Book picks similar to
The Aristocrat's Charade by Joyce Alec


historical-romance
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regency
mystery

Mistletoe and the Marquess


Wendy Vella - 2016
    Determined to have one last night of freedom before marrying a man she detests; Jemma attends a Christmas Masquerade Ball. When a handsome highwayman awakens something inside her, with stolen kisses and whispered promises, she flees, vowing to forget about the man who touched her soul. From the moment the Marquess of Harrington sees the Grecian Goddess enter the ball, he wants her. Harry is not usually one for irrational impulses - indeed his life does not allow for that - but this woman makes him lose all reason. Her touch ignites a fire inside him, and her kisses sear his soul. When she runs from him he is determined to find her and finally unmask the woman who has captured his heart.

Moose Mountain Brothers: Series Boxed Set


Marley Michaels - 2020
    Then she's rescued by Gray Cooper and sparks fly.Introvert Seeking Mountain ManWhen Jemma Scott’s boss goes m.i.a. during a writing retreat on an Alaskan mountain, Jemma books a flight to track her down: destination Moose Mountain. What she didn’t expect was to faint at the feet of Cole Cooper, her mountain guide, the moment she meets him. She also didn't expect to fall head over heels for the man either.Fan Girl Seeking Mountain ManIt’s time for the inaugural Moose Mountain Romance Readers Retreat, and Amy Robinson has been waiting all her life for a reason to visit Alaska and find a mountain man to call her very own. So, when she literally walks straight into the arms of Boone Cooper outside a bookstore on her first day, she thinks she’s died and gone to mountain sheriff heaven.Hiker Seeking Mountain ManAfter traveling to the Moose Mountain Romance Readers Retreat, Sadie Parker decides to take a few days of R&R to spend more time exploring the captivating Alaskan mountain she’s read about. When Sadie gets herself into trouble and faces down a wolf, Brooks is compelled to save her, no longer able to ignore the voice inside saying he should look after her and keep her close.***Moose Mountain Brothers is a sweet, flirty, instalove series about four big, gruff and tough brothers living their lives on Moose Mountain. The mountain has always provided for these men, and now it’s sending them feisty women to warm up their cold mountain hearts and complete their mountain lives forever. Can we all say, awww.

Madeleine: A Regency Romance Novella


Mary Lancaster - 2019
    A soldier wounded in mind and body, he has the soul of an artist and the hands of a musician.She falls in love and marries in haste...but will she live to repent? For the castle seems to have a personality of its own, and Roderick, haunted by his past, lives on the edge of insanity.Inspired by Edgar Alan Poe's Fall of the House of Usher, Madeleine is a gothic tale of mystery, danger, passion, and love overcoming all.(Note: This story was first published as part of the USA Today Bestselling Boxed set, The Midnight Hour: All Hallows' Brides, October 2019)

An Untamed Governess for the Rogue


Olivia Bennet - 2019
    She is his ultimate risk... After losing both her parents, Teresa Dowels' future seems uncertain. Forced to leave the house she grew up in, she finds employment as a governess at the Duke of Rowfex’s mysterious manor. Luke Morton, second son of the Duke of Rowfex, is trying to preserve a well-hidden family secret. But life as he knows it changes the day he saves his younger sibling’s ravishing governess from rape. However, it is only a matter of time before the attacker, a notorious criminal with an ulterior motive, strikes again... When Luke disappears, all pieces seem to connect. With Teresa discovering the ugly truth about his family, time is against her. And only a miracle can keep them both alive... *If you like a realistic yet steamy depiction of the Regency and Victorian era, then An Untamed Governess for the Rogue is the novel for you. This is Olivia's 5th novel, a historical Regency romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a strong happily ever after. Pick up "An Untamed Governess for the Rogue" today to discover Olivia's amazing new story!

