Best of
Historical-Romance

2005

Something Like Love


Beverly Jenkins - 2005
    This is the story that readers have been waiting for.He was a wanted man.But no one wanted him more than she did.Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, Olivia Sterling flees Chicago and heads west. She dreams of setting up her own seamstress shop in Henry Adams, a small all Black town in Kansas. But her plans are derailed when her train is robbed by Neil July and his notorious band of outlaws.Neil is enchanted by the headstrong and lovely Olivia. No woman has ever set his blood on fire before, and he suspects no other woman ever will. When they meet again, Olivia is the town's newly elected mayor and Neil is still the wanted outlaw. With bounty hunters on his trail, he would be wise not to linger, yet he can't seem to leave her. Will Neil be able to convince Olivia to ride off into the sunset with him? Or will he finally lay down his guns for love?

Castles / The Lion's Lady


Julie Garwood - 2005
    The ravishing beauty guarded the secret of her mysterious past until the night Lyon, Marquis of Lyonwood, stole a searching, sensuous kiss. An arrogant nobleman with a pirate's passions, he tasted the wild fire smoldering beneath Christina's cool charm and swore to posses her...But the fiesty and defiant Christina would not be so easily conquered. Mistress of her heart and of her fortune, she resisted Lyon's sensuous caresses. She dared not surrender to his love...for then, she must also forsake her precious secret...and her promised destiny!

Dragonblade


Kathryn Le Veque - 2005
    – Tate Crewys de Lara is the son of kings. The illegitimate son of Edward Longshanks, Tate has the qualities of a magnificent king. But fate is cruel, leaving him a mere knight protecting young Edward III during the uncertain days following the horrific murder of Edward II. While gathering allies for the young heir in Northumberland, he meets the Lady Elizabetha “Toby” Cartingdon. Daughter of the Lord Mayor of Cartingdon Parrish, Toby is a gorgeous woman with a mind for business. It is she who runs the parrish, not her father. Taken aback by the strong, bitter female, Tate is nonetheless intrigued with her. He soon discovers why Toby seems so hard; her father is a drunkard and her mother is an invalid, leaving Toby responsible to not only provide for the family, but also for the welfare of her small sister. Feeling something more than curiosity, Tate begins to break through the hard surface to discover the warm and compassionate woman beneath. Yet factions who would see the young heir dead make a sudden appearance, drawing Toby into their malevolent plan. Soon she finds herself linked to both Tate and the quest to take the throne from Roger Mortimer. It becomes Tate's destiny to not only win a throne for young Edward, but to win Toby's heart as well.

Her Bodyguard


Geralyn Dawson - 2005
    When a fortune-teller reveals that she and her sisters have the power to end the Curse of Clan McBride forever, pragmatic chocolatier Mari McBride dismisses the claim as nonsense. But when a series of tragedies befall her family and send her on a quest to save those she loves, she turns to mysterious gunslinger, Luke Garrett, for help.Luke’s desire to protect--and seduce--the beautiful Menace leads them both into danger. The violent collision of Luke's past and present reveal sinister secrets that push Mari further away. Is she cursed to be the next victim of McBride bad luck? Or will the true love of a wicked man be her--and her sisters’--salvation?

Turner's Woman


Jenna Kernan - 2005
    But Emma Lancing was a woman of surprises, blossoming like a cactus rose during their arduous trek through the Western wilderness. Resourceful, brave and beautiful, she alone made him question his solitary life by proving to be the perfect partner for his adventurous soul!Emma Lancing's only escape from an abusive, hopeless future lay in trusting a man who made it clear she was not welcome in his world. Even so, she was drawn to Jake Turner's rugged fearlessness and independent spirit, which stirred in her unrealized strengths and undreamt-of passions!

To Wed a Scandalous Spy


Celeste Bradley - 2005
    So when she drags the unconscious man she accidentally hit with a slingshot home, they arrange a hasty marriage and pack the couple off with best wishes. Armed with a groggy husband and a new future, Willa's pie-eyed optimism has no limits...until she discovers the secret, dangerous world of Nathaniel Stonewell, Earl of Reardon, a.k.a. "Lord Treason."Though Nathaniel is reviled by most of England for his devious plot against the Crown, he is, in reality, a member of an elite cadre of secret royal defenders on a daring undercover mission. He must keep his secrets at all cost, especially from Willa. And yet, he is enchanted...though he stubbornly refuses to surrender to his passion. Far better, he tells himself, to turn his back on love than risk everything for it. Luckily, his bride has other plans...

Silver Feather


Cassie Edwards - 2005
    But her innocent hopes were shattered when Silver Feather's parents were ruthlessly murdered and he was forced to flee Dettro Manor to save his own life, taking with him the young girl's heart....More than ten years have passed since that fateful day, and Diana is now a woman living alone in a harsh world. Impoverished and desperate, she disguises herself as a man so she can work as a stagecoach driver. Diana doesn't think she can get much lower—until she receives the orders to go back to her childhood home and pick up several trunks filled with unknown cargo. And her luck keeps getting worse. She's ambushed on the road by an Indian and taken captive.An Indian who looks strangely familar... Silver Feather.

