Book picks similar to
A Love of Adventure by Joan Druett


historical-fiction
historical-romance
fiction
general-fiction

Voyage of the Heart


Soraya M. Lane - 2014
    As their love is tested, the one thing they can count on is the friendship they forged while crossing the Atlantic.Revised edition: Previously published as The War Bride Club, this edition of Voyage of the Heart includes editorial revisions.

Rare Objects


Kathleen Tessaro - 2016
    Clever, capable, and as headstrong as her red hair suggests, she’s determined to better herself despite the overwhelming hardships of the Great Depression.However, Maeve also has a dangerous fondness for strange men and bootleg gin—a rebellious appetite that soon finds her spiraling downward, leading a double life. When the strain proves too much, Maeve becomes an unwilling patient in a psychiatric hospital, where she strikes up a friendship with an enigmatic young woman, who, like Maeve, is unable or unwilling to control her un-lady-like desire for freedom.Once out, Maeve faces starting over again. Armed with a bottle of bleach and a few white lies, she lands a job at an eccentric antiques shop catering to Boston’s wealthiest and most peculiar collectors. Run by an elusive English archeologist, the shop is a haven of the obscure and incredible, providing rare artifacts as well as unique access to the world of America’s social elite. While delivering a purchase to the wealthy Van der Laar family, Maeve is introduced to beautiful socialite Diana Van der Laar—only to discover she’s the young woman from the hospital.Reunited with the charming but increasingly unstable Diana and pursued by her attractive brother James, Mae becomes more and more entwined with the Van der Laar family—a connection that pulls her into a world of moral ambiguity and deceit, and ultimately betrayal. Bewitched by their wealth and desperate to leave her past behind, Maeve is forced to unearth her true values and discover how far she’ll to go to reinvent herself.

Lady of Hay


Barbara Erskine - 1986
    Erskine's extraordinary romance has been translated into 17 languages and has sold well over a million copies worldwide.

Unmasked by a Captivating Lady


Henrietta Harding - 2019
    Although her mother won't stop pressuring Ara to think about eligible young men and marriage, she has vowed that she will never marry. But when she unexpectedly meets a handsome Duke, he ignites a fire inside her, in ways that she could never have imagined. Why is she suddenly thinking that marriage to the Duke might be just what she desires when she has always been so vehemently opposed to it?In London, Lord Miles Comerford, younger brother to the Duke of Lancaster, places a bet with his brother. He will pretend to be the Duke, to prove that all the young ladies are only attracted to his brother's title. Even though he has vowed that he will never let another woman touch his heart again, it is a good wager, and Miles is confident that he shall collect the winnings. But when the first young lady he meets is the delectable and fiery Miss Arabella Nott, he finds that the bet might be more of a liability than an asset...When his heart beats faster every time he thinks about her, will he be able to risk it all and reveal the truth?No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Passion's Tide


Sarah West - 2012
    And now, at twenty-three, she must book a safe passage from her home in colonial Boston, to England, to fulfill her mother's dying wish. There is no time to spare, and when her ship is boarded by pirates and she is taken captive by the infamous el Tigre, she is furious.Logan Jeffries is nothing less than shocked when his fiery prisoner challenges his every move. As the undefeated Captain of the Imperial Destiny, he suddenly has no idea how to react when this small woman becomes his greatest adversary. Tempers flare and emotions climb as they embark on a journey that carries them deeper and deeper into a world of adventure, danger, and passion. But when the time comes, will Amber be able to surrender her independence to the man who has captured her heart?

Captain Rockford's Reckoning


Susan Lodge - 2018
    But she is determined that the days of him interfering with her life are over. Destroying her chances of a happy future on his last visit, had resulted in her being foisted on her Aunt for a third pointless season in London. To alleviate the boredom of society life, Esmie helps run a discreet betting enterprise under the guise of a sewing club. But there are some things you just shouldn't wager on, and Esmie's integrity is soon put to a dangerous test. Richard Rockford had known Esmie almost all her life. As neighbours, her father, Admiral Elstone, had depended on Richard to keep an eye on his daughter when he was away at sea – a responsibility he had always taken on willingly. But her cruel and thoughtless actions, from the day he had left four years earlier, had shaken him. Now, he was back, and he wanted answers. But when Esmie tumbles into a treacherous conspiracy, can he really turn his back on her?

