Book picks similar to
Love Against the Odds by Charlotte Darcy


historical
novella-short-stories
regency
regency-victorian

A Lady's Touch of Sin


Lucy Langton - 2020
    What awaits her is her Aunt Margaret, a tittering woman with an earnest responsibility to find Marta a match, against her wishes. While the blue-eyed beauty desperately tries to escape from her future misery, a very dashing man shows up in her life, but, to her misfortune, he is not the one her Aunt has chosen for her. But when her Aunt insists so much on a particular engagement with a Duke, should she just give up to the tantalizing stranger she just met or should she fight to satisfy the burning passion she holds for him?Baldwin Terrence is a successful businessman and the future heir to his ducal estate. When his best friend's cousin comes unexpectedly to visit, he finds himself surprisingly stricken by her stunning eyes, and the connection between them is electrifying. Her beauty is irresistible and tests his willpower at every turn. She's everything Baldwin is not: a spitfire, compassionate, apt to dream and gossip and live loudly and grandly. Of course, she catches the eye of nearly every important member of society, including the dastardly Duke, Lewis Remington. The only thing he knows is that he is determined to possess her, at any cost. Will he convince her that the haven she's longed for all her life may be lying in his arms?Thus begins a tale of lust and heartache, full of passionate moments. But soon their burning promises are all they have left. Caught between her past and her future, Marta must decide whether she's willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she would find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make? Torn between her Aunt's will and what she desires, she has to choose between the man who sets her heart on fire and the one she despises. But can this undeniable desire between them really be buried? Will their love prove strong enough to shatter every obstacle in their way?

The Dowry of Lady Eliza


Anita Stansfield - 2021
    Eliza has eagerly awaited her picture-perfect nuptials, but there is just one problem: Joshua, her groom, is nowhere to be found. After Joshua’s brother, Matthias, calls for the police, Eliza awaits word. But when the news arrives, all her hopes for wedded bliss come crashing down: her betrothed has been located in a London alley. Murdered. Soon, Eliza learns that beneath the polished façade, the man she very nearly married lived a double life—a life that he gambled . . . and lost. Though Eliza and Matthias were innocent bystanders to Joshua’s indiscretions, it is they who are left to pick up the pieces. As they learn to rely on each other through their shared trials, they are surprised to find themselves on an unexpected path of friendship and love. But even as they envision building a life together, the echoes of the past threaten to rob them of the promise of a shared future.

Of Twisted Fates


Heather Chapman - 2020
    The small pool of suitors in their seaside village of Bridlington offer very little in the way of suitable companionship. Isabelle quickly learns, however, that daughters of country physicians are not considered suitable for gentlemen of means. Discouraged, Isabelle believes a house-party invitation from Anna Somerville, a wealthy and accomplished friend, is her last providential hope—until she realizes the man she has come to care for is the desired match of her friend.Simon Windham has spent the last two years of his life on a tour of Europe, in part hoping that Anna, the younger sister of his best friend, would finally find interest in a gentleman other than himself. He is not so fortunate, however. Upon arriving at Haven’s Landing, Simon immediately befriends Isabelle, the strange young woman he met in a London bookshop. Their connection is immediate, but to seek out her attention would be to not only betray long-time family friends, but his parents expectations as well.As the month-long party draws to a close, Simon and Isabelle struggle to overcome their feelings for one another. Has fate thrown them together to secure their happiness or their misery in knowing their match would mean the unhappiness of others they love?Of Twisted Fates is part of the KINSLEY SISTERS series, a set of stand-alone regency-romance novels by Heather Chapman and Jo Perry that follows three sisters as they find love. Look for the complete collection:Of Twisted Fates (Aug. 28)Of Cloudless Climes and Starry SkiesOf Tangled Hearts

Finding her Everlasting Love


Carol Colyer - 2020
    She now has to find a new home for them and keep them safe at all costs. Under the pressure of losing her sisters, she answers an advert from a lonely rancher. However, to ensure a positive outcome, she will keep some secrets from him, risking losing everything. When all the lies and the secrets are revealed, will there be any chance for their relationship to thrive? Will she manage to keep her promise to her late parents or will her sisters be ill-fated forever?Marcus Steed has been alone for a very long time after he was forced to run away from home when he was 13. He has been struggling to survive his whole life, and he has neglected to actually live it. Now for the first time in a long time, he can actually relax and reap the fruits of his hard work. Reflecting on his life, what he really wants - and needs - is to share everything with a woman he could trust and depend on. Will he find true love or will he end up devastated and disappointed, when he discovers the truth about Colleen?Colleen and Marcus's relationship seems to have no future. Colleen is too busy caring for her sisters' survival, while Marcus has to deal with his own demons. Affection is not his key strength, and loveless marriage seems to be like a dead-end for her. Will Marcus lower his guard and allow Colleen to approach him? Could Colleen regain his trust and restore his faith to love?"Finding her Everlasting Love" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

