Book picks similar to
Desperate and Daring by Ella J. Quince
historical-romance
romance
historical
free
Belle of the Ball
Pam McCutcheon - 2003
But a wish at a magical rock formation is about to change all that, in a most a-MUSE-ing way. . . . The three Sullivan sisters, named for the Three Graces of Greek legend who embody beauty, charm and grace, don’t live up to their names. Belle is no beauty. Charisma lacks charm. And Grace is somewhat less than graceful. But this doesn't deter their ambitious mother from bribing three bachelors to escort them to Colorado Springs’ beautiful Garden of the Gods. When the girls overhear their escorts mocking how little they resemble their names, each girl makes a wish at the magical Three Graces rock formation. Belle wishes aloud for beauty, but only so she can use it as a weapon to punish the cads who hurt her sisters. Her true wish is for revenge. Handsome viscount Kit Stanhope regrets his rude remarks and apologizes to Belle. He’s surprised when she tells him that's not enough. If he truly regrets his behavior, he has to make her beautiful in time for the Founders’ Day Ball. Kit isn’t sure he’s up to the task. But, intrigued by the spirited Belle, he agrees to assist her transformation from an ugly duckling into a swan with the help of a mysterious Greek dressmaker with muse-like qualities. Unfortunately, Belle makes a rather awkward swan. Still, after a few embarrassing escapades, she masters the flirtatious language of the fan and takes the town known as Little London by storm. Belle soon finds herself falling for the viscount and his sinful mouth. It seems he returns her regard, but she can’t renege on her promise to humiliate him . . . can she? Will her secret muse grant the wish she voiced . . . or the one she holds in her heart? Note to readers: This title was originally published in 2003 by Zebra Ballad.
A Love by Any Measure
Killian McRae - 2011
An English lord. A love that overcomes all boundaries, but at what cost?Lord August Grayson, English landlord, has secretly, and much to the dismay of his father, held in reverence the object of his first fancy: poor Irish tenant Maeve O'Connor. Returning to the Ireland for the first time since his youth, August discovers that Maeve has grown into a woman of beauty and tenacity. August understands, however, that he could offer Maeve nothing but shame if her pursued her. But when circumstances allow him an opportunity to indulge his fancy, even if only in a limited scope, August finds himself unable to resist the temptation. Maeve,for her part, knows the danger falling for August holds, but finds her heart and her good senses becoming confused the longer she spends in his company. As two hearts become hopelessly entangled, both Maeve and August are forced to question the costs of their love. As consequences of their romance manifest, both struggle with the pain and difficulties their love causes, both for them and for their loved ones.Killian McRae's delve into historical romance will challenge reader's presumptions of the genre. A title garnering controversy due to McRae's preference towards historical truth versus genre-standard "love despite the realities of the day" perspectives, it asks at what cost winning love is justified. "A Love by Any Measure" is an exploration of a romance that strives to overcome divisions of cultural, socio-economic, and religious differences in an era where options for lovers in such situations were limited.
A Wicked Proposition
Karolyn Cairns - 2012
Her sister offers her condolences for the tragedy that has killed their parents and sanctuary, but little else in the way of help. The Earl has made plans to set aside his Countess and has petitioned for divorce. Scandalous and as unheard of as it is, Catherine realizes without Lord Iverleigh's help, her and her two young brothers are destitute.Her sister Lilly seems content to sit back and give Lord Iverleigh his way, but Catherine has other ideas. The shockingly wicked solution to end his plans of divorce and remarriage to his illustrious mistress gives Catherine the idea. Steal him away from the widow and spurn him, and give her sister the chance she needs to reconcile with her husband. But Gabriel is not the man Catherine was led to believe, and after enjoying his tender passions, she comes to see the man that he truly is.Honest and noble to a fault, the handsome nobleman Gabriel St. Armand has seen his share of heartache at the hands of his treacherous wife. He rescues the raven-haired beauty from life in a brothel, only to discover a woman who reignites his heart's desire. Determined now to be free of his Countess and to be with Catherine, he has no idea his steps to free himself further imperil them both.Nicholas Van Ryker is a smuggler and adventurer, and unlikely best friend to Gabriel. He obsesses over the green-eyed beauty his friend stole beneath his nose, determined to ignore the feelings she ignites within him. Gabriel asks him to follow his new mistress and divine her many secrets. Nicholas agrees, led by the memory of a stirring kiss shared in a quiet garden. He discovers Catherine is deceiving his friend and offers terms to keep his silence. He thinks one day with her spent in his bed will make him forget the lush beauty he cannot get from his mind.The Countess's game is in play. Lilly is not about to give up her place as Gabriel's wife. Determined and cunning, she has thought of everything to reach her goals, even sacrificing the sister who unknowingly aids her.From the smoke-filled boudoirs of London's most notorious brothel to the drawing rooms of the nobility, comes a tale of murder, blackmail, and unquenchable passions. On a windswept island a new love is born and is tested by the unseen ghosts of the past.Catherine is haunted by a love she cannot forget and a man who owns her soul. Forced to choose, she must follow her heart at last.
