Book picks similar to
The Hired Wife by Cari Hislop
regency
fiction
indie
blackhole
A Rule for Christmas
Kate Harper - 2012
Miss Selfridge is everything he detests in a woman; opinionated, flippant and far too independent. Their skirmishes become a thorn in his side and a major impediment to his wooing of the fair Felicity.
The only way he can get to know his intended better - and advance his plans - is to invite Miss Wexford and her fiesty guardian to a house party over Christmas. Surely then he can get the girl alone?
But things don't quite go according to plan. They never do when Jemima Selfridge is involved.
And somehow, he discovers that the woman that he cannot abide has become the one woman that he wants for Christmas...
The Three Disgraces Series
Elena Greene - 2014
The Incorrigible Lady Catherine ~ Lady Catherine Harcourt, daughter of a duke, tries to escape her cold, repressive family by eloping with a rake. She is exiled to her aunts’ cottage in the Lake District, where she meets Philip Woodmere, a gentleman farmer as kind as he is ruggedly attractive. She is drawn to Philip’s strength and warms to his lively family, but a secret from her past threatens their chance for happiness. The Redwyck Charm ~ Marcus Redwyck, Earl of Amberley, reluctantly agrees to wed an heiress in order to save his estate. But his equally reluctant bride, Juliana Hutton, runs away and masquerades as an opera dancer. When they meet, passion leads them to the edge of scandal. Even when all is revealed, it will take all of Marcus’s resolution and the fabled Redwyck charm to win the spirited Juliana’s heart. Saving Lord Verwood ~ Penelope Talcott distrusts Lord Verwood, a notorious rake who’s meddled in the lives of her friends. But she accidentally saves his life and becomes entangled in his affairs. Someone is trying to kill Verwood. Despite herself, Pen is impelled to help. Scandal forces them to marry and return to his estate in Cornwall, where Pen must solve the mystery of the tortured man she has come to love. Reviews: The Incorrigible Lady Catherine “The story gives fresh new twists to traditional Regency plotlines and introduces a well-drawn cast of characters, three of whom cry out for their own tales to be told—the notorious Lord Verwood and Catherine’s two school friends . . . Elena Greene is a talented writer to watch for when looking for a pleasurable, meaty Regency romance.” – Jane Bowers, in Romance Reviews Today The Redwyck Charm “I consider The Redwyck Charm one of the best Regencies I’ve read in the past few months. Elena Greene is a reliable author who delivers the kind of story Regency readers love.” – Barbara Hume, for Rakehell Saving Lord Verwood “Elena Greene writes an intriguing tale of hope, love and joy. In this clever story of just who rescues whom, the political intrigue and developing passion between the main characters neatly blend together to make a highly pleasurable read.” – Romantic Times (4 and 1/2 stars)
Mask of Duplicity
Julia Brannan - 2015
However, Beth's hopes of a quiet life are dashed when Richard, dissatisfied with his meagre inheritance and desperate for promotion, decides to force her into a marriage for his military gain. And he will stop at nothing to get his way.Beth is coerced into a reconciliation with her noble cousins in order to marry well and escape her brutal brother. She is then thrown into the glittering social whirl of Georgian high society and struggles to conform. The effeminate but witty socialite Sir Anthony Peters offers to ease her passage into society and she is soon besieged by suitors eager to get their hands on her considerable dowry. Beth, however, wants love and passion for herself, and to break free from the artificial life she is growing to hate. She finds herself plunged into a world where nothing is as it seems and everyone hides behind a mask. Can she trust the people professing to care for her?The first in the series about the fascinating lives of beautiful Beth Cunningham, her family and friends during the tempestuous days leading up to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, which attempted to overthrow the Hanoverian King George II and restore the Stuarts to the British throne.
Join the rebellion of one woman and her fight for survival in...
The Jacobite Chronicles.
