In the month of January, I finished reading 35 books (33 historical romance, and 2 contemporary romance). Here are my five favorite books from the month! (listed in alphabetical order by author last name)

Insatiable by Darcy Burke (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 8 of the Phoenix Club series. This is the final book of the series and we finally see our meddlesome club owner Lucien meet his match. With the scandal and drama that closed out the end of Book 7, Lucien is at risk of losing the club from the intervention of the anonymous patrons from the Foreign Office. However, it seems there is more danger behind the scenes. Meanwhile, his friend’s younger sister, Kat, has decided this is the Season she will dedicate more research to the mating habits of people. Kat is bookish and socially awkward and gets overwhelmed by crowds easily, but is comfortable with and attracted to Lucien. She asks him for assistance in her research and he can only resist for so long because he finds her honesty and directness attractive as well. I really enjoyed this book and it was a great ending to the whole series.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.

The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (2006)

Historical romance. Georgian Era England. Book 1 of the Princes Trilogy. Impoverished widow from the village Anna takes a job as the local grumpy earl’s secretary. Edward, the current earl, survived but is scarred from a smallpox outbreak that killed his whole family. The first half of the book moves pretty slowly, with our two people getting to know each other and conversing about the land that Edward manages. As their attraction for each other grows, Edward seeks refuge at a brothel in the city to work out his lust. Anna somehow schemes to hide her identity and have him bed her instead of a courtesan. With their differences in social class and Edward’s desire to have children, a marriage is impossible between these two. Every so often, we’ll see the point of view of other characters in the story: the estate steward, the squire’s wife, and a hired busybody. It adds some interesting perspectives to the overall plot and we can read about potential pitfalls and schemes from outsiders. With Anna’s big secret looming overhead, we’re just waiting for the fallout and angst that will come with it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe (2021)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York and Rhode Island. Book 2 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. About half of this book takes place at the same Newport house party as Book 1 of the series, so it’s fun to read these back to back. Shy and quiet Alice asks scoundrel Kit for lessons in seduction so that she’ll be able to find a husband who wants her for more than her dowry. She’s got a terribly overbearing mother and needs to get out from under her thumb. Meanwhile, Kit has already been warned away from the innocent debutantes so is hesitant to help her (even though he was instantly attracted to her offer). When Kit finds out that Alice is friendly with a famous chef who he is trying to hire for his new supper club, he wants a way to buy those recipes. Alice is shrewd negotiator, so it looks like she’ll get her seduction lessons after all. Reading these two flirt with each other was so fun; Alice learns a bit more confidence and Kit turns into someone less sure and less suave, but more honest. I really enjoyed this one!

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

Get Thee Off My Lawn by Daria Vernon (2022)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novella. This one is humorous and absolutely delightful. April tries to retrieve her wayward swan from the neighbor’s pond, finds herself entrenched in the muck, and needs rescuing by the handsome neighbor, Leo. The rest of their day is a carefree and fun insta-lust tryst involving sneaking into his manor to clean her up and basically enjoying each other’s company until April needs to go home. And then reality hits: April is to marry a wealthy stranger to save her household’s wealth and there’s no hope for a future with Leo, even though he’s completely smitten with her. It all gets resolved in pretty short order (since it’s a novella) in fun and surprising ways. It’s a quick read that is completely worth it.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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A mix of old and new this week, with one of Elizabeth Hoyt’s first series, a new release on Kindle Unlimited, and a few advance copies of books coming out in February.

The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (2006)

Historical romance. Georgian Era England. Book 1 of the Princes Trilogy. Impoverished widow from the village Anna takes a job as the local grumpy earl’s secretary. Edward, the current earl, survived but is scarred from a smallpox outbreak that killed his whole family. The first half of the book moves pretty slowly, with our two people getting to know each other and conversing about the land that Edward manages. As their attraction for each other grows, Edward seeks refuge at a brothel in the city to work out his lust. Anna somehow schemes to hide her identity and have him bed her instead of a courtesan. With their differences in social class and Edward’s desire to have children, a marriage is impossible between these two. Every so often, we’ll see the point of view of other characters in the story: the estate steward, the squire’s wife, and a hired busybody. It adds some interesting perspectives to the overall plot and we can read about potential pitfalls and schemes from outsiders. With Anna’s big secret looming overhead, we’re just waiting for the fallout and angst that will come with it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (2007)

Historical romance. Georgian Era England. Book 2 of the Princes Trilogy. Loosely tied to the previous book because Harry is one of Edward’s friends that we see briefly mentioned. We start right away with a carriage accident and Lady Georgina and her land steward Harry are stranded in a rainy downpour on their way to her estate. Georgina is a spinster sister to an earl and owns her estate outright from an inheritance from her aunt. Georgina and Harry don’t know each other well and he’s only worked for her estate for a few months, but on this trip, the attraction between the two begins. As they arrive at her estate, they find that the neighboring lands have found poisoned sheet and they believe that Harry is the cause. He’s got a reason to hold a grudge against the neighboring nobleman, so he’s the prime suspect for foul play. Georgina doesn’t believe that Harry is responsible and helps him investigate. At some point of growing closer, they start an affair, but the social class difference and employer-employee relationship causes tension and angst there. Here’s another book with a few alternate points of view from Georgina’s sister and the dastardly neighbor nobleman.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Managing Miss Watson by Cassandra Moran (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian Era England. Miss Elinor Watson likes to plan and be in control of everything around her. We start at a card party that she’s throwing and all is not going to plan when one of the gentlemen is late to arrive; she also witnesses her best friend kissing the vicar. She’s mostly upset because she thought that she and her friend would stay unmarried forever and live in a cottage with their cats and dogs. Elinor is very vocal about not wanting to marry and has her own issues with witnessing her mother’s unhappiness. Her older brother doesn’t want to force her to marry, but is encouraging her to keep an open mind. Somewhere along the way, she gets closer to Andrew, Lord Montgomery, and helps him write his father’s eulogy when the old earl passes away. Andrew is pretty clear in his attraction towards Elinor, but she refuses him and reiterates her position on marriage. The book takes place over the course of about a year and a half, so it’s a slow progression of Elinor and Andrew’s relationship, with lots going on geographical distance at times and other suitors. However, when they finally do get it together, it’s a sigh of relief for everyone around them who had to witness them.

One criticism I have here is that Andrew’s title didn’t change after his father’s death. He started the book as Lord Montgomery, the son of an earl (and maybe holding a courtesy title of viscount?) and ended the book as Lord Montgomery, but he should have taken his father’s title as the Earl of whatever-it-was. It’s a pretty minor issue, but as someone who’s read as much historical romance set in England as I have, it stood out. Usually in other books, the change in title is a Big Deal and holds a lot of emotional and societal weight. If you’re a casual reader though, it doesn’t take away from the story.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Shop this book via Amazon // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited

Curled Up with an Earl by Amy Rose Bennett (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian era England. Book 2 of the Byronic Book Club series. Will is an earl and a duke’s heir, but is estranged from his grandfather, serving as a spy for Scotland Yard. He’s investigating a botanical expert on poisonous plants to determine if the man is responsible for the murder of another nobleman; he poses as the new groom to the estate to do so. However, he’s instantly smitten by the Lucy, the daughter of the botanical baron, who serves as a botanical expert in her own right. Lucy is pre-occupied with her own bluestocking studies and desire to travel while also looking after her father’s financially floundering estate and trying to locate her brother. I enjoyed watching Lucy and Will interact with each other, both nervous and smitten, and I also enjoyed seeing them team up with open honesty about the midpoint of the book. The romance plot was pretty low-ansgt without a third-act breakup between our two, but we do get to find out why Lucy’s brother was driven away and the culprit of the poisoning plant murder.

