mystery of Nicholas’ illness to a happy ending for all.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

Two Scandals and a Scot by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Duchess Society series. Theo runs away from her pre-wedding ball when her fiancee’s pregnant mistress shows up. Of course, she gets into the carriage of Dash, the friend she helped learn to read and write so that he could publish his book of gambling cheats. When he realizes that she’s run away from her duke of a brother-in-law’s house, he chases after her. Of course they cause an even bigger scandal when they’re at an inn on the road and pretty much forced to marry when Theo’s family catches up to them. Since the two are friends who are very much attracted to each other, Theo proposes that they stay friends with their own independence, not to fall prey to the obsessive love that surrounds the other couples in their social sphere (basically all the other couples from past books of the series). Bargain made, they go onto marry and settle into their new life a bit, trying so very hard not to involve their emotions. Which goes exactly how you’d expect it to go if you’re a frequent romance reader. I really enjoyed this book and learning more about Dash’s background, how he basically worships Theo, and her strength and stubbornness that most people underestimate. Another great addition to the series!

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner and Wolf Publishing via NetGalley.

To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Regency Vows series. We finally get to see the romance between Emily and Julian here in a marriage of convenience story. We start at the end of the house party from Book 2, where Julian has been sort of courting Emily and hinting to her that he would be able to save her family’s debt as her husband. We start right with a proposal in Chapter 1 and learn Julian’s motivations for marrying (he wants to improve the reputation of his scandalous theater to gain the approval of his estranged father). Emily is finally enjoying a bit of freedom away from her overbearing parents and learning to express her own opinions, instead of always being so prim and proper. The romance between these two was easy and fun to read, with an interfering kitten adding to the comedy-factor of the story. Loved this book and probably my favorite of the series so far.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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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.

Rogue Awakening by Cara Maxwell (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Wicked Widows’ League series. Sylvia is recently out of mourning for her much older husband of a decade and is ready to join the wicked widows. She’s at a ball looking for a gentleman to take to bed and settles on her younger brother’s best friend, Jasper, who has recently returned to England. Jasper has been in love with Sylvia for years and is hoping that this is the beginning of a courtship and marriage, but Sylvia doesn’t want to give up her freedom. This is a novella-length book that is a pretty quick and steamy read and the conflict does ultimately get wrapped up in short order. I love mixing in shorter reads in between longer more epic angsty ones.

Advance ebook provided by Cara Maxwell via BookSprout.

Shop this book via Amazon

Surrendering to the Duke by Stevie Sparks (2023)

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

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

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.

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Regency Vows series. Viscount Penvale (older brother to Diana, from Book 2) finally has the opportunity to purchase his family’s estate back from his uncle, but he needs to marry his uncle’s ward, Jane, as part of the deal. Jane is socially awkward and kind of sharp, so Penvale’s group of happily married friends are all skeptical of the union. After the arranged marriage takes place and Penvale and Jane are back at the estate, she starts to enact her plan of haunting the castle to drive Penvale away. Jane thinks that he’ll just go back to his life in London, leaving her alone in the seaside as she desires. This one is definitely a slow-burn towards friendship and then love, with lots of humor as Penvale figures out pretty quickly that Jane is the culprit of the haunting. And we get to see everyone back together for a house party towards the end of the book. Since I read an advanced copy of this book, there wasn’t a sneak peak of the next book that the author is working on. I’m hoping that we will finally get the romance between Sophie and West (the older brother of James from Book 1), which has been strongly hinted at through the course of four books. I was absolutely delighted by all four books in this series and looking forward to reading anything that Martha Waters writes in the future!

Advance ebook provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.

