An Unexpected Kiss by Alexa Aston (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Captivating Kisses series. Believing himself to be the illegitimate son of a seamstress, Julian is shocked to learn that he is the legitimate son and heir to the marquess. His life takes a very different turn when he inherits and takes on the title and wealth. He’s lucky to meet his neighbor, Lady Ariadne in their shared garden, who tasks her brother to assist Julian on his entry into society. Ariadne is the daughter of a duke making her debut this season and is a bit stifled by her parents’ expectations. She would much rather do some good in the world by caring for the less fortunate. She’s hoping to find a match that would support her goals. It seems that Julian and Ariadne are well-suited to each other and even share a scorching kiss one day, but he needs to get over his fear of being inferior to her. Quick read and a fun set-up for a whole cast of siblings and cousins that will be featured in this series.

Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Big Shots series. Hockey player Sig meets his dream girl Chloe when his car breaks down at a country club. After a steamy kiss, they make plans to meet up again after he has dinner with his father. And then it all goes downhill when he finds out that Chloe is meant to be his future stepsister. Somehow, he’s quickly entangled in her life as he helps her set up her own apartment away from her mother and they become the best of friends. It’s pretty much insta-love for these two, with every interaction between them filled with longing, but they’re both doing their best to keep things platonic since they’re soon-to-be=stepsiblings. This whole book is chaotic and messy and hilarious. And when we start getting steamy, it’s well worth the payoff. Chloe is the ultimate manic pixie dream girl character and so much fun to read.

Advance ebook provided by Avon Books via NetGalley.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Heartstrings series. Super cute and fluffy and had me laughing throughout the book. We have a Sleepless in Seattle retelling here with single mom Lucie finding that her pre-teen daughter has called into the radio station’s romance hotline to help her find a date. While the flailing radio show doesn’t have much of an audience, Lucie’s segment goes viral and somehow she’s roped into joining Aiden in the recording booth. Aiden is the ultimate grump who doesn’t believe in love (or rather, avoiding it altogether to prevent any heartbreak), but the chemistry between him and Lucie has got listeners tuning into the radio show in droves. They’re absolutely adorable together and the flirting is top-notch. I love Lucie’s whole support system who is rooting for her happiness. This book is the slowest of slow-burns, but the payoff is worth it. Loved it so much.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Devil’s Charm by Megan Frampton (2025)

Historical Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Heirs & Spares series. Super cute and fairly lighthearted read here. Total opposites, Diantha and Lucien meet at a ball and have instant sparks. Too bad their parents hate each other. And then they both get thrown together to work on an issue of a co-owned factory, and they’ve got to spend more time with the person their crushing on, even though it’s ill-advised. This book gets points for having the fun-loving and reportedly rakish Lucien falling first and hard. He even impresses Diantha by acknowledging her intelligence and asking her thoughtful questions. I loved how supportive Diantha’s wacky family is of her, even though they’re a bit chaotic. Overall, a fun book to read.

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

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This book starts right away with an author’s note letting you know that there’s kink exploration here. Collegiate diver Scarlett has ongoing issues of perfectionism and a mental block at the diving board following a nearly career-ending injury over a year ago. She’s basically doing her best to juggle all her responsibilities and keep her head down. And then somehow, she gets entangled into her teammate Penelope’s drama with her boyfriend Lukas, a swimmer at the same university. Pen and Lukas have broken up over sexual incompatibility reasons, which somehow leads to Scarlett revealing her own preferences, which just coincidentally match Lukas’. It all starts as a Pen-endorsed fling, but clearly, Lukas has had stronger feelings for Scarlett for awhile (and is really good at the caretaking aspect of this relationship). The characters are realistically messy for having so many competing responsibilities and I enjoyed reading about Scarlett’s improved confidence throughout the book. Watch out for cameos from our beloved Olive and Adam from The Love Hypothesis. Also, the whole book is told from Scarlett’s POV, but the audiobook is a duet narration.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Paris. Book 3 of the Las Leonas series. Our grumpy stuffy doctor friend Aurora gets her romance here with Apollo, the half-brother of Evan from Book 1 of the series. The set-up here is mostly a no-strings attached affair, since Aurora is busy running her illegal women’s clinics and Apollo is trying to cement his place into the English aristocracy. Except they catch all sorts of feelings and are insanely protective of each other. We get all sorts of drama in the form of Aurora’s traumatic past and Apollo’s political ambitions, which is interesting to read about. The book is super steamy, and I especially loved Apollo’s caretaking of Aurora. Great conclusion to the Las Leonas series.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Collins via NetGalley.

