Book picks similar to
Defiant Angel by Stephanie Stevens


historical-romance
historical
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The King's Man


Elizabeth Kingston - 2015
    Ranulf's actions have gained him lands, title, and a lasting reputation as a hired butcher. But after years of doing his king's bidding, he begins to fear for his mortal soul and follows his conscience away from Edward, all the way to the wilds of Wales. Gwenllian of Ruardean, Welsh daughter of a powerful Marcher lord, has every reason to leave Ranulf for dead when one of her men nearly kills him. As a girl she was married by proxy to a man Ranulf murdered, only to become a widow before she ever met her groom. In the years since, she has shunned the life of a lady, instead studying warfare and combat at her mother’s behest. But she has also studied healing and this, with her sense of duty to knightly virtues, leads her to tend to Ranulf’s wounds. Saving her enemy’s life comes with consequences, and Gwenllian and Ranulf are soon caught up in dangerous intrigue. Forced together by political machinations, they discover a kinship of spirit and a surprising, intense desire. But even hard-won love cannot thrive when loyalties are divided and the winds of rebellion sweep the land.

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?

The Rancher's Virgin Acquisition


Lynda Chance - 2012
    Alone and terrified, she is rescued by Luke Butler, a rancher who knows only one way. His way.When Luke Butler finds Emma Martin, he has no other choice but to bring her back to his ranch. Soon, his life is turned upside down by a female who doesn’t know how to mind and who doesn’t know how to stay put.The battle that follows is a clash of wills, a test of tempers, and a lesson in love.Excerpt:Luke glanced at Emma and gave her a pointed look that meant she was to stay where she was. Then he turned and escorted the sheriff out the door."You're not using your brain, man,” the sheriff argued."Not your concern," Luke responded sharply."She's too soft, Luke. She needs people around her, not just a bunch of rag-tag ranch hands. Let her go back to town with me. I'll keep her safe, I'll see to it that Emma has--"Luke cut him off. "Stop talking," he growled in a hiss. "She's not up for discussion. You lost your chance to keep her safe when you sent me out there to find her. You need to forget she's here. Emma doesn't exist for you anymore. Don't say her name, don't even think about her.""Jesus Christ, Luke. You're not even acting sane." "Don't push me. I'm the only help you've got this side of Silver Creek. You need to move on about your business. You know I'd never hurt her. Soothe your goddamn conscious with that and finish the job you need to be doing. Find the scum that did this. Find 'em and hang 'em high because I don't like the thought of them being alive after seeing her face."The two men glared at each other before the sheriff turned and mounted his horse.Luke hesitated only a moment before he slammed back into the house and prowled to the chair where Emma was still sitting. He pulled her up and with a jerk, she stumbled against him.His arms reached out and encircled her."It'll take half an hour before the sheriff is too far away for one of my men to chase him down and bring him back. So you've got that long to decide." One steely arm was wrapped around her back, the other traced a line down her spine and then up again in a smooth caress."I thought I'd already decided.""You need a little more understanding of the situation before you can make a proper decision."Emma was pleasantly shocked by the intimacy of his touch and held enthralled as she stood in the circle of his arms. She remained mute and concentrated on her breathing that seemed to be rushing in and out of her lungs as if she were completely out of oxygen."Fair warning, Emma-girl," his smooth voice was brutal."Warning?" she managed to ask."I feel inclined to make sure you understand how it’s gonna be while you still have the opportunity to leave. Like I said, in half an hour or so, that option will be taken away from you.""I'm sure." Her voice was hesitant and didn't sound sure at all."Yeah?" His gaze slipped to her mouth and his already dark eyes grew stormy. "Let's hear you repeat that in a few minutes."Emma had no other warning before his mouth fell on hers.

Ravishing in Red


Madeline Hunter - 2010
    She does not realize that the handsome man of commanding sensuality who shows up is not the person she expected, but instead Lord Sebastian Summerhays, one of her father’s persecutors, lured to the inn by the same advertisement that brought her there.When the pistol accidentally fires, the situation becomes mortifyingly public, and thoroughly misunderstood. Audrianna is prepared to live with the scandal. Lord Sebastian has other ideas...

Tamed By The Highlander


Madison Faye - 2019
     ...Oops. If I had it my way, I’d never get married. But then, it’s not up to me at all. Because the gruff, muscled, gorgeous and powerful Highlander Lord Hamish Ballentyne has decided to claim me as his bride. I’m determined to resist him. He may be beautiful, and dangerously brooding, and carrying around the shadows of the wars he’s fought in. But I will not be some lord’s property, and I refuse to be “his”. Except one look into those dark, piercing eyes? One forbidden, pulse-quickening, toe-curling touch from his rough, strong hands? I can refuse to belong to him all I want, but the thing is... …I might already be his. He speaks to me like no man ever has. He touches me in ways I’ve only dreamed feverishly of. And he promises to take what can only be taken once. And God help me, I’m ready to give it to him. ALL the trope clichés. Lots of plaid. Wildly historically inaccurate. More alpha than you can shake a thistle at. Warning: not responsible for lost or ripped bodices. Reader beware ;). As with all my books, this one is safe, with no cheating, and a HEA guaranteed.

