Book picks similar to
Pearl of the Orient by Christopher Nicole


book-added
historical-fiction
japanese-centric
ng

The Sword Master


I.J. Parker - 2012
    Even the selfless physician who saves him cannot soften the boy's hardened spirit. Angry with the world and desiring vengeance against those who caused his parents' suicides, Hachiro feels rejection almost everywhere and reacts in kind. This anger he forges into an amazing skill with a sword. He becomes the most famous swordsman in the city. Many deaths are due to Hachiro’s reputation, until he seeks solitude and redemption by leaving the capital.The love of women proves even less kind than the cut of a sword. His obsession with a forbidden passion forces Hachiro to join the war between two powerful clans where he finds another dangerous woman and treachery.When at last he returns home, he finds Kyoto in ruin and his beloved master dead. In the midst of the tragedy of this ravaged city, he discovers his redemption, something he had given up hoping for. But first he must face the danger of losing all when a secret enemy sets his trap.

Samuel Pepys and the Stolen Diary


M.J. Lee - 2016
     Samuel Pepys has been keeping a diary for many years; a diary that tells of all the political shenanigans he is witness to at the court of King Charles Stuart. And of all his own marital indiscretions as well. And now it has been stolen, along with his wife’s favourite locket. Samuel must get it back, or he might lose his head in the Tower. He will certainly lose his wife, who thinks he’s given her locket to his latest mistress. Enlisting the help of his friend Will Hewer, they track the locket to a fence in London, who tells them who stole it for a fee. Necklace in his pocket, Will and Samuel make their way to the young thief’s home, only to find him dead in a chair, with a curious button clasped in his hand. Will spies a man fleeing the home and gives chase, only to run into a one-armed man who steals the locket. Things are looking pretty grim, when Samuel is summoned to see the King. It seems some skulduggery is a foot in the Chatham dockyards, and King Charles sends Samuel to investigate. Leaving Will behind to find the diary, he sets off with his brother in law, Balthazar ‘Balty’ St Michel, hoping he will learn the gossip from the locals, if he stays sober long enough. No such luck… Balty soon disappears and Samuel is curious as to why so many armed guards follow him wherever he goes. Then they both end up locked in a cellar, and the only way out is to start a fire. Samuel Pepys and the Stolen Diary is a laugh out loud romp through the filthy streets of London, where hackney drivers boast of having the best seats for a hangin’ and the poet laureate Dryden rewrites his plays for the highest bidder. Filled with historical colour and clever plot turns, you’ll be cheering for Samuel and Will well after the last page is turned. Martin Lee has spent most of his adult life writing in one form or another. As a University researcher in history, he wrote pages of notes on reams of obscure topics. As a social worker with Vietnamese refugees, he wrote memoranda. And, as the creative director of an advertising agency, he has written print and press ads, TV commercials, short films and innumerable backs of cornflake packets and hotel websites. He first encountered Samuel Pepys when an auntie gave him an edited version of the diaries when he was fifteen years old. The man and his world have remained an obsession ever since. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.

The Mad Heiress Meets the Duke


Isabella Thorne - 2016
    Nearly a decade ago, when her fiance jilted her, she threw herself down the stairs in a fit of passion, or maybe it was a parapet or perhaps a cliff. The Ton isn’t too sure, but they certainly won’t forgive nor let her forget. Georgette is sure she will never love again, and she hasn’t. Now she is companion to her young cousin and chaperoning her coming out. She has no prospects herself. She only needs a moment to catch her breath, to push away the unhappy thoughts of her own coming out. Georgette walks alone into the garden. She smells cigar smoke and realizes there is a man out here. He is unfamiliar and since she is not introduced, she turns to leave. Not wanting to disturb him, because she knows he will put out his smoke in deference to her, she hurries away, but it is too late. He has seen her and knows her.Meet Charles, Duke of Eversley, Miss Quinby’s long ago fiancé’s dear friend and erstwhile British spy in the continuing war with France. It was the Duke’s waspish younger sister who caught Miss Quinby’s fiancé and married him. Georgette certainly didn’t want to open that wound. Neither did the duke, but a cipher in a potted plant, an English traitor, a young gambler and star-crossed lovers pull the jaded couple together. From the ballrooms of the English Aristocracy to ices at Vauxhall to gambling hells, and secret meetings at the British Museum, they will dare much for king and country. They find a common friendship, but both swear they will never love again…but will they?

The Whitechapel Girl


Gilda O'Neill - 1994
    As her mother sinks deeper into alcoholism, the violent lodger with whom they share their one-room slum has been turning his attentions to Ettie, and she can’t stand it any longer. So when debonair Professor Jacob Protsky picks Ettie out of the crowd at a penny gaff, she is determined to seize her chance. Despite the warnings of her friends, Ettie goes to live with Protsky in Bow, assisting him with his skilful brand of spiritual clairvoyance. But when Ettie befriends Celia Tressing, she soon finds herself increasingly worried by events down the road in Whitechapel. A series of gruesome murders and whispers of a man called ‘Jack the Ripper’ have shaken even that resilient community, and outsiders like Protsky are prime suspects… An East End drama perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Sheila Newberry.

