Best Reads🙌 - Historical Fiction
57 stories
A Defiant Liaison by littleLo
A Defiant Liaison
littleLo
  • Reads 305,716
  • Votes 28,550
  • Parts 34
Belle Desjardins has officially begun her life over, leaving the life of a slave back in Saint-Martin. But as much as she tries, she is still haunted by the nightmares and memories of an existence that was worse than death. Belle is determined to hide from her past, and the dangers that still follow her. There is but one truth that Belle has come to know as fact: men are not safe. She cannot trust them. They will only bring her pain. But Belle never counted on meeting a young man by the name of Peter Denham, who is about to challenge her in all the right ways, and who could quite possibly change her life. But there is one problem. Belle is concealing a very dangerous secret, one that could spell deadly trouble for the both of them.
The Reluctant Marchioness by littleLo
The Reluctant Marchioness
littleLo
  • Reads 1,721,104
  • Votes 69,885
  • Parts 29
After a disastrous first season in London, Rose Wilde finds herself torn between two men who love her -- but who both hide secrets that could ruin her. ***** Rose Wilde has always considered herself plain, especially when compared to her beautiful older sister Charlotte, and has practically given up on the idea of being romanced. But when American hotelier Derek Montgomery comes to revolutionise her little, sleepy English village of Ascot, Rose starts to revisit the idea of falling in love. However, Derek brings with him many secrets and obligations, some that might prohibit him from pursuing Rose -- and push her into the arms of her friend, Michael Cornell, the Marquess of Juniper. Will fate allow Rose and Derek to marry for love? Or will she indeed become the reluctant marchioness? [[Word count: 70,000 - 80,000 words]] Cover designed by Ashley Bandy (The Reluctant Marchioness is the sequel to The Coveted Countess, but can also be read as a standalone)
The Coveted Countess by littleLo
The Coveted Countess
littleLo
  • Reads 2,281,069
  • Votes 82,610
  • Parts 30
Two years after Nathaniel Swift left for America to forget the woman he loved, he learns she's engaged to another man -- and returns to England to win her back. ***** Lord Nathaniel 'Nate' Swift is hopelessly in love with his best friend's younger sister, Charlotte Wilde. However, Nate's rakish ways, their ten-year age difference, and his best friend's objections soon make it very clear that a marriage could never take place. So Nate does the only thing he could: he travels to America and tries to forget about the woman he loves. But after two years in the New World, forgetting Charlotte proves to be impossible, and he's quickly pulled back to England after hearing of her engagement to another man. Determined to make up for past mistakes, Nate swears to stop the impending wedding and win back Charlotte's heart at any cost. But is he too late to show her the truth he's known all along -- that they're meant to be together, forever? [[Word count: 70,000-80,000 words]] Cover designed by Ashley Bandy
The Accidental Duchess by littleLo
The Accidental Duchess
littleLo
  • Reads 2,770,497
  • Votes 93,421
  • Parts 23
When the arrogant stranger Bess is forced to marry unexpectedly becomes a duke, she'll find herself at odds with her growing feelings as he hunts for a killer. ***** Sharp-tongued Elizabeth 'Bess' Jones is perfectly content living on her lonesome in a tiny village south of Derbyshire. She works as a nurse, owns a small home, and finds the label of 'spinster' an agreeable trade for her independence. But when her entire life is uprooted in an instant, she only has one person to blame: her new husband, Emmett Wilde, who was caught in a compromising situation with her. And now, despite his promise to fake a death certificate after their wedding--to free her of any duty to him or their marriage bed--he sends for her in the dead of night with startling news: his father has been murdered, and he is now the Duke of Ascot with a wife he can no longer deny... [[Word Count: 60,000-70,000 words]] [[Cover designed by Ren Tachibana]]
The Firstborn by QuenbyOlson
The Firstborn
QuenbyOlson
  • Reads 1,577,173
  • Votes 78,233
  • Parts 24
Sophia has sacrificed everything for her younger sister, Lucy. She has removed them from the only home they ever knew, taken on the care of Lucy's illegitimate son, George, and even assumed the role of a widow and mother in order to erase all hint of scandal from the boy's birth. But rumor continues to follow them like the darkest of clouds, and Sophia must adapt to her new existence as a false widow with no prospects beyond the doors of her small cottage. Lord Haughton - "Finn" to those close to him - will stop at nothing to prevent the slightest whiff of disgrace from tainting his family's name. When he learns of his younger brother's latest indiscretion-one that leaves a bastard child in his wake-Haughton rushes across the country to offer the boy's mother a comfortable living in exchange for her silence about the child's true parentage. But he arrives only to have his generous offer thrown back in his face by Sophia Brixton, a sharp-tongued and sharper-witted woman who proceeds to toss him out of her house. But just because he is banished from her home does not mean he is so easily banished from her life.