The Earl's Inconvenient Wife
Ruth Ann Nordin - 2012
Now he is bound by duty to get an heir. Unfortunately, to get the heir, he must find a wife. As luck would have it, he gets caught in a scandalous situation not of his doing, and the next thing he knows, he's married...and to a lady whose family is reported to desire money above all else.Miss Claire Lowell wanted to get married. But she never intended to marry a gentleman who felt trapped into it, and she certainly never thought her family would have a hand in the scandal that forced Lord Roderick's hand in marriage. Can love find a way to thrive under such conditions or will her father's eagerness to see her married off to an earl condemn her to a loveless marriage?
Replenish the Earth
Anna Jacobs - 2002
When her mother dies penniless, Sarah Mortonby is shocked to discover she has inherited a wealthy estate. Advised to sell the crumbling manor house to her neighbour, Matthew Sewell, she visits and decides to keep it instead. Sewell is furious – and he is a man known for getting his own way, no matter the cost.Unable to manage the land alone, and desperately needing help, Sarah proposes to her bailiff, Will Pursley – himself recently thrown off his farm by Sewell’s thugs. Can they save the estate together? Will the oppressed villagers help them, or be cowed by Sewell’s threats? And will the fondness growing between Will and Sarah turn into love?
From Anna Jacobs, the much-loved author of An Independent Woman and Marrying Miss Martha, Replenish the Earth is a charming saga sure to appeal to readers of Annie Murray, Margaret Dickinson and Ellie Dean.
The Reluctant Duke's Dilemma
Trisha Messmer - 2020
She longed to be free. Pressured by forces beyond their control, will they give in to forbidden desire?England, 1823. After establishing a successful practice in America, Dr. Harry Radcliffe swore he wouldn’t set foot on British soil again. But when he’s named the Duke of Ashton after his callous brother’s sudden death, he begrudgingly returns to the pretentious world he detests. And his pledge to his dying mother to find a wife is thrown into chaos when he meets his stunning sister-in-law.Margaret Radcliffe finally escaped her abusive marriage. Yet her late husband’s final cruel act left her penniless, with her only option to remarry... the one thing she vowed she’d never do again. But the new duke’s startlingly familiar features awaken yearnings she thought long-forgotten, dangling the heartbreaking whisper of a passion impossible to fulfill.Although convinced the accusations that she murdered her husband are only salacious gossip, Harry's real torment comes when he wishes for a union that would make them outcasts. But even when they finally submit to their simmering attraction, Margaret’s dream of happily-ever-after may be derailed by society’s schemes.Can a scandalous affair turn into a lifetime of love?The Reluctant Duke's Dilemma is the suspenseful first book in The Hope Clinic Regency romance series. If you like swoon-worthy heroes, uplifting humor, and heroines beating the odds, then you’ll adore Trisha Messmer’s tale of tortured hearts.
Rising Summer
Mary Jane Staples - 1991
They managed splendidly - and then came the war. Tim Parkes became Gunner Parkes and Aunt May spent most of her nights in the Walworth air raid shelters with Tim keeping an eye on her whenever he was able.When he got posted to Suffolk he wasn't too pleased - Suffolk was Country, not like London at all. But in fact there were a lot of things about Sheldham that reminded him of home - the Walworth evacuees for a start. Those of them that weren't creating havoc in the Suffolk village were creating havoc in Tim's life. Minnie Beavers - ex-Camberwell - was fifteen, pert, pretty, and wildly in love with Tim. She was determined to inveigle him into marriage the minute she was old enough. Tim was equally determined to escape and choose his own girl.By the time Tim had gone away to fight the war, and Minnie had joined the WAAF, a great many things had changed in both their lives.
