Book picks similar to
The Locket by Ruth Saberton


historical
romance
historical-fiction
fiction

My Champion


Glynnis Campbell - 2000
    MY CHAMPION: Book 1 Sir Duncan de Ware is a sworn champion of the common man and a master of disguise.  So when he finds plucky maiden-in-distress Linet de Montfort facing off against a notorious pirate, noble Duncan goes undercover to come to her rescue, despite her insistence that she can take care of herself.  When the pirate abducts her, Duncan and Linet are caught up in a breathless adventure of danger and romance on the high seas.  And soon Linet realizes her only hope is to trust her mysterious hero—with her life and her heart. Book Details A full-length novel originally published by Penguin-Putnam Revised by the author in 2012 R-rated for sensual passages

The First Mrs. Rothschild


Sara Aharoni - 2015
    But when Meir’s talents as a novice banker catch the attention of a German prince, Meir is suddenly afforded entrée into the European world of finance and nobility, and the Rothschilds’ lives are changed forever. As proud as Gutle is of her husband’s success, she is also cautious—very much aware of the fact that her husband’s rise is tied to his patrons’ willingness to “see past” his Jewishness. As their family grows, and a dream of fortune comes true, so does their belief that money will ultimately bring the power needed to establish Jewish civil rights.Told through Gutle’s intimate journals, revealed across decades—from the French Revolution through personal tragedies and triumphs—The First Mrs. Rothschild paints a rich and intimate tapestry of family drama, world-changing history, and one woman’s steadfast strength.

Heiress


Susan May Warren - 2011
    But what if they want only to be loved--without an enormous price tag attached? When one daughter pursues a desirable marriage, she secures for herself a comfortable and glamorous life. But among the duties of privilege, will she also find the happily-ever-after she seeks? Her sister rejects the trappings of wealth, choosing instead to build a new life on the still-untamed frontier. Will she find happiness in independence or discover that she's left her heart behind in New York's glittering society? Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, each woman discovers that being an heiress just might cost her everything--including the chance for true love.

The Crown in the Heather


N. Gemini Sasson - 2010
    Two families - the Bruces and the Balliols - vie for the throne. Robert the Bruce is in love with Elizabeth de Burgh, the daughter of an adherent of the ruthless Longshanks, King of England. In order to marry her and not give up his chances of someday becoming King of Scots, Robert must abandon his rebel ways and bide his time as Longshanks' vassal. But Edward, Longshanks' heir, doesn't trust the opportunistic Scotsman and vows to one day destroy him. While quietly plotting his rebellion, Robert is betrayed by one of his own and must flee Longshanks' vengeance. Aided by the unlikely brilliance of the soft-spoken young nobleman, James Douglas, Robert battles for his throne. Victory, though, is never certain and Robert soon learns that keeping his crown may mean giving up that which he loves most-his beloved Elizabeth.

Guardian of Darkness


Kathryn Le Veque - 2012
    The Lady Carington Kerr is sent to Prudhoe as a hostage to ensure her father’s good behavior, and a more reluctant hostage there never was.Small and dark, with emerald eyes and a luscious figure, she is as gorgeous as she is fiery. Enter Sir Creed de Reyne. A gentle giant of a man, he is, by nature, calm and wise. He is the ice to Carington’s fire. As Carington resists the attempts to keep her in her English prison, Creed is placed in charge of the captive as both jailer and protector.But Creed is also as reluctant a protector as she is a hostage; six months prior, he had been given the important assignment of escorting Isabella of Angoulệme from France to England as the bride of King John. Isabella, a woman-child of twelve years, was smitten with Creed from the start. When he spurned her advances, she fabricated a story of Creed’s indiscretions against her and brought the king’s wrath upon him. Creed fled to Prudhoe and straight into another assignment guarding a firebrand of a young woman.Creed soon discovers that Carington is far different from the petty child who would become queen and against both his judgment and his wishes, he falls for the Scots lass. Suffering through tragedy and triumph, Creed and Carington have a love that only strengthens with each passing moment. Even when Creed is forced to flee for his life and leave Carington behind, their only thoughts are of being together again.With Isabella and King John closing in, Creed and Carington must fight for their very survival as two countries and a kingdom seek to separate them.

