Book picks similar to
I Heard the Bells by Angela K. Couch


christmas
historical-fiction
historical
civil-war

Confessions of a Betrayed Lady


Abigail Agar - 2020
    Visions of meeting the perfect gentleman fill her head as her first London season draws nigh. But falling in love with the man of her dreams proves anything but simple. Her maiden aunt protests when a charming young gentleman asks to court her. Finding herself next to the man she likes, little did she know that an old friend was watching jealously from the side, as he felt that something did not seem quite right about her new beau...When, in an instant, everything turns upside down in Sarah’s life, will she be able to entrust her bruised heart to Miles?Sarah’s blue eyes have been haunting Sir Miles Farrington’s dreams for years. He has been in love with her since they were little, but mishaps seem to follow him wherever he goes, despite his attempts to act like a gentleman...His brother reminds him that he must stop his childish pranks if he wants to have a chance to win Sarah’s fiery heart. The more determined she is to avoid him, the more determined he is to win her heart. Will he be able to convince Sarah that they are meant to be together? And that she is perfect just the way she is?When Sarah finds out that her new beau has only been courting her to get close to her cousin, she is devastated and outraged. This seems to be the perfect opportunity for Miles to claim Sarah’s wounded heart once again and prove to her that true love exists. Soon their paths begin to entwine more than either of them expected and they must find a way to unfold their complicated feelings. How is he to prove his love is genuine? Will he convince her that he is the one for her? In the end, is the choice actually hers to make?“Confessions of a Betrayed Lady” is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

A Western Christmas (Old West Wyoming Book 1)


Vivian Sinclair - 2017
     After five years of hard work, Elliott Maitland has succeeded to make profitable the ranch he bought on a whim from a gambler who had no interest in working with cattle. A frosty winter day finds Elliott in town, hoping to conclude his business before the blizzard starts in earnest. Sam, the owner of the mercantile, asks him to give shelter to the new schoolteacher, who just arrived in town and has nowhere to stay. Celestine Tillman is in desperate need of a job and a place to live. Being hired as a teacher in Wyoming is a blessing. Discovering that no one is waiting for her at the train depot and no room is available in town so close to Christmas is distressing. Going home with this rancher could be dangerous, but what choice does she have? This adventure packed fictional story is set in Laramie, Wyoming at the end of the nineteen century and presents a true picture of the western town with all the good and the bad, the modern and the old west mixed together. An enduring town moving forward and changing with the times.

The Business Arrangement (Colorado Brides #1)


Angelica Rose - 2017
     So, in post-war Charleston, where Caroline and her sister are on the brink of being married off to one of her uncle’s lecherous friends, she decides to do the practical thing to get out of an unwanted marriage—find a marriage match of her own and start a new life out west as a mail order bride. After exchanging letters with Kyle, a widowed Colorado rancher who needs a new wife to help care for his children, Caroline decides to pack up her things and make a go of it, even though the arrangement doesn’t promise love or romance. When Caroline arrives in Colorado to take the first steps in her new life, she finds Kyle cold and removed, still cloaked in grief over his previous wife’s death. And although the marriage was to be little more than a business arrangement, Caroline finds herself wishing for something more—but will Kyle be able to see past his pain to a second chance at happiness? A story of hope, fear, new beginnings and true love. This is a sweet and clean Western romance and is a stand alone story, but don't forget to check outThe Long, Slow Thaw, Book 2 in the Colorado Brides series, to find out how Caroline's sister Mattie's love story unfolds! ***Kindle Unlimited readers download for FREE!***