Emma: An Audible Original Drama


Anna Lea - 2018
    Before she began writing, Jane Austen wrote, 'I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like' and thus introduces the handsome, clever, rich - and flawed - Emma Woodhouse. Emma is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage; nothing, however, delights her more than matchmaking her fellow residents of Highbury. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. This lively comedy of manners, with its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, is often seen as Jane Austen's masterpiece.Public Domain (P)2018 Audible, Ltd.

A Lady Awakened


Cecilia Grant - 2011
    . . A Lady Awakened.Newly widowed and desperate to protect her estate and beloved servants from her malevolent brother-in-law, Martha Russell conceives a daring plan. Or rather, a daring plan to conceive. After all, if she has an heir on the way, her future will be secured. Forsaking all she knows of propriety, Martha approaches her neighbor, a London exile with a wicked reputation, and offers a strictly business proposition: a month of illicit interludes . . . for a fee.Theophilus Mirkwood ought to be insulted. Should be appalled. But how can he resist this siren in widow’s weeds, whose offer is simply too outrageously tempting to decline? Determined she’ll get her money’s worth, Theo endeavors to awaken this shamefully neglected beauty to the pleasures of the flesh—only to find her dead set against taking any enjoyment in the scandalous bargain. Surely she can’t resist him forever. But could a lady’s sweet surrender open their hearts to the most unexpected arrival of all . . . love?

Velvet Chains


Constance O'Banyon - 1985
    The black-garbed captin had kidnapped the English beauty as ransom for an American patriot. But the longer the Redcoats stalled negotiations, the more time the Raven spent with his prisoner...and the closer he came to tumbling her to his bed! Soon all thoughts of freedom for the Colonies fled his mind and the only cause he now embraced was possessing his sumptuous captive!LOVE'S BONDSEmerald-eyed Season Chatsworth had defied her father's plans for her future; she certainly wasn't about to obey a stranger's commands! Escape was all the spirited young woman could think of--until she gazed into her handsome abductor's eyes and lost her will to resist. His searing touch and devouring kiss kept her by his side with more force than manacles of steel. Then the moment came when Season no longer rebelled against the cruel fate that linked her to the Raven; now she was forever bound to him by passion's VELVET CHAINS.

Always


Lynsay Sands - 2000
    . .Bastard daughter to the king, Rosamunde was raised in a convent and wholly prepared to take the veil . . . until King Henry declared she would wed Aric, one of his most valiant knights. Suddenly she found herself promising to love, honor, and obey.Rosamunde's education had not covered a wedding night, but the handsome warrior she was now bound to seemed intent on giving her a lesson in the art of pleasure. In no time, Aric was certain she would surrender to the irresistible passion he promised.And while Rosamunde's spirited nature often put her at odds with her new husband, his mastery in seduction was quickly melting her resolve—and capturing her heart.

Ransom My Heart


Meg Cabot - 2009
    . . with help from Meg CabotHe's a tall, handsome knight with a secret. She's an adventurous beauty with more than a few secrets of her own. Finnula needs money for her sister's dowry, and fast. Hugo Fitzstephen, returning home to England from the Crusades with saddlebags of jewels, has money, and lots of it. What could be simpler than to kidnap him and hold him for ransom?Well, for starters, Finnula could make the terrible mistake of falling in love with her hostage.Princess Mia Thermopolis, Meg Cabot's most beloved character, has always been an outspoken animal-rights activist and committed environmentalist. In keeping with Mia's true spirit, Meg will be donating her advance to Greenpeace.

It's Getting Scot in Here


Suzanne Enoch - 2019
    Her parents may want her to catch a title, but she will never change who she is for the promise of marriage. Her husband will be a man who can appreciate her sharp mind as well as her body. A sophisticated man who loves life in London. A man who considers her his equal―and won’t try to tame her wild heart...IN THE HIGHLANDSRough, rugged Highlander Niall MacTaggert and his brothers know the rules: the eldest must marry or lose the ancestral estate, period. But Niall’s eldest brother just isn’t interested in the lady his mother selected. Is it because Amelia-Rose is just too. . . Free-spirited? Yes. Brazen? Aye. Surely Niall can find a way to soften up the whip-smart lass and make her the perfect match for his brother for the sake of the family.JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT HOTTER.Instead it’s Niall who tempts Amelia-Rose, despite her reservations about barbarian Highlanders. Niall finds the lass nigh irresistible as well, but he won’t make the mistake his father did in marrying an Englishwoman who doesn’t like the Highlands. Does he have what it takes to win her heart? There is only one way to find out...

