Book picks similar to
The Wife of Walraven by Amanda Panhorst


romance
regency
historical-romance
historical

To Con a Gentleman


Sarah Adams - 2019
    She was his diversion. Falling in love was never something they wanted.As a con woman who has spent her entire life fending for herself on the streets of London, Rose Wakefield knows how to scam a gentleman out of his money without ever getting caught. That’s until she knocks on the wrong earl’s door and is faced with Carver Ashburn Earl of Kensworth and not the notorious rake she thinks she is approaching.Carver is a good man, but even a good man will not pass up an opportunity to escape his grief. What better way to avoid his feelings than to play into a con woman’s ruse and offer to marry her?Things only grow more complicated when Carver sweeps Rose off to his family estate and circumstances force them both into continuing the ruse. Carver needs to protect his family, and Rose needs to protect herself—and her heart.With so much set against them, will Rose and Carver have a chance at love and freedom? Or is the possibility of more heartache not worth the risk?

Susanna's Secret


Joyce Alec - 2020
    Can she risk telling the truth?Benedict, the Earl of Knightsbridge is something of a recluse. His mother is insistent that he find a wife, but marriage is the last thing on his mind.Threatening notes arrive at his home every few days, which is why he continues to avoid society. However, when his mother insists that they throw a house party to find him a bride, Benedict has no other choice but to do so.He soon discovers that all is not as terrible as he feared, especially when he finds himself quite taken with one particular young lady.Miss Susanna Millerton is in trouble. As a guest at Lord Knightsbridge's house party, she cannot tell him that she is the one sending the notes, albeit under duress. But when things take a turn for the worse, and Susanna discovers her heart is beginning to twine to his, can she risk telling him the truth? Or will she remain silent and see him sink further into despair?

Wager for a Lady's Hand


L.G. Rollins - 2019
     Miss Marianne Twisden knows her best chance at a safe and happy life is to marry a kind man and leave her violent father behind. When her father signs papers betrothing her to Lord Cockell—a cruel and even more violent blackguard—Marianne is desperate for a way out. Her new fiancé gives her one: if Marianne discredits Lord Sheldon Lockhart, England’s newest barrister, Cockell will release her from the marriage contract. Lord Sheldon Lockhart is determined to rid his neighborhood of Cockell—a man who preys on gamble-hooked gentlemen by loaning them far more money than they could ever hope to repay and then extracting it mercilessly. What he didn’t expect was to fall for Cockell’s most beautiful victim, Miss Marianne. The seemingly simple game becomes complex when a deep, abiding affection grows between Marianne and Sheldon. It is made all the more perilous when Cockell refuses to play by the rules. Strategizing together, Marianne and Sheldon must think several steps ahead if they ever hope to out-play their opponent and have a shot at victory and their own happily ever after.

All You Wish


Arlem Hawks - 2019
    While swimming one morning, he helps a young lady rescue her reticule from the pond. A promised dance in exchange for his service gives him hope there will be more to the summer than melting heat and his mother’s icy glares.Avice King is horrified to discover that the bumpkin who helped her retrieve her reticule is no laborer at all, but the charming Lieutenant Addison she bore her soul to five years ago aboard her father’s ship. Her anger at him pushing her away has festered, but she is determined not to let it distract her from her duty. Ever since losing her father at sea, she has thrown herself into caring for her mother’s fragile health without a care for her own wants or needs. But money is growing ever tighter, and the courts won’t declare her father’s death official without more evidence, keeping his fortune wrapped up out of their reach.As Spencer and Avice are thrown together in town, she comes to see his true humility, and he finds she is no longer the young girl he discouraged. Her feelings for him begin to bloom afresh, but Avice knows she cannot have what she wants. She needs her father’s death proved or his approval before she can marry. Spencer and Avice must find a way around the obstacles placed by their parents or let go of the only joy either has found in years.

