Book picks similar to
A Fire in the Blood by Shirl Henke


historical-romance
western
romance
historical

Hawk's Pledge


Constance O'Banyon - 2006
    Two missing parents. One man whose hatred had divided a family, whose duplicity ended in murder, inextricably weaving all their lives together in a web of lies that only time could untangle.WHITHe was a gambler by necessity, a loner by choice. Ever since the orphanage had gone up in flames, Whit Hawk had been searching desperately for what remained of his family. Instead he found Jacqueline Douglas, a rancher in need of a good hand, a woman in need of the right man. Wildly beautiful, she was as untamed as the Texas he loved, and Whit knew that no matter what else life held in store for him, the fiery redhead must be his.

Halfbreed Warrior


Bobbi Smith - 2005
    Everywhere he went, people scorned him, feared him, hated him—and he expected the same when hired on at the Lazy S Ranch to help catch rustlers. What he didn’t expect was a woman like Randi. Her impulsive spirit and generous heart broke through his reserve and made him want to love again. But he couldn’t afford to get close to anyone. Not with the job he had to do.Randi Stockton grew up around rough cowboys on her father’s ranch. None had managed to win her love…until the mysterious stranger with the power to tame the legendary wild horse strode into her life. Randi knew he was a halfbreed, but something about him called to her. And he was the only one who could save her from the traitor at the Lazy S. The danger lurking in the shadows and canyons threatened to draw the two apart, but Randi knew in her heart that Hawk would always be her...Halfbreed Warrior.

Highland Savior


Adamina Young - 2018
    She is helped by the dour and disliked Laird Logan Fraser, who arranges the murder scene to look like a robbery. But soon someone is spreading rumours that Logan had committed the killing and he is soon a wanted man. After fleeing to the Highlands, he and Rosina fall in love. Meanwhile, Connor, Alasdair's brother has arranged to marry a beautiful Frenchwoman called Monique, but she has a passion for Rosina's father Hugh, which is returned. Will Connor take revenge?And will Logan be able to clear his name?

Lords of the Borders


Kathryn Le Veque - 2016
    Knight... Ridley... Fletcher... Caldwell... Cates... Tisdale. Welcome to the LORDS OF THE BORDERS MULTI-GENRE ROMANCE collection! Seven of the top names in Historical Romance have come together to bring you these great and passionate tales from both England and Scotland, the countries of both strife and brotherhood, where epic heroes and fiery women live... and where love knows no borders. Within these pages, you will find tales to sate your passion and warm your heart. This collection includes: Guardian of Darkness by Kathryn Le Veque – a knight hides from the king and finds love with a Scottish lass. A Season of Love by Christi Caldwell – Scandals and broken hearts in this sweeping Regency romance. Dark Surrender by Erica Ridley – A secretive governess seeks shelter in the towering home of a mysterious recluse who may be even more dangerous than the man she fled. A Highlanders Temptation by Eliza Knight – A forbidden love sizzles in this Highlander tale. Findley’s Lass by Suzan Tisdale – a widow hides dark secrets from the man determined to marry her. Crown of Dreams by Kimberly Cates – childhood enemies become allies… and more. Isle of Lies by Donna Fletcher – A lass marries a man who is her father’s mortal enemy. Enjoy these seven passionate stories for a limited time!

Summer Moon


Jill Marie Landis - 2001
    For Kate Whittington, the modest words of a newspaper ad are the answer to her desperate prayers. Daughter of a dockside harlot and raised in a bleak orphanage, she has no prospects in the unforgiving Maine village of her birth. Correspondence from the lonely Texas widower looking for a mail-order bride sparks tempting dreams of a house, a family, and a future in a land filled with possibilities.Kate arrives at the magnificent Lone Star Ranch eager to meet her new husband. Instead she is greeted by the news that Reed Benton has been wounded during a raid on a Comanche village and has returned with a prisoner--a wild-looking young boy who may be his long lost son. Even more shattering, however, is the fact that Reed has never heard of Kate, never wrote the searing letters that charmed her heart.Reed Benton doesn't want a wife. But he does need someone to look after the boy--a bitter reminder of a past ravaged by lies and betrayal. It will take a miracle to heal these two damaged souls . . . or the faith of one woman with nothing left to lose but her heart.Summer Moon is a deeply moving story of broken promises and new beginnings, crafted by a true master of romantic fiction.

Homeward Hearts


Alexis Harrington - 1994
    Living alone in her father's house in a dying Oregon mining town, she had put away her girlish dreams and prayed for something more practical: that someone would answer her ad for a blacksmith to run the shop that was her father's legacy to her--and her only hope of holding onto her homestead. But the exhausted stranger who collapsed in her front yard looked as dangerous as the devil himself... and he was far more dangerous than Chloe could imagine....along comes a strangerTravis McGuire was a man who seemed to have no past and no future. He was doomed to the life of a wanderer and knew that his desire for Chloe had to be contained. But he hadn't anticipated finding a woman like Chloe--a woman willing to look his past in the face, to risk everything she had for the one true love she'd never thought she could find.

