Recommendations based on "The Duke Who Didn't"

The Top 10 Sunday Times bestseller‘Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York has looked deep into her own generous impulsive heart to write a compelling story of a young woman who rebels against the restrictive Victorian conventions of her time to find self-fulfilment and love’Internationally bestselling author Jeffrey Archer‘A tale of daring and determination, set against the glamorous heights, and the harsh restrictions of aristocratic society in the middle years of the British nineteenth century.’Sir Julian Fellowes creator of Downton Abbey‘A story of courage, adventure and heartbreak leading to a satisfying ending.’Linda Finlay Author of The Girl With The Silver BangleLondon 1865In an effort to rebel against a society where women are expected to conform, free-spirited Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott flees her confines, and an arranged marriage. But Lady Margaret’s parents, the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, as close friends with Queen Victoria, must face the public scrutiny of their daughter’s impulsive nature, and Margaret is banished from polite society.Finding strength amongst equally free-spirited companions, including Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise, Margaret embarks on a journey of self-discovery that will take her to Ireland, America, and then back to Britain, in search of the life she was always meant to lead and the love she meant to find.Incorporating research into her heritage and drawing upon her own unique life journey, the Duchess, with co-writer Marguerite Kaye, pens a fictional account of the life of her great-great-aunt, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott. Rich in historical detail, and set amongst the drawing rooms of Victoria’s court, and the grand country houses of Scotland and Ireland, Her Heart for a Compass is a breathtaking romantic novel of daring to follow your heart against all odds.

A love letter to Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is a witty novel of manners and gossip, class and family, scandal and romance. 'Romance and scandal abound in this compelling period drama . . . Recommended for all lovers of Regency historical fiction' LAURA SHEPPERSON, author of The Heroines 'Warm and witty, with a wonderful cast of quirky characters whose company I found irresistible' JESSICA BULL, author of Miss Austen Investigates --- A single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife . . . But why would he choose her? Summer 1841. It is marriage season in the county of Wickenshire, and Miss Amelia Ashpoint isn't sure she can face yet another ball. But now that she has reached the grand age of three-and-twenty, time is (apparently) running out. Her father is anxious to secure her a husband and has set his sights on Mr Montgomery Hurst of Radcliffe Park. Only, Mr Hurst has just announced his engagement to somebody else. To the great consternation of Wickenshire, a community that thrives on gossip, the county's most eligible bachelor is about to marry not only an unknown stranger - but a widow with three children, odd manners and no ancestry to speak of. Society is appalled and intrigued. Meanwhile, Amelia Ashpoint has no interest in marriage at all. But in this town, it is clear that nobody's business is their own. And while society has high expectations for Amelia, her heart is drawing her in a very different direction . . . --- 'A glittering comedy with spiky wit, an eye for social critique, and (of course) a terrific sense of irony' TOM MEAD, author of Death and the Conjuror 'Rich with scandal, romance and social mores . . . a total delight!' ANITA FRANK, author of The Good Liars 'A feast of clever wit and lovingly drawn characters, this is an absolute treat for fans of Jane Austen - or anyone looking for top-rate storytelling' HESTER MUSSON 'An absolute dream of a book. A compelling storyline that kept me gripped to the last page, and beyond. I think this book will establish her - deservedly - as one of our best historical fiction writers' ANNE CORLETT

“Eloisa James’s writing is absolutely exquisite.”—New York Times bestselling author Teresa Medeiros“Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than a new novel by Eloisa James.”—New York Times bestselling author Julia QuinnA wonderful spin on a much-beloved fairy tale, New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James’s When Beauty Tamed the Beast is heart-soaring and fun historical romance at its finest.Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a Beauty . . . Naturally, she's betrothed to a Beast.Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. And rumor also has it that a wound has left the earl immune to the charms of any woman.Linnet is not just any woman.She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brought a prince to his knees. She estimates the earl will fall madly in love—in just two weeks.Yet Linnet has no idea of the danger posed to her own heart by a man who may never love her in return.If she decides to be very wicked indeed . . . what price will she pay for taming his wild heart?

It was predicted that Reginald Davenport, disinherited and disgraced, would come to a violent end. But fate has given him one final chance to redeem himself, by taking his place as the rightful master if Strickland, his lost ancestral estate. Davenport knows his way around women -- yet nothing prepares him for his shocking encounter with Lady Alys Weston. Masquerading as a manin order to obtain a position as estate manager of Strickland, Alys fled a world filled with mistrust and betrayal. She was finished with men -- yet how could she have predicted that Stricklands restored owner would awaken a passion more powerful than anything shehad ever known? A passion that will doom or save them both ... if only they can overcome their pasts and dare to believe in the wondrous power of love ...

Don't miss the second thrilling standalone Regency romance in the Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune series by KJ Charles... The Duke of Severn is one of the greatest men in Britain. He's also short, quiet, and unimpressive. And now he's been robbed, after indulging in one rash night with a strange man who stole the heirloom Severn ring from his finger. The Duke has to get it back, and he can't let anyone know how he lost it. So when his cousin bets that he couldn't survive without his privilege and title, the Duke grasps the opportunity to hunt down his ring-incognito. Life as an ordinary person is terrifying... until the anonymous Duke meets Daizell Charnage, a disgraced gentleman, and hires him to help. Racing across the country in search of the thief, the Duke and Daizell fall into scrapes, into trouble-and in love. Daizell has been excluded from polite society, his name tainted by his father's crimes and his own misbehaviour. Now he dares to dream of a life somewhere out of sight with the quiet gentleman who's stolen his heart. He doesn't know that his lover is a hugely rich public figure with half a dozen titles. And when he finds out, it will risk everything they have... Pre-order now!

