Title: Road Trip with a Rogue
(Her Majesty’s Rebels #3)
Author: Kate Bateman
Published: July 2025
Genre: Historical Romance, Brother’s Best Friend, Second Chance

 

Blurb:

Mistakenly holding up the coach of the man who broke her heart is bad enough, but having to endure his sinfully alluring company all the way to Scotland is Daisy’s Hamilton worst nightmare ... and her most secret desire.

A midnight mishap.

Daisy Hamilton’s new mission for King & Co., London’s premier private investigation firm, is simple: stop heiress Violetta Brand from eloping. But her case is derailed when she mistakenly holds up the carriage of Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford – cynical war hero, infamous libertine, and the very man who broke her heart five years ago.

A reluctant road trip.

Lucien’s determined to see his lovestruck nephew married to Miss Brand, but the unexpected appearance of Daisy – the one woman he’s never been able to forget – could ruin his plans. As they follow the runaway couple together, Lucien decides that delaying the headstrong Daisy by any means possible – including seduction – will be his absolute dangerous pleasure ... and hers.

A dangerous desire.

After Daisy’s reputation is threatened, Lucien makes a scandalous claim, but when an unexpected enemy threatens her life, he realizes she’s the only woman for him. Their past encounters have made Daisy almost as jaded about love as Lucien himself, and it’s going to take action, not words, to convince this knife-wielding hellion to risk her heart on him again ...

My Review:

Dorothea, aka, Daisy Hamilton has a simple mission: to thwart an elopement, bring back Violet to her father, and get paid. Yet when the carriage she thought belonged to her quarry is ambushed by highwaymen, she steps in to help, she doesn’t expect to meet the occupant of the carriage would be her brother’s most despised friend.

Lucien’s mission is simple: follow his nephew to ensure that he marries Violet. Yet he doesn’t expect the woman disguised as a lad would be his long-desired and best friend’s sister, Daisy.

They both have to proceed and succeed on their pursuit, but will they be able to keep their sexual desire separate from their mission?

With a blend of action and romance, this book has simultaneously engaged and brought me to a fun, compelling read with so much passion and longing. Daisy’s characters didn’t disappoint at all: she is stubborn, determined, loyal, and merciful, what’s more is her skill at wielding her three knives. She won’t back down without a fight, that’s what I loved about her. Oh and Lucien, his teasing and knowing smile always put me on the edge while reading. He embodies all the qualities I look for in a duke.

The swift action and engrossing plot, coupled with two characters who can no longer contain their sexual tension, make this book a wonderful read.

About the author

Kate Bateman / K.C. Bateman, is a bestselling author of Regency and Renaissance historical romances, including the Secrets & Spies series, Bow Street Bachelors series, Ruthless Rivals series and Her majesty's Rebels series. Her books have received multiple starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, and her Renaissance romp The Devil To Pay was a 2019 RITA award nominee.

Kate's books have been translated into multiple languages, including French, Italian, Brazilian, Japanese, German, Romanian, Czech, and Croatian.

When not writing, Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK. She currently lives in the UK with her husband, three inexhaustible children, and a naughty toy poodle named Monty.

Kate loves to hear from readers. Contact her on Twitter @katebateman, Facebook, or via her website at https://www.kcbateman.com/

Blurb, photo, and Bio source: goodreads.com

Title: The Duke’s Dream
Author: Giovanna Siniscalchi
Published: May 2025
Genre: Regency Romance, Forbidden Love, Historical Romance,

Blurb:

Helene de Beaumont, a French émigré in Regency London, is poised to become the star of Sir Walter Scott’s new ballet, La Sylphide. With flawless technique and a self-taught mastery of dancing en pointe, her dreams of ballet glory are finally within reach.

But when she captures the attention of William Harcourt, the powerful and enigmatic Duke of Albemarle – known in political circles as the Silent Sovereign – everything changes.

He’s spent years haunted by the image of a sprite glimpsed only in restless dreams – graceful, untouchable, and maddeningly out of reach. Now she stands before him on stage: Helene. And the moment he sees her, he knows one thing with certainty – he must have her.

As fascination turns to obsession, Helene is swept into a dangerous waltz of power, passion, and surrender. In a season glittering with promise and peril, she must choose between the life she’s fought... or the man who could unravel it with a single touch.

A steamy historical romance with high stakes and heart. Perfect for lovers of forbidden romance, brooding dukes, and heroines who rise from the shadows to claim centre stage.

