Book picks similar to
Secret Thunder by Patricia Ryan


historical-romance
romance
medieval
historical

By Possession


Madeline Hunter - 2000
    Yet when Addis de Valence strode into Moira Falkner's cottage, there was no mistaking the sharp planes of his face, and the scar she herself had helped to heal. The young squire who had once been her hero was now her lord, a hardened man who returned to claim the son she had raised as her own. But Moira couldn't deny that Addis roused a passion she never thought to feel - and a perilous hope for a future that could never be...An Uncommon LoveAddis returned from the Crusades to find his lands usurped by his stepbrother, and his country on the brink of rebellion. Determined to reclaim his birthright, Addis could not afford to be distracted by a woman - even one as tempting as Moira. Yet the only living part of his contented past lay in Moira - and his desire for her was more dangerous than his deadly battles with the king's men. By law, Moira belonged to him... but possessing her heart might be far more difficult.

The Loyal Heart


Merry Farmer - 2011
    Several problems. Her childhood love, Ethan, has returned home from the Crusades, but he’s more interested in winning his land back than wooing her. She has to rescue a pair of nuns who are being held prisoner in Derby Castle’s tower by the sadistic Sheriff Buxton. And to top it all off, she’s developing scandalous feelings for Buxton’s lackey, the dark and devilish Crispin. Faced with all that what’s a girl to do but don her disguise as the Derbywood Bandit and take matters into her own hands?Sir Crispin is at his wit’s end. Not only does he have his hands full keeping Buxton from killing half the shire, now his arch nemesis, the Derbywood Bandit, has joined forces with his old rival Ethan. And that’s nothing compared to the burning torch he carries for his ex-fiancé, Lady Aubrey. He would do anything to win Aubrey’s love …… until he suspects that there could be a closer connection between Aubrey and the Derbywood Bandit than anyone knows.

Where Passion Leads


Lisa Kleypas - 1987
    "YOU'RE PERFECT ..."Beautiful young Rosalie Belleau was swept up into an aristocratic world of luxury, license and intricate intrigue when the most notorious and handsome rake in London, Lord Randall Berkeley, abducted her in the belief that she was any man's for the taking. Before he realized his mistake, he had branded her with his desire --- and lost his heart to this girl so unlike any he had ever known. Both Rosalie, waking to womanhood, and Sir Randall, learning the power of love, were in the dark about each other --- until the flames of passion lit their way through a labyrinth of danger ... to the dazzling heights of ecstasy ...

The Lover


Nicole Jordan - 1997
    Even in the stately ballrooms of Edinburgh where Sabrina Duncan first laid eyes on the powerful laird who would one day be her husband, he exuded an intoxicating sensuality. It was rumored that the touch of his lips could draw the very soul from a woman’s body—and when he pulled Sabrina into his arms, she had no doubts: The kiss he stole from her that moonlit night was like a brand on her soul, leaving her longing for more.A promise made long ago binds Niall McLaren to wed the eldest daughter of a neighboring laird to unite the two clans. But when Niall recognizes Sabrina as the enticing lass whose kisses enflamed his passion, the married life he once dreaded becomes a world of unexplored pleasures. Yet for all their beauty, the wild hills of Scotland are a place where ancient feuds and hidden secrets create unimagined peril for the lovers. For in the untamed Highlands, two hearts must clash before they learn to beat as one.Turn to the back of the book for an interview with Nicole Jordan and a sneak peek at her new romance, Master of TemptationFrom the Paperback edition.

