Book picks similar to
The Unlikely Angel by Nadine Miller


regency
historical-fiction
romance
wounded-hero

The Spinster's Christmas


Camille Elliot - 2015
    Her family has never understood her blunt speech and unwillingness to bow to conventional strictures, and so they have always made her feel that there is something wrong with her. Now as a poor relation in her cousin’s house, she makes plans to escape a life of drudgery and disdain from her own family members.Naval Captain Gerard Foremont is having difficulty adjusting to life back on land, frustrated that his career has been cut short by his severely injured knee. Guilt haunts him as he sees the strain his long convalescence has had upon his parents. As they spend Christmastide with the Belmoores, he wants to help fulfill his mother’s wish to have her orphaned niece come to stay with them.However, an enemy has infiltrated the family party, bent on revenge and determined that Twelfth Night will end in someone’s death...

The Diamond Key


Barbara Metzger - 2003
    But after three Seasons she is still unwed. Then a trip to a London modiste ends with Torrie trapped in a deadly blaze, and she vows that if she lives she'll marry the next man who asks, be he a fop, a tool, or a fortune hunter.Exiled from Society, Wynn, Viscount Ingall, has braved barren wildernesses and sailed the seven seas. Yet he faces trepidation such as he has never known after lie saves a damsel in distress from a burning building and she insists on becoming his bride. Even though Wynn believes he's the worst man Torrie could ever love, he soon finds that once the flame sparks. there's no putting out the fire.

The Prodigal Daughter


Allison Lane - 1996
    She is forced to live in seclusion and avoid the haughty Duke of Norwood when he comes to court her half-sister. No great problem, since she dislikes the man, except that the more she gets to know him, the harder it is to ignore her desires. Regency Romance by Allison Lane; originally published by Signet and the winner of the Holt Medallion for Best Regency Romance of 1996.

Her Man of Affairs


Elizabeth Mansfield - 1980
    A taste for magnificent clothes and extravagant parties has led beautiful Lady Theodora Fairchild to the brink of financial disaster. Only handsome bookkeeper David MacKenzie knows the depths of her money woes--and the despair of a love she thinks can never be fulfilled.

Red Rose


Mary Balogh - 1986
    He is so scarred from manipulative women - ones he trusted - that you can understand his hatred of the whole sex! Now he is the guardian to two young women ... debutantes ... just what he hates! He brings them to London with the idea of marrying them off as quickly...

A Gentleman's Promise


Penny Hampson - 2021
    A husband is the last thing she needs. Can a quest for a killer teach them that they are both wrong?Emma Smythe and her brother arrive at Easterby Hall to discover that a handsome stranger has laid claim to their ancestral home and the family title. Have her relatives been murdered, and is her brother next? Determined to find the answers, she has no option but to trust the gentleman who insists that he will help. But danger appears in many guises, and for a woman intent on remaining single, her intriguing protector may prove the biggest threat of all.The attempts on Richard Lacey’s life begin when he inherits a title and a rundown estate. A coincidence? He’s not so sure. Problems multiply with the unexpected arrival of Jamie and Emma Smythe. Long thought dead, they too are potential targets. Richard thinks he wants a docile, obedient wife, but will the task of keeping headstrong Emma safe from danger change his mind?Embroiled in a sinister mystery, can Richard and Emma work together to catch a killer? And will this dangerous quest teach them that what they both wish to avoid is exactly what they need?Filled with intrigue, unexpected twists, and faultless period detail, this slow-burn romance is a must-read for lovers of classic Regency fiction.

The Suitor List


Shirley Marks - 2010
    When she arrives in London late in the Season, she has high hopes of making a match. She has already attracted a long list of potential suitors, all of whom have noteworthy prospects. To help in making the difficult decision, she invites them all to a Country House party just after the Season's end. But before any future husband of Lady Augusta's can approach her for her hand, he must also gain the approval of her family. And that may prove to be more difficult than expected, as one by one, whether self-implicated, aided by another, or by sheer circumstance, each of her suitors discredit themselves. It will take a true Gentleman of Worth to capture Lady Augusta's heart.

The Stanbroke Girls


Fiona Hill - 1981
    They are surrounded by a glimmering cast of characters, from the unreliable but dashing rake Jeffery de Guere to the lovely and shy Miss Amy Lewis. And, of course, the Stanbroke girls: Lady Isabella, romantic and dreamy, yet surprisingly practical, and Lady Elizabeth, her older sister, a heroine of great sense and wit as well as beauty. As these characters dance, court, conspire, love, and chase their way through some of the most fashionable spots of England and the continent, we join their elegant circle for the sparkling, sophisticated romp. As always, Fiona Hill brings a fresh and engaging liveliness to the world of Regency manners, making The Stanbroke Girls a triumphant delight to read.

A Diamond in the Rough


Andrea Pickens - 2001
    Spurning the gaming halls and brothels, he secretly designs the most beautiful gardens in England. Then his ne'er-do-well father bets the ancestral manor on the outcome of a golf match, and it's up to Adrian to save his beloved home. But first he must travel to Scotland to learn the game. Miss Derrien Edwards is not a typical Scottish lass. Her bouncy blond curls tucked under a woolen cap, she satisfies her love of the links by passing as a young male caddie named "Derry". When Adrian arrives at St. Andrews links, he's paired with "Derry". While learning to play, Adrian struggles to ignore his strange attraction to the impudent caddie, and Derrien finds herself caught in her own trap. Secrets swirl as the day of reckoning arrives—and neither can afford to lose the game.