Tainted by Temptation


Katy Madison - 2011
    or her own?Cruel false gossip and scandal follow Velvet Campbell everywhere she goes in London—and for the sake of her sanity she must get away. Accepting a position as governess at an estate in remote Cornwall, Velvet hopes to start over, untainted by rumor. But she finds to her dismay that her new employer—the darkly handsome Lucian Pendar—is, himself, the subject of whispered insinuations...that he hurled his wife to her death from nearby treacherous cliffs. But angel or demon, Lucian affects Velvet in ways she never dreamed possible, causing her heart to race, stealing the breath from her body with a look. As their mutual attraction grows, there is no resisting the passion that flares between them. Yet, as secrets from both their pasts rise to the surface, Velvet is haunted by one inescapable question: has she found a kindred spirit, her destined love...or placed herself in dire peril?

Forbidden Caress: The Warrior's Captive


Colleen Faulkner - 2019
    She beholds America’s virgin shores with wonder until her cowardly fiancé abandons her in the forest when they are attacked by Indians. In the first moments she faces her captor in terror.The warrior Night Fox reaches out and touches her cheek. What fool would leave a treasure like this behind? He is bewitched by his tribe’s newest captive. Her lustrous hair is red like the fox’s, her silky skin reminds hime of the yellow wildflower. He yearns to kiss the tears from her cheeks. He wants to taste the honey of her lips.”I hate you,” Katelyn trembles so much she can barely get the words out. ”No, you don’t hate me. You fear me, but you don’t hate me.” Night Fox is so close. Katelyn has never heard a man’s husky whisper.She meets his haunting black eyes without flinching. “Yes I do,” she lies. “I hate you because you kidnapped me, because you made your slave…” I hate you because I can’t despise you the way I should.He senses her surrender to his forbidden caress. Fox pulls her close, savoring the warmth of her damp skin beneath his touch.She trembles in his grasp, unable to tear her eyes from his. She remembers the taste of his mouth on hers. “I hate you because you touch me.”“Do not be afraid.”She lets herself be drawn into his arms. No one has ever tried to comfort her, no one has ever cared. Why this man, she wonders, as she bends his head towards her. Why the enemy? BONUS This edition contains a bonus excerpt from RACHEL’S CHOICE by Judith E. French REVIEWS OF FORBIDDEN CARESS 4.09 average rating this edition, 134 ratings, 11 reviews, added by 440 people, 42 to-reads, 91% of people like it–Goodreads4.2 out of 5 stars (24 ratings)–Amazon“A LOVE STORY. I loved this story. I recommend everyone to read this book. I look forward to reading more of her.” Kattie, Goodreads“Awesome Writer!!!!! One of the best, so many struggles, but love conquers all. Must read!!!! Only in fairy tales but the world is a viciously attacking diversity place. But this is a real love story beginning to end!!! Loved it.”—Diana Crane, Goodreads ABOUT COLLEEN FRENCH Colleen French has a unique gift for capturing the essence of passion in her breathtaking tales of romance and adventure. Winner of the Delaware Diamond Award for Literary Excellence and the P.E.A.R.L. award, she is the daughter of bestselling novelist Judith E. French who first taught her how to write. Colleen has written more than 130 print novels which have sold more than 5 million copies and been translated into Bulgarian, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish. Her Native American novels are inspired by her English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and Lenni–Lenape ancestry and her home near the Chesapeake Bay, where her family has lived for more than 300 years. Her books appeal to fans of Christi Caldwell, Mary Balogh, C. J. Petit, Shirleen Davies, Karen Kay, Madeline Baker, Elle Marlow, Ellen O'Connell, Vonna Harper, Judith E. French, Kathryn Le Veque, Margaret Mallory, Julie Garwood, Caroline Fyffe, Maya Banks, Hannah Howell Fiona Faris, and Alisa Adams.

Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold


Ellen O'Connell - 2010
    Anne Wells has embarrassed her rigidly proper family since she was a child with occasional but grievous lapses from ladylike behavior. They blame those lapses for the disgraceful fact that she is a spinster at 28. Cord Bennett, the son of his father's second marriage to a Cheyenne woman, is more than an embarrassment to his well-to-do family of ranchers and lawyers - they are ashamed and afraid of their black sheep. When Anne and Cord are found alone together, her father's fury leads to violence. Cord's family is more than willing to believe that the fault is his. Can Anne and Cord use the freedom of being condemned for sins they didn't commit to make a life together? Or will their disapproving, interfering families tear them apart?

Her Gentleman Thief


Robyn DeHart - 2011
    Determined to save her younger sister's reputation Annalise begs the thief to take her with him. It doesn't hurt that the handsome stranger might also be saving her from a marriage without love or passion.Griffin Hartwell, Viscount Benning never imagined that playing the highwayman would bring him face-to-face with his own would-be bride. Once alone Griffin takes the opportunity to show Annalise just how passionate he can be, but will his charade ruin their chance at a forever love? Her Gentleman Thief was originally published in the Mammoth Book of Regency Romance, 2010.