Intertwine
Nichole Van - 2014
It is a vast cosmic sea. Where each life exists as rippling circles on its surface, past and future being eternally present. And occasionally, one expanding ring intertwines with that of another, weaving the lives of two people together...In 2012, Emme Wilde can’t find the right guy. She wants to feel that swept-off-your-feet dizziness of true love. But so far, her dating life has come up short. Star Trek geek? Nice but too serious. Hippy artist? Cute but too vulnerable. Instead, Emme obsesses over the portrait of an unknown man in an old locket. Granted, a seriously dreamy guy with delicious, wind-swept hair she just itches to run her fingers through. But still. Dead men may be great listeners, but they are not exactly boyfriend material. Emme travels to England, determined to uncover his history and conquer the strong connection she feels.In 1812, James Knight has given up finding the right woman. All he wants is someone to share his love of adventure. Instead, his life has become a Shakespearean drama. His brother languishes in a tragic star-crossed romance. His beloved sister clings to life, slowly dying of consumption. But then he finds a beautiful mystery woman, dripping wet and half-dead, beneath a tree on his estate. Now if he can uncover her history, perhaps adventure—and romance—will find him at last.
A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong
Cecilia Grant - 2014
As his sister's impending marriage signals the inevitable drifting-apart of the Blackshear family, it's his last chance to give his siblings the sort of memorable, well-planned holiday their parents could never seem to provide.He has no time to dawdle, no time for nonsense, and certainly no time to drive the falconer's vexing, impulsive, lush-lipped, midnight-haired daughter to a house party before heading home. So why the devil did he agree to do just that?It couldn't be more deliciously mixed-up...Lucy Sharp has been waiting all her too-quiet life for an adventure, and she means to make the most of this one. She's going to enjoy the house party as no one has ever enjoyed a house party before, and in the meanwhile she's going to enjoy every minute in the company of amusingly stern, formidably proper, outrageously handsome Mr. Blackshear. Let him disapprove of her all he likes—it's not as though they'll see each other again after today....or will they? When a carriage mishap and a snowstorm strand the pair miles short of their destination, threatening them with scandal and jeopardizing all their Christmas plans, they'll have to work together to save the holiday from disaster. And along the way they just might learn that the best adventures are the ones you never would have thought to plan.
Mad for Love
Elizabeth Essex - 2016
Set a thief… Rory Cathcart’s appreciation of the exquisite makes him the perfect man to expose forgeries and root out fraud in London’s tempestuous art world. But when his latest investigation into forged paintings puts him squarely in Mignon du Blois’ shaky sights, he finds himself deep in trouble, and captured by something more powerful than mere beauty. To catch a thief… The moment Mignon stops a rakish thief from making off with one of her father’s brilliant forgeries, she knows she’s found the perfect man to help her steal back a priceless statue, and save her family from unspeakable scandal. She has no intention of falling for Rory’s Caledonian charms, nor his seductive Scottish persuasions. From the drawing rooms of the ton to the auction rooms of the art world, the pair embark on a madcap adventure to save them both from ruin. But will the love they uncover be most priceless treasure of all?
The Groom's Gamble
Jade Lee - 2014
Caroline Lyncott, great grandaughter of the Duke of Bucklynde, has a secret. Years ago she was attacked and still bears the terrible scars. To escape the scandal and the reminders, she left everything behind to become housekeeper to a Scottish brother and sister. Gregory Murray, the Earl Of Hartfell, has a secret as well – he harbors a deep attraction to his housekeeper, Mrs. Lyncott. He knows she has a past, but doesn’t know how to fix the pain that still haunts her. His investigation leads him to the darkest London gaming hell and a villain too powerful to destroy. Can his love overcome her desperate past? Can she risk her heart despite the evil that still haunts her nightmares?