Pursuing Miss Hall


Karen Thornell - 2021
    Though a gentleman himself, his status in Society is inarguably below Meg’s own. Determined to avoid the label of “fortune hunter,” Nathaniel has long concealed the feelings of his heart. But when Meg’s parents determine to throw a house party for the sole purpose of marrying her off, it is clear that idleness is no longer an option. The daughter of a wealthy baronet, Margaret Hall has always known she is expected to marry well. After illness forced Meg to miss her first London Season, her mother is not willing to allow her to sit off the marriage mart for too long. There is to be a house party that will include three eligible men for her to choose from. Meg is determined to make her parents proud. Still, she cannot help but be grateful that her closest friend, Nathan, has been invited as well. But when Meg begins to develop feelings that are far beyond friendship, will she have the courage to choose her own happiness over duty?

First Night


Jane Aiken Hodge - 1990
    It is a world where the hazards of Napoleonic power politics mix with the glamour of early 19th century opera and culture.

The Viscount in Hiding


Emma Evans - 2018
     Ashamed of his behaviour he hides away in his country seat, determined to become a sensible gentleman, no longer caught up by whichever eligible young lady catches his eye. The only problem? A beautiful tenant named Julia who is living in his gatehouse. William knows that he should have very little to do with his tenants but he simply cannot get her out of his mind. The more time he spends, the more he wants to know her despite their difference in status. A sudden accident leads to a whole new life for Julia, who is loathe to tell him much about herself, despite their intimate connection. When the truth finally comes out and Julia confesses all, William must decide what to do with the lady who has stolen his heart. Authors Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance with an HEA. If you love clean Regency-era romances you will love The Viscount in Hiding!

Ransome's Honor


Kaye Dacus - 2009
    They go their separate ways—she returns to her family’s Caribbean plantation, and he returns to the Royal Navy. Now, twelve years later, Julia is about to receive a substantial inheritance, including her beloved plantation. When unscrupulous relatives try to gain the inheritance by forcing her into a marriage, she turns to the only eligible man to whom her father, Admiral Sir Edward Witherington, will not object—his most trusted captain and the man who broke Julia’s heart, William Ransome. Julia offers William her thirty-thousand-pound dowry to feign marriage for one year, but then something she never imagined happens: She starts to fall in love with him again. Can two people overcome their hurt, reconcile their conflicting desires, and find a way to be happy together? Duty and honor, faith and love are intertwined in this intriguing tale from the Regency era.

Abigail


Jess Heileman - 2019
    Since the death of her mother, Abigail Blakeslee has lost any desire to become a debutante and enter Society. But now, foregoing her first Season has brought an unwanted invitation to join her aunt and cousins for a summer at Timpton House, the large estate of the Stanton family.Reluctantly accepting, Abigail is thrust into the vexing world of social propriety and matchmaking she had hoped to avoid. More vexing still is her cousin’s suitor, the young Timpton heir—Edwin Stanton. Moody and distant at times, remarkably endearing at others, Edwin seems a puzzle she can never solve, but can never quite put away. But then, Abigail has her own secret to hide—her own mystery to conceal. Perhaps such puzzles are better left unsolved, or perhaps love can find a solution.A beautiful coming-of-age story with just enough romantic tension to keep you reading late into the night.Rating: Mild, Sweet/Clean

A Spy's Devotion


Melanie Dickerson - 2016
    Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal—and to fulfill a dying soldier’s last wish by delivering his coded diary.At the home of the Wilherns, one of England’s most powerful families, Langdon attends a lavish ball where he meets their beautiful and intelligent ward, Julia Grey. Determined to maintain propriety, he keeps his distance—until the diary is stolen and all clues lead to Julia’s guardian. As Langdon traces an evil plot that could be the nation’s undoing, he grows ever more intrigued by the lovely young woman. And when Julia realizes that England—and the man she is falling in love with—need her help, she finds herself caught in the fray. Will the two succumb to their attraction while fighting to save their country?