Lady Gabrielle


Ellise C. Weaver - 2014
    One minute, Lady Gabrielle is the toast of London, her first Season with Society a great success—but the choice of gentlemen hardly interest her. But then, a vicious dog saves the day, his determination to ruin her gown is all it takes for a dashing gentleman to charge to Gabrielle’s rescue. Her boredom is replaced with visions of this gentleman’s smile. Now she cannot help but disagree with her parents’ choice for her marriage partner. Instead, she wishes to marry the handsome stranger who finds her just as fascinating. But her parents will not even consider a “Mr. Nobody” for their favored daughter. Will Gabrielle give in to her parents’ demands, or will she be driven into the arms of the only man who ever listened to her heart? Go back in time with us, before Carly or Susannah’s stories (The Governess and Pirate Bride), and read about how their parents fell in love! ***Over 55,000 copies downloaded since 2013 - The Huntington Saga Series Novels combines clean romance, murder, and mystery, with a healthy dose of sizzling kisses. The Governess in The Huntington Saga Series Novels has hit #1 in the Amazon top ten paid lists in Religious and Inspirational Fiction. You can check out the rest of the series here: http://www.amazon.com/Ellise-C.-Weave... (just copy and paste into your browser)*** Romance Categories: FREE Romance Historical Romance Victorian Romance Christian Romance Romance Series Romance Sagas Romance Short Stories Romance Single Authors Christian Historical Fiction Religious Historical Fiction Kindle Short Reads Women's Romance Fiction Romance Collections & Anthologies Women's Fiction

Hired Gun


Christopher Kenworthy - 2013
     But when Jemina resists, he brings in some muscle to finish the job. But Luke Horn isn't just a gun for hire. He doesn't like what he hears about Fetterman. So he sides with Jemima and her foreman, Fed Sauermann, to get the rustlers off her land and bring Fetterman’s plans tumbling down. When the three are driven off the ranch, they find a hideout in the hills to hatch a plan to reclaim the ranch. It’s not long before Luke Horn find himself fighting for his life - and the land of the woman he loves. Hired Gun is a thrilling saga of gunplay and romance, perfect for fans of classic Western adventure. Praise for Christopher Kenworthy 'A thrilling read.' - Robert Foster, acclaimed author of The Lunar Code. ‘Kenworthy is a craftsman and entertainer.’ - Richard Foreman, bestselling author of The Sword of Rome series Christopher Kenworthy was a journalist and novelist. His other Westerns include Apache Country and Badlands, and he has also written two naval fiction series - the John Paul Jones adventures and the In the Dark of the Moon saga. Pioneering Press is an imprint of Endeavour Press, the UK’s leading independent digital publisher. We publish new and classic westerns by authors from the US and the UK.

The Miracle Christmas Baby (Mail Order Bride Christmas in the Country Book 7)


Emma Morgan - 2018
    Mack Cooper as a mail order bride. However, when she arrives, she realizes Mack is not the man she is meant to marry. Instead, he sent for her for a friend, Phillip, who knows nothing of her arrival. But Helen’s troubles have only just begun when a landslide blocks their path, leaving her temporarily staying in Mack’s house and caring for a rescued baby. As the weeks pass, both Helen and Mack begin to care for one another—feelings they both keep secret. And all too soon, the road is cleared and Helen is gone, sent to marry a man she does not know, away from the one she loves. Until a little holiday magic lets love find its way back.

A Merchant's Extraordinary Lady


Aria Norton - 2020
    When her father, a well-known baron, arranges an unlikely match for her, she immediately devises a plan to dissuade the suitor. Her efforts are in vain though, as the man, a tenacious and handsome merchant, perseveres and marries her anyway. Dismayed, Aurora resolves to make her husband's life miserable, but to her shock, she finds her heart softening towards him. As her bewildering new feelings intensify, will they challenge her determination to fight against her husband and her desire to be a free woman?Carlos's life has been driven by his need to avenge his mother's death and claim his rightful place as the son of a Spanish count. An opportunity falls into his lap when he overhears an irate baron offer his troublesome daughter as a wife to anyone who will have her. Marrying this stubborn young woman gives him a clear path towards meeting his father for the very first time, but also makes him her enemy. He might not have minded this, if he wasn't also unexpectedly and uncontrollably drawn to his mesmerising wife... With his birthright finally within his grasp, will his heart instead force him to explore powerful feelings he hadn't bargained for?As Aurora clings to her independence amid her developing emotions, Carlos is troubled by his guilt over marrying an unwilling woman to advance his plans. Thrown together by fate, neither can deny their life-changing connection for much longer. With Aurora's safety suddenly being threatened, will justice matter more to Carlos than the woman he has come to care so deeply about? Will Aurora ever be able to set aside her fears and hurt and give them both a chance to discover the true depth of their shared feelings?"A Merchant's Extraordinary Lady" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

