Book picks similar to
Secret Thunder by Patricia Ryan


historical-romance
romance
medieval
historical

The Seduction of Lord Stone


Anna Campbell - 2015
     Caroline, Lady Beaumont, arrives in London seeking excitement after ten dreary years of marriage and an even drearier year of mourning. That means conquering society, dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and taking a lover to provide passion without promises. Promises, in this dashing widow’s dictionary, equal prison. So what is an adventurous lady to do when she loses her heart to a notorious rake who, for the first time in his life, wants forever? Devilish Silas Nash, Viscount Stone is in love at last with a beautiful, headstrong widow bent on playing the field. Worse, she’s enlisted his help to set her up with his disreputable best friend. No red-blooded man takes such a challenge lying down, and Silas schemes to seduce his darling into his arms, warm, willing and besotted. But will his passionate plots come undone against a woman determined to act the mistress, but never the wife?

Christmas Ever More


Christina McKnight
    To do so, she sets out to host the grandest holiday celebration Foldger’s Hall has ever seen; proving to everyone—including herself—that she has more to offer than the hardship and loss she has brought to her family. A woman forging a new path in life... Mrs. Ruby Jakeston is tired of others taking care of her. She is ready to show everyone that she can look after more than just herself and her new husband; she also wants to set her overprotective friend at ease, and bring her hellion sister to heel. A girl lost and in search of a place to belong… Lady Ellington is on the brink of losing the only home she’s ever known. The last thing she wants is to attend a grand soirée. However, when her older sister demands her presence at a country Christmas party, she is compelled to attend. With only a stablehand as her companion, she arrives at a house teeming with unfamiliar faces—and nowhere to hide. A trio of women holding out hope for three different holiday miracles… Christmas ever more.

Mail Order Cowboy


Laurie Kingery - 2010
    Their only hope: advertising for mail-order grooms. But aristocratic British cavalry officer Nicholas Brookfield isn't exactly Milly's idea of a cowboy--or a man she can trust. And the more Nick proves himself as a ranch hand, the more he must hide his past from the woman he longs to make his own. Now Milly and Nick will need all their courage to face hidden dangers...and believe in a love that can answer all their prayers.

Sinful


Susan Johnson - 1993
    That is until he stepped into his carriage one evening and found it already occupied… Chelsea tempted him with a sinful offer. Sinjin adamantly, albeit politely refused. She was a young unmarried maiden, too dangerous for a man who'd vowed never to wed. No matter how luscious the prize, he wasn't reckless enough to be entrapped by the tantalizing minx. Can the spirited young beauty change his mind?

Roselynde


Roberta Gellis - 1978
    . . and the beginning of her greatest adventureIn a time of lords and ladies, Lady Alinor Devaux was an anomaly. The mistress of Roselynde was young, uncannily intelligent, wealthy and had a reputation for being as fierce and protective as any feudal lord before her. Alinor was unmarried and a rich prize for greedy men seeking power and wealth.When the Queen makes Alinor a royal ward and assigns a warden to oversee the running of Roselynde, Alinor must deal with not only fighting off unwanted suitors, but with the warden as well! Not willing to be any man or woman's pawn, she is determined to make Sir Simon Lemagne's life miserable. But the seasoned knight isn't quite what Alinor expects.What belongs to Alinor remains with Alinor, and God help any woman, man or holy crusade that gets in her way . . .

Redeeming the Deception of Grace


Kristin Vayden - 2012
    Her whit protects her from betraying the attraction and desire she feels whenever she is around him.Ewan Emmett, Duke of Greys is perfectly thrilled to torment Grace at every opportunity, until an old acquaintance begins an honest suit for Grace’s hand. When Ewan begins to feel the pangs of jealousy causing him to question his reasons for his constant teasing of Grace, he discovers a depth of emotion he didn’t know he harbored towards the golden haired beauty. Suddenly he is no longer the tease, but on the receiving end of the torment as he wonders if he‘s to late to fight for her love.

The Brazen Trilogy


Elizabeth Boyle - 2012
    Winner of the prestigious RWA RITA Award for Best First Book.BRAZEN HEIRESS — Lady Lily D’Artiers is lured into spying by her childhood love, the bold and dashing Webb Dryden.BRAZEN TEMPTRESS— Julien D’Artiers’ double life as the toast of the ton and an American privateer are about to collide when he finds himself face to face with the one woman who could unmask him: his wife.

The Widow's Kiss


Jane Feather - 2001
    Lady Guinevere Mallory’s beauty transcended even a portrait painter’s skill. It was nearly impossible to believe that this woman, who had buried four husbands before her thirtieth birthday, could have used murder and the dark arts of witchcraft to achieve her great wealth.I carried the king’s writ to investigate Lady Guinevere’s oft-repeated widowhood. Was it mere coincidence that each death had left her wealthier than the last? The fact that I believed she also held lands that rightfully belonged to my family made my investigations all the more personal and all the more thorough.Surely, I thought, such a woman would bear some obvious mark of treachery on her countenance, in her manner. But when we met I saw only the beauty of her pale blond hair and her deep violet eyes that seemed to me to offer a glimpse into the intriguing world of her brilliant mind and spirit. I began to wonder how the gentle hands of such an elegant woman, whose cool composure belied her dubious past, could have committed cold-blooded murder.Now as I learn more about the mysterious widow, I find myself growing more curious about the secrets of her heart–and more determined to reveal those secrets. Guinevere is the most captivating and intriguing woman I have ever met. I have but one question: Will my interest in her prove to be a fatal one? Hugh of Beaucaire

