Book picks similar to
The Abducted Bride by Dorothy Mack


regency
romance
historical-romance
mistaken-identity

Indiscretion


Jude Morgan - 2005
    So when Captain Fortune, a well-meaning but profligate ex-soldier in Regency England, tells his daughter Caroline that they are ruined, she automatically starts seeking employment as a governess. Her father, however, has far grander designs for Miss Fortune.…Caro is to become the companion of Mrs. Catling, the rich, fierce widow of her father's old colonel. As Mrs. Catling amuses herself by tormenting her relatives and servants, Caro resolves to make the best of the situation, and soon her beauty and intelligence attract the attentions of male admirers. Surrounded by people with an alarming readiness to reveal each other's confidences, Caroline is exasperated to find herself implicated in their indiscretions. But will Miss Fortune be able to avoid losing her reputation without losing her head? And will she find at least one good man amongst the genteel set who will take her side, and, indeed, her fancy?

Lakeshire Park


Megan Walker - 2020
    With their stepfather’s looming death, the two sisters will soon be on their own—without family, a home, or a penny to their names. When an invitation arrives to join a house party at Lakeshire Park, Amelia grasps at the chance. If she can encourage a match between Clara and their host, Sir Ronald, then at least her sister will be taken care of.Little does she know that another guest, the arrogant and overconfident Mr. Peter Wood, is after the same goal for his own sister. Amelia and Peter begin a rivalry that Amelia has no choice but to win. But competing against Peter—and eventually playing by his rules—makes Amelia vulnerable to losing the only thing she has left to claim: her heart.

The Elusive Miss Ellison


Carolyn Miller - 2017
    Hampton Heath all aflutter--all except Lavinia Ellison. The reverend's daughter cares for those who are poor and sick, and the seventh Earl of Hawkesbury definitely does not meet that criteria. His refusal to take his responsibilities seriously, or even darken the door of the church, leave her convinced he is as arrogant and reckless as his brother--his brother who stole the most important person in Lavinia's world.Nicholas Stamford is shadowed by guilt: his own, his brother's, the legacy of war. A perfunctory visit to this dreary part of Gloucestershire wasn't supposed to engage his heart, or his mind. Challenged by Miss Ellison's fascinating blend of Bluestocking opinions, hoydenish behavior, and angelic voice, he finds the impossible becoming possible--he begins to care. But Lavinia's aloof manner, society's opposition and his ancestral obligations prove most frustrating, until scandal forces them to get along. Can Lavinia and Nicholas look beyond painful pasts and present prejudice to see their future? And what will happen when Lavinia learns a family secret that alters everything she's ever known?

A Sensible Lady: A Traditional Regency Romance


Judith Lown - 2012
    So she leases the Dower House from a kindly baron on a neighboring estate, believing that she has successfully met the greatest challenge of her life.How wrong she is! The kindly baron dies. An orphan arrives, whom Katherine accepts as her nephew. She is determined to provide for him, which means she must forget about love and marry a gentleman with money.There are three possibilities.Her cousin, Sir Clive Brampton, is eager to let bygones be bygones and marry Katherine. She would be able to return to her family home and live a life of financial ease. Her nephew would be provided for and launched into a career deemed suitable by Sir Clive. Can Katherine just accept Sir Clive’s generous offer?The Reverend Mr. Augustus Wharton, the newly arrived vicar, listens attentively to Katherine’s anguished musings over the loss of her brother on a distant battlefield in Spain. There are rumors that Mr. Wharton’s present vocation is a stunning contrast to his past as a hard drinking, gambling rake. Katherine dismisses the rumors and wonders if she could live happily with a man for whom she feels only sisterly affection.Finally, there is the new baron, Lord Henry Dracott. Lord Harry, as he is called, is clearly attracted to Katherine. But in spite of their best efforts to be civil to each other, their disagreements end up in arguments. Although there is mutual attraction, Katherine knows that Lord Harry’s heart is buried with his dead wife.Katherine tries to be a sensible lady and accept a practical marriage. But will her heart let her?

The Guardian Duke


Jamie Carie - 2012
    Easton, is ordered by the King to take guardianship over Lady Alexandria Featherstone whose parents are presumed dead after failing to return from a high profile treasure hunt. But Alexandria ignores this royal reassignment, believing her parents are still alive and duly following clues that may lead to their whereabouts. Gabriel, pressured by what are actually the King’s ulterior motives, pursues her across windswept England and the rolling green hills of Ireland but is always one step behind.When they do meet, the search for earthly treasure will pale in comparison to what God has planned for both of them.Endorsements:"Get lost in Ireland in this rollicking adventure with a brave, headstrong heroine and a relentless yet honorable duke determined to save her from a dangerous quest. With rich characterization and an intriguing plot, Jamie Carie's

A Soulmate for the Heartbroken Duke


Bridget Barton - 2018
    Tired of his father's bullying and arrogance, he thinks he will amuse himself by making a friend of the daughter of the Duke's bitterest enemy; The Earl of Barford. Little did he know how he would fall in love with Lady Catherine and let loose a chain of events that could seemingly be stopped by nothing and nobody.Lady Catherine Ambrose, daughter of the Earl of Barford, knew what it was to grow up in a household where little was thought of a young woman. Her father was more concerned with his bitter feud with the Duke of Shawcross than the welfare of his offspring. When Thomas Carlton first speaks with her at a summer ball, Catherine thinks him daring and amusing, not to mention handsome. But, within a short space of time, she finds herself hopelessly in love with him. A love that would never, ever fade.When the two are discovered and parted by their families, Catherine finds herself adrift in a world she does not know, a place so far from home. But will she find peace there? And can her new family help her through the most shocking event of her life? And, when all is settled, can the two young lovers finally make their way back to each other and live in the love that should have been theirs all along?"A Soulmate for the Heartbroken Duke" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Anna's Decision: A Regency Romance


