Book picks similar to
Ardently: the most famous love declarations in classic and modern literature by M.C. Frank
classics
romance
not-interested
wishlist-books
The Art of Inheriting Secrets
Barbara O'Neal - 2018
Raw with grief and reeling from the knowledge that her reserved mother hid something so momentous, Olivia leaves San Francisco and crosses the pond to unravel the mystery of a lifetime.One glance at the breathtaking Rosemere Priory and Olivia understands why the manor, magnificent even in disrepair, was the subject of her mother’s exquisite paintings. What she doesn’t understand is why her mother never mentioned it to her. As Olivia begins digging into her mother’s past, she discovers that the peeling wallpaper, debris-laden halls, and ceiling-high Elizabethan windows covered in lush green vines hide unimaginable secrets.Although personal problems and her life back home beckon, Olivia finds herself falling for the charming English village and its residents. But before she can decide what Rosemere’s and her own future hold, Olivia must first untangle the secrets of her past.
The Secret Diary of Lydia Bennet
Natasha Farrant - 2016
Darcy's Diary, and Prom and Prejudice...Lydia is the youngest of the five Bennet girls. She's stubborn, never listens, and can't seem to keep her mouth shut--not that she would want to anyway. She's bored with her country life and wishes her older sisters would pay her attention . . . for once!Luckily, the handsome Wickham arrives at Longbourn to sweep her off her feet. Lydia's not going to let him know THAT, of course, especially since he only seems to be interested in friendship. But when they both decide to summer in the fasionable seaside town of Brighton, their paths become entangled again. At the seaside, Lydia also finds exciting new ways of life and a pair of friends who offer her a future she never dreamed of. Lydia finally understands what she really wants. But can she get it? A fresh, funny, and spirited reimagining of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice, The Secret Diary of Lydia Bennet brings the voice of the wildest Bennet sister alive and center stage like never before.
Venus in Furs
Leopold von Sacher-Masoch - 1870
Severin finds his ideal of voluptuous cruelty in the merciless Wanda von Dunajew. This is a passionate and powerful portrayal of one man's struggle to enlighten and instruct himself and others in the realm of desire. Published in 1870, the novel gained notoriety and a degree of immortality for its author when the word "masochism"—derived from his name—entered the vocabulary of psychiatry. This remains a classic literary statement on sexual submission and control.
The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen
Syrie James - 2012
There was no mistaking it: the salutation, the tiny, precise handwriting, the date, the content itself, all confirmed its ancient status and authorship…Samantha McDonough cannot believe her eyes--or her luck. Tucked in an uncut page of a two-hundred-year old poetry book is a letter she believes was written by Jane Austen, mentioning with regret a manuscript that "went missing at Greenbriar in Devonshire."Could there really be an undiscovered Jane Austen novel waiting to be found? Could anyone resist the temptation to go looking for it?Making her way to the beautiful, centuries-old Greenbriar estate, Samantha finds it no easy task to sell its owner, the handsome yet uncompromising Anthony Whitaker, on her wild idea of searching for a lost Austen work--until she mentions its possible million dollar value.After discovering the unattributed manuscript, Samantha and Anthony are immediately absorbed in the story of Rebecca Stanhope, daughter of a small town rector, who is about to encounter some bittersweet truths about life and love. As they continue to read the newly discovered tale from the past, a new one unfolds in the present--a story that just might change both of their lives forever.
The Correction of Folly
Christine Combe - 2018
Not only are the odds of a match between her and Edward Ferrars "insurmountable", there's the little matter of his secret engagement to another young lady. Colonel Alan Brandon hasn't had an easy time securing a loving partner. His first love was coerced into an unhappy marriage with his elder brother, and Elinor's younger sister Marianne refuses to see past his age. These two practical people find solace in each other's company, both of them suffering their heartbreak in secret and in silence. Then comes the day when Brandon accepts there is no sense in pining for someone who thinks he's too old for marriage. At the same time, Elinor concludes she will have to let go of her dreams if she is to have any kind of happiness. Moving on isn't easy for either of them, but Elinor and Brandon soon discover that hope can be found even in difficult times, and often it is the unlikeliest of people with whom one falls in love.
