Book picks similar to
Lauralee by Linda Lael Miller


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romance
historical-romance
western

Fortune's Rocks


Anita Shreve - 1999
    On a beach in New Hampshire at the turn of the last century, a young woman is drawn into a rocky, disastrous passage to adulthood. Olympia Biddeford is the only child of a prominent Boston couple--a precocious and well-educated daughter, alive with ideas and flush with the first stirrings of maturity. Her summer at the family's vacation home in Fortune's Rocks is transformed by the arrival of a doctor, a friend of her father's, whose new book about mill-town laborers has caused a sensation. Olympia is captivated by his thinking, his stature, and his drive to do right--even as she is overwhelmed for the first time by irresistible sexual desire. She and the doctor--a married man, a father, and nearly three times her age--come together in an unthinkable, torturous, hopelessly passionate affair. Throwing aside propriety and self-preservation, Olympia plunges forward with cataclysmic results that are the price of straying in an unforgiving era. Olympia is cast out of the world she knows, and Fortune's Rocks is the story of her determination to reinvent her broken life--and claim the one thing she finds she cannot live without. A meditation on the erotic life of women, an exploration of class prejudices, and most of all a portrayal of the thoughts and actions of an unforgettable young woman, Fortune's Rocks is a masterpiece of narrative drama, beautifully written by one of the most accomplished novelists of our time.

Train Station Bride


Holly Bush - 2012
    Julia strikes out on her own to gain independence, traveling to the Midwest to marry an aging shopkeeper and care for his mother. Julia finds her new home rough and uncivilized after the sophistication of a big city, while closely held secrets threaten to ruin Julia’s one chance at love. Jake Shelling was sixteen and grew up quick when his parents died from influenza on the South Dakota prairie. Left with a half-cleared farm and two young sisters, he spent little time on his own needs . .till now. At thirty-five, he figured it was high time to have some sons and a mail order bride would suit him just fine. No expectations of love, just a helpmate from sturdy stock, ready for farm life. Will fate and chance play a trick on Julia and Jake?

Texas Homecoming


Leigh Greenwood - 2002
    Until one of their number betrayed them all. In the aftermath of tragedy, they swore they would live to hunt down the traitor. But to each, life would bring first a woman and then a revelation: Far sweeter then revenge is love.Cade ... Captain of the Night Riders, he led the survivors home to Texas to make a fresh start. His grandfather still lived, his ranch still stood, and waiting there was a dark-eyed temptress who made him all too glad to be alive. When he took Pilar in his arms, his blood surged hotly and he felt like the wild young man who'd once abducted her for a lark. But the war had changed them all and now he would allow nothing to come between them -- not her family, not his heritage, not even her turncoat of a brother.This is the first in the Night Riders Series

