Book picks similar to
The Christmas Countess by Adrienne Basso


romance
christmas
historical-romance
historical

You Only Love Twice


Elizabeth Thornton - 1998
      For three years she’s been a mystery even to herself—a young woman who awoke in a London convent bereft of her memory. But now Jessica Hayword knows her name, her birthplace, and one other thing: By some terrifying twist of fate, she has the power to read another’s thoughts—the thoughts of a man who has killed and will kill again.Convinced that she must unmask the murderer before it’s too late, Jessica goes home to Hawkshill Manor—and discovers that no one is happy about her return, especially the dangerously handsome earl Lucas Wilde. What kind of girl was she, Jessica wonders, to have earned such scorn? And whose murder is it that continues to haunt her? The deeper Jessica digs, the more scandalous details are revealed. Yet even as the clues point to Lucas as the killer, Jessica can’t keep herself away from his embrace. And now all she can do is pray that the man she’s falling in love with isn’t the man whose deadly voice she hears in her dreams.

Duke of Sin


Adele Ashworth - 2004
    All's well, until someone threatens to reveal her married status and expose her to scandal—unless she can obtain an original, signed copy of a Shakespearian play, owned by none other than the reclusive and mysterious William Raleigh, Duke of Trent.Vivian is unexpectedly drawn to Raleigh, and, for the price of passion, he ends up joining her quest to catch the blackmailer, a discovery which only leads them to more danger. And although their bond only grows stronger, they soon realise the fruitlessness of their relationship—a married woman of noble background cannot enter into an illicit affair with the Duke of Sin...or can she?

Seducing Charlotte


Diana Quincy - 2013
    He’s an industrialist who thinks nothing of replacing workers with machines, depriving them of an honest living. Camryn is everything a social reformer like Charlotte detests. Besides, her loyalty belongs to another man.Worlds Collide...Yet, as a violent machine-breakers rebellion rages across England, an undeniable attraction flares between the passionate adversaries. Camryn vows to destroy the rebel movement, unaware that the spinster who has captured his heart, harbors a secret - a shocking connection to one of its leaders that could shatter them both.

An Undeniable Rogue


Annette Blair - 2002
    What she needs is a husband, and she knows well enough that romance and matrimony aren't always compatible. While providing for her twins and the child she now carries is paramount, wedding a virtual stranger—even a wealthy one, like Gideon St. Goddard, Duke of Stanthorpe—is no light matter.Sabrina knows the friend who arranged the union would not promise her to a true scoundrel, but one look at her future husband convinces her that he is a shameless rogue. A shockingly handsome and desirable one, at that. Why has he agreed to marry her? When Gideon flashes that wicked, seductive smile, the reason hardly matters, but the chance that he'll steal her heart becomes all too real...

Pride and Pleasure


Sylvia Day - 2011
    . .There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters corner her, friends become opportunistic, and lately, someone is engineering "accidents" to propel her into marriage. Not one to be bullied, Eliza needs the right man to infiltrate the nest of suitors. . . . . .So Do Certain MenBy all measures, Jasper Bond is the wrong man for the job. He can't dance, isn't known for his restraint, and his blood heats whenever he's near his latest employer. Eliza Martin insists no one will believe an intellectual like her could be seduced by a man of action like Jasper, but the combination of his desire and her mystery makes the case one he can't resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it's his pleasure to prove he's just the man she needs after all. . . "Everything romance readers expect and more." --RT Book Reviews

Someday Soon


Joan Wolf - 2000
    Geoffrey, a second cousin thinks he's the heir, but then Niall McDonald, her father's nephew, turns up and her whole life is thrown into confusion and romantic desire.

The Yuletide Countess


Alicia Quigley - 2014
    Her fondness for her family, along with her ability to find joy in everything, endears her to most who know her. On her annual sojourn with Isobel to Ballydendargan, Scotland, Harriet finds more than the peace and quiet of the countryside. She meets Miss Catherine Dalburn, governess to Lord Glencairn’s two children as well as the children themselves. The two women form a friendship and Harriet grows fond of the children. While Isobel pursues her “secret bluestocking” interests and Lord Francis Wheaton arrives in Ballydendargan to continue his pursuit of Isobel’s heart, Harriet finally meets Lord Glencairn. A dashingly handsome man in his later years with twinkling blue eyes and beautiful white hair, he and Harriet become fast friends, united in their desire to see Isobel and Lord Francis finally admit their feelings for each other and marry. Fate has a surprise in store for Harriet, who has long thought herself “on the shelf.” Are her feelings for Lord Glencairn more than friendship? Can he possibly feel the same for her, especially since he all but disappeared from polite society after his wife’s death ten years before? The Yuletide Countess is a “co-quel” or “side-car” to The Secret Bluestocking/A Lady of Passion, in that the much of it happens in parallel with the other books. However, the point of view is strictly Harriet’s.

The St Nicholas' Day Wager


Em Taylor - 2014
    Somewhat foxed, he agrees to a wager which states that he can marry the spinster sister of the Earl of Thornwich by Christmas eve. If Thornwich wins the wager and Eastden fails in his quest to marry her, he will get ten thousand pounds and vice versa. Having grown up on neighbouring estates, Nicholas can’t figure out why a nice girl like Gabriella failed for so many seasons on the marriage mart. Gabriella appreciates the viscount’s honesty when he explains the wager. Knowing the dire straits of her family’s finances and her brother’s addiction to gambling, it seems that marriage to Nick may be the only option. But can she overcome his cruel words from their childhood when he taunted her about the strawberry birthmark on her face which blights her appearance? After such a rocky start, can the Spirit of Christmas find its way into the lives of Nick, Gabriella and their families or will injury and grievances from the past keep them apart forever? Content Warning: This book is not a sweet romance. It contains sex scenes. If such content is not to your taste or offends you, please do not upset yourself by purchasing this book. Thank you.

