Book picks similar to
The Layered Mask by Sue Brown
historical
m-m
mm
romance
Something Fabulous
Alexis Hall - 2022
But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again.Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be.Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and…beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.
A Husband for Hartwell
J.A. Rock - 2021
After two Seasons, Hartwell remains quite content with bachelorhood--his parents do not. When Hartwell learns they intend to cut his purse strings unless he makes a match this Season, he resigns himself to a marriage of convenience with Becca, and yet he can't help but be drawn to her younger brother, Warry.He must marry, or risk his sister's ruin.The Viscount "Warry" Warrington is used to being viewed as the tagalong little brother. Now a grown man about to enter his second Season, Warry is desperate to be seen. When Lord Balfour, a handsome older peer, takes Warry under his wing, Warry thinks his dream is finally coming true. Until Balfour reveals his true intent--to make public a letter that will destroy Becca's reputation, unless Warry agrees to marry him.Time is running out for both of them.When an injury forces Warry to recover at Hartwell House, the two succumb to a secret flirtation. But Warry's sudden announcement of his engagement to Balfour drives Hartwell near mad with jealousy--and right into Becca's arms. With the clock ticking for Warry to save his sister, will Hartwell discover the truth of Warry's feelings before it's too late?A Husband for Hartwell is the first book in the Lords of Bucknall Club series, where the Regency meets m/m romance.
Ten Days in August
Kate McMurray - 2016
As the temperatures rise, so does the crime rate. At the peak of this sizzling heat wave, police inspector Hank Brandt is called to investigate the scandalous murder of a male prostitute. His colleagues think he should drop the case, but Hank’s interest is piqued, especially when he meets the intriguing key witness: a beautiful female impersonator named Nicholas Sharp.As a nightclub performer living on the fringes of society, Nicky is reluctant to place his trust in a cop—even one as handsome as Hank. With Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt cracking down on vice in the city, Nicky’s afraid that getting involved could end his career. But when he realizes his life is in danger—and Hank is his strongest ally—the two men hit the streets together to solve the crime. From the tawdry tenements of the Lower East Side to the moneyed mansions of Fifth Avenue, Nicky and Hank are determined to uncover the truth. But when things start heating up between them, it’s not just their lives on the line. It’s their love…
The Black Sheep and The Rotten Apple
K.A. Merikan - 2017
Baronet. Highwayman. Scoundrel. Julian Reece. Writer. Wastrel. Penniless.No one forces Julian Reece to marry. Not his father, not his brother. No one. When he is thrust into a carriage heading for London to meet his future bride, his way out comes in the form of an imposing highwayman, riding a horse as black as night. Julian makes a deal with the criminal, but what he doesn’t expect is that despite the title of baronet, the robber turns out to be no gentleman.Sir Evan Penhart is pushed into crime out of desperation, but the pact with a pretty, young merchant’s son turns out to have disastrous consequences. Not only is Evan left broke, but worse yet, Julian opens up a Pandora’s box of passions that are dark, needy, and too wild to tame. With no way to lock them back in, rash decisions and greedy desire lead to a tide that wrecks everything in its way.But Julian might actually like all the sinful, carnal passion unleashed on him. How can he admit this though, even to himself, when a taste of the forbidden fruit could have him end up with a noose around his neck? And with highway robbery being a hanging offense and the local constable on their back, Julian could lose Evan before he can decide anything about the nature of his desires.POSSIBLE SPOILERS:Themes: highwayman, abduction, ransom, forbidden love, self-discovery, danger, crime, Genre: Dark romance, historicalErotic content: Explicit scenesLength: ~140,000 words (standalone novel)WARNING: Adult content. Contains violence, distressing scenes, abuse, offensive language, and morally ambiguous protagonists.
