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Carrigan’s Christmasland Contemporary Romance Book Series by Helena Greer

Sep 16, 2024 | Book Reviews

Season of Love by Helena Greer (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Carrigan’s Christmasland series. Miriam and Noelle are both respectively messes with a huge amount of baggage and trauma, but they find their way together at their beloved Christmas tree farm. When Miriam’s great-aunt Cass dies, she leave the running of the farm and Christmasland to her four fave protegees: Miriam, her cousin Hannah, absentee friend Levi, and new addition Noelle. Everyone is somewhat resentful of Miriam who has not been around for the past decade (dealing with her own family issues), especially Noelle, who is especially sensitive to people leaving. And we also find out that the farm is in poor financial shape and needs to be saved. The story here is messy and emotional and endearing all at once and I’m definitely excited to read more about this ensemble of characters.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

For Never & Always by Helena Greer (2023)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Carrigan’s Christmasland series. Emotional and angsty second chance romance between childhood friends Hannah and Levi. Basically Hannah had a childhood where her parents dragged her around the world, so she’s panic-clinging to Carrigan’s Christmas tree farm where she runs the inn. Meanwhile Levi is the son of the cook and handyman of the farm, grew up in the tiny town, and absolutely hated it and wanted to leave and travel the world. Clearly, these two have opposing life goals and I guess they were not good at communicating them out loud. When Levi gets an opportunity to be a cruise ship chef, he leaves and Hannah tells him to never come back. Until now, when he needs to come back because he’s been made part owner of the farm. He rightfully has tons of hangups about being back on the farm, but he’s still very much in love with Hannah and wants to win her back. It was interesting reading how Levi re-integrates himself into the lives of the people he’s been away from for so many years and learns to communicate better with Hannah.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Hers for the Weekend by Helena Greer (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Carrigan’s Christmasland series. Tara is the stuffy proper lawyer ex-fiancee of Miriam (from Book 1 of the series) invited to attend Miriam’s wedding to Noelle (a tree farmer at Carrigan’s). She lies and tells her friend Hannah that she has a new girlfriend who she will be bringing to the wedding, even though she does not actually have a girlfriend. Somehow, Holly, the waitress that Tara has a smidge of a crush on (and who also wants under Tara’s skirts) gets involved and they decide to pretend to be girlfriends and go to the wedding together. It’s road trip and Christmasland shenanigans for most of the book, while dealing with Tara and Holly’s respective hang-ups about relationships, friendships, and family. Everyone’s a mess and we revisit the chaotic found family of Carrigan’s. I enjoyed reading the series in order so I could remember the huge cast of characters and how they’re related to each other. Don’t let the cute cover fool you; this one is angsty and emotional.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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

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

Quick Textured Cup Cozy Crochet Pattern

Sep 14, 2024 | Crochet Patterns

Purchase a downloadable PDF copy of this pattern on Etsy.

Details

Skill Level: Beginner

Hook: J, 6mm

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (Worsted Weight – 4), approx 25 yds

Gauge 2” x 2” = 5 sts x 5 rows

Finished Size 4” lying flat x 3.75” tall

Abbreviations

ch chain

dc double crochet

fpdc front post double crochet

sc single crochet

sl st slip stitch

st(s) stitch(es)

Notes

Chain one at the beginning of each round does NOT count as a stitch.

Stitch pattern commonly known as Alpine Stitch.

Pattern

Chain 22. Slip stitch into first chain. Do not twist the chain. (To change width of cozy, increase/decrease in multiples of two).

Round 1: ch 1, sc in all stitches until end of chain, sl st into the top of the first sc at the start of round – 22 sts

Round 2: ch 2, dc into the top of the first sc, continue dc until last st, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 22 sts

Round 3: ch 2, fpdc around the dc from the round below, dc into the top of the dc from the round below,repeat until end of round, ending with fpdc, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 22 sts

Round 4: ch 2, dc into the top of the first fpdc from the round below, fpdc around the dc from the round below, repeat until end of round, ending with fpdc, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 22 sts

Repeat Rounds 3 and 4 until total of 8 rounds. Continue repeating for taller cozy.

Round 9: ch 1, sc into each st until end of round, sl st to top of the first sc

Cut yarn, leaving a tail for weaving in.

Fasten, weave in ends with yarn needle.

Hope you enjoy making these quick and easy crochet cup cozies! Make a bunch of colors and add them to your shop with my encouragement. And if you post online, please give me a tag @randomolive so I can see what you’ve made. Remember that you can grab a printable ad-free version of this pattern in my Etsy shop.

