Book picks similar to
The Earl of Rayne's Ward by Anne Ashley
historical
historical-romance
regency-romance
gurdian-ward-romances
Her Duke in Shining Armor
Emma Linfield - 2019
Rebellious and blatantly outspoken about her dislike for the hypocrisy of the ton, she’s earned herself not only a bluestocking reputation but also the nickname ‘Lady Disdain.” Aaron Bravolt, Duke of Oberton, never expected to catch one Lady Eleanor sneaking a servant child out at night in order to spare her from her father’s wrath. But his determination to decrypt the puzzling lady has consequences he couldn’t have foreseen. With his own assets under attack by a mysterious adversary, Aaron has only eighteen hours to discover what really happened to the Duke of Brisdane’s late wife and to keep Eleanor from being taken away from him forever.
The Matchmaker’s Rogue
Regina Scott - 2020
She is the hostess of the spa, arranging introductions and entertainments and playing matchmaker to the ladies and gentlemen who come to take the waters, promenade through the shops, and dance at the assembly. But when a rogue returns from her past, Jess finds herself suddenly at sea.Always an adventurer, Larkin Denby left Grace-by-the-Sea to right the wrongful death of his father. Now he’s back on a mission: to identify the mysterious Lord of the Smugglers who allegedly sails from Grace Cove and takes England’s secrets to France. But Grace-by-the-Sea is the perfect little spa town, run by the still oh-so-perfect Jesslyn Chance. When the village’s future is threatened, Jess must work with Lark to solve the mystery and protect the town’s own. In doing so, the matchmaker of Grace-by-the-Sea may just find that the best match for her is the rogue who stole her heart years ago.
A Duke's Fleeing Bride
Alice Kirks - 2021
When her parents announce that she is soon to begin an official courtship with the arrogant Duke of Wharton, Dianna is left with no choice but to run away from her worst nightmare. After disguising her identity, she finds a position as a maid in a nearby village, but unfortunately, her employer turns out to be painfully unpleasant. In an unexpected twist of fate, her detestable intended will track her down, making Dianna's heart skip a beat as he meets another side of him. Will Lady Dianna manage to escape this living hell and give love a chance? Will she realise that the Duke might be more than what he seems and the one who will bring light to her life?Lord Jonas Haddon, Duke of Wharton, comes across as very arrogant, but deep inside, he is a caring man who hopes to marry out of love and lead an ordinary life. Intrigued by the boldness and independence of Lady Blackstone, he is determined to find her after hearing she ran away. When he finally discovers she is hiding out as a maid, he does everything in his power to prove that he is not the prideful man she thinks him to be. It won't be long until he realises that he can't think of a future without her, seeking to court her even in her position as a maid. Will the charming Duke convince Dianna of his genuine feelings and good intentions? Will he manage to claim the heart of the only woman who has invaded his dreams and occupied his every thought?While feelings of affection start to blossom between Dianna and Jonas, Dianna's tyrannical employer makes her life miserable even to the point of her own devastation. On top of this, no matter how hard Jonas tries to persuade Diana to return to her old life with him on her side, her pride does not allow her to give up so early. Will Dianna find her desired escape and could Jonas be the true salvation she has been looking for? Could their everlasting happiness have been right in front of them this whole time or will poor decisions trap them into an unbearable life?"A Duke's Fleeing Bride" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Courteously Seduced by an Enigmatic Duke
Scarlett Osborne - 2020
The astoundingly beautiful older daughter of the Duke of Gresham cares very little about titles, wealth or marriage. Until the day her parents bring her before the harsh reality: in the absence of a male heir, they stand to lose the Dukedom. Born and raised in Australia, the successful sheep rancher Rowland Albertson isn’t prepared for what appears to be his inescapable destiny. Not only is he presented with an unexpected claim to the title of Duke, but also with a pair of stunning mismatched eyes. Sudden and overwhelming, their eagerness to be together, to experience such ecstasy with each other, threatens to consume their every sense. But the past has a way of returning, and Rowland’s comes back with a vengeance. A woman with a single letter, able to set Rowland and Hannah’s future on fire and watch it burn…
Bewitching
Jill Barnett - 1993
It hardly mattered that her Scottish bloodline was shrouded in mystery. But Alec's heated desire turned ice-cold when he discovered that this winsome lady was, in fact, a witch --- whose powers of white magic were not always perfectly under control ...Too late, Joy knew she was desperately in love and that nothing could stop the course of their destiny --- the scandal threatening to destroy her and the passion that held them both spellbound in a forbidden, irresistible match.
