Book picks similar to
The Fragile Hour by Rosalind Laker


historical-fiction
historical
romance
mystery

Rakes Always Kiss First


Catherine Mayfair - 2020
    The man is boastful, rude and devilishly handsome. Worst of all, he has stolen a kiss that causes Mary to desire more.Lord Anthony Greyson knows the rumors concerning him and his rakish ways and cares not. He has spirited many women to his bed, and his eye is now on Mary. Wooing the innocent woman with a kiss, he has no doubt he will soon add her to his list of conquests, and he is certain she will not have the strength to resist.Upon learning of several unsavory rumors, Mary is tasked to spy on Anthony, and she readily agrees. Doing so will prove she is more than a pretty thing for others to admire. More importantly, she will be able to prove to herself she can resist the rake’s charms.Anthony soon becomes enchanted with the secretive woman and desires to know more about her and what she is hiding…And for Mary, she begins to wonder if Anthony is the cruel man about whom the ton whispers. Or is he the gentleman she secretly wishes him to be?

The Stolen Empire Boxed Set


Sherry D. Ficklin - 2015
    Ficklin. This complete set includes Queen of Someday, Queen of Tomorrow, and Queen of Always. No cliffhangers, no waiting, read the whole story together! Don’t miss the series dubbed a “must-read romance” by the USA Today and “An entertaining and racy read” by School Library Journal. Fans of the hit TV show REIGN will devour this scandalous glimpse into the life of one of the most vibrant women in history. The Stolen Empire series is a decedent look at one of history's most scandalous queens, Catherine the Great of Russia. Beginning with her humble origins and culminating with her coronation, this series offers a fanciful glimpse inside the life of the dynamic, strong young woman who won the hand of a king, the heart of a nation, and, ultimately, sacrificed her own innocence on the throne of an empire. The trials and tribulations of court life left their scars on young Sophie—the girl who would be Catherine, but she faced down every obstacle with the courage and grace of a queen.

A Trace of Smoke


Rebecca Cantrell - 2009
    Ernst, a cross-dressing lounge singer at a seedy nightclub, had many secrets, a never-ending list of lovers, and plenty of opportunities to get into trouble.Hannah delves into the city's dark underbelly to flush out his murderer, but the late night arrival of a five-year-old orphan on her doorstep complicates matters. The endearing Anton claims that Hannah is his mother. and that her dead brother Ernst is his father.As her investigations into Ernst's murder and Anton's parentage uncover political intrigue and sex scandals in the top ranks of the rising Nazi party, Hannah fears not only for her own life, but for that of a small boy who has come to call her 'mother.'

Flame of Resistance


Tracy Groot - 2012
    Family. Freedom. Hope for a future, especially for a woman with a past like hers. But that changes the day American fighter pilot Tom Jaeger is shot down over occupied France. Picked up by the Resistance, Tom becomes the linchpin in their plan to infiltrate a Germans-only brothel and get critical intel out through Brigitte, a prostitute rumored to be sympathetic to the Allied cause.D-day looms and everyone knows that invasion is imminent. But so is treachery, and the life of one American pilot unexpectedly jeopardizes everything. He becomes more important than the mission to a man who cannot bear to lose another agent and to a woman who is more than just a prostitute, who finally realizes that her actions could change the course of history.

The Secret Generations


John Gardner - 1985
     The Railton family are intimately involved in the world of espionage, which will become so crucial to the conflict’s outcome. With the death of General Sir William Railton, the family patriarch and hero of Balaclava, the family is thrown into a world of violence and intrigue. Manipulated by the new head of the family, the ruthless arch-intriguer Giles Railton, each member of the dynasty comes to play their part in the ‘Great Game’ of Intelligence. Through the story of one family, whose lives become caught up in some of the greatest struggles of the twentieth century, John Gardner traces the birth, the successes and the failures of the organizations now known as MI5, MI6 and GCHQ. From the battlefields of the Western Front to Russia on the eve of revolution, this epic work of fiction tells the story of the dramatic history of Britain’s intelligence and security services. ‘The Secret Generations’ is a towering saga of adventure, romance and intrigue by an author of international stature writing at his very best

Wartime Christmas Tales: A WWII Flash Fiction Anthology


Dianne AscroftGenevieve Montcombroux - 2020
    This collection of short stories is our gift to bring you something positive and joyful with which to end the year.Soldiers stumbling upon mercy and miracles; children sharing gifts of friendship and love; romance finding its way into lonely, war-weary hearts; resistance fighters; spies; families on the home front—all bringing their own ray of hope in the darkest of times.For this holiday season, we offer you this collection of short stories to lift your spirit, and to remember a time when love and the strength of human spirit prevailed.We hope you will enjoy stepping back into the wartime Christmases in these stories with us.

