Book picks similar to
An Unexpected Hero by Caroline Johnson


romance
historical-fiction
historical-romance
historical

A Lord's Bet of Desire


Meghan Sloan - 2020
    While working at the house of Norman Pembroke, the Duke of Bancroft, she has always dreamt of advancing her life from a humble maid to that of a governess. Despite knowing that this opportunity may never appear, her love for reading is enough to keep the dream alive. But little did she know that fate would bring an unforeseen twist that would make this dream a tangible reality... When Edward, the endearingly attractive brother of the Duke, comes to visit, the last thing she expected was to end up under his roof and away from the only place she's ever known. Laura will inevitably find herself seduced by his ravishing beauty, but will she allow herself to finally surrender to her burning desire for him?Edward Pembroke has always been the opposite of his brother. Being warm and dutiful himself, he was against his brother's love for gambling that was dwindling the Pembroke fortune every day. When he finally decides to confront him about his wayward habit, they both end up engaging in a fateful night of gambling, and Edward wins the prize of taking anything he wants with him. Without a second thought, he chooses Laura, as her fiery nature lightens a spark inside him. Once they move to his house, he can't help but be mesmerised by her every move, willing to do whatever it takes to possess her. Will he manage to turn this promising desire into an everlasting love?Laura and Edward's attraction is impossible to deny, but their evident class differences are threatening their undeniable lust. The more time they spend together, the more they lose their hearts and bodies to one another. Will their passionate connection prove strong enough to shatter the insurmountable obstacles? Or will their heated affair go down in flames before it even sets them on fire?"A Lord's Bet of Desire" is a historical romance novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Lady Hartley's Inheritance


Wendy Soliman - 2005
     Her godmother's son, Luc Deverill, the Earl of Newbury, suspects fraud. Thrown together during the social whirl of a Regency season in full swing, Luc is increasingly drawn towards Clarissa but she thinks him an idle dissipate and finds little to admire in the ways of high society. Racing against time to foil those seeking to deceive Clarissa, Luc is horrified when she places herself in the path of danger. At last a woman has dented his impenetrable heart and he rides to her rescue. But has he left it too late to tell her how he feels?

Second Dance


Elizabeth Johns - 2015
    When she accompanies her grandson and his new wife on trip to Italy, a chance encounter with a past love turns her world upside down. For over thirty years, Luca Faranese, Conte de Salerno, has tried to forget about the woman who stole his heart. Fate gives them a second chance, but will their love be enough to keep them together forever the second time?

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.

The Lady in the Emerald Mask


Hanna Hamilton - 2019
     When Miss Aurora Mitchell, second daughter of the Viscount of Backton, abandons the dance floor for some fresh air, she never expects to find herself alone with a charming stranger in a mysterious dark mask. Ethan Hart, Duke of Durston, is on a mission: discover the identity of the enchanting lady he met on the night of the ball. His trail leads him straight to Backton Manor and into Aurora’s waiting arms, certain that he has found everything he’s been looking for. It all starts with a Masquerade Ball and ends when the masks finally fall off, only for Ethan to realize that he has made a terrible mistake. Aurora was never the one he found and he’s been courting the wrong lady all along... *If you like a realistic yet charming depiction of the Regency and Victorian era, then The Lady in the Emerald Mask is the novel for you. This is Hanna Hamilton's 31st book, 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 Lady in the Emerald Mask" today to discover Hanna's amazing new story!

These Old Shades / Sprig Muslin / Sylvester / The Corinthian / The Convenient Marriage


Georgette Heyer - 1977
    Hilarious comedy, fast moving drama, romance spiced with wit and charm - Miss Heyer combines all this with the period conversation and manners she knows to perfection.These five books will give hours of entertainment and lasting pleasure.

Intriguing Lord Adelaide (Northcott Kinship)


Wendy May Andrews - 2021
    If only she could learn how to navigate society from one of her treasured textbooks. In the midst of her embarrassment, Amelia completely loses her senses and lies about a promised dance. Lucian is her brother’s friend. Surely, he will take pity on her, even if he has never looked twice.As the heir to the Earl of Everleigh, Lucian, Viscount Adelaide, cannot enlist as a soldier as he’d truly like to do. Instead, he secretly serves as an agent for the Home Office. To hide his true intentions, he must masquerade as a lazy gadabout. Discouraging the debutantes is another side benefit of the lie.Unfortunately, Amelia’s own mistruth jeopardizes Lucian’s mission and puts her in grave danger. His friendship with her brother is the only thing that prevents him from throttling her. It’s also one of the many reasons he cannot possibly have feelings for her.Intriguing Lord Adelaide is a sweet/clean Regency romance with no cliffhangers and a guaranteed happy ending.

Never Dare a Duke


Meara Platt - 2018
    In winning the dare, will she also lose her heart to the duke?

Hidden in the Heart


Beth Andrews - 2006
    High-spirited Lydia expects a very dull visit, but her sojourn to the village of Diddlington is not as idyllic as she anticipates . . .A charred and bludgeoned corpse is found in the woods, and suspicion falls on Lydia’s aunt’s suitor, an intriguing Frenchman. Convinced of his innocence, Lydia enlists the help of her new friend, John Savidge, to catch the real killer. But before their dangerous adventure ends there will be more than one unexpected discovery.