His Lady Mistress


Elizabeth Rolls - 2004
    He doesn't recognize her as the daughter of a colonel under whom he used to serve, the girl he'd once helped years before. The life Verity's now living is untenable. So he proposes a shocking solution--he will set her up as his mistress.It's only once that Verity's finally agreed, once Max is beginning to lose his heart to her, that he discovers her true identity. Max is taken aback; he would never have suggested this lady become his mistress. Now, to avoid scandal, they'll have to marry!

A Temporary Betrothal


Dorothy Mack - 1995
     Can Belinda shield her cousin from scandal without sacrificing her happiness? Regency England Having spent several years caring for her grandmother, Belinda Melville has hardly ever left her family home. But when her beautiful but selfish cousin – Lady Deirdre Archer – summons her to Archer Hall while her husband is away, Belinda reluctantly agrees to act as her companion. In the whirl of society activity, Belinda crosses paths with the handsome Captain Anthony Wainright, newly returned from the Peninsular war. To her dismay, she discovers that he is nursing an illicit passion for Deirdre that could land them both in scandal. To protect her cousin’s reputation, Belinda agrees to become temporarily betrothed to Anthony. But it soon becomes clear that she is in danger of falling for a man who has already bestowed his heart on another… A Temporary Betrothal by Dorothy Mack is a classic Regency romance full of twists and surprises.

Triumph and Treasure


Collette Cameron - 2014
     He lived an idyllic life… One day, Flynn, Earl of Luxmoore, was a wealthy, carefree lord, courting the woman he intended to wed. And the next day, he’s stripped of all but his title and left with no means to care for his loved ones. When the person responsible for his ruination offers him a solution—marriage to an unwilling and resentful American beauty—he has no choice but to accept. Not if he wants to care for his ailing mother, elderly grandmother, and disabled sister. Fate dealt her a cruel hand… Angelina Ellsworth unwittingly committed bigamy, and when she finds herself pregnant, she’ll do anything to protect her baby. Including fleeing to England and marrying a handsome nobleman, every bit as desperate and opposed to their marriage of convenience as she. She agrees to wed Flynn, stipulating two conditions: the union is in name only, and after a year, they’ll go their separate ways. Except, Angelina didn’t count on her first husband, refusing to let her go. Resentment and anger war with passion and desire… Flynn risks his life to protect Angelina from the madman pursuing her, but is his sacrifice enough? Can a woman who’s vowed to never trust a man again and an embittered lord find contentment in an arranged marriage neither wanted? Historical romance at its best! This sigh-worthy Scottish Regency by a USA Today bestselling author will have you reaching for the tissues! You’ll eagerly escape into this page-turner and cheer as Flynn and Angelina take a chance on love. If you enjoy reading arranged marriages, love stories packed with suspense, a dash of humor, and heartwarming emotion, then you’ll adore Collette Cameron’s passionate HIGHLAND HEATHER ROMANCING A SCOT Series. Buy TRIUMPH AND TREASURE today and settle into your favorite reading nook for an unforgettable historical romance escapade you can’t put down. Though this book can easily be read as a stand-alone, most readers prefer to read the series in order. HIGHLAND HEATHER ROMANCING A SCOT: Triumph and Treasure Virtue and Valor Heartbreak and Honor Scandal’s Splendor Passion and Plunder Seductive Surrender A Yuletide Highlander CHECK OUT COLLETTE’S OTHER SERIES: Castle Brides Heart of a Scot Seductive Surrender The Blue Rose Regency Romances: The Culpepper Misses The Honorable Rogues™ Wicked Earls’ Club

How to Deceive a Duke


Lecia Cornwall - 2012
    . .When her stubborn sister runs off the night before her arranged marriage, Meg Lynton hardly hesitates before donning the wedding veil and walking down the aisle herself. It's the only way to save her family from sure destitution. By the time her wealthy groom discovers he has married the wrong sister, it will be too late to annul their vows. And too late for Meg to escape her wifely duty to a man reputed to be a devil in battle and the bedroom . . .A bride is the last thing Nicholas Hartley, Duke of Temberlay, wants. Then he sees Meg and realizes that his wedding night will be a great pleasure indeed. But aside from the agreeable business of begetting an heir, Temberlay will never change his wicked ways for a wedding vow—until he discovers Meg's deception, and decides to teach the scheming beauty how to be a proper duchess, kiss by devastating kiss . . .