Book picks similar to
An Improper Companion by Karla Hocker
historical-romance
regency
romance
historical
That Scandalous Summer
Meredith Duran - 2013
But her friends and admirers would be stunned to know the truth: that the merriest widow in London is also the loneliest. Behind the gaiety and smiles lies a secret longing -- for something, or someone, to whisk her away ...One Reluctant SuitorRaised in scandal, Lord Michael de Grey is convinced that love is a losing gamble -- and seduction the only game worth playing. But when duty threatens to trump everything he desires, the only way out is marriage to a woman of his brother’s choosing. Elizabeth Chudderley is delightful, delicious -- and distressingly attractive. With such a captivating opponent, Michael isn’t quite sure who is winning the game. How can such passionate players negotiate a marriage of necessity -- when their hearts have needs of their own?
The Most Dangerous Duke in London
Madeline Hunter - 2017
All in one thrilling new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Madeline Hunter . . .
NOTORIOUS NOBLEMAN SEEKS REVENGEName and title: Adam Penrose, Duke of Stratton.Affiliation: London’s elite Society of Decadent Dukes. Family history: Scandalous.Personality traits: Dark and brooding, with a thirst for revenge. Ideal romantic partner: A woman of means, with beauty and brains, willing to live with reckless abandon. Desire: Clara Cheswick, gorgeous daughter of his family’s sworn enemy.FAINT OF HEART NEED NOT APPLYClara may be the woman Adam wants, but there’s one problem: she’s far more interested in publishing her women’s journal than getting married—especially to a man said to be dead-set on vengeance. Though, with her nose for a story, Clara wonders if his desire for justice is sincere—along with his incredibly unnerving intention to be her husband. If her weak-kneed response to his kiss is any indication, falling for Adam clearly comes with a cost. But who knew courting danger could be such exhilarating fun?Madeline Hunter’s novels are:“Brilliant, compelling . . . An excellent read.” —The Washington Post“Mesmerizing.” —Publishers Weekly“Pure passion.” —Booklist
Quiet Meg
Sherry Lynn Ferguson - 2008
Wealthy landowners are enthusiastically improving their vast country estates. When Sir Eustace Lawrence, renowned King's Counsel, invites Cabot to visit his Berkshire home, Cabot plans to apply his talents to a modification of the grounds. But he soon discovers that other skills are called for. All is not well with the amiable Lawrence family. One daughter, Margaret, has for years drawn the unwelcome, jealous attentions of the powerful Earl of Sutcliffe. The earl has essentially placed Meg under siege. Meg has had ample proof of Sutcliffe's deadliness. She has not dared to bestow her hand or her heart on any suitor for fear of what may befall him. But she is unaware of the lengths to which their new family friend, Charles Cabot, will go in order to protect her. When her family visits London for the season and a confrontation looms, Meg and her awakened affections must face the ultimate test.
Nearly a Lady
Alissa Johnson - 2011
So when he promises young Winnefred Blythe the money that his stepmother had cheated her out of over the years, he expects to be greeted as a hero. But the situation is much more complicated than Gideon had expected-and the task of taming the untrusting Winnefred much more alluring.
Then Came You
Lisa Kleypas - 1993
She will break any rule to get what she wants . . . and she is determined to stop her younger sister from marrying Alex, Lord Wolverton, a handsome and arrogant earl who has vowed never to fall in love.
A man who will do anything to possess her.
To Alex's fury, the headstrong hellion presents a temptation he can't resist. He vows to make her pay dearly for her interference—with her body, her soul, and her stubborn, well-guarded heart. As Alex and Lily challenge each other at every turn, they are caught up in a white-hot desire that burns through every defence and exposes the mystery of Lily's past . . . and together they discover that love is the most dangerous game of all.
The Rake's Challenge
Beth Elliott - 2011
Anna Lawrence, nineteen and inspired by Lord Byron’s poems, is determined to seek a life of travel and adventure. Both decide to flee society. They meet when Giles rescues Anna from her first escapade. Anna is resolute in demonstrating her independence but, somehow, she always ends up in trouble. His own pleasures forgotten, Giles rescues her from one potential disaster after another. He knows he cannot live without her, but he meets an unexpected obstacle, for Anna has a secret that means she can never be more than a friend to the man she has come to love with all her heart... Is there any way for their love to prevail? Beth Elliott was born in Lancashire, but fell in love with books during many childhood visits to her Welsh grandparents, whose bookshelves were always well stocked. Her greatest discovery was the novels of Jane Austen, which have fascinated her ever since. Having first taught languages in various countries across the globe, Beth eventually decided to write her own novels. Her previous books The Wild Card, In All Honour and April and May were also published by Robert Hale and you can learn more about her on her website: www.bethelliott.webs.com.
