Book picks similar to
A Season for Marriage by Stephanie Laurens
stephanie-laurens
historical-romance
romance
historical
Royal's Bride
Kat Martin - 2009
Then the old duke wrests a final promise from his guilt-ridden son: that Royal will marry heiress Jocelyn Caulfield and restore the estate to its former glory. However, it is not his fiancée who quickens Royal's pulse, but rather her beautiful cousin Lily Moran.Penniless Lily knows that nothing can come of their undeniable attraction—but there is a way she can help Royal. Enlisting some questionable characters from her past, Lily concocts an elaborate ruse to recover some of the Bransford fortune from a notorious confidence artist. As the dangerous scheme unfolds, Lily and Royal are thrown together in pursuit of the very thing—money—that keeps them apart….
The Perfect Wife
Victoria Alexander - 1996
She should have little effect on his well-ordered life, and little to do with his private pursuit of pleasure. After meeting Sabrina Winfield, he thought he had found the woman to fit the bill. Graceful and genteel, the exquisite blonde seemed a perfect match.But appearances, the Earl was soon to discover, could be deceiving. For beneath Sabrina's delicate beauty lay the most infuriatingly stubborn, wildly adventurous woman he'd ever known. And now his plans for a proper marriage were about to go dreadfully awry. For suddenly all the mighty Earl could think about was silencing her biting repartee with his kisses, diverting her schemes with expert seduction, and forever surrendering his heart and soul to her capable hands.
Come the Night
Christina Skye - 1994
Silver St. Clair has vowed to reclaim her family birthright at any cost, but the precious formula for a rare fragrance coveted by all of fashionable London is lost, hidden somewhere in the misty lavender fields of her Norfolk estate. Now Silver must risk her reputation and her life, striking a wanton bargain with England's most notorious highwayman, whose price will be her unconditional surrender, her unbridled passion – and her stubborn heart.
Adventures of a Scottish Heiress
Cathy Maxwell - 2003
Still, when her father promises her hand to a dissolute but well-connected lord, she does the unthinkable ... she flees to Scotland. Not to Gretna Green, but to her family -- and to the castle where her mother once had been so happy. In this romantic land she will discover her heart's desire.A Man Seeking His FortuneBut she doesn't count on Ian Campion. The ruggedly handsome man has his orders: fetch the runaway daughter home! Ian has a price on his head and a dire need for the reward Lyssa's father offers. Tracking Lyssa down is easy enough, convincing her to return is difficult ... and not seducing her is impossible.And Their Scandalous AdventuresSoon, Lyssa is on the adventure of a lifetime. She has to sleep in the great outdoors, and flee from mysterious attempts on her life. She knows she's ruined in the eyes of society, but she is willing to face true ruin -- and risk everything for the unimaginable passion she finds in Ian's strong arms. And when they return to civilization, the two must confront the most perilous adventure of all ... admitting their unanticipated love.
The School for Heiresses
Sabrina Jeffries - 2006
. . .At the School for Heiresses, the lessons go far beyond etiquette and needlepoint. In addition to teaching her students how to avoid fortune hunters, headmistress and founder Charlotte Harris proposes the radical notion that women of means need not shackle themselves to men at all -- unless they find a suitable, desirable mate. So lessons in the fine art of acquiring a loving and passionate husband are part of the curriculum at this highly unusual school. And as the holidays approach, Mrs. Harris sends her young ladies home with personally tailored lessons to work on. Will they return any closer to finding the perfect husband?This collection includes:Ten Reasons to Stay by Sabrina JeffriesAfter Midnight by Liz CarlyleThe Merchant's Gift by Julia London andMischief's Holiday by Renee Bernard.
Devil In My Bed
Celeste Bradley - 2009
Aidan de Quincy feels obligated to help the wee thing, even though she certainly isn't his—or is she? To find answers, Aidan must first track down the lovely widow he swore to forget when their passionate affair came to a painful end. It doesn't help that Madeleine Chandler is as sensual and enticing as ever…For three years, Madeleine had dreamed of seeing Aidan on her doorstep. The secret that once forced her to leave him now compels her to pretend that this sweet child is hers—a lie Aidan will surely never forgive. Yet the contented days and exquisite nights that follow are worth the heartbreak she knows must come. The truth will out—and when it does, there will be the devil to pay…
My Scandalous Bride
Christina Dodd - 1999
But things go too far when Keefe engages Laura in an artful game of seduction-a game that can have only one winner...Stephanie Laurens, "Melting Ice"Once, Dyan St. Laurent Dare, Duke of Darke, dreamed of making Lady Fiona his bride. Now they're together again-at a scandalous dinner party where debauchery is the menu's main course. But will wedding bells ring after the guests get their just desserts?Celeste Bradley, "Wedding Knight"Alfred Knight will do anything to avoid a scandal-even marry a woman he barely knows. But his bride has a most titillating secret...one she'll share as soon as she conquers her temptation for the man she was never supposed to marry!Leslie LaFoy, "The Proposition"Rennick St. James, the Earl of Parnell, has four days to seduce London's most popular widow into becoming his wife-or else she'll marry another man. It won't be easy...but Rennick has been lusting after the beguiling Julia Hamilton far too long to let her go now...
Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea
Sophia Nash - 2012
The scandalous Dukes of the Royal Entourage must make amends. The first step is a heroic rescue.One of England’s most disreputable peers, Alexander Barclay, Duke of Kress, has stumbled upon a perfect opportunity for redemption. Having been exiled to Cornwall by the Prince Regent himself, Barclay discovers lovely Roxanne Vanderhaven clinging to the edge of a cliff, stranded there by her murderous blackguard of a husband . . . just waiting to be rescued.Back on solid ground, Roxanne is desperate for a new life— once she’s retaliated for her husband’s despicable actions. Surprisingly, she finds herself drawn to her unlikely champion, certainly the last man in England she could count on. Yet, the infamous Duke of Kress isn’t quite the scoundrel he seems . . .
Green Eyes
Karen Robards - 1991
Frightened, revolted, gently bred Anna can see no way out – until a handsome jewel thief breaks into Gordon Hall in search of a fabled set of emeralds. Surprised by Anna in the act of purloining the jewels, Julian Chase is captured and carted off to Newgate to hang for the theft. The emeralds remain missing; despite being tortured, Julian insists he has no idea where they are. By the time he manages to cheat the hangman, though, Julian has figured out what must have happened: the green-eyed angel whose screams led to his downfall had to have taken them.And he is right: finding herself in possession of the emeralds after Julian's capture, Anna seizes on the chance to escape from Lord Ridley and flees to the tea plantation in Ceylon that is her home. But once Julian knows the truth, he comes after her, traveling halfway across the world to reclaim what he feels is rightfully his – and to take a sensuous revenge on the larcenous young beauty whose fate he now holds in his hands.
Her Notorious Viscount
Jenna Petersen - 2009
. .Viscount Nicholas Stoneworth is infamous—even being mentioned in the same breath with him is enough to ruin a lady's reputation. Why, the man's spent years in London's underworld pursuing every sort of vice while parlaying his hard muscled body into fame and fortune as a fighter! With his brother's untimely death, Nicholas must assume the title and relearn the civilized ways of the ton . . . and proper Jane Fenton is more than willing to teach him everything she knows.Circumstances may have forced Jane into the role of ladies' companion, but she knows the danger of associating with a notorious man like Nicholas, a man who could tempt any woman into certain scandal. But her brother disappeared into the same underworld four long years ago, and if she transforms the libertine into a gentleman, he will use his connections to find him. Still, Jane will not—cannot—lose control. She must ignore the promise of sinful pleasure in his eyes . . . and her own wild desires desperate to break free.
Wicked in Your Arms
Sophie Jordan - 2011
. .For fiercely independent Grier Hadley, being the illegitimate daughter of one of London's most unsavory characters has only one advantage: an enormous, ill-gotten dowry.Prince Sevastian Maksimi knows where his duty lies: he must find a well-bred young lady—one with a considerable fortune to her name—wed her promptly, and get to the business of producing an heir.The last thing Grier needs is some unattainable prince curling her toes with his smoldering glances and wicked suggestions. As far as Sev is concerned, she lacks the breeding to become a princess. And yet one kiss from this arresting female is all it takes for him to realize that anyone else in his arms would be unthinkable . . .
His Ruthless Heart
Johanna Lindsey - 1988
Love Only Once and Tender Rebel
When Harry Met Molly
Kieran Kramer - 2010
But when he's named by the Prince Regent as one of society's "Impossible Bachelors," Harry is drafted into a ribald romantic wager. The rules of engagement are scandalously simple: The bachelor whose mistress wins the title of "Most Delectable Companion" gets to remain unmarried. Harry is utterly unconcerned about his status...until his latest lightskirt abandons him. Who will win this game of love?Enter Lady Molly Fairbanks. Harry's childhood friend—actually, "foe" is more like it—is the most unlikely companion of all. She's attractive but hot-headed, and in no mood for games. Besides, what could the self-indulgent Harry possibly know about what makes a woman delectable? It's time for Molly to teach him a lesson once and for all...but will it lead to "happily ever after"?
The Year of Living Scandalously
Julia London - 2010
Fifteen years later, questions still linger. Was it a crime of greed—or of passion?
When Declan O’Connor, Earl of Donnelly, arrives at Hadley Green to meet with Lily Boudine, the new countess of Ashwood, he knows instantly that the lovely woman who welcomes him is not who she pretends to be. In an attempt to avoid an unwanted marriage, Keira Hannigan has assumed her cousin’s identity and is staying at the estate while Lily is abroad. When Declan threatens to expose her, Keira convinces him to guard her secret, then enlists him in her investigation of the missing jewels, for she now believes an innocent man was hanged. Unable to deny the beautiful, exasperating Keira—or their simmering passion—Declan reluctantly agrees. But neither is prepared for the dangerous stranger who threatens to reveal Keira’s lies...and Declan knows he must protect Keira at all costs, for she is the woman who now owns his heart.
Along Came a Duke
Elizabeth Boyle - 2012
That is, until she is left a vast fortune payable only upon her marriage to the very respectable Mr. Barkworth—a match that offers little chance of discovering exactly what her aunt means by "untoward attentions."But the same can't be said when the Duke of Preston happens along Tabitha's path. He spies a rebellious streak in her that matches his own and he makes it his mission to save her from such a passionless match, interfering in her life at every turn. All too soon, Preston—whose very name spells ruin—has Tabitha caught between the good fortune that guarantees her security, and his kiss, which promises an entirely different kind of happily-ever-after.