Book picks similar to
Love Practically (The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir #1) by Nichole Van
historical-romance
historical-fiction
historical
romance
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
Jennifer Ashley - 2009
Meet the Mackenzie family—rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn't be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them—of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz. The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He's also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women. Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama—an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband. And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her. The first of a new historical series.
The Valet's Secret
Josi S. Kilpack - 2022
That is until the day a valet speeding by on a horse nearly runs her off the road. Mr. Malcolm Henry is apologetic, gentle, and handsome. She’s instantly drawn to him, which is why, rather than stopping him from kissing her, she kisses him back, reigniting a nearly forgotten passion. But love at first sight only happens in fairy tales—never to an ordinary woman like her.She sees Mr. Henry again and feels the possibilities growing until, while working in the kitchens during a dinner party, she sees the valet she kissed sitting at the right hand of the baroness. Mr. Henry is not the earl’s valet; he is the heir to the earldom—Kenneth Winterton.Heartbroken, angry, and betrayed, Rebecca does not trust Lord Winterton and refuses to accept his apology. But when Lord Winterton proves he is as kind and gentle as “Mr. Henry” was, she finds herself willing to give him a second chance. But will he take a chance on her? He needs a wife to help him in his place in society, and nothing about Rebeccas life does that . . . except how he feels when she is with him.Trust, love, loneliness, and passion collide in this story about a man who will risk it all to fight for the woman he loves and a woman who does not believe in fairy tales—until she finds herself living in one.
These Old Shades / Sprig Muslin / Sylvester / The Corinthian / The Convenient Marriage
Georgette Heyer - 1977
Hilarious comedy, fast moving drama, romance spiced with wit and charm - Miss Heyer combines all this with the period conversation and manners she knows to perfection.These five books will give hours of entertainment and lasting pleasure.
Willowkeep
Julie Daines - 2016
Penniless and alone, she is struggling to care for herself and her young sister in the harsh seaport town of Kingston upon Hull. When a solicitor from London brings news that she is the heir to a vast estate in Kent, it seems her days of rough seas are over. Willowkeep is prosperous and grand, far too much for a shipping merchant’s daughter to manage, and she quickly comes to rely on the help of Henry Morland, the estate’s kind and handsome steward. Henry has worked hard his entire life, but all the money he’s saved won’t be enough to get his father out of debtor’s prison. Henry’s fondness for Charlotte and her sister is only another reminder of his low status and lack of money. Though he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Charlotte happy and looked after, as the county’s wealthiest lady, she can never be his. Courted by a charming man of the ton, threatened by those desperate to get their hands on her money, and determined to keep her sister safe from the same fate that cost her the rest of her family, Charlotte turns to the ghost of the beheaded queen, Anne Boleyn, for help. But no matter the size of the fortune, life—and love—are never smooth sailing.
The Scoundrel's Score
Mara Shaw - 2019
Through sheer force of will, Cedric rose from poverty to build a lucrative empire based on a single principle: that one must always pay their debts. And so, when presented with the opportunity to settle his score with the father who scorned him, he is determined to seize it at any cost. That the pristine Lady Rose Wilkins should come with the bargain only serves to sweeten the deal…A gentle debutante…Rose, with her gentle nature and effortless grace, is the perfect debutante with a single caveat: she has no dowry. When her wastrel brother places their family in dire financial straits—and his very life in the hands of one of London’s most ruthless men—she finds herself paying a price far beyond anything she'd ever imagined to save them: her hand in marriage to a man that frightens and excites her in equal measure. A marriage of convenience…But to their mutual surprise, what begins as a marriage of convenience soon develops into a consuming passion. As Cedric and Rose begin to see that there is more to callous usurers and sheltered debutantes than meets the eye, they realize that they may end up losing far more than either of them bargained for… The Scoundrel’s Score is a steamy historical romance set in the Victorian era. It can be read as a standalone, and features a scorching hot and heartfelt romance with a guaranteed happily ever after.
Mariote
Suzan Tisdale - 2019
Two wishes. Who's will come true? The love of her life doesn’t know she exists. Still, ever the optimist, Mariote Dundotter-McCullum makes a wish on a falling star: to marry the man before her next birthday. Little does she know that someone else is wishing on the same star. When it looks as though her wish to marry will never come true, Mariote decides to settle for someone who has been professing his love for her through beautiful letters. It doesn't matter that he is the son of her father's enemy, or that she can’t remember ever meeting him. Mariote believes ‘tis better to be loved by someone than never at all. So, she steals away in the middle of the night to make her own joy. There’s another who has loved her since the first time he saw her. After learning Mariote has run off to marry someone else, he goes after her. But will he have the courage to give her his heart and to make his secret wish come true?
The Rector's Daughter
Jean Fullerton - 2019
Charlotte has an understanding with Captain Nicolas Paget - every inch the gentleman - who she expects someday to marry. But then she meets Josiah Martyn, and everything changes...A driven and ambitious Cornish mining engineer, and the complete opposite to Captain Nicholas, Josiah has come to London to help build the first tunnel under the river Thames. When unpredictable events occur at the inauguration of the project, Josiah and Charlotte are suddenly thrown into an unexpected intimacy.But not everyone is happy with Charlotte and Josiah growing closer. As friends turn to foes, will they be able to rewrite the stars and find their happy ever after, although all odds seem to be stacked against them...?
Lessons From a Scarlet Lady
Emma Wildes - 2009
So what would society say if they saw her with a copy of Lady Rothburg's Advice—a courtesan's lessons for the boudoir? When his innocent wife suddenly becomes a vixen in the bedroom, the proper Duke is truly astounded by her seductive powers. Following a courtesan's advice might lead to trouble-but will it lead to Brianna's ultimate desire: winning her husband's love?