Rogue's Honor


Brenda Hiatt - 2001
    When she is rescued from the near-disaster of recognition by a charming serving-man, Pearl pretends to be simple-minded to safeguard herself from any unwanted advances. But soon she begins to suspect that her rescuer is far more than the common servant he seemed at first.Luke St. Clair lives a double life, pretending to be a gentleman while in reality sustaining himself and the needy as the notorious Robin Hood-type thief, the Saint of Seven Dials. The last thing he needs in his life is a beautiful simpleton in need of protection. But "Purdy" proves to be anything but simple-or common! Once he learns the truth, does he dare continue, in the ballrooms of the elite, the flirtation that began in the slums of London? The risk is enormous, but Lady Pearl's sweet kisses may just be worth it.

An Heirloom Christmas


Misty M. Beller - 2021
    Grab your hot chocolate and snuggly blanket and get ready to curl up for hours of reading about Christmases past with this romance collection from six of your favorite Christian fiction authors.A Mountain Christmas Romance by Misty M. BellerOpal Boyd learned long ago that most men can’t be trusted. But when a gruff mountain man on a desperate mission travels through her remote Wyoming mountain town, she can’t deny how Matthias Bjork’s loneliness touches her heart.When Matthias shares the magical experience of his family’s traditional Viking Yule celebration, Opal can’t help but fall a little bit in love… But when his search for his missing sister puts Opal in danger, Matthias must sacrifice everything to rescue her.Bundle of Joy by Robin Lee HatcherIn this sweet contemporary romance, Alicia Harris can’t bear to disappoint her grandfather by telling him she’s two months away from being a single mother—so she tells a white lie. But when Grandpa Roger drops in unexpectedly to spend the holidays with Alicia and her husband, Alicia needs to find a fill-in—fast. Childhood friend Joe Palermo fits the bill and is willing to play along. Still, the longer they spend playing pretend, the closer Alicia and Joe come to discovering what love, faith, and marriage truly mean.Christmas Bride by Linda FordJosh Kinsley thought he’d be eating a Christmas turkey with his family—not trapped and forced to work in a mine. He escapes along with beautiful Katie Webster, who was also captured by the band of outlaws.As Josh and Katie are forced to survive a cruel winter in the wilderness, they must learn to trust each other. But will their adventures help them admit their growing feelings or will the danger keep them apart?A Sugar Plum Christmas by Kari TrumboNadia has always been on the fringe of society. As a former prostitute, she knows what people think as they look at her. But is there a way to overcome their disdain? Or is she destined to be lonely forever? When Rock, her boss and owner of the Last Chance Saloon, issues a challenge she can’t refuse, she hopes her efforts will finally make a difference. The first person who accepts her is the one she least expected. Changing her life just might also mean…love.Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Susan May WarrenDottie Morgan, alone and bitter, would like nothing more than to hide and let the Christmas season pass her by.After serving as a mechanic in the Army’s motor pool, spinster Violet Hart has returned home to a community that doesn’t quite know what to do with her.Former soldier Jake Ramsey has been in love with Violet for years—about as long as he’s been keeping a secret that just might break her heart.And then there’s Gordon Lindholm, the farmer from across the field who harbors his own grief—and love—for the woman he can’t forget.When the blizzard of the decade traps Dottie in her home, along with Violet, Jake, Gordon and a wandering child in need of rescue, the strangers must band together to survive. And in doing so, they just might discover the magic of Christmas and a miracle that will heal all their hearts.A Cowboy for Christmas by Lacy WilliamsCowboy Ricky White has been running from his past for so long that he’s lost his way. When he hires on as a ranch hand for Daisy’s father, he believes he’s found his one chance to find redemption. But his secrets are looming and he’ll need a Christmas miracle to win the prickly Daisy’s heart—and maybe find his way home again.

