Book picks similar to
A Touch of Velvet by Kathryn Newman Bender


historical-romance
historical-standalones
dopey-romance
historical-fiction

Naked Justice


Dallas Barnes - 2020
    Detective Sergeant Lee Hollister and his partner Max Baxter find themselves fighting a dual tsunami from the shock of a demanding media and police department brass pressing for answers. A puzzling trail leads to studio executives with ties to millions of dollars and a skilled assassin. It is a deadly mix that crosses oceans and continents putting the two detectives in a struggle to not only solve the case but save their own lives.

The Magdalen Laundries: a novel inspired by true events


Lisa Michelle Odgaard - 2017
     Concerned at the level of intimacy developing between Maren and the boy who helps her father with his farm work, the village priest takes it upon himself to remove her from school and bring her to one of the convent laundries, where he delivers her into the care of the nuns. Now, alongside many other "Magdalens" - named for Mary Magdalen - Maren must spend her days washing dirty linens, symbolically cleansing herself of her sins while repeating endless penance to a God that she soon comes to feel is no longer listening to her. Only the presence of Ceara, a young pregnant girl who befriends her inside the institution, gives Maren strength to continue through abuse, humiliation, beatings and near-starvation. Set in Ireland in 1961, The Magdalen Laundries is based on the true stories from one of the most shameful chapters in Ireland's history, and tells of the redemptive power of faith, friendship and forgiveness. NEW EDITION now includes pronunciation guide. Recent Reviews: If you began reading this book without seeing the cover or knowing what it was about, you would guess that you were reading a future dystopian fantasy about a horrific, oppressive torture prison. However, you are not reading fantasy, you are reading a novel based on a true story. It doesn’t take place in the future, instead the sad pitiful events took place in Ireland, and other English-speaking countries, including America, for over 100 years. “There is hope in Christ, not despair.” Author Odgaard’s story is set in 1961 at [a convent] near Dublin. Young and pretty, Maren grows up on her family farm, loved and cherished. Maren begins to awaken to feelings of love, when a hired farm hand catches her eye. Her innocent feelings lead her parish priest to commit her, without her family’s knowledge, to what were called the Magdalen Laundries. These laundries were ostensibly places for “fallen” girls and women to redeem themselves. But too many ended as victims of a system of torture and deprivation. At times slow-moving at the beginning, most of the book is compelling and engrossing. Maren and her best friend at the laundry are described with love and compassion by Author Odgaard. While not sugar-coating or endorsing the practices at the laundry, the author also extends this same understanding to the Catholic Church. The story features a heartfelt affirmation of the Gospel message. While, many elements of this book are difficult to read about, overall there is a message of hope. I am grateful to the Author for opening my eyes to the Laundries and the plights of the young girls. In the afterward of the book, the Author presents more information about the Laundries and encourages readers to research more on the internet. I did look up some information about the history. “She felt a joy in her heart and knew that her journey to find peace had ended here, In Glasvenin cemetery.” – Jena C. Henry, Readers Review Room

The Jarrow Trilogy


Janet MacLeod Trotter - 2012
    Gripping, emotional and uplifting, the Trilogy is inspired by Catherine Cookson, her mother and grandmother.The Jarrow Lass: Brought up on her parents' smallholding in Jarrow in the harsh years of the 1870s, selling vegetables to poverty-struck Irish labourers such as the unruly McMullens, Rose dreams of the world beyond the grime of the town, a world she glimpsed at a fairytale wedding on the Ravensworth Estate as a child. Capturing the heart of handsome and respectable steelworker William Fawcett, it seems her wish for a better life is finally within reach. But tragedy strikes, and to save her young family from destitution, Rose must turn to wild John McMullen. The Jarrow Lass is the first novel in the Jarrow Trilogy and is inspired by Catherine Cookson's grandmother.A Child of Jarrow: To escape her possessive and drunken step-father, Kate is sent away from teaming Jarrow to work on the Ravensworth Estate. She is soon attracting the attention of charming, headstrong Alexander and dares to dream of a future with him. But when Kate discovers herself pregnant and alone she must return to face the wrath of her step-father. Yet she refuses to give up hope that one day Alexander might return to claim her and their love child. Poignant and compelling, A Child Of Jarrow is the second in the Jarrow Trilogy.Return to Jarrow: Rebellious Catherine (Kitty) McMullen, resentful of her mother’s new husband and yearning to escape impoverished Jarrow, determines to educate herself. Soon streetwise Kitty is a ghost of the past and the well-spoken, well-read Catherine leaves the north-east to follow her dreams. But this plucky and romantic heroine encounters hardship and heartbreak on the road to self-discovery. Return To Jarrow concludes the bestselling trilogy.