Lady Pirate
Lynsay Sands - 2001
She no longer has to command his pirate band in a quest to regain his birthright. She has been named heir to Ainsley Castle. But no executor would ever hand over the estate to an unmarried pirate wench and her infamous crew—no matter to whom she'd been born. And the will distinctly states that in order to inherit, Valoree must be married to a nobleman...and pregnant.Upon learning that, the virgin captain is ready to return to the seas—but her crew has other ideas—and for those rascally cusses she would do anything. If they could find a way to put on her a sweet face that would fool the ton, she would handle the rest, even with a drunken prostitute as an "aunt" and her merry cutthroat crew as "servants." But to herself she swears one thing: she will only marry a man who fires her blood, a man who is not afraid of a...Lady Pirate.
The Highlander's Hope
Cali MacKay - 2012
Catriona Ross discovers clues to a long lost highland treasure, her only hope of finding the jewels is to obtain the help of Scotland's most eligible bachelor and playboy, Iain MacCraigh.Iain can't believe his luck when he finds out the jewels are hidden away somewhere on his land-- and it doesn't hurt that the historian looking for them has curves to go with her smarts. With his brother betting the family fortune, this is the life line he desperately needs.The odds are against them, and with word getting out about the jewels, they're not the only ones on the hunt. Time's running out, but can they learn to trust each other, or will they lose the jewels and true love in the process?
Secrets of Midnight
Miriam Minger - 1995
Instead, he finds himself banished to the English countryside of Cornwall, forced by the decrees of his father's will to run his family's tin mines and find a country bride. The very last thing the handsome lord needs is a local lass sticking her nose into his affairs, but that seems to be exactly what the parson's daughter, Corisande Easton, had in mind.
The Price of Innocence
Vicki Hopkins - 2009
The book is historical fiction, with romantic elements, set in 1878 Paris and London. The book is the first in a series of three entitled the Legacy Series.It is the tender story of Suzette Camille Rousseau, a young woman in late 19th century Paris, who makes a difficult journey from innocence to maturity. After losing a sheltered life with her father, Suzette is thrown into the harsh reality of poverty, struggling as a homeless woman on the streets of Paris. In order to survive, she faces difficult choices that offer little hope of redemption. Her journey takes her from the charities of St. Vincent de Paul, to a local laundry house where she toils endlessly in filth and squalor. To her surprise, one of her customers is the Chabanais, the most famous brothel in France that only caters to aristocrats. Like a fly drawn to a spider's web, the mistress of the brothel entices Suzette into a world of opulence, comfort, and beauty, but there is a price to pay -- her innocence. Succumbing to a life of prostitution, she meets a handsome English Lord who saves her from the unthinkable.
Portrait of Passion
Lynne Barron - 2013
Seduce the beguiling lady. But Miss Beatrice Morgan isn’t your average tarnished lady. She’s lived a slapdash life wandering the globe like a gypsy, painting fantastical portraits of duchesses and landscapes featuring a crumbling old fountain, all the while harboring a secret desire to return to the only home she’s ever known. Will Beatrice sacrifice her honor, her virtue, her very heart to reclaim Idyllwild? This book was previously published by the same title. While I have made minor revisions and given it a beautiful new cover and fresh edits, the story remains a spicy, sensual tale filled with all sorts of dallying, frolicking and even a hint of debauchery. And very little of the fun takes place behind closed doors.
Letter from a Rake
Sasha Cottman - 2013
Fearing humiliation and rejection, she decides the only sensible thing to do is take her pride and go home to India. Men like Alex do not fall for girls like her, whereas every girl loses her heart to Alexander the Great. Alex Radley, Marquess of Brooke, rules the ton like a god, but even gods are known to fall for mere mortals. With his wealth and title, wooing Millie should be an easy task. But when his passionate love letter to her goes astray, Alex’s life becomes more than a little complicated.Finalist 2014 Romantic Book of the Year. Winner Readers Choice ,Book Junkies Choice Awards 2013. Finalist 2013 ARRA Awards. Best Historical Romance, Best New Author
Educating Elizabeth
Kate Pearce - 2011
The duke agrees to teach her everything she needs to know, but in return expects to receive her unwitting cooperation to uncover an assassination plot against the monarchy. But Elizabeth is hard to deceive, and the duke finds himself needing more than her innocent skills in his bed. Together they must use their remarkable abilities, to thwart a villain, save the Prince Regent and accidentally and inevitably fall in love.
Lady Iona's Rebellion
Dorothy McFalls - 2010
Winning the very proper Lady Iona for a wife would go a long way to achieving that end.They found each other.The more Nathan tries to protect Lady Iona from running head-long into disgrace, the more he admires her daring spirit and unpredictable antics. Instead of returning her to the obedient world to which she was raised, he encourages her blossoming passions. Such a move is surely going to lead them both to ruin.But for love he is willing to risk everything.