The Duke and the Lady in Red by Lorraine Heath (2015)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series. Rose is a swindler who sets her sights on the elusive Duke of Avendale. He’s so distracted by his desire for her that he almost falls for it. But then he catches her trying to leave town with his money and insist that she stays with him at his home for a week. Avendale has a long history of being selfishly debaucherous and Rose is really just trying to survive her tragic upbringing. It was so interesting to see the unraveling of Rose’s secrets over the story and Avendale’s kind and gentle responses to it. Loved all the twists and reveals in this one.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery (2024)

Contemporary romance/fiction. Standalone novel. This book was lots of fun! Our main lead is Julie, who is the matriarch of the family, and looking forward to a quiet Christmas alone with her younger secret boyfriend Heath. We get two other perspectives in this story: Blair (Julie’s daughter-in-law) and Dana (Julie’s daughter). The book alternates from the three characters’ perspectives with all the drama that ensues when they all decide to have a big family Christmas celebration at the family cabin. Blair and her husband have postponed their delayed honeymoon again, since he’s missing his late father. And with the big family Christmas, Blair has to bring her cold and emotionally distant mother along (we don’t like her much). Dana is heartbroken about being dumped recently and trying to be a newer better version of herself; but that will all start after Christmas. She’s also a bit upset her mother kept the new boyfriend a secret. We get more complicated when Heath’s kids join the trip too. Definitely lots going on here with a loud and boisterous family. This was a fun one to read, but don’t go in expecting romance to be the main plot.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by HarperCollins via TikTokShop.

Duchess Material by Emily Sullivan (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Standalone novel (but it seems like it could be the start of a series). Phoebe and Will were neighbors and childhood friends on the cusp of something more as they grew up, but then Will unexpectedly inherits a dukedom and their paths completely diverge. And then one day, Phoebe needs Will to help bail her out of jail and they’re thrown together again. She’s out searching for her missing student and he’s a duke with connections, so they team up to solve the mystery. Of course, they end up in more trouble than they bargained for, plus start an affair in the process. The longing and love and yearning is apparent with every interaction, but they’re stifled by their current stations in life. I also enjoyed the direct communication between the two and the set-up for potentially more stories involving Phoebe’s sisters. Loved it.

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

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The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Fun combination of a romance with a cozy mystery. Maggie and Ethan have been thrown together on a Christmas trip to an old manor that belongs to a famous mystery writer. When the old lady disappears, Maggie thinks it’s a test, but then it seems that someone amongst the holiday guests really is trying to cause harm. Maggie and Ethan then need to team up to solve the mystery and keep each other out of harm. Maggie is basically skeptical of Ethan’s motives and attitude, not realizing that this man clearly has a crush on her. The romance was super sweet and charming while the mystery kept me reading. Super fun book to read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print copy provided by HarperCollins.

Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J Tuli (2024)

Fantasy romance. Book 4 of the Artefacts of Ouranos series. Fourth and final book of the series where we see our main characters finally defeat the villain and claim victory. The last book ended on a cliffhanger, so we get to find out what happens in the immediate aftermath. And then there are tons more hoops for Lor and Nadir to jump through before they find their happily ever after. While the action was interesting, it got a bit repetitive after awhile. I did enjoy the side story of Gabriel and his struggles with the aftermath of revealing Atlas’ deception. Overall, a solid conclusion to the series.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley.

Love in Bloom by Lucy Eden (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Emma is having the worst day ever driving to the will reading of her late grandparents, which also involves an awkward first meeting with farm manager, Dan. It also turns out she inherits her late grandparents’ farm and does not know what to do with it, since she’s been estranged from them for the past twenty five years. When her regular life blows up, she escapes to the farm to learn what she can about the past. She learns a lot about how to rely on others (like the handsome and kind Dan) and how to integrate into small town life. Plus, the farm has a bonus secret that explains the town’s reliance on it. Flirty, steamy, and emotional book. Loved it.

Advance ebook provided by Forever Books via NetGalley. Advance audiobook provided by Libro.fm.

Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews (2024)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novella. Super quick short story. Tilly is a soon-to-be divorced vacation rental property associate who is squatting in one of the vacant houses until she can move into her next apartment. And then the owner George shows up, so she hides in the attic. And of course he figures out she’s there. Super quick read and very sweet. It makes me want to read more from this author.