The Three Disgraces Series


Elena Greene - 2014
     The Incorrigible Lady Catherine ~ Lady Catherine Harcourt, daughter of a duke, tries to escape her cold, repressive family by eloping with a rake. She is exiled to her aunts’ cottage in the Lake District, where she meets Philip Woodmere, a gentleman farmer as kind as he is ruggedly attractive. She is drawn to Philip’s strength and warms to his lively family, but a secret from her past threatens their chance for happiness. The Redwyck Charm ~ Marcus Redwyck, Earl of Amberley, reluctantly agrees to wed an heiress in order to save his estate. But his equally reluctant bride, Juliana Hutton, runs away and masquerades as an opera dancer. When they meet, passion leads them to the edge of scandal. Even when all is revealed, it will take all of Marcus’s resolution and the fabled Redwyck charm to win the spirited Juliana’s heart. Saving Lord Verwood ~ Penelope Talcott distrusts Lord Verwood, a notorious rake who’s meddled in the lives of her friends. But she accidentally saves his life and becomes entangled in his affairs. Someone is trying to kill Verwood. Despite herself, Pen is impelled to help. Scandal forces them to marry and return to his estate in Cornwall, where Pen must solve the mystery of the tortured man she has come to love. Reviews: The Incorrigible Lady Catherine “The story gives fresh new twists to traditional Regency plotlines and introduces a well-drawn cast of characters, three of whom cry out for their own tales to be told—the notorious Lord Verwood and Catherine’s two school friends . . . Elena Greene is a talented writer to watch for when looking for a pleasurable, meaty Regency romance.” – Jane Bowers, in Romance Reviews Today The Redwyck Charm “I consider The Redwyck Charm one of the best Regencies I’ve read in the past few months. Elena Greene is a reliable author who delivers the kind of story Regency readers love.” – Barbara Hume, for Rakehell Saving Lord Verwood “Elena Greene writes an intriguing tale of hope, love and joy. In this clever story of just who rescues whom, the political intrigue and developing passion between the main characters neatly blend together to make a highly pleasurable read.” – Romantic Times (4 and 1/2 stars)

The Promise of Rain


Shana Abe - 1998
    One of England's fiercest warriors, Strathmore is torn between his loyalty to the king and his pledge to the elusive woman he has never met. Strathmore was once betrothed to the fiery Lady Kyla--until her family's fall from grace halted plans for their union.When Kyla is seized by Strathmore, she vows to seek vengeance against the man she considers a traitor. But she's surprised when her hatred for her newfound enemy is matched by a powerful attraction--a temptation at odds with her desire to reclaim her freedom. Fueled by his own unspoken passion, Strathmore is willing to risk everything to help his beautiful captive discover the truth about her shocking past--even if only the most desperate act will save her from further ruin...or perhaps even death.

The Wolf and the Dove


Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - 1974
    And she burns with malice for the handsome Norman savage who would enslave her. . .even as she aches to know the rapture of the conqueror's kiss.The DoveFor the first time ever, mighty Wulfgar has been vanquished — and by a bold and beautiful princess of Saxon blood. He must have the chaste, sensuous enchantress who is sworn to his destruction. And he will risk life itself to nurture with tender passion a glorious union born in the blistering heat of hatred and war.

The Warlord


Elizabeth Elliott - 1995
    Fierce and fearless, Kenric of Montague had never admitted defeat, and now he demanded Tess's loyalty--and her surrender. But how could she give herself to a man who pledged to keep her safe but stirred her most dangerous passions?Beautiful and Innocent...Scarred by war and the dark secret of his birth, Kenric of Montague had no wish for a wife... until he beheld Tess of Remmington, the magnificent woman pledged to be his bride. Yet even as he gave in to his aching hunger to possess her, he vowed that Tess would never tame his savage heart. But when a treacherous plot threatens to part them, Kenric will find himself drawing his sword--and risking his life--to save the only woman who could capture his soul...

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.

Warrior's Surrender


Elizabeth Ellen Carter - 2014
    In the years following William the Conqueror’s harrying of the North, Lady Alfreya of Tyrswick returns to her family home after seven years in exile. But instead of returning victorious as her dead father had promised, she returns defeated by Baron Sebastian de la Croix, the Norman who rules her lands. To save her gravely ill brother's life, Alfreya offers herself hostage to her enemy. As Alfreya gets to know her new husband, she finds he’s not the monster she feared, and their marriage of convenience soon becomes a bond of passion. But Sebastian is a man with a secret—one that could destroy him. As a series of brutal murders haunt their nights, the man who betrayed Alfreya’s father returns claiming to be her betrothed. He has learned Sebastian’s secret and will use it to further his own ambition—using Sebastian’s own family—which will destroy Sebastian and mark him a traitor, and plunge an unprepared England into war with the Scots…

Lord of Desire


Paula Quinn - 2005
    Darkly handsome and sensual, Lord Brand Risande-known as "The Passionate"-is temptation incarnate. But his prowess on the battlefield and in the bedchamber hides a bitter secret: the betrayal that has sealed his heart. Now as this most feared warrior rides out to possess the lands he has won in war, he engages his most formidable enemy ever. And One Woman's Destiny. Lady Brynnafar Dumont is prepared to do anything to protect her people-even seduce the savage Norman knight who defeated her father. Prepared to face down a cold-blooded beast, she instead confronts a wickedly attractive scoundrel who wants nothing to do with her. It's enough to sting a lady's pride...and strengthen her resolve. Innocent as she is, now she must use all her charms to defeat Lord Brand in the only battle worth fighting-the one for his love.

