Violets And Other Small Scandals
- Reads 266
- Votes 42
- Parts 27
Complete Wed, Dec 24, 20253h 51m
One singer past her prime, one admirer out of his depth, and one last chance at an encore.
Scene: London, 1835. Once the darling of Covent Garden, Aimée Millet has exchanged ovations for creditors and a pension barely fit for decency. Her loyal maid, Nellie Simmons, guards what remains of their household pride with a teapot and a tongue sharp enough to steal scenes.
Enter Mr Julian Harcourt: twenty-four, earnest, and catastrophically well-bred. His impulsive gallantry sets Bloomsbury whispering and Aimée's temper alight. A polite apology spirals into a comedy of missteps, music, and inconvenient tenderness.
Julian believes love can mend what the world has broken; Aimée knows better. Yet when kindness arrives with violets, laughter, and the first glimmer of hope she has dared to feel in years, it becomes impossible to refuse.
For readers who like their romance witty, their heroines wary, and their happy endings hard-won.
All Rights Reserved
#58
perioddrama
Join the largest storytelling communityGet personalized story recommendations, save your favourites to your library, and comment and vote to grow your community.
You may also like
The Governess
In Regency England, young governess Violet is much to used to being on her own, with only her pupils at the Langley estate to keep her company. But when her employer's brother, Edmund comes to stay at the estate, he takes an unlikely interest in her. Edmund sees and appreciates her like no other. Violet begins to find herself opening her heart to love, only to be constantly reminded the one thing she wants, is the one thing thing she cannot have. Edmund Langley has always had a difficult relationship with his older brother, who is on the brink of loosing the Langley estate due to a gambling addiction. Edmund is hesitant to help, until he meets Violet, who teaches him to be loving and selfless, even to those who might not deserve it. Falling in love with a governess is the last thing Edmund should be doing, especially when marrying rich could save his family. But you cannot choose who you love. Soon Edmund and Violet find themselves in a tangle of secrets, lies, and blackmail, but is it all worth it, in the name of love?Complete
Maid for a Duke (A Christmas Novella)
| Completed | "I've never been more certain of anything in my life, Kitten. You...were made for me." Elijah Wright, the Duke of Kent, grew up learning all about duty, responsibility, and honor. When his father died, it was time for him to step up and finally uphold the family title. First thing his mother wanted was simple: an arranged marriage. As the Christmas wedding was approaching, he got more uncomfortable with marrying Lady Elizabeth Coleman, who was a complete stranger to him. With the help of his best friend, Will, Elijah flees his home, hoping to temporarily escape his forced reality. Even though he plans on following through with the wedding, everything is called into question when he rescues a fiery redhead from highwaymen. Katherine Bennet spent her days journaling and dreaming about getting out of her small-town home. When an opportunity came knocking for her to get a maid's position for the Duke of Kent, she accepted it in a heartbeat. Renting a mail coach, she set off to the Kent Estate, ready to start this new chapter in her life. A chapter, unfortunately, that was interrupted by highwaymen attempting to rob her. That was until a stranger on a horse came to her rescue, only to end up badly injured in the process. With the impending snowstorm on the horizon, Katherine and Elijah must seek shelter in an abandoned cabin. As these two strangers get to know each other, will they be able to resist the strong connection they feel for each other? When the snowstorm finally ends, Elijah has a choice to make: Was he going to follow his heart? Or uphold the family honor? *Ranked #1 in Forbidden Romance 4/3/2020 *2nd Place Short Story Winner in the Shadow City Awards! *Featured as one of the top 12 Christmas recommendations on @ThePeacockShow! *Ranked #6 in Christmas Romance *Ranked #11 in Forbidden Romance Amazing cover done by @AmelierhysComplete
Bound To Bea
"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.Complete
Regency Romance: The Earl's Obsession (Historical Romance) (COMPLETED)
(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...Complete
CLOVE
