Book picks similar to
The Actress and the Rake by Carola Dunn


fiction
historical
historical-romance
romance

The Sugar Rose


Susan Carroll - 1987
    If Justin was less than ardent, well...what could such a dowdy, plump girl as herself expect from one of the handsomest bucks in the ton?His sympathy thoroughly engaged, the fastidious Mr. Ramsey was already forming a most famous plan. If he could but help Aurelia with her wardrobe and sweet tooth, surely his friend Justin would sit up and take notice.But when a breathtaking Aurelia emerged from her cocoon, slender and radiant, Everard began to wish Justin far away--the better to have his creation all to himself!

The Nobody


Diane Farr - 1999
    Unwittingly, she becomes the savior of an enigmatic man who suddenly approaches and kisses her to evade the violent scoundrels stalking him. Terrified and aghast at his audacity, she abandons him to his fate, only to discover his identity as a roguish nobleman engaged to the very woman who insulted her! She finds herself drawn into a web of frightening intrigue, in which the only way out is to trust the desire in her heart....

A Compromising Situation


Shannon Donnelly
     Maeve longs to find a place where she can belong, and forever hide herself. But she winds up making a deal with Lord Rothe--she'll look after his sixteen-year-old niece until she can find a new position. She's soon caught up in the lives of this troubled girl, and this troubled lord. How can she leave this family that needs her so much? How can she stay when she is falling in love with a man far above her lowly position? Lord seeking governess to tame his niece—and teach him how to love again. A younger son, he was meant for a military career and he's made himself into a hard army man. But now he is Lord Rothe, with a title he never wanted, relatives who resent him, and a desperate need for Maeve's help. But will he lose her due to her stubborn determination to make everyone follow orders...and to a heart which has forgotten how to love?

The Prodigal Daughter


Allison Lane - 1996
    She is forced to live in seclusion and avoid the haughty Duke of Norwood when he comes to court her half-sister. No great problem, since she dislikes the man, except that the more she gets to know him, the harder it is to ignore her desires. Regency Romance by Allison Lane; originally published by Signet and the winner of the Holt Medallion for Best Regency Romance of 1996.

The Bargain


Mary Jo Putney - 1999
    But when the blasted man hasn't the grace to die, she suddenly finds herself with a healthy, vibrant husband who wants to renegotiate the terms of their bargain -- and ultimately possess the heart of his bewildered bride...

Ransome's Honor


Kaye Dacus - 2009
    They go their separate ways—she returns to her family’s Caribbean plantation, and he returns to the Royal Navy. Now, twelve years later, Julia is about to receive a substantial inheritance, including her beloved plantation. When unscrupulous relatives try to gain the inheritance by forcing her into a marriage, she turns to the only eligible man to whom her father, Admiral Sir Edward Witherington, will not object—his most trusted captain and the man who broke Julia’s heart, William Ransome. Julia offers William her thirty-thousand-pound dowry to feign marriage for one year, but then something she never imagined happens: She starts to fall in love with him again. Can two people overcome their hurt, reconcile their conflicting desires, and find a way to be happy together? Duty and honor, faith and love are intertwined in this intriguing tale from the Regency era.

The Female Correspondent


E.A. Deverell - 2015
    When, impressed and intrigued by her knowledge and reticence, he seeks out his correspondent, Beatrice is forced to invent a series of lies for the fictional Mr. Allenham’s whereabouts. A clean regency romance in the vein of Georgette Heyer. This is a 15,000-word short story.

A Passionate Endeavor


Sophia Nash - 2004
    But when he finds himself in the hands of Nurse Charlotte, he feels something stir. All the while, Charlotte hopes that the man who makes her heart pound will someday return her dangerously passionate love.

Rescuing Lord Inglewood


Sally Britton - 2019
    All she wants is to belong. But when compromising circumstances force them together, do they have a chance at finding love? Silas Riley, Earl of Inglewood, is known among his peers in Parliament as the man made of stone. As a wealthy peer, there are few he trusts with his friendship. He guards his heart and his honor with vigilance, and when an accident nearly takes his life, he’s faced with a situation which threatens his standing in society.Growing up in the shadow of her older brother, Esther Fox’s acceptance in his circle has been indifferent at best. So when she ends up in a compromising situation as she saves the life of her brother’s dearest friend, the Earl of Inglewood, she is forced to marry him to save her own reputation. Once again, she finds herself accepted only because of the situation, and not because she is truly wanted.Neither are prepared for a loss which further complicates their new relationship. With such a difficult beginning, can they ever hope to understand one another, let alone find love?