My review:

How would you react when your dream came true? A regency romance featuring a ballet dancer heroine and an obsessed duke, what an alluring dramatic historical romance!

When a recurring dream leads William, a cold obsessive duke, to Helene, a French émigré whose only ambition is to become a ballet dancer, he doesn’t pursue her merely to soothe his unease. Instead, she turns out to be the woman he truly desires, even though she is forbidden to him. Oh Giovanna’s evocative writing makes their story feel both poetic and deeply romantic.

Helene practices her ballet dancing tirelessly in the hope of becoming La Sylphide, until William interrupts and turns her life upside down. Hiding her true identity, she is unaware of how fragile her position in London society is, especially when she is associated with William.  Conversely, despite his brooding and forbidding presence as a powerful duke, William’s only desire is to possess Helene, however he doesn’t know how precarious their bond is. Their desire and love might be forbidden, but nothing can stop William from acting on his uncontrollable desire.

I loved everything about this book, William and Helene, Helene’s friends, the political twist, the poetic and dramatic storyline, and the ballet performances. It all sounds like a fairy tale movie. The story is so immersive and steamy. Giovanna’s vivid writing truly transports me into a poetic, heart-wrenching world with a beautiful ending, accompanied by the sound of intangible music and fairies.

About the author

Giovanna Siniscalchi chased narrative arcs and climax points in the Nasdaq for twelve long years working as an economist. still, her romantic imagination was wasted in the financial markets, so she decided to put it to better use: write fiction. she is married and has two great kids. her passions are eclectic, including reading, traveling, surfing, wine, and of course, historical romance.

picture, blurb and bio source: goodreads.com

 

Title: The Viscount’s Forbidden Flirtation
Author: Sarah Rodi
Published: March 2025
Genre: Regency Romance, Enemies-to-Friends-to-Lovers, Historical Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical, Forbidden Love, Love at First Sight

Blurb:

Four soldiers face their greatest battle yet – in the Regency marriage mart! Be enthralled by the second instalment of A Season to Wed.

A dance with temptation...

Sets his world ablaze!

Lieutenant Colonel Ezra Hart finds himself in urgent need of a wife – inheriting the viscountcy relies on it. But while he’s dutifully spinning the season’s jewels around society’s ballrooms, he finds himself desiring the one woman he shouldn’t covet...

French émigré Seraphine Mounier is as beguiling as she is vivacious, but Ezra knows she has no interest in the marriage mart. What’s worse, she represents the very enemy he fought at Waterloo. As an undeniable connection sparks, resisting Seraphine seems one battle Ezra’s destined to lose!

My Review:

Who would have thought that Sarah Rodi – known for her magical Viking stories – could write a Regency romance that completely melts your heart?

A life that both Seraphine and Ezra don’t fit into and yet they have to keep hiding who they really are...

One wrong word and Ezra finds himself duelling with a Frenchman, and suddenly fate brings him to a woman he shouldn’t desire – but can’t stop thinking about. Seraphine is a French émigré who keeps her distance from society to protect herself. After Ezra’s remark about émigrés, she wants nothing to do with him. But when her family faces injustice, Ezra steps in to help and tries to fix his mistake.

As they spend more time together, their hatred slowly turns into something deeper. I loved watching their enemies-to-friends-to-lovers journey filled with sweet, forbidden moments and real emotion. The class divide, the drama, the slow-burn to sizzling romance – it kept me hooked!

Seraphine is strong and kind, and Ezra is charming but struggling with his own worries. Their chemistry is real, and I couldn’t stop reading as, wanting to know how their love would survive against the weight of prejudice and the expectations of Ezra’s father. And – voilaaa... Sarah Rodi knows how to please her readers, the turn of events is truly satisfying and delightful.

This story has everything I love. A fascinating dramatic Regency setting, emotional depth and a love that grows when and where it shouldn’t! Thank you Sarah Rodi for the e-arc, which I voluntarily reviewed.

About the author

Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old romantic movies recommended by her granddad or devouring love stories from the local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Berkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, her two daughters and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over twenty years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Harlequin. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy-ever-after. You can contact her via @sarahrodiedits or sarahrodiedits@gmail.com. Or visit her website at sarahrodi.com

picture and blurb source: goodreads.com
 

Title: The Lord’s Maddening Miss
Author: Lucy Morris
Published: May 2025
Genre: Regency Romance, Sunshine-Grumpy Trope, Historical Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical, Opposite Attract

Blurb:

A sunny Miss, a scowling bachelor

A recipe for disaster...or romance?

