You may have seen your favorite bookish content creators talking about books that haven’t been released yet. It’s highly likely that these folks have received advance reader copies (ARCs) of these books to read and review. Publishers will often provide advance copies to book stores and libraries so that they can make purchasing decisions for their inventory. Publishers will also offer advance copies to reviews and influencers to generate buzz and marketing for their books.

If you’re interested in receiving review copies, keep reading for resources that I’ve used. This post will cover how to access digital ARCs. I do receive a few physical ARCs through influencer teams, but I’ll write about those separately.

NetGalley

One of the most common websites to request digital ARCs is NetGalley. This is the website I’m most familiar with and have experience requesting and receiving books, so I’ll spend most of this post talking about it. It’s free to sign up for an account and create a profile. Be honest with your status and give some information in your bio as to what you like to read and review. My profile specifies that I’m a reviewer who posts on my own website and I’ve selected my favorite categories. The bio section lets you add even more info about what you like to read and where you talk about books. Here’s my most recent bio:

Binge reader of historical romance novels (with a few contemporaries thrown in for fun). I love to read series in order and binge an author’s entire backlist.

I read for fun, not to be critical, so I share positive things I enjoy from books. (I don’t usually share things I dislike because those might be things someone else enjoys – also, if I was bored, I’ve probably skimmed over that section and got right to the section that interests me).

http://instagram.com/randomolive with 32k+ followers
https://www.tiktok.com/@random.olive with 1200+ followers
Writing about books at https://randomolivereads.substack.com/

To browse for books you want to read, you can look at the category or the publisher. If you have a favorite publisher, you can add it to your favorites list. Each publisher will have a section that describes the characteristics they’re looking for in reviewers. I generally keep a tab open on my computer and check to see if new books are added to the romance category each day; if there’s something interesting, I’ll go ahead and click the button to request it. Depending on the publisher, I’ll usually receive an email of approval within a few days. Alternatively, you can check the section for “Read Now” books where the books are freely available to review without waiting for the publisher’s approval.

After you’ve been approved or selected a Read Now book, there are a couple of ways to actually read the ebook. My preferred method is to send the book to Kindle (following the instructions on NetGalley); this lets me read the book on my iphone using the Kindle app and on my Kindle Paperwhite e-reader. There are also options to read using the NetGalley app or to download the epub file.

I generally read and review the books I have on my NetGalley shelf in chronological order by publication date. My goal is to submit a review of the book before it is published. The amount of time you might have before the release date may vary: smaller publishers may have shorter times (Dragonblade Publishing usually puts books up for request about a week or two before the publication date), while traditional publishers may make the book available for request months before the publication date (At the time of writing this, I requested a book from Avon Books that is scheduled to release in 6 months). Books are available to request until removed by the publisher (usually at the time when the book is published).

After reading the book, it’s important to go back to the website to submit a review. This gives the publisher early feedback on the book and gives them material to use in any marketing materials. In order to keep requesting future books, consistently returning feedback is essential. NetGalley tracks the number of requests, approvals, and reviews on your profile and publishes a Feedback Ratio, which is the percent of reviews returned divided by the number of titles approved. The higher the Feedback Ratio, the more likely a profile is to be approved for future books. Here’s what my current Feedback Ratio looks like (I started requesting and reviewing consistently in Jan 2022; data collected Oct 2022):

Feedback Ratio: 82%

77 Approved  |  63 Feedback Sent

Recommended feedback ratio is 80%

Since NetGalley explicitly tells us the recommended feedback ratio, I try to keep up with the ARCs I’m reading and submit reviews as soon as I finish the book. This helps maintain my feedback ratio even though I’m consistently requesting three to four books each week.

Edelweiss

With Edelweiss, there is a lot of overlap with the books available on NetGalley, but sometimes books will appear here first. I have registered for an account and requested a few books, but I have not been approved on this website. From what I’ve read online, this site is mostly aimed towards booksellers rather than reviewers/influencers.

BookSirens

BookSirens seems to have books from smaller publishers and there is a different book selection than on NetGalley. The book request information will often specify if the review should be cross-posted to Goodreads or Amazon and often your review will not be considered complete until it is cross-posted. I’ve reviewed a couple of books from here and it’s a good source for smaller publishers.

BookSprout

BookSprout is yet another source for books from smaller publishers. I have not reviewed any books from this site, although I did create an account.

Individual Author Teams

Sometimes authors will cultivate their own ARC team and send them out to their trusted list of reviewers. If you’re a superfan of any one author, you should follow their social media accounts, sign up for their newsletter, and then keep an eye out for review opportunities.

Overall, I enjoy being able to read books before they’re published and not having to be on the waitlist for a new release from the library. The external deadline of reading and reviewing before the publication date helps me with keeping up with all the books I want to read anyway. Just be careful not to overwhelm yourself with too many ARCs!

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

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Another week that includes House of the Dragon fanfic that I haven’t talked about anywhere else. I really do read quite a lot of fanfiction, mostly short little one-shots or drabbles and I’ve linked them all here. You should subscribe so you don’t miss out. Plus I’m also linking a reading-related podcast episode this week for you!

On the Hustle by Adriana Herrera (2022)

Contemporary romance, Book 2 in the Dating in Dallas series. Our overworked and overcommitted heroine finally quits her personal assistant job to pursue her interior design business and gives her boss two weeks after she returns from vacation. He’s totally emotionless about her quitting. However, when she emails him to say that she has an awesome opportunity and isn’t coming back for her last two weeks, he flips out and calls her demanding to know where she is. When we switch to his POV, we realize he’s been sickeningly pining for her for three years and waiting to make his move until the boss-employee dynamic was no longer an issue (great perspective from an employer, btw). He follows her from NYC to Dallas, where he somehow wrangles them into an interior decorating reality TV show and is suddenly charming and flirtatious. Really great chemistry and you can tell how attracted they are to each other. As a personal assistant, our heroine’s job involves bringing the guy coffee everyday after he comes out of his swim workout, and there’s a very detailed paragraph early on in the book of how he looks climbing out of the pool. *blushes* There’s also family baggage, workplace drama, dealing with diversity in the workplace, racial identity issues and feelings of belonging, etc. Overall, really great book!