Ruby


Elizabeth Rose - 2013
    They were all named after the stones in daggers, bought by their late mother regarding a superstition. Ruby acts more like the son her father always wanted, and nothing like a lady. And she is not pleased to find out her father has promised Lord Sheffield his choice of one of his daughter's hands in marriage.Lord Nyle of Sheffield needs a wife so he can carry on his secret mission for the king. However, after losing three wives in a matter of months, he is sure their deaths were not accidents as it seemed, but rather they were murdered. Now to catch the murderer that he believes to be inside his castle walls, he chooses a wife as bait who he knows can wield a sword and hold her own against any attacker.Will murder and mayhem place a wedge between an unconventional wife and the Lord of Death, or bring them closer together as emotions are brought to the surface in Ruby - Book 1 of Daughters of the Dagger?

Pride of Honor


Andrea K. Stein - 2020
    She must ensure her marriage to a “suitable gentleman of the ton” before her twenty-first birthday or she’ll be destitute, per the terms of her ducal grandmother’s will. Close to having her own poems published, Sophia has her hopes dashed each time by someone revealing her secrets. That same someone so desperately wants her to fail the terms of the will, they’re willing to commit violent acts to ruin her reputation. Captain Arnaud Bellingham has ascended the ranks of the Royal Navy in spite of his half-French heritage by proving himself at the Battle of Algiers and with the West African Squadron. He seeks a simple marriage of convenience to a mature woman, a widow who has been his sometime mistress the last several years. The very thing he does not want, an exotic Italian innocent, literally falls into his life when he rescues her from kidnappers, although she disputes she needed saving. And now, honor and duty dictate he has to waste the rest of his leave guarding her through the mad whirl of the Season.

What the Hart Wants


Emily Royal - 2020
    One lesson in love. Fraser MacGregor, thirteenth Duke Molineux, seizes the opportunity to use the title he unexpectedly inherited, to further his whisky business. He leaves his Highland home and heads for London where he’s accosted by a feisty lass, who smashes a vase over his head.Delilah Hart should be relishing her first London season. But she’d rather be a writer than a bland society wife. Her secret occupation of writing anonymous, inflammatory articles about the notorious Molineux family, is the first step to realizing her dream.But when the new duke makes her an offer she can’t refuse—to learn about her cause for social justice in exchange for five lessons in the art of pleasure—she begins to question her beliefs and desires. Before long, Delilah realizes that her heart, as well as her career, is at stake.

The Custom of the Trade


Shaun Lewis - 2017
    His captain, Lieutenant Johnson, has previously withheld a recommendation for command – Richard is too ill at ease with his men and too fond of his Bible. Just as Johnson changes his opinion, the submarine is involved in a tragic accident and sinks, leaving Johnson dead and the survivors trapped on the seabed with a diminishing air supply. It’s a race against time for Richard to save his men. In March 1912, Richard’s cousin, Elizabeth Miller, is an activist in the Women’s Social and Political Union, standing alongside the Pankhursts to gain the vote for women. When Elizabeth faces arrest and is later imprisoned, Richard comes to her aid and the two become engaged, to the disapproval of his mother. War is brewing, and no one knows what the future brings. After her father dies and her brother goes off to fight, Elizabeth is left to run Miller’s Shipyard, building submarines and ships for the Navy, whilst Richard takes command of a submarine and heads off to war. The fight for women’s equality takes a backseat to the war effort, but Elizabeth knows where women can do the most good – in her shipyard. Set in the dying days of the Edwardian era, and the violence and heartache of World War I, The Custom of the Trade is filled with rich, historical details of the hazards of life in early submarines, the successful submarine campaign in the Dardanelles and women’s own battles against prejudice to gain the vote.

