Book picks similar to
By Any Other Name by Kathryn Loch
medieval
historical-romance
romance-historical
historical
Knowing Yourself
Lisa Shea - 2011
Five handsome, willing men are vying for her hand in marriage. The stakes are ownership of a medieval keep perched on the rocky edge of a stormy ocean. Each man seems more stunning than the last, and it is her choice which will reward the prize.To make the game even more interesting, Kay is disguised as a handmaiden to her sister, Em, so that she might more freely mingle with the suitors. In this way she can learn their strengths and catch them in their most unguarded moments.As the threat of border reivers approaches the keep, Kay finds that her pleasurable pastime takes on a far more serious overtone. Knowing who to trust and who to depend on becomes a matter of life and death! All author's proceeds from sales of the Sword of Glastonbury series benefit battered women’s shelters. Knowing Yourself is book one in the Sword of Glastonbury series. Each novel ends in a happily ever after, which then leads into the next book in the series. Each of these full-length romances features its own flavor, atmosphere, and main characters. Each is set in a different part of medieval England and showcases the natural beauty of its region. Knowing Yourself is set in Cumbria, in northwestern England. Knowing Yourself is a lighthearted tale of romance and courtship, with a pair of fun-loving sisters, in the style of a medieval bachelorette contest. It is suitable for teens and older. It does not feature any strong language nor any intimacy beyond a gentle kiss.To learn more about the widespread use of the wax tablet for note taking in medieval times, be sure to read this article:https://www.bl.uk/eblj/1994articles/p...
Healing the Highlander (Tales of the Maxwell Lasses, #2)
Fiona Faris - 2020
Through her research, she dreamed of revolutionizing medicinal practices. With her step-mother’s guidance, Ava worked tirelessly to achieve her goal.But everything changed when her father announced that it was her duty to wed. In fact, there were two potential matches for her coming to meet her.Betrayal never tasted so bitter…Niall MacNeill and Ian MacThomas are the two men fighting for Ava’s hand. While both of them are heirs of lairds, they couldn’t be more different. Niall is ambitious, with an eagerness for leadership and a wish to start his own family. Iain, on the other hand, values the simpler things in life. Riches and political conspiracies weren’t his cup of tea.Ava is called to choose but before she does, a family secret surfaces.Heartbroken, she feels lost and alone.Only one man can truly help her heal, but even he is not to be trusted…What family secret has been buried over the years? And who is the one who’s holding Ava’s fate?Only she can heal him, only he can set her free…
The Hidden Heiress
Juliet Moore - 2011
Desperate to tell him the truth, yet fearful for his life, she must decide if the risk of her heart is worth the endangerment of his life.Determined to become a junior lord of Parliament, Sir Marshall Templeton is resolute to procure a suitable wife. Except the women his sister-in-law parades before him leave him with a permanent scowl. With great irritation, he finds his attention drawn to his brother's new governess, Isabel, and tries to dismiss his interest. But as his heart has other ideas, he's torn between an untitled woman who could jeopardize all he seeks to gain and the respectability he's always strived for.Era: VictorianLength: 70,000 wordsSensuality Rating: Subtle
Mistress of Pleasure
Delilah Marvelle - 2008
Her only desire in life is to remain independent, free from men and the shackles of marriage. But when Maybelle lays eyes on Edmund Worthington, the Duke of Rutherford, at a soir e, and hears of his scandalous reputation, she decides he's the perfect person for her to have a tryst with no strings attached.IT MUST BE GIVEN.Unbridled passion has again muddied Edmund Worthington's family name. After his very public dalliance with the strikingly beautiful and sensual Maybelle, his mother insists he marry her. But much to the Duke's surprise, Maybelle scoffs at his proposal. Never has he encountered such a brazen—and maddeningly irresistible—woman. But when Maybelle's grandmother falls ill, forcing Maybelle to take over the operation of her school, Edmund devises a plan to make her his. He enrolls in the school, where no one other than Maybelle must give him expert lessons in carnal pleasure.