Fire Hawk’s Bride: Forbidden Love - Savage Passion


Judith E. French - 2019
    She is kind, but everyone fears her—her eyes being of two different colors—and she grows up concealing a rebellious heart. In the middle of a harrowing chase through the forest, Kate first meets Fire Hawk, who dispatches the pack of ravenous wild dogs that were attacking her. Fire Hawk lives on Kate’s fiancé’s property as an indentured servant and everyone treats him disdainfully as a savage. When Fire Hawk and Kate gaze into each other’s eyes, their souls become one. THE CHOSEN OF THE CHEROKEE Fire Hawk is a Cherokee prince who carries the destiny of being “Chosen of the Cherokee,” the one who must lead and defend his tribe. He has secretly been sent to England by his tribe on a mission to learn the ways of those they must someday fight. Fire Hawk must find a way to journey back to his homeland. But his heart will not let him leave without Kate, for their savage passion burns like forbidden fire. REVIEWS OF FIRE HAWK’S BRIDE 4.08 average rating, 72 ratings, 8 reviews, added by 206 people, 56 to-reads, 94% of people like it—Goodreads 4.5 out of 5 stars (45 customer reviews)—Amazon “Ms. French’s Indian romances are always wonderful, but FIRE HAWK’S BRIDE is her best yet!”“Usually Indian romances take place in the west and this was so different! This book was historically correct in the Native American research and had such a compelling love story... Having Cherokee blood in our family, I know that they were a beautiful people with an amazing culture. Kate and Fire Hawk fell in love from the first day they met, but had many trials and reasons that they could not be together. Four hundred years ago, Europeans hardly believed that American Indians were human. I loved the way that Kate and Fire Hawk saved each other over and over, and I wanted her to run away with him. Loved this book. The ending was exciting and left me thinking about the story for days. A real keeper!”—Az Val, Kindle Edition, Verified Purchase“A must read!”--Romantic Times“Wonderful…This powerful novel will leave you breathless!”Affaire de Coeur“Great storytelling with well-drawn characters and rich historical detail….”—Regan Walker, Goodreads ABOUT JUDITH E. FRENCH Judith E. French captures the essence of passion and brings her special characters alive in her award-winning and bestselling historical romances. She is the mother of bestselling novelist Colleen French. Judith’s novels have been translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Bulgarian, and Mandarin. Many of her historical romances are inspired by her Scottish, Irish, Welsh, English and Lenni-Lenape ancestry rooted in the region around the Chesapeake Bay, where the French family has made its home for more than 300 years. Judith E. French’s novels appeal to readers of Christi Caldwell, Mary Balogh, C. J. Petit, Shirleen Davies, Karen Kay, Madeline Baker, Elle Marlow, Ellen O'Connell, Vonna Harper, Kathryn Le Veque, Colleen French, Julie Garwood, Cecelia Mecca, Caroline Fyffe, and Hannah Howell.

Distant Thunder


Lisa Bingham - 1992
    "DISTANT THUNDER is a story of sensitive, tender emotions and awakening passion—pure joy on every page.”—Affaire de Coeur A haunting truth too terrible to share drives beautiful Susan to live as a nun, hiding the reality of her past even from her lifelong friend, Daniel. Growing up, Daniel was her protector and savior, yet when he returns to town, her orderly life is abruptly thrown into disarray. No longer is he the boy from her childhood, but a striking lawman, both dangerous and desirable. Determined to make Susan his wife, Daniel arouses her deepest passions and unlocks her darkest secrets. But before they can embrace the promise of the future, Susan must confront the past she worked so hard to keep hidden. “Lisa Bingham’s beautiful tale of a childhood love that grows into an adult passion... will appeal to anyone looking for a romance that is not only brimming with delightful characters and sweet love, but also deep with meaning.”—Romantic Times  “Ms. Bingham has written a captivating tale of two people burdened by the past; two people who care deeply for one another but who hesitate to share their deep pain... A truly enjoyable read.”—Inside Romance

Hearts Awakening


Delia Parr - 2010
    But Jackson Smith quickly realizes that Ellie's presence may solve his own problems--both the rearing of his young boys and the scandal that surrounds his first marriage.When a marriage of convenience is offered, Ellie is initially humiliated. Though she is past the age most women marry, she has more pride than to agree to his outlandish suggestion. Yet what options does she have? To marry would mean a home and stability. So despite the rumors circling Jackson and his first wife, Ellie accepts this unlikely proposal...

A Handful of Heaven


Kristin Hannah - 1991
    But instead of a thriving store in a boom town, Devon discovered she was part owner of a filthy, disorganized tent with a bunch of gold diggers and a mountainous slap of animosity for a partner: Stone Man McKenna. Gathering mop, pail and sheer determination, Devon vowed to make this post the best in the Yukon Territory. Stone Man didn't scare her. But his kiss -- a gruff attempt to convince her that the Yukon was no place for a lady -- left her feeling, for the first time in her life, feminine and alive . . .

The Rose Legacy


Kristen Heitzmann - 2000
    Though the town has a rough element, Carina is determined that it is the place her dreams will come true. Early on, two men vie for her trust, but neither is what he seems. Will Carina discern the truth in time to prevent tragedy?