A Wanton Heiress for the Duke: A Steamy Historical Regency Romance Novel


Olivia T. Bennet - 2021
    

Our Plantation: Life on a Southern Cotton Plantation during the Civil War


Richard E. Graglia - 2017
    Her husband and elder son rode off to save slavery in the Confederate Cavalry. Their plantation would now be controlled by a brutish slave master and sadistic slave overseers. Would their slaves revolt? Would Yankee armies attack and destroy their way of life? The slave master already had designs on Clare Ellen Fairchild and couldn’t wait until her husband rode off to war and hopefully die for his Cause. It was April, planting season. The very long and very hot summer awaited them. Clare Ellen was told that this war would be over by September and to ‘not worry her pretty little head’ about it. Clare Ellen was told wrong. She and her children should have worried their pretty little heads.

Eagles in the East SHORT story (Eagles of Rome series):


Ben Kane - 2020
     ABOUT THE SHORT STORY’S PRICE: Hello, you lovely people. Odd to talk about money straight up, but I know that some of you might be thinking, £1.99/US$2.99/CDN$3.99/A$3.99 is a lot for a short story. Let me explain how it works in the UK. A rate of 20% VAT (Value Added Tax) applies to eBooks. This doesn’t apply to ‘real’ paper books. That means 33p of the £1.99 goes straight to the British government. Amazon takes around 2p to deliver the story to your Kindle, then takes another 48p as its cut. The remainder, £1.16, goes to me. That's not a great deal, I hope you agree. A roughly similar story applies in foreign territories. In these times of falling sales, and authors losing their contracts, and only one in seven traditionally published authors being able to write fulltime, stories like this are a vital way of YOU supporting the authors whose books you enjoy. So THANK YOU for your support! Think of it in terms of a pint of beer or a cup of coffee: they cost £2-4, depending on where you live in the UK. This story will give you more enjoyment (I think!) than either of those things, and last for a longer time, and cost you less money. This is the third time I have self-published a short story. (Massive thanks here to Pete Simpson, who designed the cover for me!) It’s been an exciting project since the day I did the poll on Facebook, asking you lovely people which of my characters you wanted me to write about. Centurion Tullus won out, narrowly, and this is the result. The one hundred and something people who backed the Kickstarter campaign got to read this story almost 7 months ago, but now you can too. Oh, what's it about? The war of the Batos, or the Pannonian War, which took place between AD 6 and 9, a general emergency that had almost 100.000 legionaries sent to modern-day Croatia to sort out the rebels. Enjoy the story, and please email me if you have any questions about it or anything else – ben@benkane.net Ben

After the Fire


John Pilkington - 2011
    All are linked to the new Dorset Gardens Theatre where feisty young Betsy Brand is playing First Witch in Macbeth. It seems that a shadowy figure called The Salamander, who haunted London during the Fire, has returned to wreak cruel revenge on his enemies. With the authorities utterly baffled, Betsy takes on a new role as an investigator. She reasons that perhaps a clever, courageous actress can unravel the deepening mystery. But soon she faces a more terrible foe than ever stalked upon a stage—and finds her own life is at stake.

The Devilish Lyon


Charlotte Wren - 2021
    unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.Mrs. Dove-Lyon, proprietor of the Lyon’s Den, London’s notorious gaming hell, has recently had dealings with three new clients:Miss Harriet Hurst, who cannot see a thing without her spectacles and who has an unfortunate aversion to strong perfume, is in search of a husband. Her proposal, however, is a little unorthodox.Ambrose Crossley, fifth Earl of Pendlewood, an upstanding and respected member of the ton, is in search of a wife. His quest, however, is not quite as straightforward as it seems.Edward Fortescue, Viscount Eskdale, aka the Fallen Angel of Mayfair, has no desire to marry at all. His request is somewhat unusual.Being a shrewd business woman, Mrs. Dove-Lyon reckons she can satisfy all their needs in one fell swoop. It will require a little bit of subterfuge, a fair amount of manipulation, and a whole heap of good intentions. But, if the gamble pays off, a happy ending for all is assured. The game starts out well, with everything going exactly as planned. But, just as things seem to be reaching a satisfactory conclusion, a tragic secret emerges from the past. The consequences are heartbreaking. The game, it seems, is up. Or is it?True love never surrenders without a fight. And time, it is said, heals all wounds. Maybe there’s still a chance for happiness, after all.

