Book picks similar to
Ruthless by C. De Melo


historical-fiction
historical-medieval
in-italy
audio-authors

The Lady's Gamble


Anne R. Bailey - 2021
    

A Great Love of Small Proportion


Colin Falconer - 2016
     Seville, 1489. The end of the Reconquista. Diego Sanchis is Seville's most famous painter; his glorious art fills every church in the famous city. But for all the beauty in his soul, Diego himself is no oil painting. Nobody but his father loves him and Diego likes it that way. Until one day he is asked to take on a new student. Mercedes Goncalvez is the most beautiful young woman in the city, and her father is rich and powerful. What could such a woman possibly see in him? But there are many ways to see beauty. And beyond the dungeons of the Inquisition; beyond betrayal and torture; and even as the Christian cannons are turned towards the heavenly gardens of the Alhambra, Diego and Mercedes find true beauty among the ashes of last hopes. A story of love, art and genius, perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Geraldine Brooks

The Forest and The Flames (The Chronicles of Matilda, Lady of Flanders #2)


G. Lawrence - 2017
    The struggle for England begins. Matilda, Lady of Flanders, Duchess of Normandy, rules as Regent of Normandy for her husband, Duke William. William has won the Battle of Hastings, but Saxon England does not wish to surrender to him as King. As William sets England to flame, Matilda waits in Normandy for the time to come when she can claim her crown. Through bloodshed, battle and struggle will England be won, but even as Matilda rejoices for her new power, a prophesy is spoken, linking the fates of her children to the wailing voices and horrific images in dreams which come to haunt her. Matilda comes to understand that God is watching, and is not pleased with what He sees. As Matilda battles to save her children, she finds she must stand against her own husband, in order to protect the lives, and immortal souls, of her sons and daughters. Through heartache, discord, battle, rebellion and slaughter, the fate of England, and the future of the house of Normandy, will be decided. The Forest and The Flames is book two in The Chronicles of Matilda, Lady of Flanders, by G. Lawrence The author's thanks to Julia Gibbs, proof reader, as well as Consuelo Parra, the artist who designed the cover, and the model featured on the cover, Jaymasee,deviantart.

Blood of Roses: Edward IV and Towton


J.P. Reedman - 2018
    His second son Edmund, aged just seventeen, is murdered by Butcher Clifford, his blood staining the cobbles of Wakefield bridge outside the chapel where he had vainly sought sanctuary. The House of York has fallen...but not for long. The Lancastrian army of Margaret of Anjou has reaped the whirlwind with the treacherous slaughter at Wakefield. Edward of March, Duke Richard's heir, is coming after them, tall, handsome, young and a fearsome warrior...and he wants vengeance for the death of his father and beloved younger brother. He fights his foes at Mortimer's Cross, where Three Suns mysteriously appear in the sky as an omen, and then fares on through an unseasonal snowstorm to the field of Towton...and victory in the bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil. The prize--the Crown of England. From the author of the I, RICHARD PLANTAGENET series A novella of 25,000 words

The Confessor's Wife


Kelly Evans - 2019
    Even the king’s mother, Emma of Normandy, detests her daughter-in-law and Edith is soon on the receiving end of her displeasure. Balancing her sense of family obligation with her duty to her husband, Edith must also prove herself to her detractors. Edward’s and Edith’s relationship is respectful and caring, but when Edith’s enemies engineer her family’s fall from grace, the king is forced to send her away. She vows to do anything to protect her family’s interests if she returns, at any cost. Can Edith navigate the dangerous path fate has set her, while still remaining loyal to both her husband and her family?

One of Us Buried


Johanna Craven - 2021
    She is put to work at the female factory of Parramatta; a place where the women’s only hope of food and lodgings is to offer their bodies to the settlement’s men. Nell is given shelter by Lieutenant Blackwell, a brooding soldier to whom she is inexplicably drawn. Despite warnings from the other women, Blackwell’s motives seem decent, and beneath the roof of a military officer, Nell sees a chance to become more than just a convict woman sent to the factory to be forgotten. But tensions are high in New South Wales, with the young colony teetering on the edge of a convict rebellion. And as Nell treads a dangerous line between obedience and power, she learns the role of a factory lass is to remain silent – or face a walk to the gallows.