The Lion
Hildie McQueen - 2021
However, as one who treasures loyalty above all, she is mortified to learn his lover lives at the family keep. After being publicly humiliated by her husband, Isobel must ensure two things: to keep her heart protected and remain a wife in name only.After his late father’s ruling by fear, young laird Darach Ross inherits a clan of people who do not trust his leadership. With the threat of an insurrection and possible attack by another clan, every move he makes must be measured. When he is captured by an enemy clan, Darach wants to know if he will leave a legacy. He then makes a mistake that can rob him of happiness forever.
The Kindling Heart
Carmen Caine - 2011
They were nothing but trouble. Leaving the rash life of his youth behind, he returned to Skye, seeking peace. He never meant to split the clan or start a war with the MacDonald of Duntulm. He certainly never foresaw an arranged marriage to the most scandalous woman in Scotland. Even though she was twice his age, the size of a horse and mother to more than one illegitimate child, he agreed to secure his sister’s freedom. However, even that plan goes drastically awry. On his wedding day, he finds himself faced instead with an enticing, green-eyed lass named Bree. A walking disaster, his bride immediately turns his world into chaos and threatens to melt his resolve never to love again.Betrayed by her own mother, Bree flees to Skye, thinking only to reunite with her long, lost father. Instead, she finds herself wed to Ruan MacLeod as a replacement bride. When she is forced to remain in the castle, she is soon caught between brothers and the mentally ill wife of the laird.Shy, yet strong, Bree embarks on a journey of independence and learns along the way that all men are not necessarily evil. In fact, one particularly brooding, yet gentle-hearted warrior is worthy of love, and she soon loses her heart forever.Excerpt from Chapter Six:...All at once, he noticed he was still holding her, apparently at the same moment understanding dawned in her face.Bree launched into another attack, jabbing his midriff and raking his skin with her nails.“Be still, ye wee hellion!” Ruan bellowed, pinning her wrists behind her back.For a moment, he thought she was going to retch; her pasty skin seemed almost yellow, purple and black streaks adorned her nose and cheekbones. Marriage to him had not served her well; in two days, she had transformed from a lass with a pair of bright green eyes to a drowned, underfed chicken.As her foot grazed his shin, he winced, quickly amending the thought; a mean-spirited, drowned, underfed chicken.Another well placed kicked wrenched a new succession of curses from his lip, but as her tears began to flow, real ones, his exasperation fled. Of all things, tears affected him the most. One slid down her cheek. Succumbing to a wave of pity, he wiped it gently with his thumb. Bree gulped, frowning in a way he could not fathom. For several long minutes, they stared wordlessly at each other.Finally, her cracked lips opened and she wailed, “I’m not wedding anyone!”Gazing down into the bright eyes brimming with tears, Ruan sighed. “Aye, ‘tis a wee bit late, lass.”It was supposed to be comforting, or so he thought, but his response seemed only to renew her resistance. Balling her fists, she struck his chest but more in blows of frustration than anything else. In spite of his best efforts, he grinned. Battling to the last breath was something he could understand, even for a hopeless cause such as this one. Lips twitching, he easily recaptured her wrists in a single hand. They were unusually small hands, perfectly shaped.The fingers jerked free from his grasp. Startled, he met her eyes once more.“You’ll die if you touch me!” Her slurred threat ended with a hiccup, rendering it anything but intimidating.He could smell the whiskey on her breath.His grin widened.Her hand fumbled near his belt before closing over the hilt of his sword. Assuming a fierce expression, she attempted to frighten him. “I’ll sever your manhood whilst you sleep!”To emphasize the statement she tugged at the blade, several times.On the third attempt, the sword cleared the scabbard almost an inch.“Aye.” Ruan laughed outright, his lips curving into a suggestive smile, “But it would take even a larger blade; ye haven’t a prayer if ye can’t lift this one.” His hand closed over hers. Not as a deterrent, but simply to watch her eyes flash defiantly once more....