Advance ebook provided by Carina Press via NetGalley. Print book provided by Carina press.

Bridgerton Fanfic: Baby Mine by WaterlilyRose

Super short and sweet little fic exploring Hyacinth’s reaction to Anthony and Kate expecting their first child. If you wanted to see Anthony in Dad-mode, this one will make you feel warm and smooshy.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfic: you’re more than beginning by MissAtomicBomb (kinderhook)

Harwin/Rhaenyra smut. Unsure of the circumstances here but for some reason Rhaenyra is marrying Harwin and this is their wedding day and wedding night.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfic: the missing colours by MissAtomicBomb (kinderhook)

Harwin/Rhaenyra smut. Diverges from Episode 1.04 where Criston rejects her advances and she goes to find Harwin for a night in his bed.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfic: all’s well that ends well to end up with you by RaindropsOnRoses

Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. Laenor dies before Rhaenyra can marry him. She develops a friendship, romance, and marriage with Harwin. Follows their marriage and births of children.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfic: The Strong Widow by bikadoo

Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. Laenor dies shortly after marriage to Rhaenyra leaving her a widow. She takes Harwin for her protector and husband. This fic follows their marriage and children, etc. It’s pretty similar to the fic linked above, but of the two I think this one was better written. And scroll to the bottom for beautiful fan art.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfic: The Princess and Her Knight by bikadoo

Harwin/Rhaenyra romance, canon-compliant (no HEA). Fills in the missing ten years from the time-jump between Episodes 1.05 and 1.06 and the relationship development between Harwin and Rhaenyra. This one packs an emotional punch, especially since you know how it’ll eventually turn out from the show. Fan art at the bottom of every chapter.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Podcast: Fated Mates Episode S05.04: What to Read If You Liked The Love Hypothesis

So, this is not a book or fic but it is a podcast episode which will give you a whole bunch of recommendations. I’m a huge fan of the Fated Mates podcast and they’re starting a new series with book recommendations for people who liked certain popular books. What I like about their specific format is that they are not just giving recommendations that are exactly like the popular book (e.g. fake-dating or professor-student). They’ve picked out key elements of The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood that readers may resonate with and give you recommendations for those types of plots or emotions (e.g. pining, women in STEM, banter, a certain type of sex act, etc). The shownotes also include a bonus list of Reylo fic recs from Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera!

Listen to the podcast episode and get links to all their recs on FatedMates.net

Bring a Boxer to His Knees by Charlie Lane (2022)

Historical romance, Book 3 of the Cavendish Family series. This one stands alone for much of the story, but reading Book 1 will give you a lot more backstory on the heroine’s fraught relationship with her father. Our heroine is a daughter of a baron sneaking off to be a sharpshooter in a circus. She hasn’t gotten along with the resident strongman, who is gruff with her and seems to think she’s a spoiled princess. When he gets ill and injured during his act, she offers to escort him to his family home. They learn much more about each other and their families during the journey and come to a truce. Oh, and there’s some delightful sickbed caretaking which I adore.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Shop this book via Amazon

House of the Dragon Fanfic: us, inevitable by scarlettscribbles

Daemon/Rhaenyra smut. It’s basically just a one-shot change from Episode 1.04 where Rhaenyra goes after Daemon.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: a better fate by glitterwitch1

Draco/Hermione romance. Draco is born a Veela and his documented mate is Hermione. Total alternate universe where the Malfoy parents have paved the way for a Pureblood/Muggleborn relationship. All their friends have blended together. And Draco is a pining idiot for most of it. Mostly cute and funny.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfic: Make me your wife by framboise

Daemon/Rhaenyra romance? Kind of? This one was a little dodgy and I’m not sure I really liked it much. It’s a mixture of sweet and creepy. The summary says:

Since she was small, the princess has been wont to ask him the same question – whether as a childish demand, a youthful jest, a plea for protection or a romantic notion – but those words take on a different shine when spoken at her own wedding celebrations to another man. *** Or, the five times Rhaenyra asks Daemon to be her husband, and the one time he asks her to be his wife.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Tell Her by a_MioneNiffler2309

Snape/Hermione one-shot. Short, quick, light read. Here’s the summary:

Severus Snape returns after many years away. While attending a gala of sorts, he spots a witch and finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. It takes several people a good while to talk him into trying before he walks over to Hermione Granger, hopefully with enough confidence to tell her.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: An Unwelcomed Interruption by a_MioneNiffler2309

Snape/Hermione one-shot. Short, quick, light read. And there’s a plot twist. Here’s the summary:

Hermione is about to get married, but Severus cannot seem to keep his hands off of her. He shows up the day before unannounced, and even visits her during the wedding when he was supposed to stay away.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Bridgerton Fanfic: The Debut by WaterlilyRose

Ballroom one-shot. It’s the first ball of the new season after Francesca’s debut. Kate and Anthony have a contentious run-in with Lord and Lady Sheffield. It’s just a short little confrontation scene that is fun to read if you like seeing snooty folks get called out.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Convenient Engagement by Emily EK Murdoch (2022)

Historical romance, Book 5 of the de Petras saga. We finally have the romance that has been building up in the past three books. The youngest de Petras sibling has always been treated as the baby of the family, even now when she’s out in society and a young lady. She decides that to be taken seriously by her family, she needs to be engaged. She solicits a family friend to be her fake fiancee thinking him to be trustworthy and believable. Poor guy has been in love with her for years and cannot deny her anything. This books made me feel so terribly sad for our hero because of all the pining and longing and crestfallen looks on his face whenever he has a glimmer of hope that is crushed. If you like a sad pathetic pining hero, this one is for you.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

House of the Dragon Fanfic: no grave can hold my body down by balmacedapascal

Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. A drabble really. (A drabble is usually less than a thousand words and will take you about 5 minutes to read). The summary says: “Harwin Strong lives and finds his way back to his princess.”

