Book picks similar to
Texas Conquest by Holly Castillo


romance
western
historical
historical-fiction

Mail-Order Refuge


Cindy Regnier - 2019
    He'd ridden that trail until his fiancée left him with a shattered heart. What he needs now is a wife to help him care for his orphan nieces. Desperate, he sends an advertisement to a Baltimore newspaper and hopes for the best. Fleeing her former employer who would use her to further his unlawful acts, a newspaper advertisement reads like the perfect refuge to Carly Blair. The idea of escaping the city, the intrigue, and the danger to hide herself on a cattle ranch in Kansas is her best shot for freedom. But its sanctuary comes with a price—a husband. While marrying a man she doesn't know or love means sacrificing her dreams, it's better than being caught by the law. Or is it?

Forever Yours Bundle #7-9


Stacy Reid - 2020
    The last thing she expected was William Astor, the Duke of Wycliffe, to create the scandal of the Season by chasing after her at a ball.William is the most compelling and sensual man Sophia has ever known, but she is not interested in resuming their kisses, guileless conversations, or his promises of forever. The duke, however, has other ideas...William has vowed to have no other woman than Sophia Knightly and is willing to do whatever it takes to possess her. It started with a kiss, then a wicked invitation, and now there is no going back.Soon the walls around Sophia's heart are crumbling . . . and she realizes the greatest adventure might be right in front of her!SINS OF VISCOUNT WORSLEYMiss Marianne Ashbrook is left with little choice but to knock on Viscount Worsley’s door and demand he supports her sister’s child. After all, he is the father. She has little patience for rakes or men who leave their seed all over England without a by-your-leave. And even when his lordship allows her to care for his child under his scandalous roof, she is wary of his wicked reputation.Viscount Worsley knows the child is not his. He’s not shared a bed with a woman in months, and yet, something about Miss Ashbrook’s gumption makes him relent. Soon, the prim and proper miss is taking over the house! Despite his vow to reform his dissolute ways of the past, Worsley finds it torturous to resist her. A few kisses and one wicked night at his notorious gambling den entices Worsley into rethinking his position on love and family. Except Miss Ashbrook is not so easy to persuade and it will take all his seductive wiles and perhaps his heart, to court her into submission.AN UNCONVENTIONAL AFFAIRMaximillian Langdon, Earl Kentwood, is the author of the ton’s most salacious erotic literature: A guide to passionate romps between a lord and his lady. His name whispers on the tongues of gentlemen and ladies in shocked and admiring tones. Everyone believes he is London’s greatest lover, except Lord Kentwood is still a virgin. Now he's determined to rectify that situation before being revealed as a fraud, and London’s latest on dit!With a reputation forever tarnished by scandal, Lady Amelie Weatherston is resigned to an unfulfilled life. She is also a member of a secret widow’s club. Her mission: to seduce London’s most delectable lover and report her findings to help her wicked widow friends keep their protectors happy! A passionate affair de Coeur starts and for a time banishes the loneliness in her heart. The earl of debauchery is not what he seems, and Amelie finds herself falling in love with a man who might never see her as more than a wicked widow not worthy of his heart.

Conquests: Hearts Rule Kingdoms


Emily Murdoch - 2013
    The nation is still recovering from the Norman invasion three years earlier - and adjusting to life under its sometimes brutal new rulers. A young girl trembles in the shadows of what was once her home. Avis is homeless and penniless, and with no family left alive she is forced to become a ward of Richard, the Norman lord who has taken her home. But when King William decrees that Norman lords must marry Anglo-Saxon women Avis must make a terrible choice. Either marry the repulsive Richard or else take a chance on another Norman, Melville, a man she has never met. Soon she realizes that survival in a time of turmoil and war depends on putting aside the prejudices of the past. Conquests is a brilliantly researched and involving historical drama that is perfect for fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory.

Brighter than Gold


Cynthia Wright - 1990
    Spirited Katie MacKenzie helps her father run a saloon and writes articles for the local newspaper about the Griffin, a Robin Hood-style highwayman who robs the unscrupulous mine owners and gives back to the townspeople. Irresistibly roguish Jack Adams, an adventurer with a dark secret, rides into the sleepy Sierra town one summer day and changes everything.A powerful attraction smolders and burns between Jack and Katie despite their efforts to resist, but when a tragic death occurs during one of the Griffin's stagecoach robberies, Katie is haunted by thoughts of revenge. Can Jack reconcile his life in Columbia with his surprising true identity in San Francisco... and will this couple find their way to happiness in spite of the dangerous secrets that separate them? Journey back to Civil War-era California with Jack, Katie, and historical characters like Samuel Clemens for a passionate & adventurous romance that will keep you turning the pages to the very end!

Orphan Train: Collection One


Rachel Wesson - 2021
    She reluctantly joins an orphan train on a voyage of hope, despair and the search for a home. Not just for her siblings but for almost forty other orphans desperate for a future. Orphan Train Trials Bella Jones and Kathleen Collins are as close as sisters and want to stay together. But their pasts come back to haunt them. A past Orphan Train survivor, can Bella save young twins, Megan and Eileen from a fate worse than the one Bella survived? Kathleen can't help, she has her own problems with missing brothers. Can she save them from the hangman's noose? Orphan Train Christmas Kenny Clark wants a family for Christmas. Kathleen is working hard to secure the best outcomes for all the orphans but what of her chance of happiness?