The Rogues of Ravensmuir Boxed Set


Claire Delacroix - 2012
    She returns to Ravensmuir, her husband’s holding, knowing it is haunted by secrets and hoping to discover the truth‚ only to realize that her infuriating spouse has tricked her again.In The Scoundrel, Evangeline is determined to reclaim her family’s treasure from the notorious thief, Gawain, never expecting that this man reputed to have no heart will become enamored of her. Gawain cannot resist Evangeline’s challenges or her allure—can he mend his ways in time to save his lady love and all she holds dear?In The Warrior, Aileen is abducted by the dangerous Hawk to be his wife, though she can make no sense of his choice. The Hawk’s holding is besieged by his enemies shortly thereafter—has his unwilling bride brought treachery into his abode, or does trusting her offer his only chance of salvation?This digital boxed set includes all three medieval romances in the Rogues of Ravensmuir trilogy: The Rogue, The Scoundrel, and The Warrior.

Knight's Caress


Lynette Vinet - 1993
    And he knew just the way. He would take his own captive -- Amberlie de Fontaine, the brown-eyed Norman beauty who was now lady of his former keep. And once he had stolen her away, he would not scruple over stealing a fiery kiss or two from this dark and enchanting hostage...He was her only desire...Amberlie knew she should despise Tedric of Woodrose. After all, he had kidnapped her, and worse, it was almost certainly Tedric who had killed her husband in one of his many attempts to regain his land. But the tall, blond Saxon warrior was not the savage she had expected. And try as she might, it was not hate but passion she felt in his presence; passion that stirred her as never before. He had taken her by force, but she would give herself freely to the sweet ecstasy of his tempestuous embrace...

Beauty and the Beast


Hannah Howell - 1992
    Now, she must marry the new heir, Thayer Saiturn, a battle-hardened knight known as the Red Devil...With a face scarred in battle and a heart broken in love, Thayer has no interest in marriage. But not even the Red Devil can break the promise his foster-father made years ago and soon finds himself married to a woman whose exquisite beauty and sweet innocence intrigue him. But can his new bride look beyond his scars to find a hidden passion and undying love locked deep inside him?

My Darling Caroline


Adele Ashworth - 1998
    Caroline was determined to see her dream become a reality—even if it meant masquerading as a man to be accepted at a university. But when her father arranged for her to marry, she agreed—knowing she could not become a conventional wife.A Flourishing LoveYet marriage wasn't what she thought it would be. Her attractive, new husband gave her the freedom she never expected—and the respect she had always deserved. At first she tried to resist his admiration, his love... and especially his touch. But soon she was surprised and overcome by her husband's—and her own—passion. Now Caroline might have to make the most difficult choice of all—between her lifelong dream and the depth of her love for an extraordinary man.

Knight of Seduction


Cheryl Holt - 2011
    With her first story set in medieval England, Cheryl proves once again that she’s unmatched in her power to thrill and tantalize readers around the world.CAN A DAMSEL IN DISTRESSHugh of Manche has lived a man’s life, fighting for king and country. He’s built his reputation as the toughest, most violent knight in the land. But when his loyalty is rewarded with the title Baron of Morven, when the king gives him the castle and lands that go with it, Hugh finally has a home of his own. He arrives at Morven and—in an effort to keep the peace—is determined to wed the prior lord’s daughter. He’s heard that the girl is a timid, shy maiden, and he’s resigned to the match. So he’s unprepared to encounter a fiery vixen who stirs his blood in ways he’d never imagined.TAME THE WICKEDEST KNIGHT IN THE KINGDOM…Anne of Morven has always wanted to become a nun, and she hopes to take the veil—if only she can get her cruel stepmother to agree. She’s always felt that a life of piety and prayer would calm her more wicked impulses. When Lord Hugh arrives, ready to claim his rights, Anne is the first person to learn how ruthless he can truly be. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he’s determined that she will be his bride. Nothing will dissuade him in his quest to make her his own.As Lord Hugh forces Anne to the altar, then tutors her in the ways of the marriage bed, lust blossoms and sweeps them away. Can love be far behind?

The Book of Scandal


Julia London - 2008
    But when he hears gossip that his estranged wife, Evelyn, is about to be named in The Book of Scandal, he has no choice but to remove her from London to protect her and himself from charges of treason -- even if it calls for abduction! While Evelyn has no legal recourse against the man who broke her heart years ago but is still considered her lord and master, she is no longer the immature girl Nathan married. Her enforced homecoming quickly turns into a battle of wills that tears down her husband's defenses and lays bare the passion that still burns between them. Before it is too late, Nathan must confront powerful adversaries as he convinces Evelyn that she is not only his wife, but the one woman he will love for all time.

The Conqueror


Georgette Heyer - 1931
    His victory, concluded at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, is known as the Norman Conquest.Known for her exhaustive research and ability to bring past eras to life, bestselling author Georgette Heyer tells the story of William the Conqueror, who became King of England in 1066, and his queen Matilda, the high-born noblewoman who at first scornfully spurned him. William was an illegitimate child of a nobleman, who won his dukedom through force of will, and went on to bring European feudalism to England, along with a program of building and fortification that included the building of the Tower of London.The historical novel includes Heyer's brilliant period language and her perfect grasp of the details of the day - clothing, armor, weapons, and food - making for a fascinating and blood-stirring read.