Goodbye to Ribbons


W.S. Ishida - 2020
     Shy country girl, Rosie, only wants one thing ~ which is to be exactly like her well-loved mother. That is until the truth begins to emerge and her dream threatens to become her inescapable destiny. Upon discovering a family secret, Rosie finds herself drawn into a world of deceit and betrayal, and soon faces the decisions of how many morals she is willing to sacrifice, how much cruelty she is willing to tolerate, and how many lies she is willing to tell to prevent her family from being torn apart. Reaching her lowest ebb, whilst training at the local hospital, the confident and brash Teddy Miller falls off the back of a motorbike and into her life. Teddy proves to be the only person who is willing to stand up for Rosie, but being a slave to his emotions it seems he loves her too much to be the saviour she so desperately craves. Rosie's struggles continue as she lives a paradoxical double-life. Domestically she’s a timid mouse under the constant shadow of her tormentors. Yet, in her work life, she excels in whatever she sets her mind to, from a hardworking trainee nurse to a machine operative in a male-only working environment, where she not only defies the gender conventions of the times but turns them on their head. However, as her domestic struggles weigh heavy upon her, they begin to seep into her professional life and threaten to undo everything she was worked so hard to achieve. As she loses her delicate grip on her true identity, she begins to slide down the slope of despair. And so begins a seemingly endless journey to set herself free

Okefenokee Rifles


R.O. Lane - 2021
    

The Ravished Rose


Suzanne Quill - 2016
    Instead, she is brutally attacked, forcing her to flee London and abandon her hopes for the future. Allan Ridgefield, Earl of Ridgecrest, no longer has a need for love, having had his heart crushed two days before his wedding when his childhood sweetheart fell from her horse and died. Ten years later, he desperately seeks a marriage of convenience in order to meet the terms of his father’s will and retain his estates and title.

Rawlins, No Longer Young


Rick DeStefanis - 2018
    Virgil Rawlins is left without family or friends as he is swept into the maelstrom that encompasses the last years of the American Civil War. Lost in a world of brutality and inhumanity, the teenaged Rawlins matures—as did many of the Wild West’s first outlaws—with revenge and hatred as his only motivations. He heads westward before the war’s end, making his way to the town of Independence and the Oregon Trail, but along the way he meets the remarkably beautiful Sarah McCaskey and learns that the rights and wrongs in his life cannot be defined simply as blue and gray.When Sarah tells Rawlins of her loss to Confederate guerrilla Bloody Bill Anderson, Rawlins begins to question his own assumptions. Joining a wagon train as a hunter/scout, he heads westward into the raging Indian War of 1865. Along the way he earns a reputation as a well-respected fighter, and he must finally decide what kind of man he will be—outlaw, lawman, or perhaps, neither.Rawlins, No Longer Young is guaranteed to stir debate and enlighten readers with the experiences of these turbulent years as seen through the eyes of a young Confederate soldier.

Leaves


John Simmons - 2015
    Was this a clamouring for entry into houses or lives? Looking on then, looking back now, I wish I could have been more definite. It might have made me a different, better person, a player not a spectator." Ophelia Street, 1970. A street like any other, a community that lives and breathes together as people struggle with their commitments and pursue their dreams. It is a world we recognise, a world where class and gender divide, where set roles are acknowledged. But what happens when individuals step outside those roles, when they secretly covet, express desire, pursue ambitions even harm and destroy? An observer in the midst of Ophelia Street watches, writes, imagines, remembers, charting the lives and loves of his neighbours over the course of four seasons. And we see the flimsily disguised underbelly of urban life revealed in all its challenging glory. As the leaves turn from vibrant green to vivid gold, so lives turn and change too, laying bare the truth of the community. Perhaps, ultimately, we all exist on Ophelia Street.

The Travelers: Book 2


Lee Hunnicutt - 2018
    Jack, Sonny and Beth are transported back to the ancient Indian burial cave in the jungles of the 1970s Panama Canal Zone. After spending time in the Canal Zone, they return to 1875 San Francisco and reunite with Anne. They visit China Town where they meet an interesting and powerful Chinese gentleman and are introduced to the warfare between the triads and the tongs.They find their lives are in danger from an old enemy. They decide it is better if they leave San Francisco and visit the Cheyenne. From there they travel to New York and witness first hand the cutthroat world of New York high society and then on to England where they are introduced to British society by none other than Prince Edward himself.

