Book picks similar to
What the Heart Keeps by Rosalind Laker


historical-fiction
historical
romance
historical-romance

Loving Protector


Sally Quilford - 2013
    Later, when he valiantly steps in to prevent an unpleasant earl from claiming Calista as his wife, she fears that Brook is only being chivalrous and will never love her as she loves him. When there is a threat to Brook’s life, she is forced to pit her wits against his mercurial father, The Duke of Midchester.

Redeemed by a Rebel


Cynthia Woolf - 2014
    Now he's on the run, hunted by one of her murderers and tormented by the need for vengeance. Becky Finnegan will do anything to escape her drunken father's fists, including slave away at their mine. Her only hope is to strike gold and make a new life for herself somewhere far, far away from Deadwood. But then Jake arrives and does the unthinkable...forces her to feel, to hope...and to love. Jake would give his life to protect Becky, but all he can offer her is a broken heart, a criminal's life, and a past haunted by failure. How can he save her when he's already lost himself? Will he destroy everything, or can the beautiful rebel redeem Jake's lost soul?

The Marquess' Temptation


Jessie Bennett - 2016
    A naive maid waiting to be loved. A temptation hard to resist. Secrets to hide or regrets for life. Lord William is a rebellious man that defies all including his wife, but that doesn’t stop him from romancing the ton. His brother is faced with the impossible—admit to a dalliance he didn’t have, or risk shaming is younger brother. Lord Fairfield, William David Montgomery only choice—or so he assumes—is to use another man’s name in order to philander freely at society’s functions. However, the name he uses is the worst imaginable: his own older brother’s name. Lord Abraham Montgomery is also a happily married man, the firstborn son of the Duke of Fairfield and standing to inherit his father’s title. If his brother’s escapades continue though, he will be forced to give up everything, as the scandal will ruin the family name forever. He must choose between loyalty and doing the right thing, especially when a young woman in the household is found to be with a Montgomery child. Abigail is just a simple maid, working hard in a place where she is cherished, and sought after by the young and brash William. The handsome and charming young man manages to seduce her, but she believes that he’s his older brother, the heir to the family name. Will Lord William stop to his roaming ways and mend things with his pretty wife before it’s too late to salvage the Montgomery name? How will Lord Abraham get out of his predicament without sullying his own name—and that of his beloved father? This is a clean historical regency romance novel.

To Claim Her Heart


Jodie Wolfe - 2018
    Finding property and preaching to the lost are his only ways of honoring his deceased fiancée. He hasn't counted on Elmer (Elsie) Smith claiming the same plot and refusing to leave. Not only is she a burr in his side, but she is full of the homesteading know-how he is sadly lacking. Obtaining a claim in the Cherokee Strip Land Run is Elsie Smith's only hope for survival, and not just any plot, she has a specific one in mind. The land's not only a way to honor her pa and his life, but also to provide a livelihood for herself. She's willing to put in whatever it takes to get that piece of property, and Elsie's determined to keep it. Her bitterness is what protects her, and she has no intentions of allowing that preacher to lay claim to her land . . . or her heart. Written for the General Market (G) (I): Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language. May also contain some content of an inspirational/religious nature. Similar novels in this genre may be categorized as: historical romance, inspirational historical romance, christian romance, and wholesome historical romance.

Conquered


Morganna Mayfair - 2013
    When they are unable to fend off the invading army, the leader of their enemies claims Christiana was promised to him as his wife, along with her home and her family's lands. Betrothed to another, she fights him, but finds herself married quickly.Roland joined William of Normandy for the potential to become a land owner. A second son, he knows the only way he will ever own anything is by joining forces with the powerful ruler. He's told there are three sister witches defending their home and the oldest is his promised bride. Both Christiana and Roland are used to being in charge. Will the sisters be able to fight off the coming evil to fulfill their destiny? Is it possible for two headstrong people from different cultures to find a way to live as husband and wife?

When It Rained at Hembry Castle


Meredith Allard - 2021
    When the 8th Earl of Staton dies, his eldest son, the unreliable Richard, inherits the title and the family’s home—Hembry Castle. The Earl's niece, the American-born Daphne, is intrigued by Edward Ellis, a rising author with a first-hand knowledge of Hembry Castle—from the servants’ hall. And Edward, though captivated by the lovely Daphne, has his own hurdles he must overcome. Can Richard come to terms with his title before bringing ruin on his family? Will Edward and Daphne find their way to each other despite the obstacles of life at Hembry Castle? When It Rained at Hembry Castle is a page-turning, romantic novel with vivid characters and an engrossing story that will keep you guessing until the end.