A Beginner’s Guide to Scandal by Alivia Fleur (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Tales from Honeysuckle Street series. Childhood friends and neighbors Iris and Hamish are separated when Hamish suddenly becomes the heir to an earldom, losing his mother and older brother in a carriage accident. When Hamish returns to town twelve years later, he’s been instructed by his father to find a suitable wife, but he plans to thwart his father’s plans and create a scandal instead. Meanwhile, Iris has been assisting with her father’s merchant company, traveling the world, and learning the business for the past decade. However, her father’s mental state has been declining for many years and Iris has been keeping it secret. As Hamish and Iris reunite, they have to deal with her heartbreak after he left, their differences in social station, and her need to stay proper so that the board of directors will approve of her joining the leadership of her father’s company. It’s a huge mess competing interests and Hamish is mostly an idiot throughout the book. I did enjoy reading about all of the quirky neighbors on the street and am looking forward to reading more from this series.

Advance ebook provided by Alivia Fleur via NetGalley.

Two Scandals and a Scot by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Duchess Society series. Theo runs away from her pre-wedding ball when her fiancee’s pregnant mistress shows up. Of course, she gets into the carriage of Dash, the friend she helped learn to read and write so that he could publish his book of gambling cheats. When he realizes that she’s run away from her duke of a brother-in-law’s house, he chases after her. Of course they cause an even bigger scandal when they’re at an inn on the road and pretty much forced to marry when Theo’s family catches up to them. Since the two are friends who are very much attracted to each other, Theo proposes that they stay friends with their own independence, not to fall prey to the obsessive love that surrounds the other couples in their social sphere (basically all the other couples from past books of the series). Bargain made, they go onto marry and settle into their new life a bit, trying so very hard not to involve their emotions. Which goes exactly how you’d expect it to go if you’re a frequent romance reader. I really enjoyed this book and learning more about Dash’s background, how he basically worships Theo, and her strength and stubbornness that most people underestimate. Another great addition to the series!

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner and Wolf Publishing 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.

The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Lover by Cassandra Morann (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. The author has said that this will be Book 1 of a series involving the Marston family, but no official series title is available right now. We start at a ball at the Viscount Marston’s London home, where Samira is a young woman crashing a ball to steal loose cash and trinkets from the lord’s study. Rowan, the viscount, dislikes balls and soirees but is captivated by Samira’s appearance, so he follows her to his own study. After stealing a kiss from her, he calls her out on her thievery and lets her go. The next day, Rowan calls upon Samira at her home to ask for her assistance in stealing incriminating letters away from a slimy earl. Since Samira has her own grudge against that earl, she agrees. The story continually deals with Rowan and Samira’s attraction for each other, his need to uphold his duties, and her insistence to never become a man’s mistress. Both characters need to open themselves to trust each other and their intentions, and they’re both terribly stubborn. I especially liked learning about Samira’s backstory and how she grew to be so skeptical of the men of society. It’s interesting to see the family dynamics of their respective families and how the stage is set for future books in the series.

Advance ebook provided by Cassandra Morann.

The Lady Knows Best by Susanna Craig (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. Daphne stumbles onto a meeting of the anonymous writers of a forward-thinking women’s magazine and somehow gets assigned the task of writing a reply to a young lady asking what to do after catching her arranged fiancee with another woman. Miles, a terribly rakish viscount, ends up the victim of the advice column when his fiancee calls off the engagement. He realizes that Daphne is the anonymous authoress and blackmails her into finding him a suitable replacement or else he’ll expose her writing. Meanwhile, her mentor at the magazine encourages her to write an essay about troublesome rakes and use the attentions of the viscount as research. Daphne offers herself up for marriage, mostly to gather research about Miles until he calls it off, but also because she’s attracted to him anyway. Over the course of the book, we find that Miles is more than what he seems and we’re just waiting for Daphne to realize it too. It’s a fun set up for a series and also a nice callback to Daphne’s older siblings who are the main characters of some of Craig’s previous books.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

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

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

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

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.

