Book picks similar to
A Necessary Heir by L.A. Hilden
historical-fiction
romance
first-reads
historical-fiction-england
Havana Jazz Club
Lola Mariné - 2012
Lured by her new playboy husband, the beautiful, trusting woman leaves her close-knit and caring family in Cuba to follow him to Spain. Once there, he reveals his true—and violent—nature, and Billie chooses the dangers of the street over the abuses of the man she once loved. Soon she finds herself with trouble to spare and nowhere to turn, but when her voice lands her a spot at the Havana Jazz Club, she discovers a new, unconventional family in a city far from the one she left behind. And with every high note and heartbreak, Billie skirts destiny to write her own song.
Immigrant Bride
Jean Dunstan - 2021
Devastated, Sophia, a naïve farm girl, is forced to marry a young man named Domenic and leave for the United States. As part of a large Italian exodus heading to the United States looking for a better life, Sophia must adjust to being in a strange country and build a life as a young immigrant bride in New York City. Can Sophia overcome her fears and learn to build a life for herself and the ones she loves when fate steps in and steals her happiness away once more? And will she be strong enough to move forward when destiny hands her a new adventure?
The Marchioness Who Tempted Fate
Hanna Hamilton - 2020
The day she finds herself at the mercy of a peculiar Marquess, she realizes that trying to steal from a nobleman, was a very bad idea.When Percival Dandridge, Marquess of Northbury, apprehends a suspiciously feminine thief in his house, he decides to offer her a position in his kitchen. He never intended to fall in love with her.But when an attempt against his life is made, all clues point to her.Realizing she is being framed, she becomes a ghost, working to prove her innocence. A dagger, an old gold pouch, and a diligent constable are all she has to solve this mystery and uncover a string of old ones…
The Duke's Broken Heart
Abigail Agar - 2017
After having restored the family's fortune, he returns five years later seeking a wife at the marriage mart to produce an heir and to live in Collinswood, his country estate. He prefers the quiet to the London noise and crowds.Lady Charlotte Albert begins her first season at the marriage mart. Outgoing and vivacious, she draws men to her. Although she is the opposite of what Phin is looking for, he is attracted to her. Lord Bernard has also shown an interest in her. Being deeply in debt, his interest is in her large dowry. To improve his chances with Charlotte, Lord Bernard spreads rumors about Phin that stem from his father's irresponsible ways.Charlotte rejects Phin because of the rumors and gets him heartbroken. When he is in France on business, his friends and family work to clear his name. A group of influential Dukes restores his reputation. When Phin returns, he wonders if he truly wants a woman who has rejected him. He has to decide between walking away from Charlotte forever and spending the rest of his life with her. Will he choose wisely?"The Duke's Broken Heart" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Regency Legacy (Amongst Rakes and Rogues)
Regina Darcy - 2018
A time when rules and etiquette defined a lady and a gentleman. Set in a bygone area, Regina Darcy spins several enchanting tales. With a dollop of faith and a lot of determination our brides and grooms are headed for new experiences that will change their lives forever. Follow their journeys as they overcome trials and tribulations in this sweet collection. Over 1000 pages of riveting stories and heartwarming endings. The collection includes the following titles: 1. THE DUKE’S SCANDALOUS SECRET 2. AN EARL FOR THE DESPERATE BRIDE 3. A GOVERNESS FOR THE FAITHLESS DUKE 4. ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS BALL 5. A DUKE’S SON TO THE RESCUE 6. THE MISTAKEN ARRANGEMENT 7. THE FORGETFUL GOVERNESS 8. MESMERISING THE DUKE 9. RESCUING THE DUKE 10. THE BLUESTOCKING & THE VISCOUNT 11. RESCUING THE MARQUISE 12. THE DUKE’S SECRET DESIRE 13. CAPTURING THE DUKE’S HEART 14. THE DUKE’S ROGUE BROTHER 15. THE MARQUESS’S OBSESSION 16. A SUITOR FOR MISS HIGGINS 17. THE EARL’S SALVATION 18. WINNING THE VISCOUNT’S HEART 19. A BARTERED BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS 20. THE CAPTAIN & THE STOAWAY 21. FALLING FOR THE EARL 22. BEWITCHING THE VISCOUNT 23. THE COURAGEOUS MAIDEN 24. THE DUKE’S OBSESSION 25. CAPTIVATED BY THE EARL 26. A PREACHER’S DAUGHTER FOR THE SMITTEN DUKE 27. THE VAGABOND 28. ENCHANTING THE LAIRD 29. THE CAPTAIN’S REDEMPTION 30. A PRUDE MAIDEN FOR THE EARL Buy it NOW or download for free on Kindle Unlimited.