Storm & Shelter: A Bluestocking Belles Collection with Friends


Bluestocking BellesSherry Ewing - 2021
    The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.A Kiss by the Sea by Grace BurrowesHe's not really a blacksmith, and she's not really an heiress... Can they forge a happily-ever-after anyway?Thaddeus Pennrith finds a way to recover from multiple griefs when he accepts the blacksmith's post at Fenwick on Sea. Village life gives him a sense of belonging that Polite Society never could, though he must resume his aristocratic responsibilities soon. Along comes Lady Sarah Weatherby, refugee from an engagement gone badly awry, and Thaddeus is faced with both a compelling reason to reveal his titled antecedents, and a longing to keep them forever hidden...An Improbable Hero by Mary LancasterA runaway heiress, a mysterious stranger.When Letty's ship founders in a violent storm, she forges a rare bond with her rescuer.Simon is a troubled man on a final, deadly mission—until the spirited yet soothing Letty makes him question everything. Hiding in plain sight among the refugees at The Queen's Barque, Simon is more than capable of protecting them both. But when the floods recede, can either of them say goodbye?The Comtesse of Midnight by Alina K. FieldA Scottish Earl on a quest for the elusive Comtesse de Fontenay rescues a French lady smuggler from the surf during a devastating storm, and takes shelter with her. As the stormy night drags on, he suspects his companion knows the woman he's seeking, the one who holds the secret to his identity. When she admits she is, in fact, the Comtesse Fontenay, just not the one he's seeking, she dashes all his hopes—and promises him new ones.Lord Stanton's Shocking Seaside Honeymoon by Cerise DeLandShe is so wrong for him.Miss Josephine Meadows is so young. In love with life. His accountant in his work for Whitehall. Her father's heir to his trading company—and his espionage network.Lord Stanton cannot resist marrying her. But to ensure Wellington defeats Napoleon, they must save one of Josephine's agents.Far from home, amid a horrific storm, Stanton discovers that his new bride loves him dearly.Can he truly be so right for her?And she for him?The Tender Flood by Caroline WarfieldZach Newell knows Patience Abney is far above his touch. But he has been enchanted by her since she raced out of the storm and into The Queen's Barque with a wagon full of small boys, puppies, and a bag of books. When the two of them make their way across the flooded marsh to her badly damaged school in search of a missing boy, attraction deepens. She risks scandal; he risks his heart.A Dream Come True by Jude KnightThe tempest that batters Barnaby Somerville's village is the latest but not the least of his challenges.Vicar to a remote parish, he stretches his tiny stipend to adopt his orphaned niece and nephew and his time to offer medical care as well as spiritual. A wife is a dream he cannot afford.But the storm sweeps into his life a surprising temptation—a charming young woman who lavishes her gentle care upon his wards—and him.God knows, he will forever be richer for having known her, even if he must let her go.Wait for Me by Rue AllynEnemies by nature—Esmeralda Crobbin, aka the pirate Irish Red, and Captain, Lord Brandon Gilroy have met before.Fate trumps nature—When a fierce storm creates a chance encounter and forced proximity, Brandon learns the pirate is a woman of serious honor and responsibility. Esmeralda discovers the captain is more than a uniform stuffed with rules and regulations. Both love the sea with boundless passion, but can they love each other?Before I Found You by Sherry EwingA quest for a title. An encounter with a stranger. Will she choose love?Miss Miranda de Courtenay has only one goal in life: to find a rich husband who can change her status from Miss to My Lady.Captain Jasper Rousseau has no plans to become infatuated during a chance encounter at a ball.Their connection is hard to dismiss, despite Miranda's quest for a title at all cost. What if the cost includes love?