Advance ebook provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.

Portrait of the Duke by Alexa Aston (2023)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Suddenly a Duke series. We start with an adorable prologue with an outspoken teenager warning away one of her spoiled sister’s suitors and letting him know that he isn’t a real contender being merely a viscount. Despite the age-gap and both of their youths, there’s a spark of chemistry between them. Ten years later, Lady Margaret is finally ready to make her debut after caring for her ill-mother, mourning her death, and mourning her father’s death. However, Margaret has no intention to marry, but to build a business painting portraits. Our young viscount, Daniel, is now a duke looking to marry this Season. He’d sought out Margaret in previous years, but she was nowhere to be found. As he sees her in the present, there’s an existing connection between their grandmothers who had been friends in their youth. Daniel’s grandmother is the best wingwoman around, making sure to keep Margaret close by, and supporting her art. This was a relatively low-angst book with an instant attraction between our main characters. There’s the petty spoiled sister in the background, but she doesn’t interfere too badly. Great book if you’re looking for an easy read and a good time.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

The Counterfeit Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Chessmen series. We have another servant-in-disguise story here, with Daisy/Marguerite posing as a maid in Bishop’s house to catch her client’s wife having an affair. Of course, with Daisy’s skills of observation, something doesn’t seem quite right. Although Bishop certainly seems to entertain a revolving door of married ladies, we find that he falsifies affairs to help the women secure a divorce. While Daisy and Bishop seem to have opposing purposes at first, they uncover each other’s motives and truths by about the midpoint of the book. After that, we see Bishop being suspected of murdering one of the husbands and him hiring Daisy as an investigator on his behalf. The plot twists on the mystery part were a lot of fun to read. The romance part was fairly predictable but in an enjoyable way. Overall, I really liked this book and continue to enjoy Lorraine Heath’s writing.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (2007)

Historical romance. Georgian Era England. Book 3 of the Princes Trilogy. Ship captain’s daughter Lucy finds an unconscious, injured, naked man on her walk home from the village. She takes him home to recover and finds that Simon is a viscount who has been attacked. Simon comes across as a fanciful and good-natured fellow, but he’s committed to seeking revenge on the men who murdered his brother. This book has two distinct halves: the first in the sleepy village where Lucy lives with Simon’s recovery and flirtation; and the second when the plot moves to London and we’re more focused on Simon’s revenge and backstory. While Lucy and Simon are very much attracted to each other and need each other; they both have to deal with Simon’s needs for vengeance and the unraveling of his motivations. I liked reading about all the drama and intrigue and all those gory duels. And of course, Simon’s friends (the main male characters from the first two books) make their appearances briefly too.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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Useful Resources:

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Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

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Support this page with a donation

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

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Olivia is set to take over her family business, a matchmaking service in Los Angeles’ Chinatown based on the principles of the Chinese zodiac. We start with a meet-cute in a bakery and a scuffle over a pastry, but she never catches the man’s name. Later, we find that Bakery Boy is actually Bennett, the owner of a new dating app, also based on the zodiac. Olivia sets out to gather more intel, so she uses the app to make herself match with Bennett for a date. She’s determined not to like him, since he’s a business rival and his zodiac animal is incompatible with hers. When everyone finds out who the other person is, they end up making a wager and setting each other up on dates to see which matchmaking service is superior. But Olivia and Bennett spend more time talking to each other than talking to their intended dates; it’s really sickeningly sweet. Olivia’s got her own history of heartache though, so she really believes that Bennett is incompatible and she tends to think the worst in him. This book was absolutely adorable and sweet and smooshy and I really enjoyed it (even though there wasn’t any smut).

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

Their Marchioness by Jess Michaels (2023)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 1 of the Theirs series. A marquess plans a birthday treat for his wife of ten years. When they go to a cottage for the week, he invites the man that she was in love with as a young lady to join them in the bedroom. While the marchioness gets to live out her fantasies of enjoying the intimate attentions of both men, the marquess gives into his own desires for the other man as well. There’s not much in this book plot-wise, it’s mainly about the physical and emotional relationships between these three people and the stodgy marquess dealing with his own repressed emotions.

Advance ebook provided by Passionate Pen via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon

Earls Prize Curves by Jemma Frost (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 1 of the Lords Love Curves series. Quick read! Curvy Clara has played nursemaid to her aging parents and will shortly be engaged to her father’s elderly friend. She sneaks a naughty book to share with her friends and their father catches them and confiscates the book. Hugh, the widowed earl is now even more attracted to young Clara and proposes to tutor her in all the illicit acts from the book. Mostly steam, but still lots of protectiveness and care. Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

One Wedding and an Earl by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 4 of the Duchess Society series. Tragic childhoods for both Ollie and Necessity have made them both wary of romantic entanglements. Oliver, now an earl, has had a shady history of opium dens, brothels, and getting slashed in the face in a gambling hell back alley. He’s now a recluse fixing up the estate where he suffered from his abusive father. Necessity, orphaned when cholera killed her whole family, is soon-to-be the most sought after landscape architect in England. When Necessity is recruited to fix up Oliver’s garden, they give into the attraction, but neither ask for anything more, knowing their own personal traumas and their vast differences in social standing. However, these two are delightfully fiery together and are certainly destined for greater things, if they would just allow themselves to ask for more. Also, a great intro to another street thug with a suspicious history and I’m looking to reading more about him in a future book.

Advance ebook provided by Wolf Publishing via NetGalley.

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

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

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

One Duke Down by Anna Bennett (2023)

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

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

Her Lessons in Persuasion by Megan Frampton (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 1 of the School for Scoundrels series. Bram and Wilhelmina have an awkward first meeting when he thinks he’s rescuing her from jumping off a bridge, but really, she was just trying to have a better look at the stars. It’s all banter and witty remarks between these two throughout the whole book. They meet again when Bram is being auctioned off to escort someone to the opera with funds going to the boys’ orphanage where he grew up. Wilhelmina’s new stepmother is anxious to get her married off, even though Wilhelmina has no interest in marrying at all and would rather focus on being an astronomer. However, she slowly starts to realize that some of the pursuits that she always avoided because they were popular (going to the opera, reading fiction) are actually enjoyable, and she slowly starts to shift her position on these items. As Bram and Wilhelmina spend more time together, he realizes that he’s in love with her, but is unwilling to declare his intentions since he knows that her goal is to never marry. Slow build to a wonderful and open partnership here and a great found family/friend group with Bram and his other orphan friends. Looking forward to seeing the other men of the group find their own stories.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe (2023)

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

Although I enjoyed this story and all of the other books in the series, it seemed to be a bit repetitive to have three stories back-to-back of people having affairs and unwilling to invest any deeper emotions. While the side character of one book is the “wise one” nudging their friend to make a commitment, they’re unable to do so in their own story just a short time later. I think when binge reading a whole series in half a week, it’s easy to pick up on inconsistencies that might not be as apparent to readers who pick up one at a time. The level of familiarity that characters have with each other isn’t terribly consistent either… while it seems like the gentlemen are meeting the women for the first time at the house party in Book 1, we find that Nellie and Kit are chummy enough for her to be giving him advice in Book 2, or that in Book 3, Kit knew the name of Preston’s supposed fiancee all along even though Katherine was in the running to be Harrison’s bride in Book 1. I understand that we probably weren’t supposed to know about Katherine’s betrothal until we get to her book, but it makes for an untidy reveal. Sometimes the connections do make sense though, like Kit and Alice’s interactions during the house party, or Nellie and the duke’s interactions within the first three books. And I appreciate seeing things woven together so tightly.

