Book picks similar to
The Deserted Heart by Mary Lancaster


romance
historical-romance
historical
regency

The Thief Steals Her Earl


Christina McKnight
    What's a dutiful sister to do to save her loved ones from ruination? Why, steal a few items from an aristocrat's house--items he'll surely never miss--and sell them to pay her family's debts. Luckily for her, she meets Simon Montgomery, the new Earl of Cartwright, a recluse familiar with antiquities. He can help her keep her family from debtor's prison, and he might just claim her heart too. Except instead of stealing from Simon's neighbor, she breaks into the wrong house...Simon is determined to change the way the world sees his family, even if it means he can no longer pursue his dreams of being a scholar to take on his new title. When a thief breaks into his home and steals a precious family heirloom, he vows to get the item back. The last thing he expects is that the girl he met at a garden party is a thief! When Jude is discovered with his possessions, how will she ever convince him that despite her deception, her love for him is the truth?

Last Dance in London


Sydney Jane Baily - 2021
    Too bad for him, clever and impossibly desirable Julia Sudbury shows up in his bedroom.Like a shadow, Julia slips from Mayfair's ballrooms into the nobility's private chambers where nothing is more appealing than a spare piece of jewelry. Earrings, necklaces, and cravat pins, oh my!With Julia's bad behavior tarnishing his reputation in ways he'd never imagined, Jasper goes on the run to escape the brutal gossips shredding his family name.It's enough to make a cocky rake wish he were safely married! Who will tame whom?

Kisses and Rogues: Four Regency Stories


Anthea Lawson - 2012
    but she never suspects how delicious each kiss will be.MAID FOR SCANDALMiss Anna Harcourt disguises herself as a maid to be near the man she think she loves, but little does she know how far this charade will lead her ... or how close to scandal.THE PIANO TUTOR Encouraged by her scandalous friend to take a lover, Lady Diana Waverly finds that the new piano tutor is more than he seems - especially when it comes to passion.TO WED THE EARLMiss Miranda Price detests her neighbor Edward Havens, the rakish Earl of Edgerton--but when he catches her breaking into his library at midnight, secrets are revealed that will change the course of their lives... forever.

Duke of Knight


Elizabeth Johns - 2020
    Enjoy the extraordinary tale of four Knight brothers, and one little sister in the Gentlemen of Knights.Can a sharp-tongued governess become indispensable to a duke?Rowley Knight, Duke of Knighton, is too busy being a duke to bother with such nonsense as love. With three heirs, he is in no hurry whatsoever to succumb to the lures of the leg-shackles. He is content managing his siblings and estates, and avoiding Society whenever possible. If he can only find someone to manage his young sister, life can go back to its proper order.Emma Lancaster’s father gambled away her family’s fortune leaving her hopes for a respectable marriage shattered. Destitute and near desperate, she accepts a position as a governess to a young lady at the recommendation of her godmother. Little does she know that her charge is the brother of the man she despises. Can she humble herself to become his employee? Or will her temper get the best of her—and him?

Mistletoe Magic


Rose Pearson - 2019
    Her brother, the Earl of Allerton, has chosen a suitable gentleman but when Georgiana meets him, she finds him rude, arrogant, and selfish.Knowing it would be unwise to cry off, Georgiana tries to build a regard for Lord Poole, only to find her heart stolen by someone entirely unsuitable - Mr. Oliver Lowell, a wealthy financier from Boston. Whilst Mr. Lowell is treated with respect by society, Georgiana knows she cannot let him steal her heart. Yet Lord Poole is even worse than she expected.Aware that Mr. Lowell will return to America after Christmas, Georgiana cannot bear the thought that she will never see him again. But if she leaves with him, then the scandal will be so great that she can never return to England! And what will her betrothed, Lord Poole, do if he discovers she intends to cry off?Will Georgiana do what is expected or follow her heart?

Crumpets and Cowpies


Shanna Hatfield - 2015
    Forced to choose between poverty or marriage to the man, she travels across an ocean and America to build a future on his ranch in Oregon. Love a sweet romance with unforgettable characters? Give the Baker City Brides a try! Crumpets and Cowpies (Book 1) - Rancher Thane Jordan is about it meet his match in the lovely Lady Jemma Bryan. Winner of the Readers' Favorite Silver Award in Christian Fiction Thimbles and Thistles (Book 2) - Maggie Dalton doesn't need a man, especially not one as handsome as charming as Ian MacGregor. Corsets and Cuffs (Book 3) - Sheriff Tully Barrett meets his match when a pampered woman comes to town, catching his eye and capturing his heart. Scroll up and grab your copy today!