Since returning from the Waterloo, Lord Hawksmere has been a bad-tempered recluse. Having sworn never to burden a wife with his dour disposition, Hawk plans to spend the season helping his impoverished sister. But her annoyingly cheerful friend Miss Maggie Mackenzie is a distinct distraction!

Whisky heiress Maggie prefers brewing alcohol to being wooed. Or that’s what she tells herself from her pace on the shelf! Hawk is imposing, interfering, yet, as their heated animosity melts into something even hotter, will the self-proclaimed spinster admit he’s also infuriatingly attractive?

My Review:

What would happen when a maddening heiress and a grumpy Lord crossed paths? Yupzz, it’s a romantic disaster!

It’s been a while since I last read about a Scottish heroine, and Maggie lives up to the characters I expected in this book. A redhead, a hopeless romantic, a social butterfly and a meddling sunshine heroine that will brighten your reading time!

As always, Lucy Morris’s opening had me riveted as Maggie confronts the infuriatingly attractive Hawk, a brother of her friend, when her friend is on the verge of misery. There, Hawk and Maggie’s fates become intertwined with a romantic limbo and a family secret.

For me, Hawk is ridiculously grumpy when he has to deal with his sister and Maggie. Thanks to Lucy Morris’s incredible writing which helps me imagine the chaos of his sister’s estate with four boys and Maggie’s provocative presence. Also, I couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous Hawk must look when sitting in a broken chair!

The story isn’t merely about the romantic journey between Hawk and Maggie. I was able to get a glimpse of the romantic affair of Hawk’s best friends, especially his sister and Maggie’s uncle. Maggie and her uncle are as thick as thieves. I really loved this relationship because it warmed my heart. Her uncle’s support of her brilliant invention of wine is also very pleasing.

The story is absolutely wonderful, although I was a little disappointed because Maggie is too forgiving and kind after what Hawk did, but hey! That’s why Hawk loves Maggie! The epilogue perfectly beautifully and happily ends the series of A Season to Wed with all the characters and the children!

About the author

Lucy Morris lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two young children and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves gin, bubbly and Irn-Bru. She is a member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association and is delighted to begin her publishing journey with Harlequin Historical in 2021 with her first release ‘The Viking Chief’s Marriage Alliance’.

She adores writing strong, passionate women and the brave honourable men who fall in love with them. Weaving her fascination with the dark age of medieval Europe with her compulsion to give her characters a happily ever after. But only after they’ve had an adventure along the way. Follow her on twitter https://twitter.com/LMorris_Author

picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

 

Title: A Governess to Redeem Him
Author: Lotte R. James
Published: April 2025
Genre: Second Chance at Love, Gothic Romance, Historical Romance, Mills and Boon Historical, Harlequin Historical

 

Blurb:

What happened when a governess’s first love comes back from the dead? Find out in this Gothic second-chance romance.

To claim their future

They must rewrite their past...

Eighteen years ago, Juliana Myles fled her home and built a new life as a governess, believing her childhood sweetheart had been sentenced to death! Now Sebastian Lloyd is back from the dead and wants Juliana’s help in proving his innocence...

Sebastian has spent a lifetime running from an unjust verdict. But he’s tired of being haunted by his past. Yet working with Juliana to capture the true culprit also means being confronted by searing memories of their passionate history. And the temptation to bring their love back to life...

My Review:

A gothic love story where death cannot separate a true love...

Juliana, a governess with the most reasonable and calm attitude despite her predicament, must have suffered a lot for the loss of her first and only love. I could feel the suffering she must have endured all her life, the guilt, the memories, the loss, how could she bear it? She doesn’t believe in ghost, but when she hears that Sebastian is still alive, her fear and despair come back to haunt her until he confronts her himself. I loved how dramatic the encounter was.

Wrongly convicted of murder, Sebastian who escaped and created a new identity couldn’t forget the past. He must find the real culprit and regain his identity, thus he returns and demands Juliana, his past sweetheart to assist him, to go back to Barrow Heath, a place where their love blossomed until tragedy tore them apart.

Oh dear, I couldn’t believe it, how could these two sweethearts who loved one another, bring up so much hatred and rage? I must praise Lotte for her brilliantly emotional metaphorical writing which bring so much emotion permeating within Juliana and Sebastian, because who wouldn’t, after what they had been through? And Now, Juliana must face the reality of another tragic life? Tracing back their past as husband and wife, will they be able to redeem themselves?

