Giving Thanks: Unusual Historicals for November 2025

Just in time for American Thanksgiving, November's cornucopia of Unusual Historicals takes center stage here at the Bat Cave. Enjoy this bounty of thirteen titles now, because December, a notoriously slow month of publishing, is likely to feel like Diet Unusual Historicals in comparison. So have yourself another slice of pumpkin pie and happy browsing. Everyone knows the best kind of Black Friday shopping in book shopping. 

After Hours at Dooryard Books by Cat Sebastian

1968 New York City

News about the war might be keeping Patrick up at night--news in general might be keeping Patrick up at night--but he's doing fine. He's sure of it. He gets to spend his days selling books in the gayest neighborhood on the East Coast and his nights merrily sleeping his way through the rare book community. But when he takes in a drifter who seems to be hiding something, and his best friend and her newborn move into the apartment upstairs, his life gets turned on its head.

A sleepy little bookstore should be the perfect place for Nathaniel to lie low, waiting for his past to catch up with him, but it turns out Dooryard Books is full of political radicals and anti-war agitators. If the FBI isn't actively surveilling this place, it will be. Nathaniel should go anywhere else. The last thing he expects is to like these subversives. There's a grieving folk musician and her baby--a demon of a child who will only sleep if Nathaniel, of all people, holds her. There's a pair of rabble-rousing teenagers who, upsettingly, seem to be right about everything. And then there's Patrick, who can't walk past anyone who needs his help--and who is perplexingly determined to help Nathaniel.

As the world balances on the precipice of something new and scary and maybe even hopeful, Patrick needs to decide what he's willing to risk for this chaotic new community he's accidentally created. And Nathaniel needs to figure out whether he has a place in this messy, flawed world--and whether he can believe he deserves it.

My apologies to anyone who remembers 1968, but I'm counting this as historical. Hey, the shoe will be on the other foot in 2050 when some author writes a historical romance about two kids falling in love at Lollapalooza. Anyway, I'm digging the found family vibe of this blurb and I can't say no to a New York City setting, especially against the social upheaval of the Vietnam War era. On the pile it goes!

A Literary Liaison by Mihwa Lee

Edgar Marshal Albury, Duke of Lancaster, lives a double life—notorious rake by day, secret romance novelist by night. When the vicious critic E. Lovelace shreds his latest work, he strikes back as "Aengus Steele," launching a literary war that captivates London. But then he meets Elisha Linde, a fierce reformer whose sharp mind and hidden fire make him forget other women exist. He's falling hard for two women—never dreaming they're the same person. When he discovers Elisha's treasonous activities could get her hanged, this pampered duke will risk his title, his fortune, and his neck to save the woman who's made him love again.

Elisha Linde clawed her way from the workhouse to respectability, hiding behind the pen name E. Lovelace to savage London's literary pretensions. Her public feud with pompous author Aengus Steele is delicious revenge against the privileged—until the sinfully handsome Duke of Lancaster unveils the passion she didn’t know she possessed. She should resist his notorious charm, but their verbal sparring ignites something dangerous in her blood. Now her secret life writing seditious pamphlets threatens to destroy everything, and she must choose between her fight for reform or her own happiness.

He's a rake with a secret identity as a novelist and she's the critic with a secret identity for writing seditious pamphlets who has been shredding his work in the press. As the verbal sparring ignites into passion, they have to worry about their mutual secrets bringing everything down around their ears. This is the second book in Lee's The Daring Damsels series and all her books sound amazing. I really need to unearth what I have waiting in my TBR.

The Daring Times of Fern Adair by Cara Devlin

Scarred long ago in a deadly house fire, a sheltered young woman becomes entangled with a dangerous mobster in the electrifying time of 1925 Chicago.

Fern Adair has spent most of her life tucked away in her family’s Chicago home. There, she’s protected from startled stares and uncomfortable questions about the scarred half of her face. But when her parents begin to host elaborate weekly dinners to socialize Fern—and to find her a husband—the refuge of her sheltered life fractures.

Despite her wealth, and her father’s power as a district court judge, no potential suitor looks her way twice. Until one evening, a mysterious stranger takes a seat at the Adair's dinner table.

Calvin Rosetti, older brother and enforcer to one of the city's most dangerous criminal kingpins, doesn't have honorable intentions when it comes to the judge’s scarred daughter. He wants revenge against Fern’s brother, who recently wronged the Rosetti family in an unforgivable way, and Cal plans to use Fern to even the score.