A Christmas Kiss


Jess Michaels - 2014
     But Stephen only wants seduction... and love. Length: Short Story ​

Come Love a Stranger


Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - 1980
    Now, three years later, his carriage has collided with a cloaked rider on horseback: a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to the young bride who was swallowed up by the merciless river.She awakens from unconsciousness in his magnificent home with no memory of who she is. Yet the tenderness of this noble, caring stranger who lovingly calls her "Lierin" soon captures her heart and inflames her with wanting. Then another enters their lives, threatening to destroy the happiness they have rediscovered in each other's arms--the dark and dangerous Malcolm Sinclair, who claims the enigmatic beauty is, in fact, his own wife, Lenore. But Ashton has sworn that he will not lose his adored one a second time, and he will risk any peril to preserve their newfound joy--no matter what the unremembered secrets of his lady's past ultimately reveal.LIERINWith no name and no memory, she awakens from a nightmare of madness into the lives of two stranger. One she desires, one she fears--but both have claimed her heart.To handsome plantation owner Ashton Wingate, she is Lierin--the cherished bride cruelly stolen from him by capricious Fate. The other calls her Lenore--entangling the lost, tormented beauty in his sinister web of perilous deceit. But it is in the adoring arms of noble Ashton that her true destiny awaits--as they join together to unlock the mysteries of a shadowed past. . .and to rekindle the flames of a glorious love once vanished but never forgotten.

From London With Love


Jenna Petersen - 2006
    Each with their own special talent, together they are three of England's greatest spies.From the Desk of Lady MMeredith Sinclair is one of my best agents. She is stunning, witty and resourceful. She sparkles at every gala and can conquer any man with a whisper and a smile.Her target: Tristan Archer, Marquis of Carmichael. Known as a proud and powerful member of society, he also once saved Meredith's life. She should trade on her seductive wiles and their prior relationship, if necessary.Her mission: To uncover a treacherous plot and bring a potential traitor to justice.Potential weaknesses: The dashing marquis's bold, intimate caress. His devilish good looks. And his devastating kiss that could bring even the best spy to her knees . . .

The Stolen Princess


Anne Gracie - 2008
    Here, meet Gabriel Renfrew, who rescues a runaway princess—and falls head over heels in love.The estranged younger son of an earl, Gabriel Renfrew earned glory and honor on the battlefield, but now, without purpose, he finds himself deliberately courting danger at every turn. Then one night he races his horse along a dangerous moonlit cliff—and stumbles upon a beautiful woman obviously in need of saving.A princess on the run, Callie has disguised herself and her son, the crown prince, as commoners, hoping to protect him from those intent on stealing the throne. She has no choice but to trust the handsome ex-officer who's come to her rescue, even when he insists that only a marriage of convenience will provide her the ultimate protection. But while her new husband may keep Callie and her son safe from assassins, what will he do to her heart?

Lord Somerton's Heir


Alison Stuart - 2014
    can a new love heal their wounds? A tale of second chance love in aristocratic Regency England, for lovers of all things Bridgerton.Sebastian Alder's sudden elevation from penniless army captain to Viscount Somerton is the stuff of fairy tales, but the cold reality of an inherited estate in wretched condition leaves him little time for fantasy, and the memory of his wife's brutal death haunts his every moment. When he learns of the mysterious circumstances of his cousin's demise, he must also look for a potential murderer ... surely not Isabel, his cousin's ladylike widow?Isabel, Lady Somerton, is desperate to bury the memory of her unhappy marriage by founding the charity school she has always dreamed of. Her hopes are shattered from beyond the grave when she is left not only penniless but once more bound to the whims of a Somerton ... although perhaps the new Lord Somerton is a man she can trust ... or even care for?Suspicion could tear them apart ... honesty and courage may pull them together.(Winner of the 2012 Romance Through the Ages Award for an unpublished manuscript - Romance Writers of America Historical Chapter)

A Knight's Christmas Wish


Lana Williams - 2014
    Weary and injured, Sir Rylan de Bremont wants only to return home for Christmas after two long years away. But first he must deliver terrible news to a newly widowed lady.Lady Kayte Dufrane has been miserable in her marriage to a gruff lord far older than she. Rylan’s news gives her freedom, but she fears her late husband’s brother will claim her for his own. This strong, handsome knight might be the answer to her prayers if she can convince him to help her escape. Though Rylan has no desire to become embroiled in the beautiful Kayte’s dilemma, delaying his journey home, he can’t resist her pleas. Will his Christmas wish be filled with more than he bargained for?

Master of Temptation


Nicole Jordan - 2004
    . . He is a brilliant military commander . . . and every woman's temptation. When Max Leighton unexpectedly comes to her golden Mediterranean island, Caro Evers longs to heal his emotional battle scars. But during one glorious night in his arms, she discovers a sensual master whose mere touch drives her to wild abandon.She is the bewitching angel he can't forget. Jaded by the glittering ballrooms of Regency London, Max returns to Cyrene to find the temptress who haunts his dreams . . . only to learn that Caro leads a dangerous double life. She's a warrior as well as a healer--a member of a secret society of protectors, sworn to fight evil and tyranny across Europe.Afraid to lose her heart to Max again, Caro vows to conquer her fierce tenderness for him and thwart his campaign to win her. Then a perilous mission of adventure takes them far from Cyrene's sun-splashed shores, entwining their destinies and challenging their deepest desires.