Penny Fairbanks - 2020
    She hasn’t been able to catch any man’s eye, dooming her to a future as the lonely maiden aunt. Why keep putting herself through the misery of being invisible among all the many beautiful, interesting ladies that flock to London every Season? Just when Anna is about to accept spinsterhood, her brother convinces her to give London one more chance.Much to Anna’s shock, she immediately finds herself courted by not one but two gentlemen! Her attempts at faking confidence must be working. But how long can she keep up this act for before she’s discovered?Mr. Noah Waynford has never been one to rush anything—especially not love. When his father reveals some devastating news that threatens their whole family and future, Noah must put his desire to fall in love aside.He needs to marry, and marry well, if he has any hope of saving his family from ruin. Luckily for Noah, he hears a rumor about a lady with a large dowry who needs to get married by the end of the Season. Can Anna finally find someone to love her for who she is?Will Noah’s motives cause him to risk his chance at love?They just might be each other’s answer.

The Diabolical Baron


Mary Jo Putney - 1987
    What he wanted, he got, and now what he wanted was to win a wager that he could make Miss Caroline Hanscombe his bride, after her name was drawn out of a hat.True, Caroline was an innocent compared to the baron. True, the ruling passion of her life was music, to which the baron turned a deaf ear. True, she found a perfect soul mate in the gallant Captain Richard Davenport, home from the wars and laying siege to her heart.But how could this chit of a girl defy the desires of this lord who so easily defeated her every defense as the day of her dreaded marriage came ever closer -- and her hopes of escape evaporated one by one...

The Ungrateful Governess


Mary Balogh - 1988
    He was certain his conquest of Jessica Moore—a mere governess—would be swift and satisfying. But what he did not know was that Jessica planned to teach him a lesson in manners.

Lady Silence


Blair Bancroft - 2005
    Damon Farr, a war-weary cavalry colonel in search of peace and quiet, acquires a good deal more when he employs as his secretary Katy Snow, the mute housemaid his family took in off the street years earlier.

Saving Grace


Michele Paige Holmes - 2014
    Her father’s debts thwart those plans, and to protect her sister, Helen, Grace must marry a man of her father’s choosing. As each suitor proves less than desirable, Grace comes up with clever schemes, causing each to reject her. While staying at the mysterious Sutherland Hall, a middle-of-the-night mishap sends Grace into the arms of a stranger, Nicholas Sutherland—and provides inspiration for her grandest plan yet—one that will leave her reputation in tatters yet free both her and Helen from all possibility of marriage. Too late Grace regrets her rash actions when her father’s last choice, Mr. Samuel Preston, proves to be a gentleman and a friend. But Samuel is the sworn enemy of Nicholas Sutherland, the man responsible for her “ruin.” Now instead of being free, Grace is caught between two men—each with his own agenda.

An Improper Suitor


Monica Fairview - 2008
    Miss Julia Swifton, secure in that belief, has made no attempt to search for one, even after three seasons in London. That is until her grandmother, an advocate of women's rights, rises from her deathbed and threatens, of all things, to marry her to a notorious rake, Lord Thorwynn. Shocked into action, Julia launches into a search for an intelligent, scholarly husband who will suit her. On her way she has to rescue a fallen "angel," save a rake from being forced into marriage, defeat an unscrupulous gamesmaster who needs to seduce her for money, and avert a friend's disastrous runaway marriage. Fortunately, she does not have to do it alone. Even if her companion, Lord Thorwynn, is the last person she would ever want to marry.

Allerdale


Jenny Hambly - 2021
    After spending months running his father’s estate in Yorkshire to make amends for disgracing his family the year before, he reluctantly returns to Town. He has promised his mother that he will find a bride this season, but his heart is not in it. The only eligible lady that amuses him is not looking for a husband and is the sort of headstrong girl that would make an uncomfortable wife.After her diplomat father dies, Eleanor Edgcott returns to England heartbroken. When her mourning period is over, her cousin, Lord Haverham, brings her to Town for the season. She finds herself interested in everything and everyone about her. Between trying to plan her future, keeping Diana, Lady Haverham from the clutches of a rake, and trying to help a lovelorn couple, she finds herself with very little time for reflection.She is drawn to Lord Allerdale but soon realises that he is the last person to meet the list of requirements she has drawn up for a husband. Circumstances draw them together, however, and just when they discover that they share a very special connection, an event occurs that threatens to ruin any chance of happiness they may have.

To Con a Gentleman


Sarah Adams - 2019
    She was his diversion. Falling in love was never something they wanted.As a con woman who has spent her entire life fending for herself on the streets of London, Rose Wakefield knows how to scam a gentleman out of his money without ever getting caught. That’s until she knocks on the wrong earl’s door and is faced with Carver Ashburn Earl of Kensworth and not the notorious rake she thinks she is approaching.Carver is a good man, but even a good man will not pass up an opportunity to escape his grief. What better way to avoid his feelings than to play into a con woman’s ruse and offer to marry her?Things only grow more complicated when Carver sweeps Rose off to his family estate and circumstances force them both into continuing the ruse. Carver needs to protect his family, and Rose needs to protect herself—and her heart.With so much set against them, will Rose and Carver have a chance at love and freedom? Or is the possibility of more heartache not worth the risk?

A Secret Passion


Sophia Nash - 2004
    To escape, she flees for the country, where she meets a handsome, if stubborn, man-and soon finds that when it rains, it pours...