This HaBO request is from Susan, who wants to find a historical romance that is quite similar in characterization to Devil in Winter:
Historical set in England, maybe Regency era or not very defined early 1800s. This book was one I read some years ago, maybe in the 1990s. It seems like it was one of connected series books where each lord of a group of friends finds a bride and, if so, this book likely was not the first in the series. As I recall, this rakish lord had been seen in a previous book, but I don’t remember them. This one was the only one that made an impression and has stuck in my mind for years.
Sadly for me, I thought this book was Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas, but having just re-read that book, that’s not it. There are a few similarities though. For one thing, they travel to an country house and spend time there and that’s where they fall in love.
Rake/rakish, cynical/jaded lord needs a bride for money. Seems like it was family fortunes are at low ebb due to his past ancestors. He is not desirable as husband material, so no luck courting a bride in the usual way. He either abducts the heroine or otherwise convinces her to come with him to be married. They end up in an old country home where it’s just them and a housekeeper/cook, maybe some male staff.
The heroine is young and very shy, a naive, wallflower type. Maybe red hair. Seems like she was very soft spoken and maybe had a stammer. Details are not clear. It seems like they are in anticipation of her family finding them before he convinces her to consummate the marriage and they are isolated due to the weather. I think it was winter and there was snow and this, combined with what I remember about her, likely made me think Devil in Winter the book.
They fall in love during their time at the country home and he ends a reformed rake. This book is at least 10 to 20 years old, so more in the older tradition, not much physical contact until the HEA ending.
Susan is right that it does indeed sound like Devil in Winter. Anyone know this one?
I’ve no idea although I find myself wondering if it is a Barbara Cartland.
This is ringing a faint -very faint – bell, but I’m thinking early Catherine Coulter before she went over the top.
It almost sounds like The English Witch, because the hero of that book is the villain in a previous book and I think the heroine might have red hair. She’s not a wallflower, though, and there’s a fairly prominent kidnapping plot that would probably stick out.
I would love to read something similar to Devil in Winter right now, so I hope somebody solves this one!
Could it be Everything I Ever Wanted (Compass Club, #2) by Jo Goodman?
Like Virginia, I thought it might be a Catherine Coulter, maybe THE WIZARDS DAUGHTER but am not sure. Hope it rings a more resounding bell for someone 🙂
Thanks to you all!
Gloriamarie, Will not be Barbara Cartland as I’ve never read any of hers.
Virginia and Pamela, I did read Catherine Coulter back in the day. Agree, she did go over the top somewhere along the line and I gave up on her. Did not think to look at her back list.
Checking on the suggestions now….
Looked up The Wizard’s Daughter, by Catherine Coulter, The English Witch, by Loretta Chase and Everything I Ever Wanted, by Jo Goodman. Sadly, none of them. Looking at those three, I think Catherine Coulter’s plots were always too crazy, Loretta Chase’s more complex and the one by Jo Goodman is more in the recent era than the book I remember. I must have read it much earlier, maybe 1980s and it must have been a more traditional Regency type.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Surrender by Amanda Quick? I recall a similar plot but not the details.
The Abduction of Julia by Karen Hawkins – is somewhat similar
I was thinking one of Kasey Michael’s Alphabet Regency’s, but I can’t remember the name.
I’ve looked and looked because I really want to read this myself. I did come across The Abduction of Julia, which is a romantic comedy, and doesn’t have enough similarities to be your HABO. If you think it is an older traditional Regency, you might want to search regencyreads.com or thenonesuch.org or http://www.hibiscus-sinensis.com/regency/retroread.htm.
I thought it sounded a bit like The Lion’s Daughter by Loretta Chase but this description only fits the second half of the book. And the heroine, while a red head, is anything but meek.
Could it be The Offer by Catherine Coulter?
Impetuous Innocent by Stephanie Laurens from her Harlequin/Mills&Boon days in the 90s?
Could this be The Last Rogue by Deborah Simmons? The hero doesn’t run off with the heroine for her money, but they do end up married because he accidentally goes to sleep in her bedroom and then they go to an old castle that he has inherited where there’s only one maid and some ghostly stories. It’s a little bit of a mystery, but mostly about the hero and heroine learning to like and love each other while dealing with this new house. Also, the hero may have been a rake but was more importantly a Tulip and very interested in looking good.
The Last Rogue may not be it, but it’s worth reading anyway, along with another book in the Simmons series, The Devil Earl which is hilarious, a Gothic spoof.
My first thought since I just read it was “The Importance of Being Wicked” by Miranda Neville…but is probably way to recent, and definitely not a wallflower heroine.
After a little research, I think it could be “Reasons for Marriage” by Stephanie Laurens.
Its not Reasons for Marriage (although that is one of my fave Laurens).
Might it be something by Stephanie Laurens? She as about 150 (ok, I exaggerate) books about English Lords and their chosen Ladies.
This isn’t the HaBo, but for those enjoying the premise, A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean has a lot of similarities, but with an outspoken heroine who is a protagonist in the marriage contract.
Bea, I used to read Amanda Quick, but upon looking Surrender is not it.
Bzangl & Karin, Abduction of Julia, by Karen Hawkins, not it, but sounds good!
Karine, Checked out the web site, but nothing seemed to fit.
Manda, Love Lion’s Daughter, by Loretta Chase and know that book well.
Shanna, Check and not The Offer, by Catherine Coulter.
Thanks!
It sounds VERY LIKE – even down to the isolated by weather – Shadows of the Night by Lydia Joyce. It’s not strictly a rake-abducts-bride, more like jaded-lord-marries-frumpy-wallflower, but they do end up in his country house which mysteriously is falling into ruins, with only an old couple (I think) as servants, and they’re stuck there (pretty sure by weather) and bang A LOT.
Even if that’s not it, Joyce is one of my favorite romance authors for unconventional heroines and lots of FEELINGS (highly recommend for fans of Courtney Milan, Mary Balogh, and Lisa Kleypas).
OMG, I second JennyOH’s rec of SHADWS OF THE NIGHT! I have that book and it fits a lot of the criteria. I confused it with the Coulter for whatever reason :shrug: but this sounds so much more like what the OP is looking for. What say you, Susan??
OR maybe not. If the HABO book is from the 90’s then SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT won’t fit because it was in my swag from RWA 2008. It fits much of the criteria but I guess we’ll keep looking. Keep us posted because now all of us want to read it 🙂
The only problem is Shadows of the Night has some light S&M, and Susan said it was a mostly closed door romance.
Doesn’t Mary Jo Putney have a similar-sounding series?
Tanvee and Karin, Neither The Last Rogue or The Devil Earl. They both sound good, especially The Devil Earl!
Olivia, Not the Importance of Being Wicked, and Cleo, you are correct not Reasons for Marriage.
JennyOH, Pamela and Karin, LOL! Shadows of the Night. Way too modern, but thanks!
Thanks to all for the suggestions!
Love Only Once by Johanna Lindsey? Although the heroine in that story is pretty feisty.
Is it possible that this was one of those 4-piece novella books? I recall reading a similar story, except she wasn’t abducted – she was supposed to marry his “good” brother via marrying the naughty brother by proxy. The rest sounds similar. If that sounds correct, I’ll try to dig up the name/author.