His Second Chance
Stephanie Lake - 2016
When his last lover announces his engagement to the current reigning belle, Randall decides to suppress his true nature and follow suit. He is determined, once and for all, to forget the dark sailor who slipped in and out of his life five years before. Lady Prudence Wedgewood has, for a member of the fair sex, unquestioned beauty, and shows a surprising wit, which will entertain Randall, even if her well-proportioned body does not arouse his desires. The marriage should at least be, bearable. Lieutenant David Wedgewood has always been beyond discreet with his unnatural attraction to men. An attraction, which years ago, nearly set Randall’s bed aflame for a blissful, torrid week. The Blair and Wedgewood wedding plans unfold flawlessly, until Lady Prudence’s brother returns: Randall’s long lost sailor. David returned for only one reason: to save his beloved sister from a marriage destined to bring nothing but pain. Marriage to a sod! He will kill Randall if that’s what it takes to stop the wedding. And he is willing to seduce Randall, to prove that this marriage can only end in disaster and heartbreak.
The Probability of Mistletoe
E.J. Russell - 2017
But in the ten years since graduation, their contact has dwindled to nothing, and it’s all Keith’s fault. If he hadn’t tried to kiss Parker under the mistletoe at the winter formal their senior year, Parker wouldn’t have bolted. At their ten-year reunion, Keith intends to do everything in his geeky power to make amends.Parker should have known that scheduling the reunion the day before Christmas Eve was a recipe for a headache of monster proportions. But when Keith sends a text that he’ll be attending, the evening doesn’t look so bleak. Can an unnecessary makeover, a nostalgic breakfast, an abortive shopping trip, and a whole lot of mistletoe culminate in a long-overdue first kiss?
Behind These Doors
Jude Lucens - 2018
The Honourable Aubrey Fanshawe, second son of an earl, is Society. They have nothing in common, until a casual encounter leads to a crisis. Aubrey isn’t looking for love. He already has it, in his long-term clandestine relationship with Lord and Lady Hernedale. And Lucien is the last man Aubrey should want. He’s a commoner, raised in service, socially unacceptable. Worse, he writes for a disreputable, gossip-hungry newspaper. Aubrey can’t afford to trust him when arrest and disgrace are just a breath away. Lucien doesn’t trust nobs. Painful experience has taught him that working people simply don’t count to them. Years ago, he turned his back on a life of luxury so his future wouldn’t depend on an aristocrat’s whim. Now, thanks to Aubrey, he’s becoming entangled in the risky affairs of the upper classes, antagonising people who could destroy him with a word. Aubrey and Lucien have too much to hide—and too much between them to ignore. Rejecting the strict rules and closed doors of Edwardian society might lead them both to ruin… but happiness and integrity alike demand it. An Edwardian Romance.
The Two Lords of Wealdhant Manor
Katherine Marlowe - 2015
Just when he thinks debtor’s prison is inevitable, he receives a visit from Mr. Sutton, railway solicitor, with paperwork to indicate that Algernon is the long-lost heir of Wealdhant Manor. The railway needs a portion of Wealdhant lands in order to lay their locomotive tracks, and Algernon is in no position to look a gift horse in the mouth. He accepts the inheritance at once, heading off to settle the railway’s affairs. The situation he finds in distant Lincolnshire is far more complex than he was led to believe, and Algernon is soon at odds with the gruffly handsome groundskeeper whom the village folk refer to as “Lord Jasper.” As the railway’s deadline approaches, Algernon struggles to forge an alliance with Jasper Waltham, to protect the people of the village, and to make peace with the restless ghosts of Wealdhant Manor. Clean romance, no cheating, standalone novel.
Thrust
Mia West - 2014
But twenty years have passed, and the massive brute claiming the smith’s forge knocks Marc unconscious with a hammer blow.Since the nearby garrison disbanded, Wolfram has defended his former master’s home and smithy against the marauding bandits thriving in the vacuum left by the legions’ retreat. When he fails to kill the latest intruder, Wolf drags the ragged man into his house, honor-bound to nurse him back to health.As Marc heals at Wolf’s hands, the two men discover a slow-burn attraction drawing them together. The unexpected revelation that they once were boyhood rivals stokes the fire between them to a weapon-melting inferno.A novella (approx. 21,000 words) featuring a M/M collision that makes the sack of Rome look like a tea party.INTO THE FIRE SeriesAgainst the backdrop of the Roman Empire’s collapse comes this story of two boyhood rivals reunited as very different men. Twenty years on, Marcus is a soldier with no army and few skills beyond killing. Wolfram is a blacksmith forced to defend his home with a hammer and his wits. Thrust together by cataclysm, Marc and Wolf will strike a partnership from the raw material of their shared past, shaping its angles and edges with a desire they won’t deny, to forge a future strong enough to withstand an unpredictable new world.
