A Simple Deception - Laura - Wattpad

A Simple Deception

Reads 511,796
Votes 48,985
Parts 42
Time 8h 15m

Wattys winner

Reads 511,796
Votes 48,985
Parts 42
Time 8h 15m

Wattys winner

duchess duke england fiction historical historicalfiction historicalromance history interracial littlelo love lovestory poc princess regency regencyromance romance royal slave socialissues texttospeech wattys2022

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.All Rights Reserved

duchess duke england fiction historical historicalfiction historicalromance history interracial littlelo love lovestory poc princess regency regencyromance romance royal slave socialissues texttospeech wattys2022

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To Bewitch A Beast by greenwriter

"Deliciously captivating! It's the perfect amount of laughs, love and drama. You won't be able to put this book down!" - Grace K @ HQ. When Agatha becomes the Everard's governess, she's grateful for a way to escape her dark past. That is until her growing feelings for the mysterious Lord of the house begin to present an even greater risk. ***** The Everard's are one of the most esteemed families in Wickhurst. And Benedict, the Lord of Devonshire and the eldest of the clan, is as mysterious and brooding as anyone The Town has ever seen. His face is marked with scars, and no one dares to speak on how he got them. Known to all as 'the beast,' the townsfolk tremble in his wake. But little does he know that he is about to meet his match in Agatha Blair, his sisters' new governess. Agatha is witty, smart and gives him a run for his money when he tries to peel back the layers of who she really is. She truly intrigues him more than any woman he has met but she is a governess and he is a Lord. The Town would shun the union of two people from different stations and any romance between them is surely a recipe for social disaster! But what can they do when the burning hot feelings refuse to relent? And when Benedict uncovers that Agatha is hiding a secret far more dangerous than anything he could have imagined, will love save the day and will Agatha finally tame the beast? *This story is a standalone title in the Everard Family series. [Now a Hachette Audiobook!] [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

A Secret Ambition by littleLo

Before giving herself over the the inevitable marriage mart that is the London Season, Lily Beresford is determined to make a clandestine foray out into the real world. Desperate for a sense of purpose and autonomy before she marries, Lily creates a pseudonym and applies for work as a secretary to an Irish merchant. What starts as a simple ruse for a taste of independence quickly becomes complicated as Lily gets to know her new employer, rivals emerge, and trust is ultimately tested. Lily is about to learn the true meaning of "be careful what you wish for".

A Solemn Promise by littleLo

As Lord Adam Beresford left Ashwood, Hertfordshire for the training and education of a gentleman, he promised to return and marry his childhood best friend, and the only girl he could see himself marrying, Grace Denham. Neither of them foresaw that it would be twelve years until they would meet again. A lot has changed in that time, and their lives are vastly different. Adam became a gentleman, and everything that the heir to a Dukedom ought to be. Grace remained in Ashwood and became a housemaid to support her family. But as their lives intertwine once more, their childhood promise bubbles to the surface, throwing their lives, the lives of their families, and the village of Ashwood into chaos.

The Accidental Duchess by littleLo

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]]

A Season of Masks and Masquerades by hanifajalal

𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 1810. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦'𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴, 𝘴𝘪𝘹 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦. 𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘋𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 a 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥. 𝘼 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙡𝙡. ____________________________ 𝐄𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞, a rakish Duke who's certain he'll never find 'true' love because he is too rich for any woman to see him beyond his wealth and power. 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞, a woman who wishes to find love in anyone but a man rich in wealth and power. Cruel fate and their unshakeable will has left no space for their entanglement and yet, once they hide behind masks, they seem to forget their own selves in the longing of each other. But what will happen when the masks fall? _______________________________

Regency Romance: The Earl's Obsession (Historical Romance) (COMPLETED) by charlottestonebooks

(COMPLETED) It's 1817 and there is nothing more a woman wants than to marry a rich man and live a life of comfort. But not Nancy Brooks. Having spent half her life helping her mother run her laundry shop and the other half in the local library, Nancy knows what she wants, and it is not a life spent looking for the perfect suitor. Things take a turn when she delivers clothes to one of the schools she always dreamed of attending and ends up saving the day. Lord Andrew Montgomery rules almost every place he sets foot in-one of the perks of being the son of the most powerful duke of the time-and this includes Oxford. Violent and aggressive, he vows to make the life of every student who dares defy him miserable. However, when he targets the new (and first) girl at Oxford, his obsession becomes a little more than just making her life miserable. It began, he would later speculate, with a shout: the simple sound of someone shouting at him-for the first time in his life. It began, she would later speculate, with a catch: the simple movement of strong arms, breaking her fall, catching her midway. But after that, there would come many more events, and ones not too keen on bringing them together. What will they do when a powerful duchess steps in, when it seems every person is working to keep them apart? This is a story of betrayal and love, because they are not so different after all...

Heart's Desire by abrobinette

[COMPLETED] At the age of 15, Miss Charity Chadwick is tricked into marriage. Her new husband, unhappy with their union, banishes her to his northernmost estate and promptly forgets about her existence. There, she remains for the next ten years, alone and neglected. Julian Lyons, Viscount Wrotham happily goes about his life, confident in his title and the position it affords him in society. All this changes when he is rudely reminded of the wife he tried so hard to forget. A decade has passed, seeing him act the bachelor. That is, until one fateful entry in his accounts that calls his attention to the unjust marriage that tried to put an end to his carefree days. Julian, having proof of Charity's unfaithfulness, rushes to confront his unwanted wife. He wishes to finally rid himself of her one way or the other. Then, he can truly forget the woman who forced him into marriage. Unfortunately, a powerful grandfather and fellow lords want a reconciliation. Charity, not knowing of her husband's unannounced return, does not recognize him. Although she is innocent of the charges, she does not deny them. She has plans of her own to end their marriage. When these two meet again, will love blossom and strengthen their union? Or will they part, unwilling to recognize their heart's desire?

