Book picks similar to
Beyond Temptation by Mary Reed McCall


romance
historical-romance
medieval
historical

The Blacksmith


Cecelia Mecca - 2019
    One mission—to save England. Love will have to wait... Lance Wayland has a secret purpose for becoming Stanton Castle's new smith. He and his three closest friends are the founding members of the Order of the Broken Blade, formed to blunt the power of King John, whose outrageous taxes and unjust laws have taken a toll on their country. To succeed, they need money and men, both of which they can get from the Earl of Stanton. Lance's mission is of vital importance and can only be waylaid by one thing—his interest in the earl's lovely daughter.Idalia knows better than to think she'll be allowed to marry a smith, yet Lance Wayland is the most compelling man she's ever met—a welcome diversion from the stresses of running Stanton Castle and her mother's illness. Although she knows the entanglement can go nowhere, their connection grows stronger each time they see each other, until she begins to forget all the reasons they should stay apart.Although fate seems determined to keep them apart, Lance and Idalia are drawn together like moths to a flame. But can Lance pursue the woman he loves without betraying the order to which he's pledged his troth?WARNING: Lance Wayland is a dreamier than usual historical hero who may steal your heart. If you have a weakness for sexy blacksmiths, proceed with caution.

Almost Innocent


Jane Feather - 1990
    And then one day, as if in answer to her prayers, the splendid figure of Guy de Gervais, a true knight in shining armor, rides into her cloistered world and spirits her away.For Magdalen it is love at first sight. The one and only love of her life. Yet Guy sees only his responsibility to keep Magdalen safe until she can be wed to his nephew and thus fulfill her political destiny.Then duty calls Guy to the bloody battlefields of France, and when he returns, time has transformed Magdalen into a stunningly sensual beauty. Suddenly the noble knight is fighting the fiercest battle of his life: against a searing desire for a woman he cannot have.

Believe


Victoria Alexander - 1998
    James thought as little of love as she did of the Arthurian legend—it was just a myth. But when an enchanted tome fell into the lovely teacher's hands, Tessa found that she had to rethink her curriculum. Suddenly in Merlin's Camelot, Tessa learned that the legend was nothing like she remembered. Galahad the Chaste was everything but—the powerful knight was an expert lover—and not only wizards could weave powerful spells. Still, even in Galahad's hard-muscled embrace, she felt unsure of this man who had seemed a myth. But soon the beautiful skeptic was on a quest as real as her heart, and the grail—and Galahad's love—were within reach. All she had to do was...Believe.

The Lady's Tutor


Robin Schone - 1999
    She has borne two sons and endured sixteen years of selfless duty in a passionless marriage. Craving a man's loving touch yet loyal to her wedding vows, Elizabeth is determined to seduce her coldly indifferent husband. She knows of only one man who can teach her the erotic secrets of love.The bastard son of an English countess and an Arab sheik, Ramiel Devington was reared to embrace both Western culture and Eastern pleasure. Scorned by society and challenged by prim Elizabeth's request, he undertakes her instruction in the art of sensual delight. But when the lessons become a temptation neither can resist, Elizabeth is forced to choose between obligation and a bold, forbidden passion.

The Conqueror


Kris Kennedy - 2009
    Henry II is king. The country is wracked by bloody civil war. Griffyn Sauvage is a valiant knight with a strict moral code of honor. But when his family's estate and vast treasures are seized, he becomes hardened by the betrayal. Now he will go to any lengths for vengeance—even if it means forming a union with his most despised enemy by marrying his daughter, Lady Guinevere de l'Ami. Then, Griffyn lays eyes on Gwyn and is completely disarmed...As war strikes, Gwyn is left alone to fight her enemies who want control of her ancestral lands. When Griffyn comes to her rescue, she is grateful that the mysterious, brave knight has risked his life to protect hers. With each passing day, she finds herself drawn to him even as she senses he's hiding a dark secret from her. And when another dangerous adversary closes in on both of them, Griffyn and Gwyn's trust in each other will be put to the ultimate test...

Improper Seduction


Mary Wine - 2010
    And he arrives just in time--his bride's father has summoned her to London, to wed another man. But Bridget's father promised her to Curan, and Curan means to have her. Especially now that he sees the luscious young woman she has blossomed into. He'll just have to convince Bridget, somehow, that her heart is more important than her duty. . . Bridget Newbury has always done her duty--to her parents, to the church, to the man they selected as her betrothed. She knows what could happen if she disobeys her father. The king has put nobler women to death for lesser trespasses. But she was promised to Curan first, and his kisses are very tempting. . . Praise for the Novels of Mary Wine ". . .delightful characters and a charming romance. . .definitely a must-read." --Heather Graham on In Bed with a Stranger "A bold and lusty hero, a brave heroine, and intrigue at the royal court of Scotland. . .sexy and exciting as the Highland hills themselves!" --Elizabeth Hoyt on In the Warrior's Bed

Darius: Lord of Pleasures


Grace Burrowes - 2013
    Her gorgeous writing and lush Regency world will stay with you long after you turn the final page...With his beloved sister tainted by scandal, his widowed brother shattered by grief , and his funds cut off, Darius Lindsey sees no option but to sell himself—body and soul. Until the day he encounters lovely, beguiling Lady Vivian Longstreet, whose tenderness and understanding wrap his soul in a grace he knows he'll never deserve..."Grace Burrowes's writing is comfort food for the romantic soul."—Yankee Romance Reviews"Burrowes creates memorable heroes...intelligent, sensual love stories show us this author knows what romance readers adore."—RT Book Reviews

