Book picks similar to
Caught in the Act by Betina Krahn


historical-romance
romance
historical
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The Black Knave


Patricia Potter - 2000
    And though Rory relishes neither the role of lord nor spouse, he uses both to conceal a dangerous game that no one -- especially his infuriating, fascinating new wife -- can know about... — Highland lass Bethia MacDonell initially despises her dissolute "husband," Rory. A political pawn, she plays at marriage while plotting to escape Braemoor and free her imprisoned brother. Only one person can help her... Named for the playing card he leaves behind, the Black Knave smuggles Jacobites out of Scotland, eluding the English at every turn. But Bethia is determined to find him. Even as she grows closer to the enigmatic Rory, Bethia keeps her plans secret, never suspecting that her hero is nearer than she thinks...

Fire Hawk’s Bride: Forbidden Love - Savage Passion


Judith E. French - 2019
    She is kind, but everyone fears her—her eyes being of two different colors—and she grows up concealing a rebellious heart. In the middle of a harrowing chase through the forest, Kate first meets Fire Hawk, who dispatches the pack of ravenous wild dogs that were attacking her. Fire Hawk lives on Kate’s fiancé’s property as an indentured servant and everyone treats him disdainfully as a savage. When Fire Hawk and Kate gaze into each other’s eyes, their souls become one. THE CHOSEN OF THE CHEROKEE Fire Hawk is a Cherokee prince who carries the destiny of being “Chosen of the Cherokee,” the one who must lead and defend his tribe. He has secretly been sent to England by his tribe on a mission to learn the ways of those they must someday fight. Fire Hawk must find a way to journey back to his homeland. But his heart will not let him leave without Kate, for their savage passion burns like forbidden fire. REVIEWS OF FIRE HAWK’S BRIDE 4.08 average rating, 72 ratings, 8 reviews, added by 206 people, 56 to-reads, 94% of people like it—Goodreads 4.5 out of 5 stars (45 customer reviews)—Amazon “Ms. French’s Indian romances are always wonderful, but FIRE HAWK’S BRIDE is her best yet!”“Usually Indian romances take place in the west and this was so different! This book was historically correct in the Native American research and had such a compelling love story... Having Cherokee blood in our family, I know that they were a beautiful people with an amazing culture. Kate and Fire Hawk fell in love from the first day they met, but had many trials and reasons that they could not be together. Four hundred years ago, Europeans hardly believed that American Indians were human. I loved the way that Kate and Fire Hawk saved each other over and over, and I wanted her to run away with him. Loved this book. The ending was exciting and left me thinking about the story for days. A real keeper!”—Az Val, Kindle Edition, Verified Purchase“A must read!”--Romantic Times“Wonderful…This powerful novel will leave you breathless!”Affaire de Coeur“Great storytelling with well-drawn characters and rich historical detail….”—Regan Walker, Goodreads ABOUT JUDITH E. FRENCH Judith E. French captures the essence of passion and brings her special characters alive in her award-winning and bestselling historical romances. She is the mother of bestselling novelist Colleen French. Judith’s novels have been translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Bulgarian, and Mandarin. Many of her historical romances are inspired by her Scottish, Irish, Welsh, English and Lenni-Lenape ancestry rooted in the region around the Chesapeake Bay, where the French family has made its home for more than 300 years. Judith E. French’s novels appeal to readers of Christi Caldwell, Mary Balogh, C. J. Petit, Shirleen Davies, Karen Kay, Madeline Baker, Elle Marlow, Ellen O'Connell, Vonna Harper, Kathryn Le Veque, Colleen French, Julie Garwood, Cecelia Mecca, Caroline Fyffe, and Hannah Howell.

Simply Love


Catherine Anderson - 1997
    Nothing soothes his restless inner yearning -- until he spies Cassandra, as fresh and pure as a spring morning, and vows he will possess her. The radiant, charmingly naïve young beauty seems blind to the depth of Luke's desire or the lengths he is willing to go to seduce her. But the lady is wise, with an unwavering faith in the magical powers of love. And she's determined to awaken the good man hiding in Luke's tormented heart, for only one precious gift will truly win her: his deep, passionate, and unsullied love.