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfic: comfort and control by balmacedapascal

Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. A bit longer of a drabble (just barely more than a thousand words). A short conversation after Rhaenyra’s wedding.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Amortentia by LadyMidnight87

Draco/Hermione romance, one-shot. I had this one sitting in my open internet tabs for awhile and wanted a quick read. Draco has ingested some form of amortentia and he’s totally in love with Hermione so he’s crazed with lust. You can imagine what happens next. Or don’t imagine and just read it.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: The Potion Accident by Colubrina

Draco/Hermione romance, one-shot. Draco and Hermione have experienced a potions lab accident causing them to be telepathically linked and can feel each others’ emotions. The story is a bunch of tiny little glimpses into their interactions and emotions over several years. I’ve read this one before, but it was recently posted onto AO3, so I re-read it. It’s actually really very sweet and worth reading.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Boxing Baroness by Minerva Spencer (2022)

Historical romance, Book 1 of the Wicked Women of Whitechapel series. This one was my first read from Minerva Spencer and I’ve heard great things about her books. We have a female boxer who works for her uncle’s all-female circus troupe and she is being sought by a duke who is being blackmailed. The lady is involved because the blackmailer is her former lover who is asking for her presence in exchange for the life of the duke’s brother (previously presumed dead). There’s a lot of plot happening here with traveling between England and France during Napoleon’s escape from prison, tragic backstory for both the duke and the lady, secret identities, blackmail, and a relationship that is not recommended due to social class differences. It was a bit of a slog for me… too much plot, not enough romance. Though the plot becomes important for the conclusion in the back third of the book. Overall, it was a mediocre read for me and I’m not sure if I’d continue reading the series.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

Titan: A Gargoyle Daddy Dom Romance by Jillian Graves (2022)

Paranormal romance, Book 1 of the Romancing His Stone series. Former child actress, Julianna, whose funds were stolen by her manager-mother is setting up sugar daddy arrangements to pay her bills. Titan is a gargoyle whose world collapsed when another gargoyle betrayed the brotherhood and is seeking a magical relic. They cross paths when one of Julianna’s dates has knowledge of the relic he seeks. He sets up an arrangement with Julianna to get closer to the relic and they fall in love along the way. As the title says, there are strong daddy-dom themes in this book with explicit sex and ridged tail for good measure. The world-building is pretty interesting and there are hints to the next couple in the series.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

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Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

Read an introduction to fanfiction

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!

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.

Fanfiction (also shortened to fanfic) is known as fan-created content that expands upon an existing intellectual property (books, TV, movies, etc). The characters and world-building has already been established in the original text (i.e. canon) and the fan author can expand upon the world in a variety of ways, such as a change in point of view, missing scenes or backstory, sequels and follow-ups, alternate universes were a major canon event is changes and modifies the entire plot trajectory, or another alternate universe where all characters are put into an entirely new setting (e.g. Star Wars characters in a coffee shop in America).

The written length of fanfiction can also vary from a one-shot (a single scene or chapter) to multi-chapter/multi-part epic saga, and anything in-between.

Fandoms

If there is an existing book, TV show, or movie that you enjoy, there is very likely fanfiction that exists for it, no matter how obscure. (Would you be surprised to know that there is actually a Blippi/Star Wars crossover fanfic? It’s a little weird, but it actually works and you can read it here on Archive of Our Own.)

I have been reading fanfiction for so long that I don’t even remember all that I’ve consumed. I’ll usually be inspired to seek out fanfic after reading or watching the original content and wanting more time with those characters in that world. My interest will generally coincide with having recently seen a particular show or movie (like, Gilmore Girls fic in 2016 when A Year in the Life aired, or Star Wars fic in 2019 after the release of The Rise of Skywalker). Currently, I’m still actively reading Harry Potter and Bridgerton fanfic, so you’ll see me write about those in my weekly reads.

Genres

Like any other sort of fictional media, fanfic covers a wide range of genres like adventure, mystery, or romance. I mostly gravitate towards stories that are primarily romance, with or without a side of other plot elements. Even if the original source was not romance-focused (like Star Wars or Harry Potter), fanfiction allows the author and the reader to explore these types of relationships in depth.

Romance Pairings

While there are many fanfics that will focus on the romantic pairings that are officially part of the source material (e.g. Rey and Kylo Ren from Star Wars), my favorite fanfics will often combine characters that are not part of the original canon. A major example here is the pairing of Hermione Granger with Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter series (known as Dramione). Why do people like to write and read such odd pairings? It allows us to explore character backstory that is only shallowly developed in canon and can explore different types of tropes (like enemies-to-lovers in the case of Dramione). I also enjoy reading about rare pairs because I’m interested in seeing how the author will tackle the problem of bringing two unlikely characters together. One example here is the pairing of Hermione Granger and Antonin Dolohov (the Death Eater that cursed her in Book 5): this fic puts the two together as married in exchange for him turning to her side of the war and is explained with a soulmate connection.

