Book picks similar to
It Had to Be the Duke by Christi Caldwell
historical-romance
christi-caldwell
historical
romance-historical
Bachelors of Bond Street
Shana Galen - 2019
Now, meet the bachelors who've made Bond Street their domain. Are these gentlemen as lucky in love as they are in business?How to Brew a Perfect Kiss by Shana GalenRaeni Sawyer is penniless and alone in a foreign country. When she finds a job at a coffee shop on Bond Street, she hopes it's the beginning of a new life.Thomas Gaines is intrigued by his new server—until she spills coffee all over him. Despite her clumsiness, he sees her potential to be more. But will Raeni's dangerous past ruin their bright future?Love by the Letters by Janna MacGregorBespectacled booklover and bluestocking Miss Portia Bellingham delivers a love letter on her sister's behalf, but there's a problem—she gives it to the wrong man, a dashing and handsome bookseller, Mr. Gabriel St. Aulyn.Wary of love, Gabriel can't help but be enchanted by Portia, his newest customer who always seems to be looking for something—but when Gabriel finds Portia's love letter, he knows she's the woman he's been waiting for all his life.But when the mistake is revealed, can Portia and Gabriel trust fate and open their hearts to each other?A Second Chance for Love by Minerva SpencerJustin Taylor is rich beyond his wildest dreams, and he has everything he's ever wanted—everything except revenge against the man and woman who wrecked his life a decade earlier.When Oona Parker—one of the two people responsible for years of misery—suddenly reappears in his life, Juss knows fate has brought them together for a reason.But is fate giving him an opportunity for vengeance—or a second chance at love?
The Duke's Scottish Lass
Tammy Andresen - 2016
Though he has long reformed his ways, he steals her breath away every time their eyes meet and she simply doesn’t deserve that kind of happiness. Not after the death of her brother, Reginald. She must pay penance, because, if not for her, he would still be alive. Roderick Maddox, has known for years he would marry Delia. Before Reginald’s death, he made a promise to his friend, not only would he care for Reginald’s sister, but he would reform himself into the type of man Delia deserved. He never expected Delia to ignite such passion or to be so resistant to him. Nor did he realize he held the secret about Reginald’s death that could crush their budding feelings forever.
Dearest Millie
May McGoldrick - 2018
Dearest Millie A Pennington Family Novella Lady Millie, youngest of the Pennington family, has always lived in the shadow of her talented and powerful siblings. She’s been the rock of stability and order for her sisters and brothers. Her future looks bright until fate deals her a tragic hand. Dermot McKendry is a former surgeon in the Royal Navy who has returned to his home in the Highlands to open a hospital. As disorganized as he is passionate, he is a man with wounds and a secret past he has worked a lifetime to hide. Providence brings them together, but their future may lie beyond redemption. Dearest Millie is a poignant tale of two lovers, life’s calamities, and the healing power of the human heart.
Valentines From Bath: A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Bluestocking Belles - 2019
Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.Beauty and the Bounder by Jessica CaleHe's a liar and a fortune-hunter... and exactly what she needs.The moment Lady Emilia sets eyes on the Chevalier d'Aubusson, she knows their fates are tied together. For good or ill, she cannot say. A mysterious aristocrat with a tragic past, the chevalier makes waves with his considerable charm.But the chevalier is not as he seems. There are cracks in his story, and Emilia never could resist a mystery. Whether he's a gentleman or a bounder, he might just be the man for her.The Earl Takes a Wife by Sherry EwingIt began with a memory, etched in the heart.Lady Celia Lacey is too young for a husband, especially man-about-town Lord Adrian de Courtenay. But when she meets him at a house party, she falls in love.Adrian finds the appealing innocent impossible to forget, though she is barely out of the schoolroom and a relative by marriage.His sister's deception brings them together but destroys their happiness. Can they reach past the hurt to the love that still burns?The Beast Next Door by Jude KnightIn all the assemblies and parties of Bath, no one Charis met could ever match the beast next door.Charis Fishingham has always felt more at home at Eastwood— Beastwood, as the neighbours called it, after the flawed child who once lived there. In the Eastwood gardens, Charis can escape her mother's expectations, her sisters' chatter, and her own worries about her future. There, she reads and remembers her secret friend, long gone into exile to have his birthmarks removed at his family's command.Now, the Beast has returned. Eric Lord Wayford would rather face the surgeons of Naples and Napoleon's armies than the tongues of the ton. He joyfully greets Charis, and their future looks to be full of hope.But someone does not wish Charis to wed the Beast of Eastwood and will stop at nothing to