The Highlander's Demand


Mary Wine - 2020
    When his half-brother is killed, he must seek vengeance or face the rage of his clansmen. Beyond spilling blood, fate offers him another solution. Taking the daughter of his enemy will appease his angry men, but it leaves him struggling to find peace over making a hostage of a woman. What sort of man settles his disputes with a helpless woman? Rhedyn Lindsey has been raised to shoulder her duty. For her kin and clan, she will make the best of a future that will be decided based on alliances. But she never expects it to come in the form of being taken as a hostage.In an instant, her life is turned inside out. Perhaps for the best, though, for the alternative would have been to see her father's blood spilled. Now she’s at the mercy of a man who has every reason to hate her. Regardless of what fate throws her way, she won’t crumble. She’ll stand up to Buchanan Mackenzie. Just because she’s a woman, doesn’t mean she lacks courage.Will Buchanan Mackenzie give in to the demands of his men who seek revenge for the death of his half-brother, or will he rely on the wisdom his beloved father taught him, and take his time in deciding what will happen to his beautiful captive—Rhedyn Lindsey—a woman who has captured his attention, respect, and quite possibly his heart?

The Sisters of Woodside Mysteries Collection: The Governess / The Chaperone / The Companion


Mary Kingswood - 2020
    What can they do? Unless they wish to live on charity, they will have to find genteel employment for themselves. The Governess — Book 1Annabelle becomes governess to the daughters of the recently bereaved Earl of Brackenwood. She has no idea how to teach, but her pupils can learn all they need from books, so how difficult can it be? She’ll need all her ingenuity to cope with the rebelliousness of her charges, and the unwanted attentions of their father. But when her past returns to haunt her, she has to make a difficult decision. The Chaperone — Book 2Widowed Lucy finds a post as chaperon to two young ladies while their mother is awaiting the birth of her child. It sounds like easy work, well suited to her sociable nature, but the sisters squabble over their suitors, and there are tensions below the surface of the seemingly happy family. Then there is the charming Mr Audley, who is more interested in flirting with Lucy than in discovering where his sisters have disappeared to. And as for Lucy’s uncle, who lives nearby, she’s quite convinced he is hiding something. Curiosity is Lucy’s abiding sin, and one day it will get her into trouble. The Companion — Book 3Margaret is the quiet one of the Winterton family, happy only in her own home with her sisters protectively gathered around her. As a poor relation, Margaret must become a lowly paid companion to two elderly aunts she has never met. There is no welcome for Margaret at their gloomy house, Pendarreth, but the surrounding woods bring her solace - and unexpected danger.Books 1-3 of the 5 book series Sisters of Woodside Mysteries. Each book is a complete story with a happy ever after ending, but read them all to find out all the secrets of Winterton family!

The Captain of Her Betrayed Heart


Abigail Agar - 2018
    For four years, she lived in India far away from memories of the man who had broken her heart to pieces. But, then an urgent letter suddenly arrives and beckons her to return home! Her family is in shambles and her father sick. She has little choice but to do her part and step back into society. That would have been a lot easier, if Jack Shelton, the man who taught her to put trust in no one, had not returned from war. How can she move on when her thoughts seem determined to surround the man?Four years ago, Jack decided to join the army, when the woman he had loved fiercely had fled with no sign as to why. Now it's time Jack returns home, to find himself in an unexpected situation. Not only did his family call upon him to redeem their name, but Jack is also forced to face Gwyn Stanton. This woman left him questioning everything, when she raced off to India without a word as to why she had broken off their engagement. As much as Jack tries to do what he must for his family's sake, Gwyn is everywhere. Why does she seem to hate him so much?The announcements of Jack's impending betrothal and Gwyn's own ardent suitor seem to mean the end for everything that Jack and Gwyn might rekindle… but can this love really be buried? Will they show their true feelings to each other after all these years?The Captain of Her Betrayed Heart is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Sinful Pleasures


Kristi Jun - 2018
    Giles, she cursed the day she let a man dictate her life...Amelia Knight was given the chance to start anew in Scotland to live with her wealthy grandmother but not without a price. She must never reveal her past to anyone and must marry for a title to have access to her very large inheritance. To secure a husband, she heads to the glamourous Regency London with a plan to ensure her independence and risks everything she vowed never to do: fall in love.Born to privilege, he is forced back to London to remedy the family debt and shame and to fulfill a deathbed promise to his beloved brother...Emotionally scarred and devastatingly handsome, Richard, the Earl Blackthorn, saw the horrors of a broken marriage first-hand. He has no plan to marry or remain in London. When an heiress devises a plan that will ensure their freedom from marriage in two years and pay off his inherited debt, he agrees to marry. Until an unknown threat forces him to face the one question he isn’t willing to consider and open his heart to new possibilities.

