Book picks similar to
The Substitute Bride by Noël Cades
historical
historical-romance
romance
substitute-bride
My Darling Caroline
Adele Ashworth - 1998
Caroline was determined to see her dream become a reality—even if it meant masquerading as a man to be accepted at a university. But when her father arranged for her to marry, she agreed—knowing she could not become a conventional wife.A Flourishing LoveYet marriage wasn't what she thought it would be. Her attractive, new husband gave her the freedom she never expected—and the respect she had always deserved. At first she tried to resist his admiration, his love... and especially his touch. But soon she was surprised and overcome by her husband's—and her own—passion. Now Caroline might have to make the most difficult choice of all—between her lifelong dream and the depth of her love for an extraordinary man.
A Wicked Way to Win an Earl
Anna Bradley - 2015
Delia Somerset despises the privileged ton, but her young sister, Lily, is desperate to escape their family’s scandalous past and join high society. Unwilling to upset her sister, Delia reluctantly agrees to attend a party at the Sutherland estate—and avoid the gossip at all costs. Alec Sutherland is known as a hot-headed scoundrel, but nothing gets a rise out of him as much as the news that his brother desires Delia’s hand in marriage. She is, after all, the daughter of the London belle who soiled their family name. He’s determined to ruin her reputation as well, in the most delicious way possible. It’s only a matter of time before he can woo her with his irresistible advances. As Delia devilishly plays along in Alec’s game, determined to prove the joke is on him, they inch ever closer to repeating history. And in this game of seductive glances, scandalous whispers, and old debts, the outcome might be much more than either of them anticipated…
Diana Sensational Spinster's Society
Charlotte Stone - 2018
As a ballerina, she's used to the admiration she receives from her fans, but Frank's gaze leaves her breathless. It's no wonder that while she searches for the villain who left her with hidden scars, she also searches for a way to Frank's heart. Dr. Frank Lockwood understands the workings of the human mind more than many. But when he's pulled into a game by a madman who hunts the streets of London, he's surprised to discover the prize at the end. A dancer who is capable of stopping his heart on sight. Diana Banns. Circumstances, however, force him to keep their relationship professional. It is only as the danger reheats that Frank finds it hard to resist his little dancer and everything she offers. They'll work together to discover the identity of their enemy and the truth about themselves. Will the good doctor ever see Diana for the woman she is? And what dangers await once the curtains close? Page Count: around 450 pages
The Land Steward's Daughter
Becky Michaels - 2020
At five-and-twenty, the pressure to marry well is mounting, despite being unable to forget Will, the Duke of Blackmore’s second son.Will Winter doesn’t care much for his father’s qualifications for a proper wife. When he returns to England and sees Elaina again, he knows he must have her, despite her meager dowry and precarious standing in society as the daughter of his family’s land steward.As their attraction to one another intensifies, Elaina must make a decision: one that may further damage her reputation and Will’s already delicate relationship with his family, or one that will leave her unfulfilled and wondering for the rest of her life.
Valentines From Bath: A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Bluestocking Belles - 2019
Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.Beauty and the Bounder by Jessica CaleHe's a liar and a fortune-hunter... and exactly what she needs.The moment Lady Emilia sets eyes on the Chevalier d'Aubusson, she knows their fates are tied together. For good or ill, she cannot say. A mysterious aristocrat with a tragic past, the chevalier makes waves with his considerable charm.But the chevalier is not as he seems. There are cracks in his story, and Emilia never could resist a mystery. Whether he's a gentleman or a bounder, he might just be the man for her.The Earl Takes a Wife by Sherry EwingIt began with a memory, etched in the heart.Lady Celia Lacey is too young for a husband, especially man-about-town Lord Adrian de Courtenay. But when she meets him at a house party, she falls in love.Adrian finds the appealing innocent impossible to forget, though she is barely out of the schoolroom and a relative by marriage.His sister's deception brings them together but destroys their happiness. Can they reach past the hurt to the love that still burns?The Beast Next Door by Jude KnightIn all the assemblies and parties of Bath, no one Charis met could ever match the beast next door.Charis Fishingham has always felt more at home at Eastwood— Beastwood, as the neighbours called it, after the flawed child who once lived there. In the Eastwood gardens, Charis can escape her mother's expectations, her sisters' chatter, and her own worries about her future. There, she reads and remembers her secret friend, long gone into exile to have his birthmarks removed at his family's command.Now, the Beast has returned. Eric Lord Wayford would rather face the surgeons