While Angels Slept


Kathryn Le Veque - 2012
    – When her husband perishes in a skirmish, the Lady Cantia du Bexley Penden is distraught. Her husband was assisting the mighty Viscount Winterton in the battle for the throne between Empress Matilda and Stephen of Blois, caught, like most men, in a vicious struggle for the rightful ruler of England. Tevin du Reims is Viscount Winterton, a man with a heavy burden to bear and a dreadful secret. A lonely man whose wife left him years ago with a sickly child to raise, he is drawn to the sorrowful Lady Penden and in comforting her, falls in love with her. With her husband so recently killed, Cantia cannot resist the solace offered by the handsome viscount.A fiery passion is borne from grief and loneliness, and soon Tevin and Cantia find themselves in the grip of a powerful romance. But forces are at work against them; Cantia’s father-in –law, driven to madness by the death of his son, plots Cantia’s demise, blaming her for his son’s death. Complicating the issue is Tevin’s cousin, the lecherous Earl of East Anglia, who sets his sights on Cantia as a conquest. In order to protect Cantia, Tevin secretly whisks her from Rochester Castle with the intention of sending her someplace safe. But his altruistic plans come to ruin when Cantia is abducted by outlaws.And so begins the journey. Come along on the adventure of Tevin and Cantia, following them through death and life, through sorrow and hope. It is a tale of a lifetime involving two people with utterly shattered lives who must save each other and restore hope during the dark times of early Medieval England, during a turbulent time when men openly said Christ and his angels slept….

White Lion's Lady


Tina St. John - 2001
    Yet even as she discovers his treachery, Isabel cannot deny that Griffin lingers in her dreams, awakening the passion in her steadfast heart.Then a twist of fate puts a price on both their heads, embroiling them in a life-and-death chase that will force Griffin to choose between his own freedom and his fierce desire for the woman who would redeem his noble spirit. But to reclaim his lost honor, the White Lion could lose Isabel forever. . . .

Through a Dark Mist


Marsha Canham - 1991
    An outlaw known as the Black Wolf of Lincoln dares to stand before the slender, golden loveliness of Lady Servanne de Briscourt—and in one swift, trembling moment, the future of a kingdom is changed.Betrothed to Prince John's champion, the Dragon Lord of Bloodmoor Keep, Servanne becomes the unwilling pawn in a treacherous game...and the defiant love of a dangerous rogue whose secrets can rock a throne. Together they will be swept into the rich pageantry of royal power, throwing wide the huge gates of Bloodmoor to unleash the fury of a thousand armored knights. All the ancient hatreds spawned by a family's sins are revealed, threatening the lives—and the reckless love—of the Black Wolf and the only woman who can tame his bold, wild heart.

The Dragon Lord


Connie Mason - 2001
    Lord Dragon, one of King John's fiercest knights, brought the news that Rose's father was dead and revealed that he had been commanded to marry the traitor's widow or daughter and claim the estate.Rose was certain that neither her grieving mother nor Starla, her twin sister who longed to become a nun, could bear to wed Lord Dragon. But it was equally clear that their new lord had no wish to bind himself to a defiant maiden like Rose. Convincing the Dragon that Rose was the name of the sweet-tempered, biddable twin he was inclined to wed was accomplished in a matter of moments.Fortunately the deception did not have to last long. Indeed, before the hour was over, fiery Rose had subdued her true nature long enough to convince the Dragon it was her sister he'd wed—and had seen her mother and gentle sister on their way to the sanctuary of a nearby convent. Though she feared the Dragon's wrath when he discovered her pretense, Rose was content with the fruit of her labors—and pleased to have taken at least this small vengeance against her unwanted overlord.She'd be surprised to realize that the Dragon was already wondering if he'd been too hasty in sending the spitfire to the convent and taking the timid twin to wife—for he is a man of powerful passions who would find the spirited Rose a perfect match.