Book picks similar to
Searching for Sara by Nona Mae King


historical-romance
historical
romance
first-reads

Until the Day Breaks


Paula Scott - 2016
     After sailing around Cape Horn, and barely surviving the perilous journey, devout Protestant Rachel Tyler, arrives in California just in time for her father’s wedding and the unfolding of the Bear Flag Revolt. Though already engaged to marry a minister in Massachusetts, Rachel’s ambitious father arranges her betrothal to Roman Vasquez, a blue-blooded Catholic son of the gente de razón, the ruling class of California. Roman, a proud, Spanish soldier is ready to fight and die for his homeland. As the Yankee rebels raise their bear flag in Sonoma square, the last thing Roman wants is an arranged marriage to the American daughter of his enemy Joshua Tyler. But his Uncle Pedro, the Patrón of the family, has other plans. Neither Rachel nor Roman desire this unlikely engagement that assaults their religious beliefs, but they cannot escape the passion flaming between them as war looms on the horizon and bitter rivals rise up to destroy them amid the breathtaking backdrop of the last days of the Californios. Until the Day Breaks is the first book in the sweeping saga of California Rising, a tale of love, intrigue, and destiny, where passionate men and women lay the foundation of the Golden State with their very lives.

Ella Wood


Michelle Isenhoff - 2015
    War. Both equally destructive to Emily's ambitions.Though she left Charleston a spoiled daughter of the South, Emily returns from her stay in the North a changed young woman. Her assumptions about slavery have been shattered, and her secret dream of attending university has blossomed into fierce ambition. As the passions that are sweeping the North and South toward war threaten to envelop the city she loves, Emily must battle her father's traditional expectations in her own bid for independence. Meanwhile, the real fight may lie with her heart, in the form of a patient young man who is gently but steadily pursuing her.Four years ago I published The Candle Star, a stand-alone title among my collection of Civil War middle grade fiction. The book was well received by a general adult readership, and I began receiving emails asking questions like, "Why didn't you follow Emily's storyline?" and "What happens to Emily?" Ella Wood is my response.Parents of middle graders, please note that I have bumped Ella Wood into the young adult genre. Emily is now sixteen, standing at the edge of war and struggling with questions of morality, purpose, and love. Slavery, dealt with so carefully in my series for young readers, is shown in a much harsher light, and some themes are adult in nature. A "clean" read, Ella Wood is nevertheless intended for an audience of some maturity.You need not read The Candle Star to enjoy Ella Wood, though the Kindle edition is free.

A Walk in Heaven


Marie Higgins - 2011
    Joshua’s brother, Matthew, left the family ranch in the dead of night to run away and wed a woman he’d never met. The fact Matthew was killed moments after walking out of the church with his new bride merely adds insult to injury. Joshua struggles with resentment and trying not to blame Careen for his brother’s death. But it is difficult not to harbor ill feelings when he knows she’s keeping secrets. Despite his suspicions, Joshua slowly grows attracted to Careen and even starts to like her. Unfortunately, Joshua knows all too well the folly of loving a woman he cannot trust.Careen Kennedy Grayson was married and widowed within minutes of the other. When her obsessive cousin, Luther, arrives minutes after Matthew’s death, she knows deep down he’s the one who killed Matthew. Luther is arrested and held for trial while Careen takes her husband’s body back to his family. Soon after arriving at the loving Grayson ranch, Careen learns of her mother-in-law’s heart condition. Unwilling to cause undue stress, Careen decides to wait until after Luther’s trial to speak the full truth of their son’s death. Soon Careen grows embedded in family and ranch life, getting closer to the Grayson’s with each passing day. She finds herself unnaturally drawn to Joshua and she knows their budding attraction will only complicate matters… Especially when the family discovers her cousin did indeed kill Matthew.

Miranda Warning


Heather Day Gilbert - 2014
    The Glock-wielding, knife-carrying housewife knows how to survive whatever life throws at her. But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox—a note written in a dead woman’s handwriting—Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer...or the next victim might be Tess herself.Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains' lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.

Courting Cate


Leslie Gould - 2012
    Her sweet and flirty sister, Betsy, on the other hand, seems to have attracted most of the bachelors in Lancaster County!But the sisters' wealthy father has made one hard-and-fast rule: older Cate must marry first, before younger Betsy can even start courting. Unfortunately, untamable Cate has driven away every suitor--until Pete Treger comes to town, that is.Prodded by the men of the area, Pete turns his attention to winning Cate's hand. But is his interest true or is there a scheme at play?

An Unexpected Widow


Carré White - 2013
    After arriving by wagon to the howling wilderness of the unexplored west, they settled on land, built a home, and began what they thought would be a long and prosperous life together. After an accident leaves Frank without feeling in his legs, the dream of self-sufficiency suddenly slips away, but even more tragedy is on the horizon for Hannah.Once widowed, she struggles to cope with her loss, relying on those her husband had hired, especially Nathan Weaver, a no good gambler and drunkard. While the tenuous hold she has on her sanity crumbles, her connection with Nathan becomes something far greater than she could have ever imagined, but her family would be scandalized if she married such a man.One should never judge a book by its cover, and Nathan, although rough around the edges and crude, has his heart in the right place, and it belongs to Hannah…if only she could see it.This is the first book in The Colorado Brides Series, chronicling the lives of the Hoffman sisters and their adventures in finding love out west.

Snowbound with the Baronet


Deborah Hale - 2014
    Just when he thinks he has finally succeeded, a fateful snowstorm strands him in the company of Lady Cassandra Whitney. Now Brandon must confront the past and the dangerous attraction her nearness threatens to revive! The last person Lady Cassandra expected to encounter on a snowy road to Bath is the one man she has never succeeded in banishing from her heart. Her reasons for refusing Sir Brandon’s proposal four years ago are not what he believes. But how can she tell the rigorously truthful baronet that she deceived him? And how can she reveal the truth without exposing shameful family secrets? Even if she could bring herself to confess, Cassandra fears it is too late. Sir Brandon has made a new life for himself – a life that does not include the woman who humiliated him and drove him to war. Under difficult circumstances, Brandon is intrigued to discover that Cassandra Whitney has matured from a headstrong debutante into a capable, caring woman. He fears she could make him fall in love with her all over again if he is not careful to keep his distance. But how can he do that in a tiny farmhouse, when their kind hosts insist on playing Cupid at every opportunity? In the depths of a Regency winter, warm affections are quickly rekindled. But can the flame of true love burn bright enough to light the way for two lost hearts to find one another again, before the snow melts and they must go their separate ways? Or will Lady Cassandra get a second chance to say yes? About the Author: After a decade spent tracing her ancestors to their roots in Regency-era Britain, Deborah Hale learned a great deal about the period and uncovered enough fascinating true stories to inspire her romance plots for years to come. A Golden Heart® Award Winner and Rita® Award Finalist, Deborah has written over thirty novels and novellas in the genres of historical romance, inspirational romance, historical fiction and other-world fantasy. Deborah and her family live in beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada, a place steeped in history and romance. She is currently writing more historical romance novels set in Regency England. Besides writing, Deborah continues to dabble in genealogy, sings with a Celtic choir and tries to keep in shape by practicing tai-chi. "Hale's characters are so finely created they become real in her readers' minds and hearts." - Sheryl Horst, syndicated romance reviewer "When it comes to writing historical romances, Deborah Hale ranks among the best.” ~ Stella MacLean, Halifax Chronicle-Herald “This lovely, engaging romance has just the right mix of lightness and poignancy.” - Romantic Times about Lady Lyte’s Little Secret “Hale’s latest historical romance is a captivating combination of subtly nuanced protagonists, a memorable cast of secondary characters, and a classic Regency plot refreshed with some intriguing new twists.” John Charles, Booklist about Married: The Virgin Widow

No One's Bride


Nerys Leigh - 2016
    The last thing she wants, however, is a husband.When her plan to trick the postmaster of the small Californian town of Green Hill Creek into paying her way across the country goes awry, her guilty conscience compels her to stay and find a way to repay him the cost of the train ticket. The trouble is, she's completely unprepared for the effect of Adam Emerson's kindness, charm, wit, and ridiculously blue eyes.As her dream of a new life in San Francisco begins to falter and her past catches up with her, can Amy hold onto the one thing she never thought she'd want, but now can't bear to lose?This uplifting Christian romance will transport you to a time of courageous women searching for a better life and the strong men dedicated to winning their hearts. Buy now and lose yourself in this heartwarming love story.

The Governess Gambit


Erica Ridley - 2020
    And the handsome, clever duke Chloe has long admired proves to be her worst enemy…An unscrupulous boarding school is exploiting orphans in a secret workhouse. Baron Vanderbean plots a daring rescue. When illness befalls him, Chloe must take the reins. But how can a lifelong wallflower lead the charge to save the children?

A Wedding in Springtime


Amanda Forester - 2013
    Now Eugenia is ruined and had better marry—someone, anyone—at once...And His Couldn't Be Better...Roguish William Grant has never taken anything seriously in his life. Until he meets Eugenia Talbot, who makes him feel and do thing he never thought he would.Now Eugenia's great sense of humor and kindheartedness may be her undoing, unless William can help her find a husband. To his surprise, that's the last thing he wants to do...

A Good-Hearted Man


Barbara Kaylor - 2013
    On her quest to find the safe place promised by God, she reluctantly trespasses onto private property with the notion she won’t be discovered. She just needs a good night’s sleep under a roof. In the morning, she’ll be long gone. At least that’s her plan. What happens next is straight out of her dreams, but quickly turns nightmarish.Jess Slinger, former wrestler turned farrier, desires a wife and family to share the fifty-five acre farm he inherited from the couple who took him in and led him to the Lord. When he discovers Sarina asleep in his garden shed, Jess knows in his heart it’s a divine act of God. Instead of calling the law, Jess extends a helping hand, a move that enrages locals not keen having strangers in their midst, especially the law breaking kind.Sarina suddenly finds herself a target of hate then accused of a crime she didn’t commit. Willing to risk it all, Jess vows to protect Sarina no matter what. The two are drawn to each other, but dark secrets they each carry endanger their chance for love and happiness. Only a strong faith in God can help them overcome the obstacles that keep them apart.

Homespun Bride


Jillian Hart - 2008
    Undaunted, Noelle Kramer fought to remain independent. But then a runaway horse nearly plunged her into a rushing, ice-choked river, before a stranger's strong, sure hand saved her from certain death.And yet this was no stranger. Though she could not know it, her rescuer was rancher Thad McKaslin, the man who had once loved her more than life itself. Losing her had shaken all his most deeply held beliefs. Now he wondered if the return of this strong woman was a sign that somehow he could find his way home.

Pam of Babylon


Suzanne Jenkins - 2011
    Pam and his two lovers discover secrets and lies, and each other. The first book in the series. Book #10 available for preorder.

Secrets of Midnight


Miriam Minger - 1995
    Instead, he finds himself banished to the English countryside of Cornwall, forced by the decrees of his father's will to run his family's tin mines and find a country bride. The very last thing the handsome lord needs is a local lass sticking her nose into his affairs, but that seems to be exactly what the parson's daughter, Corisande Easton, had in mind.

A Woman of Fortune


Kellie Coates Gilbert - 2014
     Texas socialite Claire Massey is living the dream—designer clothes, luxury cars, stunning homes. But everything comes crashing down when her charming cattle broker husband is arrested for fraud. Suddenly she finds herself facing attorneys, a media frenzy, and a trail of broken hearts. Betrayed and humiliated, Claire must maneuver incredible odds to save her family—and discover a life worth living. Author Kellie Coates Gilbert delivers a story both poignant and emotionally gripping that celebrates the kind of fortune that lasts.