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (2025)

Fantasy romance. Book 1 of the Cosmic Chaos series. Super funny and spicy, as expected from Kimberly Lemming. Dory is a wildlife biologist who gets attacked by a lion, then abducted by aliens, and then dropped on an alien planet with the dudes are horned and tailed, and dinosaurs roam free. It’s a fun series of discoveries here as we slowly learn why Dory is on this planet at all. It’s an insta-lust type of romance between Dory and her two alien suitors, Sol and Lok. Plus everyone is running from a pink T. Rex. It’s super funny and fast-paced and you really just need to read it to believe what chaotic things happen here.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Secret Society of Governess Spies series. Frankie is the outspoken and socially awkward governess sent to spy on gambling hell owner Jasper, who has a 15 year old niece living with him after his brother passed away. Everyone here is pure chaos and delight. Frankie is a mathematician and a terrible spy, so she keeps getting into trouble with Jasper. And Jasper cannot help but be totally intrigued by his new governess. Throw in the mischievous teenager, and we’ve got a really fun book.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio. Print book provided by Forever Books.

A Simple Scandal by Janna MacGregor (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Millionaires of Mayfair series. Second chance romance here between Dane and Grace, a duke and an earl’s daughter who were childhood friends and previously betrothed. We get flashbacks throughout this book to let us know what happened between these two nine years ago to break their engagement. And we finally see these two talk through those issues are try to figure out how to make things work in the present day. After getting both his sisters married off to his best friends (in book 1 and 2 of the series), Dane is feeling lonely and wants to rekindle his association with Grace. Except he hires her to find him a suitable bride and it’s not clear if it’s just a plot to get close enough to her so that she will end up marrying him. Grace is in all sorts of financial insecurity after the death of her father, so she’s stuck taking the job, even though she doesn’t want to. We get some external players here with Grace’s matchmaking job, but really, I was just reading to uncover how Dane and Grace work out their issues. Overall, a solid second chance romance book.

Advance ebook provided by Janna MacGregor.

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This one was a really good slow-burn missed connection story. Leigh and Will were in the same high school writing class and Will had given Leigh hypercritical feedback during class, basically derailing her crush on him. We fast forward ten years later and they’ve just started the same Masters of Fine Arts program together and it’s a pretty small cohort. Things are awkward between them, as expected, especially when we learn that they had seen each other once six years ago (also ending badly). It was interesting to see these two people continuing to skirt around their feelings for each other and not quite communicate directly. Everything is sort of hiding in their poetry and creative work and they’re both deeply insecure. It was fun seeing the dynamic with all their classmates and working through their career aspirations. Overall, the book kept me hooked, even if all the poetry went over my head.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio via NetGalley.

Duke of Pryde by Mariah Stone (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Loved this marriage of convenience story with a healthy dose of blackmail. Constantine is always looking over his shoulder and a total stickler for propriety because he’s the result of an affair between the duchess and a commoner. So the Duke of Pryde is ever-prideful and suspicious of anyone who could be the person blackmailing him with evidence of his illegitimacy. Somehow, he’s entangled with Modesty, a vicar’s daughter, who is the guardian of an infant that she believes to be Constantine’s natural child. It’s all a bit convoluted, but in order to protect his secrets, Constantine proposes to take custody of the child and a marriage of convenience to Modesty. I enjoyed Constantine’s instant attraction to Modesty, even though he’s always saying the wrong thing. I also enjoyed the blackmail plot of the story and seeing all the dukes band together to solve the case.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone via BookSprout.