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

The Rake of Tamarix Hall by Georgina North (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novel. So this one is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers type of romance with an awkward first meeting. Lucius is a new marquess and on his way to his new estate, he stops in town, and already hears gossip about how horrible the old marquess is and how the new one can’t possibly be better. Of course he finds that a pretty young lady Cressida and her sister are the ones gossiping, and they most definitely get off on the wrong foot when the ladies discover who he is. The first half of the book moves pretty slowly with getting to know the family dynamics of each of our characters: Lucius has a reputation as a rake in London, but he seems to care about his tenants at his new estate; Cressida has an abusive father and three sisters who have been neglected and not considered out in society, despite their ages, plus a shady history with the previous heir to the marquessate. These two argue and bicker every time they encounter each other, until finally, they’re caught in a room together and need to marry to save both their reputations. From there, we have more arguments and misunderstandings with tons of emotional angst. Despite the slow start to the book, when you realize Lucius and Cressida are both emotionally invested in the status of their relationship, so are you.

Advance ebook provided by BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.

Insatiable by Darcy Burke (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 8 of the Phoenix Club series. This is the final book of the series and we finally see our meddlesome club owner Lucien meet his match. With the scandal and drama that closed out the end of Book 7, Lucien is at risk of losing the club from the intervention of the anonymous patrons from the Foreign Office. However, it seems there is more danger behind the scenes. Meanwhile, his friend’s younger sister, Kat, has decided this is the Season she will dedicate more research to the mating habits of people. Kat is bookish and socially awkward and gets overwhelmed by crowds easily, but is comfortable with and attracted to Lucien. She asks him for assistance in her research and he can only resist for so long because he finds her honesty and directness attractive as well. I really enjoyed this book and it was a great ending to the whole series.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.

Not Your Valentine by Jackie Lau (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. Helen is a slightly grumpy not-so-smiley young woman who was publicly dumped last Valentine’s Day, with a video of her break-up going viral. She’s sworn off dating and relationships, but her friends and family are starting to worry by the time it’s New Years. She asks her guy friend Taylor to be her fake boyfriend to get everyone off her case. However, she soon finds herself attracted to Taylor, but scared to make it real. This was a quick and fun read, with things progressing in a predictable manner, but still super enjoyable and steamy. We’ve got nods to cultural foods for our Chinese-Canadian characters, running jokes about cheesy heart-shaped cakes, and Taylor being the best sunshine fake-boyfriend ever.

Advance ebook provided by Kobo Originals via NetGalley.

A Love by Design by Elizabeth Everett (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Secret Scientists of London series. The previous book hinted at a history between George and Margaret and we get the full story here. This book takes place about a year and a half after the events of Book 2. George and Margaret (and Violet, the main character of Book 1) were childhood friends out in the country where George was not part of the aristocracy at all. One summer, when it seemed that a romance was developing between George and Margaret, heartbreak occurred instead (we get to learn what it was at some point during the book when they finally talk it out). After they parted ways, George joined the army and somehow ended up an earl, while Margaret found an engineering mentor in Paris, got married, and became widowed. Now Margaret is back in England to start her own engineering company and is undertaking a huge project…. that is unfortunately funded by the nemesis of the female scientists at Athena’s Retreat and of George’s. While George and Margaret are growing closer again and working out their heartbreaking pasts, Margaret’s still holding secrets about her employer’s funding and causing discourse among the female scientists. George ends up being the more emotionally mature and politically progressive one in the relationship, supporting Margaret’s ambitions, providing her comfort and humor and safety. And there’s a scene in here that was hinted at earlier with one person’s awkwardness in the bedroom, with deliciously delightful payoff when the truth finally comes out… it was so good, I sent a screenshot of the scene to my friend immediately via text.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

Bianca and the Huntsman by Erica Ridley (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novella. Snow White retelling here with Bianca being the illegitimate daughter of an earl, orphaned, and taken in by her late father’s wife to serve as a housemaid. The countess who prides herself on being the fairest of the land is angry when her parrot declares Bianca to be most beautiful. The countess hires the Huntsman (really, an impoverished earl named Harry looking for an impressive dowry) to ruin the girl. Instead, he tells her to run away. After that, Bianca befriends seven wallflowers with quirky personality traits, and Harry can’t stay away from her. Fun and short story to read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Shop this book via Amazon // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited

Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas (2008)

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

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Insatiable by Darcy Burke (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 8 of the Phoenix Club series. This is the final book of the series and we finally see our meddlesome club owner Lucien meet his match. With the scandal and drama that closed out the end of Book 7, Lucien is at risk of losing the club from the intervention of the anonymous patrons from the Foreign Office. However, it seems there is more danger behind the scenes. Meanwhile, his friend’s younger sister, Kat, has decided this is the Season she will dedicate more research to the mating habits of people. Kat is bookish and socially awkward and gets overwhelmed by crowds easily, but is comfortable with and attracted to Lucien. She asks him for assistance in her research and he can only resist for so long because he finds her honesty and directness attractive as well. I really enjoyed this book and it was a great ending to the whole series.

Advance ebook provided by Darcy Burke via NetGalley.

Not Your Valentine by Jackie Lau (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. Helen is a slightly grumpy not-so-smiley young woman who was publicly dumped last Valentine’s Day, with a video of her break-up going viral. She’s sworn off dating and relationships, but her friends and family are starting to worry by the time it’s New Years. She asks her guy friend Taylor to be her fake boyfriend to get everyone off her case. However, she soon finds herself attracted to Taylor, but scared to make it real. This was a quick and fun read, with things progressing in a predictable manner, but still super enjoyable and steamy. We’ve got nods to cultural foods for our Chinese-Canadian characters, running jokes about cheesy heart-shaped cakes, and Taylor being the best sunshine fake-boyfriend ever.

Advance ebook provided by Kobo Originals via NetGalley.

His at Night by Sherry Thomas (2010)

Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 3 of the London Trilogy series. This one is the romance (sort of) between two people who are the best manipulative actors around. Lord Vere is a secret agent to the crown and plays the part of the bumbling fool while Elissande is desperate to escape her cruel uncle’s home and plays the part of his the poised and cordial niece. When Lord Vere and a whole house party scheme to impose on Elissande’s household while her uncle is away, she knows it’s her only opportunity to compromise a man into marriage. Initially, Elissande has her sights set on Vere, but when he starts to talk as the idiot he protrays, she quickly switched targets. However, Vere is onto Elissande’s schemes and aims to protect his younger brother from being compromised. When Vere and Elissande are caught together, they must marry. While it’s quite obvious why Elissande has done something so cruel and selfish, she starts to see the cracks in Vere’s facade and asks him to drop the pretense of his idiocy. However, he continues to play his role and uphold his duties to the crown. Most of the book is spent disliking each other, even though brief moments of tenderness peak through. There’s also a nice secondary romance with Vere’s brother Freddie (who was rejected in Book 2) and his childhood friend. I did like how the elements of the mystery were tied together and the big reveal at the end of the book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Only The Valet Will Do by Sophie Barnes (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novella. Lady Lilliana has a meet-cute with her brother’s valet in the woods and feels an instant connection with him. Unfortunately, the disparity in their stations means that it won’t work out and she should stay away from him. However, he may be more eligible than he seems. Tristan is part of the landed gentry and considered a gentleman, but his father’s gambling debts have forced him to seek out employment. Hiding his true identity, he becomes a valet to a viscount and meets his sister Lilliana. Tristan has very little to offer with his diminished circumstances, so he also tries to stay away from the lady who has captivated him. But this is a novella, so it all works out pretty quickly and neatly. Enjoyable read if you need a low-angst bit of fluff.