The Four Sisters: A Regency Romance Compilation
Audrey Harrison - 2015
Book 1 - Rosalind - Peter Gilbert, Duke of Sudworth is a good man, but at the moment he's angry and very very bitter. He has inherited the title and the debt that the selfish lives of his deceased brother and father created. Facing bankruptcy, he has determined to keep his heritage at whatever cost. Only those closest to him know the real reason he is desperate to save his family home - the member of his family his father was ashamed off. Rosalind Johnson, is the eldest daughter of a 'cit', a man who has earned his fortune through business. As an ambitious father he is determined that his four daughters will marry the highest titles in the country, whether they like it or not, and he is prepared to pay to achieve his goal. Rosalind has no choice to marry a stranger and take on a life and Society that looked down on someone who came from trade. She would need all her resourcefulness to cope. Two people forced together because of circumstances that they did not create would be set for a shaky start at best, but with local gossip, illegitimate children and an alleged affair, things were never going to be quiet in the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sudworth. Book 2 - Annabelle - Annabelle Johnson has a secret. It could ruin her. But yet, she remained in a darkened room with a gentleman. Perhaps it was because for the first time she felt safe in a gentleman’s company. Compromised and hiding a damning secret was never going to be a good mix. Annabelle had to think of something before her secret ruined her and hurt the man she had married. Lord Stannage, Earl of Garston was a handsome man. A pity then that everyone who met him only noticed his different coloured eyes. In a society that only perfection was accepted, he was never going to feel welcomed. He avoids society apart from when he becomes too lonely. Two people, both hurting and afraid, needing each other’s strength before their living nightmare can ease. Will they find the courage to trust and listen to each other, or will they continue on their path to heartbreak? Book 3 - Grace - Grace Johnson does not want to marry a titled gentleman. She is only happy and at peace when spending time in a garden - any garden. When she visits her sister, the Duchess of Sudworth, Grace is disappointed that even her beloved sister is not listening to her. Grace hates matchmaking schemes but seems powerless to stop them. Harry Long is Head Gardener at Sudworth Hall. He is a good and loyal member of staff. The day that Grace walks into his life turns everything upside down. For the first time he is taking risks for the beautiful pixie that has walked into his life but, his actions could cost him everything. An innocent picnic threatens Grace and Harry in ways that neither could have predicted, but their lives and the lives of those around them will never be the same because of it. Book 4 - Eleanor - Eleanor Johnson, the youngest of the Johnson sisters, is plain. No one will ever write sonnets about her but she does not wish for sonnets; just someone to love her for herself. She has lived in the shadow of her three older, more beautiful sisters all her life. Now, not only plain she has made a fool of herself in the worst possible way. Joseph Heaton is sick of the fickleness of society. He has become one of those in society famous for their notoriety in putting people down. He is to find that one arrogant sentence was to cost him the woman that, unwittingly had become the most important person in his life.
A Desperate Wager
Em Taylor - 2014
And he can’t even remember ever meeting the chit. Clearly his drinking has got out of hand. Lady Sarah Steele is horrified when her father announces that the Duke of Kirkbourne has agreed to marry her and even more horrified that her father wagered her hand in a game of cards. Not only that, but the earl has not told the duke of the riding accident that left Sarah paralysed when she was sixteen. But he’s dying and she knows he wants to see her settled before the inevitable happens.Despite Nate’s drinking and Sarah’s possible complicity in the earl’s plan, they agree to marry. But when accidents start to happen, the newly-weds must deal not only with the fact they are practically strangers, but they must find out who is trying to kill one or both of them. Nate’s drink problem and Sarah’s disability are only a couple of the hurdles they must face to find lasting love.
Wicked Promise
Kat Martin - 1998
Nicholas Warring, known as the Wicked Earl, is a darkly handsome charismatic figure—with the power to save Elizabeth but a past that could put her reputation dangerously at risk. A ruthless womanizer, he has also been convicted of murder—and barely escaped hanging.A Rogue's Tainted HonorElizabeth can't help her attraction to the man who haunts her dreams—nor he his hunger for her. But she knows it can never be. For Nicholas is a married man—or at least appears to be. Then a heinous crime shatters their lives—and Nick is the natural suspect. Elizabeth wants to believe in his innocence more than life and love itself—but can she trust a man who has killed before?