keep them apart.The Umbrella Chronicles: John and Emma’s Story by Amy QuintonA serious-minded, scientific man of learning seeks a complex and chaotic practitioner of all things superstitious who will upend his well-ordered life.The Umbrella Strikes Again! Another Bachelor Has Fallen!Dr. John Edward Hartwell needs assistance, though not quite the kind of help he might think. True, he is well-organized, tidy, and pathologically set in his ways—a more serious-minded man one might never find. But in his ways, I have determined, lies misery.Enter Miss Emma Merryweather—a woman who is as lovely as she is chaotic. She is the perfect candidate to compliment our man of numbers and logical focus, bringing sunshine and superstition to redirect him away from a future of certain wretchedness.And now that she has been categorically convinced that they are destined to be together—the signs, you see—no one can stand in her way, for she is as tenacious and optimistic as she is beautiful.Candles in the Dark by Caroline WarfieldDoug Marsh and his candles bring light to many, none more than Esther. They may light the Assembly Rooms even as his love lights her life.Doug Marsh knew what the army expected of him. Invalided out, he struggles to run his uncle's candle-works and look after those dependent on it. A contract with the Bath Assembly Rooms would go a long way toward succeeding at both of those things. The plight of a young woman is a distraction he doesn't need.Esther Hopkins, formerly 'the Honorable', has no time to mourn the life denied her by a single mistake. A woman alone with a newborn son to raise needs work, and she is determined to make it on her own. If only she could stop yearning for the sturdy arms and kind blue eyes of the man who rescued her from starvation and enlisted the entire Marsh Candle Works to her support. But Sergeant Marsh shows nothing but benevolent interest in her welfare. Why should he care for a fallen woman?In the normal course of things, Esther is far above Doug's touch. Can he find the courage to court her and still take care of business at the same time?
Betrothed by Christmas
Jess Michaels - 2019
She decides marrying a biddable groom is the only way to salvage her future and chooses her old friend, astronomer Henry Killam. But she soon realizes Henry isn’t quite as manageable as she first believed and her feelings for him are stronger than she ever imagined.A Lady’s Gift for Scandal by Elizabeth EssexMiss Tamsin Lesley desires above all else to be a bluestocking and lead an intellectual life. The only thing standing in her way is her father’s heir, who wants her along with her father’s estate. To foil him, Tamsin enlists the services of masculine wallflower Simon Cathcart to ruin her. But the road to ruination leads to far more pleasurable places than Tamsin could ever imagine, and her charming wallflower proves to have secrets of his own.
A Tryst by the Sea
Grace Burrowes - 2022
Penelope, Lady Summerton, is also determined that this year will be different. She slips off to a seaside cottage, intending that to be her first step toward a new life free of marital difficulties. Gill ends up at the same seaside inn, where he hopes to plot a wooing no wife can resist.He’s determined to reconcile; she’s determined to pack his bags, but then, the magic of the Siren’s Retreat begins to steal over them both...
A Duke by Scot
Amy Jarecki - 2021
But upon his father’s sudden death, he heads for Scotland where he finds his inheritance in a shambles, his sisters without prospects, and his brothers relying on his patronship—and he’s not about to conquer his problems alone.Penniless, Lady Julia St. Vincent has no choice but to dress as a man and accept a position as steward to the Duke of Dunscaby. But when she meets His Grace, she’s not expecting him to be dashing, charming, or utterly enchanting. And the more time she spends with the duke, the more difficult it is to ignore the flickers of passion smoldering in her heart.Martin instantly develops a fondness for the wee man. While they work together to rebuild the Dunscaby dynasty, they travel to London where Martin takes it upon himself to introduce his sheltered steward to the world of manly pursuits. Julia falls from one mortifyingly compromising situation to another as she pines for a duke she can never have…until an old friend invites her to a masque. And there, it takes but one kiss for Martin to stop at nothing in his pursuit of the mysterious woman who has captured his very soul.
The Dark Lord's First Christmas
Kathryn Le Veque - 2018
After years of barbaric conquest across England, Scotland, Wales, and France, he finds himself six months into a marriage with a woman he has learned to love. The marriage is a happy one, but every day is a struggle as Jax learns to navigate a world where generosity and forgiveness are the norm. But one thing he hasn't learned - the concept of human kindness and the warmth of the Christmas spirit. In a brief happenstance with a peasant family, Jax comes to understand what, exactly, true bravery and kindness is. The Dark Lord finds his Christmas heart. Note: This is a short story and an extended epilogue to The Dark Lord. Enjoy!