Rory (The Rakehells of Rochester Book 3)
J.A. Templeton - 2017
When he awakens, he’s delighted to discovery Shannon O’Connor, a stunning maid, caring for him. Aroused and intrigued by the mysterious woman, Rory is determined to find out her secrets. But first, he plans to thoroughly seduce her with the most scorching, irresistible passion. Shannon O’Connor is on the run after her parents perish in a fire meant to wipe out her entire family. The only way Shannon can survive is to work as a servant in the home of wealthy English aristocrats. When her employer’s brother, a notorious rakehell is brought to the home with a bullet wound, it is Shannon’s responsibility to care for him. Just as she becomes comfortable in her position as nursemaid to the charming rogue, the person who killed her parents arrives ready to finish the job he started. NOTE: THE RAKEHELLS OF ROCHESTER is a steamy historical romance series intended for mature readers over the age of 18.
On the Sickle's Edge
Neville Frankel - 2016
What we cannot lose.A sweeping masterwork of love and loss, secrets and survival, On the Sickle's Edge is told through the voices of three characters who lay bare their family's saga: the endearing, scrappy South-African born Lena, transported to Latvia and later trapped in the USSR; her granddaughter Darya, a true Communist whose growing disillusionment with Soviet ideology places her family at mortal risk; and Steven, a painter from Boston who inadvertently stumbles into the tangled web of his family's past. Against the roiling backdrop of twentieth-century Russia and Eastern Europe, the novel delivers equal parts historical drama, political thriller and poignant love story.On the Sickle's Edge takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride through some of the most tumultuous events of the 20th century. Instantly immersed in seven generations of the Shtein family, we witness their exhilarating celebrations and provocative controversies, and gain an intimate understanding of the pivotal events in South Africa, Latvia and the Soviet Union. Neville Frankel's ability to combine historical insight and human passion is spellbinding. I couldn't put it down. --Pamela Katz, The Partnership: Brecht, Weill, Three Women, and Germany on the BrinkIn the hands of a masterful storyteller, On the Sickle's Edge pits the weight of an oppressive regime against individual tenacity and profound personal courage. Inspired by Frankel's own family history, this multi-generational epic holds up a mirror to a universal truth: all immigrants face the powerful tension between assimilation and cultural identity. We have--all of us--lived life on the edge of the sickle. --Rabbi Andrew Baker, Director of International Jewish Affairs, American Jewish Committee
A Courtesan Countess Worth the Scandal
Ava MacAdams - 2021
When her family is threatened, she does the one thing she can to protect them: publishes a book exposing them all.After his disaster of a marriage, Liam Westwood, the Earl of Keswick, made a sacred pact: never fall in love again. Having spent his years abroad, he never expected to meet a vixen that would test his sanity and haunt his nights upon his return.With the Ton’s most scandalous secrets hiding between the pages of her book, Nora has no shortage of people who wish to see her suffer. And some are determined to see her ruined. When the manuscript falls in Liam’s hands, his feelings of betrayal are overshadowed by a single thing: a name that jumps out more than all the others put together. His.
Rogues, Rakes and Dukes: Hold Your Breath Boxed Set, #1-3
K.J. Jackson - 2016
To protect her family, to protect herself, she is determined to find the men before they find her. The last thing she wanted was an entanglement with a duke that threatens her very survival… Hardened long ago, the last thing the Duke of Dunway wanted was an entanglement with a chit of the ton. But in the flash of a pistol, his fate is altered as he finds himself honor-bound to protect Lady Augustine from, of all things, herself. Unmasking the Marquess Some people are born with backbone. Others have to fight for it. List in-hand of suitable bachelors, Lady Reanna Halstead, the epitome of naivety, is thrust into London society with demands to gain a husband. To her utter amazement, she manages to capture the attentions of the Marquess of Southfork. Her love, dreams, and future are soon pinned on her marriage to this one man. One handsome, kind, fantastic man. One man, who has a very different idea of what this marriage will be. He will be hated, before he is loved. Killian Hayward, Marquess of Southfork, is only one step away from completing the revenge he has fought his entire life for. All he has to do is marry Lady Halstead. The one woman that is the key to his revenge. To his peace. The one woman that will threaten the very foundation of his entire existence. My Captain, My Earl One destined to live life on the seas. As captain of the Windrunner, Katalin Dewitt has one mission in life. Serve the ship. The ship that has been her home her entire life. The ship that is the key to keeping her father safe from certain death. She never expected to take pity on an injured deckhand from an enemy ship and allow him onto the Windrunner. And she certainly never expected to allow him into her life. One determined to make his way home. Bound, gagged, and held captive on one ship after another for two long years, Jason Christopherson had long since given up hope of ever getting back to land, much less to his beloved England. He never expected to land on a pirate ship, bound for land. And he certainly never expected to fall in love with his new captain, threatening the one thing he needed most in life–to return home. Neither expected to fall in love. Neither expected to be torn apart by a brutal betrayal. The first three Regency romances in the Hold Your Breath series by K.J. Jackson. Historical romance with strong women, undeniable men, and hold your breath adventure.
