Book picks similar to
Speak Only Love by Deana James
historical-romance
romance
historical
regency
The Spinster and the Rake
Eva Devon - 2021
Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught. So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s aunt walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield.Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her. As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade?
The Earl's Inconvenient Wife
Ruth Ann Nordin - 2012
Now he is bound by duty to get an heir. Unfortunately, to get the heir, he must find a wife. As luck would have it, he gets caught in a scandalous situation not of his doing, and the next thing he knows, he's married...and to a lady whose family is reported to desire money above all else.Miss Claire Lowell wanted to get married. But she never intended to marry a gentleman who felt trapped into it, and she certainly never thought her family would have a hand in the scandal that forced Lord Roderick's hand in marriage. Can love find a way to thrive under such conditions or will her father's eagerness to see her married off to an earl condemn her to a loveless marriage?
At Your Pleasure
Meredith Duran - 2012
Rivenham will let nothing—not the deepening shadow of war, nor the growing darkness within him—interfere with his ambition to restore his family to its former glory. But when tasked by the king to uncover a traitor, he discovers instead a conspiracy—and a woman whose courage awakens terrible temptations. To save her is to risk everything. To love her might cost his life.At swordpoint she defies him...Lady Leonora knows that Rivenham is the devil in beautiful disguise— and that the irresistible tension between them is as unpredictable as the dilemma in which Nora finds herself: held hostage on her own estate by Rivenham and the king's men. But when war breaks out, Nora has no choice but to place her trust in her dearest enemy—and pray that love does not become the weapon that destroys them both.
Duchess by Chance
Wendy Vella - 2013
So to save his family’s honor Daniel agrees to the marriage. But society’s favorite bachelor is no longer a charming easygoing man. His father’s betrayal has left him angry and with a thirst for revenge and the last thing he needs are his growing feelings for his shy new wife.Eva learns she is to wed the Duke of Stratton on way to the church. Despite the shock, this is an unexpected opportunity to escape her horrid family – one she grasps at with both hands. However, her courage falters when she faces the devilishly handsome but unyielding Duke who is now her husband.Can they make their marriage real despite coming from two completely different worlds?
Sinful
Susan Johnson - 1993
That is until he stepped into his carriage one evening and found it already occupied…
Chelsea tempted him with a sinful offer.
Sinjin adamantly, albeit politely refused. She was a young unmarried maiden, too dangerous for a man who'd vowed never to wed. No matter how luscious the prize, he wasn't reckless enough to be entrapped by the tantalizing minx.
Can the spirited young beauty change his mind?
Smitten with an Ethereal Lady
Bridget Barton - 2019
Many years ago, an accident on a rainy day, had put an end to any chance of her becoming a bride. Charlotte has resigned herself to an inevitable fate - she became a social recluse, who even her parents never speak of, because of the affliction that torments her; a ghost daughter, who must stay hidden away. But when she meets the kind and handsome Marquess, her heart flutters for the first time! Can she let go of her secret and believe that love is on the cards for her too?Sebastian, the Marquess of Wharton, has no desire to marry. The vapid society ladies that his mother insists on throwing on his path do not interest him at all. All that changes when he suddenly meets a beautiful lady on a crowded street, and he is forced to reconsider his perspective. Despite all his mother's efforts, Sebastian is smitten with the mysterious Charlotte and cannot stop thinking about her. Will he be able to discover her well-kept secret and convince her that she is the one who owns his heart?Even though they were instantly attracted to each other, each one repelled those thoughts for their own reasons. Nonetheless, avoiding that powerful chemistry cannot last long. Can Charlotte ever hope to let go of her painful past, and learn to embrace life, and a chance of true love? Will Sebastian be able to break free of society's norms and follow his heart?"Smitten with an Ethereal Lady" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
The Admiral's Penniless Bride
Carla Kelly - 2010
As she spends it on a cup of tea - to stave off being at the mercy of the workhouse - the last thing she expects is an offer of marriage... from a complete stranger!Admiral Sir Charles Bright's seafaring days are over - and according to society, that must mean he's in need of a wife! Discovering Sally is in need of a home, he offers a solution... They marry in haste - but will they enjoy their wedding night at leisure?
So Wild a Heart
Candace Camp - 2002
But the former abbey they received came with a price—a curse that no family member would ever know happiness.Devin Aincourt, Earl of Ravenscar, makes no apologies for who he is—a drinker, a womanizer, a gambler. Having been cast aside by his disapproving father years before, Dev is content to live out his cursed life in this hedonistic manner. Until his mother asks him to make a bold move to restore the family name and fortune: marry a rich American heiress.Believing it will be a marriage in name only, Dev agrees to marry Miranda. But he never imagined that this feisty, unconventional foreigner would have plans of her own: to restore Blackwater, the old abbey, to its former glory, to extricate Dev from the clutches of a devious mistress and to win his heart for her own. All while risking her own life to an unknown enemy.