Advance ebook provided by Sophie Barnes via NetGalley.

Harry Potter Fanfic: The Empathic Witch by debjunk

Snape/Hermione, multi-chapter, 55k words. Hermione learns a new type of healing magic that also lets her speak to people’s dreams and subconscious. While she’s on the horcrux hunt, she reaches out to Snape’s dreams to find out why he killed Dumbledore. They start a dream-relationship.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: These Tears by SlytherinLovesAGryffindor

Viktor/Hermione, one-shot, 1k words. After a decade of missed connections between these two, there’s one last chance to be together.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Bridgerton Fanfic: An Unexpected Bridgerton by storyhadmelike

Benedict/Penelope, one-shot, 3k words. After Penelope overhears Colin’s disparaging words at the end of episode 2.8, Benedict goes after her. Worth reading just for the gasp-worthy plot twist at the end.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Bridgerton Fanfic: words of a sister come back in whispers by inlovewithimpossibility

What if Violet had followed Edwina and Kate running away from the altar in episode 2.6? She intervenes as the sisters fight it out.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

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I was extremely excited to find out that this series by Callie Hutton was available on Kindle Unlimited! It’s got all sorts of drama and humor within the series and really quite entertaining. Aside from the first book, we follow a duke and his five sisters as they deal with various types of romances: opposites attract, marriage of convenience, road trip, forbidden love, etc. I recommend reading this series in order!

The Elusive Wife by Callie Hutton (2013)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 1 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. As a stipulation of the late earl’s will, Jason needs to fulfill an arranged marriage to inherit. He is completely drunk through the wedding and abandons his new wife immediately the next morning. The new countess Olivia is appalled and embarrassed with her new situation and goes to London to visit her friend and confront her wayward husband. When they see each other at a ball, he doesn’t recognize her at all and proceeds to flirt with her, even though he at least knows he’s married. While she is angry at him, he’s so besotted that he seeks an annulment from his wife so that he can pursue the beautiful lady from the ball (even though that woman is actually his wife!). A humorous set up and then when the truth finally tumbles out, our earl is trying very hard to woo his wife and make the marriage work, even as she is skeptical and resists.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Duke’s Quandary by Callie Hutton (2014)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 2 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Best friend of the man from the first book, Drake, a new duke is seeking the perfect wife this Season. While chaperoning his sisters through the marriage mart, his mother is also hosting another young lady, Penelope, who is an orphaned acquaintance. Penelope is clumsy and awkward in society and she would much rather be in the garden pursuing her botany. Drake and Penelope are the worst match possible, but they are undeniably attracted to each other, so it was entertaining to see how they work out their differences.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

A Lady’s Disgrace by Callie Hutton (2014)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 3 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Duke’s sister Abigail has just been jilted by her fiancee, who eloped with another woman. With her reputation in peril, her brother arranges for a family friend, country rector Joseph, to marry her. Abigail and Joseph agree to a marriage of convenience and friendly partnership because Abigail is unwilling to put her emotions at risk again. Joseph has admired Abigail for years, but didn’t think he had a chance with her due to the differences in social standing; he hesitantly agrees to the arrangement but plans to slowly woo her into a true marriage. But if general angst isn’t enough for you, there’s also a conniving widow in the village who is dismayed that Joseph has come home with a wife (we get a few passages here and there for her point of view) and then a bunch of random life-threatening accidents that Abigail keeps having. This poor woman nearly dies so many times in this book. I’m pretty sure the audience is meant to know who the villain is here, but it takes a bit longer for Abigail and Joseph to figure it all out.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Baron’s Betrayal by Callie Hutton (2015)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 4 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Marion is the widowed older sister of the family and faints when she sees her husband at a local assembly. Turns out he was lost at sea, severely injured, and now blind. Tristan thinks that his blindness makes him an incapable husband or father so he stayed away from Marion, allowing her to think him dead, and then remarry to have a happy life. He’s insistent on seeking a divorce from her (even though that is completely scandalous and impractical in this time period). Stubborn Marion wants her husband back, so she moves in with him and follows him wherever he goes. This book has both characters being completely stubborn and unwilling to understand the other person’s point of view. There wasn’t much external plot here and I found the back and forth fighting to be a bit tedious. Not my fave of the series.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Highlander’s Choice by Callie Hutton (2015)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 5 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Lady Sybil is in Scotland for her friend’s wedding, but she’s already prejudiced against Scotsmen, thinking they’re brash barbarians. Sybil’s friend’s fiancee has brought his neighbor and friend, Liam, to the estate, and he’s got his own preconceived notions of Englishwomen, thinking they’re spoiled and dainty princesses. Both are terribly wrong for each other, but they seem to prove the stereotypes wrong, and are intensely attracted to each other. Eventually, Liam invites Sybil to his home to meet his family and see if they’ll suit for marriage, and Liam’s mother is secretly cruel to Sybil. It’s a whole lot of drama and these two need to get over their prejudices before anything can be settled.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Highlander’s Accidental Marriage by Callie Hutton (2015)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 6 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Lady Sarah is on the road to see her twin sister Sybil in Scotland and runs into many calamities along the journey. In a carriage accident, she loses her driver and footman, and is rescued by Professor Braedon on his way to his home (which neighbors Sarah’s sister). Sarah’s maid/chaperone falls ill and they need to leave her behind to continue the journey. At one inn, Sarah declares herself married to Braedon so that they can reserve the last available room for the night. Unfortunately, in Scotland, that counts as being legally married. While these two are very obviously attracted to each other, they had no intentions whatsoever of getting married anytime soon: Sarah is about to be a published novelist and has obligations in London, while Braedon is awaiting an opportunity to go on a scholarly expedition in Rome. Both are stubborn and deem their individual pursuits more important than their accidental spouse. There’s definitely a lot of conflict here between these two that needs resolving for any sort of happily ever after.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Earl’s Return by Callie Hutton (2016)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 7 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Back in Book 3 of the series, an earl abandons his fiancee two weeks before the wedding and elopes with another woman. Now a widower, he’s back in London to seek a new bride and is fascinated by the younger sister of the woman he jilted. How’s that for drama? While Redgrave was an off-page villain in the previous book, we learn in this one the reasons for his actions (and subsequent misery); turns out it was a trap mixed with blackmail. Lady Mary is wary of the man because of what he did to her sister, but cannot help be attracted to him and realize that there is likely more to his story than it appears. Mary has her own secrets and history which makes her skittish around men. It was interesting to see these two open up about their secrets and learn to trust the other person.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

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Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

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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.

Busy week for reading this time with lots of book and fic links below!