Joseph & Asenath


Alex Chappell - 2005
    His unwavering faith doesn't save him from his elder brothers' treachery. She serves a Hyksos storm god. He worships the God of Israel, but love will bind Joseph and Asenath together. Journey through Hebron's hills, cross Shechem's grasslands, and explore ancient Egypt's wonders in this timeless Old Testament tale.

My Wicked Highlander


Jen Holling - 2005
    But when Sir Philip Kilpatrick arrives to escort her to her betrothed in the Highlands, Isobel must face a harrowing journey through a land of fear and suspicion. Soon, however, Philip grows reluctant to deliver Isobel to the noble intended she has never met. Isobel has charmed her way into his heart...and yet her determination to use her magic to solve the dark mystery of Philip's tortured past could destroy them both.

By Arrangement/By Possession


Madeline Hunter - 2005
    But she demanded to be married on her own terms, not as punishment for a romantic indiscretion, and especially not to a common merchant. Yet she was in for a shock when she met David de Abyndon, a tradesman of extraordinary poise—and baffling indifference to her social status. For Christiana has no idea that she is but a prize in a royal deal between the king and a passionate man who now realizes that by winning her body, he may have lost his heart…. By Posession For years she thought he was dead. Then Addis de Valence strode into Moira Falkner’s cottage. Returned from the Crusades, the young squire who was once her hero was now her lord, a hardened man determined to reclaim the lands usurped by his stepbrother. Addis cannot afford to be distracted by a woman—even one as tempting as Moira. Yet his desire for her may be more dangerous than his deadliest battles. For by law, Moira belonged to him—but possessing her heart is another affair.…

If Not For The Knight


Debbie Boek - 2005
     Even though their country now belonged to William, the Saxons continued to rebel against his rule. But they were no match for the seasoned Norman knights who ruthlessly put down the rebellions. Against his wishes, Calder Wyndym, one of the king’s most valued knights, becomes Overlord of a small village in the North. He is tasked to build a castle to protect the King’s lands and to find a way for everyone under his protection to learn to live together peacefully. Calder endeavors to follow his King’s decree but, in the process of doing so, he gives his heart to a lovely, young Saxon woman. Their relationship causes an even deeper rift between the Normans and Saxons. Will the strength of their love be able to overcome the hatred and prejudice? Or will the deceit, disrespect and betrayals from both sides tear the lovers apart?

Texas Triumph


Elaine Barbieri - 2005
    But both soon realize that love is a mystery not easily solved by one person. Original.

If You Dare


Kresley Cole - 2005
    When Court turns on the evil general, Pascal orders him killed, but Court narrowly escapes and exacts revenge by kidnapping Pascal's exquisite Castilian fiancée.Can she deny her passions?Lady Annalía Tristán Llorente despises her towering, barbaric captor almost as much as she does Pascal. Her inexplicable attraction to the Highlander only fuels her fury. But nothing will stop her from returning to Pascal—for if she doesn't wed him, she signs her brother's death warrant, as well as her own.Can there be love between them?From the moment Court discovers that Anna's prim façade masks a fiery, brave lass, his heart's ensnared, and he dares to defy the curse that has shadowed his life—to walk with death or walk alone. But Pascal vows that he'll hunt the two, never stopping until he's destroyed them both.

As the Night Ends


Audrey Howard - 2005
    Her despairing family, unable to rescue her from yet another dangerous prison sentence, is overjoyed when Patrick O'Leary comes into her life. A hard-working young surgeon, Patrick is as idealistic as Alex and loves her with all his heart.Then they are separated - first by a quarrel, then by the terrible war which engulfs their world, and finally, after a miraculous reunion, by a tragedy that seems to make it impossible for either of them ever to love again . . .

Wild Ravens


AlTonya Washington - 2005
    Phaedra is determined to return to her family, not knowing the part they've played in orchestrating her abduction. Valiantly, she fights to return to her home on the island of Dominica. She vows to never surrender to the dark, seductive Mfume determined that he will never have her body. She fears, however, that her heart has already been lost to the dangerous rouge.

201 Atwater


Marion Marchetto - 2005
    However, he quickly discovers that the residence has a history that it is begging to tell. With the house itself as narrator, author Marion Marchetto weaves an enchanting tale set in one of New Haven's most historic districts. Max and his wife Edwina begin their research into the background of the old house at the town clerk's office and the extensive libraries of Yale University. They soon uncover clues that lead them through a series of secrets hidden for the past two hundred years. Max and Edwina team up with Merline Madagascar, an interior designer who specializes in historical restorations, but who also possesses the innate ability to actually communicate with old buildings. Working together, they are able to lovingly restore the house to its original, beautiful condition-and finally free its untold secrets.Does the house's history hold a promise for the twenty-first century? The key to unlocking a fifty-five-year-old mystery may prove that history sometimes comes full circle, welcoming everyone home again.