The Charmer


C.J. Archer - 2013
    Charming. Devastating. He was the last man she needed, but the only one she wanted. Orlando Holt has never assassinated a woman before. The lovely, feisty Lady Lynden will be his first. She's supposed to be a vicious murderess, but when Orlando begins to have doubts, he sets out to discover the identity of the person who hired him. What he learns will turn his world upside down, and propel him headlong into love with a woman who's immune to his charms. Twice widowed by the age of twenty-four, Lady Susanna Lynden has had enough of charming men. Her last husband knew all the right things to say to get her to the marriage bed…then made her life miserable. Money may be scarce and her house falling down around her, but the exotic fruit from her orange trees will keep poverty away. Except someone is thwarting her at every turn. Someone who may even want her dead. The books in the Assassins Guild series are: #1 The Charmer #2 The Rebel #3 The Saint #4 The Sinner

Marriage Most Scandalous


Johanna Lindsey - 2005
     When Sebastian Townshend, son of the eighth Earl of Edgewood, was banished from his family due to the tragic results of a duel, he vowed never to return to England. Now living on the continent, Sebastian has forged a new identity as a deadly mercenary, The Raven. But his former neighbor, Lady Margaret Landor, has different plans for him. Back in England, Sebastian's father has had several accidents and Margaret suspects foul play and deception that reach as far back as the infamous duel. Convinced that only Sebastian can set the situation to rights, Margaret arranges a scandalous bargain with him that includes Sebastian's returning home as her husband. As the newlyweds uncover a deadly scheme, a fierce passion blossoms between them, which neither anticipated -- and neither can resist.

Warrior's Song


Catherine Coulter - 1983
    Completely revised, rewritten and repackaged, Warrior's Song takes its rightful place as a prequel to the bestselling Song trilogy.

Rendezvous / Ravished / Reckless (Amanda Quick Triple Exclusive)


Amanda Quick - 2004
    Complete and unabridged,the three novels are Rendezvous, Ravished and Reckless.

The Book of the Seven Delights


Betina Krahn - 2005
    There, her quest becomes entangled with the fate of a handsome ex-legionnaire. Arrogant, brash Apollo Smith hardly inspires trust...but he certainly inspires unladylike thoughts. Together they search for the remnants of the great library, but a host of vengeful legionnaires and greedy bandits is soon on their trail, threatening to put an end to the sensual delights they have just begun to discover.

Any Groom Will Do


Charis Michaels - 2018
    With design talent and aspirations grander than London’s finest houses, she knows an unmarried heiress will never be allowed to live in the capital alone. But a married woman may come and go as she pleases. With a little imagination, a lot of courage, and one carefully worded advertisement, Willow concocts a plan to get everything she wants… even if she must take a husband in exchange.Lord Brent Caulder, the Earl of Cassin, is destitute, his Yorkshire castle is crumbling, and his tenants are without work. He has an ingenious scheme that’s a surefire moneymaker—if only someone would invest. When he discovers an advertisement seeking adventurers to fund, he is determined to claim the money. But his world is turned upside down when the investor turns out to be a flame-haired heiress.The deal is simple: In return for marrying Willow, Cassin will receive her substantial dowry—and nothing else. All she asks is that after the wedding, each go their separate ways. But for all her careful preparation, the one thing Willow couldn’t have planned is the way she feels about Cassin… or the desire that threatens to enflame them both.

The Duke's Holiday


Maggie Fenton - 2014
    And he always gets what he wants. Until he meets Astrid Honeywell. And a giant pig. And a crooked castle in the middle of Yorkshire. Astrid Honeywell, staunch bluestocking, has struggled for years to keep her family together by running the estate and family brewery after her father's death. She is not about to let the tyrannical Duke of Montford steal away all she has worked for because of some antiquated contract between their families. So when the priggish Duke comes to call, she does everything in her power—including setting the family pig on him—to drive him away. She didn't expect him to be so... well, infuriatingly attractive. Every time he scowls at her, she has the most improper desire to kiss him—and a whole lot more. Montford can't decide whether to strangle Astrid or seduce her. The one thing he knows for a fact is that he must resist his powerful attraction for her at all costs. He has a very proper, very demure fiancée waiting for him back in London, after all. But when Astrid is kidnapped by a disgruntled suitor and whisked off to Gretna Green, Montford will do anything to get her back. Will these two drive each other to Bedlam... or can they make it to the altar without killing each other? Includes a fiery heroine, mistaken identities, errant livestock, pompadours, drunken declarations, a touch of smex, and enough witty banter to sink a ship. NOTE: This is a sexy historical romance. Recommended for 18+ due to adult content.

Dark Under the Cover of Night


Jayne Castel - 2012
    Raedwyn--daughter of King Raedwald of the East Angles--has just wed one of her father's ealdorman. Although highborn women wed to strengthen political alliances, rather than for love, Raedwyn still hopes for a happy marriage like that of her parents'. But her optimism is shattered on her wedding night, for her new husband is callous and rough.Raedwyn's life shifts unexpectedly when outlaws ambush her husband's party on their journey back to his long ship. She finds herself captive of a bitter, vengeful warrior who has a score to settle with her father. Raedwyn is his bargaining tool. Caelin, the outlaw's enigmatic son, follows his father on his quest for revenge. Fiercely loyal to her own father, Raedwyn isn't prepared for her wild attraction to Caelin--or for its consequences. Their love is forbidden--but it will not be denied. This first instalment in Jayne Castel's THE KINGDOM OF THE EAST ANGLES series is for fans of Historical Fiction, Historical Romance and Adventure. Readers who love Diana Gabaldon, Bernard Cornwell and Elizabeth Chadwick should enjoy this epic romance adventure set in Dark Ages Britain. Although each novel follows on historically, this series can be read as separate, standalone, romances.DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT was a Quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, 2013--Romance category.