Legacy of the Blade


Elizabeth Rose - 2014
    This short story of approximately 6,500 words is the prequel of the four-book Legacy of the Blade series. (Excerpts included at end of prequel)

Una's Crossroads


Katherine St. Clair - 2015
    The Irish potato famine left their homeland ravaged and their family buried in the ground. Now, on their way to a distant relative in Missouri Una is determined to take care of her younger sister and create a new life. Henry Mackey is an easygoing country boy who has never taken anything too seriously, until he meets Una. When Una sees Henry’s green eyes she is trapped by the thought of him. When Una discovers that Mr. Mackey has been arranged as her husband she can’t believe her good fortune. But a family dinner with her future husband proves that things aren’t always what they seem… Henry Mackey has stolen Una Brady’s heart. Unfortunately, her heart has chosen the wrong brother to fall in love with. As family bonds are stretched to their limit Una must choose between her heart and her familial duty. When McKenna Brady meets her own future husband everything is changed. Horace Boucher is a big man in words and stature. He’s a man with few moral scruples and plenty of money. Exactly the sort of man Una would never let her sister marry. As things reach a boiling point between Horace and the Brady girls, Una is determined to intervene on her sister’s behalf. When Henry helps her to do it, Una’s love for him only grows stronger. Though her mind tells her not to, Una isn’t sure she can hold her heart back any longer. Una Brady’s tactics in throwing off Horace Boucher have turned out to be far more potent than she ever bargained for. Horace is not going to marry McKenna but now if Una doesn’t act McKenna’s reputation could be permanently scarred. Soon, Una realizes that the only way to protect her sister is to throw away her own heart’s desire, which means letting go of Henry Mackey. When the time for action comes down to the wire Una makes her final decision, but a surprising punch makes Una realize that it may not be solely her decision. Scroll back up and grab your copy now!

Rania Ropes a Rancher


Linda K. Hubalek - 2014
    Something in her life on the trail caused her to doubt her worth, and her ability to trust a man enough to become his wife. Once the family buys a homestead in Kansas, she meets a rancher who begins to make her believe she can trust and fall in love after all. Rancher Jacob Wilerson noticed Rania last year when she rode drag behind a herd of longhorns—right down Main Street of Ellsworth, Kansas. He’s been waiting for her family to return this spring with another Texas herd to the booming cowtown, because he hopes to rope her into staying permanently on his ranch—the way she had already roped his heart. When Rania's past attacks with new danger, she decides to fight for all she's worth because she realizes she wants to be with Jacob forever. When Jacob realizes Rania is in danger, he rushes to save her, whether or not she still loves him, hoping to rope Rania—his heart—once more, as she has roped his.

The Chalky Sea


Clare Flynn - 2017
    In July 1940, Gwen Collingwood drops her husband at the railway station, knowing she may never see him again. Two days later her humdrum world is torn apart when the sleepy English seaside town where she lives is subjected to the first of many heavy bombing attacks. In Ontario, Canada, Jim Armstrong is debating whether to volunteer. His decision becomes clear when he uncovers the secret his fiancée has been keeping from him. A few weeks later he is on a ship bound for England. Gwen is forced to confront the truth she has concealed about her past and her own feelings. Jim battles with a bewildering and hostile world far removed from the cosy life of his Canadian farm. War brings horror and loss to each of them – can it also bring change and salvation?

Seduced By The Highlander : Highland Romance Collection (Isla and the Highlander Book 1)


Fiona Knightley - 2021
    

Addicted to a Rascal Duke


Scarlett Osborne - 2019
    Fate finally shows her a better path when she catches the dashing Duke of Bersard's fiery eye… While assuming his duties as the new Duke of Bersard, Wesley Fifett comes across something unexpected but also disturbing: his father’s will. Forced to take a wife within a year, he keeps it a secret from the ravishing Lady Sophia, who has made a home for herself both in his thoughts and his heart. But rumor travels fast... Desperate to keep Lady Sophia from slipping through his fingers, Wesley's trail leads him to a baffling place. Back to the beginning, where it all started. His father's will, that just might be the key to unraveling a ploy that reaches deeper than his own familial roots...

