Book picks similar to
A Secret Surrender by Darcy Burke


historical-romance
romance
historical
arc

A Lady's First Scandal


Merry Farmer - 2019
    Everybody knew they would marry and live happily ever after. But then Rupert did the unthinkable. He took up a commission as an officer in the army and left England for a post in the Transvaal. Cecelia was left alone in England, loving, yearning, and worrying about him from a distance. Now Rupert has returned. He is ready to take up his seat in the House of Lords, to take over the administration of the Stanhope estate from his mother, Lady Katya, and most importantly of all, to finally marry Cecelia. Cece isn’t the same woman Rupert left behind, however. She has grown and flourished and become a woman of strength and opinion. And she’s not going to sit back and let Rupert get away with leaving her for so long. But when Cece takes a stand and declares her independence in a very public way, the scandal her defiance causes blows every expectation for her future happiness with Rupert to smithereens. It also gains her an exclusive invitation to join the elite group of politically-minded women known as the May Flowers. But the May Flowers are a group of shocking, defiant, sometimes wicked women. They are a bundle of scandals waiting to happen. Can Rupert convince the new, more powerful Cecelia to forgive him for abandoning her, and can he woo her all over again? Will the scandal of their break-up tear them apart forever, or will it make their love stronger…and hotter? PLEASE BE ADVISED: Steam level – very spicy! THE MAY FLOWERS series is a continuation of THE SILVER FOXES OF WESTMINSTER series, involving the younger generation.

Suitors and Sabotage


Cindy Anstey - 2018
     Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother. Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural apprentice, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother's intended. But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm. And as their affection for each other grows—despite their efforts to remain just friends—so does the danger. . .In Suitors and Sabotage, author Cindy Anstey delivers another witty young adult historical fiction novel that is the perfect mix of sweetly romantic and action-packed. Praise for Suitors and Sabotage:A Junior Library Guild Selection"Anstey’s tale embraces a self-reliant main character, a loyal friend, innocent romance, witty conversation, and English country settings, each more splendid than the last. This is a delightful salute to Jane Austen and will be a treat for her fans." —VOYA"Mystery and romance are delightfully intertwined . . . Taking inspiration from Jane Austen novels, Anstey's latest is a lighthearted and romantic read." —Booklist

Goddess of the Hunt


Tessa Dare - 2009
    But first she needs some target practice. So she turns to her brother’s best friend, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, to hone her seductive wiles on him before setting her sights on another man. But her practice kisses spark a smoldering passion–one that could send all her plans up in smoke.Jeremy has an influential title, a vast fortune, and a painful past full of long-buried secrets. He keeps a safe distance from his own emotions, but to distract Lucy from her reckless scheming, he must give his passions free rein. Their sensual battle of wills is as maddening as it is delicious, but the longer he succeeds in managing the headstrong temptress, the closer Jeremy comes to losing control. When scandal breaks, can he bring himself to abandon Lucy to her ruin? Or will he risk his heart and claim her for his own?

The Matrimonial Advertisement


Mimi Matthews - 2018
    But Greyfriar's Abbey isn't the sort of refuge she imagined. And ex-army captain Justin Thornhill--though he may be tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome--is anything but a romantic hero. He Needed Redemption... Justin has spent the last two decades making his fortune, settling scores, and suffering a prolonged period of torture in an Indian prison. Now, he needs someone to smooth the way for him with the villagers. Someone to manage his household--and warm his bed on occasion. What he needs, in short, is a wife and a matrimonial advertisement seems the perfect way to acquire one.Their marriage was meant to be a business arrangement and nothing more. A dispassionate union free from the entanglements of love and affection. But when Helena's past threatens, will Justin's burgeoning feelings for his new bride compel him to come to her rescue? Or will dark secrets of his own force him to let her go?