"I've been a fool, Clover. Such a damn fool. I thought I could bury my feelings for you, pretend they didn't exist, but I was wrong. So damn wrong." He takes another deep breath, feeling the lump in his throat grow larger. "I've tried to deny it, to push it down and ignore it, but it just keeps coming back. Stronger and stronger until I can't ignore it anymore. I'm in love with you, Clover. So damn in love with you." His voice is thick with emotion, tears threatening to spill down his face. "I don't know how it happened, or when it happened, but it did. And I tried to fight it, I tried to convince myself that I didn't love you, but I was lying. To myself, and to you." He looks at her unconscious form, imagining her sparkling eyes and warm smile. "I miss you so much, Clover. I miss hearing your voice, seeing your face, feeling your touch. I miss fighting with you, making up with you, just being with you... I never realized how lonely I was before you came into my life. How empty and meaningless my days were. You brought light and color into my world, and I didn't even appreciate it. I took it for granted, and I'm so damn sorry for that." *********** Clover Whitlock navigates a world of secrets, shadows, and shattered dreams. Haunted by a turbulent past, she finds peace in the quiet corners of her local library, burying herself in books to escape the chaos of her reality. But when tragedy strikes, Clover's fragile world shatters, leaving her grasping for hope amidst the rubble of her life. Brennan Hart, heir of the city's elite and bearer of his own burdens. Haunted by demons from his past, he seeks redemption in the arms of a stranger, only to find himself drawn to the raven haired girl. As their worlds collide, Clover and Brennan are forced to confront their deepest fears and darkest secrets. But as they navigate the treacherous waters of love and betrayal, they must ask themselves: can they save each other, or will they only destroy themselves in the process?Complete
Rushbrooke End (Book 4)
"Perhaps I could run away," she murmured to herself, stopping to look at the low hanging brach of a willow and determining whether or not it would hold her weight. "From what? To where?" She turned at the voice, nearly sinking into the ankle deep snow as she spied Lord Grimshaw picking his way towards her. "From everything I know, to everything I don't." "Why? Are you bored by the mundane already?" "Aren't you?" "I survive the mundane," he cocked his head to one side, searching for words in the air, "because certain people make it extraordinary." Lilly Thorpe has never shown an interest for love in her own life. She has always been content with her romance novels, ignoring the going ons of her large and busy family. When the Thorpes embark on a journey to Hertfordshire Lilly makes the acquaintance of the intelligent, mysterious but handsome Earl of Tavistock. The earl and his home, the gothic Rushbrooke End, are both shrouded in secrets and mysteries, including the strange circumstances that surround his mother and sister's deaths. In a holiday of secrets, madness and envy, Lilly finds that perhaps real life can be just as thrilling as her beloved novels. No Ordinary Romance (Samuel)-Complete An American Promise (Emilia)-Complete Saving June (June)-Complete Rushbrooke End (Lilly)-Complete An Acceptable Marriage (Arabella) - Ongoing When the Curtain Falls - (Frances) Nothing But the BestComplete
BRIDGERTON // 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑥 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑜𝑛
Dearest gentle reader, it has been bought to my attention a certain Miss Bridgerton is back in town. In the hallowed halls of Regency London, where whispers of romance and scandal intertwine like the delicate tendrils of a climbing rose, Lady Elliana Bridgerton returns to society with the weight of familial expectation upon her shoulders. Fresh from the jubilant nuptials of her sister, she embarks upon her own debutante season, a time when her heart and aspirations dance precariously on the precipice of high society's demands. Yet, as she dons her finest gowns and steps into the glittering ballroom, longing for a match that would elevate her standing, fate conspires to divert her course. For in the midst of swirling gowns and the cadence of laughter, she encounters the enigmatic Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. With his brooding charm and an allure that ignites a fire within her, Elliana finds herself irresistibly drawn to the very man her heart had sworn to avoid. As the pair navigate the treacherous waters of societal expectation and personal desire, Elliana must confront her own heart's inclinations, discovering that true love often lies in the most unexpected of places. Will she dare to defy the conventions that bind her, or will she succumb to the pressures of propriety? In this tale of passion and intrigue, secrets shall be unveiled, and the bonds of love tested, as Lady Elliana learns that sometimes the most enticing romance is the one that finds you when you least expect it.Complete
Vivene of Watford
In the glittering year of 1813, as the London Season awakens with promise and peril, Miss Vivene Langston steps into society for the very first time. Beautiful, spirited, and burdened by the weight of her family's expectations, Vivene dreams not of securing the highest title-but of finding a love that could defy the rigid rules of the ton. Yet in the grand ballrooms of Watford, secrets linger like perfume in the air. Whispers of scandal, old rivalries, and dangerous attractions threaten to entangle Vivene in a game far beyond her imagining. Caught between duty and desire, reputation and rebellion, Vivene must decide: will she follow the path set before her... or dare to forge one of her own? A season can make-or ruin-a lady. In Watford, it may do both.Complete