One Wedding and an Earl by Tracy Sumner (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 4 of the Duchess Society series. Tragic childhoods for both Ollie and Necessity have made them both wary of romantic entanglements. Oliver, now an earl, has had a shady history of opium dens, brothels, and getting slashed in the face in a gambling hell back alley. He’s now a recluse fixing up the estate where he suffered from his abusive father. Necessity, orphaned when cholera killed her whole family, is soon-to-be the most sought after landscape architect in England. When Necessity is recruited to fix up Oliver’s garden, they give into the attraction, but neither ask for anything more, knowing their own personal traumas and their vast differences in social standing. However, these two are delightfully fiery together and are certainly destined for greater things, if they would just allow themselves to ask for more. Also, a great intro to another street thug with a suspicious history and I’m looking to reading more about him in a future book.

Advance ebook provided by Wolf Publishing via NetGalley.

Harry Potter Fanfic: Blood Rush by FictionCannibal

Snape/Hermione, multi-chapter, 20k words. So this one finds Hermione and Snape having an affair while she’s a seventh year student at Hogwarts. It’s mostly smut, but it has some emotional elements too.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Heiress Hunt by Joanna Shupe (2021)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York and Rhode Island. Book 1 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Harrison Archer is back in town after living in Paris for the past three years; his horrible family is broke and he’s intent on finalizing their financial ruin. While they want him to marry an heiress to pay off their debts, he only has eyes for his childhood friend Maddie Webster, who broke his heart years ago by declaring that she only thinks of him as a brother. With the time apart, he’s hoping that she’ll change the way she sees him. I’m a total sucker for the emotional gut wrench of rejection, even though Maddie had no idea that she was the cause of Harrison’s departure. So now Maddie is trying to help Harrison find a bride, even though he just wanted to use the Newport house party as a way to get close to her again, and she’s kind of almost engaged to a duke. Messiness all around. Still, Maddie was incredibly stubborn in this book and totally oblivious to the fact that Harrison has loved her for years, even though everyone else in the world had seen it. Great set up for all the other characters that will feature in the remainder of the series and looking forward to finishing the rest of the books.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The French Maid by Sabrina Jeffries (2012)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone Novella. This one was a quick little story with a couple who has been married for almost a year and the husband being very politically ambitious and neglectful of his wife. A new French maid installed in the household helps to improve the woman’s appearances and bolster her confidence, in the hopes of gaining her husband’s attention. Quick and enjoyable.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

Harry Potter Fanfic: Rebel Child by SlytherinLovesAGryffindor

Snape/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. If Hermione was Lily and Petunia Evans’ younger sister and friends with Severus. Mostly cute.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Entwined Fates by SlytherinLovesAGryffindor

Gregory Goyle/Hermione, drabble, 700 words. Just a cute little soulmates story.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Deception by SlytherinLovesAGryffindor

Tom Riddle/Hermione, one-shot, 1k words. Twisty dark Hermione set up; you just need to read it. It’s a quick one.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: You and Me by karasunova

Cormac McLaggen/Hermione, one-shot, 2k words. Slytherin Hermione secretly dates Cormac.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe (2021)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York and Rhode Island. Book 2 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. About half of this book takes place at the same Newport house party as Book 1 of the series, so it’s fun to read these back to back. Shy and quiet Alice asks scoundrel Kit for lessons in seduction so that she’ll be able to find a husband who wants her for more than her dowry. She’s got a terribly overbearing mother and needs to get out from under her thumb. Meanwhile, Kit has already been warned away from the innocent debutantes so is hesitant to help her (even though he was instantly attracted to her offer). When Kit finds out that Alice is friendly with a famous chef who he is trying to hire for his new supper club, he wants a way to buy those recipes. Alice is shrewd negotiator, so it looks like she’ll get her seduction lessons after all. Reading these two flirt with each other was so fun; Alice learns a bit more confidence and Kit turns into someone less sure and less suave, but more honest. I really enjoyed this one!

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Harry Potter Fanfic: In the Shadow of Your Heart by thestanceyg

Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 1k words. Another soulmates story, but a bit more manipulative.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own (Must be logged into an AO3 account)

Harry Potter Fanfic: Greg’s Girl by Saras_Girl

Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. Goyle’s POV of why he has a crush on Hermione.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: How to Make Beans on Toast by Zorak23

Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. Marriage law forces Goyle and Hermione together.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: A Real Marriage by crochetaway

Gregory Goyle/Hermione, one-shot, 1k words. Another marriage law set-up.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Show Me That Which I Cannot See by The_Little_Momaid

Draco/Hermione, one-shot, 4k words. Soulmates story.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Widow’s Auction by Sabrina Jeffries (2016)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novella. A widowed viscountess and a politically ambitious marquess disagree on many issues regarding the charity they both work with. However, chance brings them together when the shy and quiet widow is convinced to auction herself off for a night of sin in the annual masked widow’s action. Recognizing her and wanting to find out her secrets, our grumpy marquess bids and wins her for the night. She thinks she can keep him fooled and he lets her, but over the course of the night, they get to know each other and feelings get involved, even though a future together seems impossible. I liked this novella quite a bit and would definitely recommend it!

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe (2021)

Historical romance. Gilded Age New York. Book 3 of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Katherine is finally going to settle those wedding details with the fiancee that her father arranged, only to find that Preston had no intention of marrying her at all. He’s got a grudge against her father for abandoning Preston’s family in their time of financial turmoil, so wants nothing to do with their family. With Katherine suddenly un-engaged, she’s ready to find an affair, so she goes to a masked ball with her friend and meets a man there. When she goes to meet with him unmasked in a follow-up tryst at his apartment, she finds that it was Preston all along. These two spend a lot of time fighting, somehow call a truce, then fall into an affair with each other, with no intention of marriage. It’s messy and complicated and meanwhile Preston’s still mad at her father, Katherine’s dealing with her own father moving on from her late mother, and the poor Duke of Lockwood can’t catch a break in the background.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe (2023)

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

Although I enjoyed this story and all of the other books in the series, it seemed to be a bit repetitive to have three stories back-to-back of people having affairs and unwilling to invest any deeper emotions. While the side character of one book is the “wise one” nudging their friend to make a commitment, they’re unable to do so in their own story just a short time later. I think when binge reading a whole series in half a week, it’s easy to pick up on inconsistencies that might not be as apparent to readers who pick up one at a time. The level of familiarity that characters have with each other isn’t terribly consistent either… while it seems like the gentlemen are meeting the women for the first time at the house party in Book 1, we find that Nellie and Kit are chummy enough for her to be giving him advice in Book 2, or that in Book 3, Kit knew the name of Preston’s supposed fiancee all along even though Katherine was in the running to be Harrison’s bride in Book 1. I understand that we probably weren’t supposed to know about Katherine’s betrothal until we get to her book, but it makes for an untidy reveal. Sometimes the connections do make sense though, like Kit and Alice’s interactions during the house party, or Nellie and the duke’s interactions within the first three books. And I appreciate seeing things woven together so tightly.

