Tag: historical romance

Reviews

Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

by wren @ wingsandfablesLeave a Comment on Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

“and I’m not afraid to be alone, but i’m tired of being the one left behind.”

rebecca ross

Series: Letters of Enchantment #1

Release Date: April 4th 2023

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: Young Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction | Fantasy | Romance

Page Count: 368

Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary: After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again…

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

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Thoughts:

there are some books in this world that i’m convinced hold a touch of magic in them. divine rivals is undoubtedly one of them. with its backdrop of a war of the gods featuring recruitment reminiscent of the draft, divine rivals is thrilling from beginning to end. ross immediately draws the reader’s heart to the FMC’s woes as she struggles to make her way in a war-torn world with a brother fighting at the front and a mother who drowns her worries in alcohol. setting up a rivalry between the FMC and LI, the chemistry between the characters is palpable from the start as they both endeavor to win a columnist post at their local newspaper. but when magical typewriters create a bond between the rivals as they start to send letters anonymously to each other, their chemistry deepens into a romantic, charming tale that drowns the trials in their lives. when they both leave for the front as war correspondents, the plot propels forward, tugging at your heartstrings as the characters experience the tragedies of war. this book beautifully handles a plethora of relevant themes: the cost of war, guilt, grief, addiction, abandonment, poverty, parental disapproval, hope, love, friendship, and so much more. and its unique blend of historical fiction and fantasy romance offers so much to many types of readers. this is a solid favorite of mine and something i can see myself returning to over and over again as a comfort read.

Rating:

Goodreads | Storygraph

Reviews

Review: The Regency Switch by Helen Gaskell

by wren @ wingsandfablesLeave a Comment on Review: The Regency Switch by Helen Gaskell

“you have made my world brighter with every part of you.”

helen gaskell

Series: Standalone

Release Date: February 26th 2026

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction | Regency | Contemporary Fiction | Romance

Page Count: 312

Source: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!

Goodreads Summary: Etta Moore expects nothing more from a Tuesday than another dull day in the office. But when her morning commute ends in Regency England, she is forced to accept the she and her ancestor Miss Henrietta Bainbridge – or ‘Mad Hetty’, as she’s known amongst the ton – have switched bodies.

Suddenly Etta and Hetty must get to grips with the new worlds they find themselves in. For Etta, it’s goodbye to dating apps and the daily commute and hello to the list of things ‘Ladies Do Not’ do. Luckily the dashing Lord Stanhope is on hand to aid her through even the most shocking of faux pas.

Meanwhile Hetty, who has always felt unseen and unknown, finds her truest self blossoming with the help of 21st century medicine and the most welcome attentions of her rather beautiful Adult Learning teacher, Stella.

Two hundred years away from everything they’ve ever known, might Etta and Hetty have actually found a place where they each truly belong?

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Thoughts:

interesting, witty, and full of life, this book puts a quirky spin on the classic historical romance novel. featuring two FMCs that couldn’t be more different from each other, it was fascinating to read as they learned to navigate the new time period they found themselves in after The Switch. the pacing of the novel was seamless, bouncing between the Regency time period of 1817 and the modern time of 2023 at the perfect intervals to reconnect with our FMCs. the romances gave a great variety, with one featuring an electric chemistry while the other featured a sweeter romance. the novel also provides commentary on societal expectations, mental health, and human rights. some of the characterizations were a bit frustrating, particularly the way etta spoke at length multiple times about her love of historical romance books and shows, yet she committed multiple faux pas that she should have known wouldn’t be appropriate in the time period she found herself in. it also felt a bit offputting that the FMCs don’t respect bodily autonomy and make life-altering choices in bodies that do not belong to them. if you can set aside the bits of the novel that don’t really make sense, this is still a quick, engaging read for someone who wants a spin on a classic Regency romance.

Rating:

Goodreads | Storygraph

Memes, Places My Books Have Taken Me

Places My Books Have Taken Me | April 2026

by wren @ wingsandfablesLeave a Comment on Places My Books Have Taken Me | April 2026

Places My Books Have Taken Me is a Monthly Meme hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog where we take a look at all the places that our books have taken us that month. Click on the book titles to see my reviews for each.

1. Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment #1) by Rebecca Ross

Places: Oath, Cambria & Avalon Bluff, Cambria (Fantasy)

Rating: 5 stars

2. Pride Comes Before a Fall (Miss Prentice’s Protogees #3) by Virginia Heath

Place: Regency Era Bath, England, UK & Mayfair, London, England, UK

Rating: 3.5 stars

3. Ruthless Vows ( Letters of Enchantment #2) by Rebecca Ross

Places: Avalon Bluff, Cambria; Oath, Cambria; River Down, Cambria & Hawk Shire, Cambria (Fantasy)

Rating: 4 stars

4. A Deal with a Debutante (London’s Most Eligible #1) by Chelsea Bobulski

Places: Edwardian Era Hampshire, England, UK & Mayfair, London, England, UK

Rating: 4 stars

5. Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson

Place: Miami, Florida, USA; Luxury Cruise Boat to Barcelona, Spain

Rating: 4 stars

Have you read any of these books? What was your favorite book you read in April?

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Reviews

Review: A Deal with a Debutante by Chelsea Bobulski

by wren @ wingsandfables1 Comment on Review: A Deal with a Debutante by Chelsea Bobulski

“do you expect us to be spending much time together, my lord?” she asked.

he offered her his arm. “the rest of our lives, i should think.”

chelsea bobulski

Series: London’s Most Eligible #1

Release Date: April 7th 2026

Publisher: Haven

Genre: Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction | Edwardian | Romance

Page Count: 304

Source: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!

Goodreads Summary: She’s running from London’s marriage mart. He’s running out of time to save his estate. Neither planned on falling in love—but their hearts have other plans.

American heiress Calliope Hart is thrust into London’s high society against her will, all because her mother is determined to marry her off to an aristocrat. Despite being named “the debutante of the season” back in New York, Calliope wants nothing more than to avoid becoming another pawn in the social game.

Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, is on the brink of financial ruin. To save his estate, he must marry, and Calliope Hart is his last hope. When he boldly declares his intentions, she swiftly rejects him, making it clear she has no interest in marrying for convenience. Undeterred, Edward offers a deal: He will escort Calliope to all the best sights of London that she’s been dying to see if she agrees to visit his estate and consider what they could accomplish together.

What begins as a business arrangement soon sparks something much more complicated—an undeniable chemistry neither can ignore. But as their hearts begin to soften, both must confront their fears: Can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she’s convinced he only wants her fortune?

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Thoughts:

this is a sweet romance featuring charming characters with chemistry that jumps off the page. set in the Edwardian period (1901 – 1910), this book captures that small snippet of history that still held so many societal traditions before industry started to change the daily way of life. the FMC is a refreshing addition to historical romance, bringing not only her American spin for independence but also her unique interests in history and her passion project of preserving historical sites within her home city of New York. the LI’s plight of endeavoring to pull his hereditary estate out of debt and provide for his tenants who depend upon him while battling with grief of the death of his father brings a relatability of struggling with your circumstances that many readers can identify with. with an opening of enemies-to-lovers, the FMC and the LI have amazing banter that demonstrates their connection from the moment they meet. and as they both fulfill the terms of their deal, the way their feelings change towards each other is organic and endearing. this is a great addition to historical romance and the perfect pick for someone looking for a sweet romance over spice.

Rating:

Goodreads | Storygraph