Fairchild
Jaima Fixsen - 2013
They should have a son and if it can be managed, he should be handsome. Cleverness isn’t important. Daughters in limited quantities are fine so long as they are pretty. Bastards are inconvenient and best ignored. It's not a big problem, unless you are one. Unfortunately, Sophy is. Sick of her outcast role, she escapes her father’s house, only to fall from her horse during a spring storm. Injured, soaked, and shivering, she stumbles to a stranger’s door—Tom, a blunt edged merchant from a family of vulgar upstarts. Mistaking Sophy for the genuine article, he takes her in. Sophy can’t resist twisting the truth. Soon she’s caught in her own snare—and it might just be a noose.
The Heart of Hampton House
Anita Stansfield - 2020
Her choices are few: if she is to survive, she has no choice but to assume domestic work. So when she is taken on as a maid in the vast manor of the powerful Hampton family, Deidre is determined to prove her mettle. But when she catches the eye of the young master of the house, she is set upon an unexpected new path. Julian Hampton is immediately taken by the gentle, new housemaid. He sees in her the qualities necessary to help him with his greatest responsibility: the care of his younger sister. When he offers Deidre a position as his sister’s companion, it is an opportunity that is not without its challenges. Deidre becomes fast friends with Julian and his sister, but with this relationship comes stirrings of resentment within the household directed at the young woman who has risen so quickly to such a position of responsibility. As Deidre’s connection with Julian deepens into a forbidden love, she must reconcile the tumultuous feelings of her heart or risk losing everything.
Mr Cavell's Diamond
Kathleen McGurl - 2014
He is in possession of a large diamond, given to him in India, which he vows he will give to the woman he loves – when he finds her, that is. Jemima Brown, sixteen, good-hearted and hard-working, comes to work for him as a general maidservant. When Mr Cavell stands up for her against the unwanted attentions of some tradesmen working in his house, she sees at once that here is a man of high morals and integrity. But it is Caroline Simpson, daughter of Henry’s house-painter, who catches his eye. She may be socially his inferior, but she is good-looking, flirtatious and knows how to use her charms. She manipulates Henry into marrying her, and only the loyal Jemima knows he’s been tricked. How can Jemima fight her growing feelings for her master, maintain her morals and stay in Mr Cavell’s employment, despite her mistress’s increasingly erratic behaviour?
The Viking's Bride
Jessica Knight - 2019
But there’s nothing he won’t do to have me.I was forced to marry a ruthless Viking Warlord.Now, I’m carrying his twins.
Grim is big, fierce, and handsome beyond words.But he's a killer, feared by all.I can’t believe my father would force me to marry this barbarian.Could a man like that ever love anyone, let alone me?We’re from two different worlds.Being with him in fantasy is far different than reality.A happy marriage seems impossible.So, I ran. But he found me, put me over his shoulder.And brought me back to be his bride.I hate how his gruffness makes my body yearn.I hate how his touch drives me wild.But what if there's more to him than a broken and vicious warrior?
Could I get the happily ever after I've dreamed off?Or will I always be his captive bride?
A Surprise Christmas Bride For The Heartbroken Widower: The Twelve Mail Order Brides of Christmas
Emma Morgan - 2015
She had hopes for a chance to find love and a new life, but instead her husband-to-be doesn’t want her, and is ready to send her back home. After losing his wife and young child, John is sure he would never love again. So when his brother’s wife sends for a bride without his consent, his mind is made up. She has to go, as soon as he can save up enough money for her fare back East. Sarah and John agree that she will leave in the spring, after the winter season. And as they spend time together, their love begins to grow despite their intentions. But as the holidays bring back memories of his lost family, John withdraws. Can Sarah find a way into his broken heart, or will he send her home, and go back to his lonely life?
His Christmas Nymph
Marly Mathews - 2014
She wants a Christmas like the ones she enjoyed as a child. Except she's twenty-four years old and the life she enjoyed as a child no longer exists for her. Her mother has died and her two brothers were killed in the wars against Napoleon. Her father has married a shrew who only wants to see her married to a man who smells like a pig, and her best friend is set to marry a Naval Officer in the the spring and she fears she will never see her again. Her father spends his days holed up in his office and rarely comes out because he can't even stand the woman he's married. And then one day, everything changes. She goes to her favourite reading spot on the sprawling estate of Whitney Park and sits on the bench in the Greek Temple Folly. While there, Edward Rochester, The Duke of Whitney spies her and believes that he has seen his very own Christmas Nymph. He goes out to introduce himself to her and before he knows it he's proposing to her - knowing only one thing - his Christmas will not be happy unless he's married the woman who has besotted him - Caroline, his Christmas Nymph.