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

The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas (2013)

Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 1 of the London Trilogy series. So I picked up this book because it’s this month’s book club pick from Felicity Niven and Alexandra Vasti’s new Facebook group. In this one, we have Felix, a marquess with a tragic upbringing who has an amiable and popular reputation, and Louisa, an impoverished lady with four sisters who need a financial cushion. For Louisa’s first (and likely only) Season in London, she’s set out a strategy for catching a reasonably financially stable fellow without overreaching. When she’s introduced to Felix, they both can see right through each other’s facades: Louisa sees that he’s not truly the polished gentleman that he presents, and Felix sees that Louisa aims for financial security more than anything. These two keep bumping into each other, likely from Felix’s maneuvering, to the point where Felix offers for Louisa to be his mistress… and she continues to refuse, until Felix ultimately offers marriage. Neither are willing to face emotional rejection, so they each only admit to a carnal attraction for each other, and the practicalities of a marriage of convenience. The wedding takes place about halfway through this book, so we get to see this odd courtship for the front half, and an emotionally bumbling slow burn on the back half.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Earls Prize Curves by Jemma Frost (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 1 of the Lords Love Curves series. Quick read! Curvy Clara has played nursemaid to her aging parents and will shortly be engaged to her father’s elderly friend. She sneaks a naughty book to share with her friends and their father catches them and confiscates the book. Hugh, the widowed earl is now even more attracted to young Clara and proposes to tutor her in all the illicit acts from the book. Mostly steam, but still lots of protectiveness and care. Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick read.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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

The London Underground historical romance series by Eva Leigh features a group of women who may not follow precisely legal forms of employment. We have a swindler, a smuggler, and a sex club proprietress in this series. While the books follow in chronological order, each can be well-understood as a standalone novel.

1. From Duke Till Dawn (2017)

Historical romance in Regency/Victorian era England. We have a grumpy and serious duke who was recently jilted by his fiancee. But he isn’t really heartbroken over her. He’s still kind of pining about another woman he met long ago that got away and he couldn’t find again. His two young friends (the main characters in the other two books in the series) drag him out gambling. And when he’s at the gambling hell, the lost lady of his heart is there, running the casino. There’s a bit of an encounter there, but ultimately he finds out that she had scammed him out of money all those years ago, and now he wants revenge. Sad news though, the next day, her partner in crime steals all the money and leaves her the target of a whole bunch of unpaid people. And so she needs to ask the duke for help, but he’s mad at her. It’s a huge mess, pretty much. This wasn’t my favorite of the series, but it does introduce the Orchid Club, which is a sex club that comes into play throughout the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

2. Counting on a Countess (2018)

Tamsyn is in London to oversee a shipment of smuggled goods, but somehow finds her way to a ball. She meets Kit, who has recently come into an inheritance, but the will stipulates he needs to marry within the month to get the money. These two embark on a marriage of convenience with the idea that Kit will have the money to fund his new project and Tamsyn will have the money to keep her house and her smuggling operation going. The twist is that the inheritance requires that the wife oversee all the management and spending, knowing Kit’s history of wasteful spending. Ouch. Plus Tamsyn can’t be honest about her smuggling operation since Kit is an upholder of the law, and it’s all sorts of secret-keeping between these two new married people.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

3. Dare to Love a Duke (2018)

Historical romance in Regency/Victorian era England. We have our newly inherited duke still mourning his father but dealing with his new responsibilities. Knowing that he has to protect his mother and sister’s reputations, he will have to cease going to flirt with the proprietress of the sex club he frequents. After he spends one last night with her, he finds out that his father actually secretly owned the club and he needs to decide whether to keep it open or shut it down. High drama there! Also, of course, I was on a page with a scene from the club when I realized my kid could read over my shoulder…

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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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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Support this page with a donation

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

It was a crazy stormy week in Northern California with more rainstorms this upcoming week. Luckily, that means lots of time tucked under blankets for reading.

Sealed with a Yuletide Kiss by Sophie Barnes (2021)

Historical romance. Regency England. Collection of 24 short stories. Each chapter is a new sweet romance story. Super quick to read with very low angst. I loved reading these quick bursts of romance in between longer books and when I had five to ten minutes to spare. Highly recommend having this on your device to slowly savor.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

Her Lessons in Persuasion by Megan Frampton (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian England. Book 1 of the School for Scoundrels series. Bram and Wilhelmina have an awkward first meeting when he thinks he’s rescuing her from jumping off a bridge, but really, she was just trying to have a better look at the stars. It’s all banter and witty remarks between these two throughout the whole book. They meet again when Bram is being auctioned off to escort someone to the opera with funds going to the boys’ orphanage where he grew up. Wilhelmina’s new stepmother is anxious to get her married off, even though Wilhelmina has no interest in marrying at all and would rather focus on being an astronomer. However, she slowly starts to realize that some of the pursuits that she always avoided because they were popular (going to the opera, reading fiction) are actually enjoyable, and she slowly starts to shift her position on these items. As Bram and Wilhelmina spend more time together, he realizes that he’s in love with her, but is unwilling to declare his intentions since he knows that her goal is to never marry. Slow build to a wonderful and open partnership here and a great found family/friend group with Bram and his other orphan friends. Looking forward to seeing the other men of the group find their own stories.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

Girls Before Earls by Anna Bennett (2021)

Historical romance. Regency England. Book 1 of the Rogues to Lovers series. Hazel is the headmistress of a new finishing school and an earl has come to drop off his 15 year old niece who was recently orphaned. The niece has been acting up (understandably) and was kicked out of two other schools recently. Although Blade is willing to pay any cost to enroll his niece and then go back to London and about his miserable existence, Hazel insists that he come back and visit his niece every two weeks. Over the course of those visits, he slowly develops a relationship with both his niece and the fetching headmistress. I enjoyed learning about Blade’s backstory and why he avoids love and heartbreak; you can sort of see the signs of it early on when he talks about his lost love and how he was also estranged from his brother, but it’s still heartbreaking when you see it all laid out plainly. Hazel has her own hurts from the past and tries to maintain her composure and resilience, but then realizes that she needs to open up and go after what she wants. It’s a fun introduction to our seaside town and characters and a nice set up for future books in the series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Duke Down by Anna Bennett (2023)

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

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

Nice Earls Do by Susanna Craig (2022)

Historical romance. Regency England. Prequel novella to the Goode’s Guide to Misconduct series. An earl who is fairly new to the title has found out that his brother and sister-in-law died in Italy and his niece and nephew will now be his wards. His housekeeper recruits the famous housekeeping guide writer Mrs. Goode to come assist. However, we find out early on that Mrs. Goode is a pen name for a young viscount who should not be interested in housekeeping pursuits and his widowed stepmother decides to volunteer herself as Mrs. Goode to maintain the viscount’s cover. Well… turns out the earl and the widow were childhood friends who meet again and have another opportunity for love. This was a super quick novella to read and introduces the premise of Mrs. Goode’s guides. It was lovely to read about a couple in their 40s finding their chance at love.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

The Rake of Tamarix Hall by Georgina North (2023)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novel. So this one is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers type of romance with an awkward first meeting. Lucius is a new marquess and on his way to his new estate, he stops in town, and already hears gossip about how horrible the old marquess is and how the new one can’t possibly be better. Of course he finds that a pretty young lady Cressida and her sister are the ones gossiping, and they most definitely get off on the wrong foot when the ladies discover who he is. The first half of the book moves pretty slowly with getting to know the family dynamics of each of our characters: Lucius has a reputation as a rake in London, but he seems to care about his tenants at his new estate; Cressida has an abusive father and three sisters who have been neglected and not considered out in society, despite their ages, plus a shady history with the previous heir to the marquessate. These two argue and bicker every time they encounter each other, until finally, they’re caught in a room together and need to marry to save both their reputations. From there, we have more arguments and misunderstandings with tons of emotional angst. Despite the slow start to the book, when you realize Lucius and Cressida are both emotionally invested in the status of their relationship, so are you.

Advance ebook provided by BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.