Miss Bingley's Revenge
Wendy Soliman - 2013
Darcy, Lizzy is determined to prove her detractors wrong by throwing a magnificent house party at Pemberley. The smallest details have been worried over for weeks; nothing can possibly go wrong, can it? Lizzy starts to wonder about that when a distraught Lydia descends upon Pemberley on the eve of the party. Wickham has quit the army and gone to London to resurrect his career in the law.Miss Bingley is quite determined to rescue Darcy from his reckless marriage, convinced he must now regret it. She finds an unlikely ally in George Wickham, both of whom wish to avenge themselves on Lizzy, albeit for very different reasons. If Darcy were to find his ‘fine-eyed’ wife in a compromising position with Wickham of all people, he would surely never forgive her.Lizzy finds herself in a desperate fight to save her marriage, but can only do so by exposing Miss Bingley’s evil machinations. What damage will that do to Jane’s happiness with her Mr. Bingley? And what of Lydia? Even if Lizzy can prove to Darcy that she has been manipulated, how can she protect her sister in the face of Wickham’s desperate and despicable actions…A sparkling continuation of Pride and Prejudice.
The Brontës: Three Great Novels: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Charlotte Brontë - 1982
Charlotte Bront�'s Jane Eyre met immediate success when it was first published in 1847 and remains a much-loved classic. Considered by the public to be rough and strange when it was originally published, Emily Bront�'s only novel Wuthering Heights has become one the most popular of all English novels. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bront�'s second novel, was a dramatic and courageous challenge to the conventions supposedly upheld by Victorian society. It has since become a classic, compelling in its imaginative power, the realism and range of its dialogue, and its psychological insight into the characters involved in a marital battle.
Throne of Glass eBook Bundle: An 8 Book Bundle
Sarah J. Maas - 2020
She is a prisoner, but if she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the king's champion and earn her freedom. But the evil she encounters in the castle goes deep, and as dark forces gather on the horizon – forces which threaten to destroy her entire world – the assassin must take her place in a fight greater than she could ever have imagined.This is the epic, heart-stopping fantasy series that has turned #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas into a worldwide phenomenon. Fans new and old will dive into this ebook bundle containing the whole series: Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn, the thrilling finale Kingdom of Ash, and the companion anthology The Assassin's Blade.
The Darcys & the Bingleys: A Tale of Two Gentlemen's Marriages to Two Most Devoted Sisters
Marsha Altman - 2008
Bingley is shocked when Darcy gives him a copy of an ancient, illustrated book of sensual secrets-but it does tell him everything he needs to know.Eventually, of course, Jane finds this remarkable volume and in utmost secrecy shows it to her dear sister Elizabeth, who goes searching for a copy in the Pemberley library...By turns hilarious and sweet, The Darcys & the Bingleys follows the two couples and the cast of characters surrounding them. Miss Caroline Bingley, it turns out, has such good reasons for being the way she is that the reader can't help but hold her in charity. Delightfully, she makes a most eligible match, and in spite of Darcy's abhorrence of being asked for advice, he and Bingley have a most enduring and adventure-prone friendship. (20080903)
One Night on the Island
Josie Silver - 2022
The remote Irish island she's booked is a far cry from London, but at least it's a chance to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some quiet, solitary self-care while she figures out her next steps in her love life and her career.Mac is also looking forward to some time to himself. With his life in Boston deteriorating in ways he can't bring himself to acknowledge, his soul searching has brought him to the same Irish island in search of his roots and some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both solitude seekers have reserved the same one-bedroom hideaway on exactly the same dates.Instantly at odds with each other, Cleo and Mac don't know how they're going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. But as the days go by, they no longer seem to mind each other's company quite as much as they thought they would... Written with Josie Silver's signature warmth, charm and insights into the human heart, One Night on the Island explores the meaning of home, the joys of escape and how the things we think we want are never the things we really need.