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The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett (2025)

Historical Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Damsels of Discovery series. Combine an emotionally traumatized exiled scientist with an upbeat and fairly emotionally happy kind of guy, and we get this absolute gem of a book. Phoebe is back in the country to deal with her late father’s estate, after having been exiled off to America for inventing a bomb that killed someone. She’s all sorts of detached and cold to everyone around her, and we learn that it’s because of her horribly abusive father. Somehow, the wealthy shop owner and newspaper owner Sam gets involved in her affairs, first by offering to buy her house and second by trying to court her sister. Sam’s just trying to improve his overall station in life and thinks a titled wife is the way to do it. But of course, Sam is more interested in Phoebe than anything else and wants to soothe all of her hurts. Tons of emotional angst here as we dig up all of Phoebe’s traumas and come to some resolution. Excellent read.

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

The Devil’s Charm by Megan Frampton (2025)

Historical Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Heirs & Spares series. Super cute and fairly lighthearted read here. Total opposites, Diantha and Lucien meet at a ball and have instant sparks. Too bad their parents hate each other. And then they both get thrown together to work on an issue of a co-owned factory, and they’ve got to spend more time with the person their crushing on, even though it’s ill-advised. This book gets points for having the fun-loving and reportedly rakish Lucien falling first and hard. He even impresses Diantha by acknowledging her intelligence and asking her thoughtful questions. I loved how supportive Diantha’s wacky family is of her, even though they’re a bit chaotic. Overall, a fun book to read.

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

Masks of Desire by Fenna Edgewood (2021)

Historical Romance. Victorian-era England. Book 0 of the Gardner Girls series. This book was crazypants in all the best ways. We start off with Caroline’s cruel and villainous father telling her to break her longtime engagement to childhood friend Henry since he’s gotten his mistress pregnant, left her to die, and refusing to care for the baby. And then dear old Dad brings the baby into the room to show Caroline, and a very unique birthmark convinces her that her beloved has betrayed her. On the flip side of this, Henry is being told by his parents that Caroline has broken their engagement and will soon be engaged to someone of higher rank and social status. Basically, these two innocent people are being manipulated and lied to and torn apart by Caroline’s father. It’ll take a lot of maneuvering to get these two in the same room again and actually figure out the truth. There’s way more drama with Henry’s scapegrace brother and Caroline’s new fiance, so this book was very fun to read.

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

The Copper Heir by Harper St. George (2025)

Historical romance. American West. Book 1 of the the Gilded West series. Emmaline is the stepdaughter of an outlaw who gets kidnapped by a rival outlaw gang as revenge. Although Hunter is no ordinary outlaw, since he’s also a wealthy miner and incredibly kind to Emmaline. But you know, she can’t really trust him, so she escapes and then somehow ends up at a brothel auction for her virginity so she can get enough money to run away with her sisters. And of course, Hunter finds her. Lots of action and adventure and shoot outs here with Emmaline and Hunter falling in love despite their impossible circumstances.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

The Earl’s Gamble by Stevie Sparks (2025)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 1 of the Lovers’ Arch series. Quick and steamy novella. Widowed Rose is at the workhouse after falling into some tough circumstances after the death of her husband and her brother. While at the garden to honor what would be her brother’s birthday, she meets Griff, who served in the war with her brother and also there to pay tribute to the fallen man. And it turns out he’s an earl with plenty of money and power to help Rose get back on her feet. So he brings her home and almost certainly falls in love with her, despite the differences in their social station. We get a scheming butler thrown in the mix for some drama, but it’s still a quick read.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

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First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Heartstrings series. Super cute and fluffy and had me laughing throughout the book. We have a Sleepless in Seattle retelling here with single mom Lucie finding that her pre-teen daughter has called into the radio station’s romance hotline to help her find a date. While the flailing radio show doesn’t have much of an audience, Lucie’s segment goes viral and somehow she’s roped into joining Aiden in the recording booth. Aiden is the ultimate grump who doesn’t believe in love (or rather, avoiding it altogether to prevent any heartbreak), but the chemistry between him and Lucie has got listeners tuning into the radio show in droves. They’re absolutely adorable together and the flirting is top-notch. I love Lucie’s whole support system who is rooting for her happiness. This book is the slowest of slow-burns, but the payoff is worth it. Loved it so much.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