Kindle Sleeve Crochet Pattern – Simple and Textured Patterns

Sep 12, 2024 | Crochet Patterns

Remember when I designed a chunky book sleeve pattern? Well, I’ve decided to branch out and make sleeves for my Kindle Paperwhite! I basically have a stash of Red Heart Super Saver yarn that I’ve been trying to figure out how to use effectively, and they’re stiff texture is perfect for a sturdy Kindle sleeve. I used a 5 mm crochet hook with this yarn to make a sturdy fabric to protect your sleeve. Personally, I don’t like button enclosures on my sleeves because I don’t like them to stack unevenly or snag in my bag. This sleeve is designed to fit snugly around your device and is definitely perfectly swaddled.

I’ve decided to put both the simple and textured patterns together in the same post and downloadable set since they start exactly the same on the first two rounds. The only difference between them is whether to continue with a double crochet stitch or the alpine stitch pattern for the body of the sleeve. In both patterns, we end with a half-double crochet round to neaten the edge.

Purchase a downloadable PDF copy of this pattern duo on Etsy. The PDF version includes helpful photos of pattern steps.

Simple Crochet Kindle Sleeve

Skill Level: Beginner

Hook: H, 5 mm

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Yarn (Worsted Weight – 4), approx. 60 yards total

Gauge: 2” x 2” = dc 6 sts x 4 rows

Finished Size: 5.5” lying flat x 7.25” tall

Abbreviations

ch chain

dc double crochet

hdc half double crochet

sc single crochet

sl st slip stitch

st(s) stitch(es)

Notes

Worked in the round. Chain 2 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch

Pattern

Chain 17.

Round 1: sc into second chain from the hook, continue sc into each chain until end, 2 sc into last chain, turn chain and begin working on the backside of chain, sc into each chain until end, 2 sc into last chain – 34 sts.

Round 2: ch 2, dc into the top of the first sc, continue dc until last st, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 34 sts

Rounds 3 to 15: continue working dc into each stitch for a total of 14 dc rounds

Round 16: ch 1, hdc into each st, sl st into the top of the first hdc

Continue more dc rounds for taller sleeve. Cut yarn, leaving a tail for weaving in. Fasten, weave in ends with yarn needle. Alternate sizes: Chain as wide as desired and work the same pattern to desired height.

Alpine Stitch (Textured) Crochet Kindle Sleeve

Skill Level: Beginner

Hook: H, 5 mm

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Yarn (Worsted Weight – 4), approx. 80 yards total

Gauge: 2” x 2” = dc 7 sts x 5 rows

Finished Size: 5.5” lying flat x 7.25” tall

Abbreviations

ch chain

dc double crochet

fpdc front post double crochet

hdc half double crochet

sc single crochet

sl st slip stitch

st(s) stitch(es)

Notes

Worked in the round.

Chain 2 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch.

Stitch pattern known as Alpine Stitch.

Pattern

Chain 17.

Round 1: sc into second chain from the hook, continue sc into each chain until end, 2 sc into last chain, turn chain and begin working on the backside of chain, sc into each chain until end, 2 sc into last chain – 34 sts.

Round 2: ch 2, dc into the top of the first sc, continue dc until last st, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 34 sts

Round 3: ch 2, fpdc around the dc from the round below, dc into the top of the dc from the round below,repeat until end of round, ending with fpdc, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round

Round 4: ch 2, dc into the top of the first fpdc from the round below, fpdc around the dc from the round below, repeat until end of round, ending with fpdc, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round

Repeat Rounds 3 and 4 until total of 18 rounds.

Round 19: ch 1, hdc into each st, sl st into the top of the first hdc

Continue more dc rounds for taller sleeve.

Cut yarn, leaving a tail for weaving in. Fasten, weave in ends with yarn needle.

Alternate sizes: Chain as wide as desired and work the same pattern to desired height.

Hope you enjoy making these quick and easy crochet Kindle sleeves! Make a bunch of colors and add them to your shop with my encouragement. And if you post online, please give me a tag @randomolive so I can see what you’ve made. Remember that you can grab a printable ad-free version of this pattern in my Etsy shop. The full pattern is easy to reference on one page, plus comes with some helpful photos to cover the first few rounds of the sleeve.

Weekly Reads: September 2 to 8, 2024

Sep 10, 2024 | Book Reviews

I Will Steal You the Stars by Alivia Fleur (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Part of the Scandalous Daughters of Duke Street series. Quick novella with two former childhood friends who met at an orphanage. Enzo is the local crime boss in the slums who is visited by old friend Mina who needs help stealing her wages from the fancy house where she was dismissed. In the course of teaming up together, they reconnect and rekindle their affection for each other. Enzo is generally conflicted about rising above his current station, but also tries to encourage Mina to reach beyond her life working as a maid. It’s a quick low-angst sort of romance here and it was nice to see working class main characters.

