Book picks similar to
Roan Rose by Juliet Waldron


historical-fiction
romance
historical
fiction

The Rose of Middleham


Christina Smee - 2015
    Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later to become King Richard III, takes possession of the castle upon his marriage to a wealthy heiress but this does nothing to diminish the love Christiana has for him. She bears the duke an illegitimate son and against all odds continues to live and work as a servant within the castle walls. Christiana’s devotion spans twenty four years and follows Richard’s fortunes from the north of England to the battlefields of the Wars of the Roses and his ultimate death. Christiana’s story does not end with the death of the king and she finds it within herself to carry on despite being a woman alone and destitute until she eventually finds the love and happiness that had always existed but never acknowledged. Based upon historical fact and recent new evidence that has come to light since the discovery of the mortal remains of Richard III this is a story that weaves a rich tapestry of life in Medieval England and portrays the much-maligned figure of King Richard in a more favourable light.

The Last Lancastrian: A Story of Margaret Beaufort


Samantha Wilcoxson - 2017
    What ambitions motivated her long before anyone dreamed of a Tudor dynasty?The Last Lancastrian is a prequel novella to the Plantagenet Embers Trilogy.

The Fool's Tale


Nicole Galland - 2005
    A time of treachery, passion, and uncertainty. King Maelgwyn ap Cadwallon, known as Noble, struggles to protect his small kingdom from foes outside and inside his borders. Pressured into a marriage of political convenience, he takes as his bride the young, headstrong Isabel Mortimer, niece of his powerful English nemesis.Through strength of character, Isabel wins her husband's grudging respect, but finds the Welsh court backward and barbaric, and is soon engaged in a battle of wills against Gwirion, the king's oldest, oddest, and most trusted friend. Before long, however, Gwirion and Isabel's mutual animosity is abruptly transformed, and the king finds himself as threatened by loved ones as by the enemies who menace his crown.A masterful novel by a gifted storyteller, The Fool's Tale combines vivid historical fiction, compelling political intrigue, and passionate romance to create an intimate drama of three individuals bound -- and undone -- by love and loyalty.

Feud


Derek Birks - 2012
    Young Ned Elder, a Yorkshire knight, finds himself caught up in the wars when his family is brutally attacked by a local rival, Lord Radcliffe. For the Elders, nothing will ever be the same again. Ned's sisters, Emma and Eleanor, are abducted and he must find a way to rescue them. With only a few loyal companions, Ned is hounded across the land by the Radcliffes. Ned and his sisters fight back, but they are young and they make mistakes. They will need help if they are to survive, for once the Feud begins, no-one is safe... Ned, his sisters and the girl he loves struggle for survival whilst the brutal civil war rages across the snow-covered battlefield of Towton, where all will be decided. "From the eye-catching cover to the last page, Feud is an exciting story of survival through personal upheaval during a vicious war, where the outcome is not always certain." Historical Novel Society.

The Court of the Midnight King


Freda Warrington - 2003
    With the real-life discovery of his remains buried in Leicester, England, interest in King Richard III is at fever pitch. Was he Shakespeare's charismatic villain, or a hero - or is the truth more complicated? Freda Warrington’s lushly written alternative version of his story is replete with magic and a rich sense of period. This is not one for dry historians, but for lovers of fantasy, history and romance with a thirst for magical possibilities and a love of vividly portrayed characters. Meet Richard III as you’ve never seen him before! The Court of the Midnight King is a dream journey into the psyche that explores why Richard remains so captivating to millions. It’s a story about trying to know the unknowable. We never can. But we never stop trying.By the award-winning author of Elfland, A Taste of Blood Wine, The Amber Citadel, Dracula the Undead, and many more highly acclaimed fantasy novels. (The Kindle text also contains a preview of A Taste of Blood Wine).“Superb fusion of dazzling alternative history and smouldering romance.” -Justina Robson, author of Natural History.

The Kingmaking


Helen Hollick - 1994
    There is only one man who can lead Britain from the chaos of darkness into a new age of glory. Protected since birth, he is revealed as the new Pendragon.