A Bet to Wed the Duke: Historical Regency Romance


Lisa Campell - 2020
    

The Isle of Mull Series Collection


Lily Baldwin - 2015
    Who will protect her from herself?Shoney's lightning speed with a bow captures Ronan by surprise, and their chance meeting ends with him lying unconscious at the bottom of a ravine.When he awakens, he cannot rid his mind of her startling beauty, her valor, or the secret fear he glimpsed in her steel eyes. He vows to find her, but as the mysteries of her identity unfold, his courage and heart are tested as never before.Highland Thunder, Book 2A STORM IS COMING...Although she faces tragic loss, Brenna will never succumb to grief or fear, nor will she surrender to the one man she despises--the very man who now has the power to control her destiny. Like the storms that rage unchecked over the moors, her fury is about to be unleashed.A HIDDEN LOVE...He does not look at her or speak to her, and most importantly, he does not touch her. These are the rules Duncan set for himself long ago to ensure his affection for his best friend's wife remained undetected. But under the weight of a land besieged by war, the walls he erected to shield his heart crumble.If he can earn her trust, the one woman he has always loved may at last be his. But first he must save what he cherishes most from a nightmare of dark secrets.To Love a Warrior, Book 3Destinies unfold. Secrets are revealed. The Isle of Mull will be forever changed.Half Highlander, half Viking, Garik MacKinnon was not born on the Scottish Isle of Mull, but fostered there in his youth. Now, he leaves behind his home, once more bound for Mull, to join the MacKinnon warriors as they answer Robert the Bruce's call to arms. He is ready for battle, eager to fight for Scotland's freedom. What he is not prepared for is his encounter with Nellore, a shield maiden from Mull, whose allure defies all reason.Nellore has the strength and skill of a warrior but the heart of a woman. When the men are called away to war Nellore must aid those left behind to safeguard their village against attacks from the MacLeans--a feuding clan to the south. She understands her duty to her clan. She is ready to take up arms against the enemy if need be. What she is not ready for is the ache that fills her heart when war pulls Garik from her side.Desire ignites and battles are waged as both Nellore and Garik learn what it means to love a warrior.

The Quality of Love


Rosie Harris - 2009
    Studying hard to please them, she earns a place at Cardiff University. Here she is swept off her feet by handsome Gwyn Roberts, but when she becomes pregnant her parents are devastated and turn her from their door. All Gwyn and Sarah can afford are two squalid rooms in the infamous slums of Cardiff and Sarah soon realises she's made a terrible mistake. Gwyn becomes increasingly distant and when the baby dies in infancy, he leaves Sarah with little choice but to fall on her parents' mercy. But just when Sarah is starting to pull her life back together again, she is drawn to the charms of Stefan Vaughan and finds herself in trouble once more...

The Duke's Inconvenient Bride


Eva Grace - 2018
    When one of the Duke's former lovers manipulates it so that Raff and Catherine are caught in a compromising situation the pair are forced into a hasty marriage of convenience, one that Catherine fears will end in disaster. Raff William James D'Alton, Sixth Duke of Albright had always been a huge admirer of wives --provided that they belonged to other men, of course. When his old love takes her revenge by forcing him into an unwanted marriage with a dowdy spinster, Raff vows that he will not let an inconvenient thing like a bride ruin his bachelor lifestyle. However, as time passes Raff and Catherine begin to realise that the sparks that fly between the pair have more to do with attraction than tension and that this inconvenient marriage might just have a happy ending --if only they'll allow it.

A Fateful Twist of Love


Aria Norton - 2020
    Seeking the truth, Emily finds herself travelling to England, comforted in the knowledge that her inheritance will allow her to live a pleasant life. Her world turns upside down though, when she finds out about the condition that dictates she needs to find a husband before her twenty-first birthday... Fate seems to be teasing her even further, as she soon finds her heart entrapped by the presence of a dashing lord. Will Emily manage to secure her fortune without risking her one chance at true love?Lord Maximillian Camborne is a strong and independent man. Despite appearing calm and collected on the surface, a dark secret is hidden behind the reason he's keeping everyone at distance. Rumours surrounding his wife's death and a curse upon his home in Cornwall have left him with little to be joyful of, but the arrival of a mysterious young lady might be exactly the salvation he's been looking for...Emily and Maximillian feel completely lost before their pathways meet, but they end up finding more than they dreamed of in each other's mesmerising gaze. Regardless of how unexpected their encounter is, the connection is instant and their feelings persist against all odds. With Emily hiding her real identity, though, and Maximilian concealing an even darker reality, could love stand a chance? Will they manage to defy the endless obstacles and rumours to reach the final destination of love?"A Fateful Twist of Love" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

The Two Farms


Mary E. Pearce - 1986
    Set in mid-nineteenth century Gloucestershire, a saga focusing on two farms and families who own them.