The Ranger's Woman


Carol Finch - 2005
    The Ranger's Woman by Carol Finch released on Mar 29, 2005 is available now for purchase.

Love According to Lily


Julianne MacLean - 2005
    Now that her brother the duke's completely malleable best friend Edward Wallis has been brutally (and luckily) rebuffed by his intended, Lily knows her chance for a very permissive and entirely convenient husband is here. In fact, he is staying in her very own home for a house party.But this promising party's tone is quickly changed by a horrible twist of fate that threatens Edward's very life. Nothing but luck can save Edward, but Lily's heart is lost for good when she sees what a strong and devoted man he can be in times of trouble. Lily has set her cap on a man who should be unlovable and fallen more in love than she ever thought possible. Their passion brings great risk, but when a man and a woman prove to be so much more together than they were apart, is there anything that their love cannot overcome?

Dear Penelope


Sharon Ihle - 2005
     Penelope is disappointed her fiancé isn't at the train depot, and sets out to find him only to discover he is about to marry another. Unable to afford a ticket home, Penelope convinces Sabastian that the Pearly Gates needs a hostess, then snags a part-time job setting type for the town's down-on-its-luck newspaper. Sabastian wishes he'd said "no" to the effervescent Penelope as there isn't a pair of boots she can't trip over, including her own, and she' just as good at setting type. When Penelope decides to help one of the paper's love-addled readers, the 'Dear Penelope' column becomes a booming success. Finally, life is good until Penelope's father arrives to drag his unwed daughter home. Leaving Penelope no choice, she asks Sabastian to marry her. But a marriage of convenience can be anything but...convenient. REVIEWS: "Brilliant, funny and mesmerizing." Affaire de Coeur Also by Sharon Ihle: THE PROUD ONES, in series order The Bride Wore Feathers The Half-breed Bride THE INCONVENIENT BRIDES, in series order: The Bride Wore Spurs Marrying Miss Shylo The Marring Kind The WILD WOMEN Series, in order" Untamed Wildcat Wild Rose Wild Hearts THE LAW AND DISORDER SERIES, in order: To Love a Scoundrel The Outlaw was No Lady A Lawman for Maggie The Law and Miss Penny ABOUT SHARON IHLE: Sharon Ihle is the bestselling author of more than a dozen historical romances set in the American West. A lifelong Californian, Sharon recently moved from the sunny beaches of San Diego to the frozen plains of North Dakota. Hard to believe, but it's true.

Prince Eternal: Sacred Soul


Marie Monique Marie - 2005
    Vladimir Dracula, born to a gypsy woman who was seduced by Lucifer, returns home to his clan after fourteen years of exile. Upon his return, Vlad discovers his cousin Vashti, with whom he shares a mysterious bond, seeks his death. Vashti struggles against Vlad's alluring sensuality in order to avenge her father's death. Once she learns of his taste for the purest of wines-blood-Vashti discovers how deeply they are bonded. As Prince of Wallachia, Vlad leads an army against the Turks, while he fights to keep his soul from Lucifer's grasp. To save Vashti from the ensuing darkness, he vows to sacrifice his own life.and his immortal soul. Vashti must convince him that by sacrificing himself, Vlad condemns them both.

Mail Order Mama


Courage Knight - 2005
    She'd traveled hundreds of miles to marry a man she had never met before - a widower with five children, a hundred and sixty acres, and a flock of sheep. It had sounded so romantic once, before the dirty, dusty reality sprawled before her in all its fetid glory. She scanned the crowd, wondering which of the paunchy, balding men would claim her.None of them, apparently. Mr. John O'Shea was nowhere to be seen. What's more, the townspeople try to convince her to leave, to give up her dreams without even meeting her intended. They believe he's not quite right in the head. Undaunted, she hires a driver to take her to his homestead. But when she finally meets the man who sent the poetic letters and fare for her passage, her dreams are shattered, for John O'Shea is little more than a child himself. Had she come all this way for nothing? Would she ever be a bride, or was it her destiny to be a mail-order mama?Book Length: 8 Chapters / 33,904 words

The Daring Twin


Donna Fletcher - 2005
    Fortunately, Fiona's identical twin sister Aliss also cannot imagine a worse fate than a forced marriage and the two boldly concoct an outlandish scheme –– to become indistinguishable to the groom –– and it works.Tarr, frustrated that he cannot tell the difference between Fiona and Aliss, nevertheless finds himself drawn to a particular twin. Unfortunately, as soon it becomes clear to him that Fiona is the one who has captured his heart, Tarr must battle with an unexpected enemy to keep his newfound love.

A Touch of Velvet


Kathryn Newman Bender - 2005
    She must give up her home or stand accused of murder, but Ian is there to help her; what follows is a sensational story about two exciting people who fall deeply in love and share a splendid life filled with magnificent love as well as intense struggles from people weaving treacherous webs around them. Tristen will go to dangerous lengths to keep her beloved Ian safe. But will Ian intervene before she pays the ultimate price?