Mistletoe and Mayhem


Cheryl BolenBree Wolf - 2020
    Should she trust her own flesh and blood? Or rely on someone else, someone from her past, to keep her son safe?Convincing the Countess by Alina K. Field: When a business-minded aristocrat encounters a fetching widow he met years earlier as the bride of a ne’er-do-well earl, temptation steers him along a track that may derail all his plans. Can he convince her to set a course for her future that includes him?Rescued by a Rake by Wendy Vella: Miss Ivy Redfern’s life is thrown into turmoil when her brother disappears five days before Christmas. Desperate for help she turns to the devilishly charming Mr. Haddon. He agrees but it comes with a price: her heart!Unwise But Not Dishonorable by Barbara Monajem: A spymaster’s beautiful daughter crashes a Christmas house party to steal back a precious medallion, but finds that one of her father’s men is already there on a secret mission. Can they work together to unmask a traitor despite the distraction of falling in love?Meet Me at the Mistletoe by Donna Cummings: Desmond Mayfield enlists the Matchmaking Earl to find his perfect match, hoping for a love like his parents' legendary romance. He meets an enchanting temptress, but she is only amenable to a brief affair, unwilling to risk another loveless union. Can mistletoe—and the kisses they inspire—convince her their passion will last through every season? While You Were Roguish by Samantha Grace: When a roguish neighbor breaks into her cousin’s house seeking shelter from a winter storm, Bess decides to teach him a lesson. Instead, the wild and reckless Lord Julius reignites a fiery passion in her that almost led to her ruin years ago—and threatens to consume her now. Wedded to the Welsh Baron by Sasha Cottman: With little more than a ruined castle in Wales to his name, the last thing Welsh baron Rhys Morgan wants is to inherit a rundown English estate. With no money and no prospects, Wister York’s greatest fear is that when Lord Carno arrives at Kington House, he will throw her out. Once Upon a Kiss Gone Horribly Wrong by Bree Wolf: Always has Anne looked at her childhood friend Tobias Hawke with love in her heart. Only now, she no longer sees Little Toby when those chocolate-brown eyes meet hers and she cannot help but wonder, what if he kissed her?A Rogue and Some Mistletoe by Lana Williams: A lady fearful of risking her heart meets a handsome rogue who tempts her to find the courage to love with the help of mistletoe and the magic of Christmas. The Duke’s Christmas List by Bronwen Evans: Ignored all season, Lady Harriet Rondell is affronted by Charles Spencer, the Duke of Bladestow’s sudden Christmas visit proffering marriage. Armed with a copy of Blade’s disgustingly traditional list of requirements he is looking for in his wife, Harriet sets about convincing him she is not—and never will be—his Christmas bride.Publishers note: If you adore steamy Christmas and Regency romance, you’ll love this anthology!

The Viking's Bride


Jessica Knight - 2019
    But there’s nothing he won’t do to have me.I was forced to marry a ruthless Viking Warlord.Now, I’m carrying his twins. Grim is big, fierce, and handsome beyond words.But he's a killer, feared by all.I can’t believe my father would force me to marry this barbarian.Could a man like that ever love anyone, let alone me?We’re from two different worlds.Being with him in fantasy is far different than reality.A happy marriage seems impossible.So, I ran. But he found me, put me over his shoulder.And brought me back to be his bride.I hate how his gruffness makes my body yearn.I hate how his touch drives me wild.But what if there's more to him than a broken and vicious warrior? Could I get the happily ever after I've dreamed off?Or will I always be his captive bride?

Unmasking the Silver Heiress


Ava Devlin - 2020
    Getting tangled in a web of espionage and mystery was also less than ideal.Nathaniel Atlas was gorgeous and charming, an impossibly good catch for an unfashionable bluestocking like Nell, but what dangerous secrets were hidden under that polished politician's mask of his? What was he really after, and how did he become entangled with the enigmatic Silver Leaf Society in the first place?What Nell doesn't know is that her new husband is just as curious about her. How did this shy schoolgirl derail his life so thoroughly, and what in God's name is she doing involved with spies and smugglers?To find the answer, he'll have to take her to the last place in the world he wishes to be... his childhood home.Secrets and sacrifice are hidden deep in the ruins of Meridian House, if they are brave enough to unearth them.Unmasking the Silver Heiress is the first in Ava Devlin's new series, The Silver Leaf Seductions. If you love sweet and steamy Regency romances, perplexing mysteries, and a touch of danger, this is the book for you. Grab your copy today!