A Simple Deception by littleLo
A Simple Deception
littleLo
  • Reads 533,014
  • Votes 50,126
  • Parts 42
At three and twenty, Lady Susanna Beresford is at dire risk of being considered an old maid, though she is determined that nothing but the deepest love will incline her to marry, a fact that deeply vexes her mother. As the season closes in 1810 and Susanna prepares to return home to Hertfordshire unattached, she meets the very man who will indeed change her life forever. A man whom high society would deem inappropriate and forbidden based on the very colour of his skin. But there is more to this man than meets the eye, and their meeting sets in motion a series of events that will undoubtably change society as they know it forever.
The Wrong Bride by MarieHiggins
The Wrong Bride
MarieHiggins
  • Reads 24,485
  • Votes 1,755
  • Parts 12
When Victoria Swanson discovers her sister is going to be a mail-order bride, Victoria does what any older protective sister would do... kidnap the prospective groom in order to make sure he will be a good match for her sister. However, there was one problem with her plan that she didn't foresee. How could she fall in love with the man who her sister wants to marry?
An Earnest Favour by littleLo
An Earnest Favour
littleLo
  • Reads 1,130,160
  • Votes 77,944
  • Parts 38
Abandoned by the man she thought loved her, Claire Denham is left with very few options as she faces the prospect of being disgraced for falling pregnant out of wedlock. In fact, she is left with one. Lord Jack Beresford, the younger son of the late Duke of Ashwood, and often considered "the spare" in comparison to his older brother, has long held a torch for the pretty Claire Denham. When fate throws them together, Jack extends a favour to Claire, and she takes it, turning the lives of their families upside down. As they navigate a marriage of convenience, jealousy, betrayal, old lovers, and the fear of being second best all pose dangerous threats to an already shaky relationship ...
The Wrong Gentleman by LeeleeKez
The Wrong Gentleman
LeeleeKez
  • Reads 530,279
  • Votes 38,433
  • Parts 46
Penniless and lacking the looks to attract a worthy husband, Jane Burton must trick a man into marriage to save her family from financial ruin. * When Jane's father loses his family's fortune in a game of cards and swallows a bullet as a result, Jane knows it is up to her to save her family from financial ruin by marrying a wealthy man. The odds are however against Jane, for without a sizable dowry or a face lovely enough to seize the attention of a man, the only way to find a husband is to trick one into marriage by creating a scandal. But what happens when her plan fails, and the wrong gentleman is implicated? CW: This story contains mentions of suicide. Cover by: @ClarissaNorth Previously titled: "Plain Jane" Copyright©2020 Lily Orevba All rights reserved.
Until You by LeeleeKez
Until You
LeeleeKez
  • Reads 3,533,285
  • Votes 193,390
  • Parts 52
With her family bankrupt and the man she loved now married to another woman, Gretchen decides to move to London to fix what's left of her life. Returning to San Francisco a failure is not an option, so she takes on the only job she can find - one that involves a baby, a man, and unfortunately, love. ***** Ethan Williams is done with love. Scorned and left by his wife, his life's goal is to acquire more wealth and travel the world. But one morning, he wakes up to find an infant on his doorstep. Left with no choice, Ethan hires a nanny to care for the child. When he begins to feel his heart respond to the presence of the new nanny, he is certain his life just took a turn for the worse - and he is determined to rid himself of every silly notion of love. [[Word Count: 80,000-90,000]] Cover design by Cil Ojumo