Advance ebook provided by Alivia Fleur via BookSirens.

Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli (2023)

Fantasy romance. Book 1 of the Artefacts of Ouranos series. The story mostly follows Lor, a human female prisoner in the most desolate prison in the Aurora territory. She is somehow tossed into the Sun Trials to compete against nine other women to win the hand of the Sun King. Lor is skeptical of the process and wonders why she was entered in this deadly competition in the first place. She’s at extreme disadvantage since she’s a mere human and not fae plus she has not had all the ladylike training that the other competitors have. She seems to have earned the favor of the king, and enjoys his attentions, but she’s unsure if she can trust him. We also get glimpses of the story from Nadir’s point of view, the Aurora prince who is investigating the mysterious disappearance of one of the prisoners of the territory. Lots of plot, not much romance, and the underlying question of why Lor is so special. This is Book 1 of a four-book series, so plenty more plot to come.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org

The One With the Duke’s Curvy Bride by Eliana Piers (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Super quick little tiny novella with childhood friends Philomena and Henry. They’re all at a house party that Henry’s mother is throwing to find him a wife, and Philomena is not one of the selections. When Philomena and Henry are stuck in the library together, he starts to see her in a new and attractive light, but she doesn’t believe that he returns her longstanding feelings. It all wraps up fairly quickly when he declares his intentions for her. Bonus, they get stuck in a cottage together during a rainstorm.

Advance ebook provided by Eliana Piers.

The Virgin Who Humbled Lord Haslemere by Anna Bradley (2021)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Swooning Virgins Society series. In the previous book, we’ve seen hints of some animosity between Georgiana and Lord Haslemere and we get to find out why in this one. Basically, Georgiana catches two girls from the school out at night involved in some footraces with Lord Haslemere, Benedict, and she instantly has a poor impression of him. Several months later, Benedict’s sister comes to the Clifford School to investigate the disappearance of her friend Clara, who’s been gone for six years, but has recently been sighted. We get a tangled knot of rumors when Georgiana shows up at a masquerade to investigate and Benedict eavesdrops on her conversations. He’s concerned about the rumors about his sister having an affair and basically inserts himself into Georgiana’s business. Everything is way more convoluted than we expect, and we get to see Georgiana and Benedict grow closer along the way. Super interesting and engaging plot.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Clean Point by Meg Jones (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Super interesting set-up here with tennis player Scottie being banned from the sport after confirmed use of performance enhancing drugs. Her father/coach/mentor was the one who drugged her without her consent, and when she finds out, she turns herself in and quits tennis altogether. Two years later, a former coach wants her back in the game and paired with her father’s former rival, Nico. He has his own issues with a slow recovery after knee surgery and it seems like playing as mixed doubles partners with shake things up. We start with being misunderstood arrogant enemies and slowly work up towards friendship, partnership, and more. It’s steamy and emotional all in one, especially as Scottie opens up about what happened with her father. Loved it. Would definitely read more from this author.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Three Sins and a Scoundrel by Tracy Sumner (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Duchess Society series. We finally get the backstory for the suspiciously proper Jasper Noble. We first met Jasper in an earlier book in the series, where it seemed like he was a low-born rookery thug, but has suspicious slips of etiquette, suggesting that he may have a higher class upbringing. We find out here that he is actually Crispin Sinclair, the son of a lowly baron who had his heart broken when his childhood friend and neighbor, Cece, marries a decrepit old earl. Crispin re-invents himself when he’s working as a spy for the crown and becomes Jasper in the process, leaving his old life completely behind. It’s almost twenty years later now, Cece is widowed, and she’s coming to London to get her man back. Except she’s fumbling all over the place and even I’m not sure what it is that she wants. Jasper’s doing his best to protect his heart and feelings and Cece is saying she’s asking for an affair, but she might also be amenable to more. I enjoyed seeing the bickering and flirting and steam between these two, plus all the advice Jasper’s friends are trying to give him. Excellent conclusion to the series.

Advance ebook provided by Tracy Sumner.

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

Useful Resources:

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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

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

Quick Ridged Cup Cozy Crochet Pattern

Sep 7, 2024 | Crochet Patterns

Purchase a downloadable PDF copy of this pattern on Etsy.