The Disastrous Courtship of Lady Grimvale


Patricia Haverton - 2020
    Α country that seems as foreign as the people that reside in it.Elijah Keaton, Earl of Grimvale, couldn't have been in more dire straits. Left to manage his late father's mounting debts, there's only one way to keep his Earldom from collapsing: find and marry a rich heiress. That is until he sets eyes upon a breathtaking lady he has never seen before.Thrown into a storm where nothing is dictated by them, Imogen and Elijah find solace in the one thing that seems to illuminate an otherwise bleak future: each other.Mysterious nighttime visitors keep knocking on his door, and Elijah receives an ominous message: he's living on borrowed time. A mission has been bestowed upon Imogen; a mission that was placed on her shoulders before she was even born...*If you like powerful Dukes, loving Duchesses and a marvelous depiction of the majestic Regency and Victorian era, then The Disastrous Courtship of Lady Grimvale is the novel for you.This is Patricia Haverton's 7th novel, a historical Regency romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a sweet happily ever after.Pick up "The Disastrous Courtship of Lady Grimvale" today to discover Patricia's captivating story!

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.

Temptations of a Mysterious Lady


Henrietta Harding - 2020
    However, things turn dangerously complicated when she meets the lavish Philip, and she soon finds herself unable to resist him, and the fierce desire that burns between them. How long can she hide herself from her fiancé and her father, who are both desperately looking for her? When her secret is revealed, will this growing romance be doomed forever?Philip Hoskins, the Duke of Bambury, is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. Philip knows that he must marry soon and he must marry well, but fate may have other plans for him. Even though he believes marriage is nothing but a business arrangement, when he meets the gorgeous Emma, his world instantly turns upside down. But he quickly realises that, even though they might be a match made in heaven, her public outbursts, her wild temper and the rumours that she's run away from her fiancé, are enough to destroy every possibility of having a happily ever after. Will he take all of his courage to face a peril that could destroy everything he has ever achieved in the name of all- consuming love?In the midst of their passionate love affair, Emma struggles with telling the truth of who she is. As her life of deception grows ever more tangled, and her feelings for Philip ever deeper, Charles Gregory, her fiancé, the most dangerous man she's ever known, is coming for her. He'll do whatever it takes to possess her and make her pay, for what she has done to him... Will she manage to run away from him once again, and find happiness in a dashing Duke's arms? After all, with such a difficult beginning, can Emma and Philip ever hope to trust one another, let alone find everlasting love?"Temptations of a Mysterious Lady" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

To Kiss A Rake


Barbara Monajem - 2015
    . . Melinda Starling doesn’t let ladylike behavior get in the way of true love. She’s secretly assisting in an elopement . . . until she’s tossed into the waiting coach and driven away by a notorious rake. REVENGE REALLY DOESN’T PAY. Miles Warren, Lord Garrison, comes from a family of libertines, and he’s the worst of them all—or so society believes. When Miles helps a friend to run away with an heiress, it’s an entertaining way to revenge himself on one of the gossips who slandered him. Except that he drives off with the wrong woman . . . and as if that wasn’t scandalous enough, he can’t resist stealing a kiss.

The Viscount and the Vixen


Ava Devlin - 2019
    Though she has resigned herself to a spinster's life in service of her family, she has agreed to return for one final Season, to ensure her beloved cousin has the perfect debut. When it is revealed that there will be no debut at all, but rather a hasty marriage to a wealthy viscount, Rose is tasked with managing the explosive fallout within her family, and rescuing her cousin from a life she does not want. A Venerable Viscount Lord Gideon Somers has dedicated his life to rebuilding his family's honor, often at the expense of his own happiness. When his wild little sister finds herself compromised out of wedlock, he must find a way to mitigate the damage. An old marriage contract, engineered by his drunken wastrel of a father, might be the only way to save House Somers from ruin. What he didn't foresee was the involvement of Rose d’Aubrey, a favorite of the gossip sheets and the only woman he's ever truly wanted. Scandals Upon Scandals An unwilling bride, an explosive secret, and an unresolved infatuation drive Gideon to his breaking point. No longer able to deny his desires, he strikes a devil’s bargain with Rose, a proposition that will change both of their lives forever. A mad flight under the cover of darkness sends them racing toward elopement and the unknown. Thrown together, away from the demands of their families and the judgmental eyes of Society, Rose and Gideon find themselves with no one's wants to consider but their own. Years of restraint are tested, secrets unravel, and temptation burns hot in this steamy adventure of duty and desire. The Viscount and the Vixen is Ava Devlin’s debut novel, and the first installment in The Somerton Scandals series.