Border Bride


Amanda Scott - 1990
     To save her beloved homeland, a proud Highland beauty named Mary Kate MacPherson must wage her own battle when she’s forced into wedlock with a knight, Sir Adam Douglas, from the barbaric borderland of Tornary. Even as she succumbs to her seductive husband’s sensual demands, Mary Kate vows never to give him her heart. She will belong to no man. But Adam burns with something deeper than desire. Sworn to carry out a long-awaited revenge, he won’t rest until he has vanquished his enemies. Accused of treason, the last thing he expects is to lose his heart to the woman he’s determined to tame but never to love: his own wife.

What a Difference a Duke Makes


Lenora Bell - 2018
    The only problem is the children have chased away half the governesses in London. Until the clever, bold, and far-too-enticing Miss Mari Perkins arrives.Lost: One heart to an arrogant dukeMari knows how to wrap even the most rebellious children around her finger. But their demanding, wickedly handsome father? He won't be quite so easy to control. And there's something else she can't seem to command. Her heart. The foolish thing beats so wildly every time the duke is near.Found: A forbidden passion neither can denyAs his employee, Mari is strictly off-limits. But what if she's the one breaking all his rules? In the game of governess versus duke, how can Edgar maintain his defenses when the only thing he wants to do is let the tempting beauty win?

In the Presence of Angels


Katherine Kingsley - 2000
    A man of all work answering her ad--her last hope of saving her family, her farm, herself. Will Cutter was too handsome to trust, but she needed him now that her husband was gone. Will's dark eyes penetrated every defense she'd carefully constructed, leaving her confused and shaken, wanting what she'd vowed she'd never accept again: a man's touch. There was something special about Will, but she never guessed in how many extraordinary ways he would change her life.It was too late to tell Louisa Merriem that he was really Major Lord William Fitzpatrick, son of a marquess, home from Waterloo to pay his respects to his best friend's widow. To her. And then to deliver the letters she had written to his comrade in arms. After reading Louisa's letters, he'd half fallen in love with her. But in person she was stunning, the most beautiful, vulnerable creature he'd ever seen. First he vowed to earn her trust and save her farm. And then, to marry her, mend her soul, and make her believe....In the Presence of Angels.

Outrageous


Christina Dodd - 1994
    After all, as lady-in-waiting to the queen, lovely Lady Marian had been in a position of privilege, yet she had been banished from the court. And the rumors were that she had given birth to an illegitimate child.An outrageous offerWhen he arrived, Griffith found Lady Marian to be strong, intelligent and fiercely protective of the young baby in her custody.... and very suspicious of him. If he were smart, the knight would just deliver the message with which he had been entrusted. Instead, he longs to linger to delve into the mystery that is Marian, to discover what she so desperately fears-and why he so improperly wants her.

Smuggler's Lady


Jane Feather - 1986
    No one would guess that those demurely lowered eyelids hid a sparkle of pure adventure. Or that the white hands so modestly folded in her lap could handle a sword as well as any man. Certainly, no one would ever suspect her of being the notorious leader of the smugglers' band who called themselves "The Gentlemen."Dishonorable IntentionsLord Rutherford, who had just inherited some property in this godforsaken corner of Cornwall, looked upon the local gentry with distaste. The men were pompous and stuffy, and the women—that Merrie Trelawney, for example—were utterly insipid. How that auburn-haired church mouse had managed to best him in their verbal sparring, was completely beyond him. But if she thought that he was finished with her, she was sadly mistaken. Something about her struck a false note. And though he was not in the habit of seducing country widows, it might make an interesting change at that...

The Smile of the Stranger


Joan Aiken - 1978
    Nothing could have prepared her for outwitting a French mob, crossing the Channel in a hot air balloon, or fending off the advances of the fascinating Count Welcker.Arriving in London just in time for her very first Season, Juliana is going to find all her ideals challenged and the truth of her heart finally revealed.

Merely Married


Patricia Coughlin - 1998
    Life for Adrian Devereau, the sixth duke of Raven, was flawless, but for one nagging detail.  Try as he did to live down to his reputation as the Wicked Lord Raven, the ladies persisted in viewing him as desirable husband material.  So he conceived a bold solution to foil them once and for all--he would marry a woman on her deathbed and adopt the role of grieving widower.  He even found a most suitable wife: Leah Stretton, overtaken by a sudden illness while journeying to London.  But with Leah's "miraculous" recovery, Adrian found himself properly wedded to a beauty as headstrong as she was healthy.  Now his only chance at freedom was playing her game.  More adept at writing about romance and adventure than living it, Leah could not permit a new family scandal to ruin her sister's launch into society.  If Adrian played her devoted husband, she would grant him an annulment later.  There was only one rule: neither of them could fall in love.  Of course, rules were made to be broken.

