Book picks similar to
Tempered Steel by Paul J. Bennett


historical-fiction
sff-have-bk
sword
alternate-history

Siena Summer


Teresa Crane - 1999
    When Poppy arrives, she finds a disturbing undercurrent in Isobel and husband Kit’s relationship, then accidentally uncovers a terrible secret.Against the backdrop of a verdant 1920s Tuscany, Poppy’s own journey into love is overshadowed by the insanity of a war long-ended, and a desire for revenge that, with tragic consequences, inevitably damages the innocent… Perfect for readers of Rosanna Ley and Lucinda Riley, and brimming with atmosphere, this is an enthralling and dramatic story of romance, war and jealousy. ‘A writer of great skill and vitality’ Sarah Harrison‘A moving, passionate and treacherous tale’ Essex Chronicle‘A wonderful storyteller’ Daily Mail

The Stonecutter


Wanda Ann Thomas - 2015
    After her best friend dies in childbirth, Mary decides to escape her painful memories and embark on an idyllic life on the Sea of Galilee. But she rethinks her plan when a strong, quiet stonecutter captures her interest. Cephas isn’t as shy as she first supposed. And he intrigues and challenges Mary in ways no man has before, forcing her to confront her fears or risk losing a lifetime of adventure and happiness with…The Stonecutter.The Stonecutter is a companion novella to The Herod Chronicles Series.

The Wonderland Series Box Set


Irina Shapiro - 2016
    In 2013, while visiting Everly Manor as part of her job as a location scout for a film production company, Neve Ashley stumbles onto a secret passage that leads her into the seventeenth century and straight into the path of the ill-fated lord. Neve is able to return safely to her own time, but she can’t forget the man she met or the fate that’s about to befall him. Against her better judgment, Neve decides to go back and warn Hugo of impending danger, not realizing that she’s walking into danger herself, for history is never straightforward, and people’s motives not always what they appear to be. Taken hostage by the very man she was trying to save, Neve is trapped in the seventeenth century, her fate now intertwined with that of her captor, and the future something that neither one of them could have envisioned. Wonderland (Book 2) Forced to return to London to try to help save Max from the gallows, Hugo and Neve are well aware of the danger of their situation and try to anticipate every eventuality. But, betrayal comes from an unexpected quarter, putting Neve and Hugo in mortal danger, and forcing them to reevaluate whom they can trust. Unexpected reunions, simmering old hatreds, and shocking betrayals abound as Neve and Hugo race against time to help Max, and flee England before it’s too late. Sins of Omission (Book 3) When Hugo and Neve settle in Paris, they assume that they will enjoy a few peaceful years away from the turmoil of British politics, but they are not nearly as safe as they believe themselves to be, especially since everyone has something to hide. Meanwhile, Max must learn to adapt to life on a sugar plantation in Barbados, and decide whether to accept help from an unexpected and dangerous source; a decision which may cost him his life. The Queen’s Gambit (Book 4) Home at last after years of exile, Neve and Hugo Everly just want to pick up the pieces of their life and enjoy time with their growing family, but destiny has its own plan. A tragic loss nearly tears the family apart, and an unexpected guest brings a warning of dire events still to come. Hugo and Neve find themselves in danger once again; for outstanding debts must be paid, and old enemies will no longer wait to settle scores. Comes the Dawn (Book 5) When Hugo is imprisoned on a charge of treason and Neve is accused of witchcraft by a spiteful rival the Everlys must put their scruples aside in order to save their family and make a bid for freedom. However, their decision will alter not only their own future, but change the lives of everyone they hold dear. Can they escape in time, and will those left behind pay the ultimate price for their loyalty? The Wonderland Series comes to an end in this gripping last installment.