Gather the Stars


Kimberly Cates - 1996
    Kidnapped in the midst of a British officer's ball, Rachel is carried to the Glen Lyon's lair. Determined to defy the Scottish rebel, Rachel is unprepared for what happens when the Glen Lyon is unmasked. Gavin Carstares, Earl of Glenlyon is a strong, but haunted man instead of the villain she believed him to be, he's the hero she's always dreamed of. His mission-- to save the women and children of Scotland from the slaughter waged by Rachel's own fiancé. Gavin never imagined he would lose his heart to the general's daughter, then have to return her to the man he hates most in the world. As the heather hills caught fire with their passion, they forge a love worth defying a king's army.

The Big Goodbye


Michael Lister - 2011
    Back when they were lovers he told her if he ever decided to, she’d never know he was there.It’s 1940’s Panama City, Florida. The world is at war, and the growing panhandle paradise is doing its part. Tyndall Field is training pilots. Wainwright Shipyard is building battleships. The Naval Section Base is protecting vessels in the Gulf. The Dixie Sherman Hotel is hosting celebrities such as Clark Gable. Harry Lewis, a wealthy banker, is running for mayor, unaware his wife is running for her life.With a secret to hide and a husband running for mayor in a city exploding and expanding like no other time in history, Lauren doesn’t want trouble, but she’s about to get a double-barrel full of it. Only one man can help her, and though it might destroy him, he doesn’t mind. Better to die than be the walking wounded.The story of a guy, a girl, and a gun, The Big Goodbye is Florida Noir at its finest.

The Rosebud Girls


Julia Clemens - 2021
    The five of them promised that if it ever went up for sale, they'd buy it. Together. So when real estate mogul Callie sees it for sale, she knows it's time to pounce. Except that all of her friends seem to be holding back when they should be pressing forward. So Callie decides it's up to her to help them take the leap. As part owner of one of the hottest restaurants in San Francisco, Saffron is living the life. Well, if the life includes working fourteen hour days and having the work load of her partners heaped onto her while they sat back and accepted all of the accolades. But she's great. She is fine. She's still executive chef and doing what she loves. Except when she begins to realize that she isn't spending any time with the people she loves. So when Callie storms into Saffron's kitchen telling her that the lodge is up for sale, their lodge is up for sale, Saffron has to re-evaluate. Is she really living her dream? As a high-powered CFO, Kenzie has achieved every success she could have imagined. She is married to the beautiful man of her dreams, is working the job she's always desired, and has a penthouse condo to boot. But when that man of her dreams drops earth shattering news, Kenzie is second guessing everything. She's where she's supposed to be, isn't she? Then why when the going got tough did home, the Rosebud Girls, and even the lodge call to her? The only thing worse than a divorce...a public divorce. But when one is married to the biggest country star of the decade and then becomes no longer married to him, that's news. And while Hazel isn't too broken up about the end of her marriage, it was a long time coming, she is concerned about her two teenaged boys who love her and idolize their father. She knows tearing their family apart isn't what she would have wanted to do. And she didn't. But when Owen, her ex, asked for a divorce, Hazel wouldn't fight him. And she does come out of the divorce with everything she wants, including full custody of her boys. So she moves to the place that will heal them all, Rosebud. But when healing doesn't come fast enough for either of her children, Hazel isn't sure what to do, especially when her oldest, Chase, decides that everything wrong in his life is Hazel's fault. Will Hazel be able to fix things before Chase tries to leave Rosebud for good? Laurel has a secret. One she can't even tell her friends. So even as the four of them decide that they need to buy their lodge, Laurel can't. Not without revealing what is about to blow not only her marriage and her life, but the maybe entire town of Rosebud apart. And she can't do that. Not yet. So it means she has to miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime with the girls she loves like family. Meet the Rosebud Girls as they join back together to fulfill their childhood dream. Ups and downs are promised as well as an eventual happy ending. Because with women like this who always have one another's backs, if things aren't happy, the journey isn't quite at its end yet.