The Bride Sale
Candice Hern - 2002
But is it honor and nobility that compel James to outbid the townfolk for the proud, beautiful lady -- or is it something more akin to...desire?"A Mysterious Lord"Verity Osborne is not sure whether good fortune or ill brought her to this dark, brooding man and his lonely manor house on the moors. Local talk brands James Harkness as evil -- but Verity senses a gentleness underneath. She dearly longs for her liberty, but his sensuous touch causes her to stay. However, James must first trust Verity with his secrets if they are ever to share love's rapturous freedom. And will the promised passion she sees flaming in his eyes warm Verity's heart...or burn her?
His Lady to Protect
Justine Covington - 2020
Her trust… When Nate promises to protect his best friend’s little sister from her traitorous uncle, he knows it’s the least he can do to atone for his past sins. And if a marriage of convenience is the most efficient way to guarantee her safety? So be it. He’s ready for anything…except how quickly his lovely new bride would steal his heart… Susannah never intended to marry the man who led her brother to his death. The fact that she once loved him? Irrelevant. She just can’t allow herself to trust him again. But it’s not long before she starts to wonder if there’s more to Nate than meets the eye. What if he’s not the villain she assumed he was? And if that’s the case…can her poor, beleaguered heart survive another inevitable fall? Nate and Susannah have much to overcome if they have any hope of finding their way to happily ever after. But what if trust is simply a luxury neither can afford? Buy His Lady to Protect to read the first in an exciting new series centered around six friends from Eton and set in the infamous Regency period.
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.
Once and Always
Judith McNaught - 1987
Bewildered by his arrogance yet drawn to his panther-like grace, she senses the painful memories that smolder in his eyes. When he gathers her at last into his arms, arousing a sweet, insistent hunger, they wed and are embraced by fierce, consuming joy -- free from the past's cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of anguish, Victoria discovers the treachery at the heart of their love . . . a love she had dreamed would triumph not just once, but always.
Sweet Disorder
Rose Lerner - 2014
Unfortunately, the election in Lively St. Lemeston is hotly contested, and the little town’s charter gives Phoebe the right to make her husband a voter—if she had one. The Honorable Nicholas Dymond has vowed never to get involved in his family's aristocratic politicking. But now his army career is over for good, his leg and his self-confidence both shattered in the war. Helping his little brother win an election could be just what the doctor ordered. So Nick decamps to the country, under strict orders to marry Phoebe off to somebody before the polls open. He’s intrigued by the lovely widow from the moment she shuts the door in his face. Phoebe is determined not to be persuaded by the handsome earl’s son, no matter how charming he is. But when disaster strikes her young sister, she is forced to consider selling her vote—and her hand—to the highest bidder. As election intrigue grows, Phoebe and Nick are brought face to face with their own deepest desires and forced to decide which vows are worth keeping, and which must be broken... Contains elections, confections, and a number of erections.
An Arranged Marriage: A Pride & Prejudice Alternate Path
Jan Hahn - 2011
Darcy's proposal at Hunsford, her father dies, leaving Longbourn entailed away and little fortune to sustain his widow and daughters. Six months later, the Bennet family receives a visitor with a most unusual offer that promises to save the family from financial and social ruin. Elizabeth's sense of duty forces her to enter into an arranged marriage with a man she does not even like. Told from Elizabeth's point of view, An Arranged Marriage is a compelling twist on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Can Elizabeth overcome her feelings of anger, resentment, and suspicion toward her new husband and - the most bewildering sensation of all - a growing attraction for the last man in the world she ever wished to marry?
Training Lady Townsend
Annabel Joseph - 2014
Unfortunately, she grew up into a pillar of propriety while her betrothed grew up into a renowned rake. Of course, no one would expect such an unsuitable match to go forward…which is why they find themselves at a loss when circumstances force them to the altar and into each other’s arms. Hunter, the beleaguered marquess, believes he’ll survive the uneven match by continuing to frequent his well-trained coterie of whores and courtesans, but Aurelia’s powerful father has other ideas. When he blocks Hunter’s access to the only women shameless enough to cater to his decadent needs, the marquess informs his new wife that something will have to be done. That “something” will be the immediate commencement of her erotic training…whether she wants it or not. This 70K word novel contains acts of punishment and discipline, anal play, and other sensual practices. The Properly Spanked Series: #1 Training Lady Townsend #2 To Tame A Countess #3 My Naughty Minette #4 Under A Duke’s Hand