Where the Stars Meet the Sea


Heidi Kimball - 2020
    A fiery young woman. Neither one's heart will come away unscathed.Juliet Graham fervently counts the days until her twenty-first birthday, when she can claim the inheritance that will grant her the freedom she has always craved and the guardianship of her younger brother. Until then, she is trapped under her aunt Agnes’s domineering will. When forced to accompany the family to a house party at Shaldorn Castle, Juliet’s only objective is to keep to herself. That is, until a chance encounter with a boorish stranger stirs up an unexpected whirlwind of emotions in her. Thrown off-balance, Juliet does the unthinkable: loses her temper and insults the man—who turns out to be her unwilling host, the Duke of Halstead. Fully expecting to be sent away, Juliet is surprised when the brusque and callous duke instead takes an interest in her. Drawn to the duke in unguarded moments, Juliet finds herself more and more intrigued by the man who shuns Society’s rules as completely as she does, and over the next few weeks, their unlikely friendship deepens into a connection neither expected. But even as Juliet comes to recognize her true feelings, her scheming aunt issues an ultimatum that threatens the future she was just beginning to hope for. Juliet must choose: either break the promise she made to herself years ago, or lose the man who has captured her heart and soul.

A Noble Masquerade


Kristi Ann Hunter - 2015
    Entering her fourth Season and approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother's old school friend, a duke--with no intention of ever sending these private thoughts to a man she's heard stories about but never met. Meanwhile, she also finds herself intrigued by Marlow, her brother's new valet, and although she may wish to break free of the strictures that bind her, falling in love with a servant is more of a rebellion than she planned.When Marlow accidentally discovers and mails one of the letters to her unwitting confidant, Miranda is beyond mortified. And even more shocked when the duke returns her note with one of his own that initiates a courtship-by-mail. Insecurity about her lack of suitors shifts into confusion at her growing feelings for two men--one she's never met but whose words deeply resonate with her heart, and one she has come to depend on but whose behavior is more and more suspicious. When it becomes apparent state secrets are at risk and Marlow is right in the thick of the conflict, one thing is certain: Miranda's heart is far from all that's at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.

The Duke's Second Chance


Jen Geigle Johnson - 2019
    Will the Duke find another chance at love when everything seems to be combining against him? Gerald feels as though he’s lost everything when his wife takes her last breath. Amelia’s world turns upside down when the Duke of Granbury steps into her tea shop and leaves with her heart. But when a secret from Amelia’s past unveils possibilities, will the duke get a second chance at love from an unexpected source? Buy this first book in a Regency romance series for a taste of deep loyal friendship, beautiful second chances, and the path to heal a heart. Look for the other books in the series: The Earl's Winning Wager Her Lady's Whims and Fancies Suitors for the Proper Miss Pining for Lord Lockhart The Foibles and Follies of Miss Grace

The Gentleman's Deception


Karen Tuft - 2017
    With exceptional beauty comes the unwanted attention of men, and after years of fending off odious suitors, Ruby is ready to leave it all behind in favor of a quiet life. The first step is to reclaim a piece of her past: her true identity as Lavinia Fernley. But leaving town unnoticed proves impossible, and in one desperate moment, she embarks on the greatest act of her life when she throws herself into the arms of a stranger to avoid recognition.Lucas Jennings is shocked to find the stunning redhead in his arms, but something moves him to play along with her ruse when she calls him her husband. This charade marks the start of an unpredictable journey as he escorts the lovely Lavinia and her traveling companions to Primrose Farm, far from the glaring lights of London. Soon, the tables are turned when Lucas introduces Lavinia to his family—as his fiancée. Before long, their mutual deception begins to feel all too real. But when the truth of her past is revealed, will Lavinia’s dream of a happy ending slip through her fingers?

Anna's Decision: A Regency Romance


Penny Fairbanks - 2020
    She hasn’t been able to catch any man’s eye, dooming her to a future as the lonely maiden aunt. Why keep putting herself through the misery of being invisible among all the many beautiful, interesting ladies that flock to London every Season? Just when Anna is about to accept spinsterhood, her brother convinces her to give London one more chance.Much to Anna’s shock, she immediately finds herself courted by not one but two gentlemen! Her attempts at faking confidence must be working. But how long can she keep up this act for before she’s discovered?Mr. Noah Waynford has never been one to rush anything—especially not love. When his father reveals some devastating news that threatens their whole family and future, Noah must put his desire to fall in love aside.He needs to marry, and marry well, if he has any hope of saving his family from ruin. Luckily for Noah, he hears a rumor about a lady with a large dowry who needs to get married by the end of the Season. Can Anna finally find someone to love her for who she is?Will Noah’s motives cause him to risk his chance at love?They just might be each other’s answer.