Never Deny a Duke at Christmas


Harriet Caves - 2021
    But attend the Christmas festivities of the Ton she must. Even if she has to go through hell just for the sake of her father.Nothing stings more than unrequited love and Ducnan Matthews, the Duke of Reedson, learned this the hard way. And despite living in sin for the past years, his heart still betrays him at the sight of the very woman who broke it.Threatened with financial ruination, Duncan desperately needs a wealthy wife and Kendra needs a savior. With their own futures at stake, it’s finally time to confront the past, to trust in each other, and against the odds, find the love they lost—if she will only say yes.

The Boleyn Secret


Zoe Bramley - 2016
    Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory. Katherine Digby, daughter to a country gentleman, is now maid of honour at the court of Anne Boleyn. Shy and intimidated by the glamour of the court, she soon inspires the enmity of the queen's sister in law, Lady Rochford. As Anne Boleyn and Katherine Digby grow to understand each other, friendship blossoms, but dark clouds are beginning to gather and Katherine soon realises that the queen is surrounded by sworn enemies - even among the ladies in waiting. When she is entrusted with the safe keeping of a paper, she cannot resist reading it. What she finds is an explosive secret which could threaten everything - even the queen's life. It is vital to protect her, but Katherine faces a formidable adversary in the form of someone who wishes Anne Boleyn dead. The Boleyn secret cannot remain hidden for long. Curl up and enjoy this Tudor escapade by the author of The Lady's Favour, The Shakespeare Trail, and William Shakespeare in 100 Facts.

The Eagles Shadow


Keith Nixon - 2014
    His name is Caradoc.In Rome a new Emperor, Claudius, accedes the throne. But he is politically weak, enemies who would take his place circle and plot. If he is to survive Claudius needs a triumph, one that marks him as a leader of men.Claudius’s eye turns to the mysterious isle of Britannia, home of the supernatural Druids and brutal, wild-eyed warriors, reputed to fight naked. The place not even Julius Caesar could conquer.AD43 and a massive invasion force, commanded by Aulus Plautius, lands on a tiny corner of Britannia. Caradoc, King of the country’s most powerful tribe, assembles an army to throw his enemy back over the water and into Gaul. But divisions are rife and there are those who are secretly working with the Romans for their own benefit. The very future of the country is at risk and only one man can safeguard it…Praise for Keith Nixon’s WorkA hugely enjoyable debut novel from Keith Nixon.'Ian Ayris, author of Abide With Me'Moves faster than a speeding bullet. Can't wait for more from Keith Nixon.'Tony Black, author of The Last TigerCool, creative and downright crude, THE FIX will get your heart pumping.'Gerard Brennan, author of FIREPROOF'Sharply observed, fast paced. Hard as a knuckleduster.'Richard Godwin, author of Apostle Rising'A blast from first page to the last, this high-octane debut takes aim at the corporate world and is fast, furious and a lot of fun. If there’s a knack to writing dark comedy, Nixon surely has it.'Nick Quantrill, author of The Late Greats'The Fix is a gritty, multi-layered novel which features a glorious mix of characters - all with that great human quality of being flawed and unique. Nixon's writing is what really makes this stand out. A fast-paced and quite excellent debut novel. 'Luca Veste, author of Dead Gone

Kenneth's Queen (Women of the Dark Ages, #1)


Anna Chant - 2016
    Her descendants sit on the British throne to this day. But history does not even record her name… In ninth century Britain, the Picts and the Gaels fight for supremacy over the North. In one of their rare truces, a young Pict woman is reluctantly married to a Gael warrior, son of one of the great Chiefs of Dal Riata. Leaving behind her family and the Pict lord she had hoped to marry, she travels west to the household of Alpin, where she is viewed with suspicion by many of her new kin. But it is the collapse of the truce and the indifference of her husband that leaves her position in her new land increasingly vulnerable, as war breaks out once again. Forced to forget her Pict heritage, she fears that one day she will be faced with an agonising choice between the victory of her husband or her father. Her journey takes her from the splendours of the Fortress of Dunadd to the tranquillity of the sacred Isle of Iona, where even greater danger lurks as the terrifying Norsemen plan their own attacks. However, it seems that her hardest battle will be to win the heart of her husband, the brave, cunning and often ruthless Cinaed as he fights his way towards a destiny that could be greater than anyone imagines… The man known to history as Kenneth Mac Alpin.