Kit: Finding Freedom and Love
Katherine St. Clair - 2017
She’s had a bit of schoolin, and now she works at the local cannery. Her friend Letty dreams of marriage and a family of her own. Kit could choose that life, but she wants more. But it’s 1895 in North Carolina, and her options are limited. In the newspaper, she sees an advertisement calling for young women to go and work for the Harvey Company – a growing chain of restaurants - that serves hungry railway passengers traveling to the untamed west. But the interview is miles away in Raleigh…does she dare? Will she leave her family and the life she knows, and risk everything for independence and adventure? Yes, she will! But it’s not easy. Leaving home is only the first of many challenges for Kit, from facing her own doubts, to proving herself, and standing up to the judgment of others – including her closest new friend. With hard work and an instinctive knowledge of how to bring out the best in others, Kit progresses in her career, until she gets a message from home. Racing back across the country to the bedside of a loved one, Kit begins to question what will make her happy. When it looks like love will be a better choice, Kit is tempted to leave her life out west behind. Are fate, friendship, determination, and good advice enough to keep Kit on the right path? Can she have a successful career, and also the love and respect of a good man? Is there a man out there who is strong enough to value her, and give her wild heart a home? Read on to learn Kit’s fate, and discover the famous Harvey Girls, whose hard work and courage helped build a restaurant empire like no other.
Cajun Bride
Eugenia Riley - 2015
. . Orphaned at seventeen, Cajun beauty Angelique Fremont is left to the tender mercies of her profligate Uncle Giles in antebellum New Orleans. Then Giles cruelly betrays his niece, offering her on the auction block to his depraved poker companions! Only the intervention of Jean Pierre Delacroix, notorious rogue turned Cupid, saves innocent Angelique from a fate worse than death. Yet Jean Pierre knows he can never make this untouched angel a proper husband, so he engineers a marriage of convenience for Angelique with his wealthy, enigmatic cousin Roland. TO BECOME A PLANTER’S BRIDE Angelique is stunned to find herself forced into marriage to handsome, formidable Roland Delacroix. All too soon she is Roland’s bride and mistress of Belle Elise Plantation. Angelique’s mysterious bridegroom both allures and unsettles her, and she struggles between her pride and her budding desire for him. Why does her masterful husband seem to want her one moment, then shun her the next? Why is he so jealous, so determined to control her every move? What are the terrible hurts, ghosts, and betrayals haunting Roland, painful secrets he withholds from her even as their passion ignites? Barely past girlhood, Angelique must confront a woman’s dilemma and fight for Roland and their marriage. For only through overcoming Roland’s demons can the tempestuous couple find true passion, love, and happiness together. Cajun Bride is a vivid and emotional historical romance of approximately 120,000 words. EDITORIAL REVIEWS (for previous edition entitled Angel Flame): Four Stars! “Both passionate and dramatic . . . a stirring love story. It is Eugenia Riley’s most colorful, touching romance to date.” —Romantic Times Five Stars! —Heartland Critiques
Twice a Rake
Catherine Gayle - 2011
. .When Aurora Hyatt loses her journal in Hyde Park, her ruin is a foregone conclusion. After all, if anyone discovers her writings, they'll find scandalous fantasies involving the newest rake in Town alongside entirely-too-candid thoughts about her typical dreary suitors. Aurora will either be forced into a loveless marriage with the first nodcock to make an offer, or she'll be assigned a permanent position on the shelf. Oh, dear good Lord. What catastrophe will God smote down upon her next?If Niles Thornton, Baron Quinton, desires to maintain any semblance of his current lifestyle, he must fulfill the requirements his grandfather has set for him. First and foremost: he must marry and begin filling his nursery within the year. When he is nearly barreled over by a racing curricle and a journal flies out to land at his feet, his troubles are over. Inside the journals pages, Quin discovers a scandal waiting to happen. Surely a young lady who would write such brazen things in a journal (and then dare to lose it) must recognize the necessity of a hasty marriage, even if the gentleman making the offer is rather less-than-honorable.In a drunken haze, Quin kisses Aurora on a crowded ballroom floor, necessitating their immediate marriage. Quin's troubles are only beginning, however, as Aurora's writings are soon the focus of both gossip rags and drawing room conversation. When word arrives of an even greater scandal following in his wife's wake, will he prove himself a drunken abuser like his father, or will he become the loving husband of Aurora's fantasies?