How to Best a Marquess by Janna MacGregor (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Widow Rules series. The prologue consists of a very charming proposal from Julian to Beth, but things didn’t quite turn out the way they expected. Eight years later, Beth is now one of three widows of a duke’s younger brother, and was not in fact married to the scoundrel at all. In a quest to recover her lost dowry and get away from her older brother’s influence, she seeks out the destitute Julian, now a marquess, for assistance, offering him half the money in payment. We follow with a road trip and second chance romance, though Beth is adamant that she never marry and she knows that her reputation will be detrimental to the honorable Julian’s reputation. Julian however just wants to convince Beth that he’s sorry for walking away all those years ago when her brother denied his proposal and that he’s still in love with her. I mostly empathized with poor Julian there who just can’t catch a break. And of course all of those road trip adventures are a fun read as well.

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

Thanks so much for reading this post! Looking for more bookish resources and romance book reviews? Read the archives!

Useful Resources:

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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.

To Tempt A Scotsman by Victoria Dahl (2010)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Somerhart series. Lady Alexandra has been thoroughly ruined and is hiding away at her duke brother’s estate. She was the cause of a duel of honor that left Collin Blackburn’s brother dead and her lover fleeing the country. Collin has come to seek information on her wayward lover to exact revenge for his brother’s death. Of course, when Collin actually meets Alex, he’s stunned to find that she is not exactly as she was rumored to be. There’s a push and pull of attraction between them and multiple somewhat clandestine meetings. We eventually see Collin go from an upstanding and honorable fellow to an insanely jealous beast of a man. (Seemed like a quick turn of personality there) Oh, and Alex’s past lover is trying to swindle her out of money.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Rake’s Guide To Pleasure by Victoria Dahl (2009)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Somerhart series. Emma is an orphan who is posing as a widowed baroness to gamble her way through London before the Season begins. She’s trying to save up enough money to escape to a seaside cottage and support herself and her maid. With her scandalous gambling, she’s caught the attention of Hart, who is a stern and serious duke with a history of debauched behavior. He insists that she’ll become his mistress, but she is hesitant and shy about it. There’s a lot of chasing each other and bickering in this story, and it seems like Hart is mostly just a distraction from Emma’s real goals. He does sort of ultimately redeem himself, but it’s a long and humbling road for him.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Week As Lovers by Victoria Dahl (2009)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Somerhart series. Lord Lancaster, an impoverished viscount, catches his wealthy fiancee with another man at a ball, but knows he’s stuck marrying her anyways. When he gets a letter that his childhood friend Cynthia has died, he rushes back to his childhood hometown to pay his respects. When he’s there, he finds that she is not dead after all, but faked her death to escape an arranged marriage to a horrible suitor. Lancaster is fighting his own demons from his history of a happy childhood turning to a darker adolescence and also trying to resist his attraction for Cynthia. That doesn’t last long though, as they team up to find some buried treasure in the caves on Lancaster’s land.

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!

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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.

Super heavy reading week as I’ve started to integrate audiobooks into my routine. With my commute to work and the ten minute walk to pick up my kid from school, I realized that I could make some serious progress on the books I’m reading by using audiobooks. I like to pick up an audiobook where I’ve left off on the ebook to get ahead on the next chapter or so while I’m in situations where audiobooks make sense. That way, I still get to enjoy bits of the story and then I get to jump ahead the next time I’m free to pick up the ebook. With all my different reading apps, I just use bookmarks liberally and try to break off at chapter breaks to remember where I am.

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 air 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.

Polishing the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Suddenly a Duke series. An old duke reveals a deathbed secret that his first love and their child is not actually a bastard and is indeed the next duke and hires the Lady Nalyssa to polish him up for Society after the solicitor informs him of his change in circumstance. Nalyssa has been ruined by her father’s debts and subsequent suicide and has made a business of cleaning up long lost relatives to titles and making them proper gentlemen. She meets Pierce and his mother and sister when he becomes the new duke. While he has held a grudge against his father for many years, he quickly learns that many people will rely on him now that he has the title. Add in a younger half-brother who thought that he was the heir and is suddenly not. Though Nalyssa has no hopes of marrying, she and Pierce are instantly attracted to each other. I liked how well she got along with Pierce’s family and the way that she explains how seemingly frivolous spending leads to employment and income for others. I also enjoyed Pierce’s ability to be both stubborn and logical when faced with his new challenges. Quick and enjoyable read!

