Book picks similar to
The Honey and the Sting by Chris Hunt


historical-fiction
gay
historical-romance
lgbtq

Ann's Valley


Cayt Lawson - 2019
    Even if it meant striking a deal with the surly, and devilishly handsome, mountain man to do it. More lives than just her own depended upon it… She was the type he swore never to fall for again…He was a complication she could ill afford…Together they will discover love is worth the risk, no matter the cost…Lady Ann Dunneroy finds herself in a desperate situation and her search for the man responsible leads her on a perilous journey to the American West. Relying solely on her wit and resourcefulness to survive, she strikes a deal with a rugged mountain man by the name of Grayson Stone. The more time Ann spends with Grayson, the less certain she is of the original mission she embarked upon. Determined to do what is right, Ann must make a difficult decision; one that may break her heart and perhaps cost her very life as well as the lives of those she loves most…Grayson Stone is the leader of the wagon train and it’s his job to ensure everyone arrives safely; a duty made aggravatingly more challenging when he agrees to escort a reckless, young woman along the way. A hard man, as rugged and imposing as the mountains he calls home, Grayson wants only to live a peaceful life of solitude. But something about the tenacious Lady Ann makes him yearn for more… A story of love and loss on the Santa Fe Trail! Follow the hoyden daughter of an earl, from the ballrooms of London to America’s wild frontier; where she must choose between her heart and her honor. Excerpt from Ann’s Valley: “Nothing has changed.” Grayson’s words were direct and curt. Ann stiffened, feeling her anger with him return, “I hadn’t been under the impression they had.”“Do not confront me again on the matter. I will not change my mind. No woman or child allowed on the trail unless accompanied by a guardian. Is that understood?”“Perfectly.” She leveled him with her most imperious stare. Then added impertinently, “And do you own the trail, then?”His jaw clenched in irritable fashion, fastening her with a menacing glower, “Don’t even think about following on your own.”“You can’t stop me.”

The Left Hand of Calvus


L.A. Witt - 2012
    That is until his new master, Laurea Calvus, orders Saevius to discover the gladiator with whom his wife is having a sordid affair. In order to do that, Saevius must return to the arena, training alongside the very men on whom he’s spying. Worse, he’s now under the command of Drusus, a notoriously cruel—and yet strangely intriguing—lanista.But Saevius’s ruse is the least of his worries. There’s more to the affair than a wife humiliating her prominent husband, and now Saevius is part of a dangerous game between dangerous men. He isn’t the only gladiator out to expose the Lady Verina’s transgressions, and her husband wants more than just the guilty man’s name.When Saevius learns the truth about the affair, he’s left with no choice but to betray a master: one he’s come to fear, one he’s come to respect, and either of whom could have him killed without repercussion.For the first time in his life, the most dangerous place for this gladiator isn’t the arena.This novel has been previously published under the pseudonym L.A. Witt, and has been lightly revised.

The Actor and the Earl


Rebecca Cohen - 2014
    When his twin sister, Bronwyn, reneges on the arrangement to marry Anthony Redbourn, Earl of Crofton, Sebastian reluctantly takes her place. At nineteen, Sebastian knows he is getting too old for the female leads, and the male ones are hard to come by. He might feel like he’s in one of Master Shakespeare’s plays, but with his performance as Lady Crofton, he hopes to pay off his late father’s debts. Never mind the danger of losing his head should he be discovered. Sebastian didn’t expect Anthony to be so attractive and alluring—not to mention shrewd. Anthony sees through the ruse, but not being the type of man to care if his lovers wear a gown or a doublet, he is charmed by Sebastian, and offers a mutually beneficial alternative. Fool Anthony’s fellow nobles and court in an extravagant wedding, then retire to Crofton Hall to play Anthony’s beloved wife for a year or two, after which the young, but sickly, Lady Crofton will succumb to a fever, and Sebastian can return to his normal life. Sebastian will need every drop of his acting talents to survive with both his head and his heart intact. Third edition – previous editions published by Dreamspinner Press

Elise: A small town in Cornwall. A well hidden secret. But the past is never far behind. An uplifting, intriguing new page-turner from the author of the ... to Cornwall series. (Connections Book 1)


Katharine E. Smith - 2021
    

Kissing Sherlock Holmes


T.D. McKinney - 2011
    And feelings he never thought to explore. A single kiss alters Watson’s world while the announcement of Holmes’ upcoming marriage sets an odd fear in his heart.Amidst the beauty of an English country party, the greatest detective the world has ever known searches for a traitor. Somewhere among the glittering nobility a sadist lurks, using blackmail to destroy lives and endanger a nation.Only Sherlock Holmes can save an innocent man and bring the traitor to justice. It’s a search that could cement the greatest friendship of all time into something far deeper and stronger...if the hunt doesn’t end Watson’s life first.