Details

Skill Level: Beginner

Hook: J, 6mm

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (Worsted Weight – 4), approx 25 yds

Gauge 2” x 2” = 5 sts x 5 rows

Finished Size 4” lying flat x 3.75” tall

Abbreviations

ch chain

dc double crochet

fpdc front post double crochet

sc single crochet

sl st slip stitch

st(s) stitch(es)

Notes

Chain one at the beginning of each round does NOT count as a stitch.

Pattern

Chain 22. Slip stitch into first chain. Do not twist the chain. (To change width of cozy, increase/decrease in multiples of two).

Round 1: ch 1, sc in all stitches until end of chain, sl st into the top of the first sc at the start of round – 22 sts

Round 2: ch 2, dc into the top of the first sc, continue dc until last st, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 22 sts

Round 3: ch 2, fpdc around the dc from the round below, dc into the top of the dc from the round below,repeat until end of round, ending with fpdc, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 22 sts

Round 4: ch 2, fpdc into the top of the first fpdc from the round below, dc into the dc from the round below, repeat until end of round, ending with dc, sl st into the top of the first dc of the round – 22 sts

Repeat Round 4 until total of 9 rounds. Continue repeating for taller cozy.

Round 10: ch 1, sc into each st until end of round, sl st to top of the first sc

Cut yarn, leaving a tail for weaving in.

Fasten, weave in ends with yarn needle.

Hope you enjoy making these quick and easy crochet cup cozies! Make a bunch of colors and add them to your shop with my encouragement. And if you post online, please give me a tag @randomolive so I can see what you’ve made. Remember that you can grab a printable ad-free version of this pattern in my Etsy shop.

Beyond the Play Contemporary Sports Romance Book Series by Grace Reilly

Sep 4, 2024 | Book Reviews

First Down by Grace Reilly (2022)

Contemporary sports romance. Book 1 of the Beyond the Play series. College senior and football star James transfers to a new university after some drama at his previous school. Luckily, he gets to go to school and live with his brothers (who feature in later books in this series). Unluckily, he has to take a writing class that he’s very bad at and needs a tutor in. Bex is also a college senior stuck taking the same writing class and dealing with an ex-boyfriend who won’t leave her alone. Somehow James and Bex exchange tutoring for fake dating, which pretty quickly turns into real dating. High on the steam and also lots of family drama for both James and Bex (but especially Bex). This was a fun and easy book to read and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm // Available on Kindle Unlimited // Get a free trial to Kindle Unlimited

Breakaway by Grace Reilly (2022)

Contemporary sports romance. Book 2 of the Beyond the Play series. Cooper is the second son of a famous football player who is often overshadowed by his famous football player brother, but is a talented college hockey player. He’s well-known for his skills with women, but he’s hit a bit of a dry spell and feeling frustrated because of it. Somehow, he gets assigned to assist with skating lessons for little kids and meets Penny there, who he does not realize is his coach’s daughter. Penny is a former figure skater who seems to have had a traumatic sexual encounter (though we don’t find out what it is until much later); she’s wary of guys and has a list of things she’d like to try, but doesn’t want a boyfriend to do it. Ultimately, Penny and Cooper comes to a friends with benefits agreement where he helps with her list and she helps with his frustrations. But being actual friends with each other leads to a lot more emotional connection than each person was expecting. This book was high on the steam, and humor, and caring. Cooper is basically the best not-boyfriend ever.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Stealing Home by Grace Reilly (2023)

Contemporary sports romance. Book 3 of the Beyond the Play series. We get to see hints of a Sebastian-Mia relationship developing in the previous book of the series, since Sebastian’s brother and Mia’s best friend are a couple and the social spheres have overlapped. Except that Mia is basically running away from any type of serious relationship and Sebastian is heartbroken when Mia stands him up for a date. We start the main story here during Summer semester when college baseball is still going for Sebastian, and also a Summer lab internship for Mia. When her dorm floods, Sebastian offers her a room at his house that he normally shares with his siblings (who are all conveniently out of town for the Summer). These two are clearly still pining for each other and quickly restart their physical relationship, even though they’re not anticipating anything more serious. They’ve each got their own career struggles, with Mia being a scientist and dealing with her family’s disapproval, and Sebastian trying to live up to his late father’s baseball reputation. There’s a lot of individual growth that both people need to deal with, in addition to their relationship issues. This book has a lot of fun spicy scenes, along with the interesting plotlines. And I loved Sebastian’s show of support for Mia in this big grand gesture at the end.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly (2024)

Contemporary sports romance. Book 4 of the Beyond the Play series. We get to catch up with little sister Izzy and her summer fling with her brother’s rival Nikolai. He somehow gets expelled from his own school and transfers to Izzy’s. Nik’s got his own tragic backstory with an abusive father, overbearing grandfather, and an emotionally detached mother, but he’s a very charming flirt who is very good at pleasing our girl Izzy. While they rekindle their relationship, they’ve got to keep it a secret from Izzy’s brother (and now Nik’s teammate), Cooper. And really, they’re just friends with benefits anyway. (Sure, they are.) Izzy has her own feelings of inadequacy of being the youngest sibling in a group of pro athletes, but she’s working through it. I liked the writing style of this book and how Nik and Izzy each independently deal with their own insecurities. High on the steam!

