Book picks similar to
Second Chances by Tess St. John


regency
historical
romance
historical-fiction

A Debt Paid in Marriage


Georgie Lee - 2015
    A marriage of convenience may be Laura's chance to reclaim her future, but she won't settle for anything less than true passion. Can she hope to find it in Philip's arms?

His Wayward Duchess (The Lady Adventuress, #1)


Daphne du Bois - 2014
    Who better to help him set the crumbling estate to rights? But Miss Millforte is much more than Sylvester, or even she herself, could ever imagine! When Holly turns the tables on him, charming London society and stealing his heart into the bargain, can their marriage take a most inconvenient turn towards love instead? An old-fashioned comedy of manners in which adventure, blackmail, rakish cousins and true love abound…

Code of Honor


Andrea Pickens - 1998
    Until she meets the most notorious rake in London, the Earl of Branford, who seems determined to win her favors by any means. Bored and restless, Branford has accepted a wager: seduce Miss Alexandra Chilton. Unaware that Alexandra is an Innocent—and that he's being used as a pawn in a nefarious game—Branford is surprised when Alexandra challenges both his intellect and jaded heart. Passion flares, scandal threatens, and suddenly it's no longer a game, as a cunning enemy seeks to destroy their blossoming love.

An Earl Like No Other


Wilma Counts - 2014
    Determined and desperate, she has no option but to take the guise of a housekeeper and escape to Yorkshire where the only hope is the enigmatic Earl of Kenrick… …LOVE SAVED THE DAY In all his years spent roaming the world, Jeremy Chilton never braced himself for the burden of a much-damaged inheritance. Now, the new Earl of Kenrick must save his family legacy and raise his motherless young daughter as a proper English lady. His only salvation is his beautiful housekeeper, Kate. But as her secrets unravel, much that is puzzling about her falls into place. No wonder the Earl has caught himself imagining her more wife than employee. Clearly she belongs at Kenrick—safe in his arms. Now, if only he can convince her to agree…100,000 Words

Larken


S.G. Rogers - 2014
    Four years later, however, her life is far from fortunate. Because of her emotional and physical scars, she believes she’s un-marriageable. With little hope for the future, she agrees to wed a gentleman she’s never met. Unfortunately, his aloof manner proves difficult to take. Marked by romantic tragedy and the loss of his brother, Brandon King has forsworn marriage. Obliged to take in a ward, he advertises for a mail-order bride to raise the boy. Since the union is to be a marriage in name only, his criteria are youthful age, a certain level of intellect, good breeding, and that the girl shouldn’t be so ill-favored she would embarrass him in society. To his dismay, he gets more than he’d bargained for. Will it take a miracle for Mr. and Mrs. King to fall in love, or is their marriage another accident waiting to happen?

Secrets to a Gentleman's Heart


Samantha Grace - 2015
    It seems every scoundrel in London is trying to seduce her right under the nose of her nearly blind and beloved great aunt. Fortunately, her eccentric uncle taught her an ancient warrior art for just these circumstances, and she is adequately equipped to defend her virtue. Protecting her heart is another matter. When a down-and-out thief accidentally knocks himself unconscious at Wedmore House, Regina takes pity on him and becomes his nursemaid. But her patient is no ordinary thief, and Regina is woefully unprepared to defend herself against the charms of the handsome stranger. New Orleans gadabout Xavier Vistoire made a powerful enemy during his stay in London two years ago, and he has been paying for it ever since. Imprisoned at a remote farmhouse with nothing but a burly guard with a childlike innocence and a love for pickled beets for companionship, Xavier jumps at the chance to earn his freedom. All he must do is break into an earl’s house and steal a map, which should be easy when the only male servant has resigned and the ladies of the house are attending a ball. But complications arise when he surprises a goddess during her bath and her little dog causes him to fall down the stairs. He wakes to find he has a beautiful new gaoler, and nothing about his situation is easy except falling head over heels for Miss Darlington.

After the Storm


Claudy Conn - 1976
    How can she, when her childhood sweetheart was one of the countless killed at Waterloo?So when the Earl of Danfield proposes a marriage of convenience, it seems the perfect solution. He will secure his inheritance, and she will be spared the necessity of being paraded in society, forced to dance and flirt and do all the things her broken heart cannot do. His proposal will give her what she wants most. Peace. But peace is the last thing she finds in her marriage. Her growing attraction to the earl brings with it guilt that she’s betraying her beloved Johnny. Her mother-in-law considers her an interloper. Her husband’s former lover makes it clear she doesn’t want it to be former. And when a supposed prank nearly kills her, Jenny has to wonder—now that the earl’s inheritance is assured, has she become an inconvenience to be eliminated?**note: this is an updated version of an earlier novel written as Claudette Williams. The updated versions of Claudy's Claudette Williams titles are more sexually explicit than the original versions.