The Duke in Denial


Alexandra Ainsworth - 2014
    But with the sudden deaths of his cousin and uncle, Sebastian’s position changes. He is determined to fulfill his new responsibilities with grace, even if it means remarrying, and even if the attractions of women, so often lauded by poets, fail to interest him.Captain William Carlisle, newly returned from India, is elated when he meets Sebastian. Nobody knows of his inclinations, but his harrowing experiences in battle have prompted him to reach for the type of companionship he longs for. He thinks Sebastian might feel an attraction as well, but to his dismay, he discovers that Sebastian is courting his sister Dorothea.After a semi-arranged engagement and a disconcerting romantic tangle with William, Sebastian escapes London to look after his manor, only to face mysterious thefts, a headless ghost, and the arrival of his fiancée, her brother, and his family. Sebastian’s new estate sits on the south coast, England’s most vulnerable location, and Napoleon has set his sights on conquering the area. Amid this growing turmoil, Sebastian must sort out his feelings for his fiancée’s brother and keep his home safe . . . and determine if he has the courage to reach for his own happiness in the process.

Montana Mail Order Brides Box Set: Books 13 - 15


Linda Bridey - 2015
    Handsome, Deputy Rick Westlake helps her and the two begin a romance. But, secrets and family strife threaten any future they may have together. Westward Changes: Book 14 Deena has wanted Eddie for her own for almost two years and means to have him however she can get him. Amid upheaval in Dawson and an unusual start, their love will be tested. Can they weather whatever changes come? Westward Heartbeat: Book 15 Zoe Fontaine comes to Dawson, Montana, to wed Will, a very good man. Unfortunately, there is no chemistry between them. Enter, Raven, a young Lakota brave who seeks to win Zoe’s heart and make her his own.

Soldier of Rome: Reign of the Tyrants


James Mace - 2015
    Provinces are in rebellion, while Emperor Nero struggles to maintain the remnants of his political power, as well as his last shreds of sanity. In the province of Hispania, the governor, Servius Sulpicius Galba, marches on Rome. In his despair, Nero commits suicide. Galba, the first Emperor of Rome from outside the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, is at first viewed as a liberator, yet he soon proves to be a merciless despot, alienating even those closest to him. A member of the imperial court, and former favorite of Nero, Marcus Salvius Otho seeks to become the childless Galba’s successor. When he is snubbed for another of the new emperor’s favorites, Otho decides to take the mantle of Caesar by force. At the same time, the governor of Germania, Aulus Vitellius, is proclaimed emperor by his legions, leading Rome into civil war. In the east, the empire’s fiercest general, Flavius Vespasian, has been embroiled in suppressing the rebellion in Judea over the last two years. With nearly one third of the entire Roman Army under his command, he wields formidable power. At first attempting to stay above the fray, and with the empire fracturing into various alliances, Rome’s most loyal soldier may soon be compelled to put an end to the Reign of the Tyrants.

The Falcon's Flight: A novel of Anne Boleyn (The Falcon's Rise Book 2)


Natalia Richards - 2020
    

The Tears of Yesteryear


Julie Tulba - 2019
    Thousands settled in Homestead, Pennsylvania, a city where the skies were always black, the steel mills were always roaring, and life was bleak and harsh. One of them, Ewa Piekos, an orphan girl of 15 from Poland, wants simply to be loved and to feel like she is not alone. On the voyage to America, Ewa’s beloved sister dies, throwing her into an emotional tailspin. It’s only after arriving at Ellis Island that Ewa learns the real reason she was brought to the Land of Golden Opportunity. This secret is almost as crushing to her as the moment her sister died. From the time she arrives at Ellis Island, Ewa's life is never an easy one. It is filled with heartache and loss. But her life in America enables her to plant roots which eventually grow with the family she establishes there.

Inconveniently Betrothed to an Earl


Abby Ayles - 2020
    A marriage against their best intentions. What could possibly go wrong...Eleanor Beaumont’s spirit was always a hard one to tame. When her father, the Earl of Wilfort, strikes a prosperous deal by offering her hand to his associate’s son, she can feel the cold chains of matrimony tightening around her like a noose.Ambrose Brooks, son to the Marquess of Westington, always complied with the expectations of his family but being forced to marry a stranger was not what he had in mind.When Eleanor and Ambrose share their thoughts with each other, they agree to go against their families' arrangements.But what they failed to notice is that their hearts have other plans...Now trapped in a vortex of expectations and disaster, they must find a way to carve their own future before they become pawns on someone else’s terrifying board…*If you like engaging characters, heart- wrenching twists and turns, and lots of romance, then you’ll love “Inconveniently Betrothed to an Earl”!Buy “Inconveniently Betrothed to an Earl” and unlock the exciting story of Ambrose and Eleanor today!Get This Book FREE With Kindle Unlimited!

Surrendering to Her Enigmatic Eyes


Abigail Agar - 2019
    However, she is about to find out that this is not her only problem... She will soon discover that her father has left behind startling news: Honeyfield Manor, the grand country estate where she lived all her life, has been left to a stranger, the son of an old friend of the Earls'. While she's waiting for the heir's arrival, an unknown man appears uninvited in her home, claiming that the heir is gone. Can she really trust the courageous, charming stranger? Or will her attraction to him end up being her weakness?Matthew Grove has recently lost his mother. He has no other choice than starting anew in London, penniless and bitter. Although his initial intention is to attend to a new business, a meeting with a gentleman, and a coach accident leads him to an entirely different direction. Matthew will be bound to deliver terrible news to a lady he has never met. And even though he knows that he should never dare to dream that a fine lady like her could ever consider him a suitor, his feelings for his new mistress will grow day by day. Can these two heal their wounded hearts, together, in spite of the divide in class and wealth?A terrible accident has brought Caroline and Matthew together, but when fate brings another shocking twist, it seems that they are destined to be apart. Can Matthew protect Caroline from the new threat in her life, solve the mystery, and expose the truth? Or will he be forced to leave the lady of Honeyfield Manor to her fate... forever?

A Husband for Charity: Mail Order Bride Romance


Sandee Keegan - 2020
    Though she has often helped her father with his small business, their relationship is strained, as her father continues to drink more and more. To make matters worse, the more her father drinks, the more abusive he becomes, and Charity is growing increasingly unhappy. She dislikes her father and all his friends, and vows she will never marry such a man. To her dismay however, Charity is forced into an arranged marriage with a wealthy man, and in spite of her protests, she is sent across the country to be his bride. Determined that she will not fall in love, Charity tells her new husband she has other plans. Love is a mysterious thing however, and before she knows it, Charity is uncertain of her own feelings, and begins to wonder if her husband feels the same. Will Charity change her mind? Is there good in all men? Is she doomed to be unhappy forever?

The Ornamental Hermit


Olivier Bosman - 2015
    Detective Sergeant John Billings is a Quaker. He sees God in everyone and takes other people's suffering to heart. He is an honest and hard working man who has risen swiftly through the ranks to become one of Scotland Yard's youngest detectives. But in his private life he struggles with the demons of loneliness, morphine addiction and homosexuality. While Scotland Yard is in the midst of foiling a Russian counterfeiting operation, Billings is asked to investigate the cold blooded murder of Lord Palmer. The main suspect is a rough looking vagrant called Brendan Lochrane who was employed by Lord Palmer to live as an 'ornamental hermit' in a grotto in his estate. When Billings visits Lochrane in his holding cell, he is moved by the look in the man's eyes. This is not the 'Wild Man' the press have made him out to be. Lochrane is mute, docile and unresponsive. A gut feeling leads Billings to suspect that the man is being framed. But who is framing him? And why? Billings travels the length and breadth of Britain investigating the case. As he pieces together the fragments of Lochrane's extraordinary life, he slowly finds himself becoming embroiled in a web of corruption and deceit which goes right to the heart of Scotland Yard. 'The Ornamental Hermit' is a thrilling mystery which leads the reader on a colourful journey into Victorian England. This is the 2nd book in the D.S.Billings Victorian Mysteries series, but it can be enjoyed as a stand alone story.

Hellion


Lisa Henry - 2015
    In addition to a fine estate, Oliver Fitzwilliam has inherited a nineteen-year-old ward, Simon Cavandish. Oliver has no time at all for Simon—the feeling is very much mutual—but he can no longer ignore the boy’s reputation as something of a hellion. When Simon embarrasses Oliver at a neighbour’s ball, the brat’s just asking for a spanking. It turns out that might just be the best thing for both of them.