Scandalous London: Series Bundle


Tamara Gill - 2016
    Now trapped in a marriage of the worst kind, her life is an endless cycle of pain and fear. That is until Lord Helsing shows her another way to live... Lord Mason Helsing walked away from the one woman he’d always cared for, but upon returning to London, he finds Charlotte is in a loveless and cruel marriage. Should he throw away the principles by which he lives and follow a different path than he ought? But divorce for Charlotte means ruination. And Mason is relied upon to marry well and continue his family. Can they overcome the strictures of society and live the life they’ve always wanted? Or will they bow to pressure and do as society deems appropriate? ~A Captain's Order~ Lady Eloise Bartholomew's trip to Australia on the shirttails of her adventurous brother ends in tragedy when he dies from a fever. But with the conventions of English society suspended on the high seas, she finds passion and excitement in the arms of a rugged ship's captain-only to be dumped back into the ton, still burning from the fire ignited in her and the loss of the only man she could ever loved. More at home on his ship than dallying with the ton, Gabriel Lyons, now the Duke of Dale, intended never to set foot in London again. But when an elder brother dies, and the woman who claimed his heart over his love for the ocean brings him home, he knows he has to face the secrets of his past. He can only pray their love will survive the scandal that sent him away, the lies he has told her, and the duel he must fight for his honor and her hand. ~A Marriage Made in Mayfair~ Miss Suzanna March wished for one thing: the elusive, rakish charmer, Lord Danning. But after a frightful first season such dreams are impossible. That is until she returns to London, a new woman, and one who will not let the ton's dislike of her stand in her way of gaining what she wants: revenge on the Lord who gave her the cut direct… Lord Danning, unbeknown to his peers, is in financial strife and desperate to marry an heiress. Such luck would have it Miss Suzanna March fits all his credentials and seduction in his plan of action. Yes, the woman who returned from Paris is stronger, defiant, and a little argumentative, but it does not stop Lord Danning finding himself in awe and protective of her. But will Suzanna fall for such pretty words from a charmer? Or will Lord Danning prove to Suzanna and himself that she is more than his ticket out of debtor's prison...?

Wretched Chastity


Carré White - 2014
    Hershey, is determined to find wives for the towns most notorious and eligible bachelors. But little does she realize the magnitude of the challenges that face her, because matching perfect strangers is far more difficult than it looks.Down on her luck and on her last dime, Chastity Donovan arrives in Boot Creek to marry a miner, but she soon discovers he’s an alcoholic outlaw with a murderous bent. Chastity is now responsible for Enoch’s two children, who have run wild over the years with little schooling. Dismayed, and dejected, Chastity finds her new life is not what she had envisioned.Lucian Ellison’s train robbing past is about to put him on a collision course with Chastity, after he arrives on Enoch’s doorstep to collect his share in a robbery. One look at Chastity changes everything, because the lovely redhead is in desperate need of rescuing, and he’s just the man to steal her away. But, her new husband might have a thing or two to say about that … and the law as well, as someone is about to hang for his crimes.

Coming Home


Gwen Kirkwood - 2014
    Victory over Japan has been announced and everyone in Megan Oliphant’s home town in Scotland is celebrating the end of the war. The boys are 'Coming Home'. Megan has been waiting desperately for the day when Steven Caraford, the best friend of her older brother, finally returns. After long correspondence during Steven's time away - and after supporting each other through her brother's death - Megan can only hope her feelings for him are mutual. Steven has longed for the day when he can return home to Scotland, and – although it will mean long days, little money and no security – his heart’s desire is to have a farm of his own. While Megan heads off for college, Steven struggles to build up his new home - and both must try to work out what the other is feeling about their future together. Coming Home is a moving romantic drama about building a new life after the Second World War - and about searching for love, stability and happiness. Praise for Gwen Kirkwood: 'A gripping read' - Robert Foster, best-selling author of The Lunar Code Gwen Kirkwood is the author of sixteen Scottish novels and six shorter romantic novellas, including A Question of Love. She won the Elizabeth Goudge Trophy, judged by Richard Lee, when it was re-introduced to mark the millennium in 2000. She lives in Scotland.