Drawn out of her reclusive life and into Cal's illicit underworld, Fern discovers a side of herself she's never known, proving she is much more than just a pawn to be played. Slowly, she and Cal realize what it is to love someone they shouldn't— and it comes with violent consequences. With Cal's scheme falling apart, and a crucial choice set before them, Fern will come to know what she's capable of, scars and all.

Definite Dark Romance vibes with a scarred heroine playing "princess in the tower" and an enforcer for a crime syndicate looking for revenge against her brother. This one sounds Messy AF but it's also set in 1925 Chicago and I'm just intrigued enough to kind of hate myself.

The Disgraced Knight's Redemption by Ella Matthews

A disgraced warrior…

Torn between duty and desire!

Sir Tristan must win back his honor. His orders from King Edward are simple: seek out the leader of Pwll Du Castle—the unmarried Lady Catrin—and demand she leaves. As Tristan is renowned for his lethal charm and handsome looks, how can she resist? But when the beautiful Welshwoman comes under siege from her covetous neighbor, Tristan finds himself fighting for her! Yet, is it a losing battle? For securing the castle and fulfilling his knightly duty will mean letting Catrin go…

Matthews wraps up her Knights' Missions trilogy with this final book featuring a hero with a mission to evict the heroine from her castle, only to turn around and help her protect her home when a villainous neighbor decides it's time for a siege. I mean, I'm sure all of this will greatly please King Edward...

The Cowboy's Convenient Wife by Carol Arens

A cowboy in London

…and a deal at the altar?

When his English business partner dies, Montana rancher Boone Rawlins becomes guardian of the man’s little girl, and heir to their family property in London. So when a storm destroys the ranch, they cross the Atlantic to start a new life!

Penniless Lady Ambrin is stunned when a real-life cowboy arrives on her doorstep. But she quickly comes to her senses when she discovers her dear brother has left Boone her house—and that he wants to sell it to fund a new farm! Ambrin’s determined to keep her home and her precious niece. Will a convenient marriage be the solution…or a whole new predicament?

Traditional publishers can't give us actual westerns, so instead we apparently need to settle for Americans going across the pond to muck around with those hoity-toity English. At least this time our American is a cowboy hero who heads to England to take over the guardianship of his dead partner's daughter and his property - only to run into the complication of the child's aunt, who isn't all that happy about being evicted from her family home. I mean, some women AMIRITE?!

The Hart's Rest by Sophia Nye

Conan O’Conor has never been more excited about burning bridges. His king’s rivals recently finished construction on a causeway meant to act as a blockade. The mission is simple: create a cover, infiltrate the town, destroy the bridge. Simple. Until Conan lays eyes on the bold and beautiful Alannah.

Alannah nic Lorcan lives to protect her sister. On their own from a young age, she’s had no choice but to guard Emer as they manage their inn–The Hart’s Rest. Men are constantly after Emer, looking to take advantage of her sweet disposition. Fading into the background as she stands guard over Emer, Alannah is rarely a target of their affections. Until a handsome bard comes to stay at the inn.

When the charming Conan propositions her for just one night, Emer pushes Alannah to take advantage of the opportunity and have a little fun. What harm could come of it from one night?

A lot, as it turns out. The longer the bards stay at The Hart’s Rest, the more difficult it becomes to keep Conan at arm’s length. And the more suspicious she becomes of his true purpose in town.

As Conan grows closer to Alannah, he realizes three things. First, he’s falling fast for the brave and clever owner of The Hart’s Rest. Second, keeping his identity a secret is a lot harder when he’s involved with her. And third, if she discovers his plans to destroy the bridge that’s holding up her business, she’ll never forgive him.

This is the fifth book in a series, and I'm super intrigued by this premise. He's posing as a traveling bard with a mission to burn an actual bridge. She's the overlooked proprietress of the local inn whose sole mission is to protect her beautiful and gorgeous younger sister. And yet, this handsome traveling bard is making eyes at her - I mean, what the wha?! What will happen when she finds out he wants to destroy the bridge that's keeping her business afloat?