Despite the heart-wrenching angst storyline, this has become one of my most favourite books by Lotte. Lotte’s powerful writing brings out a beautiful second chance love story where Juliana and Sebastian’s love never ends even after death has separated them. It’s truly a beautiful love story where in the end love could eventually conquer and redeem them. Thank you Lotte for sending me the E-ARC, which I voluntarily reviewed.

About the Author

Lotte R. James trained as an actor and theatre director, but spent most of her life working day jobs crunching numbers while dreaming up stories of love and adventures. She’s thrilled to finally be writing those stories, and when she’s not scribbling on tiny pieces of paper, she can usually be found wandering the countryside for inspiration or nestling with coffee and a book. You can reach her on Twitter https://twitter.com/lottejamesbooks.

 picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

Title: Look Before You Leap
(Miss Prentice’s Protegees #2)
Author: Virginia Heath
Published: June 2025
Genre: Historical Romance, Grumpy-Sunshine, Governess, Opposite Attract

Blurb:

Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount of Wennington, was publicly humiliated when a reckless romantic gesture went very wrong. Despite that, his mother held tight to the promise he made her then: that she would have a house full of grandchildren by his thirtieth birthday, there’s not a grandchild in sight. His heart now lies with his land and work is his life. In desperation, his mother decides that if he refuses to venture back into society to find he future daughter-in-law, the only solution is t bring society to him via a weeklong houseparty so that she can find one for him. The first Guy knows about her plan is when her hand-picked gaggle of debutantes arrive at his estate, all competing to be his wife.

After failing miserably as a governess, Lottie Travers isn’t proving to be any better at being a lady’s companion. As the only girl in an all-male household growing up, she’s developed several bad habits she can’t shake and keep getting her dismissed. Even after years of Miss Prentice’s teachings, Lottie still climbs a tree better than she embroiders, and still cannot seem to curb the desire to gallop astride a horse in breeches whenever an opportunity arises. But when the family farm in trouble, and her father now in dire need of her wages to keep it afloat, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all and concentrate on her career.

My Review:

The book was very much entertaining with a sunshine Lottie and grumpy Guy accidentally bumping into each other while horse riding in the park. Their first encounter was full of disdain but as fate would have it, they were fatefully brought together again in another incident in which Lottie accidentally spilled soup on Guy. Lottie is a spirited and headstrong governess but as her employer, Guy’s aunt, is very demanding, she has tried to restrain herself from being wild as she needs her wager for her family. Guy’s attraction toward Lottie is immediate, but his wounded heart won’t let him repeat the past. Both Lottie and Guy’s family are heart-warmingly engaging and lovable. Guy’s meddling mother, aunt and friend bring so much fun to Guy’s romantic journey. This farm setting is so different from the hustle and bustle of London society. So entertaining and enjoyable.

About the author

When Virginia Heath was a little girl, it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated – sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. One day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep. Follow her at https://www.virginiaheathromance.com/ or her facebook page Virginia Heath.

picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

 

 

Title: Love, the Duke
(Say I Do #3)
Author: Amelia Grey
Published: April 2025
Genre: Historical Romance, Love at First Sight, Best Friend's Sibling

 

Blurb:

When the Duke of Hurstbourne receives a letter from his childhood friend asking him to marry his sister Ophelia, Hurst declines. He’s not adverse to taking a bride, but he believes in love at first sight that stirs his desires – not marriage sight – unseen.

Adhering to society’s strict propriety for ladies, Ophelia Stowe has no choice but to present herself as a man to seek the Duke of Hurstbourne’s favour. If not for the dire situation she finds herself in, she wouldn’t have asked for help from the handsome man who had rebuffed her. When the alluring duke’s response is a plan of his own, Ophelia never dreams it would be a proposal of a marriage of convenience.

But the stakes are high, and the good name of the Stowe family will be damaged if a missing antiquity isn’t found. When she accepts his offer, she quickly finds she isn’t immune to the passion building between her and her new husband – or how real the marriage begins to feel.

My Review:

I loved a romance story when the hero falls hard for the heroine, and Hurst, despite his initial rejection, keeps on pursuing and protecting stubborn Ophelia. To clear her brother’s name, Ophelia is determined to find a stolen artefact when his brother was still alive. She asks Hurst for help while disguising herself as a man but he firmly refuses on the first day he meets Ophelia. Yet, Hurst has no idea that the woman who happens to have stirred his heart the moment his laid eye on her is Ophelia.