Where Have All the Scoundrels Gone by Louisa Darling (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Dukes in Disguise series. I love the trope where two people have a tryst totally masked and thinking that the other person doesn’t know their identity. And of course, both of these people totally know who the other person is. We have a stuffy grumpy rule-following duke, Nathaniel, who turns out to be a bare knuckle fighter in an underground fighting ring. He’s trying to work out all his aggressions because he’s such a rule-follower in his daily life and because he’s inappropriately attracted to his sister’s companion, Bess. She’s the cook at a village tavern and inn, but she’s in London for an adventure, and mainly looking for a quick dalliance. Of course, she’s also distracted by Nathaniel and is pleased to find him at the fighting ring. They know exactly who they’re having an affair with, but each believes that the other person doesn’t know their identity. Their social standing will prevent any sort of long-term relationship, but only if Nathaniel sticks with his rules of propriety. Loved this book and cannot wait to read more from this author.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Hellions of Havisham series. This book is a reputation in the historical romance space and with good reason. Twin brothers Albert and Edward were orphaned as children, making Albert the earl at age 7. When they go on a safari together, Albert is tragically killed by a gorilla and he extracts a deathbed promise from Edward to pretend to be him so that his pregnant wife Julia waiting at home does not suffer a miscarriage. We start the book pretty much at the funeral of “Edward” and the countess worrying over how distant her husband has been since his return. It’s all sorts of angsty here right off the bat, since she doesn’t know her actual husband has died, she’s feeling insecure about her changed appearance during pregnancy, and her husband is acting strange. Edward is basically scared of any wrong move harming Julia and the baby and fighting his attraction for her. Huge mess of confusing emotions throughout the entire book and such a great read. This one is required reading for all historical romance fans.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera (2025)

Historical romance. Victorian-era Paris. Book 3 of the Las Leonas series. Our grumpy stuffy doctor friend Aurora gets her romance here with Apollo, the half-brother of Evan from Book 1 of the series. The set-up here is mostly a no-strings attached affair, since Aurora is busy running her illegal women’s clinics and Apollo is trying to cement his place into the English aristocracy. Except they catch all sorts of feelings and are insanely protective of each other. We get all sorts of drama in the form of Aurora’s traumatic past and Apollo’s political ambitions, which is interesting to read about. The book is super steamy, and I especially loved Apollo’s caretaking of Aurora. Great conclusion to the Las Leonas series.

Advance ebook provided by Harper Collins via NetGalley.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Secret Society of Governess Spies series. Frankie is the outspoken and socially awkward governess sent to spy on gambling hell owner Jasper, who has a 15 year old niece living with him after his brother passed away. Everyone here is pure chaos and delight. Frankie is a mathematician and a terrible spy, so she keeps getting into trouble with Jasper. And Jasper cannot help but be totally intrigued by his new governess. Throw in the mischievous teenager, and we’ve got a really fun book.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio. Print book provided by Forever Books.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

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

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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.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Secret Society of Governess Spies series. Frankie is the outspoken and socially awkward governess sent to spy on gambling hell owner Jasper, who has a 15 year old niece living with him after his brother passed away. Everyone here is pure chaos and delight. Frankie is a mathematician and a terrible spy, so she keeps getting into trouble with Jasper. And Jasper cannot help but be totally intrigued by his new governess. Throw in the mischievous teenager, and we’ve got a really fun book.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio. Print book provided by Forever Books.

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (2025)

Fantasy romance. Book 1 of the Cosmic Chaos series. Super funny and spicy, as expected from Kimberly Lemming. Dory is a wildlife biologist who gets attacked by a lion, then abducted by aliens, and then dropped on an alien planet with the dudes are horned and tailed, and dinosaurs roam free. It’s a fun series of discoveries here as we slowly learn why Dory is on this planet at all. It’s an insta-lust type of romance between Dory and her two alien suitors, Sol and Lok. Plus everyone is running from a pink T. Rex. It’s super funny and fast-paced and you really just need to read it to believe what chaotic things happen here.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