Seconds to Act


Stephanie Flynn - 2020
    Promised a distraction, April accepts her quirky roommate's dream experiment, but as she's drifting off, she's given a surprising mission: Prevent Sam Hartley's arrest in 1852, otherwise he will be murdered.In 1852 Wisconsin, Sam Hartley wishes to return to blacksmithing, where he could use his hands to create, but until something is done about his tyrannical boss, he's trapped. When an extraordinary woman comes asking for him, escalating threats and her suspicious knowledge force him to keep her close. But too soon he must decide if risking her safety is worth mending his heart.Time's running out, and April must choose between her mediocre boyfriend and 1852, risking her life to save the man who stole her heart.If you love sizzling romance, edge-of-your-seat action, time travel, swoon-worthy heroes, and sassy ladies in a small town setting, you'll love Stephanie Flynn's dramatic historical adventure books. Each is a standalone with guaranteed HEA, but an overarching narrative. Best if read in order.

Fearless Brides For Unsuspected Ranchers Box Set


Evelyn Boyett - 2020
    Soon after she arrives, Abby discovers that she is now the owner of her father’s large ranch, and she needs to make a decision whether she wants to keep the legacy that is now hers.When the sabotage becomes personal to someone she loves, Abby needs to make a decision that will affect not only her future but those around her. Can Abby and Mac learn how to work together to make the ranch successful while learning how to trust each other and allow love in their hearts?#2 War And Romance In Squaw ValleyBig changes are coming to Squaw Valley, Nevada. Luke Kesler runs a successful horse ranch there and whether he and his neighbors like it or not, the government has approved for the railroad to cut through their land on its way to California.Plans to stop the caravan of railroad workers before the work can be started. The engineer of the plans, Jake Crowley arrives before anyone else, invited to stay with William Granger and his niece, Helen.When Luke realizes Jake will be staying with the lovely Helen, his good friend since childhood and the secret love of his heart, he realizes the railroad isn’t the only thing that is about to change in his life.If he doesn’t tell Helen how he feels soon, he could lose her to the myriad of men about to parade into town.#3 Love And Intrigue In Red CreekWhen Macie Walker’s beloved father is murdered in the sleepy town of Red Creek, New Mexico, her world is shattered. As she and her poor, suffering mother struggle to keep their cattle ranch afloat, she finds both her resolve and her faith in God sorely tested.Jess Ryder still carries the death of his parents with him like a ghost, following him closely no matter how far he roams or how many wrongs he tries to right. The more evil he sees in the world, the more estranged he becomes with the world around him and with God above. Pretty soon, he won’t believe in anything at all, least of all the sheriff's badge he’s long ago tossed aside.When Jess receives a pleading letter from a small village’s minister, however, his sense of duty is piqued and he dons the badge for one more ride. What he finds in Red Creek is far more complicated than he would ever have expected, and not only because something about the town’s murders doesn’t sit right.Macie Walker is stubborn. She doesn’t know when to say when and she certainly doesn’t mind his instructions. The problem is, she might also be exactly what Jess needs if they can manage to solve the Red Creek murders and come out on the other side.Each book features a standalone, clean western historical romance. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a sweet happily ever after.

A Most Eligible Rake of a Duke


Harriet Caves - 2021
    Even if that means literally throwing herself at the Duke and risking her own ruination.No man is arguably more broken and debauched than Timothy Burton, the Duke of Marfront. But, according to his father’s will, he needs to wed and produce an heir. Only, he never sleeps with the same woman twice.When Diana finds herself bound to the same man she wanted to frame, she starts discovering not only his tender, guarded heart, but the big secret surrounding his mother’s death. For, she is about to follow her cold trail...

The Rancher's Mail-Order Bride


Mindy Neff - 2000
    The old matchmakers had gone too far this time and now it was up to Wyatt to tell Hannah Richmond and her adorable son that they’d been had by four well-meaning old cowpokes. Except that when Hannah looked at him like he was the best thing since sliced bread and made him feel like a complete man, Wyatt began to think that maybe the old fellas were right — and that could be dangerous for the whole town!

My Fair Guardian


Suzanne G. Rogers - 2019
    As for Willoughby Winter, all that stands between him and his inheritance is to marry Bethany off. Can he succeed in his efforts before his past becomes known or will she manage to distract him from his goal—by hook or by crook?

Passage West


Ruth Ryan Langan - 1988
    With her sister and hard-drinking father in tow, she needed all her strength for the long trek westward. But Abby could hold her own with any man, until she met a rugged gunman named Rourke...a man who roused the unspoken yearnings of her passionate soul.Rourke was a battle-scarred Union veteran, hired to guard the wagon train. A loner by choice and by fate, his heart was moved by Abby's plight--though the young beauty proudly refused his aid. Yet with the wagons rolling on through dusty plains and treacherous deserts, a tenderness bloomed between them as he taught her how to survive in a brutal land. Mile by mile, she grew to adore this magnificent man, and when he touched her she longed to be his alone. But as she tasted rapture's first, wild depths, she faced a bitter secret from the gunman's violent past. With Rourke in mortal danger, they would challenge destiny itself--to save the love and happiness they discovered on a perilous...Passage West...