Book picks similar to
The Duke's Daughter by Melinda McRae


historical-romance
regency
historical
regency-romance

An Unconventional Courtship


Dorothy Mack - 1987
     Can Cleone play matchmaker while keeping her own heart intact? Regency England Orphaned and with no dowry, Cleone Latham relies on the protection of her penny-pinching great-uncle, the Earl of Brestwick. At twenty-three, she has resigned herself to a humble life of running his household and keeping the peace between him and her lively cousins. When the enigmatic Lord Altern comes to stay Bramble Hall — apparently intent on courting her most beautiful cousin, Emerald Hardwicke — Cleone must help promote the advantageous match. But Lord Altern seems more interested in playing chess with the old earl and discussing art with Cleone than seeking out Emerald’s company. And as they spend more time together, Cleone finds it increasingly difficult to resist his mysterious charm… An Unconventional Courtship by Dorothy Mack is a classic Regency romance full of twists and surprises.

A Dangerous Charade


Anne Barbour - 1995
    By night, however, the vicar’s daughter became Lissa Reynard, who frequented London’s gambling houses—and won considerable fortunes from the titled ton. Very few knew of this double identity—until Lady Edith’s nephew, the Earl of Marchford, decided to investigate. Then Alison had even more secrets to keep… Regency Romance by Anne Barbour; originally published by Signet

A Highly Respectable Marriage: An RNA Romantic Novel of the Year


Sheila Walsh - 1982
    In turn, the Duke is suspicious of Pandora's motives when she applies for the position of governess to the young orphans in his charge. Pandora has greater worries when she must sell her beloved late mother's necklace to help support her young brothers. But the intervention of Heron in the sale has surprising and far reaching consequences. As Heron observes Pandora in society, he finds himself attracted to the capable and strong-willed young woman. What would she make of a proposal of a highly respectable marriage? Meanwhile, Lady Sarah Bingly has set her sights on becoming Duchess of Heron. And it is clear that she will stop at nothing to make sure Pandora doesn't stand in her way.

A Match for Lady Constance


Judith Lown - 2005
    She has beauty, a generous dowry, and an impressive family name to recommend her. Her mother fears Constance will soon--gasp!--be relegated to the shelf. However, Lady Constance is in no hurry to wed. She has exacting requirements for a husband and intends to marry only when she finds the perfect gentleman-one that is worthy. She delights in her ability to control her own destiny. Until an encounter with a shadowy emigre, that is.Constance is certain that she can gracefully extricate herself from an unwanted engagement, while at the same time find a suitable mate for her friend and protect her innocent maid from the wiles of a sophisticated Frenchman. But can she protect her own heart from the attractions of her mysterious fiancé?

Dark Angel / Lord Carew's Bride


Mary Balogh - 2010
     DARK ANGEL Jennifer Winwood has been engaged for five years to a man she hardly knows but believes to be honorable and good: Lord Lionel Kersey. Suddenly, she becomes the quarry of London's most notorious womanizer, Gabriel Fisher, the Earl of Thornhill. Jennifer has no idea that she is just a pawn in the long-simmering feud between these two headstrong, irresistible men—or that she will become a prize more valuable than revenge. LORD CAREW'S BRIDE Jennifer's cousin Samantha Newman is smarting after she too is toyed with by Lord Kersey. In the midst of her heartbreak, she seeks solace from her new friend, the disabled gardener Hartley Wade. If only she knew that Hartley is secretly Lord Carew, and that he hides more than extraordinary wealth: a passionate secret held deep in his heart that only her love can reveal.Includes an excerpt from Seducing an Angel

A Difficult Truce


Joan Wolf - 1981
    In his embrace, Christina would have to fight a threat more perilous than a stone cell and chains . . . the prison walls of love.

The Mysterious Heir


Edith Layton - 1984
    No one could guess she had been forced to take a position in trade—or that she had come to the Earl of Auden’s estate to entice him into naming her dismayingly disagreeable cousin Anthony heir to a fortune that she then could share.But Elizabeth had stiff competition for the Earl’s imperious favor…from the schemingly seductive Lady Isabel Courtney and her odious little boy, Owen…from the implacably upright Richard Courtney and his unfortunate honesty…and from the memory of the Earl’s first wife, who had made him despise women who deceived.Elizabeth knew she could never reveal the truth to the Earl—even when she forgot about gaining his fortune and began losing her heart….