Teton Sunrise


Peggy L. Henderson - 2013
    For six long years, she’s waited and wondered if he would return. After the shocking murder of her parents, her brother is the only family she has left. Refusing to accept a betrothal to a man she doesn’t love, she decides to take control of her destiny and confront her parents’ killer. Growing up, Alexander Walker has known only violence at the hands of his cruel father. After the death of his mother, he embarks on a journey into the uncharted wilderness to test his resolve as a fur trapper and mountain man. When an impulsive decision leads him back to his childhood home, he finds more than he bargained for.Amid the rugged Teton wilderness, fate suddenly throws Alex and Evelyn together. The quiet protective boy she remembers is now as strange to her as the world she’s been forced into. Wary of the hardened man he has become, Evelyn must put her trust in him in order to survive. Alex’s memories of Evelyn are of a pesky little girl, but he can’t deny his growing feelings for the beautiful and spirited woman she is now. His biggest obstacle in winning her heart may not be her uncertainty of him, but a fear that has haunted him all his life. In a primitive and brutal world, can Alex and Evelyn forge a love as solid as the mountains, or will the past come back to haunt them both?

To Taste the Wine


Fern Michaels - 1987
    Their love flowed as freely as wine. Only Fern Michaels could tell this exotic story of passionate adventure!

The Chili Queen


Sandra Dallas - 2002
    Emma's brother is seeing her off to Nalgitas to marry a man she has never met. And Emma seems like a lost soul to Addie-someone who needs Addie's savvy and wary eye. It isn't often that Addie is drawn to anyone as a friend, but Emma seems different somehow. When Emma's prospective fails to show up at the train depot, Addie breaks all her principles to shelter the girl at her brothel, The Chili Queen. But once Emma enters Addie's life, the secrets that unfold and schemes that are hatched cause both women to question everything they thought they knew. With Sandra Dallas's trademark humor, charm, and pathos, The Chili Queen will satisfy anyone who has ever longed for happiness.The Chili Queen is the winner of the 2003 Spur Award for Best Western Novel.

Full Circle


Rosanne Bittner - 1994
    A young missionary teacher meets a fierce Sioux brave who is everything she desires but cannot have. Fighting society's prejudices and their own doubts, will their stormtide of passion sustain them?

Sarah's Choice


Pegg Thomas - 2021
    An Indian attack at dawn changes everything.When he pulls his freight wagons into Fort Pitt, Leith McCully never dreams he’ll be conscripted into the militia and ordered to defend the fort. Worried about trader friends on his delivery route, he rides to their settlement and returns with Sarah, the only survivor.Fort Pitt is crowded to twice its capacity with the settlers who have taken refuge there and surrounded by the rising smoke of burned-out settlements. Tempers flare, disease breaks out, and the constant fear of the next attack has everyone on edge.Cully keeps an eye on Sarah because he feels responsible for her. And, though he doesn’t admit as much, she tugs at his heart. Sarah sees Cully as the last link to her past. A friend of her husband’s family. She’s going to need someone she can trust, and she trusts Cully. Her rescuer.Are trust and admiration enough to help them survive the siege and its devastating consequences? Is there any hope for a future beyond?

Sweet Release


Pamela Clare - 2003
    Though Cassie hated the slave trade, her Virginia plantation demanded the labor, and she knew this fevered man would surely die if she left him. But as his wounds healed and his muscled chest bronzed from the sun, Cassie realized Cole Braden was far more dangerous than his papers had indicated --- for he could steal her breath with a glance or lay siege to her senses with a touch.Abducted, beaten, and given a new name, Alec went from master of an English shipbuilding empire to fourteen years of indentured servitude in the American colonies. There, he was known as Cole Braden, a convicted ravisher and defiler of women. And while he longed to ravish the auburn-haired beauty who owned him, he knew his one hope of earning her love --- and his freedom --- was to prove his true identity. Only then could he turn the tables and attain his ... Sweet Release.

Sunset Embrace


Sandra Brown - 1985
    Two passionate travelers, united by need, threatened by pasts they could not outrun ...Lydia Bryant --- voluptuous and russet-haired, fleeing from a secret shame, vowing that never again would a man, any man, overpower her ...Ross Coleman --- dark, brooding and iron-willed, with the shadow of a lawless past in his piercing eyes, sworn to resist the temptation of his wanton longings ...Fate threw them together on the same wild road, where they fought the breathtaking desire blazing between them, while the shadows of their enemies grew longer. As the wagon train rolled west, the danger to them drew ever closer, until a showdown with their pursuers was inevitable. Before it was over, Lydia and Ross would face death ... the truth about each other ... and the astonishing strength of their love ...