Book picks similar to
Once Upon A Diamond by Teresa McCarthy
regency
romance
historical-romance
historical-fiction
The Sweetest Revenge
Dawn Halliday - 2012
Seven years later, she befriends Anna Newton and Susan, Lady DeLinn, two other women whom Leo has similarly debauched and abandoned.Isabelle joins with her friends to seek vengeance on the man who ruined them. But when they choose Isabelle as the instrument of their revenge, she faces an impossible choice: stand by Anna and Susan, or betray them by surrendering to her reawakening feelings for the wicked earl.When Leo lost the woman he loved, he sank into a life of depravity and vice. Now, nothing and no one can seep into his hard shell of a heart. But when three mystery women abduct him and shackle him in a dark cellar, Leo just might rediscover his humanity…and a love that may lift him back into the light.This book does not shirk away from the dark consequences of a dissolute rake’s behavior. It contains rough language and erotic situations. You’ve been warned.
Celtic Tempest
Ria Cantrell - 2013
In Fourteenth Century England, landless knights are forced to obey the ruthless monarch without question. Sir Andrew Brandham, knight of the Realm and captain of the Elite Guard of Ragnorsen Keep is called to do just that. When his best friend, Sir Erik Ragnorsen is commanded to nullify his marriage to the beautiful Rhianna Du Montefort because they have yet to produce an heir, Sir Andrew accompanies him to do battle with the will of the king. Erik is being forced to marry the daughter of a Scottish Laird in order to form a tenuous Peace between the Highlanders and England. The idea of divorcing his beloved wife to marry a loathsome Scot is beyond Erik’s vow of obedience and honor. He is imprisoned for his impulsive disobedience and Drew is left to form a scheme to save his friend. When he sees the Scottish lass who has been chosen for Sir Erik, he is instantly drawn to her and while his plan unfolds to aid Erik, Drew forms a friendship with Bronwyn, daughter of the Laird and High Chief of the Clan MacCollum.
Bronwyn MacCollum was raised in the Highlands, where the past is steeped in traditions of the “Old Ways”. A long time ago, Bronwyn had a vision of her intended, but realizing he was an Englishman, she vowed to change her destiny. The English were always the enemies of her people and she would not bring danger to her beloved clan. Only, she becomes a pawn in the sadistic game of the King of England and Robert the Bruce and is being forced to marry an English knight after all. Upon seeing the man she is betrothed to, she knew her vision had been false because he looked nothing like the man who had invaded her dreams since childhood. With vehement disregard for the king’s decree, she declares her hatred for Sir Erik Ragnorsen and would rather risk war than to marry him. Only, when she meets Sir Erik’s personal guard, Bronwyn realizes that sometimes you cannot fight what is destined from the start. Sir Andrew Brandham was familiar; more than familiar. He was the man of her visions and nothing she could do could make her deny it.
Bronwyn and Drew are filled with distrust and betrayal seeps into both of their hearts. They suffer through many storms that batter their hearts and souls like rocks at the edge of the tempestuous sea. Can their love survive the lies and heartache they are each guilty of? Can Bronwyn escape the Destiny and the pull of the Old Ways and create a path without Drew or will love help them both to embrace the course Destiny has chosen?
Honor Bound
Brenda Novak - 2011
Jeannette Boucher, a young French beauty from a family left penniless by the revolution, must marry against her will to save them all from ruin. But almost immediately after the vows are spoken, she learns that her old English husband is impotent—and in his desire for an heir, he plans to compromise her in the worst way. Determined to escape such a fate, she stows away on one of His Majesty’s frigates. But a woman alone is in constant danger. To Lieutenant Treynor, honor means everything...Born a bastard to a wayward marquise, Lieutenant Crawford Treynor was given to a poor farmer to raise and was maltreated until he ran away to join the Royal Navy. Treynor is determined to prove he’s as good as any other man and rise to captain his own frigate. But once he finds Jeannette aboard The Tempest he must decide whether to return her to the man he knows would abuse her—or risk everything, even his life, to keep her safe.'