The Marquess' Angel
Julia Sinclair - 2018
she became a missionary.Blythe's prim missionary act gives her plenty of freedom to go to the cruelest parts of London to have her own adventure quests.But her plans are thrown into chaos when her uncle dies ...
This leaves her as one of the richest heiresses London has ever seen!
.
Suddenly, everyone's looking at her. Including a dangerous enemy.But ... the person looking the hardest is Thomas "Demon Tom" Martin, Marquess of Amory, the eldest son of the Martin family--the Carrows' sworn enemies.Thomas loves gambling,he loves trouble,and maybe, he loves this supposedly prim little missionary as well!Too bad Blythe belongs to the Carrows. .Can Blythe survive the darkness and danger around her?And will their love be enough to quell an ancient feud between the two families?Page Count: around 450 pages
Mask of Duplicity
Julia Brannan - 2015
However, Beth's hopes of a quiet life are dashed when Richard, dissatisfied with his meagre inheritance and desperate for promotion, decides to force her into a marriage for his military gain. And he will stop at nothing to get his way.Beth is coerced into a reconciliation with her noble cousins in order to marry well and escape her brutal brother. She is then thrown into the glittering social whirl of Georgian high society and struggles to conform. The effeminate but witty socialite Sir Anthony Peters offers to ease her passage into society and she is soon besieged by suitors eager to get their hands on her considerable dowry. Beth, however, wants love and passion for herself, and to break free from the artificial life she is growing to hate. She finds herself plunged into a world where nothing is as it seems and everyone hides behind a mask. Can she trust the people professing to care for her?The first in the series about the fascinating lives of beautiful Beth Cunningham, her family and friends during the tempestuous days leading up to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, which attempted to overthrow the Hanoverian King George II and restore the Stuarts to the British throne.
Join the rebellion of one woman and her fight for survival in...
The Jacobite Chronicles.
Taming the Highlander
Terri Brisbin - 2006
Now laird of the powerful MacLerie clan and in need of a wife, Connor buys his way to a bride, one he insists not be beautiful like his first wife. He brings Jocelyn to his lair planning to keep her in his bed and out of his life...and heart.Jocelyn MacCallum saves her family and people with her marriage, but fears for her soul and her life when she becomes bride to the Beast. Against his wishes and orders, Jocelyn begins to make a place in his clan for herself and begins to learn more about the man she wed.When an old threat rises against the clan and laird, will love be powerful enough to save the woman not known for beauty and her Beast?
The Nabob's Daughter
Jess Heileman - 2021
He’ll do anything to help her.Honora Crauford relishes her life in India. So when her father informs her of his latest business transaction—marrying her off to a bankrupt nobleman in England—her only hope for returning home is to convince her betrothed, by whatever antics necessary, that a marriage to her comes at a cost that not even the greatest fortune can justify. Graham Whitworth can hardly believe his wretched luck. It seems the only way to save his family’s insolvent estate is to comply with his father’s demands and marry the extremely wealthy, but utterly ridiculous, nabob’s daughter. But when Honora missteps, Graham discerns her farce and begins to see who she truly is—a most impressive lady. A lady likely capable of fixing his family’s financial troubles. Realizing they both desire freedom, Graham and Honora join forces to restore the Whitworth estate and return Honora to her beloved India. But sometimes love has its own agenda, and the revoking of a once undesirable arrangement may just prove to be the greatest sacrifice of all. **Heat Level: Mild/Sweet
The Highwayman
Kerrigan Byrne - 2015
But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster…STEALING BEAUTYDorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is a ruthless villain. Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian is one of London’s wealthiest, most influential men who will stop at nothing to wreak vengeance on those who’ve wronged him…and will fight to the death to seize what he wants. The lovely, still innocent widow Farah Leigh Mackenzie is no exception—and soon Dorian whisks the beautiful lass away to his sanctuary in the wild Highlands…COURTING DESIREBut Farah is no one’s puppet. She possesses a powerful secret—one that threatens her very life. When being held captive by Dorian proves to be the only way to keep Farah safe from those who would see her dead, Dorian makes Farah a scandalous proposition: marry him for protection in exchange for using her secret to help him exact revenge on his enemies. But what the Blackheart of Ben More never could have imagined is that Farah has terms of her own, igniting a tempestuous desire that consumes them both. Could it be that the woman he captured is the only one who can touch the black heart he’d long thought dead?
The Inheritance
Joan Johnston - 1995
But the moment they met, the slate-eyed barbarian took Daisy's breath away. She proposed a marriage of convenience. But she hadn't reckoned on flash-fire passion with the savage new duke ...Nicholas Calloway came to England to discover the truth about his bastard birth, then sell his inherited estate --- with Duchess Daisy's help. Her price was marriage. He agreed, determined to have her on his own terms --- only to find himself hostage to the fiery redhead he couldn't leave behind ...
A Companion in Joy
Dorothy Mack - 1980
Can a feckless rake become the ideal husband?
Regency London
With her family in dire straits, Kate Harmon agrees to marry the rakish Viscount Nicholas Dunston in return for a generous settlement from his father. But before she even meets her fiancé, she overhears him promising to continue his affair with his mistress. Horrified, Kate enters the marriage with an air of coldness and distance. Determined to overcome her dislike, Nicholas attempts to endear himself to his new wife. And though she has resolved not to fall in love, Kate soon finds it difficult to resist her husband’s charms… A Companion in Joy by Dorothy Mack is a charming Regency romance from a master of the genre.