Book picks similar to
Mail Order Tangle by Caroline Clemmons


historical-fiction
historical
cowboys
mail-order-bride

Tainted by Temptation


Katy Madison - 2011
    or her own?Cruel false gossip and scandal follow Velvet Campbell everywhere she goes in London—and for the sake of her sanity she must get away. Accepting a position as governess at an estate in remote Cornwall, Velvet hopes to start over, untainted by rumor. But she finds to her dismay that her new employer—the darkly handsome Lucian Pendar—is, himself, the subject of whispered insinuations...that he hurled his wife to her death from nearby treacherous cliffs. But angel or demon, Lucian affects Velvet in ways she never dreamed possible, causing her heart to race, stealing the breath from her body with a look. As their mutual attraction grows, there is no resisting the passion that flares between them. Yet, as secrets from both their pasts rise to the surface, Velvet is haunted by one inescapable question: has she found a kindred spirit, her destined love...or placed herself in dire peril?

Abby: Mail Order Bride


Verna Clay - 2012
    Left with three children, he's desperate to find a mother for them. Ten year old Jenny does her best to care for two year old Ty, and fourteen year old Luke works the ranch with his father, losing himself in dime novels to ease the pain of his mother's passing. Brant's options are limited since eligible women seldom pass through Two Rivers, much less settle in the small Texas town. In desperation, he places a classified advertisement for a mail order bride. Marrying a woman he'll come to know through a newspaper advertisement scares the bejesus out of him, but at this point, he's out of options.Abigail Mary Vaughn always dreamed of having her own family, but caring for her elderly parents, as well as working as a teacher to help with finances, ended that dream. Her parents are now dead and she's faced with the reality of her lonely existence. After reading Mr. Samson's advertisement in the Philadelphia Inquirer, she garners enough courage to respond. Since she is considered an old maid at the age of thirty-eight, she'll more than likely spend the rest of her life wondering "what if" unless she does something unconventional.Sensual love scenes.

Love, Julie


Christine Bush - 2006
    She was not supposed to slide down drainpipes, play baseball in Central Park, or, worst of all, want to teach. Teaching was for impoverished young relatives, not for the heiress of the Brightingham fortune. When her father suddenly dies, leaving her wicked Uncle Edward as her trustee, she must resist his attempt to force her into a marriage that would bring her misery, no matter what the cost. She decides to leave the world behind. Julietta trades her fashionable dresses and dainty dancing shoes for serviceable travel clothes and sturdy boots. Dying her blond hair brown and donning her glasses, she travels incognito across the country to Grey Eagle, Montana, as Julie Bright, planning to take the position of school teacher, to begin a new life. But the handsome and dedicated young Sheriff, Jack White, takes one look at her and wants to send her packing. She is not what he expected as a teacher for his fledgling town. He knows trouble when he sees it. But for some reason, no matter what his instincts, he cannot make her leave. When the past finally catches up with her, he knows he'd move heaven and earth to keep her safe, and make her stay.

Texas Destiny


Lorraine Heath - 1997
    The tall cowboy at the station wasn't Dallas. He was Houston, Dallas's brother, sent to escort her on the rugged three-week trek to the ranch where Dallas waited. Brought up in war-ravaged Georgia, Amelia thought Dallas's letters made Texas sound like heaven, a place for her dreams to grow with the right man beside her.And his only love...By all appearances, Houston Leigh would hardly be considered the "right man." The war he survived had scarred him inside and out, and he was little competition for his handsome brother. But from the moment Houston met Amelia, he knew she possessed the courage this wild land needed. She had eyes that could see past his wounded face to his soul. And he would fight any man—except his brother—for her heart. Now he and Amelia were riding down dangerous trails, sleeping under the stars, and God help them, they were falling in love.