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Spotify Audiobooks via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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

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

Weekly Reads: August 26 to September 1, 2024

Sep 3, 2024 | Book Reviews

How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Her Majesty’s Rebels series. A scoundrel with a fake name makes the acquaintance of wallflower Ellie, and offers his thieving experience to help with her investigative firm. Harry is not at all what he seems and is definitely hiding secrets, but he and Ellie work very well together and also make for a flirtatious and clever pair. They’re involved in a series of investigations which involve disguises, sneaking, and fake identities. But the romance is sweet and steamy and fairly low-angst. We get even more mysteries to solve when it comes to proving Harry’s identity, and Ellie is ultra-competently on the case. Fun, light, adventurous read.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Duke of Rath by Mariah Stone (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Angry and self-punishing duke Dorian still feels guilty over killing a man in a duel-gone-wrong 12 years ago; when he hears the family is in dire financial condition, he offers to marry the youngest daughter and settle their debts. Patience is all sorts of young and naive and would rather study botany than marry a duke, but it’s the only way to save the family, so she complies. It’s a cold and lonely marriage at first, since Dorian is cold and keeping his distance, but Patience definitely breaks through his defenses and he finds himself growing closer to her. Except that there’s the lingering secret of her brother’s death causing loads of guilt for him. Emotional and steamy read and I enjoyed learning more about Dorian’s backstory along the way.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone.

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

Tempting the Duchess by Sara Bennett (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Disgraceful Duchesses series. Widowed duchess Ellis is running away from her late husband’s cruel cousin and takes refuge in a cottage in the woods. There, she finds artist and lord Owen, who is willing to take in and protect the stranger. Ellis does not disclose who she truly is for fear of being turned over to the cousin, but she’s happy to serve as a model for Owen’s work while she’s there. Owen specializes in erotic drawings for a salacious publication and tries his very best to be professional with his model, though he’s very tempted by Ellis’ beauty and charm. It’s a fairly quick and steamy novella here that’s an easy read.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Super fun mashup on Pleasantville and Dawson’s Creek with tons and tons of Easter eggs and references to teen dramas of yesteryear. Brynn is having a rough time of things being recently divorced, having shallow friendships, and going on the worst first dates ever. She’d rather be sitting at home on the couch re-watching her favorite TV show, even though it ended on a cliffhanger and the main character did not end up with the dreamboat crush. And somehow, she and her roommate Josh wake up in the fictional TV world and are tasked with settings things to rights. Except the dreamboat crush is not what he seems and Brynn ends up growing feelings for Josh instead, changing the narrative of the fictional town. It’s fun and steamy and chaotic in all the best ways. I had so much fun listening to this audiobook and loved all the little callouts to the teen shows I used to love.

Advance ebook provided by Dial Press via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Duke’s Christmas Bride by Anna Bradley (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Drop Dead Dukes series. Grumpy duke Max swears revenge against the man who swindled his childhood home from his father in a card game, and when the man finally passes away, Max goes to reclaim the property. Except he finds that it is already occupied by the man’s adopted daughter Rose, who is in a dire financial situation, but refuses to leave what is effectively her own childhood home. And then it turns out the man’s will has left the house to both of them. Max gets the bright idea to manipulate Rose into marrying someone else so her new husband can turn over her half of the house, but Max and Rose are growing closer to each other instead. She’s definitely the sunshine to Max’s grump, and helps to thaw his icy feelings. Fluffy, easy read.

Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

The Viscount’s Curvy Prize by Viola Grey (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Quick and steamy novella. Painter’s daughter Emmaline is tasked with painting the portrait of the serious and stern viscount, Benedict. He’s pretty much distracted by his attraction to her from Day 1 and hesitant to do anything about it because of the power imbalance between them. She has no idea that he’s feeling all these things and is all sorts of confused when he kisses her one day, and then is cold and cordial the next day. And despite the struggle the serious Benedict seems to be facing, he does the right and honorable thing once he realizes he loves Emmaline.

Advance ebook provided by Viola Grey.

