You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
Roni is looking for a historical with a heroine locked in a room, a churlish uncle, and a vengeful hero who of course uses financial ruin and marriage to take revenge upon his nemeses.
I read a lot of romances about nice heroines. They're kind, selfless, and almost unlikable. I probably am trying to pretend I would ever be that nice nice nice myself. There's that fine tradition of older, British romances of the older-doctor-or-professor-who-sweeps-the-selflessly-downtrodden-surgical-Theatre-Sister-away-from-cruel-relatives-and-impecunious-circumstances-like-beans-and-toast-for-dinner-six-times-a-week type, but this is more the Historical-American-socialite-who-insists-on-attending-the-birthday-party-of-the-local-nouveau-riche-upstart type (well, it could be a type).
The book can't be more than 15 years old, I think, and seems like late nineteenth century. The heroine's uncle stops her from her super-kind and socially ruinous intention of attending the party, and locks her in her room. I think he beats her, too. However, while she's recovering locked up in her home, the dark, handsome, scary older brother of the would-be upstart sets about the financial ruin of all those people who didn't attend his lovely little sister's party, so all if New York, apparently (or was it Boston?).
The abusive and murderous uncle (how DID her parents really die?) throws her on the doorstep of his nemesis, who churlishly marries her because she's beautiful, he wants the cache of marrying up, and he's secretly kind (fact: he loves his sister). Things muddle along and he starts to like her (a sexy scene in the new-fangled shower doesn't hurt … too much), but her secretive visits to an estate in the countryside make him doubt her.
She's really visiting her sister who has been committed to an asylum because the uncle accused her of killing the girls' parents. I think the sister escapes and becomes the heroine of the sequel. Anyways, I do hope you can help me out with this one.
I think I just heard Redheadedgirl's reading antennae send the red alert. Do you recognize this book? (Am I alone in wanting to read it?)
I just started to re-read this book last night! It’s Lions and Laces by Megan Kinney.
I kinda like my current book’s heroine. She’s rebelling again missionary parents by taking up with a street thug with a heart of gold. He’s going to avenge his sister’s death. He’s overcoming the urge to just kill the villian and let justice prevail. It sounds much more simple. It’s satisfying after one of those awful days at work. Now to go find the HEA.
According to the Fantastic Fiction, the author of Lion and Laces is Megan McKinney. Not wanting to be annoying, I mistype or what not all the time.
That being said Lions and Laces is older than the requester specified.
All the other details seem to line up.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/meagan-mckinney/lions-and-lace.htm
Now I want Shannon’s book. Title, please? (I am an ex-missionary kid.)
It’s totally Lions and Lace, there’s a sequel too involving heroine’s younger sister, Fair is the Rose.
It’s Sweet Revenge: A Nemesis Unlimited Novel by Zoe Archer.
It was definitely Lions and Lace! Thanks for all the help! I’ll have to look up Fair is the Rose, too.