A Lady Defying All for Love


Bridget Barton - 2020
    Her life has always been simple and peaceful until, one day, a new family moves to town and her world is about to get upside down. After she realizes she has started falling for the new family's eldest son, things will inevitably get more complicated than ever. When she finds out that the newcomers are hiding something, will she find the courage to get to the bottom of the mystery, and the compassion to handle what she finds lying there?Benedict Flynn is the eldest son of a highly respected family. When his father, a particularly outspoken member of the House of Lords, gets accused of having widely misused his wealth, Benedict's family doesn't really have a choice...Disappearing from London's social scene seems to be the only way to protect themselves from the malicious rumours. However, when a past acquaintance finds out about them, Benedict needs to take immediate action to preserve his family's reputation. Will he be brave enough to share his secret with the charming lady he meets in town, and ask for her help? And will he dare to admit his feelings for her?Eliza and Benedict soon find themselves in the middle of a web of scandal and confusion; a situation they could have never imagined. Will the chemistry between them be strong enough to help them fight anything that comes into their way? Will Eliza find the strength to defy everything in the name of love?

Yours


Angela Christina Archer - 2021
    Knowing the Germans could invade their quiet home the resident children of Guernsey are evacuated. Among them are Amelia Ashton, and her older sister Evelyn.The promise to stay safe.Forced onto the boat by her older sister, seventeen-year-old Amelia Ashton arrives in Weymouth with hundreds of other children. Although she is placed with a kind and loving foster family in Derbyshire, her world is torn apart. With all her communication cut off from her family, and the boys at school joining to fight in the war, Amelia struggles with her own desire to help. On a whim, she lies about her age and boards a train headed to volunteer with the Woman’s Land Army. Finding solace in the work of farm life, she reconnects with William, a young man from Derbyshire, and who doesn’t waste any time asking for her hand in marriage. Can Amelia start a new life without looking over her shoulder at what she left behind in Guernsey or will the war change everything?The promise to survive.Fearing for her parents’ lives, nineteen-year-old, Evelyn Ashton stays behind, living through the German occupation plaguing her once beautiful home—the island of Guernsey. Living under German rule, the residents find a new meaning of desperation and despair, trying to survive on rations and evade the threats of being sent off to a death camp. After her parents die in a bombing, Evelyn is left alone to fend for herself against her enemy, and when German soldiers take over her house, she seeks refuge in the only family she believes she has left—Henry—the man once interested in her sister. Can they find comfort in each other or will the occupation claim not only their love but also their lives?Two sisters. Two promises. One bloody war that changes their lives forever.

The Blackmailed Beauty


Ilene Withers - 2013
    There, an unwanted encounter with the local viscount turns into an assault. Claire fights back and escapes with her virtue intact only to be blackmailed by his sister, Lady Regina, who witnessed the attack. Claire now faces ruin if she does not meet the terms of the blackmail – convince the Earl of Roydon to marry her, even though a long-standing arrangement has matched him with Lady Regina. Noel Mallory, the Duke of Lamborton, meets Claire and is immediately enamored by her. He becomes frustrated, however, when she alternately seems to welcome his attentions and spurn them. Worse, she seems to be seeking the attentions of his best friend, the Earl of Roydon. Noel sets out to win Claire’s love and discover the reason behind her confusing behavior.

