Book picks similar to
Mercy in a Red Cloak by Carrie Fancett Pagels


historical-fiction
romance
inspirational
historical

Keturah


Lisa Tawn Bergren - 2018
    But once they arrive in the Caribbean, proper gender roles are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined--and that's just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this unfamiliar world. Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives. Set on keeping her family together and saving her father's once-great plantation, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?

The Russians: The Crown and the Crucible / A House Divided / Travail and Triumph / Heirs of the Motherland / The Dawning of Deliverance


Michael R. Phillips - 1991
    Compelling characters, fluid, thrilling reading, and a strong sense of history set these books apart in the minds of more than a half million fans who’ve loved them. Join Phillips and Pella again or for the first time as peasant and princess alike face the prospect of their beloved Russia being torn apart. Conflict within and without brews as thoughts of revolution stirs the masses and war looms in the Balkans. The lives of the characters will be forever changed…and so will yours.

The Ringmaster's Wife


Kristy Cambron - 2016
    As the daughter of an earl, she’s grown up with every comfort money can buy. But when hard times befall the family’s Yorkshire estate in the aftermath of the Great War, Rosamund’s father sells her beloved horse, setting the stage for a series of events that would extend beyond even her wildest dreams.Though expected to marry for a title instead of love, Rosamund feels called to a different life – one of adventure outside the confines of a ladies’ parlor. She abandons all she’s known and follows in pursuit as her horse is shipped to the new owner – an American entertainer by the name of John Ringling. Once introduced to the Ringling Brothers’ circus and knowing she has much to learn, Rosamund agrees to a bareback riding apprenticeship in the shadow of the Ringlings’ winter home—Ca’D’Zan. It is at that mansion, in what would become the last days of the enigmatic Mable Ringling’s life, that Rosamund finds a deeper sense of purpose in the life she’s been given, and the awakening of faith in her heart.With a supporting cast of characters as mysterious and dazzling as the Ringlings’ big-top world, Rosamund’s journey takes her from the tradition of the English countryside to the last days of America’s Roaring ‘20s—a journey that forever changes what one life might have been.

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?

The Mark of the King


Jocelyn Green - 2017
    Hoping to reunite with her brother, a soldier, she trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling French colony of Louisiana. The price of her transport, however, is a forced marriage to a fellow convict.New Orleans is nothing like Julianne expects. The settlement is steeped in mud and mosquitoes, and there is no news of her brother, Benjamin. When tragedy strikes, she turns to military officer Marc-Paul Girard for help, but does he know more about her brother than he will admit?With her dreams shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous land, where only grace—and love—can overcome the stigma of the king's mark upon her shoulder.

A Child's Christmas Wish


Erica Vetsch - 2017
    And when his neighbor's house burns down, he's willing to open his home to pregnant and widowed Kate Amaker and her in-laws--but not his heart. Even if his little girl's convinced Kate's unborn child is the answer to her wish.Kate quickly sees the generous but aloof Oscar has little interest in growing closer to his houseguests. Still, she intends to make the coming Christmas a season to remember for his daughter. And as Oscar starts to open up to her, Kate can't help picturing just how wonderful the holidays--and a future together--might be.

Butterfly Palace


Colleen Coble - 2014
    Victorian Austin is lavish, highly political, and intimidating, but with the help of the other servants, Lilly resolves to prove herself to her new employers.Then, while serving at an elegant dinner party, Lilly recognizes one distinguished guest as Andrew, the love of her life, who abandoned her without a word back home. He seems to have assumed a new identity and refuses to acknowledge her, leaving her confused and reeling.Before Lilly can absorb this unwelcome news, she's attacked. Could it be the sinister Servant Girl Killer who has been terrorizing Austin? Or is it someone after something more personal--someone from her past?Does she dare trust Andrew to help or is he part of the danger threatening to draw Lilly into its vortex?

Forget Me Not


Miralee Ferrell - 2014
    Now, at the age of twenty-four, she regrets that decision. What will Seth think of her, when they encounter one another hundreds of miles from home? Will the man she cared for understand the direction her life has taken and love her in spite of her choices? Pastor Seth Russell has never completely forgotten the girl he once courted. When she shows up in his new home of Baker City, all those feelings return. But why is she sneaking around town late at night? Even more important, will she reject him and break his heart again, or can God heal the breach between them? Forget Me Not is part of the historical romance, Love Blossoms in Oregon series, published by David C Cook. This book can stand alone, but is better enjoyed when reading the series and getting acquainted with the full cast of characters from the Love Blossoms in Oregon series.