The Marquess’ Quest for Love by Alexa Aston (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 6 of the Strongs of Shadowcrest series. Byron is the dutiful second son of a marquess who is called back home from the army when his older brother dies in a carriage race and is now the new marquess. He’s all sorts of disappointed to learn what a terrible person his brother is and vows to do better; including possibly marrying the neighbor girl that his brother was engaged to (even though she’s terrible and he won’t be happy). When visiting his aunt and uncle in the Lake District, he meets Mirella, sister of a duke, who turns his head a bit, but not enough for him to shirk his duties. She’s equally enamoured of him, but doesn’t see him as marriage material since he keeps running hot and cold. They meet again several months later in the London Season, but he’s still determined to marry the neighbor. I enjoyed seeing Byron learn to let go of his staunch feelings of duty and responsibility as he opens himself up to the possibility of love. And he fits right in with the boisterous and loving Strong family.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd (2024)

Historical romance. 14th Century Italy. Book 1 of the Daughter of Montague series. Super funny and snarky re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet, where they both survive and their oldest daughter Rosie is doing her best to dodge the marriage mart. Her fifth betrothal ends with a duke stabbed in the chest in her family garden during the engagement ball and now Rosie is being suspected of the crime. There’s chaos and poisonings and a stern grumpy prince along with another charming gentleman who Rosie falls in love with at first sight. Super fun to read!

Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance ebook provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.

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

Useful Resources:

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

Thanks for reading Random Olive Reads! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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

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

New Releases for August 2024 – Historical Romance Books and Contemporary Romance Books

Aug 28, 2024 | Book Reviews

You’re the Problem, It’s You by Emma R. Alban (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Mischief and Matchmaking series. We get a full cast of boisterous meddlesome characters here, plus a bit of blackmail. Bobby is the younger brother of a viscount, new on the social scene, and trying to find a useful purpose in life. James is an actual viscount who is struggling under his cruel and overbearing stepfather and trying to learn the ropes of his newfound position. It’s a somewhat complicated family tree here, with Gwen and Beth being stepsisters/lovers who matchmade their parents in Book 1 of the series. Bobby is Gwen’s cousin, and James is Beth’s cousin. They keep getting thrown together in social events and through James’ work in parliament with Gwen’s father and Bobby’s brother. While Bobby and James think the other person is handsome, they have very different personalities and do not think highly of the other. But when you throw them together often enough, there are enough sparks to ignite a physical relationship. However, they have to deal with a previous common dalliance who’s threatening their family, plus James’ overall skittishness and cowardice. It’s interesting to see how they each overcome their own issues, and learn to team up with others to problem-solve.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

An Heiress for August by Kathleen Ayers (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 8 of the Rake Review series. Fairly quick read and another great addition to this series. August and Hazel meet as children one Summer, when August is the bullying nephew of a duke and Hazel is a mere draper’s daughter. They get into a scuffle and the outspoken unladylike Hazel is the one cast out of town. Many years later, August has inherited an impoverished estate from his cousin and needs to marry an heiress. He doesn’t realize that the girl he bullied as a child is the very heiress he needs to impress. However, he’s grown into a very handsome man and Hazel is attracted to him, despite her better judgment. It’s bickering and flirting and seduction here as he’s got ulterior motives for wooing her. Surprisingly emotional for being such a short book and I really enjoyed it.

Advance ebook provided by Kathleen Ayers

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How to Fall for a Scoundrel by Kate Bateman (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Her Majesty’s Rebels series. A scoundrel with a fake name makes the acquaintance of wallflower Ellie, and offers his thieving experience to help with her investigative firm. Harry is not at all what he seems and is definitely hiding secrets, but he and Ellie work very well together and also make for a flirtatious and clever pair. They’re involved in a series of investigations which involve disguises, sneaking, and fake identities. But the romance is sweet and steamy and fairly low-angst. We get even more mysteries to solve when it comes to proving Harry’s identity, and Ellie is ultra-competently on the case. Fun, light, adventurous read.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Good Duke Gone Wild by Bethany Bennett (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Bluestocking Booksellers series. I’m always a fan of the secret novelist trope, especially when one is particularly popular. Caro secretly writes erotic novels, gets tossed out by her vicar father, finds refuge in her cousins’ bookshop, and somehow develops a crush on a handsome duke. That handsome duke, Dorian, also has been somewhat pining for Caro and is awkward as hell about it. But then, he needs to hire someone from his favorite bookshop to catalogue and sell his wife’s book collection and Caro is sent for the job. While the flirting and attraction between Dorian and Caro is fairly straightforward, we get to read a much more interesting plot involving Dorian’s late wife and the affair she had been having before she died. Mystery, teamwork, problem-solving, and spice all in one book.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Worst in Show by Anna E. Collins (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Cute, quirky, and funny rom-com with rival pet shop owners and their merry band of furry friends. Cora is working at her grandfather’s pet shop and stressing out because it’s not doing well financially; unfortunately a fancy pants chain store is opening up across the street, and the owner Leo, is a big fat jerk. Except he isn’t really a jerk and he’s actually super attractive. They slowly come to a truce and then pair up to train their respective dogs for an upcoming dog show and then slowly start a relationship. Everyone’s got parental baggage to deal with and all sorts of stress and anxiety, but the dogs are the best supporting characters in the story and make everything so much better. Loved it!