For the Earl's Pleasure
Anne Mallory - 2009
. .They were once cherished childhood companions, until a scandalous secret tore them apart. Now Valerian Rainewood and Abigail Smart are the fiercest of enemies. To Abigail, Rainewood is a notorious rake, hell-bent on mischief and not fit for polite society. So what if it seems as if he can seduce her with nothing but his eyes? She will not succumb. But when the earl is viciously attacked, Abigail's distress tells her that something still binds her to the wild Rainewood.Lies an unquenchable desire . . .Though the ton believes there is nothing between them, Rainewood knows the truth. Abigail tempts him the way no other woman has. Wanton lust overwhelms him whenever she is near. But keeping her too close may put her precious life in danger. He must destroy his enemies—so that with every touch he may prove to Abigail that though their past was filled with trouble, their future will be nothing but pleasure.
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.
Highlander's Twin Flame
Shona Thompson - 2020
That's what Adamina, the wife of Laird Domnhall Buchan, was. All he wanted was to worship her, but she never allowed him to get close.After returning from a trip looking soft and vulnerable, Domnhall crosses every limit between them to be with her. And after a taste, he can't get enough.Allie is heading towards a life that is not hers to a man she doesn't belong to. One day, she is just a maid. The next one, she is traveling to take her place as the wife of a Laird.This is her punishment for sharing the same face as Lady Adamina of the Buchan Clan. She gave Allie a choice: "either take my place or die."There's fine a line between right and wrong, and Allie crosses it when she accepts the deal and surrenders to the husband that she shouldn't love.With happiness within their grasp, they don't know that the dream will become a nightmare and that, when Adamina returns, the truth will crush them both…Love and hate share the same face, and he's thirsty for them both…"Highlander's Twin Flame" is a Historical Scottish romance novel of more than 80,000 words (around 440 pages). STANDALONE, No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.*If you like brawny Highland warriors with a soft heart, and steamy romantic stories depicting the majestic and mysterious Scottish Highlands, then Highlander's Twin Flame is the perfect novel for you.
When a Laird Loves a Lady
Julie Johnstone - 2016
A longing to forget compels him. Fate may send them into each other’s arms, but only love can mend their hearts. An Outlander Raised by a tyrannical father, Marion de Lacy yearns for the comfort of belonging to a loving family. So when her father announces her betrothal to an evil knight in exchange for his help to overthrow the king, she concocts a desperate scheme to avoid the marriage: feigning her own death and then fleeing England. But when her plan goes terribly awry and she’s captured by the knight, not even her careful preparations could ready her for the Scottish barbarian who rescues her and then informs her that he’s to marry her by edict of her king. Certain her father will defy the king’s orders and wed her to the knight if she refuses the Highlander’s hand, Marion agrees to marry the strangely compelling but obstinate laird of the MacLeod clan. A Highlander After the death of his beloved wife, Iain MacLeod has no desire to marry ever again. Yet when he finds himself obliged to do so to secure the freedom of his childhood friend and king, he reluctantly travels across England to collect his unwanted bride, expecting to find a cold Englishwoman. Instead, he discovers a fiery, bold beauty who is fiercely loyal, protective of those she loves, and defies him at every turn, challenging his certainty that his heart is dead. Ensnared Following a hasty marriage and perilous journey to Scotland, Marion harbors no illusions that her new husband loves her. Still, her heart cannot resist the noble, brave warrior, and she cannot suppress the hope that she has finally found where she belongs. However, the harder she tries to fit in with the clan and gain Iain’s love, the farther away her dreams drift. Iain is more than willing to give his respect to his courageous wife—her kisses and caresses even ignite his blood and demand his passion—but he refuses to give up his heart. That is, until enemies near and far threaten to take Marion from him. Now the demons that haunt him can only be conquered by surrendering body and soul to Marion, if only it’s not too late…
The Lion and the Crow
Eli Easton - 2013
Sir Christian Brandon was raised in a household where he was hated for his unusual beauty and for his parentage. Being smaller than his six brutish half-brothers, he learned to survive by using his wits and his gift for strategy, earning him the nickname the Crow. Sir William Corbett, a large and fierce warrior known as the Lion, has pushed his unnatural desires down all his life. He’s determined to live up to his own ideal of a gallant knight. When he takes up a quest to rescue his sister from her abusive lord of a husband, he’s forced to enlist the help of Sir Christian. It’s a partnership that will test every strand of his moral fiber, and, eventually, his understanding of the meaning of duty, honor, and love.
