Tag: historical romance

ARC Book Review: Rebel Heiress (The Diamonds #3) by Amalie Howard

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Amalie Howard
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Release Date: May 19th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A young heiress must disguise herself to attend a prestigious, all-male university, where she unexpectedly falls for her handsome tutor, in this swoony historical romance by the USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee.

Lady Rosalin Chen has a secret—she isn’t as vapid as she pretends to be. In fact, she’s a computing genius and smarter than most of her peers in the ton, including her own cousin, Ansel. It’s a secret she’s kept for years, not that hiding her intelligence has done her any favors in the marriage department. 

In fact, after several dismal social seasons in London, she’s practically considered a spinster. With little to lose, she decides to set her sights on getting a proper education rather than finding a husband. Disguised as Ansel, who truly could be her twin, she attends Cambridge University while he galivants around Europe on a secret Grand Tour.

There Rosalin crosses quills with the Trinity College’s mathematics prodigy and her tutor Tarik St. Clair. For the first time in her life, Rosalin is genuinely intrigued by a boy. His mind seems to be as sharp as hers. Unfortunately, as a commoner, Tarik doesn’t fit her parents’ expectations. But what if he could? What if she concocted one more audacious plan that could raise his station and finally take her off the market? She just has to hope that her lies don’t catch up to her.

Thank you PRH Audio for the audiobook and Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

IT’S CUTE.

I don’t have a lot to say because it kind of went in one ear and out the other? But I also didn’t hate reading it so? I will say it’s another genuine teen friendly read and I always love when I find a book I can add to that list. It does a good job of feeling historical and also adding a touch of modern phrases. I don’t think it’s overdone and once again, makes it work for the age group.

I was worried with how this plot was going to play out and I ended up liking the way it was handled. The romantic aspects were able to play out on a different playing field and I liked the contrast. Rosalin and Tarik had great chemistry and I loved the way they discussed science and the stars and all the things they held common ground on.

Most of this I read via audiobook and I liked the narrator! It’s a good format to pick up if you want to try this series. It’s complete now!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Into a Golden Era (Timeless #7) by Gabrielle Meyer

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Gabrielle Meyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: May 5th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

As a time crosser, Ally lives in two worlds. In 1849, in an attempt to secure her family’s future during the California Gold Rush, she finds herself penniless and stranded in San Francisco. Forced to take shelter in a dangerous boardinghouse owned by an infamous gang member, Ally is desperate to escape. But when she discovers that history has changed around her, and it now claims she will do something unthinkable, she must use her time-crossing knowledge to find answers.

In 1929 California, Ally is an up-and-coming starlet in the Golden Age of Hollywood, but her family’s film studio is on the brink of ruin, and their remaining resources are invested into a production of Little Women. If the endeavor fails, Ally’s family will lose everything. To ensure their success, she agrees to stage a fake romance with a notorious Hollywood heartthrob in hopes of using his fame for their movie, but she risks her heart in the process. When history doesn’t play by the rules, Ally must decide if she will throw all caution aside and risk everything for the people she loves. But which path will be worth sacrificing to save the other?

Bestselling author Gabrielle Meyer weaves a spellbinding tale where one woman’s impossible choice will determine not just her fate, but the course of history itself.

Thank you Bethany House and Gabrielle Meyer for the gifted copy.

SO GOOD.

Make a notch for this one in the five star column for this series. I figured out what generally determines a five star in this series for me is when I have a hard time predicting where the it’s going to go. And for Ally? Yeah I had no idea.

I loved that the trail of clues was different and the reveals had me wondering if things were going to be okay (which they were!!). I felt satisfied about the plot and romance and how it all came together. The romance was soft and endearing and I love a redemptive arc. Both timelines had me enthralled and I liked the stories going in both. Not knowing a whole lot about either was fun for me because now I want to go research more. There were also a few nuanced plot things that I enjoyed

Gabrielle Meyer continues to amaze with the research and attention to detail. The light faith elements are woven in seamlessly and even seven books in, I can’t wait for another one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: attempted assault, loss of life, attempted murder, physical altercations

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Book Review: A Guarded Heart by Heidi Kimball

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 223 pages
Author: Heidi Kimball
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: March 1st, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Three years after a shocking scandal destroyed her family and forced her into isolation, Eleanor Hayward finally has an opportunity to put her painful history and dashed hopes behind her. But reentering society is no simple task. In her cousin’s glittering ballroom, Eleanor is stunned when she comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart those years before.

Edmund Fletcher thought he had laid the past to rest until he unexpectedly encounters the woman who so nearly became his wife. Soon to be engaged to another, Edmund knows he must let go of the complicated feelings he harbors for Eleanor. However, when the Hayward scandal resurfaces and the truth behind their parting is revealed, Eleanor and Edmund are left reeling. Tormented by thoughts of what could have been, they realize it is impossible to rewrite history. But is there a future in which they might both find happiness—and true love?

GOT CAUGHT UP.

In the miscommunication. ACK. I wanted to love this and enjoyed it for the most part but the longer the book went on the more the lack of one single conversation that was desperately needed started to make me cranky.

I thought Edmund and Eleanor were both sweet. I always appreciate dual POV too. There’s some flashback chapters as well that lend to creating a better back story for the iciness that occurs at the beginning of the book. I thought the audiobook was great too.

So not my favorite HK books but I’ll still be reading whatever she writes next.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content Warnings: loss of a sibling (on page), alcoholism

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Book Review: The Q by Beth Brower

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 592 pages
Author: Beth Brower
Publisher: Rhysdon Press
Release Date: October 19th, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

CAN QUINCY ST. CLAIRE KEEP THE Q?

A dying man with a scheme
A charming smuggler one step ahead of the law
A former foundling with a mangled hand
A family of kingmakers
A printing tycoon
A constable on the trail of justice
An idealistic solicitor with secrets of his own
&
The genius at the center of it all, Quincy St. Claire

CHARMING.

This is a delightful read that is a few hundred pages too long. But I did enjoy it?? I just felt like it took me FOREVER to get through too?? There’s a quality to Beth Brower’s writing that I loved seeing in a different story (I am Emma M. Lion obsessed).

There were a lot of good themes and quotable moments I found while reading. I loved the journey of letting go of the things you need to so that better ones can fall into place. I loved Quincey learning that some people won’t leave and will be there when you need them. The strong friendships and meaningful connections that are sometimes hard to see at first.

There’s even a little sub-plot romance that was sweet and I loved that journey for them too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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