Scandalous


Karen Robards - 2001
    The family's riches will pass to the next male heir -- a distant cousin -- and the Banning sisters are doomed unless Gabby thinks fast. Which she does. Pretending that Marcus is still alive, Gabby arranges beautiful Claire's London season. She'll keep up the pretense just long enough for Claire to marry a fabulously wealthy nobleman. But when a handsome gentleman arrives at the door and claims to be Marcus, Gabby's plan backfires. For if she exposes this mysterious stranger's deceit, she exposes her own. Bound by secrets and lies, Gabby and the roguish adventurer strike sparks off each other -- and soon London society is abuzz over the scandalous pair of "siblings" who appear to be falling in love.... With this beautifully rendered romance, bestselling author Karen Robards begins a sweeping series about three unforgettable sisters poised to take the ton by storm.

The Barefoot Bride


Rebecca Paisley - 1990
    But a cruel ultimatum from his wicked witch of a grandmother leaves him with no choice but to seek one or lose his vast English estate forever. Saxon’s flight from high society leads him right into the arms of Chickadee McBride—a barefoot, flame-haired mountain girl with a saucy tongue, a tender heart and her very own wolf.Both shocked and secretly intrigued by the untamed beauty’s scandalous behavior, the cynical Saxon quickly decides Chickadee would make the perfect bride to bring home to grandmother. Chickadee’s Scotch-Irish temperament and irresistible shenanigans set society ablaze with gossip, but it is Saxon who finds his body burning with a passion he can no longer deny. Too late, he realizes his wild bride is in danger of making him a prisoner of desire...and capturing his heart...

The Wedding Wager


Cathy Maxwell - 2001
    . .Mary Gates longs to restore the family stables to their former glory . . . so she bids on the famous Spender Stud. The only way she can pay for the beast is to marry, but her only prospect is her neighbor and chief rival, Tye Barlow. She has been tempted by his charms in the past—but she's determined not to give in to him now.So Mary boldly goes to where the husbands are—London. She takes the town by storm, but the marital prospects are uninspiring when compared to Tye. He's followed her, determined to thwart her plans. Still she can't help but forget his protective embrace or tantalizing kisses.And soon Mary realizes she may have to take the greatest gamble of all . . .

The Reasons For Marriage


Stephanie Laurens - 1995
    . .Lenore Lester was perfectly content with her quiet country life, caring for her father, and having no desire for marriage. She took steps to remain inconspicuous and tried her best to show indifference - but no avail! The irresistible Duke of Eversleigh had found her out and was quite persistent in his affections . . .The Shy Miss!Notoriously charming Jason, Duke of Eversleigh, could easily see behind Miss Lenore's brilliant disguise. Though the awkward lady hid behind glasses and pulled-back hair, she couldn't cover her beauty. And Jason was ever determined to loosen the hold she had on her heart.

Evening Star


Catherine Coulter - 1984
    I have not rewritten it, but now this novel is where it belongs --- it's the first book in what has become the Star Quartet. In Midnight Star, the first book in the former Star Trilogy, you met Delaney Saxton in San Francisco in 1851. Evening Star features his older brother Alex Saxton, with Delaney making a cameo appearance.Giana Van Cleve, the heroine, has fallen in love with a vicious fortune hunter. Her mother, the renowned shipowner and builder Aurora Van Cleve, is desperate to save her daughter. She agrees to support Giana's wedding if Giana agrees to first spend an unusual three months in Rome with her Uncle Daniele. But Giana's uncle takes his bargain far beyond Aurora ever imagined.Thus, Giana first sees Alex Saxton not in a society drawing room, but in a brothel. The next time she sees him, she is one of the virgins to be sold to the highest bidder at the infamous Roman Flower Auction. He wins the bid and her but not for long.Four years later, when Alex meets Giana again in London, she has become a woman intent on success in a man's world. Alex is set on revenge --- he will have her and nothing will stop him.Would you make Giana's bargain with Daniele? Would you keep the bargain? Agree to be part of the Roman Flower Auction? Let me know --- Catherine Coulter (The Author)