IDEAL The heir to the Earl of Hargate, Benedict Carsington, Viscount Rathbourne, is the perfect aristocrat. Tall, dark, and handsome, he is known for his impeccable manners and good breeding. Benedict knows all the rules and has no trouble following them—until she enters his life. INFAMOUS Bathsheba Wingate belongs to the rotten branch of the DeLucey family: a notorious lot of liars, frauds, and swindlers. Small wonder her husband’s high-born family disowned him. Now widowed, she’s determined to give her daughter a stable life and a proper upbringing. Nothing and no one will disrupt Bathsheba’s plans—until he enters her life… SCANDALOUS Then Bathsheba’s hoyden daughter lures Benedict’s precocious nephew into a quest for a legendary treasure. To recover the would-be knights errant, Benedict and Bathsheba must embark on a rescue mission that puts them in dangerous, intimate proximity. It’s a situation virtually guaranteed to end in mayhem—even scandal!—if anyone else were involved. But Benedict is in perfect control of events. Perfect control, despite his mad desire to break all the rules. Perfect control. Really.

Only one person can give her the freedom she seeks--but is it worth the risk?Maisie Kentworth is being forced to stay on her parents' ranch. After a short-lived relationship with the wrong man, she's worried about inflaming things further between her former beau and her protective family. Left to rue her mistakes, she keeps busy exploring the idle mine at the edge of their property, where she discovers a great treasure.Boone Bragg is also stuck. With his parents on vacation, the management of Bragg Mining falls on him, and one of his advisors wants him as a son-in-law. One wrong move, and Boone will end up either offending an associate or marrying a woman he can't endure.While closing up a spent mine, Boone gets two surprises. One is a spitfire farm girl who's trespassing with a pickax, and the other is the amazing crystal cavern that she's discovered. Suddenly Boone sees a way to overhaul the family business. With part of the cavern on Kentworth land, Boone makes Maisie a proposal that he hopes will solve all of their problems. Instead it throws Joplin into chaos, and it will take all of Maisie's gumption to set things right.

“Bridgerton lovers have found their next read. J. J. McAvoy is a welcome new voice in historical romance.”—New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean, on Aphrodite and the DukeAn heiress and an outcast—a match made for scandal . . .With her brother, the Duke of Everely, married off to the beautiful and charming Aphrodite Du Bell, Verity Eagleman feels more alone than ever within the cold halls of the family estate. So when she’s invited to stay in the Du Bells’ clamorous, boisterous home, she leaps at the chance.When Verity crosses paths with Theodore Darrington, the doctor who saved her brother’s life, she can’t help but notice how her heart flutters anytime he is near. But as the estranged bastard son of the Marquess of Whitmear, Theodore is forbidden to pursue anyone of the noble set. Despite being popular among the ton for both his heroic efforts and handsome charm, Theodore knows that no amount of social capital will allow him to be with the woman he secretly loves. Luckily for him, Verity has never cared much for the rules of society.A forbidden romance blossoms as Verity and Theodore give in to their all-consuming passion, with any thought of scandal flung to the side. But when the concerns of their friends and family begin to loom over their love, will they truly be able to break the rules?Don’t miss any of J.J. McAvoy’s steamy DuBells series:APHRODITE AND THE DUKE • VERITY AND THE FORBIDDEN SUITOR • HATHOR AND HER LOVER (coming in 2024!)

New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean follows her highly acclaimed Bombshell with Heartbreaker, featuring a fierce, fearless heroine on a mission to steal a duke's secrets...and his heart. A Tempting Thief Raised among London's most notorious criminals, a twist of fate landed Adelaide Frampton in the bright ballrooms of Mayfair, where she masquerades as a quiet wallflower--so plain and unassuming that no one realizes she's the Matchbreaker...using her superior skills as a thief to help unwilling brides avoid the altar, all while hiding her own scandalous past. A Powerful Duke Henry Carrington, Duke of Clayborn, has spent a lifetime living in perfection and has no time for the scandals that arise every time Adelaide ends another groom. His own reputation is impeccable--and the last thing he needs is a frustrating, fascinating woman discovering the truth of his past, or the secrets he holds close. A Perfect Match When the two find themselves on a breakneck journey across Britain to stop a wedding, the duke has no choice but to follow her across Britain on a trip filled with bad weather, bad luck, and a surprising lack of beds. Adelaide soon realizes that this perfect duke kisses like a proper scoundrel, and is turning out to be a thief in his own right...one who won't stop until he's stolen her well-guarded heart.

A steamy, Georgian era Cinderella story. To spite his former love, David, the Duke of Somerset decides to court the least suitable miss of the house party, an enchanting Irish commoner Niamh. He will not marry a commoner, of course. It is just a pretense. Or it was. Until the sparks fly, and he finds himself falling hard and fast for a woman who is completely wrong for the role of his Duchess. A penniless Irish commoner living among polite society is unlikely to find a suitor. Especially in England. Or at least that's Niamh's experience. Living in a troublesome household of her uncle, she is desperate to get away and go back to Ireland. When Niamh meets the Duke during the festivities, however, she finds herself at crossroads. Will she be willing to give up her freedom for a chance at love?