Behind the Baron's Mask: A Clean Regency Romance


Penny Fairbanks - 2019
    Henry Neil, Baron of Neil, wants to spend all his days writing. After sharing a romantic dance at a masquerade, will fate bring them back together? Cecilia is entering her third Season, refusing to give up the hope that her true love is still out there. Emboldened by her mask, Cecilia puts on a spectacular pianoforte performance at an illustrious masquerade. She is whisked away to the dance floor by the most incredible man she’s ever met—a fellow passionate artist. Unfortunately, he slips out of reach before she can learn his name. Instead, she must accompany the cold and aloof Lord Neil through London as his best friend courts her sister. Henry just wants to stay at home writing his beloved adventure novels. But when his best friend drags him to the annual welcome masquerade, Henry dances with an incredibly talented pianoforte player. She surprises him with her artistic insights, but they part without exchanging identities. And much to Henry’s dismay, his friend decides to court a beautiful young lady—and asks Henry to accompany them with her older sister, Miss Cecilia Richards. Can Cecilia and Henry learn that they have far more in common than they think? Will they realize that they could be each other’s missing pieces?

A Bachelor She Loves to Hate


Emily Honeyfield - 2020
    The single bright spot in her desperation comes in the form of a mysterious man who shows up at her door one dark, stormy night and offers her the housekeeper position at his estate. With most of her fortune gone, and bankruptcy hanging over her head, she has to act fast and accept his help. However, upon arriving at his estate, she will realise it is full of dark secrets. While trying hopelessly to bring them to light, an inexplicable desire for her seductive employer will grow in Tabitha's heart. Will she be able to discover Oliver's secrets without upsetting their blossoming affair?Oliver Penderghast has been a bachelor ever since his wife died. Being a vigorous man, who loves to travel all around the continent, he has been named the Spymaster by the very King. Trapped between his hurtful past and lonely future, he is constantly trying to find balance in his turbulent life. When the newly hired housekeeper discovers an abandoned wing in his mysterious estate and hidden passageways that allow people to slip in and out of rooms undetected, hints of a past life come to light... When deep buried secrets come to surface, he must decide if it is worth risking it all for the most attractive Lady in town. Trouble is, once he's tasted her fiery passion, he wants it all...Can he defy everything to be with the woman who conquered his heart and mind?The past always has a way of raising its ugly head and bringing havoc and heartache upon the unsuspecting... Will Oliver manage to fall for Tabitha as madly as she has for him? Or will the skeletons in Oliver's closet overpower the undeniable love and passion that could have grown between them?"A Bachelor She Loves to Hate" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Finding Hope: Mail Order Bride


Ruby Hill - 2018
    Alone and afraid, Grace is offered a second chance at happiness. Miss Grace Thackery never believed that she would marry because she thought she was too plain. When a friend gives her a copy of Matrimonial News, Grace has hope that she might find a husband who is not focused on outward beauty, but instead can appreciate the other qualities she possesses. After corresponding with a man, Grace agrees to move to Montana to get married. However, when her future husband asks for a picture, Grace worries that he will cancel the engagement when he sees her photograph. An acquaintance convinces Grace to paint her face, add some padding, and wear a wig to alter her beauty for the photograph. Reluctantly, Grace agrees, but harbors a great guilt over being deceitful. When she arrives in Montana, the man she is supposed to marry leaves her at the train station when her appearance does not match the picture she sent. Alone and scared, Grace does not know what to do next. Hope is not lost… Grace meets a man that appreciates her looks and her character, but she also knows that allowing herself to have feelings for him will come with many challenges. Will Grace ever have a second chance at happiness? If you love historical western and mail order bride romance books with twists and turns, you will love this sweet and clean romance story. Authors Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance, so there are no cliffhangers. This is a 35,000-word romance. The eBook version contains historical western and Regency romance bonus books.