These Violet Delights by Madeleine Roux

Violet Arden is a burgeoning painter who insists on a life of passion, but scandal is heaped on humiliation at her artistic debut in London. It would be one thing to withstand withering critiques, but the night goes from bad to worse when an illicit affair with her art instructor is exposed. She flees the London limelight to her cousin Emilia Graddock’s country estate, where she plans to leave all thoughts of love in the past where they belong . . . until she comes face-to-face with the man who scorned her paintings in front of her friends and family, Alasdair Kerr.

Alasdair has recently set aside his life of travel to return to his family’s estate— the site of a tragic fire that claimed his cherished father’s life. He’s finally ready to rebuild the home that was lost and step into his role as man of the house. But his rakish younger brother Freddie can’t seem to leave the off-limits Graddock woman alone, and his mother has brought an overbearing clergyman into their home who appears keen to stick around.

Violet is determined to ignore Alasdair, which shouldn’t be difficult considering that their families have been in a long-standing feud . . . if only their attempts to end Emilia and Freddie’s secret relationship would stop bringing them together. And when new fires threaten their safety, Violet and Alasdair reluctantly join forces to uncover the identity of the arsonist. But can they ignore the feelings kindling between them, which are but an ember away from igniting into a full blaze?

She's a painter whose debut goes up in flames more so for the affair she's having with her instructor as opposed to the damning reviews of her work. So off our heroine goes to the country, only to run into our hero who scorned her paintings so openly. He's there to rebuild his family's estate and they both want to thwart the burgeoning relationship between his brother and her cousin. Oh, and arson is afoot. How can they possibly resist each other if they keep getting thrown together? The answer is, of course, they can't. 

How to Court Your Wife by Amanda McCabe

Falling for her husband

…all over again!

When Sandrine was forced to give up her dressmaking dreams to wed Alain, Comte d’Alency, she never expected to fall for her convenient husband at first sight! Only, her hopes were dashed after their wedding night, when she discovered Alain loved another, so she fled…

Years later, Alain encounters his wife again! Now a successful modiste, Sandrine no longer needs him. To make amends and reclaim his runaway wife, he’s determined to give her the courtship they never had. But Alain’s not the only one with a past to reconcile—Sandrine’s also been keeping a little secret…

Exiled thanks to the Revolution, we have a French modiste and the husband who broke her heart, never mind it was an arranged marriage. Anyone want to place odds on if her little secret is a child conceived during their one night together? Or is that the definition of a sucker's bet...

For a Viking's Heart by Laura Strickland 

At the hall of a Scottish chief deep in the western Highlands, a bard sings and plays on his harp, spinning tales to the gathered company. The hour grows late indeed, but his listeners, caught deep in the enchantment woven this night, beg for one more tale. From his heart he tells of a woman so brave and strong that his words, however beautiful, can scarcely do her justice.

Hulda Elvarsdottir is a woman striving to make her way in a man’s world. Devoted to the idea that no man should ever give up his life to defend hers, she has learned to fight and battle in her own right. But when her beloved brother dies while raiding on a Scottish shore, she sets her sights on revenge.

Quarrie MacMurtray’s ancestors have held the settlement on Scotland’s western coast for generations uncounted. He knows his duty is to follow in his father’s footsteps as chief. For him, that means watching the horizon for black sails and spending his life against the Norse, if necessary.

The last thing he expects when he meets the woman who’s come seeking vengeance is to feel an irresistible pull toward her.

Fourth book in a series with the framework of a traveling bard telling stories. This story centers around a beautiful shieldmaiden who sets her sights on revenge against those who killed her brother. That turns out to be the hero, the heir apparent chief of a settlement on Scotland's western coast.

Bedding the Marquess by Kelsey Swanson

Gideon Bray, Marquess of Swanleigh, has always been a rake—a reckless, charming scoundrel never meant for happily-ever-afters. Yet, behind his careless smile lies a man scarred by neglect, and desperate for the family he was denied. Only one woman has ever seen past the mask: Caroline Wells, his dearest friend and the lone female in his notorious circle of comrades.

Cast out by both her family and Society after a youthful scandal, Caroline long ago learned to live by her own rules. Gideon stood by her, offering his loyalty when the rest of the world turned its back. But when one night of unbridled passion shatters this boundary between them, Gideon shocks them both with an offer of marriage, though neither of them knows quite how to transform years of friendship into the intimacy of husband and wife.