of Naples and Napoleon's armies than the tongues of the ton. He joyfully greets Charis, and their future looks to be full of hope.But someone does not wish Charis to wed the Beast of Eastwood and will stop at nothing to keep them apart.The Umbrella Chronicles: John and Emma’s Story by Amy QuintonA serious-minded, scientific man of learning seeks a complex and chaotic practitioner of all things superstitious who will upend his well-ordered life.The Umbrella Strikes Again! Another Bachelor Has Fallen!Dr. John Edward Hartwell needs assistance, though not quite the kind of help he might think. True, he is well-organized, tidy, and pathologically set in his ways—a more serious-minded man one might never find. But in his ways, I have determined, lies misery.Enter Miss Emma Merryweather—a woman who is as lovely as she is chaotic. She is the perfect candidate to compliment our man of numbers and logical focus, bringing sunshine and superstition to redirect him away from a future of certain wretchedness.And now that she has been categorically convinced that they are destined to be together—the signs, you see—no one can stand in her way, for she is as tenacious and optimistic as she is beautiful.Candles in the Dark by Caroline WarfieldDoug Marsh and his candles bring light to many, none more than Esther. They may light the Assembly Rooms even as his love lights her life.Doug Marsh knew what the army expected of him. Invalided out, he struggles to run his uncle's candle-works and look after those dependent on it. A contract with the Bath Assembly Rooms would go a long way toward succeeding at both of those things. The plight of a young woman is a distraction he doesn't need.Esther Hopkins, formerly 'the Honorable', has no time to mourn the life denied her by a single mistake. A woman alone with a newborn son to raise needs work, and she is determined to make it on her own. If only she could stop yearning for the sturdy arms and kind blue eyes of the man who rescued her from starvation and enlisted the entire Marsh Candle Works to her support. But Sergeant Marsh shows nothing but benevolent interest in her welfare. Why should he care for a fallen woman?In the normal course of things, Esther is far above Doug's touch. Can he find the courage to court her and still take care of business at the same time?
About a Rogue
Caroline Linden - 2020
James, notorious rake. Defiantly she helps Cathy elope with her true love, and takes her sister’s place at the altar.It’s not even the match that was made…Perched on the lowest branch of his family tree, Max has relied on charm and cunning to survive. But an unexpected stroke of luck gives him an outside chance at a dukedom—and which Tate sister he weds hardly seems to matter. But could it be the perfect match? Married or not, Bianca is determined to protect her family’s prosperous ceramics business, even when Max shows an affinity for it—not to mention a dangerous ability to intrigue and tempt Bianca herself. And when Max realizes how beautiful and intelligent and desirable Bianca is, he’ll have to prove he’s no rogue, but the passionately devoted husband she craves…
Pride and Pleasure
Sylvia Day - 2011
. .There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters corner her, friends become opportunistic, and lately, someone is engineering "accidents" to propel her into marriage. Not one to be bullied, Eliza needs the right man to infiltrate the nest of suitors. . . . . .So Do Certain MenBy all measures, Jasper Bond is the wrong man for the job. He can't dance, isn't known for his restraint, and his blood heats whenever he's near his latest employer. Eliza Martin insists no one will believe an intellectual like her could be seduced by a man of action like Jasper, but the combination of his desire and her mystery makes the case one he can't resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it's his pleasure to prove he's just the man she needs after all. . . "Everything romance readers expect and more." --RT Book Reviews
The Wayward Son
Caroline Warfield - 2021
How can she make the heir love it as she does?
Welcome to book 1 in the exciting new series by bestselling author Caroline Warfield!Sir Robert Benson’s life is in London. He fled Ashmead the day he discovered the man he thought was his father had lied to him, and the girl he loved was beyond his reach. Only a nameless plea from his sister—his half-sister—brings him back. He will not allow a ludicrous bequest from the earl who sired him turn him into a mockery of landed gentry. When a feisty little termagant with flashing eyes—and a musket—tries to turn Rob off the land—his land—he’s too amused and intrigued to turn away. But the longer he stays, the tighter the bonds that tie him to Ashmead become, strengthened by the powerful draw of the woman rooted on land he’s determined to sell.Lucy Whitaker’s life is Willowbrook, its land, its tenants, its prosperity, but she always knew it wasn’t hers, knew the missing heir would come eventually. When a powerful man with military bearing rides up looking as if he wants to come in and count the silver, she turns him away, but her heart sinks. She can’t deny Rob Benson his property; she can only try to make him love the place as she does, for her peoples’ sake. A traitorous corner of her heart wishes Rob would love it for her sake.