Blood in the Water Trilogy: The Lieutenant Oliver Anson Thriller Box Set


David McDine - 2018
     The Napoleonic wars are brought to life with grit and gunpowder in this trilogy of hugely popular novels: Strike the Red Flag, The Normandy Privateer and Dead Man's Island. With a clear knowledge of the period, McDine skillfully uses actual events in the Royal Navy’s history as the backdrop to Anson's swashbuckling adventures. For fans of Hornblower, Bolitho, Ramage or Aubrey, Oliver Anson will be your next naval hero. David McDine, OBE, is a former Admiralty information officer, Royal Navy Reserve officer and Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, and the author of Unconquered: The Story of Kent and its Lieutenancy.

Highland Rogues


Tarah Scott - 2016
    Both need him… neither wants him. Groomed for a life amongst the English aristocracy, Lord Erroll Rushton is unexpectedly thrust back into his father’s Scottish world when the Englishwoman he compromises refuses to marry him. No gentleman breaks into a lady’s bedchamber...but then, no lady sleeps with a pistol under her pillow. Miss Eve Crenshaw will marry for love or won’t marry at all. When London’s most notorious rakehell breaks into Eve’s bedroom in the dead of night and compromises her beyond repair, she plans a daring elopement that shocks even the earl. Blurb, reviews snippets – Claimed Talbot expects to find a hostile woman in the Scottish heiress Edward commands him to marry. Instead, he discovers a Highland beauty worthy of a man’s respect...and love. Talbot will do anything to win her acceptance—except the one thing she demands: betray his king and embrace his Scottish heritage. My Highland Lord London Heiress kidnapped by the Marquess of Ashlund, read the headlines. Yet no one tried to save her. Phoebe Wallington was seven years old when a mass assassination attempt rocked Regency England. Her father was the only accused traitor to elude capture. Now as a grown woman and a British spy, she is no closer to learning what really happened that day. Phoebe's quest for the truth takes a sudden turn when she's kidnapped by suspected traitor Kiernan MacGregor, the Marquess of Ashlund. However, Kiernan may not live long enough to stand trial. Someone wants him dead…and Phoebe stands in the killer's way. The only way to save her reputation and protect Kiernan is to marry him. Lord Grayson's Bride Nicholas Spencer, Earl of Grayson, won’t make the same mistake twice and let Josephine Knightly go. She loves him. He felt it in their one kiss before he left, and in the single kiss she allowed since his return. But she’s doing everything in her power to sabotage the marriage even before it’s begun. Nicholas doesn’t care. If Hell is where he must live to have her, then she must stand by his side in the fire. Lord Ruthven's Bride Love is always sweetest the first time around… A harmless attraction leads to a friendship that forces Lady Annabelle to choose between the two men who love her. One saved her from a killer. The other is her future husband. James Waterson, newly titled Viscount Ruthven, is hunting a killer. When Lady Annabelle steps into the killer’s sights, James will do everything in his power to protect her. Even if that means letting her go.