Prize of My Heart


Lisa Norato - 2012
    Will His Love Endure Once He Learns Her Secret?Three years ago, Captain Brogan Talvis's late wife abandoned their son, leaving no clue as to the boy's whereabouts. After searching relentlessly, Brogan discovers his son was adopted by a New England shipbuilder. And the man's daughter, Lorena Huntley, acts as loving guardian to the child.Lorena, who hides a dark truth, finds herself falling for the handsome captain and ex-privateer who's come to secure ownership of one of her father's ships. She's unaware of Brogan's own secret when another's deceit has her sailing toward Europe against her will.Haunted by thoughts of Lorena in peril, Brogan is compelled to choose between the boy he longs for and the woman who has captured his heart.

The Scarlet Letter


Nathaniel Hawthorne - 1850
    The scarlet letter A (for adultery) she has to wear on her clothes, along with her public shaming, is her punishment for her sin and her secrecy. She struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.

Dark Rosaleen


Michael Nicholson - 2015
    Historically accurate, it is a story of murder and betrayal, of a failed rebellion, and the love of a national scandal.  Charles Trevelyan was Secretary of the Treasury, and Director of the Famine Relief Programme at a time when famine raged and antipathy in English politics towards the plight of those affected raged equally. Kathryn, Charles' daughter, likewise felt no sympathy until the very scale of the tragedy became apparent. Joining the underground, she preached insurrection, stole food for the starving, and became the lover of the leader of the rebellion. She became known as Dark Rosaleen, the heroine of banned nationalist poem, was branded as both traitor and cause celebré. This is her story.

Flowers in the Snow


Danielle Stewart - 2015
    She’s spent her life building a family that finally feels complete. But as sad news forces her to relive the darkest moments of her life, she decides to share the story with those she loves. Revealing the hard truth about growing up in the South during the 1960’s is difficult but necessary. She tells the tale of how an unlikely friendship shaped her into the woman she is today. Exposing her mistakes, her fears, and her impossibly difficult heart break, Betty strives to teach them all what it means to truly love.

Thirteen Moons


Charles Frazier - 2006
    Will is a bound boy, obliged to run a remote Indian trading post. As he fulfills his lonesome duty, Will finds a father in Bear, a Cherokee chief, and is adopted by him and his people, developing relationships that ultimately forge Will’s character. All the while, his love of Claire, the enigmatic and captivating charge of volatile and powerful Featherstone, will forever rule Will’s heart. In a voice filled with both humor and yearning, Will tells of a lifelong search for home, the hunger for fortune and adventure, the rebuilding of a trampled culture, and above all an enduring pursuit of passion.

Portrait of Stella


Susan Wüthrich - 2014
    Jemima Ashton is desperate to discover her real identity. With scant information and the burning question 'who am I?', she embarks on an incredible journey of detection. On learning of her late mother Stella's disappearance during WWII, she retraces her footsteps across the globe and at a distant vineyard, unearths a family she had no idea existed. While treading a path of narrow-minded bigotry, scandalous revelations emerge of two families inextricably linked by one woman and the drastic steps they took to hide the truth. ‘A powerful story of love and loss spanning two generations’ Frances di Plino - author of the Paolo Storey Crime Series

God Is an Englishman


R.F. Delderfield - 1970
    His struggle to succeed and his conquest of Henrietta, the spirited daughter of a rich manufacturer, drive a richly woven tale that takes the reader from the dusty plains of India to the teeming slums of nineteenth-century London, from the chaos of the great industrial cities to the age of the peaceful certainties of the English countryside. Filled with epic scenes and memorable characters, God is an Englishman triumphs in its portrayal of human strength and weakness, and in its revelations of the power of love.