A Simple Scandal by Janna MacGregor (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Millionaires of Mayfair series. Second chance romance here between Dane and Grace, a duke and an earl’s daughter who were childhood friends and previously betrothed. We get flashbacks throughout this book to let us know what happened between these two nine years ago to break their engagement. And we finally see these two talk through those issues are try to figure out how to make things work in the present day. After getting both his sisters married off to his best friends (in book 1 and 2 of the series), Dane is feeling lonely and wants to rekindle his association with Grace. Except he hires her to find him a suitable bride and it’s not clear if it’s just a plot to get close enough to her so that she will end up marrying him. Grace is in all sorts of financial insecurity after the death of her father, so she’s stuck taking the job, even though she doesn’t want to. We get some external players here with Grace’s matchmaking job, but really, I was just reading to uncover how Dane and Grace work out their issues. Overall, a solid second chance romance book.

Advance ebook provided by Janna MacGregor.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan (2025)

Fantasy romance. Standalone novel. Full of politics and fighting and things not exactly as they seem. Liyen is the granddaughter of the king of a mortal realm that is walled off from everywhere else and caught between two warring immortal factions. And when Liyen is poisoned and dying, her grandfather steals some sacred lotus to heal her. This angers the immortal queen and the God of War, as expected, since the precious lotus was to be preserved and given to the queen. The romance here is between Liyen and the God of War, Zhangwei, even though she’s adamant that she hates him for what he represents and his role in the death of her grandfather. It’s a lot of back and forth here as he tries to flirt with her and she’s trying to deny her attraction for him. And then we get tied up with a common enemy who wants to harm even more people and it’s a big old confusing mess of activity. Interesting read and kept me entertained, but I felt like Liyen was a bit of a weak character here.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm.

The Runaway Heiress by Harper St. George (2025)

Historical romance. American West. Book 0 of the Gilded West series. Super short read here. Sophie is the niece of some unscrupulous miner and she’s being married off to some other shady character. She’s also got a crush on Gray, who works for her uncle as a gunslinger. Of course, Gray is actually working undercover to bring down the evil uncle for his crimes and he’s also got a crush on Sophie. She tries to run away from the wedding, but he catches her and needs to bring her back, but maybe not before spending a night in his rooms. Quick and steamy little novella.

Ebook accessed from Kindle Unlimited.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

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

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A Beastly Kind of Earl by Mia Vincy (2019)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Prequel to the Longhope Abbey series. Thea has been banished from her home and lives a pretty lonely existence, ever since she was accused of some scandalous behavior (that she really didn’t do). And then her younger sister Helen needs some help eloping with her beau Beau, and Thea is on the case. Thea and Helen swap places temporarily so that Helen can get away and Thea’s supposed to just be spending time at her friend’s house party. And then the beastly earl Rafe shows up to do a favor in exchange for some orchids: keep Helen away from the old man’s son. So Rafe shows up with a marriage license ready to marry Helen herself to keep her occupied. And Thea has to go along with it, but she knows the marriage won’t be real. She doesn’t realize that Rafe knows it’s been Thea this whole time and he also knows the marriage won’t be real, but he’ll secure his money that’s been in a trust in the meantime. These two have the best banter and bickering and understanding of each other, even as they’re both lying to each other. We have the perfect blend of humor and emotional turmoil here and I’m excited to read more of this series.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook accessed from Audible.

A Dangerous Kind of Lady by Mia Vincy (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Longhope Abbey series. This one is the messiest fake engagement books I’ve read. Arabella and Guy were betrothed as children, but Guy is bucking against everything his father has ever commanded, so he refuses to marry her. Arabella is just trying to stall her own father’s control and wants a fake engagement with Guy until her other neighbor can return to the country for a marriage of convenience. But Guy is stubborn and not listening, so he refuses and Arabella ends up engaged to someone much more lecherous and dangerous. There’s also some background plotting with Guy’s sisters and their guardian and him slowly realizing that Arabella almost always knows best. There’s scandal and intrigue and definitely group of strong defiant women. I loved this book so much and loved how Guy and Arabella slowly learned to be honest and vulnerable with each other.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook accessed from Audible.