Ebook accessed from Amazon Prime Reading.

Chasing the Duke by Tracy Sumner (2020)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novella. Classic brother’s best friend type of romance. Camille has had a long-standing crush on Tristan, but moves on when he joins the army. Upon his return, she’s grown into a beautiful woman but also betrothed to someone else. He’s dealing with his own stress from surviving the war, but is willing to make the effort to win Camille. Short and steamy quick read.

Ebook purchased via Amazon.

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Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Quick novella. Super quick little romance here with Everleigh who is spending Christmas at her late grandmother’s house and fireman Griffin who consistently comes to her rescue. Her stay in town is only temporary and the fireman is all sorts of charming, so she tries her best to resist at first. But that only lasts for so long.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley.

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Quick novella. The upstairs neighbor Theo is all sorts of cute and charming and Evie tries her best not to make a fool of herself in front of him. But he also has a massive crush on Evie, so it all works out in the end anyway.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley.

Once More, My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath (2014)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series. Lady Ophelia is one of the snootiest debutantes around and is constantly disparaging the commonborn Drake, even though he was raised by a duke and duchess. When she washes up ashore the Thames with no recollection of her memory, Drake decides to play a trick on her and tell her that she’s his housekeeper. It’s terrible of him and he knows it and he swears he’ll tell her the truth the next day, but then she says something snotty, and it makes him mad all over again. Interestingly though, now that she’s lost her memories, she’s actually a much nicer person and Drake is able to let down his guard around her. They grow closer together, but Drake feels a mix of guilt and protectiveness towards her. Plus, there’s the mystery of how she ended up in the river in the first place, which makes Drake even more protective. Tons of emotional angst while we wait for Drake to get in trouble for his sins.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt (2022)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. LaRynn and Deacon had a summer fling as teens that left them both heartbroken and now they’re stuck as co-owners of their late grandmothers’ home. In order to have enough money to fix it up to sell, they need access to LaRynn’s trust fund. They enter into a marriage of convenience to do that, all while angrily bickering with each other. But they really just still have a simmering attraction for each other and are resentful of how things turned out when they were younger. They each have to improve their communication skills and trust in each other. Super angsty and emotional with lots of sexual tension.

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

Wish Upon a Christmas Candle by Anne Gracie (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novella. Widowed Ellie and her daughter Amy live alone in a cottage when an injured stranger lands on their doorstep. Ellie provides him with shelter and warmth, but the poor man doesn’t remember who he is when he wakes up. Despite not knowing anything about the man, Ellie ends up falling in love with him anyway, and he with her. This book was a super quick read, but I enjoyed the caring and emotion that developed between the two main characters, especially as the man came to Ellie’s defense against the slimy squire.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey (2023)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Melody and Beat are the offspring of a legendary rock duo who broke up for unknown reasons 30 years ago. They’re approached by a television network to team up and get their mothers back together. We get to watch all sorts of chaos unfold, while still seeing the instant connection between Melody and Beat. Super fun and chaotic and super steamy. Plus, bonus blackmail of Beat and the drama that’s involved there. I enjoyed this book a lot and it was a fun holiday read.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Hellion’s Secret by Jess Michaels (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the About an Earl series. This book overlaps a little bit with Book 1 of the series. We get the romance here between a rakish but upstanding earl and the runaway daughter of a marquess who is now a prizefighter. Esme had run away from her cruel cousin after her father’s death and has a new life now as a masked boxer. She tries to avoid interacting with society since she has fallen pretty far from her previous station. When she interacts with Finn at a club, she’s instantly skittish and tries to avoid him, despite her attraction to him. Finn is basically obsessed with the woman who turned him down and even more intrigued when he finds out that she’s a boxer. He’s preoccupied by thoughts of her and wants to spend more time with her. But he’s skeptical of his own feelings, being unsure if he’s capable of love after witnessing his parents’ toxic marriage. Tons of steam plus the ongoing threat of discovery by Esme’s cousin.

Advance ebook provided by Jess Michaels via NetGalley.