At the Mile End Gate


Sally Worboyes - 2001
    . . The war is over and the soldiers are coming back to the bomb-ravaged East End. Tom Smith is one of the thousands who are returning home. It's been an eventful war, what with a spell of desertion, and Tom can't wait to see his wife Jessie, their son Billy and the new baby daughter he hasn't even laid eyes on.But life back home wasn't easy either, especially when Jessie's army pension was stopped. So when she was told to put Emma-Rose into a home for her own good, she thought it was best. But how will Tom take the news? There is worse to come, when Tom learns that Jessie's old boyfriend has been helping her during the war.A compelling family saga set in the aftermath of the Second World War, from the author of Time Will Tell and Where Sparrows Nest.

The Problem with Pearls


Phyllis McManus - 2017
    She soon discovered her mama had been hiding secrets from her since she was a small child. These secrets start to unfold when she opens a box hidden in the back of a closet. Opening this box will create an entirely different world that Karlee never dreamed was waiting for her. Will Karlee have the strength and courage to face the secrets, or will she close the box keeping everyone from knowing the truth? If you like funny, heartwarming Southern stories with a touch of mystery, you will fall in love with the characters in The Problem with Pearls.

The Retribution Of An Honest Man


Evelyn Boyett - 2019
    But to have no recollection of who you are or why you’ve been beaten, branded and left for dead, well, that would be the sort of terror there are no words for. With nothing but the memory of a beautiful woman, he doesn’t know and the seed of vengeance slowly growing from his gut for a wrong he feels has been done to him, a man sets out to find who he is and who left him out in the desert to die. But will he discover his identity? And when he does, will he regret knowing the truth of the heinous crime he was accused of committing? Or will he discover his desire for revenge is justified? The town of Hempstead, Texas is an unholy place where honest men stay in the shadows and the corrupt walk bravely in the sunlight. But all of that is about to change when the rumors start to tumble into town with the weeds and wind. The rumors of the ghost searching for his love and… retribution. If you like fast-paced clean romance and action-packed stories, you won't be able to put down this addictive Novel by Evelyn Boyett. "The Retribution Of An Honest Man" is a stand-alone Western Historical Romance Novel of approximately 400 pages.

The Ever Open Door


Glenice Crossland - 2008
    Jim's only complaint is that Sally is too soft hearted for her own good, always at the beck and call of any neighbour, friend or even stranger. Sally, on the other hand, accuses Jim of being a soft touch for anyone after a drink or two at the Rising Sun. Both accept that neither will ever change and they love each other and their daughter Daisy deeply. Theirs is a close-knit family in a close-knit community where gossip - both good and bad - abounds and neighbour looks out for neighbour and friend for friend. And when Sally's generosity leads to an inheritance it should mean a change of life for the better, instead it brings danger and difficult choices for them all...

A Spice of Madness (The Inspector Lazarus Mysteries #2)


Suzanne Downes - 2017
    She confides in her husband, but Inspector Lazarus is busy chasing a daring jewel thief and has no time to worry about unfounded accusations levelled at Clement Foxcroft, no matter how odious he is. He is forced to reconsider when he discovers that Elspeth has apparently left behind her new born baby son without a second thought. When his superior also orders him to stay away from the family, his suspicions are roused – if there is nothing to hide, why are the two men so determined to keep him at bay? He and Sergeant Stonier are about to defy them both and begin a search for the missing Elspeth when a brutal murder intrudes and Lazarus suddenly finds himself caring for a soon-to-be-orphaned young family. Will he and Stonier ever untangle all the threads and reunite the missing woman with her son? Or is it already too late to save her?