Shared Revelations
Andrew Grey - 2012
Eddie Baronski spent his high school years looking out for his partially deaf friend, Jack Emmons. Now that they’ve graduated, they spend their free time at Green Bay’s newly renamed Lambeau Field, taking in the practices.When Eddie’s crush, Johnny Grant, a new Packers team member, offers him a ride home, Eddie thinks it’s the start of a grand romance. But Johnny and Eddie may not be on the same page, and love—true love—sometimes comes from an unexpected quarter.
A Gentleman of Substance
Julia Talbot - 2004
James is something of a cad, and now he's paying for it, banished to a backwater, post-colonial Virginia town for his sins. Happily, he finds something to occupy his time in the form of Daniel Calhoun, a stiff-necked local squire who simply begs to be taken down a notch for his arrogance. The two begin a torrid affair, and Michael pushes them to the very edge of social extinction with his wild ways, drawing Daniel into mischief at every turn. Eventually Michael realizes that he teeters on the very brink of ruining Daniel's life as thoroughly as he has his own, and decides to do the honorable thing. Will it be too late for him to convince Daniel he can do the right thing? Or will Daniel Calhoun decide perhaps he doesn't want a gentleman after all?
Nothing Ventured
Jay Northcote - 2014
Can Aiden and Matt sort out their feelings before race day?When Aiden agrees to run the Mad Mucker--a twelve-mile muddy slog over an obstacle course--he's expecting it to be a bit of a laugh. The training will be tough, but Aiden could use the motivation to regain some fitness.Matt is the sexy cousin of one of Aiden's coworkers and a last-minute addition to the team. When he agrees to train with Aiden, Aiden suddenly finds the prospect of regular workouts a lot more appealing.Soon attraction flares, and they embark on an intense physical relationship. Matt doesn't want to fall in love with a man, and Aiden doesn't want to fall in love at all, but despite their insistence on no strings, they grow closer. As the day of the race approaches, time is running out for them to work out how they feel about each other.This book is a standalone story with a satisfying happy ending.Please note that this is a re-release, and although it has been re-edited with British spellings it has no new content.
Madcap Masquerade
Persephone Roth - 2009
When Loel Woodbine, Duke of Marche and heir to three fortunes, makes an offer for Miss Valeria Randwick's hand, it seems like a godsend, but the young lady has already promised her heart to another-and a commoner, at that. Desperate to avoid the marriage, Valeria concocts a wild scheme that depends upon the good graces of her monastery-raised brother, Valentine. When the prospective groom sees through the ruse, he surprises Valentine by agreeing to cooperate. But can Marche and Valentine fool London society while dealing with an accusation of murder and the distracting fascination between them?
Bless Us With Content
Tinnean - 2011
Family and servants alike perceived Ashton as an unlovable child and shunned him; as an adult, the occasional illicit rendezvous aside, Ashton remains aloof and alone. When his uncle dies, yet more abuse falls upon Ashton’s shoulders: the estate is bankrupt and Ashton must make good on his uncle’s gaming debts.With the family talisman stolen and the suspects fled, Ashton faces certain ruin until the arrival of Geo Stephenson, who holds all of Sir Laytham’s IOUs. Geo proposes a solution: Ashton will accommodate him in his bed, thereby paying off the debt. Attracted to Geo in spite of himself and desperate for any human kindness, Ashton agrees… never expecting to lose his heart to a man who claims he will never give his.
Out of the Past: The King of Pentacles
Sean Michael - 2008
Andy thinks Steven abandoned him back when he was in a terrible wreck, leaving him alone during his long recovery. When they two of them experience a chance meeting in a bar, it’s like the dead have come back to life, and like the past has come back to haunt them. While society mover and shaker Steven has never stopped loving Andy, carpenter Andy has learned to hate his ex-lover, thinking the worst. Steven tracks Andy down, both of them realizing they’ve been the victim of lies and deceit. Can Andy learn to love Steven again, or is it too late for the pair to start over?