Quality of Writing and Storytelling

Since fanfiction is essentially self-published by the author uploading the story online, the quality can vary widely. One on end of the spectrum, authors can write a bunch of ideas into a text box, upload without proofreading, and call it a day. On the other end of the spectrum, authors can spend a lot of time and effort crafting a complicated plot and work with beta readers to proofread and revise each chapter before it is uploaded. The nature of episodic release (chapter by chapter) in addition to constant reader feedback in the comments section or on social media may also affect the storytelling direction of a particular fanfic, depending on the author’s acceptance of feedback.

While it’s tough to view true metrics of quality of any particular fanfic, there are a few statistics available to help readers determine if a fic could be worthwhile to read; favorites, kudos, bookmarks, hits, and comments can be markers of high levels of activity and appreciation for a fanfic. From what I’ve observed, longer and multi-chapter fics tend to have more favorite and kudos compared to single-chapter fics, and this might be due to the trickled release of content.

I’ve found that there are many well-written, well-loved fanfics out there and will attempt to share as many as I can with you. I’ve certainly read my share of poorly written fics, but the great ones will make you laugh, smile, feel all the feels, and delightfully or emotionally entertain. There is so much spectacular writing and storytelling out there that is just freely available to read and enjoy. If you haven’t read a fanfic before, I hope that you will consider trying one of my recommendations. I will be sharing my picks in my weekly reads and other fanfic round up posts.

Want Harry Potter fanfic recommendations? 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!

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.

If you enjoy fairytale retellings, this historical romance series will enchant and delight you. The Awakened by a Kiss Series by Charis Michaels reimagines the side characters of fairytales and puts them as the main characters in Regency/Victorian England. The three books are very loosely connected: there is minimal interaction of characters from one book to the next plus one mysterious shop owner that pops up in all three books.

1. A Duchess a Day (2020)

This book was delightful and my favorite of the series. We start with the Snow White’s Huntsman being recruited from prison to keep guard over a duke’s flight-risk of a fiancee. (He was imprisoned for murdering the Snow White-equivalent of the story, but she really just ditched him.) When he meets his new charge, he finds her sunshine-y and addictive and the girl clearly has no interest in the duke at all. She manages to recruit the huntsman into her plan of throwing eligible ladies (seven in all) at the duke. Relatively low on the steam scale, but you can really feel the longing and pining between our two main characters.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

2. When You Wish Upon a Duke (2021)

We meet a Tinkerbell-equivalent in this story who works at a travel agency and is recruited by a duke to rescue his cousin from pirates in Iceland. She’s had a bad history with Iceland along with a sour experience touring the continent with Peter and his merry band of lost boys, but she takes the duke up on his offer in exchange for a new storefront for her own travel agency. I don’t have much of a reference point for the allusions in this book, having never read or watched Peter Pan, but I still enjoyed the romance in this story.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

3. A Duchess by Midnight (2022)

The stepsister of Princess Cindy has her chance to atone for her mean girl ways in this book, where she is now a mentor to young debutantes. Working with a reclusive duke’s nieces, she tries to teach them the rules of propriety. And when she gets caught in a compromising situation (oops), she has to uphold those rules and marry the duke. This book is the steamiest of the set, with the compromising happening within the first half of the book and a little action outdoors in the woods. *fans self*

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

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

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I’ve had a Kindle Unlimited subscription from January 2022 until now and I’ve read over 100 romance novels using this subscription.

What is Kindle Unlimited (KU)?

Kindle Unlimited (KU) monthly subscription to a select catalog of ebooks offered by Amazon. You can read as many books as you want that are offered under this program. Typically, you’re allowed to borrow about 20 ebooks at any given time, and you can borrow additional titles after you return the ones you’ve completed. There is no time limit for how long you have to read after you borrow the book.

How to join?

Click here for a two-month free trial. If you join using my link, I receive a small commission with no additional cost to you.

How to read ebooks from Kindle Unlimited?

Ebooks can be read using the Kindle app for iOS or Android, the Kindle Cloud Reader on your web browser, or a Kindle ereader device. I personally use all three, depending on where I’m doing my reading. I have the Kindle app installed onto my iPhone and use it when I’m on the go, and second most commonly, I’ll use my Kindle Paperwhite. (If you’re interested in shopping for a new Kindle Paperwhite, you’ll also get 3 months of Kindle Unlimited with this link.)

Is it worth the money to join?

For someone like me who usually reads library books or fanfiction (i.e. I don’t pay money for books), a full price monthly subscription is not worth it to me. I could find just as satisfying entertainment with library books or fanfiction. However, if you can get any free trials or a massive deal, it’s a great way to get access to a large catalog of books that might not be available from your local library. My initial three months of membership was free because I purchased a Kindle Fire for my kiddo; when that three months was nearly done, I went to cancel my subscription and the website offered me a deal to extend my membership for another three months for only $1.99 USD. For me, $1.99 was a great bargain because I had already found authors that I enjoyed on KU and could read more of their works. Sometime within that timeframe, I purchased a Kindle Paperwhite for myself and it came with another three months to extend my membership. Right now, I have a calendar alert set to remind me to cancel my membership in late October. We’ll see if they offer another deal to extend or if I’ll be canceling at that time.

How to maximize membership times?

Before I started my own KU subscription, I would save books that were available on KU onto a private wishlist so that I would remember the books I wanted to read. When I did eventually subscribe, I was able to refer to this list and borrow the books I was saving. I highly recommend using this method when you’re not subscribed and then wait for a deal or trial to become available to you. Then, when you’re subscribed, focus on the books on that list and then cancel when you’ve run out of books or are not actively reading that month.

What kind of books are available?

While not every single book under the sun is part of the KU catalog, there are a lot of books available for romance readers. I personally read smaller press or independently published books from my KU subscription.