Shunned No More
Christina McKnight - 2014
Eight years later, she has her life in order: a fulfilling business, a few trusted friends, and no plans to return to London society. What she doesn’t expect is to come face to face with her past.A Lord Betrayed by One…Brock Spencer, Earl of Haversham, only wants vengeance. Recently returned from his military service to the King, his plans include repairing his family estate, finding a bride, and destroying the girl responsible for the untimely death of his twin brothers. What he doesn’t anticipate is falling in love with the only woman who should never be part of his future.An Impossible Match, Destined to Be…
A Fateful Twist of Love
Aria Norton - 2020
Seeking the truth, Emily finds herself travelling to England, comforted in the knowledge that her inheritance will allow her to live a pleasant life. Her world turns upside down though, when she finds out about the condition that dictates she needs to find a husband before her twenty-first birthday... Fate seems to be teasing her even further, as she soon finds her heart entrapped by the presence of a dashing lord. Will Emily manage to secure her fortune without risking her one chance at true love?Lord Maximillian Camborne is a strong and independent man. Despite appearing calm and collected on the surface, a dark secret is hidden behind the reason he's keeping everyone at distance. Rumours surrounding his wife's death and a curse upon his home in Cornwall have left him with little to be joyful of, but the arrival of a mysterious young lady might be exactly the salvation he's been looking for...Emily and Maximillian feel completely lost before their pathways meet, but they end up finding more than they dreamed of in each other's mesmerising gaze. Regardless of how unexpected their encounter is, the connection is instant and their feelings persist against all odds. With Emily hiding her real identity, though, and Maximilian concealing an even darker reality, could love stand a chance? Will they manage to defy the endless obstacles and rumours to reach the final destination of love?"A Fateful Twist of Love" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Temptations of a Mysterious Lady
Henrietta Harding - 2020
However, things turn dangerously complicated when she meets the lavish Philip, and she soon finds herself unable to resist him, and the fierce desire that burns between them. How long can she hide herself from her fiancé and her father, who are both desperately looking for her? When her secret is revealed, will this growing romance be doomed forever?Philip Hoskins, the Duke of Bambury, is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. Philip knows that he must marry soon and he must marry well, but fate may have other plans for him. Even though he believes marriage is nothing but a business arrangement, when he meets the gorgeous Emma, his world instantly turns upside down. But he quickly realises that, even though they might be a match made in heaven, her public outbursts, her wild temper and the rumours that she's run away from her fiancé, are enough to destroy every possibility of having a happily ever after. Will he take all of his courage to face a peril that could destroy everything he has ever achieved in the name of all- consuming love?In the midst of their passionate love affair, Emma struggles with telling the truth of who she is. As her life of deception grows ever more tangled, and her feelings for Philip ever deeper, Charles Gregory, her fiancé, the most dangerous man she's ever known, is coming for her. He'll do whatever it takes to possess her and make her pay, for what she has done to him... Will she manage to run away from him once again, and find happiness in a dashing Duke's arms? After all, with such a difficult beginning, can Emma and Philip ever hope to trust one another, let alone find everlasting love?"Temptations of a Mysterious Lady" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
The Duke's Temptation
Addie Jo Ryleigh - 2015
A Runner. An Earl. Three men, each born into different circumstances. Each fighting to overcome their own adversity. All striving to change their past. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Wesbrook, desires any birthright other than being the son of a hideous man. Unfortunately, Gabe knows the exact moment he became like his father—a night that has haunted him for seven years. Resigned to his future, he is unprepared when his illegitimate—and more importantly unbeknown—young daughter appears on his London doorstep. With no one to care for her but him. Lady Elizabeth Blakely has loved only one man—her brother’s longtime friend, Gabe St. James. Not even his rakish and, oftentimes, wicked behavior dissuades her. Yet it all seems hopeless as he continues to overlook the woman she has become. When Elizabeth learns Gabe is in need of assistance with his daughter, she seizes the opportunity. Gabe, less than thrilled with the situation—mostly due to his fierce desire for his best friend’s sister—has no option but to concede. Besides, a more sinister threat lurks; someone is blackmailing Gabe with his darkest secret. Through it all, Gabe vows to resist Elizabeth, no matter how tempting. Sometimes it’s better to surrender . . .