The Cockermouth Mail


Dinah Dean - 1982
    She had no choice but to accept a position as governess in Cockermouth, a remote town in the English Lake District.Resolved to make the best of her bleak future, Dorcas was not surprised when the stage-coach she was travelling in was waylaid by an accident. She and her fellow passengers were forced to seek refuge in a nearby inn. So much did she enjoy the assorted company, the she found herself wishing to be stranded forever.One passenger in particular, the dashing Colonel, Sir Richard Severall, was of special interest to Dorcas. And it seemed as if she was of special interest to him. Fate had delivered her into the hands of love. If only she could be certain Sir Richard returned her affection.

Bella's Band


Alina K. Field - 2014
    His brother’s murder has forced Steven into a new and completely unwanted role, and worse, he has no idea how to salvage his family’s depleted estate. A rumor that his brother had a son by a woman who may be a) the murderer, and b) his brother’s secret wife, sets Steven on a mission to find her, the boy, and—Steven ardently hopes—the proof of a marriage that will set him free. Confirmed spinster Annabelle Harris is a country heiress with a penchant for taking in orphans and helping the downtrodden. Her philanthropy hides her desperate search for her disgraced sister, the mistress to the Earl of Hackwell. When the Earl is murdered, her sister thrusts her child into Annabelle’s care and disappears. Now, with suspicion pointing at the sister, Annabelle has begun a new quest, to find the woman, and clear her name. When their paths converge, the reluctant Earl and the independent spinster find themselves rethinking their goals, and battling the real murderer together.

Lady Dearing's Masquerade


Elena Greene - 2005
    Length: about 80,000 words (260 pages). Sensuality: includes sex scenes.Finally free after a desperately unhappy marriage, widowed Lady Dearing goes to a masquerade. She thinks it’s just a lark, but matters turn serious when she kisses a costumed stranger who protected her from a drunken lout. Word leaks out, scandal escalates and she becomes the ton’s most infamous widow. Shunned by society, she retreats to her country estate. Having no children of her own, she finds joy in caring for children she’s taken in from London’s Foundling Hospital. But every night, she is haunted by the memory of the gallant stranger, whose seductive voice and gentle touch awakened desires she’d thought long dead. Two years later, Sir Jeremy Fairhill still hungers for the lady from the masquerade. She felt like his match, more than his saintly deceased wife, more than any of the respectable ladies his friends urge him to marry. Failing to find her, he throws his energies into the cause of the Foundling Hospital, where he serves on the Board of Governors. Hearing that a notorious woman has some of the foundlings in her charge, he is impelled to investigate. He has no idea that she is the lady he seeks, but soon his sense of honor is at odds with his dangerous passion for the elusive, alluring Lady Dearing.Reviews:"Lady Dearing's Masquerade could have been a dark, depressing story considering its many tragedies: orphaned foundlings, throwaway babies, malicious gossip, years of abuse. But it's a tribute to Elena Greene that the story is poignant, and the admirable way in which Jeremy and Livvy deal with their trials endears them to readers and will have you rooting for them to unite."-- Romantic Times Bookclub (4 and 1/2 stars, TOP PICK)"Lady Dearing's Masquerade is a delightful Regency romance. The characters of this remarkable tale sparkle with sensitivity, wit, humor, and a genuine quality that will make them stand out in readers' minds long after the last page is turned... The passion and romance of this wonderful story are heartwarming and a pleasure to read. The characters shine with genuine emotions and believable dialogue. Secondary characters are an essential element to the story and an insight into Livvy's and Jeremy's personalities. For a story that is sure to stoke the romantic fires burning in every Regency fan, be sure not to miss Lady Dearing's Masquerade." -- Edith Morrison, for Romance Reviews Today"This was a very well written novel, with great characters and a terrific (and plausible) plot... I'll definitely be looking for more books by Elena Greene." -- Lynn Lamy, for Rakehell"This is a SuperRegency from Signet, which means it has a greater page count and more sensuality than your basic Regency, both of which Elena Greene puts to good use in Lady Dearing's Masquerade... this was a terrific read, and I recommend it."-- Cheryl Sneed, for All About Romance

The Wife of Walraven


Amanda Panhorst - 2020
    But in this helter-skelter party, schemes to ensnare Lord Walraven and his wealth are afoot.Anna Welbourne has been her brother’s drudge for years now. When she is sent by herself to prepare their ancestral home and its unsuspecting servants for his grand party, she is furious enough to try anything to rid herself of her brother’s cruel guardianship. But among his guests is a man to whom she owes a debt, and she must pay him back. So when, after a raucous game of cards, Anna sees the handsome Lord Walraven being swept off to Gretna Green by a conniving woman, she not only sees a chance to escape her brother, but a way to pay the debt.

Miss Gabriel's Gambit


Rita Boucher - 1993
    Chess has been the ruination of her life ending her engagement, filching her fortune and reducing her to poor relation. But when she finds herself falling in love with chessmaster David Rutherford, the new Lord Donhill, Sylvia stakes her heart, her future and her reputation on the riskiest gambit of all.

A Prudent Match


Laura Matthews - 2000
    The wealth she inherited in the wake of her fiance's death is enough to mend his financial affairs. But even if he didn't need the money, he finds himself entranced by her innocent beauty...Prudence remains brokenhearted over the death of her fiance, but knows the time has come to marry rather than die a spinster. Although she is aware that Ledbetter has wed her only for her money, his forward advances frighten her pure sensibilities. And it will take all of her courage to trust this man whose passion knows no bounds--and find a love that is the greatest fortune of all...