I will start posting book series reviews and links here and also note the books that are available on KU within my weekly reads and monthly faves. In the meantime, I’m working on putting together a massive KU reading guide with links and descriptions to all the books I’ve borrowed with KU. You can download a sneak peek of that guide here.

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

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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.

Welcome to another weekly wrap up where I share the books and fanfics I’ve read from the previous Monday through Sunday. For some reason, this turned out to be a heavy fanfic week (mostly short one-shots), so I’ve linked them all for you here. I don’t usually share the fanfic I read anywhere else (unless you’re my one real-life friend who I text fanfic and books links to), so if you really want to know everything I’ve read, I recommend subscribing here to see the weekly links. My fave of the week is noted below with a “💖”

Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera (2020)

Contemporary workplace romance where a consultant (Rocco) is brought in to make budget cuts, which may include a charitable foundation run by our heroine (Julia). So it’s like workplace rivals with insta-lust. They both have their own emotional baggage from their pasts and have to work through their family stuff. The chemistry between the two was great and Rocco is most definitely a schmoopy sweetheart. However, toxic workplace politics is not my idea of fictional escapism, so I tend to skim over those parts.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

Harry Potter Fanfic: Orbit by Kendas

Hermione/Viktor romance. Multi-chapter. I think I’ve read this one before, but my friend texted it to me, so I just skim-read it again. Hermione visits Viktor before setting out for the Horcrux hunt and asks for protection in a certain way. After the war, he continues to support her and is patient with her in terms of their relationship status. We basically have a transparently devoted and patient Viktor while Hermione figures out her life. If you haven’t read Hermione/Viktor fic before, this one is a great start.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: These Are the Hands That Will Love You by LadyKenz347

Hermione/Dolohov romance. One-shot. This one was a re-read as I collected this link for a different post. Hermione is being married off to Dolohov in exchange for his allegiance to Harry in the war. It’s interesting to see how the author brings these very opposite characters together in a romance and it surprisingly works.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

💖 In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti (2022)

Historical romance novella. Margo is a scandalous young lady known for causing trouble with her twin sister. When her twin has eloped with a much older man, Margo seeks out the calm and steady Henry (her brother’s solicitor friend) to assist in chasing her down. Of course, Henry has been in love with Margo forever, knows it’s a bad idea to be in close proximity to her, and goes with her anyway. Steamy road trip romance that’s a quick read and I highly recommend it.

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

Get this book for free from the author’s website.

Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas (2016)

This historical romance was a partial re-read for me in preparation for listening to this week’s Fated Mates Podcast episode where the hosts did a deep dive discussion of the book. Marrying Winterborne is Book 2 of the Ravenels series and will make a whole lot more sense after having read Book 1, Cold-Hearted Rake. Rhys is a gruff and wealthy department store owner in Victorian England and was engaged to Lady Helen Ravenel in the previous book, until her guardians declared the engagement over. We start the book with Helen visiting Rhys to ask for the engagement to be re-instated and go from there. He’s basically completely devoted to her and she’s a shy mousy thing that needs to build her confidence throughout the book. I listened to the first quarter or so by audio and was absolutely delighted. If you haven’t read this one yet, or just need a swoony comfort-read, go and read this one and then listen to the commentary on the podcast.

Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

The Marquess’s Stolen Bride by Bella Moxie (2022)

Historical romance. Rowdy marquess rescues the illegitimate daughter of an earl who is being kept in a tower and being auctioned off. Being caught in her room, he decides to marry her. It’s a pretty short and sweet read here and moved pretty quickly as our marquess teaches his new wife about pleasure.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Shop this book via Amazon // Available to read free with Kindle Unlimited

The Suitor by Mary Balogh (2013)

Short novella that’s part of the Survivors’ Club series and serves as a prequel to Book 2 of the series. Our blind Viscount is being set up by his matchmaking grandmother, mother, and sisters. The lady they’ve brought has actually been in love with someone else and awaiting her debut into society and for that gentleman to clean up his reputation. The novella is really the romance between the lady and her prior suitor. Short and sweet. I might have missed reading this one if not for my Kindle app suggesting it to me after I finished reading Book 1 of the series. Glad to have read it because it leads up to the next book.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon

Harry Potter Fanfic: Trying Not to Love You by DracoIsForLovers

Draco/Hermione soulmates romance. This one has a soulmate tattoo trope where a with or wizard gets a tattoo representing their mate that appears on their 17th birthday. Hermione is pre-occupied with the looming war and horcrux hunt, so she refuses to look at her mark. Draco is just trying to survive. Ultimately, Draco realizes who his soulmate is and we have a pining Draco who feels unworthy. It’s a pretty quick read and I enjoyed it. This fic took me about an hour to read.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: The Long Way Around by Fractured

One-shot. Draco/Hermione romance with their kiddos Scorpius and Rose driving the friendship. Slow burn with lots of angst. This one has a lot of quiet understanding and Draco contemplating his feelings. It’s entirely Draco’s POV here, which is one of my favorite takes on this pairing.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Perhaps Good is Better Than Nice by Debboluh

Snape/Hermione romance. Short, three chapter story. This one is told in a non-chronological timeline. Several years after the war, Snape realizes that Hermione is a single mother to young twins and suspects his own memory-modified involvement. We get to see how it all happened and the time that Snape had missed.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes (2016)

Nonfiction book describing the process of writing a romance novel. I was recently at a romance book event in town and a romance author had recommended this book for the “rules” of writing romance. I don’t personally have any aspirations of writing romance, but I liked skimming through this book to understand the story structure of the books I most frequently read. Great first step if you want to start writing.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

Harry Potter Fanfic: Potions and Time Sand by Debboluh

Sirius/Snape/Hermione soulmates romance. After I finish reading one fic that I enjoy from an author, I’ll go back to the other fics they’ve written to find more. That’s what happened when I clicked on this one. We have Hermione taking a soulmate-finding potion that accidentally sends her back in time to find a bickering Sirius and Snape. Another really quick read, and I liked the humor and banter in this one.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

House of the Dragon Fanfics

Harwin/Rhaenyra romance. I haven’t watched Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, but with all the video clips I’ve seen this week of the chemistry between Harwin and Rhaenyra, I knew I needed more. Sometimes fanfic is the best because you don’t even need to fully understand the fandom to appreciate it.