A Fiery Lady's Accidental Affair
Lucy Langton - 2021
Even though this is her safe, familiar environment, a part of her is missing. While she is desperately trying to find herself in a place far away from home, she ends up in distress, when her carriage is violently wrecked. Thankfully a vigorous man appears to rescue her and she instantly knows that accepting the seductive stranger's offer for temporary hospitality is her only option. However, little did she know that the most passionate and fulfilling chapter of her life was about to begin...Laurence Gillingham has always been a fierce young man, known for his love for the countryside and his roots. Being a farmer and having spent all his life close to nature, he appreciates rural living more than anything else. Will his peaceful and isolated life change after hosting the high-society lady that fate threw in his arms? Laurence will soon realize how much the world of London high-society collides with his rural retreat... Could Alison be the woman that will finally stimulate the mind and hidden desires of the distant Laurence?When Laurence and Alicia come closer than they could ever imagine, they realise they may have found their missing halves in each other. However, they are struggling to leave their prejudice behind and they soon find themselves torn between love and social status. Alicia should now decide whether she is willing to sacrifice all she has held dear for a lifetime of incomparable bliss and lust. Is love enough to keep these two passionate lovers together against all odds? Do they have the courage to overcome themselves and surrender to their deepest desires?
A Bet to Wed the Duke: Historical Regency Romance
Lisa Campell - 2020
The Nonesuch
Georgette Heyer - 1962
When they learned that Sir Waldo was coming, the village gentry were thrown into a flurry. The famed sportsman himself! Heir to an uncounted fortune, and a leader of London society! The local youths idolized "the Nonesuch"; the fathers disapproved; and the mothers and daughters saw him as the most eligible--and elusive--man in the kingdom.While there, he meets Tiffany Wield, a positively dazzling young heiress who is entirely selfish and possessed of a frightful temper, as well as her far more elegant companion-governess. Twenty-eight year old Ancilla Trent had put away any and all thoughts of romance when she became a governess, and at first she could only be amused at the fuss over Sir Waldo. Can Sir Waldo convince the practical Miss Trent that it is not above her station as a governess to fall in love with him?
The Nude
Dorothy McFalls - 2009
All of London is enthralled by the mysterious Dionysus's latest masterpiece, a sensual woman reclining on an ornate settee, entitled The Nude. Elsbeth, Countess Mercer, recognizes Dionysus's work. This isn't the first time he's caused havoc in her life. This time, though, his painting has put her at the center of a vicious scandal, for the figure in the painting looks shockingly like her . . . nude. Before he can hurt her again, she sets out to find the artist and prove her own innocence. Nigel, the Marquess of Edgeware, has several problems of his own on his hands. A smuggling ring is using his Dorset estate's shoreline. Someone is trying to kill him. And now a feisty widow is coming close to discovering Dionysus's identity. Seducing the lady might be the swiftest course for diverting her attentions. He doesn't realize how such an affair would affect her heart . . . or his own.
One and a Half Weddings for Lady Emily
Hazel Linwood - 2021
Until her first husband, Richard Banfield, shows up on her wedding day, very much alive.Edward Templeton, the Marquess of Frampton, is crushed when his dreams of marrying Emily are shattered. Haunted by the possibility of losing her forever, he must do everything in his power to keep her by his side.But Richard is here to stay. With law and church on his side, he has every right to claim her for himself. Stuck in the middle between the two men she loves, Emily unwillingly starts a war. Secrets and scandal are hiding behind every corner, so how can she be sure of who to really trust?
Everything a Lady Craves
Meghan Sloan - 2020
However, when a charming man asks for her hand in marriage, she is hesitant to turn a new page in her life. Having heard the whispers about the man's missing fiancée, she can't help but wonder whether she could ever be anything but second best for him. Once they finally meet, the desire that sparks between them is undeniable, but there will soon be clouds on the horizon... Will Alice be able to finally satisfy the burning passion she holds for him, or will this romance be doomed forever?The last thing Silas Wilmington expected after the unforeseen disappearance of his fiancée, was another tempting woman by his side. Tired of being haunted by his tormented past, he chooses to accept his inevitable fate with a heavy heart. But little did he know that the beautiful and seductive Alice was about to start a fire inside him... After having mourned his great love for a long time, he could have never imagined that romance could be on the cards for him again. Will Silas eventually let his wounds heal and surrender to Alice's charm?Just when they start unfolding their growing feelings, someone who holds the key to Sila's broken heart appears and everything is about to crash down. Will their newly fledged passion endure a quick death, as the wounds from the past are still bleeding? Or will they survive to meet the passionate future they could have together?"Everything a Lady Craves" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
To Catch an Heiress
Julia Quinn - 1998
After all, she’s been running from unwanted marriage proposals. Yes, Blake believes she’s a notorious spy named Carlotta De Leon, but for six weeks until her twenty-first birthday, when she’ll gain control of her own fortune, hiding out in the titillating company of a mysterious captor is awfully convenient—and maybe just a little romantic, too.Blake Ravenscroft’s mission is to bring “Carlotta” to justice, not to fall in love. His heart has been hardened by years of intrigue, but this little temptress proves oddly disarming and thoroughly kissable. And suddenly the unthinkable becomes possible—that this mismatched couple might be destined for love.