Heiress Without a Cause
Sara Ramsey - 2012
With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England–and he won’t ruin her, even if he secretly desires the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.One chance to break the rules...Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity–even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.One season to fall in love...Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?
Mine to Tell
Colleen L. Donnelly - 2013
Many years earlier, after an unexplained absence, Julianne was relegated to a separate home by a rigidly unforgiving husband, and the Crouse women have suffered the disgrace of her assumed guilt ever since. Despite her family's strong disapproval, Annabelle is driven to pursue her mission through cobwebs and dust, finding the clues and the coded story left behind by her great-grandmother -- Why did she go? And why did she return? Annabelle has to know. Only one person, a man she grew up with but never noticed, stands with Annabelle as she discovers the parallels between her story and her great-grandmother's--two women, generations apart, experiencing what love truly is.
The Sheik's Son
Nicola Italia - 2014
Living in Paris before the revolution, the handsome foreigner cuts a dashing figure and is respected by men and admired by women. One evening he becomes intrigued with an intelligent young woman named Sophie Gauvreau whom he meets at a celebrated salonist’s home. Though he is attracted to the auburn haired beauty she is not what she seems. Educated and privileged Sophie has secretly started writing revolutionary pamphlets under a pseudonym as France teeters on the brink of disaster. When Sebastian discovers her secret he tries to warn Sophie of the danger she has embarked on as an Inspector has been dispatched to discover the writer’s true identity. Sebastian agrees to marry the reckless beauty to keep her safe from harm. Though Sebastian desires the redhead in his bed, the saucy Sophie accepts his help but places one condition on their marriage…it will be one of convenience. As the two intelligent and strong willed people come to terms with their feelings for each other, France slides into a revolution. But as the firstborn son of a great Arabian Sheik, Sebastian will do what he must to keep his wife safe and in his arms.
A Night of Secrets
Lori Brighton - 2011
It is only while in the chaos of battle that he can hide what he truly is, a vampire. Returning to England, he finds his sister murdered and his seven-year-old niece missing. All over the country vampires are mysteriously dying. Grayson sets out to uncover the truth and locate his niece before it's too late. All leads point to Meg James, a vicar's daughter. Instinct tells him Meg is innocent, but the clues he uncovers warn she's guilty. One thing is clear, Meg awakens a warmth inside of him he thought long dead and Grayson is torn between a sense of duty and his desires.Vowing to honor a promise, Meg concocts a lie to keep a stranger's child safe. She had no idea that protecting the child would mean putting her own life in danger. When Grayson arrives asking questions, Meg's unease flares. Who is this mysterious man who seems to appear and disappear as quickly as a spirit? A man with strength like no other? As he pushes ever closer, taking over her senses with his touch, his kiss and his unexpected honor, she realizes she has even more to lose. Meg is falling in love with Grayson, but will he believe her when the truth will condemn the one person he trusts the most?
Ridiculous!
D.L. Carter - 2012
Funny. Sexy. Cross Dressing. Not your mother's Regency Romance.After the death of her miserly cousin, Anthony North, Millicent Boarder is determined her family should never be poor or vulnerable again. To protect them she conceals her cousin's death and assumes his identity. Now she must face the Ton and the world as Mr. North and accept the price she must pay for her family's safety -- she will never be loved.Which means, of course, at this point she will meet the perfect man.