The following three fics are pretty much the same premise. Harwin and Rhaenyra get together. Plus whatever emotional toil that involves when a married princess has an affair with someone who isn’t her husband.

tell all the stars above by MissAtomicBomb

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

you kept me like a secret but i kept you like an oath by RaindropsOnRoses

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Her Sworn Shield by cordeliacordate

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

Harry Potter Fanfic: Claiming by Ciule

Snape/Hermione romance, Omegaverse. In reading fanfic for so long, I knew that I had previously liked reading fics by the author Ciule. This author’s fics lean on the darker side of things. The author’s note here describe this as their first Omegaverse fic and explores the dubious consent tied within that mating structure. The first few chapters of this story explore the societal implications and dangers of being an alpha or being an omega. This part wasn’t very interesting for me and I wanted to spend more time with the relationship between Snape and Hermione, which happens in the last third of the fic.

Read this fic on Archive of Our Own

The Arrangement by Mary Balogh (2013)

Historical romance in Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Survivors’ Club Series. We have our charming and beautiful viscount who was blinded in the war. He’s escaped his meddling family members and off on his own. A quiet young lady rescues him from being compromised into marriage by her cousin and her guardians toss her out. When our charming viscount learns this, he offers her a marriage of convenience with the knowledge that they’d someday follow their separate independent dreams. This one starts slow, as most Balogh novels do, but sometimes I enjoy reading this slow pace of falling in love and all the character-driven emotion behind it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm

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

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In the month of September, I finished reading 24 books (20 historical romance, 2 contemporary romance, 1 young adult fantasy, and 1 nonfiction). Here are my five favorite books from the month! (listed in alphabetical order by author last name)

The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh (1992)

This one got recommended to me a couple of times by different folks on Instagram. It’s an older historical romance with a bang of a set up. Quite literally. Our two main characters are at the gardens with their friends, total opposites, and get stuck in a thunderstorm while out on a walk together. The lady is absolutely terrified of storms due to a past experience where a tent next to her was struck by lightning and four men were killed, so she inevitably has a panic attack. Our two people have found shelter in a covered picnic area and the gentleman distracts her from the panic by kissing her… and then proceeds to have sex with her. I’m not quite sure that a lady having a panic attack counts as consent in any instance, but this was written in the early 1990s, so let’s suspend disbelief for a second. This is all like the first chapter of the book, and then when the storm eases, he brings her to his mistress den and they do it again (with verbal consent this time). And then he proceeds to spend the rest of the book pursuing her, even though she just wants to say “Thank you, sir, see you again never.” Further on, there’s backstory of how he turned into a rake and it’s actually really sad and it made me really feel for the guy… so aside from the crazypants beginning, it’ll give you all the classic Balogh feels.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

The Duke Alone by Christi Caldwell (2022)

Historical romance in Regency/Victorian era England. Home Alone retelling with Lady Myrtle being left behind in her London house for the holidays. Myrtle is terribly sunshiney and makes the acquaintance of the grumpy duke next door. The duke, Val, has a terrible reputation and is rumored to have murdered his staff and fed them to his wolfish dog. He’s really just terribly depressed after his wife died in a tragic carriage accident. Over the course of a days, he comes to enjoy her relentless smiling and singing. Super sweet and funny. Warning that this one is fade to black… caught me off guard, but by that point, I was already enchanted by the story, so I didn’t mind too much.

Advance ebook provided by Montlake via NetGalley.

Dare to Love a Duke by Eva Leigh (2018)

Historical romance in Regency/Victorian era England; book 3 of the London Underground series. 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.

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2022)

Contemporary romance on the set of a sweet holiday rom-com movie for a squeaky clean network. Our heroine is a plus-sized adult entertainer and our hero is an ex-boy band member trying to rehabilitate his reputation. And of course, they each have a pre-existing crush on each other, so sparks fly and they start secretly spending naked time together. This book had all sorts of great callbacks to boy band hijinks (reality TV shows, rabid fans, and sketchy managers). We get to meet the other boy band members as well and I’m looking forward to reading their future stories.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by Avon Books and BiblioLifestyle.

The Devil of Downtown by Joanna Shupe (2020)

Historical romance set in Gilded Age New York; book 3 of the Uptown Girls series. This one has the youngest sister of the series out doing charitable works and asking the local crime boss for assistance. In exchange for his help, he wants to be seen in public with her to get closer to a business associate. And then after that, we snowball into their intense chemistry and attraction and then deal with their opposite stations in life.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Historical romance books are usually either standalone novels (not related to any other novels) or in series. Usually the summaries of books from a series will state that each book can be read as a standalone novel and you do not need to read other books in the series to understand it. Each book tells a complete story of a single couple with a clear conclusion and happily ever after. It’s rare to see a cliffhanger associated with the relationship status of the main characters of the story that requires you to read the next book. And since the main conclusion of a romance is that the couple ends up happily together, it’s not really a big surprise what happens to previous couples in previous books if you read the books out of order.