The Scottish Hearts Collection


Carmen Caine - 2014
    They were nothing but trouble. Leaving the rash life of his youth behind, he returned to Skye, seeking peace. He never meant to split the clan or start a war with the MacDonald of Duntulm. He certainly never foresaw an arranged marriage to the most scandalous woman in Scotland. Even though she was twice his age, the size of a horse and mother to more than one illegitimate child, he agreed to secure his sister's freedom.However, even that plan goes drastically awry. On his wedding day, he finds himself faced instead with an enticing, green-eyed lass named Bree. A walking disaster, his bride immediately turns his world into chaos and threatens to melt his resolve never to love again.BOOK TWO:  The Award-Winning Novel: "The Bedeviled Heart" - ROMANCE SILVER MEDAL WINNER of the Independent Publisher Book Awards!(Scotland, 1479) Cameron Malcolm Stewart, Earl of Lennox, had made his peace with destiny. It was not his fate to love as other men.Each of his politically arranged marriages had ended in disaster. And though he had never touched a one of his wives, he had come to believe that sharing his name would consign a woman to an early grave.So, on the sunny spring day Cameron encounters a delightfully devious, bright-eyed lass selling charmed stones in one of Stirling's alehouses, he tosses her a shilling, thinking only to steal a kiss. But it is a kiss that will change his life forever.BOOK THREE: "The Daring Heart" (Scotland, 1482) - To the scandalous Lord Julian Gray, marriage is a malady and nothing more. How can a man even court a lass longer than a fortnight when there are so many pouting lips to kiss? Roaming the courts of Europe, Julian appears to spend his time drinking wine, wagering gold, and dandling willing lasses upon his knee. But no one knows the man behind the mask. No one knows that he is Le Marin--Europe's most daring and brazen spy.But everything changes the night he finds a dagger pressed against his ribs and an alluring hazel-eyed minx in his bed.BOOK FOUR: "The Bold Heart"(Scotland, 1488) - Ewan was a battle-weary warrior with haunted dreams. He no longer believed in love.As Scotland's greatest warrior and heir to the earldom of Mull, few dared to cross swords with Ewan MacLean. But the price he paid for his fearsome reputation was a heavy one. To survive, he buried his emotions and became only the warrior, riding from battle to battle with his men to protect Scotland from threats within and without her borders and letting himself feel nothing else.But when his right-hand man, Alec Montgomery, is caught dallying with a powerful Lord's daughter, a trap is set. And both Ewan and Alec find themselves in an English prison, their necks headed for the noose.On the Isle of Skye, the raven-haired Merry MacLeod spends her days caring for the clan elderly and hurtling across the moors on the back of her black stallion. A high-spirited, adventurous lass, she is no longer troubled by childhood memories of the day the braw lad, Ewan MacLean, rescued her from her husband, the cruel MacDonald. But when she hears the very same Ewan is now confined in an English prison, she disguises herself as a lad and sets out to repay her debt.

Under a Texas Star


Alison Bruce - 2010
     When Marly Landers is fooled by con man Charlie Meese, she's determined to bring him to justice--even if it means dressing up as a boy and setting off across the plains to find him. Texas Ranger Jase Strachan is also after Meese, for crimes committed in Texas. He joins forces with the young boy in a journey that takes them to Fortuna, where a murder interrupts their mission. Jase is duty bound to find the killer, no matter the cost. Marly carries out her own investigation and comes to the aid of Amabelle Egan, the sister of one of the suspects. But appearances are deceiving, and Marly is mistaken for Amabelle's suitor, making her a target for the killer. Not to mention, Charlie Meese is still out there. Under the Texas stars, Marly and Jase are drawn together by circumstances beyond their control, yet fate plots to tear them apart. Will Marly finally get her man?