Ashes of Forever- Available On KU & Paperback
William, Earl of Ashford, and Violet Hayes had known each other since childhood-he, heir to a great title, and she, the daughter of his father's horse master and the cook. What began as innocent friendship blossomed into stolen kisses and whispered vows. William swore their love would cross every boundary of class, that nothing-not family, nor duty, nor the rigid rules of society-would keep them apart. But when William returns from London in the midst of the Season, it is not to claim Violet's hand as he had promised-it is to announce his engagement to a woman of wealth and pedigree. Violet's pleas shatter against his cold words: this is his duty, and nothing will change it. Worse still, his mother ensures Violet's disappearance, warning that if she does not leave at once, her parents will lose their livelihoods. Lady Ashford will not allow a servant's daughter-carrying her son's child-to remain when his new bride is soon to arrive. To Violet, it is not only her love William has cast aside-but their unborn child as well. Shattered and alone, she is sent away, banished from the man she once trusted with her entire heart and soul. Years pass. William's glittering marriage ends in ashes when his wife dies childless, leaving him with nothing but regret. Seeking Violet at last, he finds not the trusting girl who once believed in his promises, but a woman carved by heartbreak and hardened by loss. Violet lives only for her daughter-the child William rejected long ago. Her heart is withered, her trust broken, and she no longer believes in the promises of men. When it mattered most, William did not choose her. And Violet Hayes has vowed never again to be that girl who chose him. Content Warnings: referenced suicide (off-page), child choking incidents (fully resolved), emotional cruelty/manipulation, abandonment of a pregnant heroine, loveless duty marriage, grief/loss, class power imbalance, and secret baby (father unaware).
Sincerely Yours
In 1800s England, a well-meaning but selfish young woman will do anything to avoid matrimony to the county's finest suitors and to justly prove she doesn't need a husband to find her way in society. Even under the peril of her uncle losing his property and business to debt. In all but two months, she must prove to her family she's more than capable without a husband and can, in fact, exceed society's expectations of the female sex. But what woman can write what she hardly knows of the world, and its secrets? And most of all, how far is she willing to prove herself toward society and the Lord? At what cost for love? Maxmillian Knightley has returned from university in London, now facing the looming title of marquis. With that title comes responsibility to interact with those he despises most, and with which he must fight for his inheritance. But how far will he go in order to grow favor in the scrutiny of society and his stiff-neck father? He may be everything a woman of the ton looks for in a husband - titled, wealthy, and cheek bones that can draw in any woman - but he is in no mood to humor eligible women by participating in all things reformed. The question is: how far will he go to do everything against his own sensibility and judgment? For inheritance ... or for loyalty and love? The only common enlightenment between two entirely different sexes? A fondness for penmanship and our humorous Lord who writes the very novelty of life itself. And what happens if proving oneself leads to something quite worse? When it comes to love, making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies. Copyright 2021 by Tehya Young COVER IS NOT THE ORIGINALComplete
In Regency England, young governess Violet is much to used to being on her own, with only her pupils at the Langley estate to keep her company. But when her employer's brother, Edmund comes to stay at the estate, he takes an unlikely interest in her. Edmund sees and appreciates her like no other. Violet begins to find herself opening her heart to love, only to be constantly reminded the one thing she wants, is the one thing thing she cannot have. Edmund Langley has always had a difficult relationship with his older brother, who is on the brink of loosing the Langley estate due to a gambling addiction. Edmund is hesitant to help, until he meets Violet, who teaches him to be loving and selfless, even to those who might not deserve it. Falling in love with a governess is the last thing Edmund should be doing, especially when marrying rich could save his family. But you cannot choose who you love. Soon Edmund and Violet find themselves in a tangle of secrets, lies, and blackmail, but is it all worth it, in the name of love?
More detailsContent Guidelines