Despite the prolonged of search for the stolen artefact, I thoroughly enjoyed Ophelia and Hurst’s disagreements and banter. Their chemistry is undeniable, and they are a perfect match. This is massively entertaining love-at-first-sight historical romance.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Amelia Grey read her first romance book when she was thirteen. She’s been a devoted reader of love stories ever since.

Amelia has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for over thirty-five years and she lives on the beautiful gulf coast of Northwest Florida.

With more than twenty-five books published, she is a two-time winner of the prestigious Booksellers Best Award. She’s also won then Aspen Gold, and the Golden Quill Awards. Writing as Gloria Dale Skinnier, she won the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter and the Maggie Award. Amelia’s books have been published in Europe, Indonesia, Turkey, Russia, and Japan.

Several of her books have been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs.

You can follow Amelia on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmeliaGreyBooks

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

Title: Royal Fiancée Required
Author: Kali Anthony
Published: February 2025
Genre: Engagement of Convenience, Love at First Sight, Royal Romance, Harlequin Present, Mills and Boon Modern

Blurb:
The convenient princess bride...

He inconveniently desires!

Six months ago, vivacious Princess Anastacia Montroy enthralled Aston Lane at her kingdom’s society ball. Now he needs a bride to secure his billion-dollar birthright, she’s the only wife he’ll accept! With chemistry this powerful, how could she refuse?

Ana does not want a husband. Certainly not one who knew her before the accident that scarred her and stole her self-esteem. Yet a royal wedding would silence the scandal of her first failed engagement... And alone aboard Aston superyacht, his on-paper proposal is written with red-hot passion!

My Review:

Here is an irresistible royal romance featuring a masquerade ball, a wonderful maze scene and a luxurious superyacht that Kali has spoiled you with!

I particularly enjoyed the chapters where Ana and Aston reunited at the masquerade ball, where they couldn’t resist their attraction as they flirted. When Aston first met Ana six months ago, he was enthralled by her personality, yet Ana he meets now has changed. Yup, not only has the accident in the past damaged her physically but also personally. But don’t worry, with his tender and considerate move, he’s going to crack Anastacia’s wall piece by piece and I loved every step of it!

Despite his low status and his parents’ pressure to marry, Aston will not choose any women but Ana, the only princess who has caught his attention. Meanwhile Ana, what choice did she have after what she had been through?

As their relationship deepens, their emotional rollercoaster brought me to the depths of their traumatic pasts and the weight of expectations that begin to unravel their true selves. Despite this, Kali really spoilt me with her vivid storytelling where the luxury of royal romance is provided.

Well, if you want to be pampered by a royal romance with a protective hero, an imperfect yet resilient heroine and its luxurious vivid setting, Kali will absolutely spoil you with this story. Thank you Kali for sending me this e-arc, which I voluntarily reviewed.

About the Author

When Kali Anthony read her first romance novel at fourteen, she realized a few truths: there can never be too many happy endings, and one day she would write them herself. After marrying her own tall, dark and handsome hero in a perfect friends-to-lovers romance, Kali took the plunge and penned her first story. Writing has been a love affair ever since. If she isn’t battling her cat for access to the keyboard, you can find Kali playing dress-up in vintage clothes, gardening, or bushwhacking with her husband and three children in the rain forest of South East Queensland. You might contact her on https://www.kalianthony.com/ or her twitter https://twitter.com/KaliAAnthony

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

Title: The Viking’s Princess Bride
Author: Sarah Rodi
Published: January 2025
Genre: Historical Romance, Viking romance, Love at First Sight, Enemies-to-Lovers, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:

Feel the heat as two enemies are forced to wed in this spicy Viking romance!

He’s won the throne...

But she’s his royal prize!

Victorious in his quest for revenge, Viking Njal takes the Saxon crown – and their princess! But while he’s wedding Cwen in the name of peace, he cannot deny the way she entices him. Even if it’s clear she’s holding something back...

Princess Cwen has long accepted being used for her kingdom’s gain, but attacking the enemy’s hand is the most outrageous request yet! Still, the rugged warrior ignites a fire inside her... Cwen just can’t let Njal storm her carefully constructed walls. Because she’s harbouring a secret that could rock the foundations of their marriage!

My Review:

A marriage of convenience? A Viking warrior? Enemies turned lovers trope? You bet, I’m in!