Unbidden (Evolution, #1)
Jill Hughey - 2011
By the time she realizes she might want to keep him, she has been too successful, and other forces are dividing them as well. A whirling romance in the enchanting world of Charlemagne’s Empire. Rochelle of Alda, a feisty Frank noblewoman, expects to continue her industrious life managing her family’s estate. When her emperor summons her to the palace to meet the skilled soldier she is required to marry for political reasons, Rochelle quickly engages in a battle for independence from David of Bavaria. Even as her own deceptions multiply she suspects another of also plotting against their marriage. To her surprise, and too late, David’s passion and patience begin to win her heart. Can their love survive the tangled web of her schemes and the secret adversary David refuses to see? Book One in the Evolution Series.
His Impetuous Debutante
Jane Charles - 2011
It isn’t that she is against marriage and if her situation were different, she would welcome the opportunity for love and children. It is just not practical. Unfortunately, her older brother is smothering any chances she has of actually enjoying the season out of fear her impetuous nature will land her in predicaments more ruinous than the physical mishaps she had suffered at home.Taylor Qualls, the Earl of Sandlin, is forced once again to face his own obligations this season. He has a year and a half to find a suitable bride and produce the heir as dictated in his grandfather’s will. Nobody needs to tell him that Lady Phoebe is the last woman on earth he should marry. After all, given his own track record with wives and Lady Phoebe’s penchant for mishaps, she wouldn’t survive a month as his bride.
Ransom My Heart
Meg Cabot - 2009
. . with help from Meg CabotHe's a tall, handsome knight with a secret. She's an adventurous beauty with more than a few secrets of her own. Finnula needs money for her sister's dowry, and fast. Hugo Fitzstephen, returning home to England from the Crusades with saddlebags of jewels, has money, and lots of it. What could be simpler than to kidnap him and hold him for ransom?Well, for starters, Finnula could make the terrible mistake of falling in love with her hostage.Princess Mia Thermopolis, Meg Cabot's most beloved character, has always been an outspoken animal-rights activist and committed environmentalist. In keeping with Mia's true spirit, Meg will be donating her advance to Greenpeace.
Son of the Morning
Linda Howard - 1997
John, a scholar, unwittingly discovers the Knights of Templar's secret treasure. Suddenly, her life is upturned when she spies her boss murdering her husband and brother. With no reason to live, except to extract vengeance, Grace becomes a fugitive of the law as she attempts to find an explanation for this horrible act.Grace simultaneously translates 14th century medieval documents written by Black Niall. This embittered knight reaches into Grace's subconscious and the two begin to share dreams 700 years apart. A scholar specializing in ancient manuscripts, Grace St. John never imagined that a cache of fragile, old documents she discovered was the missing link to a lost Celtic treasure. But as soon as she deciphers the intriguing legend of the Knights of the Templar -- long fabled to hold the key to unlimited power -- Grace becomes the target of a ruthless killer bent on abusing the coveted force.Determined to stop him, Grace needs the help of a celebrated warrior bound by duty to uphold the Templar's secret for all eternity. But to find him -- and to save herself -- she must go back in time.Summoning the magic of an arcane ritual, Grace steps back to the barren hills of 14th-century Scotland, enduring the perils of an untamed land to confront Black Niall, a fierce man of dark fury and raw, unbridled desire. Driven by a mix of fear and passion, Grace enlists this brazen knight to join her in a modern-day search for a killer.In their quest to protect a timeless secret, they uncover a love for all time -- and a deadly duel of honor that risks everything they have.