A Marriage Most Inconvenient by zeen2805

Forced into marriage by duty and obligation, The Duke and Duchess of Rothbury parted ways a week after saying their vows under the explicit understanding that theirs was a marriage in name only. There would be no expectations of love, fidelity, or romance. The Duke hates the American Heiress who married him only for his title, completely unaffected by the senseless tragedy that had made their marriage necessary in the first place. When an illness forces him to retire to the country, he makes sure to choose the property where his wife wouldn't be. Except that she is, and she is still as insufferable as ever. The Duchess resents the man who killed her youthful dreams of love and abandoned her to live his bachelor life unencumbered. When she is jilted by her lover, and faced with inevitable ridicule, she decides to retire to her beloved estate in Cornwall, where she runs an orphanage. Never once does she expect to run into her cold, selfish, insufferable arse of a husband! Forced into each other's company by circumstance, the couple begin to unravel their individual prejudices. Resentment turns into respect and friendship. Respect and friendship soon turn into attraction and affection. Was love closer than either one of them could ever have imagined? And that begged the question; can the Duke win his wife's favor, or is it far too late to make their marriage a love match? Cover by MuniWilliams.

Bound To Bea by LeeleeKez

"No respect for the dead." His words came out in silent whispers, his teeth clenched. A small smile tugged on her lips. "Respect is earned in life, my lord. When a man fails to earn respect in life, it cannot suddenly be bestowed on him simply because he returned to the dust whence he came." "At the very least, Lady Atkins, pretend," he admonished. "Pretend to mourn for your husband! You are a woman in mourning! Grief, sadness, decency is expected of you," he growled, stepping so close to her, his nose almost kissed hers. "Not a low-cut, salacious red dress!" She inched forward, jaw set, until she could feel his warm breath on her skin. "And you are a man whose cousin's widow was only a few minutes ago caught with a man on top of her," she shot back, leaning further in until her lips were nearly brushing his as she searched his gaze. "Anger, rage, fury, is expected of you, my lord... Not jealousy!" * Newly widowed, the sudden death of Beatrice's husband has brought about her freedom from the shackles of a loveless marriage... Or so she thinks. All hope is quickly lost when she discovers her husband's cruelty in disinheriting her and leaving her penniless. But worse than his decision to disinherit her, is his decision to leave her at the mercy of his cousin; Noah, the very handsome Marquess of Camden. TW: This story contains mentions of suicide. Copyright © 2021 Lily Orevba All rights reserved.

Till The Clock Strikes Gone by iyahartwrites

❝In class, you said I reminded you of someone. Who is she?❞ ❝My wife. You remind me of my wife.❞ ━━━━━━━━━━ When an accidental time travel brings twenty-seven-year-old William eight years back to the past, he gets a chance to change his future and undo his marriage to the wife he never loved - the one who loved him too much. But landing at the doors of her nineteen-year-old self, he is met with someone who is extremely different from who he has always known her to be and he ends up falling in love with her. The catch? Eliza Scott hates him. Thrown into a race against time, William is left with two choices - win back Eliza's heart and go back to the same future which he left behind or forget Eliza and go back to a future where she is no longer his. [FEATURED BY @Romance]

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Slide 1 of 10

To Bewitch A Beast cover

A Secret Ambition cover

A Solemn Promise cover

The Accidental Duchess cover

A Season of Masks and Masquerades cover

Regency Romance: The Earl's Obsession (Historical Romance) (COMPLETED) cover

Heart's Desire cover

A Marriage Most Inconvenient cover

Bound To Bea cover

Till The Clock Strikes Gone cover

To Bewitch A Beast

"Deliciously captivating! It's the perfect amount of laughs, love and drama. You won't be able to put this book down!" - Grace K @ HQ. When Agatha becomes the Everard's governess, she's grateful for a way to escape her dark past. That is until her growing feelings for the mysterious Lord of the house begin to present an even greater risk. ***** The Everard's are one of the most esteemed families in Wickhurst. And Benedict, the Lord of Devonshire and the eldest of the clan, is as mysterious and brooding as anyone The Town has ever seen. His face is marked with scars, and no one dares to speak on how he got them. Known to all as 'the beast,' the townsfolk tremble in his wake. But little does he know that he is about to meet his match in Agatha Blair, his sisters' new governess. Agatha is witty, smart and gives him a run for his money when he tries to peel back the layers of who she really is. She truly intrigues him more than any woman he has met but she is a governess and he is a Lord. The Town would shun the union of two people from different stations and any romance between them is surely a recipe for social disaster! But what can they do when the burning hot feelings refuse to relent? And when Benedict uncovers that Agatha is hiding a secret far more dangerous than anything he could have imagined, will love save the day and will Agatha finally tame the beast? *This story is a standalone title in the Everard Family series. [Now a Hachette Audiobook!] [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]