Book picks similar to
Thief of Dreams by Mary Balogh


historical-romance
romance
historical
mary-balogh

The Seduction


Nicole Jordan - 2000
    Now this acclaimed author takes erotic romance to spellbinding new heights with...As the most notorious rakehell in Regency London, Lord Damien Sinclair sought only his own pleasure, until his beloved younger sister, Olivia, was injured and her reputation ruined during a forbidden tryst. Now Damien will do anything to destroy the young nobleman guilty of hurting Olivia...And Vanessa Wyndham will protect her foolish brother at all costs, even if it means entering into an illicit bargain with the dangerously handsome "Lord Sin." When Vanessa offers to act as a companion to Lord Sin's invalid sister, Damien agrees with one scandalous condition--he'll forgive her brother's debt if she agrees to become his mistress.And so the seduction begins. But once the affair has ended, will they escape with their hearts intact?

Reckless


Amanda Quick - 1992
    At sixteen, Phoebe Layton had imagined that Gabriel Banner was a brave and valiant knight, a noble-hearted hero born to rescue ladies in distress. Which is why, eight years later, when she desperately needed help to carry out a vital quest, she could think of no one more suited than Gabriel. But when she lures her shining knight to a lonely midnight rendezvous, Phoebe finds herself sparring with a dangerously desirable man who is nothing like the hero of her dreams. And when he sweeps her into a torrid and blatantly unchivalrous embrace, she can't help but fear that she's made a dreadful mistake. It's a kiss that will seal Phoebe's fate. For now the exacting Earl of Wylde has a quest of his own--to possess the most intriguing, impulsive, outrageous female he has ever met...even if he has to slay a dragon to do it.

To Taste Temptation


Elizabeth Hoyt - 2008
    As such, she is the perfect chaperone for Rebecca, the young sister of a successful Boston businessman and former Colonial soldier.CRAVES AN UNTAMED MANSamuel Hartley may be wealthy, but his manners are as uncivilized as the American wilderness he was raised in. Who wears moccasins to a grand ball? His arrogant disregard for propriety infuriates Emeline, even as his boldness excites her.TO RELEASE HER PASSION . . . But beneath Samuel's rakish manner, he is haunted by tragedy. He has come to London to settle a score, not to fall in love. And as desperately as Emeline longs to feel this shameless man's hands upon her, to taste those same lips he uses to tease her, she must restrain herself. She is not free. But some things are beyond a lady's control . . .

The Education of Mrs. Brimley


Donna MacMeans - 2007
    But when she arrives in Yorkshire, she is dismayed to learn that she's expected to prepare her students for the intimacies of marriage—of which she knows nothing! Her only hope of maintaining her place lies with the alluring Lord Nicholas Chambers, a neighboring artist whose behavior is scarcely consistent with that of a gentleman.True to his reputation, "Lord Bedchambers" offers Emma a scandalous bargain: He will answer her questions about anatomy and bedroom etiquette if she will pose for him...in the Grecian fashion. Though keenly aware of the dangers of such a scenario, Emma determines to best this noble roué—never thinking she may be risking her heart as well.

Lady Rogue


Suzanne Enoch - 1997
    I've always wanted to be a writer. One day, during a slow afternoon at my day job, I thought: What would I write? Inspiration struck . . . an earl who fell in love with a spy!And thus Lady Rogue was born.Christine "Kit" Brantley is masquerading as a boy because her mission is to spy on Alexander Cale, the Earl of Everton. It doesn't take long for Alex to see through her disguise. Who would mistake this enchanting, albeit cheeky, chit for a lad? Alex is determined to discover the real reason Kit is in London, but as he's dragged into one escapade after another, he finds himself succumbing to her charm and spirit. I love this book, and I love the new package. In my mind it's a depiction of the first time Kit puts on a ball gown, and the way Alex Cale feels when he first sees her as a lady . . . Ah, me, now I'm getting sentimental.Enjoy!Suzanne EnochP.S. Oh, and Lady Rogue also marks the debut of Mr. Francis Henning, who's made an appearance in every historical I've written since.

The Viscount's Wicked Ways


Anne Mallory - 2006
    But Patience Harrington, try as she might, has never been a proper lady. Her bumbled London season left her with no marital prospects and no recourse but to accept her father's invitation to travel to gloomy Blackfield Castle. Surely, spending a few nights in the presence of priceless antiques and a devilish viscount can't be as bad as facing the ton gossip.Focused solely on his secret government project, Thomas cares little for the valuable antiques he's recently inherited. The troublesome young woman who has come to assess them, however, stirs his senses in every way. Patience is a distraction Thomas can ill afford --- a beautiful temptation that makes him ache with desire. For a spy is threatening to destroy all he has built, and Patience is hiding something. With so much at stake, Thomas must do whatever it takes to seduce the truth from Patience's lips before lives --- and his own heart --- are lost.

When She Was Wicked


Anne Barton - 2013
    It isn't something she's proud of, but the reluctant blackmailer needs the money to care for her gravely ill mother. To make up for her misdeeds, Anabelle keeps to a firm set of rules:• Never request payment from someone who cannot afford it.• Never reveal the secrets of a paying client.• Never enter into any form of social interaction with a client.Her list keeps her (somewhat) honest—until she encounters Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford. Not only does Owen nip Anabelle's extortion plans in the bud, the devilishly handsome Duke soon has the sexy seamstress dreaming of more than silks and satins. With Owen, Anabelle enjoys pleasures she never imagined . . . until a scandal from the past resurfaces. Now her rules could mean his family's ruin. Owen's searing kisses carry the promise of passion, but how will he react when Anabelle's most devastating secret is finally revealed?