Get Thee Off My Lawn by Daria Vernon (2022)

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novella. This one is humorous and absolutely delightful. April tries to retrieve her wayward swan from the neighbor’s pond, finds herself entrenched in the muck, and needs rescuing by the handsome neighbor, Leo. The rest of their day is a carefree and fun insta-lust tryst involving sneaking into his manor to clean her up and basically enjoying each other’s company until April needs to go home. And then reality hits: April is to marry a wealthy stranger to save her household’s wealth and there’s no hope for a future with Leo, even though he’s completely smitten with her. It all gets resolved in pretty short order (since it’s a novella) in fun and surprising ways. It’s a quick read that is completely worth it.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

All They Want for Christmas by Andie J. Christopher (2020)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. Quick little book I heard about from the latest Fated Mates episode about people being snowed in. We start with a lady out to dinner with her boyfriend, thinking he’ll propose before they travel to her hometown for Christmas. He doesn’t and they get into a huge fight. And the only other people at the restaurant are her ex-boyfriend and his male best friend (who he hooks up with sometimes). Well, to nurse her broken heart (which isn’t really broken), the three of them leave and go to one of the guys’ townhouse to have a threesome. And when they wake up the next morning, there’s a snowstorm trapping them together. Oh, and they need to work out all these feelings. Fun times.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

House of the Dragon Fanfic: A Terrible Lack of Respect by Eliza_Cromwell

Harwin/Rhaenyra, short, 7k words. He rescues her from the fight during her wedding feast and keeps her from leaving her room. Also volunteers to serve her in a multitude of ways.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: She’ll Patch Up Your Tapestry by agirlfromthebar

Draco/Hermione, one-shot, 1600 words, Narcissa’s POV. It’s Draco’s engagement party and he’s asking to speak with Hermione instead of his fiancee. Narcissa observes their conversation and interaction.

Read this fic on Fanfiction.net

Bridgerton Fanfic: Everything I do, I do it for you by LoveIsStrong

Anthony/Kate, one-shot, 6k words. Series episode 2.7, what if Anthony and Kate cannot stay away from each other when their families see each other at the park.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Bridgerton Fanfic: I Choose You by thanksmilla

Anthony/Kate, one-shot, 2k words. Series episode 2.6, what if Anthony overhears Edwina ask Kate if she loved him and her awkward pause gives him hope that his own feelings are reciprocated.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

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

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Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

The Devil You Know series by Kerrigan Byrne is a short three-book series that packs in loads of drama with tragic prologues for everyone involved. I recommend reading this one in order since you find out about our three friends’ backstory in the prologue of Book 1.

How To Love A Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne (2019)

Historical romance, Victorian England. Book 1 of the Devil You Know series. As expected, there was a huge amount of drama and emotional turmoil in this book. We start with a tragic prologue where Alexandra is attacked by her school headmaster, defends herself, and then needs her friends to assist her in covering things up. To help her feel better, her two best friends reveal their own tragic secrets. As expected, the two friends will make up the main characters of the other two books in this series. Chapter one starts ten years later when she’s on her way to a duke’s masquerade ball where her friend is supposed to be announced as his fiancee. What follows is a series of near-death experiences, blackmail, family destitution, and a fearful pull that Alexandra has towards her friend’s intended, Piers. Don’t worry though, her friend is not in love with him at all and it was a marriage contract from many years past. When she finds out about the allowance the future duchess will receive, she proposes that the duke marry her instead of her friend. And then we have even more drama with Piers’ backstory with his family history, being attacked and scarred, being ditched by his fiancee for his cousin, and mistrust of women. These two people have their own reasons for not trusting one another but somehow feel safe and protected when they’re together. Loved seeing them start to slowly melt towards each other.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne (2020)

Historical romance, Victorian England. Book 2 of the Devil You Know series. This is the type of book that makes most sense when reading in series order, but still works perfectly well on its own. The prologue starts with Cecelia as a child being cruelly punished by her vicar father (who turns out not to be her father). Cecelia gets locked in an isolated cell and deprived of food and water. She ultimately gets rescued and taken away and sent to school by a mysterious benefactor. This is where she eventually meets her friends who make up the rest of the lead characters in the other books of the series. The other main character of the story is Ramsay, the older brother of the duke from Book 1. He’s also had a harsh childhood and eventually has become one of the most powerful lawmen of England. He’s very much attracted to Cecelia, but refuses to give in or to trust her. Suddenly, Cecelia inherits a gambling hell/slash women’s school from her aunt and is also accused of abducting young girls by our Lord Ramsay (even though he doesn’t know it’s her at first). These two end up in an antagonistic relationship with Ramsay being overly accusatory, but also protective at the same time. There’s eventually a need to escape the city and hide for protection and a dramatic subplot with a seven year old ward that Cecelia has also inherited. High drama, but in a good way.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Devil in Her Bed by Kerrigan Byrne (2021)

Historical romance, Victorian England. Book 3 of the Devil You Know series. We start with another tragic prologue telling us about the Mont Clair Massacre, where the entire household was slaughtered and burned. It seems that Pippa (the cook’s daughter) has survived and now assumes the identity of Francesca (the new countess) and is seeking revenge. As she gets deeper into infiltrating her enemy’s lair, she catches the attention of a spy, Chandler, who is also targeting the same enemy. It turns out that Chandler is her childhood friend who she loved and saved her, but he was in love with Francesca and believes her to have truly survived the massacre. It’s a tangle of lust and secrets here and slightly heartbreaking for the woman who is actually in front of the man she loves.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

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

The last week of the year! I’ve finished up Callie Hutton’s Marriage Mart Mayhem series and squeezed in a few holiday novellas to bring my 2022 book count up to 370. Plus a bunch of random fanfics to round out the week.

Harry Potter Fanfic: Under Wraps by corvusdraconis and Dragon_and_the_Rose

Severus/Hermione, long one-shot, 11k words. It’s another kinda weird corvusdraconis creature-fic with Severus and Hermione being vampires. The romance is super light in this story and mostly just deals with them growing up in some sort of vampire commune.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Bridgerton Fanfic: Merry Smutmas! by Honeybeebunches

Anthony/Kate, modern AU, smutty one-shot. Anthony walks in on Kate having a little private time in the bedroom and joins in.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Highlander’s Choice by Callie Hutton (2015)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 5 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Lady Sybil is in Scotland for her friend’s wedding, but she’s already prejudiced against Scotsmen, thinking they’re brash barbarians. Sybil’s friend’s fiancee has brought his neighbor and friend, Liam, to the estate, and he’s got his own preconceived notions of Englishwomen, thinking they’re spoiled and dainty princesses. Both are terribly wrong for each other, but they seem to prove the stereotypes wrong, and are intensely attracted to each other. Eventually, Liam invites Sybil to his home to meet his family and see if they’ll suit for marriage, and Liam’s mother is secretly cruel to Sybil. It’s a whole lot of drama and these two need to get over their prejudices before anything can be settled.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Harry Potter Fanfic: Between Fine Lines by fairyofthesnakes

Regulus/Hermione, multi-chapter, 64k words. When Harry and Dumbledore go to the cave at the end of Half-Blood Prince, they find Regulus Black suspended in the lake. They bring him back, he spends the summer at Hermione’s muggle house, and a romance develops between Regulus and Hermione. The rest of the story involves a lot of the same things as the original Deathly Hallows, but with Regulus in tow, and spun around in a different order. The action-adventure part of the story was really interesting, but the tags were misleading… it’s rated Explicit and has a tag that says “we earning that e rating”, but it really didn’t. It really should have been rated T. The mislabeling made it a bit of a let-down, since I was expecting smut, but then nothing on that front happened. I think if you go in with the expectation that there are no naked-times here, you’ll enjoy the story just fine.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Rosalynn’s Rebellion by Maggie Sims (2022)