The Right One
Samanthya Wyatt - 2014
Morgan Bartholomew Langston, Earl of Whetherford, has finally decided to accept his fate. Tired of dangerous assignments and putting his neck on the line, he has returned to his ancestral home to accept the title of his birthright and produce the required heir. But, when he arrives, he finds his home has been invaded and a female has taken off with his mother’s jewels. Morgan decides the traitorous jade will not get away, so he sets into motion a plan to bring her back. When he abducts the wrong woman, his reaction to her brings him dangerously close to breaking his vow of forbidden emotions. A Woman Without A Love. Katherine Elizabeth Radbourn is a strong, independent woman and at the age of twenty three, is still unwed. In a desperate attempt to find her brother, she is abducted which leads her on a journey to love and mistaken identity. Once she meets her captor, fear and indignation dissipates to an overwhelming awareness. Even though he tells her she is the wrong one, Kat realizes she has finally met a man that – not only she is attracted to – but has awakened her woman’s body. Does he really care for her or does he secretly yearn for the woman she is supposed to be? Uncertainty makes her risk the very man she has given her soul.
The Chef's Mail Order Bride
Cindy Caldwell - 2015
She'd been raised to bake in her parents' bakery, and after their deaths, she had planned to carry on the family tradition. Devastated to find out she was losing her family's business, she needed something to do to support herself. When she received a letter from her twin sister's husband in Arizona Territory, suggesting she come out to be the bride of his best friend who was opening a restaurant, it seemed like the perfect solution to her problems. Tripp had gone to the best culinary school in the country, and he knew exactly how to create the perfect meal. He spent hours and hours coming up with just the right menu for his restaurant, only to be told he couldn't get a loan for it unless he married. When his best friend came up with the solution of sending for his baker sister-in-law, it only made sense. Her ideas of the perfect menu were different than his, though. Would the two be able to stay together long enough to convince the bank he was a good risk? Would Sadie be able to convince Tripp that the two of them belonged together after all?
Liberty Hill
Sonja Heisinger - 2013
But in New York City, two young Irish immigrants are fleeing something else. For Evelyn Brennan, an impending marriage she doesn’t want. For Lucius Flynn, the burden of a life in business and trade under his tyrannical father. Brash and adventurous, Lucius decides the only way to be free of his doomed future as a bored tradesman is to risk everything on the burgeoning and dangerous gold fields of California. However, that “everything” that he plans on risking is in fact the dowry of his headstrong bride, Evelyn. The truth that they were once childhood friends is something Evelyn sorely tries to forget as her new husband drags her along the quickest but deadliest path to the California gold rush: the Panama Route. Under the pretense of honeymooning in New Orleans, Lucius and Evelyn board a steamship bound for California, where they bear each other’s company with little grace and frequent bickering. Evelyn’s contempt for Lucius’ adventure is soothed, however, when she meets an Australian named Brock Donnigan. Sharp, handsome, and heartless, Brock sets out to seduce Evelyn just as Lucius finds himself falling in love with her. Through their adventures and misadventures over land and sea, the two men try to win Evelyn’s affections. But as they draw nearer to Panama City, where a mass migration of Argonauts lies in wait for transportation to California, a battle of wits and wills escalates into a war where all fortunes, dreams, and innocence may be lost; where lust demands blood, and love inspires sacrifice.From the black cliffs of Ireland to the streets of New York, from the Spanish fortress of Havana to the beaches of Panama, Liberty Hill is a sweeping historical romance that combines what we love most about the West- guns, saloons, horses, and handsome outlaws- with the tropic heat of Central America.The first young adult fiction in her Western Tide series, Sonja Heisinger molds a fresh and epic literary experience from an old world setting. Liberty Hill awakens the past with the exciting elements of drama, comedy, and action, with the additional zests of forbidden pleasure and unrequited love. This adventure book takes you on a wild journey that anyone looking for an exciting historical fiction will love!