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!
This HaBO comes from Amanda (there are really so many of us)! She’s looking for a non-Regency historical romance:
I’m trying desperately to remember this book. The worst part is, I read it in the past few years, which means I must have recorded it on my Goodreads account–but I still can’t figure out what it is. Here’s what I remember:
It’s a historical romance. I’m pretty sure the hero is Scottish, and the heroine is English. I read it in the past few years, and I know it was published within the past 5-8 years.
All I remember about the plot is that the hero has a private train car, and the heroine rides with him, and of course, they make out hardcore in the train car. Also, the hero wears really nice fabrics, which makes me think maybe he owns a mill? And the heroine might be into fashion because she’s always impressed with his fancy fabric.
It’s definitely NOT a Regency since they travel by train. It might be a Sarah MacLean or Tessa Dare, but I can’t tell enough by reading book descriptions. I would love to figure out what book this was since I totally loved it!
This sounds fantastic! Can we identify it?
What a Lady Needs for Christmas
by Grace Burrowes
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Maybe “What A Lady Needs for Christmas” by Grace Burrowes?
Tycoon by Joanna Shupe? He’s a tycoon (duh), she’s a shop girl, and they fool around in his private train car…
It could be one of the books in Joanna Shupe’s Knickerbocker Club series, as those have several characters using a private railcar. There are some spicy railcar scenes in The Duchess War by Courtney Milan and Marrying Winterbourne by Lisa Kleypas, but I don’t remember them specifically referencing the hero’s clothing.
I immediately thought of Tycoon, but it is set in the U.S. in the early 1900s.
Was there a train scene in Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran? My memory doesn’t stretch that far, but I want to say yes there was.
I agree with RND that it might be the Duran. Does the heroine buy a ton of off-the-rack underpinnings and then have a mild breakdown (in said train car) about the lecherous, sexist names that the pieces are given? They have names that indicate that the help is there for being taken advantage of, such as ‘The Downstairs Maid’. If so, it’s definitely Wicked Becomes You.
Lisa Kleypas’ Marrying Winterborne. Chapter 35. Harry owns a private train carriage. He’s Welsh, not Scottish. Has several mills, since he’s quite rich. Timeframe: Victorian times.
Could it be one of Jennifer Ashley’s “Mackenzie Family” Series? I don’t recall an amorous train scene between Ian & Beth in the first book, but I’d swear there was at least one on the Duke (Hart’s)’s private train car in the 2nd/3rd/4th book in the series (Mac/Cam/Hart are the Mackenzie brothers
featured). There’s also Daniel’s story and a few MacBride stories later on. All of the above take place in 1880’s -1890’s England and Scotland.
I’ve read everything Tessa Dare has ever published, and this isn’t ringing a bell, so I don’t think it is Tessa Dare.
@tysephine Yes! It’s definitely What a Lady Needs for Christmas!
But now, I need to read all these other “making out on a train” books, because I’m really here for it.
There’s an anthology “Boots Under her Bed”, which includes a Jo Goodman novella that takes place mostly in the heroine’s tycoon father’s private car. This was released a few years ago, so may be available as a stand-alone by now.
Might be a Maya Rodale?
@Betsydub, there was train sex in “The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie”, if I recall correctly!
@Karin – thanks for the correction! Clearly, I need to re-visit the Mackenzie Family series ASAP. It’s been way too long…
@Amanda, OP (& others) – if you have never read this series, I envy you the first reading of it. I think a lot of us on this site experienced a seismic shift in the portrayal of the traditional hero when Lord Ian Mackenzie first made his appearance. All of the Mackenzie men are larger-than-life and intriguing (although I still think Hart should have groveled much more, and been soaked in industrial cleaner before Eleanor acquiesced…). Enjoy!
Not pertinent, but brings up happy memories of making out during train rides when I lived in Europe 🙂
Oh yeah @Taylor. I mean, when it’s just you and the conductor in the whole carriage, it’s practically a private train, isn’t it?