A Foolish Heart


Martha Keyes - 2020
    He'll have anyone but her. Mercy Marcotte doesn't deserve a second chance at love. At least, that's what she's believed since jilting Solomon Kennett, the man she loved, when his fortunes took a turn for the worse. But Solomon is back from the West Indies, rich, aloof, and about to offer for Mercy's best friend. Mercy resolves to stay out of it—until her friend runs off with another man. She can't stand by while Solomon is humiliated yet again. Whatever the past, Solomon Kennett is taking control of the future. He is certain he will get what he wants now that he has proven himself worthy of consideration by even the most fastidious of fathers. When the woman he is supposed to propose to is kidnapped by another man, he feels honor-bound to go after them—only to be followed by Mercy, the woman who spurned him years ago. With end goals, loyalties, and history at odds for all involved, nothing is as it seems. The last thing anyone needs is a love potion to further entangle things. Skeptical in the highest degree and determined not to surrender control to his heart, Solomon finds himself wondering if there isn't perhaps something to the potion after all. A Foolish Heart is a sweet Regency retelling of Shakespeare's timeless classic A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Kathryn, The Kitten: The Real Duchesses of London


Lavinia Kent - 2011
    The only thing she doesn’t have is herhusband in her bed. But she’s about to change that.Enlisting the aid of her best friend, Linnette,who knows about these things even though she’s aduchess herself, Kathryn begins her seduction plan.But Linnette knows a secret and it involvesKathryn’s husband. And, when that comes out,Kathryn’s marriage isn’t the only thing at stake.Can you say Afternoon Tea Catfight?

The Cockermouth Mail


Dinah Dean - 1982
    She had no choice but to accept a position as governess in Cockermouth, a remote town in the English Lake District.Resolved to make the best of her bleak future, Dorcas was not surprised when the stage-coach she was travelling in was waylaid by an accident. She and her fellow passengers were forced to seek refuge in a nearby inn. So much did she enjoy the assorted company, the she found herself wishing to be stranded forever.One passenger in particular, the dashing Colonel, Sir Richard Severall, was of special interest to Dorcas. And it seemed as if she was of special interest to him. Fate had delivered her into the hands of love. If only she could be certain Sir Richard returned her affection.

Desperately Seeking a Duke


Celeste Bradley - 2008
    But Phoebe, who's still trying to make good after a romantic scandal, also has her two cousins to contend with. They're all competing for the same money, maybe even the same men. ..until Phoebe meets her match in the terribly handsome and charming Rafe Marbrook.When she receives a marriage proposal from the Marquis of Brookhaven, Phoebe is thrilled to learn that Rafe is headed for dukedom…and accepts his offer. There's only one problem: It's from Rafe's older, less captivating brother, Calder. Now Phoebe finds herself on the verge of yet another scandal as she faces a desperate choice: Marry Calder for his money—or follow her own heart? Each way can only lead to trouble…

Her Ladyship's Companion


Joanna Bourne - 1983
    Brody's Seminary for the Daughters of Gentlemen for a new life. But when she accepted the position as companion to the formidable Lady Dorothy, spirited Melissa could not have known that she would soon be caught up in a web of passion and intrigue at beautiful and remote Vinton Manor.Giles Tarsin, her haughty employer, is maddeningly aloof--and irresistibly attractive. Darkly handsome Sir Adrian Hawkhurst admires her undisguisedly with, Melissa suspects, the most impure intentions. Harold Bosworth, a family connection, appears to be ever the gentleman. But why is seven-year-old Robbie, an orphan like Melissa and the future Earl of Keptford, so terrified? Before long, Melissa is struggling to unravel dark family secrets that will lead her suspicions to center on just one man...the one man she loves!

Lakeshire Park


Megan Walker - 2020
    With their stepfather’s looming death, the two sisters will soon be on their own—without family, a home, or a penny to their names. When an invitation arrives to join a house party at Lakeshire Park, Amelia grasps at the chance. If she can encourage a match between Clara and their host, Sir Ronald, then at least her sister will be taken care of.Little does she know that another guest, the arrogant and overconfident Mr. Peter Wood, is after the same goal for his own sister. Amelia and Peter begin a rivalry that Amelia has no choice but to win. But competing against Peter—and eventually playing by his rules—makes Amelia vulnerable to losing the only thing she has left to claim: her heart.