Killigrew and the North-West Passage (Kit Killigrew Naval Adventures Book 4)


Jonathan Lunn - 2017
    For Lieutenant Kit Killigrew, the opportunity to search the Arctic for Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated expedition is a dream come true. Soon it becomes the stuff of nightmares. When a captain more interested in personal glory than safety forces them into uncharted waters, Killigrew begins to doubt they will ever get out alive, let alone find Franklin. As desperation sets in, Killigrew knows he must act. But then, to add to their troubles, a creature of almost mythical proportions starts to pick off the crew, one by one… Killigrew and the North-West Passage evokes the true horror of an Arctic winter. Jonathan Lunn’s most chilling and exciting novel yet is perfect for readers of Bernard Cornwell and Patrick O’Brian. Praise for the Killigrew Novels ‘Leaves the reader breathless for his next voyage’ Northern Echo‘Action-packed and well-researched… in the vein of Forester and O’Brian but with its own distinctive flavour’ Good Book Guide‘A rollicking tale with plenty of punches’ Lancashire Evening Post‘A hero to rival any Horatio Hornblower. Swashbuckling? You bet’ Belfast Telegraph The Kit Killigrew Naval Series Killigrew of the Royal Navy Killigrew and the Golden Dragon Killigrew and the Incorrigibles Killigrew and the North-West Passage Killigrew’s Run Killigrew and the Sea Devil

Silk and Scandal


Regina Carlysle - 2015
    Scandal by night. Duke Weston must marry soon or forfeit his title. The notion of a relinquishing his hedonistic lifestyle does not appeal until she waltzes into his life and challenges his preconceived ideas of relations between men and women. Headstrong. Stubborn. Challenging. Lady Eliza appeals to him on every level. Hell bent on seeking justice for her murdered sister, Eliza gives no thought to romance or marriage. She is a woman on a dangerous mission and now is not the time for society’s diversions, that is, until she meets a man who could uncover her greatest secret. Evil abounds and the threat of discovery lies around every corner. Only together, can she and Nicholas fight their gravest enemies and find the love of a lifetime along the way.

To The Cache La Poudre (Buckskin Chronicles Book 7)


B.N. Rundell - 2017
    But the young man is reminded of his father’s counsel that “Whenever a task falls to you, don’t question the why of it, just get busy with the doin’ of it!” Now he must set aside his new job as Shotgun for the Overland Stage and gear up for the pursuit of a band of warrior renegades. A tall task for an unproven young man, but when none of the pilgrims believe in the cause, and the settlers of nearby LaPorte refuse to leave their homes unguarded, Talon realizes he must face this challenge alone. His commitment and determination lead to the making of a man and a bloody chase through the foothills of Colorado and the plains of the new territory. Along the way, he makes a bitter enemy of the Cheyenne war leader, Two Bears, who is determined to seek vengeance on this unknown white man and prove to his people that he is the chosen leader of the notorious Dog soldiers. But Talon is undaunted and even eager to show the renegade that this white man is more than his match. Follow the trail that takes a young man from the Cache La Poudre through intimidating country and back to the Overland Trail as he proves his worth as he rises to the challenge and the making of a man.

Tombstone Jack and the Wyoming Raiders


Dan Winchester - 2018
    The ground is littered with the dead, but he finds one survivor, a woman named Bridget Decker. Jack gets her to a doctor in Cheyenne. He discovers the Wyoming Raiders, a band of outlaws, are the ones who attacked the wagon, and they want to make sure there are no witnesses. And now the Raiders know about Jack, too.Who will survive the deadly showdown?This is the third novelette in the Tombstone Jack series. It's 15,300 words of traditional western action designed to be read in one sitting. Enjoy! Don't miss the other Tombstone Jack adventures: Tombstone Jack Tombstone Jack and the Redwing Saloon

The Brave Men


Tony Maxwell - 2014
     ...The thrilling adult action-adventure sequel to The Young Lions. Robert Hamilton's story continues against the backdrop of a South Africa recovering from the tragedy of the Anglo-Boer War while the world teeters on the brink of an even greater disaster, the looming Great War.Drawn into this unfamiliar world of rebellion, intrigue and espionage, Robert finds love and then loses it in the greatest maritime disaster of the 20th Century.