The Blizzard Brides


Christine Sterling - 2020
    Welcome to Last Chance, Nebraska! When the freak blizzard of 1878 kills most of the men in a small Nebraska town, what does it mean for the surviving women and children?Realizing they need to find men of honor to help rebuild, the women place an advertisement in the Matrimonial Times.Choosing a husband is more difficult than they thought, when there is an overwhelming response to the ad.Will these Blizzard Brides find the second chance at love in a town called Last Chance?This story is loosely based on the Blizzard of 1873 and the Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888, where many men, women and children died in the unexpected storm.

Grow Old With Me


Melinda Evaul - 2010
    Benjamin Pruitt plans to repair the town’s buildings before retiring to a solitary life. Sarah Campbell longs for freedom since her long task as caregiver has ended.Can Benjamin and Sarah piece the tattered remnants of their lives into a beautiful design to warm their waning years?Melinda Evaul and her husband enjoy traveling the back roads of North Carolina and Tennessee where rural culture and history are preserved through a unique art form—Quilt Barn Squares.Come follow her adventures along the Quilt Trails of America in this series of novels.

A Love Most Worthy


Sandra Ardoin - 2019
     Hallie Russell believes life should be lived to the fullest. For that reason, she sails to the gold rush town of Nome, Alaska to take her cousin’s place as the mail-order bride of a respected shopkeeper. But when her aloof husband’s wedding-night announcement rocks her plans for their marriage, Hallie sees her desire for a family to call her own vanish as quickly as the dreams of hopeful miners. Tragedy led Rance Preston to repent of his rowdy ways and open a general store for the miners in Nome. He’s content in his bachelorhood, but his two orphaned nephews deserve a proper and serious-minded mother. Duped once by a vivacious female, he’s determined to never again let his heart overrule his head…until the high spirits of his new bride threaten his resolve to keep theirs a marriage of convenience. When a misunderstanding comes to light, will they allow the gale force winds of insecurity to destroy what they each need most?

Masquerade


Nancy Moser - 2010
    She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte's blackest nightmares. As for Dora, she lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt and the presence of another love that will not die. Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime.

Waiting for Summer's Return


Kim Vogel Sawyer - 2006
    With her husband and children lost to illness, she has no desire to continue on farther west to where she and her husband planned to build their future. Instead, she seeks employment in a small Mennonite community in order to be near the graves of her family. Widower Peter Ollenburger, the local gristmill owner, needs someone to teach his young son. When he hears of a "learned woman" in town, he believes she is the answer to his prayers. He soon discovers, however, that helping this outsider may have troublesome consequences. There is little this father will not do for his son, but as the boy begins to look at Summer as more than a teacher, Peter must make a choice. Does he marry this woman to give his son a new mother, or does he marry only for love? Will Summer's broken heart ever be able to love again?

Hearts Awakening


Delia Parr - 2010
    But Jackson Smith quickly realizes that Ellie's presence may solve his own problems--both the rearing of his young boys and the scandal that surrounds his first marriage.When a marriage of convenience is offered, Ellie is initially humiliated. Though she is past the age most women marry, she has more pride than to agree to his outlandish suggestion. Yet what options does she have? To marry would mean a home and stability. So despite the rumors circling Jackson and his first wife, Ellie accepts this unlikely proposal...

Whiter Than Snow


Leah Atwood - 2015
    When she secured a position as a nanny to two rambunctious boys, she loved them as her own, and they filled a void left by a life of tragedy. But when their mother discovered Tallie’s secret, her position was immediately terminated. She found herself on the streets, in a town and land about which she knew nothing. Jeremiah Scott was returning to Weatherton, Wyoming after a six-year absence. Now that both of his parents had passed, he planned to renew the family ranch he’d left after his father’s death. The train ride from Chicago to Cheyenne reminded him how lonely winters in the west could be without someone to share them. While in Cheyenne, arranging business deals and outfitting his ranch, he decided to find an impromptu bride. But when the bride was more than he bargained for, will it destroy his plans for marriage? A sweet romance for Christmas or year-round, set in late nineteenth century Wyoming. Brides of Weatherton Series After the Rain Fire and Ice Winds of Change Dancing on Dew (December 2015) Whiter than Snow- Bonus Novella- Read as a complement to the series or a standalone.