Claiming Coral


Maddie Taylor - 2016
    She travels to California to begin a quiet life on the western frontier as a mail-order-bride to a young man of her own choosing. But fate has never been kind to her and she arrives in Culpepper Cove to find her would-be husband dead from a freak accident, leaving her with little money, no job, and no place to live. With few options, Carissa ends up as Coral, the newest gem at the Red Petticoat Saloon. Bo Magnusson left his troubled past behind long ago and traveled west. Now that he’s established as a blacksmith who is also the owner of the town's busy livery stable, he's ready to settle down and begin a family. The down on her luck lovely redhead who arrives on the stage one day catches his eye and soon his heart. He can tell she is a lady and needs a man to protect her, especially when her dire straits force her to take a job dancing with lonely prospectors at the local saloon. This doesn't sit well with him and he pursues her only to be politely rejected. But Bo won’t give up trying until she is wearing his ring, even if convincing her means that she’s sporting a bright red bottom while he rekindles her wounded heart and keeps her safe. Their pasts come calling one day when her father's man arrives in town ready to drag Coral back to New York by whatever means possible. Tempers rise and secrets are revealed, but when the dust settles, will Bo at last claim the stubborn young woman’s hand, or will the treachery and vindictiveness of those who are dead set against their love tear them apart? DISCLAIMER: This book contains the spanking of adult women and explicit sexual scenes including anal play. If these offend you, please do not purchase this book.

A Question of Class


Julia Tagan - 2014
     On the strength of her wit and intelligence, Catherine Delcour climbed from Connecticut poverty to opulent Paris society. But once in New York, her lowly past is a scandal her wine merchant husband won't tolerate. After five years of marriage, Morris announces their union isn't valid and reveals his plan to send her to the West Indies. So long as she behaves, he'll continue to provide for her until the ship leaves. Fearing she'll end up destitute, Catherine schemes to escape--and secure her future with his treasured bottle of wine. Under the guise of supervising Delcour's wayward wife, Benjamin Thomas seeks to avenge his sister's death by ruining him. But Catherine isn't the spoiled society wife Benjamin expects. His growing affection for Catherine threatens more than his carefully constructed plans. His vow to never touch another man's wife has never been harder to keep than when he's around the beguiling beauty. When Catherine and Benjamin join forces, their sensual natures collide even as their individual desires for passion, vengeance, and escape threaten to tear them apart. CONTENT WARNING: Explicit sex"Ms. Tagan [has] become a welcome new author to my ever growing book diet." – Avon Romance.com 59,171 Words

Sagebrush Bride


Tanya Anne Crosby - 1993
    . . and solemnly vows to raise her innocent orphaned niece. But the little girl's grandfather has declared the unwed doctor to be an unfit guardian -- and refuses to deliver the child to Liz's care until she finds herself a man.DEVIL IN DISGUISE...Dangerous and secretive, hated by the settlers for his Cheyenne blood, rugged Cutter McKenzie volunteers to pose as the husband of the fiery, golden-haired healer. But even a sham marriage to the handsome half-breed promises very real perils. For his raw, seductive magnetism threatens Liz's cherished independence. And she dares not trust her own impassioned heart . . . nor the yearning voice within that begs her to yield to the power of love.

California Caress


Rebecca Sinclair - 1989
    And if that meant paying notorious gunslinger Drake Frazier to take his place in a fight, she'd barter her last gold nugget. But Hope soon discovered she'd have to give the handsome rattlesnake more than riches if she wanted his help. His improper demands infuriated her; even as she luxuriated in the tantalizing heat of his embrace, she refused to yield to her desires. She'd accept his terms, then find a way to escape him... somehow...

The Bequest


Candice Proctor - 1998
    She knew exactly what she was doing. You don't."        "I can learn."        "Can you?" He came at her with that lean-hipped walk she found so intimidatingly masculine. "What are you going to do the first time a man stalks up to you and puts his hand on you like this?"        At his touch she went rigid and sucked in an audible gasp of air. "What if he backs you up against a wall?" He pinned her against the soft velvet of the door curtain.        "You have made your point, Mr. Hays. . . ."                THE BEQUESTWhen Gabrielle Antoine arrives in the rough mining town, the convent-bred beauty is shocked by the decadence she finds there--and stunned to learn she has just inherited a bordello from the mother she never knew. Worse, her mother's business partner, Jordan Hays--a rugged, cynical loner--embodies everything Gabrielle fears . . . and secretly desires. Determined to transform the house of ill repute into an honorable enterprise, Gabrielle soon locks horns with an unscrupulous rival. And as Jordan seeks to shield her from this unexpected danger, Gabrielle finds herself swept away by a passion as tempting as sin itself. . . .