Short-Straw Bride


Karen Witemeyer - 2012
    Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

Miranda's Dilemma


Natasha Blackthorne - 2015
    Scorned by her ducal father and determined to attain everything that life has denied her due to an accident of birth, she’s not about to let this arrogant earl stop her.Adrian Sutherland, the Earl of Danvers, saw his father destroyed by a heartless, predatory courtesan. He has no time or patience for such exotic, expensive ladybirds. He’s far too busy restoring his family’s wealth and reputation whilst doing what he can to protect his friends from the clutches of all the scheming courtesans of London.Then a moment of compassion turns intense dislike to breathless passion, and these two strong-willed, fiercely proud people are compelled to indulge in a brief affair. Each is convinced that they can satisfy their craving for the other without emotional risk.But neither realizes that a little dalliance can be a dangerous thing.Reader Advisory: This is an erotic historical romance and it contains frank sexual language and period appropriate sexual slang, frequent sexual scenes and descriptions and general bedchamber naughtiness. The characters discuss abuse issues from their backstories during the course of their developing relationship. For Adults 18 & Over Only.

Silver Lining


Maggie Osborne - 2000
    Now meet the most irresistible and independent heroine of them all, a woman called Low Down, who never had anything good happen to her until the day she asked for the one thing that only a man could give her. . . .As scruffy and rootless as the other prospectors searching for gold in the Rockies, Low Down wanted nothing in return for nursing a raggedy bunch through the pox. But when pressed to reveal her heart's wish, she admits, "I want a baby." Not a husband, not a forced marriage to the proud man who drew the scratched marble and became honor bound to marry her. To be sure, Max McCord was easy on the eyes, but he loved another woman and dreamed of a different life. Yet they agreed to a temporary marriage that could end only in disaster. But can this strange twist of fate lead to the silver lining that both have been searching for?

Taming a Highland Devil


Kimberly Killion - 2011
    His prowess in the bedchamber has earned him the name Devil of Dunrobin, but no woman has ever stirred his heart. Magnus needs to provide his clan with an heir, which is the only reason he agrees to marry the neighboring chieftain's sister. When his betrothed arrives, he discovers the chieftain has two sisters. If Magnus must bind himself to one woman, he intends to discover which is best suited to be his wife, for he wants more than a body to plant his seed. He wants a mate for life. There are three reasons Lady Effie Reay refuses to vie for Laird Sutherland's affections... For one, she is thirty-two and would surely lose a competition to her beautiful, younger sister. Secondly, Laird Sutherland is a well-reputed rake, and she holds no desire to wed another faithless man. And thirdly, the sight of him makes her tingle, shiver and ache. Will Effie be successful in thwarting Magnus' advances, or will her body succumb to a temptation that can only lead to heartbreak?

Saving Landon


Nikki Wild - 2016
    A new name, a new town. I lived a sheltered life far from the club and farther still from the man who owned my innocence… I never expected him to find me again, but when I saw the motorcycle accident just outside Baddock, I knew my quiet little life was over… Until he asked me for my name. LANDON I barely remember my own name, but I know I’m not a good man… Scars on my knuckles, tattoos of skulls and dragons running down my arms, the twisted wreck of my motorcycle or the patches ripped from my leather cut… No… I’m a bad man. I’m the kind of man a girl like Lucy should be running away from… But she isn’t running. I feel something for this girl. She’s taken me in. She’s helping me heal. With my memory returning piece by piece, I know this girl just wants to save me from myself. But I want more… And I won’t stop until I possess her.

Hidden Fires


Laura Jordan - 1982
    Instead, the matriarch makes Lauren a scandalous offer to marry her son in name only. Lauren has strong feelings for him but are they strong enough?

Courage Of A Highlander (Lairds of Dunkeld Series) (A Medieval Scottish Romance Story)


Emilia Ferguson - 2018
     Daughter of a duke, son of a baron, and a ruthless English knight… Lady Rubina Invermore has a luxury that not many girls enjoy in the Highlands, the opportunity to marry based on love instead of negotiation. However, she feels duty-bound to choose a marriage that will please her parents: one that will further their holdings and security in the face of a looming and bloody with England. Now her heart has betrayed her…and she’s in a bind. A Brave Highlander Sir Camden Invering is more confused than he’s ever felt after rescuing the beautiful Lady Rubina from her English captors. His heart is totally enraptured, and he thought that she felt the same. But her cold indifference has utterly confounded him. He begins to wonder if he’s totally misread her. When he is taken captive himself in retaliation for rescuing the damsel in distress, his fight is not for her love, but for his very life… A Love That Can’t be Stopped Soon Rubina must make the most challenging decision of her young life—she must choose between love and duty. Duty and romance beckon to her from different men…and the decision is solely hers. However, her handsome knight must once again be brave and survive the conflict that threatens to take the decision from them both…permanently. Should Lady Rubina choose the marriage she’s always anticipated—her distant cousin Callum, who she does not love but her parents will approve without question? Or should she follow her heart—her beloved Sir Camden, who both infuriates and ignites her in ways she never dreamed a man could achieve…and in the most delicious ways…?