To Have and To Hoyden
Eva Devon - 2021
A fortune being stolen by her guardian. She's found the perfect laird. Now, she just needs to convince him. And when he agrees, Laird Dunbroch's kisses convince her that passion is in her future. But will passion prevent the pursuit of her dreams?Conn Sinclair, Laird Dunbroch is in dire needs of funds. His lands have been left in terrible debt by his ne'er do well father! So, when Pheobe Danvers turns up on his doorstep and proposes marriage, he can't refuse. But first, he must extricate her from her guardian, and as they race to the highlands and the fulfillment of her dreams, he discovers that she is more than a plump purse. She may be the answer to his wounded heart... If he can but give it.
Sexton Brothers Box Set
Jeannine Colette - 2020
Fall in love with the Suit. Hide away with the Artist. Feel your heart race with these sexy brothers, and the kick ass heroines they fall in-love with, all in one fabulous boxset! AUSTIN “Tell me a secret,” I ask. “I’m falling for you.” Austin Sexton is a bad-boy media mogul and heir to the Sexton Empire. On the outside, he’s a whiskey-slinging bachelor with the world on a string. Problem is, strings break easily. Deep within lies a war hero who refuses accolades. He buries his pain with his vices, and against my better judgment, I’ve become one of them. No matter how hard I try to push him away, his secrets draw me in. This man, who appears careless, has passion. If I were looking for someone in my life, I could see myself falling for a guy like him. Good thing love is the last thing I’m looking for. BRYCE “Truth or dare?” “I’ll take your dare.” “Kiss me.” I don’t believe in Prince Charming, but when I met a handsome stranger on a rooftop his words intrigued me and his dares left nothing but temptation. Then I learned the truth. His name is Bryce Sexton. Media mogul, workaholic and a heart of stone. He’s broody AF and yet every woman in San Francisco wants him. So why won’t he leave me alone? Wherever I go, he’s there, trying to force his way into my world. What he doesn’t know is I already have a man in my life. A tiny redhead who loves Legos and Superheroes. With every push, Bryce pulls me in further. Our pasts are laced with betrayal. Our futures are unpredictable. Our chemistry is explosive. With each dare I uncover a truth, but he's exactly what I don’t need right now. So why did I have to go and kiss him? TANNER We’re two strangers on a train, knowing whatever we decide in the next moment might dictate our fate for the rest of our lives. “A kiss was all I needed.” “Looks like you got what you wished for.” “Yes. About that…” My plan: find a finely dressed businessman, have a one-night stand, and forget about my failed relationship. Like a bad joke, my ex walks into the bar. That’s when a gorgeous man wearing street clothes, messy hair, and the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen lays a kiss on me. It’s meant to rile up my ex but leaves me breathless and wanting more instead. Then he’s gone. So, I do what any rational person would. I chase after him onto the subway and embark on a wild night in New York City with a complete stranger. No matter how much I fight it, this mysterious man painted his soul onto my skin. If it’s not meant to be, why can’t I forget about him?
Scandalous Sisters Trilogy
Rose Gordon - 2013
But when she’s forced to marry him, she’ll learn there’s a lot more to life, love and this man than she originally thought.To Win His Wayward Wife—A gentleman who’s spent the last five years pining for the love of his life will get his second chance: marriage to the beautiful, witty, but rather withdrawn Madison Banks. The only problem? She has no interest in him.
The Cockney Angel
Dilly Court - 2009
And it is all Irene can do to keep the family together. Billy's addiction soon leads him into trouble. Despite having been brought up by her father to fear and distrust the police, Irene finds herself forced to collaborate with them to save her father from ruin. But Billy's errant ways finally catch up with him and he is imprisoned in Newgate jail. With her mother away from home, a desperate Irene has little choice but to seek help from Inspector Edward Kent - her sworn enemy. For only she can clear her father's name and unite the family once more ...