A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy (2018)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Longhope Abbey series. Cassandra and Joshua only met once on their wedding day and have been estranged the entire two years of their marriage. When Cassandra goes to London to make arrangements for her sister’s debut into society, Joshua doesn’t even recognize her when they run into each other in the park. He just wants her to leave so he can be alone and focus on his business, but she’s got a task to do to take care of her family. There’s a lot of bickering and argument between these two, even though they’re terribly attracted to each other. They both have their individual traumas and burdens, which prevent them from wanting to get emotionally involved with each other. This book was delightfully angsty and steamy and I enjoyed watching these two slowly fall in love.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Scandalous Kind of Duke by Mia Vincy (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Longhope Abbey series. Former childhood friends finally talk about their missed connection in this book of the series. Juno and Leo have an ill-fated connection, since Leo was the heir to a duke and Juno was basically abandoned by her artist parents. After a kiss in the woods as teens, Leo starts sputtering nonsense about family and duty and she pretty much writes him off completely. When they meet again a few years later, Juno emphasizes that they’re just friends and that he shouldn’t be worried that she’s obsessed with him or anything. Clearly, she’s protecting her own heart, but doesn’t realize that he’s come to chase after her. We jump even more years in the future and Leo is officially the duke, divorced to his first wife, and looking for a second wife. Juno is a famous artist, who Leo has been warned to stop seeing (even though they’re just friends). And so the friendship-breakup is stirring up all these old/existing feelings between the two and they finally have to work through it. If you like pining and longing and self-defensive communication, this one is for you.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Christmas Affair to Remember by Mia Vincy (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3.5 of the Longhope Abbey series. Fairly quick read here with an affair between a widow and a former Navy officer. Sylvia is at a Christmas house party enjoying the good food and cheer for a bit before she commits to her fiance out in the country. While she’s there, she starts an affair with Isaac, the young man who is looking to find a bride soon, but totally unsure of himself in terms of physical intimacy. So he helps himself to some lessons with the good widow, and of course they fall in love. Quick and steamy read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

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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.

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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.

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This one was a really good slow-burn missed connection story. Leigh and Will were in the same high school writing class and Will had given Leigh hypercritical feedback during class, basically derailing her crush on him. We fast forward ten years later and they’ve just started the same Masters of Fine Arts program together and it’s a pretty small cohort. Things are awkward between them, as expected, especially when we learn that they had seen each other once six years ago (also ending badly). It was interesting to see these two people continuing to skirt around their feelings for each other and not quite communicate directly. Everything is sort of hiding in their poetry and creative work and they’re both deeply insecure. It was fun seeing the dynamic with all their classmates and working through their career aspirations. Overall, the book kept me hooked, even if all the poetry went over my head.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Hachette Audio via NetGalley.

Where Have All the Scoundrels Gone by Louisa Darling (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Dukes in Disguise series. I love the trope where two people have a tryst totally masked and thinking that the other person doesn’t know their identity. And of course, both of these people totally know who the other person is. We have a stuffy grumpy rule-following duke, Nathaniel, who turns out to be a bare knuckle fighter in an underground fighting ring. He’s trying to work out all his aggressions because he’s such a rule-follower in his daily life and because he’s inappropriately attracted to his sister’s companion, Bess. She’s the cook at a village tavern and inn, but she’s in London for an adventure, and mainly looking for a quick dalliance. Of course, she’s also distracted by Nathaniel and is pleased to find him at the fighting ring. They know exactly who they’re having an affair with, but each believes that the other person doesn’t know their identity. Their social standing will prevent any sort of long-term relationship, but only if Nathaniel sticks with his rules of propriety. Loved this book and cannot wait to read more from this author.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (2025)