However, my personal preference is to read the books in order. The timeline usually goes in order and the characters that will become future main characters will show up as friends and family members and give you some backstory to their personalities. I like to have fun guessing who the next main characters will be based on the hints the authors provide within earlier books. I also enjoy seeing how the relationships of previous books continue to endure later on in the series. In some cases, books later in a series may give away major plot points from previous books (above and beyond the previous couple getting together). When I write book reviews, I try to note this as much as possible so that you won’t spoil yourself by accident. If you’re worried about spoilers though, you really can’t go wrong with just reading in order. Another tip if you’re worried about spoilers: don’t read the summaries of future books in the series. I’ve done this before where I’ve read a summary and realized someone who was married in an early book becomes a widow along the way and has a new romance later in the series.

Series Group Examples

So if each book is a complete story on its own, what makes a series a series? Often the series will be grouped around a central theme or a group of acquaintances. Of the books I’ve read, they’re usually either a family group or a friend group.

One popular example of a family group is the Bridgertons Series by Julia Quinn; there are eight siblings and there are eight books to showcase each sibling’s romance. Julia Quinn also does this with the Smythe-Smith Quartet and the Rokesbys Series.

Another common grouping is based on friend group. Either a group of men who went to school together, a group of women who went to school together, childhood friends, or newfound friends in adulthood. A popular example here is the Wallflowers Series by Lisa Kleypas, where four women with poor marriage prospects repeatedly meet at balls and form a pact to assist each other in finding husbands.

Multi-Series Universes

In some cases, authors will connect more than one series together and they are really within the same universe. Characters will reappear in future books or deal with the next generation. For example, Sarah MacLean integrates all her books in the same universe with time moving forward from one series to the next and the major settings (like casinos or modistes) remain consistent. Another example is Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflowers Series which introduces some beloved characters and then the offspring of those couples come back in the Ravenels Series. When I first started reading historical romance, I did not realize that authors sometimes connect series together and now that I do, I try to read author backlists chronologically based on publication date. You’ll notice in my book reviews that I will put the year of publication next to the title of the book to help with that.

How to Find the Series Order

New historical romance books are being released constantly and sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s part of a series. I like to refer to a few different sources to check the order of books within a series or even just the publication dates for older books. First, the author’s website is a great resource, especially since they’re the one who wrote the books in the first place. If anyone should give a recommendation on the order to read some books, the author is that person. Second, when you’re shopping for books on Amazon or looking at book reviews on Goodreads, they will often link to other books within that series or give an overall series summary page. Third, if you’re borrowing ebooks from the library, the Libby app will often state the series listing order. I’ve found this to be spotty, so I tend not to trust this source as much. My favorite resource for finding the reading order for series is the website Fantastic Fiction. I will use this site to look up an author’s name and find their entire backlist. The books are grouped and numbered by series and each individual book listing will give you the summary and links to purchase (and you can use the library extension plugin on this page to find the book at your library). This site definitely helps to keep me organized and knowing the order in which whole series are published and the order of books within each series.

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

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Sometimes I purposely request advance reader copies of books from authors that I want to read but I haven’t gotten to yet. That’s what I did when I requested the latest historical romance from Beverly Jenkins earlier this year. And since I know that I generally like to read series in order, I borrowed the other books in this series as well. Overall, these three books read as standalone to each other set in post-Civil War America, though they are connected to other earlier works by Beverly Jenkins. They vary in terms spice/steam level which is appropriate to the characters’ histories and personalities. While there are often heavier themes related to racial discrimination, the overall stories are engaging and have bits of humor within.

1. Rebel (2019)

Schoolteacher meets army captain in this book set in New Orleans. Although our teacher is betrothed to someone else when we meet her, she quickly falls for the dashing hero who saves her from a physical attack and helps her to rebuild her schoolrooms. The happy couples we meet from the hero’s family have previously been introduced in their own stories: Through the Storm (1998), Winds of the Storm (2004), and Captured (2009).

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

2. Wild Rain (2021)

A snowstorm rescue, instant attraction, and sickbed care in this one. Our heroine is a rancher in Wyoming and her brother is the town doctor. A newspaperman from back East is there to interview the doctor and gets caught in the snow, needing rescue. In this story, we have a non-virgin historical heroine who clearly communicates that she does not want children. All sorts of steam in this one, which is true to character. This story was not connected to the previous book. The heroine’s brother and sister-in-law’s story is told in Tempest (2018).

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

3. To Catch a Raven (2022)

This book covers a lot of geographical ground, but at some point we are back in New Orleans with a grifter family that is being coerced into assisting with the recovery of a stolen copy of the Declaration of Independence. Our straightlaced hero is teamed up with the swindler heroine, and they need to fake being married and servants of the house they’re investigating. Though they’re total opposites in many ways, we get to see them start a steamy affair. Meanwhile, his father and her mother are rekindling their own romance that ended decades ago. We cross paths a bit with the matriarch from Rebel who assists in a double-cross scheme.

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

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

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From January 2021 when I started my romance reading adventure until now (September 2022), I have borrowed and read over 450 books from my library. I have been a huge fan of borrowing ebooks from the library for many years, but as a voracious romance reader, the library is even more beloved because of the sheer volume of books I can consume without spending any money. Living in Sacramento County, California, my primary library is the Sacramento Public Library and I primarily use the digital content available for ebooks and audiobooks. If you’re new to borrowing digital content, I’ll recap how I go about it.

How to Borrow Digital Content

Using OverDrive/Libby

The primary digital collection that I access from the library is from OverDrive. The collection and usage limits will vary from library to library. For example, Sacramento Public Library allows 60 simultaneous checkouts for three weeks and 30 holds. The catalog can be viewed on a web browser via the OverDrive website or on the Libby app, which integrates with the OverDrive catalog. If you’ve logged into either the website or the app with your library card, all your borrows and holds should be synchronized.