The Eccentric's Tale: Harriet (A Jacobite Chronicles Story)


Julia Brannan - 2019
    Just one simple thing; the freedom to be herself. But for a young woman living in the seventeenth century, freedom is not such an easy thing to achieve. When her family’s future wealth and happiness are threatened she wrestles with the realisation that duty will have to be put before her precious dreams. She finds herself forced to make a decision which leads to consequences she could never have imagined, even in her worst nightmares. Now she has to fight the whole of society, not just for happiness but for her very survival, and must take up arms in her own eccentric way, with startling results. The Eccentric’s Tale is an intriguing look at the remarkable private life and emotions of a truly unique woman.

Cloisterman – an epic chronicle of love and loyalty in Tudor England


Juliet Dymoke - 1973
     A new Tudor monarch has just been crowned: a handsome, energetic king. His court, so different from his father’s, is a glamorous, seductive magnet to ambitious young noblemen from across the country. One such man is Julian Allard who has fled a monastic life in Northumberland to seek love, fame and fortune at the court of Henry VIII. But when his beloved marries another and the King proves to be a temperamental master, Julian’s idyllic life at court begins to fall apart. Dismissing the advice of friends and the wise heads around him, he finds himself on a path to self-destruction, believing only in the dark prophesy of a fortune teller. Cloisterman is powerful Tudor chronicle from a master storyteller. Juliet Dymoke’s portrayal of life at the court of Henry VIII at an exciting time of intellectual and artistic promise, is compelling, moving and utterly convincing.

The Girl Across the Sea


Noëlle Harrison - 2021
    Her chest felt tight, and her heart was cracking. If only she could be sure her secret was safe. If only she could go home to Ireland…New York, 1933. Ellen looks at her sleeping husband and precious daughter for the last time. They have longed to return home to Ireland for many years, but now the time has come, and the boat is ready to leave. But Ellen knows the dark secret she hides means she can never go back. Heart breaking into a million little pieces, she kisses her little girl goodbye and lays a precious turquoise necklace down beside her head, before fleeing into the night.Ireland, years later. Mairead’s world is falling apart. Recently separated, she has returned home to nurse her dying mother, Brigid. As Brigid passes, she calls out for her mother, Ellen, a woman Mairead knows nothing about.All alone in the world, Mairead is stricken with guilt that she couldn’t honour her mother’s last wish. She travels to New York, the last place her grandmother was seen, clutching all that she has of her – a stunning turquoise necklace and a small black-and-white photograph. Mairead’s search leads her across America to Arizona where she discovers that Ellen was on the run, a wanted woman, accused of a terrible crime.Mairead can’t believe that the young woman with laughing eyes and an innocent smile could have such a dark past. But as she uncovers the secrets and lies that forced her grandmother to abandon her only daughter, will Mairead’s own future be ruined by the shadows of her family’s secrets?Be transported to the wild west coast of Ireland by this beautiful read about the sacrifices a mother will make to protect her child. Fans of The Light Between Oceans and Lisa Wingate will adore this heart-breaking book.

Blood in the Forum: A Novella of Ancient Rome (The Marius Scrolls Book 2)


Vincent B. Davis II - 2019
    Betrayal. Assassination. Rome, 133 b.c. Gaius Marius is back from war in the West. They fought for the peace and prosperity of Rome, but the legions return to find the Eternal City far less peaceful and prosperous than they had hoped. People are starving, homelessness abounds, war after war has overtaxed the legions. And the revolutionary tribune, Tiberius Gracchus, thinks he has a solution for everything. Political parties are developing, the people are up in arms, the senate is enraged. And Tiberius is at the center of it all. Before Marius has a chance to reacclimate to civilian life, he’s thrust into this political upheaval in Rome. His allegiances are put to the test as Rome is almost brought to the brink of civil war. For the first time in the history of the Republic, blood will be shed in the forum.

The List


Buck Storm - 2019
    And for centuries the people watched, waited and hoped. He was to be the redeemer of Israel. The all-powerful King of Kings who would finally and decisively deliver the nation from the iron fist of Rome. Joseph of Arimathea is a wealthy man, but wealth can't buy peace. Nor the affection of the wife he loves. Nicodemus is a leader of Israel who will stop at nothing to find truth. Sadducee and Pharisee--two men, worlds apart, thrown together at the most critical moment in the history of the world. Set against the spectacle and grandeur of ancient Israel and the brutal violence of the Roman Empire, here is a tale not to be missed. Step into THE LIST and experience the Christ story as you never have before.