Contemporary romance. Book 1 of the Heartstrings series. Super cute and fluffy and had me laughing throughout the book. We have a Sleepless in Seattle retelling here with single mom Lucie finding that her pre-teen daughter has called into the radio station’s romance hotline to help her find a date. While the flailing radio show doesn’t have much of an audience, Lucie’s segment goes viral and somehow she’s roped into joining Aiden in the recording booth. Aiden is the ultimate grump who doesn’t believe in love (or rather, avoiding it altogether to prevent any heartbreak), but the chemistry between him and Lucie has got listeners tuning into the radio show in droves. They’re absolutely adorable together and the flirting is top-notch. I love Lucie’s whole support system who is rooting for her happiness. This book is the slowest of slow-burns, but the payoff is worth it. Loved it so much.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Viscount and the Vixen by Lorraine Heath (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Hellions of Havisham series. Viscount Locksley is not interested in falling in love, since it drove his father mad when his mother died in childbirth. And then Portia shows up at the front door answering the mad marquess’ advertisement for a wife. Locke wants to spare his father the trouble of dealing with a fortune and title-hungry schemer, so he marries her himself. It’s a quick marriage of convenience here with the aim of bedsport and making an heir. However, Locke soon realizes that Portia is not exactly what she seems and he becomes highly possessive and intrigued by her. Portia is doing her best to find security within the walls of the dusty old manor house. I liked seeing the slow development of real feelings between these two and also how Portia brings the manor back to life. I also enjoyed uncovering Portia’s secrets along with Locke and finding out just why the security of the country was so important to her.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

When the Marquess Falls by Lorraine Heath (2017)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3.5 of the Hellions of Havisham series. Quick novella telling the backstory of the Marquess of Marden’s romance with his beloved Linnie. We get some peaks of this romance in the previous book, but this one expands a bit and ties together with the set-up of the whole series. It’s a pretty straightforward romance here with George, the marquess, falling in love with Linnie, the baker’s daughter and his childhood friend. He’s got to overcome his mother’s disapproval, but it’s easy enough to do with how much he loves Linnie. Heads up that the plot does include the childbirth of Locke that leads to Linnie’s death, plus a retelling of the prologue of the first book (where the orphaned boys come to the manor) but from Marden’s point of view.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Scandalous Kind of Duke by Mia Vincy (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Longhope Abbey series. Former childhood friends finally talk about their missed connection in this book of the series. Juno and Leo have an ill-fated connection, since Leo was the heir to a duke and Juno was basically abandoned by her artist parents. After a kiss in the woods as teens, Leo starts sputtering nonsense about family and duty and she pretty much writes him off completely. When they meet again a few years later, Juno emphasizes that they’re just friends and that he shouldn’t be worried that she’s obsessed with him or anything. Clearly, she’s protecting her own heart, but doesn’t realize that he’s come to chase after her. We jump even more years in the future and Leo is officially the duke, divorced to his first wife, and looking for a second wife. Juno is a famous artist, who Leo has been warned to stop seeing (even though they’re just friends). And so the friendship-breakup is stirring up all these old/existing feelings between the two and they finally have to work through it. If you like pining and longing and self-defensive communication, this one is for you.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Christmas Affair to Remember by Mia Vincy (2022)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3.5 of the Longhope Abbey series. Fairly quick read here with an affair between a widow and a former Navy officer. Sylvia is at a Christmas house party enjoying the good food and cheer for a bit before she commits to her fiance out in the country. While she’s there, she starts an affair with Isaac, the young man who is looking to find a bride soon, but totally unsure of himself in terms of physical intimacy. So he helps himself to some lessons with the good widow, and of course they fall in love. Quick and steamy read.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Matrimony Trap by Louisa Darling (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Drake Family series. Cute little novella and a great introduction to this author. Somewhat socially awkward Caroline is trying to get the attention of Fitzwilliam, but he’s not interested in being caught in matrimony. Except she’s not trying to catch a husband for herself; she wants his widowed father to pursue her widowed mother. They all end up at a house party together and Caroline and Fitz get thrown together quite often in their matchmaking scheme. The joke is on them though since they pretty quickly fall for each other. Quick read and totally worth it.

Ebook provided by signing up for author’s email newsletter.