His life is London; hers is Ashmead. How can they forge something lasting when they are torn in two directions?
A Rogue by Any Other Name
Sarah MacLean - 2012
Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them... even her heart.
A Gentle Love
Emily Woods - 2017
He has a secret that could drive any woman away. Can they find a love to overcome it all? A Sweet Western Romance from #1 Best Selling Author Emily Wood Kate is a widow who watched her whole life go up in flames. With nowhere else to turn, she heads west to live with her aunt and start a new life for herself and her daughter. As she struggles to provide a new life for her daughter, she finds herself attracted to man who has vowed to never love again. Can she overcome her lack of faith and trust someone enough to find love again? A Gentle Love is a clean western romance from #1 Best Selling author Emily Woods. If you like clean, historical fiction about women who must overcome tragedy in order to love again, you will love this sweet romance! Buy A Gentle Love and get lost in another sweet western romance today. Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited
The Sherbrooke Bride
Catherine Coulter - 1992
He must have an heir. Thus, he must first provide himself with the requisite bride. Alexandra Chambers, youngest daughter of the Duke of Beresford, has loved Douglas Sherbrooke since she was fifteen. Unfortunately, it is her sister, the incomparable Melissande, he wishes to wed.But life never ladles out what one expects, and Douglas finds himself wed to the wrong sister. If having an unwanted wife isn't enough, he is also plagued by The Virgin Bride, a ghost that is reputedly seen in the countess's bedchamber. Does the willowy phantom really appear to Douglas? Does she speak to him?
The Husband Trap
Tracy Anne Warren - 2006
. . . Violet Brantford has always longed for the passionate embrace of Adrian Winter, the wealthy Duke of Raeburn. Problem is, he's set to marry Violet's vivacious, more socially polished look-alike twin sister, Jeannette. But when Jeannette refuses to go through with the ceremony mere minutes before it is to begin, soft-spoken Violet finds herself walking down the aisle and taking vows in her sister's place. Soon shy Violet is a high-society wife, trying to keep her real identity a secret while living out the fantasies of her wildest dreams. Adrian thinks he knows exactly what he's gotten himself into: Jeannette may be flighty and, well, a bit self-involved, but she's the picture-perfect wife to carry on the Winter name. Yet this marriage of convenience brings the groom more than he bargained for when he finds his sweet, innocent wife surprising him at every turn. And though he never planned on true love, Adrian is definitely in danger of losing his heart.
The Soul of a Storme
Sandra Sookoo - 2021
Unable to join the fight against Napoleon due to the declining health and subsequent death of his father, his rotten mood worsened when his two brothers survived the war with life-changing injuries. Ashamed, Drew retreats to his country estate in Derbyshire to spare them his ire. Why the devil was he not worth more than his title?Miss Sarah Copeland is a poor relation. In exchange for room and board, she’s become the governess to her great-uncle’s two rambunctious offspring. It was better than being tossed in the street, but only just. Freedom and imagination are found in playing a flute, especially since dreams of her future died long ago. When she meets her handsome, growling neighbor, she believes she’s finally found her purpose. After all, didn’t music soothe the savage beast?While Drew battles with his guilt and anxiety, he finds safety and solace in Sarah’s company. As they enter into a surprising marriage of convenience, the earl’s temper slowly begins to improve, as does her outlook. But while an unexpected romance blooms over the summer weeks, responsibility to the title rears its ugly head, and his temper flares anew, threatening to tear apart everything they’ve built.
Only patience, trust, and love will see them through to a happy ending.
Claiming Lady Brinton
Tess St. John - 2020
She’s become invisible to London society and is set to begin life anew with another man.The day he married Millicent, Lord Tristan Brinton’s carriage overturned and knocked him unconscious. When he woke, he found himself on a hellish convict ship being treated like a prisoner. He finally escapes that nightmare and returns to London in hopes to learn who put him on that ship and seek justice.But first he must come back from the grave to a wife he knows would rather he remain dead. Can Tristan persuade Millicent he is a different man? Will he get the chance before his abductors silence him forever?