A Viking warrior hero has always had a place in my heart. With his fierce rugged appearance but has endless patient and kindest heart, Njal captured my heart with him from the moment he appeared amidst the war between the Norsemen and Saxons.

I was rather baffled as the first few chapters dramatically revealed the war between Njal as a Dane and Cwen, as a Saxon. Cwen, a princess carrying a sword, is actually fighting on the battlefield! From the very first time Njal catches the sight of Cwen, He can’t get her out of his mind. Love at first sight in the middle of war, how fascinating.

I think Njal is the kindest and most considerate warrior. Despite his desire for revenge, he doesn’t want to completely tear down the Saxon. He just wants peace, and he proposes the marriage as a solution to stop the vicious cycle of revenge and war. Meanwhile, Cwen, despite her beauty and stubbornness, she bears greatest burden of secret. Their whirlwind marriage is full of mistrust, miscommunication, unease and a closely guarded secret that always hover over their burning desire, but Njal’s true hunger kept their relation burning slowly and steamy. I enjoyed reading it as the secret uncovered slowly. Being a new king, Njal is continuously inflicted with dilemmas yet his kind-hearted character is truly remarkable.

To me, it is a powerful tale of festering vengeance with intense sexual tension that completely ends with a satisfying prologue. Thank you Sarah Rodi for sending me the e-arc, which I voluntarily reviewed.

About the Author

Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old, romantic movies recommended by her granddad, or devouring love stories from local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Barkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, two daughters and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over twenty years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Harlequin Historical. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy-ever-after. You can contact her via https://twitter.com/sarahrodiedits or visit her website at https://www.sarahrodi.com/ .

 Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com

Title: The Lady’s Bargain with the Rogue
(The Disreputable Marsden Brothers #1)
Author: Melissa Oliver
Published: January 2025
Genre: Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Victorian Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical, Historical Romance, Opposite Attracts

Blurb:

The Rogue she loves to hate

Or her greatest temptation?

Lady Elisabeth Bawden-Trebarr’s determined to claim the Cornish ancestral home her good-for-nothing late husband gambled away, and unearth her family’s long-lost riches. As the new owner is Sebastian Marsden – a notorious rogue she would rather avoid – she’ll ensure he cannot dismiss her by storming his gaming hell!

Sebastian wants nothing more to do with the ton after bitter family scandal. But when Lady Eliza refuses to give up without a fight, he entertains her treasure hunt – if only to stop her pressing on his every nerve! Yet he reluctantly admires her tenacity, and sizzling attraction begins to stir...

My Review:

In the early New Year of 2025, I embarked on my first reading journey with Melissa Oliver’s first Victorian romance, and I couldn’t stop pestering on how wonderful the story was!

Who would have thought that a Cornish castle and a treasure hunt could entangle Eliza and Sebastian?

With nothing left but her ancestral Cornish castle, Eliza will do anything to save it, even though she has to go toe-to-toe with a rogue that people considered as gruff, brooding and indecipherable, Sebastian, but to me he is the most swoon-worthy hero that I would want to have one for myself, if it were feasible. Sebastian doesn’t expect that the plain widow of Ritton will bring his world upside down, especially when he refuses to give Eliza time to pay off her husband’s debt in exchange for the ancient castle.

Well, Sebastian, I also didn’t expect that Eliza to be so genius and attractive, albeit impulsive, beneath her plain appearance, so I could understand over why you couldn’t leave her alone and are so protective of her.

The journey and treasure hunt have brought so many entertaining and vivid historical artefacts that Melissa Oliver has brilliantly written and devised. I derived immense pleasure from reading it through, the sparring and banter between these two contrasting characters, particularly when Eliza created a commotion outside his estate, and Eliza’s other clever inventions to hunt for the said treasure and their way of finding love.

I really loved Melissa’s strong and fascinating writing. It is well-plotted with the Bawden-Trebarr ancestors (if you have read Elowen and Simon’s story, you will be fascinated by this one), splendidly witty, vividly depicted and beautifully ended. I can’t wait to read Dominic and Cecy’s story! Thank you Melissa Oliver for sending me the e-arc, which I voluntarily review.

About the author

Melissa Oliver is from southwest London, UK, where she writes historical romance novels. She lives with her lovely husband and three daughters, who share her passion for decrepit old castles, grand palaces and all things historical. She won the Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers from Romantic Novelists’ Association in 2020 for her first book, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel for inspiration, paint, and visit museums and art galleries. If you want to find out more, follow Melissa on Twitter https://twitter.com/melissaoautho

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com