Within OverDrive/Libby, each book will have a limited number of copies owned by the library. If someone else has already borrowed the digital copy, you have to option to put the book on hold. When it’s available, you will receive an email or a notification on your device. You can then choose to borrow it immediately or delay the hold a bit longer if you’re not ready to read it yet.

If you want a book that your library does not own, you may have the option to recommend it to the library. You’ll need to use the OverDrive website to do this. Search for the book you want and when it does not appear in the results, click the link that says “add titles the library doesn’t own” to see more info. Below the image of the book, there’s a link to “Recommend” and you can click that and input your email address. If the library ends up purchasing the book, you’ll receive an email or notification when it’s available to borrow. I use this feature all the time for upcoming releases I’m excited about and then I get to be first in line to borrow the book when it’s available.

So now that you’ve borrowed an ebook or audiobook, how do you read/listen to it?

Ebooks can be read either within the Libby app or sent to your Kindle app or device. Within the native Libby app on your smartphone or tablet, you can adjust the font settings and size, background color, spacing, etc. The app tracks how long you have been reading the book and gives you an estimate of how much time you have remaining until you finish the book. If you choose to send the ebook to Kindle, it’ll send you to a page to log in with your Amazon account information. You can then select the device you have linked to your Amazon account. I tend to jump around from device to device so I personally use the Kindle app on my phone, a Kindle Paperwhite e-reader, and the Kindle Cloud Reader on my web browser on my laptop. Since they’re all synced together, I can switch devices without losing my place. The Kindle options will also allow you to customize font size, spacing, etc.

Audiobooks can be played within the Libby app. I generally like the user interface here and am able to increase the playback speed, jump between chapters, bookmark locations, etc. I appreciate the indicators that show how many minutes are left in each chapter.

Using Hoopla

Hoopla is another digital catalog with ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, and music. Depending on your library, you are limited to a certain number of checkouts per month for a pre-specified check out timeframe. Sacramento Public Library allows five checkouts per calendar month for a period of three weeks for ebooks. The upside to Hoopla is that there are no holds and you can borrow anything from the catalog immediately. Their collection is the same no matter which library card you’re using and overlaps a little bit with the OverDrive/Libby collection. I tend to check Hoopla for a book I want only if it’s not available on OverDrive/Libby. Books borrowed via Hoopla can only be viewed using the Hoopla app or on the web (i.e. I can’t send the book to my e-reader device).

Maximize Access with Multiple Library Cards

One of the best things about primarily reading ebooks is that I don’t need to physically go anywhere to pick up and borrow a book. They’re all right at my fingertips either on my computer or my smartphone. This means that distance is pretty much meaningless and I can borrow an ebook from a library system that is hundreds of miles away from where I live. Many library systems are fully aware of this benefit and offer library cards to all residents within the state (even if they’re not exactly in town or able to physically come to a branch). My strategy for finding additional library cards is to Google “California library ecard” or “California digital library card” (obviously, change to your own state as needed). Many of the results will give you the specific criteria for how to apply for a card and whether you need to be a local resident or need to visit a branch in person. Please follow all the rules set forth by the library and be honest about your real address and phone number! Also, library policies are subject to change and a card I may have gotten a few years ago might not be available to all residents anymore. If you’re approved for a digital library card, you can access all of the digital resources that are offered from that library (which hopefully includes OverDrive/Libby or Hoopla).

Out of Area Paid Library Cards

In some cases, there are libraries across the United States that will allow out of area patrons to purchase library card access. Most famously, the Brooklyn Public Library previously offered this service (as of July 2022, this is no longer available). However a few other major libraries in the US offer library cards for a small fee. Again, libraries may change their policies at any time so these may not be available indefinitely. Information and links below are from this Reddit post.

The Queens Public Library offers a non-resident card for $50 annually that you can apply and pay for online to have immediate access. Smaller selection than Brooklyn, but a large number of holds and loans on OverDrive / Libby!

Houston Public Library also has a digital access card for $40 annually that you can apply for online where they add a “fee” to your account so you can pay for it. But they add the fee immediately, unlike Brooklyn, so you can pay with a credit card and have immediate access.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system has a non-resident card that gives access to their online collections for $45 annually. Apply for it online here.

The Orange County Library System offers a fee card that gives access to both physical and digital collections for $75 for 3 months, or $125 annually. Note that this is almost double the cost of most other cards, but has the benefit of accessing physical collections if you’re ever in Orange County. Apply for it online here. Note: This is the only option available to non-US residents.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library offers an out-of-state card for $50 annually that looks like it gives access to both physical and digital collections. You’ll have to fill out a form and send it via email. Instructions are here.

Search Quickly with Library Extension

A method for easily checking if the book you’re interested in reading is available at the library (before you purchase a physical or digital copy) is to install the Library Extension plugin for your web browser. After it is installed, you can update the settings to add your own library systems to the extension and then select if you want the extension to search physical catalogs and/or digital catalogs. As mentioned above, I have a lot of library cards for systems throughout the state of California, so it’s really nice to have multiple libraries being searched at the same time. If you have lots of libraries selected, I also recommend changing the General Settings to change the search from “automatic” to “on-demand” so that your page isn’t taking forever to load every time you’re just browsing on a book website. Now, when you visit major book-related websites (Amazon, Goodreads, FantasticFiction, and others), you will be able to see if the book you want is available at the library. Before I installed this extension, I would methodically go through every library card in my Libby app searching for the book I wanted and it was terribly time-consuming. Now it’s all one search right on the book listing page.

Even More Books with Paid Ebook Memberships

For even more access, there are paid ebook subscription services like Kindle Unlimited or Scribd which typically charge a monthly membership fee to access their catalog. I’ll talk about these in a separate post in the future.

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

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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.