The Commandant’s Dog: A WW2 Historical Novel, Based on a True Story of a Jewish Holocaust Survivor


Shmuel David - 2021
    

Everybody's Somebody (The Jackson Family Saga, #1)


Beryl Kingston - 2017
    Whether it’s finding work or challenging injustice, Rosie squares her shoulders, sets her chin high and faces it full on. Born at the end of the nineteenth century, in the rural south of England and sent into service aged just twelve, Rosie quickly discovers that many good people spend their lives toiling for very little reward, whilst others ‘have it all’. She decides it won’t be like that for her. Why can’t she ride in a car? Why can’t she work when she’s pregnant? Why can’t she live in a nice flat? Why can’t she be an artist’s model? Whilst working as a housekeeper for two upper-class boys, Rosie starts to learn more and more about the world, gleaned from overheard conversations and newspapers left lying around. This triggers an ongoing thirst for knowledge, which shapes her views, informs her decisions and influences her future. Rosie aspires to have a better life than that of her parents: better living conditions, better working conditions and pay, better education for her children, to be able to vote, to be able to control how many children she has… Without realising it, this young woman is blazing a trail for all those who are to come after. Whilst working in London, Rosie meets her sweetheart Jim, but the The Great War puts paid to their plans for the future, and matters worsen afterwards, as she, along with the rest of society, tries to deal with the horrors and losses. This heart-warming story follows the events of the early twentieth century – the impact and horrors of WW1, the financial crisis and the rapid social and political changes that took place. All that remains of Rosie now is a quartet of paintings in an art gallery. The artist, now famous but the model, unnamed and forgotten; nobody of consequence. But everybody has a life story. Everybody leaves some kind of mark on this world. Everybody’s somebody. Praise for Everybody's Somebody ‘…see history unfold through the fierce and caring eyes of a woman in love' - Emily Murdoch 'In Everybody’s Somebody, Rosie’s colourful life is captured in a series of paintings, with Beryl Kingston applying the masterly brush strokes with her usual artistry and heart-warming style.' Danielle Shaw, author of Love and Sacrifice 'An interesting and informative historical novel with a fabulously feisty heroine. War, love, loss, class struggles, this great read has so much to offer!' Faith Bleasdale, author of Pinstripes Praise for Beryl Kingston “Beryl Kingston understands how to weave dialogue, character, theme and a thumping love affair into unity” – The Sunday Times ‘A new novel by the warm and observant Beryl Kingston is not to be missed. Each one is special’ - Elizabeth Buchan, bestselling author of The New Mrs Clifton Beryl Kingston was born in Tooting in 1931 and was evacuated during the war. She studied at King’s College London, qualified as a teacher and headed an English department. She was been a published author since 1980 and is a self-confessed ‘political animal’, taking part in street demonstrations and protests. She was also a beauty queen in 1947!

Surrendering to Her Enigmatic Eyes


Abigail Agar - 2019
    However, she is about to find out that this is not her only problem... She will soon discover that her father has left behind startling news: Honeyfield Manor, the grand country estate where she lived all her life, has been left to a stranger, the son of an old friend of the Earls'. While she's waiting for the heir's arrival, an unknown man appears uninvited in her home, claiming that the heir is gone. Can she really trust the courageous, charming stranger? Or will her attraction to him end up being her weakness?Matthew Grove has recently lost his mother. He has no other choice than starting anew in London, penniless and bitter. Although his initial intention is to attend to a new business, a meeting with a gentleman, and a coach accident leads him to an entirely different direction. Matthew will be bound to deliver terrible news to a lady he has never met. And even though he knows that he should never dare to dream that a fine lady like her could ever consider him a suitor, his feelings for his new mistress will grow day by day. Can these two heal their wounded hearts, together, in spite of the divide in class and wealth?A terrible accident has brought Caroline and Matthew together, but when fate brings another shocking twist, it seems that they are destined to be apart. Can Matthew protect Caroline from the new threat in her life, solve the mystery, and expose the truth? Or will he be forced to leave the lady of Honeyfield Manor to her fate... forever?

A Mistletoe Match for the White Duchess


Patricia Haverton - 2019
     Having grown up in the shadow of her glamorous cousin, she has resigned herself to a life of solitude. Until she attracts the attention of someone she’d never dare dream of. For Jonathan Allen, Duke of Ekhard, being back in England means the resurgence of painful memories. When a Christmas ball finds him dancing with his best friend’s sister he realizes not only that his wounds are still fresh, but also that he is undeniably attracted to her. After a riding accident leaves Isolde injured, Jonathan comes to a startling conclusion: the thought of losing her is too much to bear. When her father announces her betrothal to his business partner, Isolde is left with a terrible choice: marry him or see her whole family ruined. And then, the fates deliver the final blow in the form of a terrible rumor: Jonathan has been playing her for a fool all along... *If you like powerful Dukes, loving Duchesses and a marvelous depiction of the majestic Regency and Victorian era, then A Mistletoe Match for the White Duchess is the novel for you. This is Patricia Haverton's 4th 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 "A Mistletoe Match for the White Duchess" today to discover Patricia's captivating story!

Survival


Andrew Frediani - 2016
    Revenge has armed his hand. His name is Octavian. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane.Though little more than a boy, Cesar's heir is determined to avenge his adoptive father, despite the imposing figures from Rome's long political history who stand in his way: Mark Antony, Cicero, Lepidus, Brutus and Cassius. Despite some initial failures, Octavian does not give in, and gathers about him a group of allies who are just as determined as he himself: Maecenas, Agrippa and Rufus. With them and a few others on his side, he forms a sect dedicated to vengeance, with the aim of punishing, one by one, all those who have Caesar's blood on their hands.Octavian has resolved to overturn the established order, and to finish what Caesar had begun...