Twice Upon A Time


Lisa Ann Verge - 1994
    Utterly wonderful!" -- RT Book Reviews "A love story that transcends all boundaries." -- The Medieval Chronicle Legendary warrior Conor of Ulster defies his people to make the exiled Brigid of Morna his queen—until a shattering act of treachery destroys their world. Driven to the ends of the earth, Conor lives a thousand lifetimes in the fading hope that—one day, somehow—he’ll find Brigid once again. Finalist "Best Time Travel" -- RT Book Reviews "One of the Year's Best Reads" -- The Readers’ Voice Finalist, three categories, Affaire de Coeur Reviewers’ Choice Awards

Merchants of Virtue


Paul C.R. Monk - 2016
    Jeanne is the wife of a once-wealthy merchant, but now she risks losing everything. Louis XIV’s soldiers will stop at nothing to forcibly convert the country’s Huguenots to Catholicism. The men ransack Jeanne’s belongings and threaten her children. "An extremely well-researched book, rich with history and big on heart. The story made me run a gamut of emotions along with the characters..." One by one, Jeanne watches her Protestant neighbors cave under the constant harassment. She and her husband resolve to keep their faith, but Jeanne wonders if the punishment for their defiance is more than she can bear…If Jeanne can’t find a way to evade the soldiers’ clutches, her family will face a fate worse than poverty and imprisonment. They may never see each other again…Merchants of Virtue is the first book in the Huguenot Connection, a series of historical fiction novels. If you like fast-paced adventure, rich layers of historical detail, and inspirational stories based on true events, then you’ll love Paul C.R. Monk’s stirring novel. Buy Merchants of Virtue to immerse yourself in a dangerous world today!

A Hope Undaunted


Julie Lessman - 2010
    Her boyfriend Jack fits all of her criteria for a husband—good-looking, well-connected, wealthy, and eating out of her hand. But when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Luke McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face-to-face with a choice. Will she follow her well-laid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever?

Lord of Chance


Erica Ridley - 2017
    In Scotland, her estranged father’s noble blood will finally make her a respectable debutante. Except she finds herself accidentally wed to a devil-may-care rogue with a sinful smile. He’s the last thing she needs…and everything her traitorous heart desires.Charming rake Anthony Fairfax is on holiday to seek his fortune…and escape his creditors. When an irresistible Lady Luck wins him in a game of chance—and a slight mishap has them leg-shackled by dawn—the tables have finally turned in his favor. But when past demons catch up to them, holding on to new love will mean destroying their dreams forever.

Chasing the Star Garden


Melanie Karsak - 2013
    An infamous poet living in self-imposed exile. An ancient treasure about to fall into the wrong hands.Melanie Karsak's Chasing the Star Garden takes readers on a thrilling adventure from the gritty opium dens of gaslamp London to the gem-coloured waters of the ancient world. Lily Stargazer, a loveable but reckless airship racer with a famous lover and shattered past, reluctantly plunges into a centuries-old mystery in a romantic adventure best described as Dan Brown meets Mary Shelley.It all begins on one of the worst days of Lily’s life. She just lost the London leg of the 1823 Airship Grand Prix. To top it off, a harlequin fleeing from constables shoved a kaleidoscope down her pants, told her to fly to Venice, then threw himself from her airship tower. What’s a girl to do? For Lily, the answer is easy: drink absinthe and smoke opium. Lily’s lover, Lord Byron, encourages her to make the trip to Venice. Lily soon finds herself at the heart of an ancient mystery which has her running from her past and chasing true love and the stars along the way.

The Last Bride in Ballymuir


Dorien Kelly - 2003
     Miss Kylie "Soon-to-Be-a-Saint" O'Shea teaches at the Gaelic school, helps her neighbors and volunteers for every good cause. No one in Ballymuir can figure out why she keeps the interested lads at bay but they all warn her that she's in danger of fulfilling a local legend: becoming the last bride in Ballymuir. When a stranger named Michael Kilbride comes to the village wild rumors surround his every move. But Kylie, captivated by Michael's intense passions, lets herself go where Michael leads her -- into an awakening of dreams and desires...even if it means exposing her beloved village's and her own darkest secrets.

The Hostage of Glenorchy: A Highland Romance of Tudor Scotland


Kristin Gleeson - 2016
    Disguised as a boy, she becomes a lute player among the household musicians where she encounters the laird’s hostage, the attractive Iain MacGregor, a pawn in the laird’s struggle for power in Scotland’s turbulent politics. But is Iain really a hostage to fortune or is he playing his own dangerous game? As Abby’s feelings intensify for this Glenorchy hostage she is caught in the web of intrigue that permeates the household and is drawn deeper and deeper into danger. With spice, wit and action packed plotting, Kristin Gleeson’s Highland Ballad Series is as compelling as Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander novels. 'A highland ballad brought to life - plays sweetly on the heart-strings.' Jean Gill, 'The Troubadours Quartet'