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Lady’s Curves by A.S. Fenichel (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Fairly quick and low-angst novella. Oscar has been a socially awkward negligent earl and his steward has run away with some money and a maid, so he needs to hire a new one without word getting out about his incompetence. He hires Ann, who is an ultra-competent spinster governess from an agency and she cleans up his books and his mood. He’s been attracted to her since day one, making him even more socially inept, but I guess he finally learns to flirt and makes his move. Quick, easy read.

Advance ebook provided by A.S. Fenichel.

The Marquess and His Muse by Lavinia Glen (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Thalia’s younger sister has eloped with her fiance, the younger brother of a marquess, and she goes to demand answers from that marquess. He doesn’t have any idea what’s going on, having recently returned to England from spending time in Italy. However, he’s happy to hunt his brother down for some answers. Liam and Thalia end up as traveling companions in their search for their siblings and start a physical affair while they’re at it. Super steamy novella here with Liam doing his best job at soothing Thalia’s insecurities in and out of the bedroom.

Advance ebook provided by Lavinia Glen.

Hers for the Weekend by Helena Greer (2024)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Carrigan’s Christmasland series. Tara is the stuffy proper lawyer ex-fiancee of Miriam (from Book 1 of the series) invited to attend Miriam’s wedding to Noelle (a tree farmer at Carrigan’s). She lies and tells her friend Hannah that she has a new girlfriend who she will be bringing to the wedding, even though she does not actually have a girlfriend. Somehow, Holly, the waitress that Tara has a smidge of a crush on (and who also wants under Tara’s skirts) gets involved and they decide to pretend to be girlfriends and go to the wedding together. It’s road trip and Christmasland shenanigans for most of the book, while dealing with Tara and Holly’s respective hang-ups about relationships, friendships, and family. Everyone’s a mess and we revisit the chaotic found family of Carrigan’s. I enjoyed reading the series in order so I could remember the huge cast of characters and how they’re related to each other. Don’t let the cute cover fool you; this one is angsty and emotional.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Bred by the Orc by Veronika Kane (2024)

Historical fantasy romance. Medieval Scotland. Super short steamy novella. Drakolt is an orc who’s out to find his mate, so he goes to kidnap some laird’s daughter, Sorcha, with the help of his clanmates. Sorcha is indignant and resistant at first, but she feels the pull of attraction towards Drakolt and he seems to be treating her well through their horseback journey back to his village. And he definitely seems to be prioritizing her wellbeing and pleasure, unlike the human men she’s familiar with. Light, easy, steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Veronika Kane.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Excellent set-up and narrated by one of my favorite audiobook narrators, Natalie Naudus. We have a single POV novel with June having been dumped on national TV, turned into a meme, and now dealing with her struggling tea shop on a beachy boardwalk. She runs into childhood friend Levi, who has also been virally dumped recently, and somehow they get caught up on a social media storm calling them the Revenge Exes. They decide to awkwardly follow through with some fake dating so that June can get more customers in her store and Levi can show his ex-fiancee what she’s missing. It’s messy and complicated, especially when we factor in June’s teenage crush on Levi, and his rejection and radio silence for the past ten years. We also get a fun cast of supporting characters in the form of June’s brother, his fiancee, and another one of June’s best friends. This book is funny and sweet and cute and steamy and emotional, all in one.

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

His Ample Desire by Terri Mackenzie (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Part of the Curves and Cravats series. Quick novella. Caroline and George have been having an affair at a house party, but they decide to part ways during the Season when George needs to find a proper wife and Caroline needs to find a new protector. Except George is preoccupied with thoughts of Caroline and would rather spend his time wooing her. Caroline is a scandalous widow who has a secret illegitimate daughter that she needs to financially support and she’s trying her best to deter George’s attentions. I enjoyed seeing George being especially thoughtful and considerate of Caroline, all while ensuring her comfort and pleasure.

Advance ebook provided by Terri Mackenzie.