Historical romance, Regency England. Prequel novella of the School of Enlightenment series. Maggie Sims messaged me on Instagram to ask if I would be interested in reviewing an ARC of her book, which I was totally flattered and excited by, so I went to her website to see what other books were in the series. As a reader who likes to go in order, I’m glad I was able to pick up the prequel novella for free on the website. Rosalynn and Nicholas’ engagement and marriage is imminent, despite the years-old rumor that Nicholas was a previous patron of a spanking club. Rosalynn is open-minded and wants to experience Nick’s kinks, even though he is reluctant to expose his well-bred wife to those desires and fears for her reputation. Rosalynn is also a patroness of a new charity school that she will be opening for girls and suggests including marital acts within the curriculum. Short and steamy novella that introduces the origins of the School of Enlightenment.

Ebook free from the author’s website.

Nightingale by Cathy Maxwell (2014)

Historical romance, Regency England. Standalone novella. Sir Dane is about to fight a duel the next morning with his previous love’s brother. While getting his affairs in order, Jemma, the woman who had previously rejected him comes to beg for her brother’s life. This book is a super short, takes place in one day, second chance romance. When Jemma and Dane were young, they promised to marry, but she jilted him and married a much older lord instead. Dane was completely heartbroken and was unable to pursue his original career path of being a vicar, and ended up in business instead, making his fortune and traveling the world. Now a debt-ridden widow, Jemma aims to protect her brother from having to face a duel. Fun quick read and it was a great intro to Cathy Maxwell’s writing style, since I hadn’t read any of her books before.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Harry Potter Fanfic: His Secret Santa by Reddokitsune

Snape/Hermione, Multi-chapter, 31k words. Alternate universe where Severus and Lily are married and Harry is Snape’s son. Hermione is Severus’ student and friends with Harry and Draco. Most of the story is Severus’ internal struggle of being attracted to his student while being a happily married man (or so he thinks). Lily-bashing in this one to resolve Severus’ issues of being attached.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: One kiss a day by Ralina

Fred/Hermione, Multi-chapter, 17k words. Fred and Hermione are married under the Ministry’s Marriage Law. This one is mostly fluff with first dates and other firsts. Cute and quick read.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Hermione’s Secret by Amebb42

Fred/Hermione, Drabble, 500 words. When Hermione destroys the Horcrux in the Chamber of Secrets, Ron finds out about her secret relationship with Fred.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Highlander’s Accidental Marriage by Callie Hutton (2015)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 6 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Lady Sarah is on the road to see her twin sister Sybil in Scotland and runs into many calamities along the journey. In a carriage accident, she loses her driver and footman, and is rescued by Professor Braedon on his way to his home (which neighbors Sarah’s sister). Sarah’s maid/chaperone falls ill and they need to leave her behind to continue the journey. At one inn, Sarah declares herself married to Braedon so that they can reserve the last available room for the night. Unfortunately, in Scotland, that counts as being legally married. While these two are very obviously attracted to each other, they had no intentions whatsoever of getting married anytime soon: Sarah is about to be a published novelist and has obligations in London, while Braedon is awaiting an opportunity to go on a scholarly expedition in Rome. Both are stubborn and deem their individual pursuits more important than their accidental spouse. There’s definitely a lot of conflict here between these two that needs resolving for any sort of happily ever after.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Earl’s Return by Callie Hutton (2016)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 7 of the Marriage Mart Mayhem series. Back in Book 3 of the series, an earl abandons his fiancee two weeks before the wedding and elopes with another woman. Now a widower, he’s back in London to seek a new bride and is fascinated by the younger sister of the woman he jilted. How’s that for drama? While Redgrave was an off-page villain in the previous book, we learn in this one the reasons for his actions (and subsequent misery); turns out it was a trap mixed with blackmail. Lady Mary is wary of the man because of what he did to her sister, but cannot help be attracted to him and realize that there is likely more to his story than it appears. Mary has her own secrets and history which makes her skittish around men. It was interesting to see these two open up about their secrets and learn to trust the other person.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Harry Potter Fanfic: One Night by Okhili

Severus/Hermione, Three Chapters, 8k words. It’s Hermione’s last night as a Hogwarts student and she asks Severus for one night in his bed.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Star Wars Fanfic: Originality by blankfish

Reylo one-shot. After Rey stabs (and heals) Kylo Ren, they have a quick tryst before she walks away from him.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Mistletoe Trap by Eve Pendle (2018)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 1 of the Faking Stitch Series. Novella-length second chance romance. Amelia runs a business selling her embroidery to other women who want to pass her work off as their own, which is the thread that holds this series together. One Christmas, her mother informs her that her previous suitor Robert, now a widow and single father, is joining their house party. Amelia was heartbroken when Robert announced his engagement to another woman and has not seen him since then. Now that they’re thrown together again, they need to face their longstanding attraction to each other and actually communicate about the miscommunication that happened all those years ago. Amelia was so terribly shy and hesitant that Robert did not think that she cared for him and he ended up caught and engaged to someone else. Meanwhile, she was heartbroken that Robert did not propose to her and refused his further friendship. An emotional muddle that ultimately gets cleared up, but there’s another piece of drama: Robert’s first wife died in childbirth so Robert doesn’t want to cause that to happen to someone else. Lots of angst inside this quick read, in a good way.

Ebook purchased from Amazon.

The Mistletoe Temptation by Eve Pendle (2022)

Historical romance, Regency England. Book 2 of the Faking Stitch Series. The second book of this series catches up with one of Amelia’s embroidery clients. Gina is avoiding marriage until she can gain her inheritance at age 21 to travel the world. At a ball over the summer, her brother’s best friend Emmett catches onto her ruse of dressing poorly and dancing atrociously and proposes a fake engagement. They agree that the engagement will last until her 21st birthday, which is Christmas. Except Emmett secretly wants to keep Gina forever since she is unlike all the other ladies on the marriage mart. As they spend time together over the next six months, they form a friendship and grow closer, but still need to discuss and resolve their disparate goals. I also really enjoyed this quick read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla

Respect for Christmas by Grace Burrowes (2014)

Historical romance, Regency England. Standalone novella. Henrietta is a retired courtesan on a journey to her hometown for the holidays; she’s had a strained relationship with her brothers and completely estranged from her father. While traveling, she meets Michael, a newly minted baron who seems to treat her respectfully, despite her past profession. However, we find out that Michael has been tasked by another lord to steal back a journal from Henrietta’s possession. He feels terribly guilty, she feels betrayed, they’re both lonely and isolated from their families, and it’s all a huge mess. However, the resolution here is really satisfying and worth all the drama and angst.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

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

Advance ebook provided by Alexandra Vasti.

Mistletoe Bonus Epilogues by Eve Pendle (2022)

Historical romance, Regency England. Bonus chapters for the Faking Stitch Series. Cute little bonus scenes with our happily married couples. One chapter for Amelia and Robert; one chapter for Gina and Emmett.

Ebook free from author’s email newsletter.

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

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

Get my massive guide of all the romances I’ve read on Kindle Unlimited

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

Support this page with a donation

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