Farewell Bergerac: A World War II Thriller (World War II Adventure Series)


Fredrik Nath - 2012
    Fredrik Nath is one of those few."- The Masked PersonaFrom the author of wartime adventure novel 'The Cyclist', the Historical Novels Society editor's choice February 2011.A reluctant hero in war-torn France...A teacher in St Cyprien, a small town in Aquitaine, France, descends into an alcoholic daze, after his son dies in the Spanish Civil War. His life seems meaningless and he moves to Bergerac where he survives by poaching and fishing. Isolating himself from the world, he ruminates over his hatred of the Fascists who killed his son. He is dragged back to reality when, after the occupation of France by the Nazis, he witnesses Security Police beating a young Jewish girl. He reacts by killing the Germans and hides Rachelle, the young teenager. She breathes life into the world in which he has hidden himself and gives him a reason to go on.Dufy begins a path of revenge on the occupying Germans. A sniper in the Great War, he uses his skills to devastating effect, always posing as the town drunk.Then the British drop supplies and a beautiful SOE agent whom Dufy falls in love with. But as the invaders hunt down the partisans in the deep, crisp woodland, nothing works out as Dufy had hoped.Farewell Bergerac is an unforgettable wartime tale of fragile love, loss and redemption.

Forging the Shilling Girl (The Hudson Sagas Book 1)


Emma Hardwick - 2020
    Young, widowed Clare Byrne, is escaping the famine in Ireland. On the coffin ship from Dublin, in the final hours of the journey to England, Clare goes into labour. Weakened and alone, the young, beleaguered mother gives birth near the quayside. Unable to look after the newborn, the child is bought for a single shilling by a curious gentleman, the industrialist Samuel Hudson. What will happen to the young girl? What plans does Mr Hudson have for her? Will the child thrive, or merely survive? Also by Emma Hardwick ----------------------------------- The Urchin of Walton Hall

The Earl's Reluctant Bride


Karen Lynne - 2019
    She thought evil step-mothers were only in fairy tales, but she was wrong. James, the Earl of Malmesbury, convinces Susan to become his pretend betrothed to throw off an evil pursuer, but when she captures his heart, can he persuade his reluctant bride to say yes, forever? “But what about you, James?” Susan replied. “Now that my fortune has turned, we can stop this engagement. This is no longer fair to you; things have gotten out of hand.”Susan’s breath caught as he moved in closer with steel in his eyes. Before she could think, his lips came down to claim her mouth in a kiss so intoxicating, she felt it through the breadth of her body. He pulled back just as quickly, leaving her breathless…She watched in a stupor as, his retreating figure left the room…She raised her finger to her lips, his words echoing in her head. She had given him a chance to be free, but he did not take it. Escape with a Clean and Wholesome Historical Regency Romance for some seriously sweet romance with plenty of twists. Each book can be read as a stand-a-lone, always a sweet and happy ending.Clean, sweet without losing the heat romance!  Brides of Somerset:The Earl’s Reluctant Bride book oneCourting Eliza book two

Coming Home


Jennifer Vander Klipp - 2019
    And avoid Seth Blake. Becca dreads seeing her girlhood crush to whom she confessed her love before she went off to college. Embarrassed by her childish behavior, she can only hope Seth has forgotten and will see her as a woman. She plans to return to school as soon as possible and make a life for herself. Rumors of ghosts, accidents at the camp, and overheard conversations convince Becca that her brother’s death was no accident. Despite evidence that she’s the next target, she puts her own feelings and college aside to stay and uncover the truth. Seth is happy to see Becca, but as a grown woman she’s a stranger to him, stirring up feelings he can’t identify. When he finds a piece of evidence implicating him in Thomas’s death, he struggles with helping Becca find answers while keeping her from learning he could have prevented it. As the stakes get higher, Seth must keep both of them alive long enough to offer a future to this grown woman he’s fallen in love with.

No Room for Regret


Janeen Ann O'Connell
    He could be sailing anywhere, anytime, but he’s not, he’s going to the other side of the world. He could be anyone, but he’s not, he’s the son of a respectable London businessman. His crime? An error of judgement.In England, in 1812, there is no forgiveness. As the ship sails, eighteen-year-old James Tedder’s seven-year sentence to Van Diemen’s Land begins.Rescuing her eldest son from slave traders in Rio de Janeiro is the most difficult thing Sarah Blay has done in the last two years. Leaving England, her life, her mother, to follow her convict husband James to the other side of the world not knowing if he lives, pales in comparison. Will lives rebuild? Will love survive?