The Lady's Ghost


Colleen Ladd - 2014
    If mice in the walls and holes in the roof aren't bad enough, someone wants her to believe the place is haunted. But Portia doesn't scare that easily, even if catching sight of the brooding ghost leaves her strangely breathless. When he was accused of murdering his fiancée a decade ago, Giles Ashburne fled the country to his supposed death. Now he’s returned to the Hall to uncover the evidence that will exonerate him, only to find himself playing a ghost in his own home. Nothing he does drives Portia away, and worse, the stubborn chit is starting to grow on him. The more Portia learns about Giles Ashburne, the more certain she becomes that her ghost is not only innocent, but far from dead. When she sets out to prove it, she puts herself on a crash course with not only Giles, but the real killer. If Giles and Portia don't learn to stop striking sparks off each other and work together, there will soon be two ghosts at Ashburne Hall.

The Marriage List


Dorothy McFalls - 2005
    Humble tenant May Sheffers meets none of these, so why does his heart beat madly at the sight of her?

Second Season


Elsie Lee - 1974
    She had reached the ripe age of eighteen without a husband, and if her disastrous first season in London was any indication, she was doomed to spinsterhood. What could you do with a girl who would not learn to chatter sweetly or sew neatly or even play the harp? Instead Charlotte rode as well as any man, read the most boring books, and even knew how to speak German. All society was startled when the dashing, handsome, immensely wealthy Duke of Imbrie asked for Charlotte's hand - and shocked when she turned him down. But that was just the first of many surprises Miss Charlotte Stanwood had in store!

A Regency Match


Elizabeth Mansfield - 1980
    Ruefully, she admitted to herself that she shouldn't have thrown her arms around him, a total stranger. But it had been an honest mistake, and the stuffy young Earl of Wynwood had given her the cut direct!She didn't care if he was the handsomest man in London! He deserved a lesson, and she, Sophia Edgerton, was just the teacher to do it...

A Gentleman's Promise


Penny Hampson - 2021
    A husband is the last thing she needs. Can a quest for a killer teach them that they are both wrong?Emma Smythe and her brother arrive at Easterby Hall to discover that a handsome stranger has laid claim to their ancestral home and the family title. Have her relatives been murdered, and is her brother next? Determined to find the answers, she has no option but to trust the gentleman who insists that he will help. But danger appears in many guises, and for a woman intent on remaining single, her intriguing protector may prove the biggest threat of all.The attempts on Richard Lacey’s life begin when he inherits a title and a rundown estate. A coincidence? He’s not so sure. Problems multiply with the unexpected arrival of Jamie and Emma Smythe. Long thought dead, they too are potential targets. Richard thinks he wants a docile, obedient wife, but will the task of keeping headstrong Emma safe from danger change his mind?Embroiled in a sinister mystery, can Richard and Emma work together to catch a killer? And will this dangerous quest teach them that what they both wish to avoid is exactly what they need?Filled with intrigue, unexpected twists, and faultless period detail, this slow-burn romance is a must-read for lovers of classic Regency fiction.

A Comfortable Alliance


Catherine Kullmann - 2021
    Locking away all dreams of the heart, she retreated to a safe family haven. On the shelf and happy to be there, Helena has perfected the art of deterring would-be suitors.Will, Earl of Rastleigh, is the only son of an only son: marriage is his duty. One of the great prizes of the marriage market, he shies away from a cold, society union. While he doesn’t expect love, he seeks something more comfortable. But how to find the woman who will welcome him into her life and her bed, and be a good mother to their children?When Will meets Helena, he is intrigued by her composure, her kindness and her intelligence. As their friendship develops, he realises he has found his ideal wife, if only he can overcome her well-known aversion to matrimonyWill succeeds in slipping past Helena’s guard. Tempted by the thought of children of her own, and encouraged by her mother to leave the shallows where she has lingered so long, she accepts his offer of a marriage based not on dangerous love but affectionate companionship and mutual respect.But is this enough? As Will gets to know his wife better, and the secrets of her past unfold, he realises that they have settled for second-best. Can he change the basis of their marriage? Will Helena risk her heart and dare to love again?

Toblethorpe Manor


Carola Dunn - 1981
    From top-selling romance author Carola Dunn (Lavender Lady) comes a Regency love story about a handsome aristocrat who risks his heart for a lovely lass with a mysterious past.

A Prudent Match


Laura Matthews - 2000
    The wealth she inherited in the wake of her fiance's death is enough to mend his financial affairs. But even if he didn't need the money, he finds himself entranced by her innocent beauty...Prudence remains brokenhearted over the death of her fiance, but knows the time has come to marry rather than die a spinster. Although she is aware that Ledbetter has wed her only for her money, his forward advances frighten her pure sensibilities. And it will take all of her courage to trust this man whose passion knows no bounds--and find a love that is the greatest fortune of all...