Wynn in Doubt
Emily Hemmer - 2014
Unfortunately, her life stalled somewhere between graduating from college and slinging drinks at the local dive bar. Stuck in a one-room apartment with no career, no boyfriend, no…life, she dreams of something more. Something amazing. Something like Oliver Reeves, her high school crush, who’s back in town and reminding Wynn of the way she used to be.When a forgotten news clipping falls out of a book belonging to Wynn’s grandmother, a well-kept family secret is finally revealed. Is Wynn’s gypsy spirit the result of an overactive imagination, or did she inherit it from a woman so determined to live a big life, she gave up everything to have it?Together, Wynn and Oliver attempt to put together the missing pieces of her family’s past and unravel the mystery behind her great-grandmother’s disappearance. But after so much time succumbing to fear and regret, can Wynn ditch her safe, routine life for the chance at an extraordinary future?
The Crown of Light
Stacey Marie Brown - 2017
Lightness Saga contains story-lines, world building, and spoilers from previous books and characters. It's highly recommended starting with Darkness of Light (Book 1) and both are FREE on Kindle Unlimited! A war is brewing. Kennedy is one of the last known Druids. Wanted dead by the Seelie Queen and as a coveted asset to defeat this cruel ruler, Kennedy has become a mark. Especially by a sexy, merciless Dark Dweller, Lorcan Dragen. Kidnapped and taken prisoner, Kennedy’s life takes a dramatic turn, down a path she never imagined. Spending time with a man who killed her best friend’s mother and her friend, she knows he is not someone she should care about. But the longer she spends with her enemy, the more her feelings blur the line between what is right and wrong, what is true and what is not. As her magic grows, so does the shy, nerdy girl, and she soon realizes nothing on a list or in a book will prepare her for what is ahead. Even her own feelings. **Sexual content, language, alcohol, violence, death, and other mature content intended for readers 17 and older.
The Colonel's Spinster: A Regency Romance (Tragic Characters in Classic Lit)
Audrey Harrison - 2020
A pity that he’s falling for the wrong woman... She’s looking to find out more about her past. She wasn't expecting to find her future…..Colonel Fitzwilliam is a second son, often overshadowed by his titled, older brother and his cousin, Mr Darcy. Returning from Waterloo he knows it is time to find a wife with a healthy dowry, but he longs for a love match. Unfortunately for Fitzwilliam, love doesn’t put food on the table.Miss Prudence Bamber has never known her mother’s family. A woman with her own mind and full life, she indulges her father’s wish to visit her long-lost relations. Mr Bamber hopes his daughter will find a husband; she wishes nothing more than to find out more about her mother’s history. It turns out to be a trip she won’t forget in a hurry.Two people looking for love, but challenged by pride, secrets and prejudice. Will they be able to overcome the odds to find their own happy ever after? Or, are they destined to remain separated by the constraints of society? Complex characters brought together in this gripping Regency Romance.The Colonel’s Spinster is a Regency romance and Pride and Prejudice variation (JAFF), topped with a generous dose of humour, action, and tears. If you like simmering chemistry, fast-paced adventures, and strong characters, then you'll love Audrey Harrison's Regency tale.
The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond
Jaime Jo Wright - 2018
When a man is found dead in his run-down trailer home, Annalise inherits the trailer, along with the pictures, vintage obituaries, and old revival posters covering its walls. As she sorts through the collection, she's wholly unprepared for the ramifications of the dark and deadly secrets she'll uncover. A century earlier, Gossamer Grove has been stirred into chaos by the arrival of controversial and charismatic twin revivalists. The chaos takes a murderous turn when Libby Sheffield, working at her father's newspaper, receives an obituary for a reputable church deacon hours before his death. As she works with the deacon's son to unravel the mystery behind the crime, it becomes undeniably clear that a reckoning has come to town--but it isn't until another obituary arrives that they realize the true depths of the danger they've waded into.Two women, separated by a hundred years, must uncover the secrets within the borders of their own town before it's too late and they lose their future--or their very souls.
Tales of Terror
Jacqueline Rayner - 2017
The illustrator is Rohan Eason.Each short story will feature a frightening nemesis for the Doctor to outwit, and each will star one incarnation of the Doctor with additional appearances from favourite friends and companions such as Sarah Jane, Jo and Ace.