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The Heiress Swap by Maddison Michaels (2023)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Dollar Princess series. Evie is the orphaned illegitimate cousin and companion to American heiress Aimee who convinces Evie to switch places for the Season: Evie will go to balls and events while Aimee works as a secretary at her father’s company. Stern, serious, skeptical duke Alex believes that Evie (as Aimee) has set her sights on his cousin’s title and swears to prevent such deception and heartbreak from taking place. He has his own hang-ups after he caught his ex-fiancee cheating on him the night before their wedding and he’s completely distrustful of women. But of course, Alex and Evie have a lot of common interests and he slowly starts to realize that she is not trying to entrap a titled lord after all. Evie feels terrible for not being honest about her identity, especially as she starts to actually fall in love with Alex, knowing that he will hate her dishonesty. The book was a little slow-going at times, but we get a bit of external drama with fossils and caves and thugs hired to scare Evie, which brings out Alex’s protective side.

Advance ebook provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

The Heiress Masquerade by Maddison Michaels (2024)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Dollar Princess series. American heiress Aimee would rather take over her father’s company than marry a titled English lord, so she concocts a plan to swap places with her lowborn cousin when they go to England together. Evie will pretend to be Aimee and go to balls and such, while Aimee will work as a secretary in the London office of her father’s company. Except the outspoken Aimee is nothing like her father described to his protegee and head of the English brand, Harrison. He’s both annoyed and intrigued by Aimee and is disappointed that his beloved boss has misled him about the girl’s personality. Of course, the bickering and fighting serves as delicious foreplay for these two, who are distracted by their attraction for each other. We also get an interesting plot about business sabotage, which turns into a kidnapping scheme. Super exciting and fast-paced story.

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

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Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

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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.

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Bellinger Sisters series. Fox is not a commitment kind of guy, but he starts a text-based friendship with Hannah after she leaves his small fishing town. And then when she’s back in town on location for a movie she’s working on, she’s also staying in his guest room. But everyone in Fox’s life has basically warned him away from Hannah and reinforcing that he’s not boyfriend material. Poor Fox has had it rough. But what he feels for Hannah is real and deep and lasting, aside from his own insecurity. Luckily, once Hannah realizes that she has feelings for Fox, she’s quick to believe the best in him and defend his honor. Loved it!

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

When the Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath (2014)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series. Duke’s daughter Grace is looking to make a love match this season and does not want to be misled by a blackguard’s sweet words to gain her dowry. She recruits her childhood friend, former crush, and now debauched widower the Duke of Lovingdon to help assess her suitors. He says no since he’s not ready to re-enter society nor find love ever again, but then feels protective and surprisingly attracted to Grace. He knows that he’s still heartbroken after the loss of his first wife and daughter, so he has no interest in marrying again, nor in dallying with a proper lady like Grace. But of course, his resistance only lasts for so long as he attempts to teach her lessons about false promises and words of seduction.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Mr. Notorious and the Nefarious November by Shana Galen (2024)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 11 of the Rake Review series. Munro is the rake of the month, back in England at the request of his viscount brother. He fled the country years ago when the woman he loved rejected his offer of marriage and married his best friend instead. And he’s still hung up on her. And forced into proximity with her since Beatrice is now widowed and the sister of Munro’s brother’s wife. He drunkenly admits his feelings for her, which she refuses to believe, and then she decides to test his loyalty. The final prize is her hand in marriage, but she’s just so slow to trust him and she believes all of the terrible gossip about him. While Munro has been solicitous and dedicated to Beatrice’s tests, she’s really the one who needs to decide if she can trust him after all.

Advance ebook provided by Shana Galen.

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson (2022)

Contemporary romance. Standalone novel. Phoebe is exceptionally paranoid and may suspect the next door neighbor of being a serial killer, but he’s actually just a really nice guy. She’s at her late father’s house cleaning it up and getting it ready to sell and working on her dissertation about serial killers at the same time. But see, Phoebe has a lot of growing to do here in terms of getting to know her younger brother, coming to terms with her estranged father’s death, and learning to trust an actual real live man. And Sam is the best of them, so he’s totally worth it. He’s an elementary school music teacher, super nice, great at commitments, and I’m not sure he has any growing to do through this story, but he makes for great supportive boyfriend material. If only Phoebe knew how to accept a relationship. But she’ll eventually figure it out.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Quick novella. Jamie and Marc have known each other for Marc’s entire life since he’s Jamie’s best friend’s younger brother. And Marc has been in love with Jamie for ever, but they never did get together. Until he goes for it and then she rejects him, and now a few months later, they’re stuck together in a snowstorm. Feelings get discussed and resolved and things get steamy in pretty short order. Fun lil quick read.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley.

Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Another super short steamy novella. Single mom and thrift shop employee Evie has charmed the pants off gruff and burly farmer Luke. Literally, he can’t find pants that fit at the thrift store. But he goes there just to see Evie anyway. She’s wary of men, but he’s an absolute girthy sweetheart. Quick and steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley.

Freed by the Marquess by Stevie Sparks (2024)

Historical romance. Interwar-era England. Book 3 of the Lords of Desire series. Lady Caroline is running off to marry a man and it turns out he’s awful when she finds him in bed with the maid on their supposed wedding night. Well, after the husband disappears completely, she’s left in the care of her new father-in-law David, who actually is quite caring. They form a tentative friendship and then feelings develop even further, but David’s trying his best to be loyal to his son. But he can only resist temptation for so long when it’s clear they’re really fallen in love with each other. Steamy and emotional read.

Advance ebook provided by Stevie Sparks.

All by My Elf by Olivia Dade (2024)

Contemporary romance. Part of the Under the Mistletoe Collection. Co-workers at the their day job and co-workers on their holiday gig, Nina and William have been friendly and not-quite-flirting for months. They’re on the road in their side gig and get caught in terrible snowstorm traffic and end up cuddling for warmth. And then more than cuddling for more than just warmth. Quick, steamy read.

Advance ebook provided by Amazon Publishing via NetGalley. Advance print book provided by Brilliance Publishing via NetGalley.

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Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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Married in Haste by Cathy Maxwell (1999)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Marriage series. Heiress Tess has been stalling on settling down since she seems to enjoy the attentions of the marriage mart, but when she starts a scandal at a ball, her brother forces her to marry the earl that offers for her. Brenn needs a wealthy heiress to rebuild the decrepit estate he’s inherited and has gotten lucky with Tess, even though he suspects she’s pregnant with another man’s child. She’s not pregnant but has just learned that her brother has lost her entire fortune, so now she’s keeping that a secret from Brenn. He also has not disclosed that he’s poor since he doesn’t want to seem like a fortune-hunter. It’s bound to be a huge mess when they both find out the truth about the other person. I enjoyed this book a lot and how the relationship develops between Brenn and Tess. I appreciated that Tess was a lot tougher than she seemed and was able to adapt to her circumstances quickly.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

A Scandalous Marriage by Cathy Maxwell (2000)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Marriage series. Super interesting set up here with a prologue that starts with Devon running into a pregnant Leah in the countryside unexpectedly. We then jump a year backward to their first meeting, initial flirtation and secret relationship, until it ends in a duel between Devon and Leah’s brother. We then go back to the present where Leah is having a difficult labor for her baby and things seem dire. It’s interesting to follow these two people and the mistakes they both made in their initial encounters, especially knowing the history of their family rivalry. I loved seeing Devon become the true hero of the story saving Leah from her situation and opening up to a second chance with her, even with a baby that isn’t biologically his.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

The Marriage Contract by Cathy Maxwell (2001)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Marriage series. Poor overlooked Anne is forced into an arranged marriage by proxy to the mad Earl Tiebauld, who lives in Scotland. Aiden doesn’t want anything to do with her when she lands on his doorstep, so he tries his best to run her off. But Anne is super resilient and stubborn and makes herself useful to the estate. It’s pretty much a battle of wills, until they grow to respect and then like each other. Meanwhile, Aiden is involved in some possibly treasonous activity and a nearby Major is making trouble for them all. We get to read a fairly fast-moving plot here between the unwanted marriage, Anne’s hard work and integration into the clan, and then the threat of being arrested for treason.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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

Useful Resources:

Read more about getting the most out of your library card

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

Learn more about Kindle Unlimited

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

Read an introduction to fanfiction

Learn more about sources for reading fanfiction

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

Follow me on Instagram at @randomolive

Shop my handmade bookmarks on Etsy

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