The Collier's Wife


Chrissie Walsh - 2020
    When Amy visits her husband Hugh at Beckett's Park Hospital, he doesn't recognise her. Broken after serving four devastating years in the First World War, Hugh is a shadow of the man he once was. Can he ever again be the man Amy knew and loved?Barnsborough, 1912. The first time Hugh and Amy meet, the connection between them is instant and electric. While a librarian's assistant and a collier might not be the most conventional pair, the two come together over a love of books that quickly turns into more. Neither suspects their families have secrets that threaten to tear them apart...True love's path is rarely simple... but can Hugh and Amy find their way back to each other?

The Daring Girls of Guernsey: a Novel of World War II


Gayle Callen - 2021
    Innocent young teacher Catherine is forced to house a German officer. Shrewd waitress Betty seeks to elude the persistent Nazi determined to conquer her. And courageous nurse Helen cares for her patients – both British and German – while hiding a British spy in her seaside cottage.Their fight against the injustices being enacted on their island home brings the women, the spy, and their enemies together in one night that will change all of their lives forever. Though none of them could foresee that the battle they fought that night would reach across time to 1997, when the tragic fallout ensnares Helen once more.

Mary Dannie


Patricia Keil - 2010
    It is the story of the struggles, simple joys and wisdom surrounding a young girl growing up in the 1940's in Appalachia.

A Most Precious Gift


Jacqueline Freeman Wheelock - 2014
    Having never cooked a day in her life, she is terrified of being found out and banished to the cotton fields as was her mother before her. But when she accidentally burns the freedom papers of Jonathan Mayfield, a handsome free man of color to whom she's attracted, her fear of the fields becomes secondary.A gifted cabinetmaker, Jonathan Mayfield's heart is set on finally becoming a respected businessman by outfitting a bedroom at the palatial Riverwood—until a beautiful new slave destroys his proof of freedom and his fragile confidence along with it. When the mistress of Riverwood orders Dinah to work alongside the sullen Mr. Mayfield, sparks fly setting the two on a collision course. Is their mutual love for God strong enough to overcome deep-seated insecurities and set the couple on a path toward self-acceptance and love for each other?

Forlorn Hope: The Storming of Badajoz


James Mace - 2012
    With Napoleon obsessed by the invasion of Russia, Wellington turns toward Spain. The way is barred by two fortresses, Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. When Ciudad Rodrigo collapses after a short siege, Wellington prepares to break the fortress of Badajoz, the most formidable stronghold in Europe.Lieutenant James Webster is in mourning following the loss of his wife, and he volunteers to command the small group that will lead the assault. Second in command is Sergeant Thomas Davis; recently diagnosed with a fatal illness, he prefers a valiant death in battle. Breaches have been blown into the walls of the southern bastions, Trinidad and Santa Maria, and here Wellington will unleash the 4th and Light Divisions, while launching diversionary assaults on the northern San Vincente bastion, as well as the Badajoz castle. Together with one hundred volunteers, the Forlorn Hope, Webster and Davis will storm the breach.

Road to Gretna Green


Lucinda Brant - 2018
    Three love stories. Three times the fun.SAVING GRACE by Lucinda BrantWhen widow Helen, Lady Dysart, returns to the English border town of Carlisle for a family wedding, she decides to confront local physician Royston Meredith, the man who broke her heart. Royston has loved Helen since they were teenagers. He thought the feeling mutual until she up and married the local MP. While everyone around them hopes this reunion will see Helen and Royston sort out their differences, of more immediate concern is Royston’s youngest sister Grace, when she elopes with the steward’s son. Helen and Royston dash after her, determined to save her from scandal and an imprudent match. But in saving Grace the couple may very well be saving themselves.FOOLS RUSH IN by Julie DainesRichard Arden needs a wife in order to collect his inheritance. Eliza Barnes needs to escape an arranged marriage to the odious Mr. Barrington. When Richard overhears Eliza’s plight at the coaching inn, he does the most reckless thing he’s ever done—he proposes to a woman he’s never met before. What begins as an easy solution leads Richard and Eliza on a journey across the country with Mr. Barrington at their heels, complicated even more when their fake engagement leads to feelings that are very real.A LADY OF SCANDAL by Heather B. MooreUnfortunately, Bridget’s marriage is over in four hours due to her husband’s tragic death. Fortunately, Bridget is now free from her distasteful marriage of convenience. When her year of mourning passes, and she meets her former husband’s cousin, Bridget discovers that her difficulties are far from over. Lord Hugh Wilde blames Bridget for his cousin’s death. But when Bridget’s sister elopes to Gretna Green with a man of questionable reputation, Lord Wilde is the only one who can help, and they both have to set aside their pride to rescue the errant sister.From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Regency Romance, comes ROAD TO GRETNA GREEN. Featuring New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Brant, Julie Daines, and Heather B. Moore