The Stranger She Married


Donna Hatch - 2008
    Desperate to save her family from debtor's prison, Alicia vows to marry the first wealthy man to propose. She meets the dashing Lord Amesbury, and her heart whispers that this is the man she is destined to love, but his tainted past may forever stand in their way. Her choices in potential husbands narrow to either a scarred cripple with the heart of a poet, or a handsome rake with a deadly secret.Cole Amesbury is tormented by his own ghosts, and believes he is beyond redemption, yet he cannot deny his attraction for the girl whose genuine goodness touches the heart he'd thought long dead. He fears the scars in his soul cut so deeply that he may never be able to offer Alicia a love that is true.When yet another bizarre mishap threatens her life, Alicia suspects the seemingly unrelated accidents that have plagued her loved ones are actually a killer's attempt to exterminate every member of her family. Despite the threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger to her heart.

Never Play with a Rakish Duke


Emily Honeyfield - 2020
    What she wishes for is a gentleman of staid propriety, who can take care of her and provide her with a life full of love and passion. But, when a devilish Duke puts in an offer for her hand in marriage, she is forced to reconsider her position entirely. The prospect fills Isabella with horror as the rumours of the Duke's wicked past run wild; rumours that have been the fodder of society gossip for years...How can her father just hand her over to such a rake? When she gets to know his real self, will she be able to lay aside her doubts for a chance at love?Jasper Blackbourne's life turned upside down when his childhood best friend and his mother died one after the other. With his life shattered into a million pieces, he took these losses to heart and has never been the same ever since. No matter how hard his father tried, he could barely manage to keep public opinion in his favor. Jasper knows he has no choice but to give up his life as a bachelor and settle for something less than a passionate affair. But when he finds out he is about to marry a very seductive young Lady, he finds himself trapped in a painful dilemma. Could this fiery Lady be the salvation he has been looking for? Or will he be condemned to live in pain forever?As Isabella gets to discover the most magnetic man she has ever met, she is petrified that her heart could be fooled. Even though he makes her blood run like fire whenever he touches her, it takes time to see his old ways slowly turning into love and affection. Can she ever hope to win his trust, along with his heart? Or are they doomed to a life of perpetual longing?

Addicted to a Rascal Duke


Scarlett Osborne - 2019
    Fate finally shows her a better path when she catches the dashing Duke of Bersard's fiery eye… While assuming his duties as the new Duke of Bersard, Wesley Fifett comes across something unexpected but also disturbing: his father’s will. Forced to take a wife within a year, he keeps it a secret from the ravishing Lady Sophia, who has made a home for herself both in his thoughts and his heart. But rumor travels fast... Desperate to keep Lady Sophia from slipping through his fingers, Wesley's trail leads him to a baffling place. Back to the beginning, where it all started. His father's will, that just might be the key to unraveling a ploy that reaches deeper than his own familial roots...

Devoted to the Duke


Alexa Aston - 2019
    Clair series has arrived. A lady with a dark secret refuses to marry the man of her dreams in order to protect him... but will he let her?After returning to London from his Grand Tour, serious-minded Jeremy St. Clair, the Marquess of Sather, attends a ball and meets a luminescent beauty who draws him out of his shell. They share a searing kiss—her first—and though he never planned to wed, Jeremy desires to make this young woman his.But his life takes an unexpected turn when he leaves her that night.With his father’s death, Jeremy becomes the new Duke of Everton, and learns the former duke has left the St. Clair family almost penniless. Jeremy spends five years restoring the family fortunes but yearning for the auburn-haired beauty who understood him like no other before. One night with her was all he needed to remember her forever.Lady Catherine Crawford has been inundated with offers of marriage and hasn’t cared for any of her suitors. She longs for love, seeing how devoted her parents are to one another. When she meets Lord Sather, she believes they are meant to be together. Yet her world collapses that night in a horrific carriage accident, killing her mother and seriously injuring both Catherine and her father. She retreats to their country estate and, once healed, cares for her father and mothers her younger sister, Leah. But she's never forgotten about Lord Sather... and their kiss.When Jeremy and Catherine meet years later, the sparks are still present—though Catherine has recently learned a dark secret about her past, making it impossible to wed Jeremy without ruining his reputation. Through a misunderstanding, the ton believes them to be engaged and she goes along with the engagement, hoping to find a way to break it.Will Catherine’s secret be revealed—and will Jeremy accept her if it becomes public knowledge?Heartbreak is in their stars... or salvation.Each book in The St. Clairs Trilogy is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.