A Christmas Charade


Karla Hocker - 1991
    Elizabeth Gore-Langton was hardly in a position to refuse to accompany Lady Astley to the Christmas party at Stenton Castle. After all, a paid companion must follow her employer's wishes. It scarcely mattered that Elizabeth would be forced to face the man who had unknowingly broken her heart years ago during her first season. Most likely, the Duke of Stenton wouldn't even recognize her. But once she looked up into his dark, piercing eyes, she knew this was a man who forgot very little and forgave even less. Well, she was no longer a blushing schoolgirl, and the dashing duke would soon find that a broken heart, once mended, could be formidable, indeed! Clive Rowland, Fifth Duke of Stenton, was in no mood for a holiday gathering. But the Christmas gala would provide the perfect cover as he investigated reports that French agents were doing a brisk trade in stolen documents along the Sussex coast. It would be devilishly difficult to play the host while tracking down traitors, but Clive was up to the task—provided he kept his wits about him and didn't get distracted by yule logs and Christmas folderol… or the delightful charms of the disturbingly familiar Elizabeth. She was hiding something, to be sure, and Clive liked nothing better than unveiling a lady's secrets!

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.

The Marriage List


Dorothy McFalls - 2005
    Humble tenant May Sheffers meets none of these, so why does his heart beat madly at the sight of her?

Lord Grenville's Choice


G.G. Vandagriff - 2014
    Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s father brokered her marriage to another. Fancying himself broken-hearted, Alex consented to a loveless union with Lady Felicity, daughter of wealthy Lord Morecombe.Five years into his marriage, his first love is widowed, and Alex’s wife seems to believe he will waste no time making Lady Elizabeth his mistress. As Felicity chooses to live apart from him, a surprisingly difficult choice is thrust upon Alex. Whom does he truly desire—the ethereal Elizabeth or the maddening Felicity?

Lord Livesey's Bluestocking: A Regency Romance


Audrey Harrison - 2018
    He needs a wife for his motherless children. Surely nothing would go amiss in their quest to find true love? Miss Phoebe Westbrook wishes she was anywhere other than at Lord Livesey's House Party. Family loyalty and duty forced her to accept the invitation. When she overhears Lord Livesey's opinion of her, she knows he wishes her as far away from him as she does. Determined to make the most of his library whilst visiting, she soon finds herself being drawn into the lives of Lord Livesey and his children, whether she likes it or not...Lord Livesey has lived a lie. His marriage was not the love match everyone presumed. His children are strangers to him. After the death of his wife, he hid from the world. Persuaded to host a house party in which he's now trapped he scorns the women in attendance. After dismissing Phoebe cruelly, it seems that a future with her may be just the thing he's looking for...An unconventional marriage proposal causes everything to be called into question. Misplaced values and hidden emotions will test any chance of a relationship they might have. Both will face hurdles they never anticipated but one thing's for sure - life won't ever be the same again....Lord Livesey's Bluestocking is a Regency romance topped with a generous dose of humour, action, and tears. If you like simmering chemistry, troubled heroes, and feisty women, then you'll love Audrey Harrison's Regency tale.

More Than a Stranger


Erin Knightley - 2012
    Her letters kept him going—until the day he had to leave everything behind. Years later, Benedict has seen his share of betrayal, but when treachery hits close to home, he turns to his old friend for safe haven…. After five torturous years on the marriage circuit, Lady Evelyn Moore is finally free to live her life as she wishes. So when her brother shows up with a dashing stranger, she finds herself torn between her dreams...and newfound desires. Despite his determination to keep Evie at a distance, Benedict cannot deny the attraction that began with a secret correspondence. Yet as they begin to discover one another, the dangers of Benedict’s world find them, threatening their lives, their love, and everything they thought they could never have…

Bride for the Sake of Duty


Bridget Barton - 2020
    To make matters worse, her new husband leaves right after their nuptials on his first trip overseas. After two years of loneliness, Miles returns and he’s even more handsome than she remembers, but he still remains a complete stranger to her. Could she ever grow feelings for him after all this time? Will she eventually get the one thing she has always dreamt of?Miles Fitzroy craves adventure but he has to get wed to honour his father’s wishes. His wife may be breathtaking, but he has no time to get to know her before he leaves for India. Now that he is finally back home, he finds himself longing for something other than the sea. He realizes that it might be the journey of falling in love that has been missing from his life. Could he ever choose the warmth of his beautiful wife over the exciting life of an adventurer?Two strangers are bound together forever, but it won’t be easy to create a genuine bond after their long separation. A string of mishaps and adventures that follow can either bring them together forever or tear them apart for good. Will Eleanor get her wish for a true, heart-melting romance? Will Miles finally find a place to call home in Eleanor’s eyes?"Bride for the Sake of Duty" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

To Wed A Viscount


Adrienne Basso - 2001
    A misunderstanding on their wedding night nearly ruins the plan. Can this marriage of convenience turn into a true love match?"