From Duke Till Dawn


Eva Leigh - 2017
    After one passionate night, she slipped from his bed and vanished without a trace. And just when he’s given up hope of ever seeing her again, Greyland finds her managing a gaming hell. He’s desperate to have her… until he discovers everything about his long-lost lover was a lie.In truth, Cassandra Blake grew up on the streets, picking pockets to survive. Greyland was a mark—to be fleeced and forgotten—but her feelings for the duke became all too real. Once he learns of her deception, however, the heat in his eyes turns to ice. When her business partner absconds with the gaming hell proceeds—leaving unsavory investors out for blood—Cassandra must beg the man she betrayed for help.Greyland wants compensation, too, and he’ll assist her under one condition: she doesn’t leave his sight until her debts are paid. But it’s not long before the real Cassandra—the smart, streetwise criminal—is stealing his heart all over again.

A Fallen Lady


Elizabeth Kingston - 2015
    Even more shockingly, her refusal came on the heels of her scandalous behavior: she and her betrothed were caught in a most compromising position. Leaving her reputation in tatters and her motivations a mystery, Helen withdrew to a simple life in a little village among friends, where her secrets remained hers alone. For reasons of his own, Stephen Hampton, Lord Summerdale, is determined to learn the truth behind the tangled tale of Helen's ruin. There is nothing he abhors so much as scandal - nothing he prizes so well as discretion - and so he is shocked to find, when he tracks Helen down, that he cannot but admire her. Against all expectations, he finds himself forgiving her scandalous history in favor of only being near her. But the bitter past will not relinquish Helen's heart so easily. How can she trust a man so steeped in the culture of high society, who conceals so much? And how can he, so devoted to the appearance of propriety, ever love a fallen lady?

Tapestry


Karen Ranney - 1995
    Yet ever since he was wounded in battle, Alex has locked himself away in his great stone castle at Heddon Hall. Believing himself to be less than a man, he conceals his ravaged face behind a leather mask...and hides his scarred soul beneath an icy aloofness.A mere child when he went off to war, Laura has blossomed into a beautiful young woman Alex scarcely recognizes. The compassion and desire he sees shining out of her eyes tempts him to ease his pain in her sweet, sensual embrace. But as need flames into uncontrollable passion, an evil fate conspires against them both, weaving a web of treachery and betrayal that could bring heartbreak or happiness to those who dare to love.

Loving Julia


Karen Robards - 1986
    WITH HER BODY AND HER LOVE London street urchin Jewel Combs had no future but one of whoredom and shame. Then a dying gentleman looked at her topaz eyes and still untouched innocence --- and wed her to torment his aristocratic family with a final, scandalous joke after his death. But Sebastian, Earl of Moorland, found nothing humorous in the cheeky young widow's claims on his cousin's inheritance ... or in the smoldering sensuality of this rough Jewel. Appraising her with his ice blue eyes, he wondered if it might be amusing to polish her into a lady, call her Julia Stratham ... and seduce her. Jewel had kept her virginity amid England's roughest men, yet when this devastatingly handsome lord lowered his mouth to her burning flesh, an irresistible fire consumed her ... and even if he called her wanton, she vowed to be the lady he loved tonight ... and forever.

Unlocked


Courtney Milan - 2011
    So when Evan Carlton, the powerful, popular Earl of Westfeld, singles her out upon his return to England, she knows what it means. Her former tormenter is up to his old tricks, and she’s his intended victim. This time, though, the earl is going to discover that wallflowers can fight back.Evan has come to regret his cruel, callow past. At first, he only wants to make up for past wrongs. But when Elaine throws his initial apology in his face, he finds himself wanting more. And this time, what torments him might be love…

Bride for a Night


Rosemary Rogers - 2011
    Shy Talia has long held a secret attraction for Gabriel Richardson, the handsome Earl of Ashcombe. But when she's wedded, bedded and dispatched alone to his country estate, the timid beauty discovers one night of passion has ignited a bold inner fire.While his lovely green-eyed bride is out of sight, she is not far from Gabriel's mind and when Talia is abducted by French spies, the earl fears he may lose what he's only just found. Yet the wife he races to rescue is a far cry from the gentle bride he abandoned. She's a woman who dares to demand forever after from her husband.

Goddess of the Hunt


Tessa Dare - 2009
    But first she needs some target practice. So she turns to her brother’s best friend, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, to hone her seductive wiles on him before setting her sights on another man. But her practice kisses spark a smoldering passion–one that could send all her plans up in smoke.Jeremy has an influential title, a vast fortune, and a painful past full of long-buried secrets. He keeps a safe distance from his own emotions, but to distract Lucy from her reckless scheming, he must give his passions free rein. Their sensual battle of wills is as maddening as it is delicious, but the longer he succeeds in managing the headstrong temptress, the closer Jeremy comes to losing control. When scandal breaks, can he bring himself to abandon Lucy to her ruin? Or will he risk his heart and claim her for his own?

Gypsy Lord


Kat Martin - 1992
    But he was also a dark-eyed, half-gypsy bastard...When tall, handsome Dominic sees one of his Romany band whipping a beautiful, flame-haired captive, he never dreams she is a pampered heiress stolen fro the English court. To have her, he will pay a king's ransom and make himself her lord.Lovely Catrina forbids Dominic her bed, but her fiery temper is no match for his cool determination to take her as his lover. Still, she will not be passion's slave forever. She and her Gypsy Lord will meet again-in a glittering London setting, far from the rustic tent they shared. Will her desire for revenge overwhelm her natural urge to love?