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?
Invitation
Darcy Burke - 2021
As a scandal further blackens his reputation, he decides to become the rogue everyone believes him to be.After courtesan Mirabelle Renault’s older sister marries her protector and is given the cut direct by the very Society who demands respectability, Mirabelle loses hope for her own future. Knowing she can no longer serve as a man’s paramour, she is determined to forge a new path—until she realizes that most doors are closed to her.Carefree bachelor Lord Lucien Westbrook has lost his mistress and gained his autocratic father’s scrutiny now that his older brother is about to wed. Challenged to do something worthwhile, he launches an exclusive club, where Lucien helps those in need, no matter who they are or where they come from. One never knows who they will meet at the Phoenix Club…
The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright
Tessa Dare - 2012
And waiting.Because of a foolish mistake in her youth, she's not allowed "out" in Society until her three older sisters are wed. But while she's trying to be good, she keeps bumping elbows—and, more distressingly, lips—with notorious rake Harry Wright. Every moment she spends with him, she risks complete ruin.The sensual passions he stirs in her are so wrong . . . but Eliza just can't resist Mr. Wright.
The Soul of a Storme
Sandra Sookoo - 2021
Unable to join the fight against Napoleon due to the declining health and subsequent death of his father, his rotten mood worsened when his two brothers survived the war with life-changing injuries. Ashamed, Drew retreats to his country estate in Derbyshire to spare them his ire. Why the devil was he not worth more than his title?Miss Sarah Copeland is a poor relation. In exchange for room and board, she’s become the governess to her great-uncle’s two rambunctious offspring. It was better than being tossed in the street, but only just. Freedom and imagination are found in playing a flute, especially since dreams of her future died long ago. When she meets her handsome, growling neighbor, she believes she’s finally found her purpose. After all, didn’t music soothe the savage beast?While Drew battles with his guilt and anxiety, he finds safety and solace in Sarah’s company. As they enter into a surprising marriage of convenience, the earl’s temper slowly begins to improve, as does her outlook. But while an unexpected romance blooms over the summer weeks, responsibility to the title rears its ugly head, and his temper flares anew, threatening to tear apart everything they’ve built.
Only patience, trust, and love will see them through to a happy ending.
Never Desire a Duke
Lily Dalton - 2013
Yet a shocking encounter with him in a crowded ballroom—and a single touch—are all it takes to reawaken her furious passion for him. But how can she trust the man who crushed her dreams and took away the one thing she wanted most?A Love Beyond ReasonLord Claxton has never forgiven himself for the youthful mistake that ruined his marriage to Lady Sophia. Now, after nearly a year abroad, the reformed rogue vows to win back the only woman he's ever truly loved. He'll do whatever it takes to prove he can be the honorable husband she deserves—and the passionate lover she desires. As the snowdrifts deepen outside their ancestral home, can they rekindle the flame that burned so bright and find a new path to forever?
A Stranger's Promise
Tarah Scott - 2019
When Eliza sets foot in the Scottish lord’s carriage, she faces the most dangerous foe a woman can face: a charming rogue. The danger is not only to her heart, however, but to her life, as well. In an effort to deny her son’s illegitimate children, Alistair’s stepmother insists on a dour governess who will break their rebellious spirits. Alistair, however, decides that the pretty lass with a colorful French vocabulary who shows up in his stepmother’s drawing room is exactly what the children need. If the notion offends his stepmother, all the better. If the lass is what he needs…well, a man can’t ask for more. His stepmother doesn’t intend for Alistair to open his heart to her grandchildren, or the woman who cares for them. Her plans include forcing them onto the streets.
Lost in a Royal Kiss
Vanessa Kelly - 2013
Clare must look after her siblings and run the household. Now she must add to her worries the fate of Dominic, a poor orphan who has inspired the wrath of the king himself. Clearly Linnet has no time to consider her own desires—much less notice the attentions of a certain handsome, powerful magistrate…Sir Anthony Tait is at a loss for how to capture Linnet’s interest. If only she would be still long enough for courting. Outright seduction seems the only answer. But will his kisses be enough to persuade her—or might Anthony have something to learn from young Dominic about matters of the heart? And in saving the boy’s future, might Anthony and Linnet at last create their own?