The Duke I Tempted
Scarlett Peckham - 2018
Meticulous. Immaculate. No one would expect the proper Duke of Westmead to be a member of London’s most illicit secret club. Least of all: his future wife.
Having overcome financial ruin and redeemed his family name to become the most legendary investor in London, the Duke of Westmead needs to secure his holdings by producing an heir. Which means he must find a wife who won’t discover his secret craving to spend his nights on his knees—or make demands on his long scarred-over heart. Poppy Cavendish is not that type of woman. An ambitious self-taught botanist designing the garden ballroom in which Westmead plans to woo a bride, Poppy has struggled against convention all her life to secure her hard-won independence. She wants the capital to expand her exotic nursery business—not a husband. But there is something so compelling about Westmead, with his starchy bearing and impossibly kind eyes—that when an accidental scandal makes marriage to the duke the only means to save her nursery, Poppy worries she wants more than the title he is offering. The arrangement is meant to be just business. A greenhouse for an heir. But Poppy yearns to unravel her husband’s secrets—and to tempt the duke to risk his heart.
It Takes Two to Tangle
Theresa Romain - 2013
Wounded and battle weary, he decides that the right wife is all he needs. Selecting the most desirable lady in the ton, Henry turns to her best friend and companion to help him with his suit…Is a Terrible Mistake…Young and beautiful, war widow Frances Whittier is no stranger to social intrigue. She finds Henry Middlebrook courageous and manly, unlike the foppish aristocrats she is used to, and is inspired to exercise her considerable wit on his behalf. But she may be too clever for her own good, and Frances discovers that she has set in motion a complicated train of events that’s only going to break her own heart…
Waltz Of The Wallflower
Catherine Mayfair - 2019
Given the choice, she never set foot in town again. Her father, however, has grown tired of her spinster status and demands that either she find a husband or he will find one for her. William Montgomery, Seventh Duke of Bennington, has been enthralled with Miss Fortescue since he first set eyes upon her. Last season he spent hours compiling a love note for her, but judging from Miss Fortescue's silence, his words of admiration had failed to win her heart. William believes that this Season he will be able to convince the quiet, yet intelligent, woman to allow him to woo her. When unexpected circumstances throw the pair together, Miss Fortesque begins to realise that William is not the brute she thought him. However, her timidity makes it difficult for her to accept that he is interested in more than the new business ventures her father has acquired. Will the newly fashionable and scandalous dance, the Waltz, help Lydia shed the timidity that has subdued her for most of her life? Will William convince the woman for whom he cares that his intentions are true?
The Earl Next Door
Amanda Grange - 2001
Tenth Anniversary EditionNote: This book was originally published under the title of Anything But A GentlemanMarianne is delighted when the empty estate next door is rented by an earl, but she soon finds that Luke, Lord Ravensford is anything but a gentleman! And yet with his dark hair and his dangerous air, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him, despite the rumours that he has ruined her missing brother. When the secret of Kit's disappearance is exposed, she finds herself drawn into an adventure which will test her love to the limits and reveal hidden depths to Luke and his profound feelings for her . . .Amanda Grange: Humour, adventure and romance, with a guaranteed happy ending.Reviews for Amanda Grange:"Believable dialogue and lively characters ... nice touches of humour, too." - Historical Novels Review"Hits the Regency tone and language on the head." - Library Journal"Well written, clean romance. 4 1/2 stars!" - Amazon review"Amanda Grange writes from the heart . . . Highly recommended" - A Romance Review
The Bride Says No
Cathy Maxwell - 2014
However, he’s not one to give up without a fight, and now that he’s met a woman he wants to marry, nothing on earth could convince him to let Aileen go.
Secrets of a Wedding Night
Valerie Bowman - 2012
When she spots a certain engagement announcement in The Times, she decides to take action. She will not allow another hapless girl to fall prey to a man—particularly the scoundrel who broke her heart five years ago. Anonymously she writes and distributes a pamphlet entitled “Secrets of a Wedding Night,” knowing it will find its way into his intended’s innocent hands…How to Seduce a WidowDevon Morgan, the Marquis of Colton, desires a good wife and mother to his son—someone completely unlike Lily Andrews, the heartless beauty who led him on a merry chase five years ago only to reject him. When Devon’s new fiancée cries off after reading a certain scandalous pamphlet, he vows to track down the author and make her pay. But when he learns it’s his former fiancée Lily, he issues a challenge: write a retraction or prepare to be seduced—to find out how wonderful a wedding night can be…
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake
Sarah MacLeanSarah MacLean - 2010
She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love.
The Spinster and the Rake
Eva Devon - 2021
Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught. So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s aunt walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield.Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her. As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade?