Book picks similar to
Marry Christmas by Jane Goodger


historical-romance
romance
christmas
historical

Christmas Spirits


Jane Charles - 2016
    However, the English have made smuggling almost impossible, and so order after order is waiting at the distillery until it’s safe enough to continue shipments. Most customers understand this. Most customers are reasonable. The Duke of Danby is not most customers. So after a number of demands from His Grace, insisting upon his order, Mary decides to deliver the whisky herself since no one else is available. Benjamin Storm, Earl of Kenley, breathes a sigh of relief when his summons from the Duke of Danby has nothing to do with matrimony or a stack of special licenses. Instead, his uncle just needs Benjamin to travel to Scotland and procure his missing whisky shipment in time for his holiday festivities. The chore sounds easy enough, at least until he encounters a most unusual smuggler on her way to Danby Castle. Benjamin’s life may never be the same. *This story originally appeared in “The Duke’s Christmas Summons” anthology.

The Duke and Miss Christmas


Amelia Grey - 2015
    When he gets into a tussle with her—and she can hold her own—Crispin knows he has finally met his match.Miss Gwen Prim is mortified that she attacked a duke, but even more concerning is the way her resolve melts when she's near him. She's never felt this way about a London gentleman in her life. And with the magic of Christmas in the air, she may end up with a proposal she didn't expect...in this delightful Regency gem, The Duke and Miss Christmas by New York Times bestselling author Amelia Grey.

The Dragon Lord


Connie Mason - 2001
    Lord Dragon, one of King John's fiercest knights, brought the news that Rose's father was dead and revealed that he had been commanded to marry the traitor's widow or daughter and claim the estate.Rose was certain that neither her grieving mother nor Starla, her twin sister who longed to become a nun, could bear to wed Lord Dragon. But it was equally clear that their new lord had no wish to bind himself to a defiant maiden like Rose. Convincing the Dragon that Rose was the name of the sweet-tempered, biddable twin he was inclined to wed was accomplished in a matter of moments.Fortunately the deception did not have to last long. Indeed, before the hour was over, fiery Rose had subdued her true nature long enough to convince the Dragon it was her sister he'd wed—and had seen her mother and gentle sister on their way to the sanctuary of a nearby convent. Though she feared the Dragon's wrath when he discovered her pretense, Rose was content with the fruit of her labors—and pleased to have taken at least this small vengeance against her unwanted overlord.She'd be surprised to realize that the Dragon was already wondering if he'd been too hasty in sending the spitfire to the convent and taking the timid twin to wife—for he is a man of powerful passions who would find the spirited Rose a perfect match.

A Seduction at Christmas


Cathy Maxwell - 2008
    Everything went terribly wrong, and now she has found herself posing as his ward. And while she swore nothing could make her desire a scoundrel, even if he was a duke, she is now drawing ever closer to the one man she cannot have."Beware of Innocence!"Beware of innocence: The Duke of Holburn had spent years heeding this warning, and in doing so, managed to avoid the virginal young ladies who had been put in his path. But now his wild ways have gotten him into real danger. There are killers at the door and a temptingly beautiful woman in his arms. He is about to find himself seduced...and he isn't quite sure he wants to resist this time.

The Winter Duchess


Jillian Eaton - 2017
    A shy wallflower, Caroline hasn’t the faintest idea why the Duke of Readington chose her to be his bride. She could ask, but that would mean speaking to him... and truth be told she’d rather have a conversation with the devil. Her new husband may be one of the most powerful men in all of England—not to mention the handsomest—but he’s also cruel, callous, and has a heart colder than ice.But it was never meant to be a love match... Eric married Caroline for one simple reason: he wasn’t in love with her. Having seen firsthand how love can bring a man to his knees, he’s determined not to make the same mistakes his father did. Which is why he’s going to spend just enough time with his new bride to assure himself of an heir before he leaves her and returns to London. At least that was the plan until a winter storm leaves them stranded. Now every time Eric turns around he finds himself stumbling over the wife he never wanted... but is slowly beginning to desire....or was it? As cold winds howl outside the manor, inside of it a duke’s heart is finally starting to melt as he finds himself falling for the one woman he was never supposed to love... but can she love him in return?

Tis the Season to Be Sinful


Adrienne Basso - 2011
    . .Juliet Wentworth knew what she was getting into: a marriage of convenience that will save her estate and protect her family long into the future. But she wasn't expecting to find the passion of a lifetime in her new husband's arms. After just one night, Juliet knows a marriage in name only will never be enough. . .The Season For Seduction. . .Richard Harper's beautiful new bride has him reeling with desire--and running for cover. After all, falling in love was never part of the bargain. Yet when Christmastime celebrations bring him back to their country manor and back into Juliet's arms, Richard finds his wife is determined--and all too able--to win over his heart, one kiss at a time. . .

Love Only Once


Johanna Lindsey - 1985
    A golden-haired seducer, Nicholas has been hardened by a painful secret in his past. And now that he has besmirched Reggie's good name, the hot-tempered lady has vowed to wed him. Her fiery beauty stirs Nicholas as no woman ever has - and the rake arouses Reggie's passion to an unendurable level. Such uncontrolled desires can lead only to dangerous misunderstandings and, perhaps, to a love that can live only once in a lifetime.

Merely Married


Patricia Coughlin - 1998
    Life for Adrian Devereau, the sixth duke of Raven, was flawless, but for one nagging detail.  Try as he did to live down to his reputation as the Wicked Lord Raven, the ladies persisted in viewing him as desirable husband material.  So he conceived a bold solution to foil them once and for all--he would marry a woman on her deathbed and adopt the role of grieving widower.  He even found a most suitable wife: Leah Stretton, overtaken by a sudden illness while journeying to London.  But with Leah's "miraculous" recovery, Adrian found himself properly wedded to a beauty as headstrong as she was healthy.  Now his only chance at freedom was playing her game.  More adept at writing about romance and adventure than living it, Leah could not permit a new family scandal to ruin her sister's launch into society.  If Adrian played her devoted husband, she would grant him an annulment later.  There was only one rule: neither of them could fall in love.  Of course, rules were made to be broken.

One Dance with a Duke


Tessa Dare - 2010
    A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members--yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing "Duke of Midnight." Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke--until Lady Amelia d'Orsay tries her luck. In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke's dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother's debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club's founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?

The Bride


Julie Garwood - 1989
    The Bride sweeps readers back to the savage beauty of medieval Scotland.... By the king's edict, Alec Kincaid, mightiest of the Scottish lairds, must take an English bride. And Jaime the youngest daughter of Baron Jamison, is his choice. From his first glimpse of the proud and beautiful English lady, Alec felt a burning hunger stir within him. This was a woman worthy of his fearless warrior's spirit. And he aches to touch her, tame her, possess her...forever. But with the wedding vows, Jamie pledges her own secret oath: She will never surrender her love to this Highland barbarian. He was everything her heart warned her against -- an arrogant, brooding scoundrel whose rough good looks and seductive embrace fire her blood. But when strange accidents begin to threaten Jamie's life and an old rumor that Alec killed his first wife spreads anew, something far more dangerous than desire threatens to conquer her senses. With all the storytelling power and insight into the human heart that have made her one of the bestselling authors of our time, Julie Garwood takes readers on an unforgettable romantic journey rich in humor, suspense, and historical detail.

The Dangerous Gentleman


Julia London - 2000
    Adrian Spence, Earl of Albright, has earned his notoriety on the dueling field, and in the finest drawing rooms—and boudoirs—of England. This is his story.... It was strictly business as Adrian Spence claimed the woman his brother desired. A hasty wedding, and Lilliana Dashell was his—sweet revenge on the father who disinherited him and the brother who let it happen. Their wedding night is a revelation as passionate, innocent Lilliana ignites fires Adrian tries desperately to deny. By day he is a stranger. By night he is the lover of her dreams, and she a shameless wanton in his arms. But Adrian is determined that no woman will ever possess him. And Lilliana knows that her only hope of taming this very dangerous gentleman is to unlock his deepest mysteries and open his shuttered heart to love....From the Paperback edition.

The Husband Trap


Tracy Anne Warren - 2006
    . . . Violet Brantford has always longed for the passionate embrace of Adrian Winter, the wealthy Duke of Raeburn. Problem is, he's set to marry Violet's vivacious, more socially polished look-alike twin sister, Jeannette. But when Jeannette refuses to go through with the ceremony mere minutes before it is to begin, soft-spoken Violet finds herself walking down the aisle and taking vows in her sister's place. Soon shy Violet is a high-society wife, trying to keep her real identity a secret while living out the fantasies of her wildest dreams. Adrian thinks he knows exactly what he's gotten himself into: Jeannette may be flighty and, well, a bit self-involved, but she's the picture-perfect wife to carry on the Winter name. Yet this marriage of convenience brings the groom more than he bargained for when he finds his sweet, innocent wife surprising him at every turn. And though he never planned on true love, Adrian is definitely in danger of losing his heart.

Once and Always


Judith McNaught - 1987
    Bewildered by his arrogance yet drawn to his panther-like grace, she senses the painful memories that smolder in his eyes. When he gathers her at last into his arms, arousing a sweet, insistent hunger, they wed and are embraced by fierce, consuming joy -- free from the past's cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of anguish, Victoria discovers the treachery at the heart of their love . . . a love she had dreamed would triumph not just once, but always.

The Abduction of Julia


Karen Hawkins - 2000
    So when he accidentally snatches her instead of her lovely, scheming cousin for an elopement to Gretna Green, Julia leaps at the chance to make her passionate dreams come true.Alec's in no position to quibble: if he doesn't marry by midnight and live scandal-free for a year, he loses his inheritance. At least marriage with do-gooder Julia will guarantee his fortune. But as his plain brown wren transforms herself into an elegant swan, Alec suddenly can't stay away from his last-minute wife--and when he kisses her, the inheritance is the last thing on his mind. Unfortunately, scandal can occur from the best of intentions...and Julia is never short of good intentions!

A Matter of Choice


Laura Landon - 2011
    But he isn’t prepared for the one demand the woman who holds the power to save his precious Graystone makes – that he remain faithful forever. Lady Allison Townsend would rather go to her grave a spinster than marry a man who embarrasses her with his string of mistresses. But when she’s given no choice but to marry one of London’s most well-known rakes and womanizers, she refuses to go to the altar without a stipulation of her own – that the man she marries never share his bed with another woman.But neither Allison nor Joshua is prepared for the dangers they're forced to face and the choices they're forced to make to protect their happiness – as well as their hearts.