The Alchemy of Night


Nicola Italia - 2017
     Nigel Carey, the second son of Lord Marham, is quiet and reserved yet secretly pines to call Emme his own. When Nigel proposes, Emme accepts it without love knowing the match will give her a comfortable life. She is unaware that Nigel's dark and mysterious older brother, Everett, heir to the earldom, also holds a deep desire for her. Arriving a week early to a mutual friend's annual winter house party, Emme and Everett strike up an unexpected friendship, one that quickly leads to romance. As Everett invokes feelings in her she never thought possible, he urges her to break off her engagement to his brother. However, another young woman who has been scheming to force a marriage with the handsome, wealthy, and titled Everett is found dead in the middle of the winter ball. Suddenly everyone has a motive for murder--even Emme. As the inspector assigned to the case tries to unravel the plot, the list of suspects narrows, and Everett is arrested. Convinced of his innocence, Emme embarks on a mission to clear his name. She uncovers overlooked clues and someone suddenly becomes determined to stop her. Emme and Everett must race to unmask the killer before the killer silences Emme forever.

In the Company of Like-Minded Women


Elaine Russell - 2018
    Three sisters are reunited in 1901 Denver following a family rift many years before. Each sister faces critical decisions regarding work and love as they are swept up in the movement for women’s rights.

Sons of the Marquess Collection


Mary Kingswood - 2019
     Lord Reginald Marford needs a wealthy heiress to support his indulgent lifestyle. Spirited Miss Robinia Chamberlain looks perfect, but when he sets out to court her, he finds that his title and family connections aren’t nearly enough to entice the lady, and he has to become a little bit creative to attract her attention. Lord Humphrey Marford has a way with cards, dice and gambling of all forms. He’d love to start his own gaming house, but that takes a lot of money. His only solution is to marry an heiress, and he can’t be too choosy. Miss Hortensia Blythe seems perfect - pretty, charming and very, very rich. But even as he courts the ladylike but rather dull Miss Blythe, Humphrey is drawn to her companion, who isn’t nearly so ladylike, and isn’t the slightest bit dull. Lord Augustus Marford has only one interest in life - horses. It’s an expensive hobby, and Gus is happy to assess some stud horses for the eccentric Duke of Dunmorton. But Gus is drawn into the Duke’s family problems, and then there’s Amaryllis Walsh, the demure widow living quietly on the Duke’s estate. Gus is powerfully drawn to her, but her history is mysterious - who is she really? Books 1-3 of the 5 book series Sons of the Marquess. Each book is a complete story with a HEA, but read them all to find out all the secrets of Marford family!

The Viking


Marti Talbott - 2010
    Yet, the battle was not at all what he expected and he soon found himself alone and stranded in Scotland. Thirteen-year-old Kannak’s problem was just as grave. Her father deserted them and the only way to survive, she decided, was to take a husband over her mother‘s objections. Suddenly she was helping a hated Viking escape. Could Kannak successfully hide a Viking in the middle of a Scottish Clan? And why was someone plotting to kill the clan's beloved laird?

Forgotten Boy (A Chicago Detective Thriller)


Todd Luchik - 2015
     It’s February 2003 and private detective Glenn Wozniak just wants to ride out the remainder of a cold Chicago winter perched on a bar stool, pairing shots of Irish whiskey with cheap beer. But when a client neglects to pay him for services rendered, Glenn finds himself desperate for work, any work. Enter a wealthy new client offering a lot of money to find his missing daughter. On the eve of the U.S. war in Iraq, Glenn begins an investigation that will take him from the far northern edge of Chicago to an industrial wasteland at its southern border to some of the most dangerous parts of the city’s west side. Along the way, he’ll encounter anti-war protesters, ex-cons, drug dealers, corrupt cops, and a gang member leading a double life, ultimately unearthing deadly secrets that will make him some dangerous enemies. This new mystery and suspense release is the first in a series about Chicago Private Investigator Glenn Wozniak. It is recommended to readers who enjoy gritty, fast-paced thrillers in the tradition of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Ross MacDonald and Robert Parker. The Glenn Wozniak private eye fiction series can be found under the following ebook categories: - Chicago crime - Thriller books with a twist - Chicago detective - Chicago private investigator - Mystery and suspense new releases - Private eye series - Pulp modern - Private detective novels - Private eye fiction