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone romance. Ember’s tired of being poor and overlooked in the job search, so she embellishes a little (or a lot) on her resume. She gets the job (yay) but continues to tell little white lies to all her co-workers, including one very handsome Danuwoa, who she isn’t allowed to date per company policy. This book is a lot of Ember learning to adapt in her new corporate world and Danuwoa being the very best supportive co-worker/friend/crush. While we get to see the super cute romance develop, we’re still a little wary of the potential fallout from all her lies. Ember is delightfully awkward and funny in the best ways. The workplace drama and humor in this book reminds me of Ali Hazelwood’s books.

Ebook received via Goodreads Giveaway. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio and Libro.fm.

Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Super awkward and tragic set-up here when Alison shows up to her ex-boyfriend’s funeral and his family thinks that they were still very recently dating. The ex-boyfriend’s sister insists on keeping up the ruse because it might help the family deal with their grief and all, and then she ends up volunteering to pack up his condo. Also on the job is Adam, the ex-boyfriend’s grumpy best friend who’s trying to make his own amends towards his deceased friend. As Alison and Adam spend every weekend together, they inevitably get closer together, but it’s all sorts of guilt-ridden since Adam thinks that he’s falling for his fresh-in-the-grave buddy’s girlfriend. Alison has her own hang-ups about living life to the fullest after having a preventative mastectomy due to her risk of breast cancer, even though she’d probably be happier as a cozy homebody. This was cute and funny and the relationship build-up was so good!

Advance ebook provided by Penguin Random House via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

In Want of a Wife by Rebecca Paula (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Society of Scandalous Brides series. Rafe is the younger brother of an earl and a total rake and pretty unhelpful around his straightlaced upstanding older brother. And then he has the bright idea to advertise for a wife for his brother in the newspaper. And instead of apologizing to all the women he’s duped in his brother’s name, he ends up going to fetch one of them to bring back, without his brother’s knowledge or approval. Lily is in her own tough spot, having been jilted twice before and needing an escape from her father’s home. She takes the opportunity to become engaged via letter and is surprised when Rafe comes to escort her to her new husband. It’s a chaotic road trip ahead, where Lily and Rafe end up falling in love, even though Rafe has been lying to her the whole time. And we just know that his brother will not be pleased when he finds out. Loads of road trip hijinks and a slow build of trust between Lily and Rafe.

Advance ebook provided by Rebecca Paula via BookSirens.

Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly (2024)

Contemporary sports romance. Book 4 of the Beyond the Play series. We get to catch up with little sister Izzy and her summer fling with her brother’s rival Nikolai. He somehow gets expelled from his own school and transfers to Izzy’s. Nik’s got his own tragic backstory with an abusive father, overbearing grandfather, and an emotionally detached mother, but he’s a very charming flirt who is very good at pleasing our girl Izzy. While they rekindle their relationship, they’ve got to keep it a secret from Izzy’s brother (and now Nik’s teammate), Cooper. And really, they’re just friends with benefits anyway. (Sure, they are.) Izzy has her own feelings of inadequacy of being the youngest sibling in a group of pro athletes, but she’s working through it. I liked the writing style of this book and how Nik and Izzy each independently deal with their own insecurities. High on the steam!

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Spotify Audiobooks via NetGalley.

Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Wild Wynchesters series. It’s Elizabeth’s turn to take the lead on a case, putting her in the countryside to look for the missing will of a countess in an earl’s castle. Instead of finding the earl there, she finds his tinkering cousin, Stephen. We get a grumpy-grumpy romance in this one with both Elizabeth and Stephen preferring solitude to company. It’s fun to see them work together to try to find the missing will, plus I liked seeing Elizabeth being appreciative of Stephen’s inventions instead of disparaging his oddness. There’s a common annoying villain around who believes he won the castle in a card game, but once they find the will, it’ll be clear the property wouldn’t be his. Plus, we get a full family of Wynchester showing up for the big confrontation.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Duke of Rath by Mariah Stone (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Angry and self-punishing duke Dorian still feels guilty over killing a man in a duel-gone-wrong 12 years ago; when he hears the family is in dire financial condition, he offers to marry the youngest daughter and settle their debts. Patience is all sorts of young and naive and would rather study botany than marry a duke, but it’s the only way to save the family, so she complies. It’s a cold and lonely marriage at first, since Dorian is cold and keeping his distance, but Patience definitely breaks through his defenses and he finds himself growing closer to her. Except that there’s the lingering secret of her brother’s death causing loads of guilt for him. Emotional and steamy read and I enjoyed learning more about Dorian’s backstory along the way.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone.

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