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

How to Train Your Baron by Diana Lloyd (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the What Happens in the Ballroom series. A duke’s troublesome youngest daughter Elsinore gets caught in a compromising situation at a ball with Quin, a baron from Scotland. They’re quickly betrothed to marry, but Elsinore is terribly accident prone and causes calamity everywhere she goes and Quin is keeping secrets about the deaths of his parents, his wife, and his child. He’s torn between wanting Elsinore, being irritated with her, and wanting to keep her away from him for her own protection. Elsinore is also at a loss for how to keep Quin in her life and resorts to using a dog training manual for advice. It’s chaos in a book with some awkward mishap after another, and we ultimately find the culprit of all the treachery in Quin’s life. Definitely an entertaining read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Dancing with the Duke by Suzanna Medeiros (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Prequel novella of the Landing a Lord series. Alex has promised his sister and mother that he would dance with his sister’s friend Charlotte at her first ball. When he sees her for the first time in many years, he finds a beautiful woman in place of the awkward gangly teen who had a crush on him before. He’s surprised that he’s so attracted to her and tries to avoid her after that ball, but as he keeps crossing paths with her, he cannot seem to resist. It’s a quick low-angst story here to introduce his friends, who have longer stories.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Loving the Marquess by Suzanna Medeiros (2013)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Landing a Lord series. Nicholas was the second son of a marquess and now is the marquess after his father and brother both succumbed to an unexplained illness. Nicholas is now showing the same signs of that illness and worries for his health and the possibility of passing on the disease to a future generation. When he stumbles upon Louisa’s cottage, he is nursed back to health after passing out, but he knows that his uncle has wronged her family and feels terrible about it. When his grandmother pressures him to marry, he considers asking Louisa to be his bride. In fortuitous timing for him, Louisa shows up to ask for Nicholas’ assistance after his cousin is forcing her to pay rent that she cannot afford or pay with alternative means. Nicholas proposes a marriage of convenience and offers protection for Louisa and her two younger siblings. However, he is planning for her pregnancy to be sired by someone other than him so that his illness isn’t passed on. Of course, when Louisa finds out about his plan, she’s rightfully upset and these two need to figure out how to be honest about their feelings towards each other. Bonus, we do ultimately solve the mystery of Nicholas’ illness to a happy ending for all.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

Beguiling the Earl by Suzanna Medeiros (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Landing a Lord series. We pick up a few months after the end of the previous book, with Louisa’s younger sister Catherine being out in Society. She’s had a crush on her brother-in-law’s friend Kerrick ever since they met last Fall and now she has a chance to see him at ball and events. Kerrick is trying to resist his attraction for Catherine due to their age differences and because she’s his friend’s sister-in-law, but that resistance doesn’t last long. He decides he will court her in earnest, but his work as a spy forces him to pay court to another woman to investigate her father. The romance between Catherine and Kerrick is pretty straightforward, with both understanding the need for pretense due to his work. There’s a little bit of uncertainty on both sides since Kerrick is a charming fellow and Catherine has many other gentlemen paying attention to her, but you can see that they’re both serious about each other. It was fun to see the mystery unraveling and the set up for the next book in the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Highlander’s Heart by Jennifer Haymore (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Prequel novella of the Highland Knights series. This book is the older version; a new version has been edited and repackaged as To Love a Scot. Estranged married couple Claire and Rob are reunited amidst the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo. They hadn’t seen each other in a year or so after a family tragedy that caused harsh words between them. Both were stubborn and unable to see the other person’s true feelings underneath the bluster. This was a nice set up for how the soldiers transition to a different set of duties on English soil. It’ll be interesting to see how the story is adapted in its new version.

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.

Like None Other by Caroline Linden (2011)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone short story. Sweet little story about a widow and a retired naval captain who has struck up a friendship over the garden wall that separates their townhouses. He wants to court her, but doesn’t really know how, and she is afraid of looking too much into his friendliness. Super quick bit of fluff, perfect for reading in between more dramatic books.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

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.

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.

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