Tansy


Gretchen Craig - 2015
    For Tansy, however, the choice was never hers. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Tansy is caught in a sizzling kiss with Christophe Desmarais. The next night, Tansy’s mother introduces her to the life she has been raised for: as a beautiful quadroon in Old New Orleans, Tansy is meant to be a rich white man’s mistress. She is as she should be, biddable, loyal and submissive. But is this all there is? As Tansy matures, she wearies of telling herself that her narrow life is enough, yet she is terrified to leave behind security and plenty to become a self-reliant, independent woman.Christophe Desmarais was, like Tansy, born to a mixed-race mother and a rich white father, but as a shrewd card-player, a talented violinist, and a respected teacher, he creates his own life. The attraction between him and Tansy has never abated, only been pushed down and unacknowledged. When he sees Tansy discovering there is more to her than being pretty and pleasing, he allows himself to hope that she will become her own woman. Maybe then the two of them will have a chance at a life together.Multiple award-winning author Gretchen Craig returns with an unconventional novel about loyalty, independence, and love.

The Lady in the Veil


Leah Fleming - 2015
    It must have been sitting on the garage shelf for years among all the other family rejects.'When a woman finds a lost photo album in a garage clearout, she is drawn to the images of her ancestors. But one image in particular stands out: a baby sitting in the lap of its mother, both draped from head to toe in a cotton lace curtain or something, completely enveloped and unrecognizable. Who are they and what has happened to them?In a story that moves between 2012 and 1850, the shocking secrets of one family are gradually revealed …

A Rancher's Woman


E. Ayers - 2013
    A series of events soon prove she’s capable of standing on her own two feet. However, she’s not prepared to follow her heart and accept marriage from the one man who truly loves her. Many Feathers' chance encounter with a blue-eyed blonde woman sets him on a path that lands him between the white man's ways and the traditions of his people. Determined to protect his people and prove his worthiness as a suitable husband to a white woman, he stakes claim to land and establishes a ranch. But there's one outlaw focused on destroying Many Feathers and everything he's trying to accomplish.

The Shield: a novel


Nachman Kataczinsky - 2014
    M. Stirlings’s Island in the Sea of Time. Twenty-first century Israel finds itself transferred to 1941 days before Nazi Germany plans to attack the Soviet Union. Opportunities abound for changing history and the population – including terrorists, tourists, diplomats, and pacifists – has divergent goals. Everything is debated and every action has unpredictable consequences. The Shield follows an extended family as they adapt to their changed world. The businessman sees opportunities, his son in the army faces new enemies, and the cousin visiting from America is confused and angry. The Israeli government, a fractious coalition with diverse goals, struggles to protection the population in a world they only think they understand. Fun reading for fans of alternate history and time-travel fiction – highly recommended!

Regency Chase Family Boxed Set: Lost in Temptation, Tempting Juliana, and The Art of Temptation


Lauren Royal - 2012
    But when the man she's loved since her girlhood returns from a long spell abroad, she quite suddenly finds herself hoping the fine lord her brother has picked for her won't propose…TEMPTING JULIANA - London, 1816 - There's nothing Lady Juliana Chase wants more than to see her loved ones happy. So why is everyone ignoring her good intentions and shaking up her sensible plans?THE ART OF TEMPTATION - London, 1817 - Though Lady Corinna Chase is more interested in pursuing her art than finding a husband, she can't help but take notice of the handsome Irishman who's moved in next door. When it soon becomes evident that her new neighbor isn't who he says he is, rather than expose him, she finds herself drawn into the hoax.

No Regrets


Mary Christian Payne - 2014
    This is a story for everyone who has ever wondered: Are there truly Soul-Mates?Sloan Thornton is the heir to Highcroft Hall, the family seat of the Earl’s of Wessex, in the quaint village of Thornton-on-Sea, on the southeast coast of England. He has always dreamed of finding his soul-mate. However, in a moment of weakness, just before he leaves to fight in World War II, as an RAF pilot, he proposes to his childhood sweetheart, Anne Whitfield. There is no question how deep his devotion is to her, and how naturally they bring out the best in each other.But, one fateful afternoon, Sloan encounters Elise, in a rural farmhouse on a French country road. It is May, 1940, and the Dunkirk Beaches are being evacuated. Sloan is wounded when his plane is shot down by the Luftwaffe. After he meets, Elise, he can never forget her. He carries her memory with him throughout the war. In the meantime, Elise suffers terrifying misfortune.When they meet again for the first time in over five years, the spark is still there. But, there is still Anne, who refuses to be left heartbroken and rejected. Sloan begins to question whether the life he’s living is the one he’s meant to live. Elise wonders the same thing.No Regrets is a powerful story about one woman at the crossroads of true love and real life.