Falling Into Bed with a Duke by Lorraine Heath (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Hellions of Havisham series. Tragic prologue for a group of young boys orphaned by a train accident and sent to live with a mad marquess. As the boys grow up, they’re known as the Hellions, giving the name to this series. Minerva (daughter of a former gambling hell owner) and the Duke of Ashebury end up meeting at a scandalous club where ladies attend to find trysts. She figures she’s an outspoken overlooked spinster who refuses to marry a fortune-hunter and she wants to feel desired for once in her life. There, she encounters Ashe, who does actually want her, without knowing who she is. When they encounter each other in society, Ashe starts suspecting Minerva of being the masked woman he met at the club and is completely intrigued by her. I loved how he appreciates her outspokenness and candor and how he comes to her defense when he overhears people speaking ill of her. There’s a lot of insecurity for Minerva to overcome though, so Ashe has his work cut out for him in his pursuit of her. As I do with most books by Lorraine Heath, I loved it.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (2025)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. This book starts right away with an author’s note letting you know that there’s kink exploration here. Collegiate diver Scarlett has ongoing issues of perfectionism and a mental block at the diving board following a nearly career-ending injury over a year ago. She’s basically doing her best to juggle all her responsibilities and keep her head down. And then somehow, she gets entangled into her teammate Penelope’s drama with her boyfriend Lukas, a swimmer at the same university. Pen and Lukas have broken up over sexual incompatibility reasons, which somehow leads to Scarlett revealing her own preferences, which just coincidentally match Lukas’. It all starts as a Pen-endorsed fling, but clearly, Lukas has had stronger feelings for Scarlett for awhile (and is really good at the caretaking aspect of this relationship). The characters are realistically messy for having so many competing responsibilities and I enjoyed reading about Scarlett’s improved confidence throughout the book. Watch out for cameos from our beloved Olive and Adam from The Love Hypothesis. Also, the whole book is told from Scarlett’s POV, but the audiobook is a duet narration.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Advance audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath (2016)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Hellions of Havisham series. This book is a reputation in the historical romance space and with good reason. Twin brothers Albert and Edward were orphaned as children, making Albert the earl at age 7. When they go on a safari together, Albert is tragically killed by a gorilla and he extracts a deathbed promise from Edward to pretend to be him so that his pregnant wife Julia waiting at home does not suffer a miscarriage. We start the book pretty much at the funeral of “Edward” and the countess worrying over how distant her husband has been since his return. It’s all sorts of angsty here right off the bat, since she doesn’t know her actual husband has died, she’s feeling insecure about her changed appearance during pregnancy, and her husband is acting strange. Edward is basically scared of any wrong move harming Julia and the baby and fighting his attraction for her. Huge mess of confusing emotions throughout the entire book and such a great read. This one is required reading for all historical romance fans.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Don’t Let Your Dukes Grow Up To Be Scoundrels by Louisa Darling (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Dukes in Disguise series. Lady Gemma is a duke’s daughter who’s been kicked out of her home by her half-brother after their father’s death. Gemma along with her mother and younger sister are on their own and have found that their own possession is a pub in a country village. Gemma’s grand plan is to find a wealthy husband to marry, so she can support her family and restore their place in society. What she doesn’t realize is that the barman Hal is actually the impoverished duke that owns to local manor. He detests the aristocracy and believes Gemma to be a spoiled fortune-hunter, so of course he hides his true identity from her. And then they fight and flirt their way into an impossible relationship. Loved the fish out of water vibes for Gemma and watching her learn to fend for herself and the value of hard work.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Duke of Pryde by Mariah Stone (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Seven Dukes of Sin series. Loved this marriage of convenience story with a healthy dose of blackmail. Constantine is always looking over his shoulder and a total stickler for propriety because he’s the result of an affair between the duchess and a commoner. So the Duke of Pryde is ever-prideful and suspicious of anyone who could be the person blackmailing him with evidence of his illegitimacy. Somehow, he’s entangled with Modesty, a vicar’s daughter, who is the guardian of an infant that she believes to be Constantine’s natural child. It’s all a bit convoluted, but in order to protect his secrets, Constantine proposes to take custody of the child and a marriage of convenience to Modesty. I enjoyed Constantine’s instant attraction to Modesty, even though he’s always saying the wrong thing. I also enjoyed the blackmail plot of the story and seeing all the dukes band together to solve the case.

Advance ebook provided by Mariah Stone via BookSprout.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

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

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

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Support this page with a donation

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