The Christmas Bargain


Sarita Leone - 2010
    Lord James Whitman is well aware of what others say about him. He has heard his name whispered behind closed doors and learned of his character being maligned without cause. But after his unearned reputation causes Iris to decline his marriage proposal, he is determined to show her the truth and win her love! Without her grandfather's guidance, Iris must decide whether to trust the London gossips or the tune of her own heart. Could she possibly love a man who is as horrid as some say he is? Or should she trust her instincts and what the duke tells her to be true? All Iris knows for sure is that Christmas day grows closer with each passing minute!

More for a Duke


Jessie Bennett - 2016
    Will he inherit smoothly Now he faces a more terrifying prospect—he must marry right away or lose his inheritance. Page Count: Approx 340 pages Shawn William, Duke of Worthington, cousin to the Prince Regent and ruler of Fairbanks, has seen many things during his time in the Army. Death and dismemberment, pain and suffering, but nothing has prepared him for his return to life as a civilian. Haunted by the ghosts of his past and battling the inner demons that keep him from restful sleep, he must still find time to choose a Lady as his bride, as commanded by the Prince Regent. Although there are dozens of eligible maidens in beautiful Fairbanks, he only has eyes for one—the ravishing Lady Elizabeth Dowling. Another man wants to pay court to her, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes, even a fight to the death, if it means that she will be his bride… Will Duke Shawn finally meet his match in the form of the waspish older gentleman who has already asked for Lady Elizabeth’s hand and been denied? Can Lady Elizabeth discover the true reason for her reluctance toward the handsome Duke of Fairfield before he chooses another bride—perhaps even her own sister? This is a clean historical regency romance novel. Download for FREE with Kindle Unlimited.

The Devilish Lyon


Charlotte Wren - 2021
    unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.Mrs. Dove-Lyon, proprietor of the Lyon’s Den, London’s notorious gaming hell, has recently had dealings with three new clients:Miss Harriet Hurst, who cannot see a thing without her spectacles and who has an unfortunate aversion to strong perfume, is in search of a husband. Her proposal, however, is a little unorthodox.Ambrose Crossley, fifth Earl of Pendlewood, an upstanding and respected member of the ton, is in search of a wife. His quest, however, is not quite as straightforward as it seems.Edward Fortescue, Viscount Eskdale, aka the Fallen Angel of Mayfair, has no desire to marry at all. His request is somewhat unusual.Being a shrewd business woman, Mrs. Dove-Lyon reckons she can satisfy all their needs in one fell swoop. It will require a little bit of subterfuge, a fair amount of manipulation, and a whole heap of good intentions. But, if the gamble pays off, a happy ending for all is assured. The game starts out well, with everything going exactly as planned. But, just as things seem to be reaching a satisfactory conclusion, a tragic secret emerges from the past. The consequences are heartbreaking. The game, it seems, is up. Or is it?True love never surrenders without a fight. And time, it is said, heals all wounds. Maybe there’s still a chance for happiness, after all.

The Wise Virgin


Jo Beverley - 2014
    . . a Christmas Eve to Remember: The Wise Virgin by Jo BeverleyIt was quite daring of Edmund de Grave to rescue Lady Nicolette de Montelan before her father found out she was pregnant with an enemy family's child. Unfortunately, he kidnapped the wrong woman when Nicolette's cousin, Joan, took Nicolettes place as the Blessed Virgin in the Christmas re-enactment—a last minute change that seemed fitting given her "condition".Now, Lady Joan finds herself trapped in a cave on Christmas Eve with the great Edmund de Grave and neither are very happy about it. He's fuming because his plan was spoiled and worrying about his brother, now in enemy hands. She's perturbed that a man she thought a hero is the type to get a lady "with child" outside of marriage.There's a battle brewing as the fires of ancient hatreds are stoked and the true spirit of Christmas is about to be tested.From the Publisher: Fans of Jo Beverley will recognize this story as one of her early works previously published as part of an anthology. Readers with a passion for history will enjoy the author's penchant for detail and accuracy. Fans of Elizabeth Chadwick, Bernard Cornwell and Philippa Gregory as well as Tamara Leigh and Suzan Tisdale will delight in this medieval romance.