The Evening Star


M.L. Gardner - 2016
    See how it all started for one couple in this dynamic series and begin your journey into the world of 1929. Caleb Jenkins wasn’t looking for the love of his life. After selling his grandfather’s farm in Massachusetts, he was only searching for a place to start over and forget his past. In his travels through Georgia, he meets Arianna Bellamy, a woman with modern ideas, struggling beneath the confines of old-fashioned values and strict parents. She begins to buckle under the weight of the responsibility that’s been placed on her. Caleb sees a kindred spirit in her yearning to be free and has to fight to get beneath the iron exterior that Arianna has built for her own protection. As he starts to unravel her complicated nature, he shows her a life she knew existed but had always been denied. Caleb suggests that they run off together to New York. With the firm hold her family has on her, Arianna must make a choice between love and obligation.

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.

Faces of Darkness


Steven A. McKay - 2019
    For months now, she’s been stalked by some shadowy tormentor yet, bafflingly, the attacker has never been clearly seen by anyone, even Lady Isabella, and he seems to leave no trace of his movements.Can the bailiff, John Little, along with the legendary friar, Robert Stafford, uncover the truth and, more importantly, will they be able to save the troubled victim before she ends up dead?This new standalone novella from the author of The Druid sees the return of two much-loved characters from the Forest Lord series and is based on a shocking real-life case which remains, to this day, unsolved.

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.

His Wagon Train Sweetheart


Catherine Kennedy - 2020
    

Regency Black Hearts: Collection


Claudia Stone - 2017
    When he rebuffs her clumsy advances, Isabella leaves for London, determined to find the man of her dreams and soothe her bruised ego.Michael Linfield, Duke of Blackmore is a legendary, fearsome, war hero; famous for reducing debutantes and their mothers to floods of tears with just one glance. The brooding, giant of a man is hiding a secret however - a debilitating stammer that has haunted him since childhood. When the delightful Miss Peregrine proposes a marriage of convenience to him - with no benefits - Michael is so startled that his stammer reappears and all he can manage to reply is "N-n-no".When news of Isabella's success in London soon reaches his ears, Michael is determined to go to town and win her as his own, if only she'll give him a second chance at love.The Duke’s BrotherCan a Duke's bastard win the heart of a lady?Plucked as an orphan from the slums of St. Giles' by his half-brother the Duke of Blackmore, Sebastian Black soon rises to become one of the richest men in London, and a notorious rake to boot. His time at Eton has left him with a healthy disregard for the aristocracy - that is until he inadvertently becomes involved in the affairs of the prim, proper and snooty Aurelia St Claire.Aurelia's brother, Lord Theodore Epsom, was reported missing after Waterloo, but she is convinced that she has sighted him alive and well in London. The pair join forces to try to discover exactly what happened to Theo and as their sleuthing takes them into London's murky back alleys, they discover that they aren’t so different after all.Can two people overcome their prejudices, their foibles - or even their very history - to find love?A Lady Like No Other“Would my lady care to dance?”“My lady would rather eat a live chicken.”Beautiful, titled, and wealthy to boot, Lady Lydia Beaufort was expected to have a spectacular London Season. There was just one problem; the eccentric daughter of the Earl of Galway had no intention of becoming the ton’s darling. Especially if it involved humouring the awful herds of fortune hunters and greedy second sons, intent on making her their bride.All Lydia wanted was to be left alone in peace, to read her beloved Lord Byron. That is until an incorrigible rogue of a Marquess burst into her life, and turned all her ideas about love upside down.Charming, congenial, and ever so handsome, Gabriel Livingstone, Marquess of Sutherland could have his pick of any of the season’s debutantes, but the only rose he longed to pluck, was the very thorny Lady Beaufort. Just when he thinks he might finally have won her heart, fate, in the form of an Italian Count, a mischievous Gypsy and a political assassination plot, gets in his way.Can this mismatched pair find their happily ever after?