If I Stay


Tamara Morgan - 2014
    After losing his high-adrenaline career as a Hollywood stunt driver, he's had to tuck his tail between his legs and take up employment as a chauffeur for the Montgomerys, a wealthy hotelier family.Amy Sanders has returned home to Ransom Creek to take over her mother's former position as nanny to the Montgomerys—bringing her close to dashing Jake Montgomery once again. She grew up with a major crush on Jake, and it's not easy to leave those feelings behind, even though her friendship with the hard-edged family chauffeur, Ryan, has a sizzling undercurrent of undeniable attraction.Amy's determined to prove to Ryan that life at Montgomery Manor isn't all bad, but each time they draw closer Jake swoops in. Amy is torn between two men—and two worlds. And Ryan is rapidly coming to learn that if he wants to make Amy his, he'll have to prove to her that life downstairs can be everything they both want.90,000 words

Bear Creek Brides #1-4


Amelia Rose - 2020
    Jenny Philips needs to escape her domineering uncle who’s trying to sell her to the highest bidder.A mail-order bride ad brings these two tortured souls together. Upon meeting the Virginia rose, Mathew falls hard and offers to help her get settled.Although Jenny finds herself attracted to the kindhearted cattle farmer, she fears that a marriage amid deadly conflict between miners and natives could spoil their chance at happiness.Can the couple survive a bumpy trail to love and begin a new life together?Sheriff Jacob Benning dreams of only one thing: being a father. After placing a mail-order bride ad, an accident ruins his handwriting and with it, a chance to meet an educated lady.He believes his dream of fatherhood is over.But Rosa Casey, a woman battling anxiety and low self-esteem, finds the sheriff’s bad handwriting charming. For the first time in her life, she swallows her fears, packs her bags, and takes a leap into the unknown.In the small Montana town, Jacob and Rosa begin to build a life. But dangers of the frontier lure at every corner, threatening to destroy a relationship that has just started to blossom.Will Jacob and Rosa survive the dusty dangers to live happily ever after?Dan Mavis, a schoolteacher in the small town of Bear Creek, Montana, believes the only way he’ll finally marry is if he mail-orders a wife. His elegant female colleague, Phoebe James, strongly disagrees.After having her heart broken one too many times, Phoebe finds herself falling for a handsome educator, a man strikingly different from those who’ve previously courted her.Just as Dan starts noticing the beautiful assistant and things start heating up between them, Dan’s advertisement reaches a woman keen to take up his offer.Dan’s mail-order bride shows up at the worst moment, ready to break the starry-eyed couple apart.Will this dramatic interruption ruin Dan and Phoebe’s best chance for a happily-ever-after?When Edward James settled in Bear Creek to manage the mines, he didn’t plan on falling in love. Since the moment he met Morning Sun, his world has been turned upside down and he wants nothing more than to worship the Sioux beauty and be a devoted husband.But the call of the tribe is strong.Morning Sun loves Edward with all her heart, but her loyalty lies with her tribe.Can she really ask Edward to give up his life to live with the Sioux? Does Edward love her enough to leave behind the life he built?As doubts and fears plague the couple’s minds, the US military plans to banish the Sioux to a reservation, taking Morning Sun away from Edward forever.If they run away together, they can save their love, but what will become of the tribe?Can their love survive the harshest of tests?In Bear Creek Brides: Books 1-4, you’ll find four exhilarating stories of how one brave act of venturing into the unknown can change your destiny.