Midnight Marriage


Lucinda Brant - 2010
    To his delight, he discovers she is everything he’d hoped for. Unaware they are already married, Deb is content with her independent life. Julian’s challenge is to have her accept him on his merit, even though she has no choice at all. The future of the Roxton dukedom depends upon it.Set in the opulent world of the aristocracy and inspired by real events, Lucinda Brant delivers another lavish 18th-century experience in her trademark style—heart-wrenching drama with a happily ever after.

The Lady Series


Denise Domning - 2012
    She never suspects that handsome courtier Christopher Hollier has been sent to ruin her, not wed her. Christopher's desire for Anne soon sweeps them both toward betrayal and into a dangerous game that could change the fate of the queen herself.Lady in WhiteA widow is forced to remarry and her betrothed is a mysterious recluse who conducts all business through his handsome agent. Suspicious and protective at first, the agent eventually falls in love with the spirited, courageous lady.

The Bride and the Brute


Laurel O'Donnell - 1998
    Feeling deceived and betrayed into a loveless marriage, Lord Reese Harrington wants nothing to do with his new wife. Trapped in a marriage with no escape, the beautiful young bride must battle the demons of her husband's past and hope that she can weather the storm his brutish behavior unleashes.This is a medieval romance novella.Adult-content rating:This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.First published as part of the anthology Blushing Brides in 1998

Roseblood


Paul Doherty - 2014
    Deemed unfit for rule, even by his own mother, he surely cannot last on the throne for long. Simon Roseblood - London lord, taverner and alderman - is one of few loyal servants left to fight his cause. The White Rose: Ruthless Richard of York has his eye firmly set on the crown - and plenty of powerful allies who will do anything to help him win it. Henchman Amadeus Sevigny makes no bones about enforcing his own authority and asserting law and order at York's command.When Roseblood is summoned by Sevigny to stand trial for a crime he knows he didn't commit, their paths cross in ways that alter them both for ever. And as the Wars of the Roses looms, an even greater foe is poised to rock the foundations of England, and wreak horror in a hotbed of political unrest.

White Lion's Lady


Tina St. John - 2001
    Yet even as she discovers his treachery, Isabel cannot deny that Griffin lingers in her dreams, awakening the passion in her steadfast heart.Then a twist of fate puts a price on both their heads, embroiling them in a life-and-death chase that will force Griffin to choose between his own freedom and his fierce desire for the woman who would redeem his noble spirit. But to reclaim his lost honor, the White Lion could lose Isabel forever. . . .

The Road to Avalon


Joan Wolf - 1988
    This realistic retelling of the legend shows Arthur severing the bonds of bastardy, vanquishing the Saxons, and loving one woman. As the daring teenage warrior prepares for the throne, he discovers true love with Morgan of Avalon, the youngest of Merlin’s daughters, but fate cruelly thwarts their hopes for a future together. Never before has a telling of the Arthur story made the breathtaking drama of this charismatic king more real or moving.

Silken Threads


Patricia Ryan - 1999
    Attacked and disabled by a broken leg, he rents a room in the humble home of Joanna Chapman, a silk merchant’s widow. Joanna, having learned not to trust handsome, charming devils like Graeham, lets him think her husband is still alive in order to keep him at a distance. Mindful of his mission—and the promised reward—Graeham tries to resist his feelings for Joanna, but the white-hot desire simmering between them cannot be denied.Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window

The Maiden and the Unicorn


Isolde Martyn - 1983
    In the middle of the conflict is a most unlikely heroine. For Margery, the beautiful and spirited ward of Warwick the Kingmaker, freedom is the only prize worth having. But it is a prize that could cost her her life.Sent to France on a mission for King Edward IV, she finds herself the target of a man who may be one of the king's most dangerous enemies. Sir Richard Huddleston is bold, enigmatic, and devastatingly handsome. He is used to getting what he wants, and he wants Margery to be his wife. But what else does he want? Margery suspects that Richard has abandoned the king and the house of York and is conspiring with the rebel queen and the traitorous house of Lancaster.Caught between her role as a spy and a fierce passion that neither she nor Richard can deny, Margery finds her heart exposed to the ultimate danger: falling in love. Yet she cannot admit her real mission to Richard. For if she stays true to her noble cause, she'll save many men...and lose the one that matters most.

Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva


Eliza Redgold - 2015
    We know of her naked ride. We don't know her true story. We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva's ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for ‘peeping Tom') and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax. Naked is an original version of Godiva's tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion, Naked brings an epic story new voice.