Hello. Hello. Welcome back to MJV. Today we are talking books. Two books. I only read two books in March 2026. Both were romance, one contemporary romance and the second was a historical romance.
Let’s chat about them for a bit.
Books Read in March 2026
It is March 2026 reading wrap up time. I read from two of my most read authors, Kennedy Ryan and Vanessa Riley.
I read The Close-Up, book 1.5 in the Hollywood Renaissance series by Kennedy Ryan and I liked it but I didn’t love it. It was short, fun, with most of the story set on a private luxury birthday cruise in the Mediterranean. The novella is 204 pages long and brings together characters from two of Ryan’s literary worlds, the Hollywood Renaissance where our female lead character was first featured in Reel and then also had characters from the Hoops world (sports romance).
Now maybe what didn’t work for me was that I haven’t read any of the Hoops books so I couldn’t connect immediately with the dynamics of all the side characters . But it was short and sweet and I am glad I read it because I hope to read book two in the Hollywood Renaissance, Score when it is released in May.
Then I read, A Wager at Midnight by Vanessa Riley and I loved it. Five-stars. My first five-star read of 2026. This is historical romance set in the Regency era. And is book two in the Betting Against The Duke series. Book three, A Deal at Dawn will be released by summer 2026. I read and enjoyed book one, A Gamble At Sunset in May 2024 and I rated that one, 4.5 stars.
Let me add a little more context around how much I love Vanessa Riley’s historical romances and this series in particular, I received a digital advanced reader copy of book three and I immediately started reading it even though I was tired after a long day at work, I immediately dived in.
So what exactly is this series about?
Well here are the main highlights to consider: it is a diverse Regency romance so yes there are people of African descent featured. So it starts with a bet between a duke and a newly widowed viscountess who is the great love of the duke’s life, the one that got away basically. So to win a second chance with her, the duke bets that he can find husbands for her two sisters even though the family is close to financial ruin and navigating racist and prejudice in society.
The romance in each book is slow burn, there is clever banter so much history about people of African descent during this period and also an ongoing storyline surrounding sickle cell disease in Black people.
I highly recommend the series. But please read them in order.
That is my March 2026 reading wrap up. I am accepting that 2026 will be a slow reading year and I am OK with that. I won’t have dozens of books read and that is alright. I still get to read in bed most nights and even if it is only a chapter a day, it is still one of my fav activities.
What was your favourite book that read in March 2026?