As they navigate a marriage of fiery attraction, Gideon locates Oliver, the half-brother he’s sought for decades. At last, the dream of family feels within his reach. But shadows cling to Oliver’s past…and enemies soon strike at the women the brothers cherish most.

Third book in the Spy Society series and THE HEROINE IS RUINED! At least she better be truly ruined. I can't handle another "ruined" heroine who is still somehow magically a virgin because her "ruination" was all just some silly misunderstanding. The hero is one of her only true friends, and imagine the shock when one night of passion leads to him...proposing marriage? What the deuce?

When He Was a Duke by Tess Thompson

Once, Sebastian Ashford was a duke's son—until his father's hanging stripped him of his name, his home, and his future. Branded by scandal and hardened by war, Sebastian returns to England with a single mission: uncover the truth behind his family's ruin. Disguised as a humble gardener, he infiltrates the estate of the very man he suspects of orchestrating it all.

Lady Rose Wentworth knows her place in Society—but that place is a prison. Raised in luxury yet suffocated by duty, she dreams of a life beyond her father's control. Now, she's being forced into marriage with a ruthless baron twenty years her senior—a match designed to secure power, not happiness. When she meets the new gardener, she's drawn to his quiet strength and piercing gaze—unaware that he's the enemy her family helped create.

As their forbidden romance deepens, Sebastian and Rose must choose between loyalty and desire, vengeance and redemption. But in a world where titles define worth and secrets can destroy everything, loving him could cost them their lives.

A Regency romance of slow-burn longing, forbidden attraction, hidden identities, and the intoxicating thrill of enemies becoming lovers.

A Duke's son who lost everything when his Daddy met the wrong end of a hangman's noose. Now he's back home, disguising himself as a gardener, to dig up dirt (ha!) on the man he thinks is responsibility. Instead he falls for the man's sheltered daughter, desperate to escape her father's gilded case. 

Snowbound Regency Christmas by Carla Kelly, Joanna Johnson and Samantha Hastings

Three snow-kissed Regency romances

In one festive volume!

In A Christmas Houseguest by Carla Kelly, when a snowstorm stops their mailcoach, Rosie offers a fellow passenger sanctuary at her farm. War-weary from the navy, Andy will find his Christmas angel hard to leave…

In Their Yuletide Reunion by Joanna Johnson, rejecting Lieutenant Fitzjames’s proposal is Jane’s greatest regret. Now, her future is in peril. Until an unexpected Christmas invitation leads to a second chance!

In The Christmas Husband Charade by Samantha Hastings, Devin finds himself snowed in with Julia—the woman who jilted his brother! When he is forced to masquerade as her husband, their mutual hatred evolves into an irresistible connection…

I know, the Regency era is typically not "unusual" but this one makes the cut thanks to two military heroes - one of which is written by Carla Kelly. This looks like a great option for a little Chistmas Eve reading.

Twelve Days to Win a Count by Alessandra Alma

After her father’s death, Esperanza discovers her inheritance rests in the hands of an elusive Spanish count. Desperate for money, she leaves a war torn Puerto Rico to claim what is hers. But when she arrives in Spain on Christmas Day, she’s given an impossible condition: she must marry by her twenty-first birthday, which falls on Three Kings Day, or become a nun. With only twelve days to find a husband, Esperanza is urged by her mother to charm the count. In her efforts to seduce him, she works as his secretary. Esperanza’s plans are complicated when he hires a matchmaker, forcing her to choose between following her heart or securing a practical match.

With his mother gone to Barcelona and no one to manage the estate, Don Pedro is under pressure to either hire a capable housekeeper or marry his mother’s choice for a bride. Determined to avoid an unwanted match, he hires a matchmaker. He is caught off guard when a beautiful sugar heiress arrives at his doorstep… and somehow ends up in his care. Can he find a suitable bride without falling for his spirited new secretary? Or will thematchmaker arrange a match before time runs out and she marries someone else?

Every month there's usually at least one book written by an author I know nothing about, and here we are. A heroine who leaves Puerto Rico to travel to Spain to claim an inheritance that has a complicated provision attached to it. Amazon has this listed at just over 200 pages and this blurb has a lot going on in it - but I'm definitely intrigue enough to read a sample.

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to this month?

Review: Tudor Christmas Tidings

 I have been in a dreadful reading slump. How dreadful? I started Tudor Christmas Tidings back in early November and finally finished it on December 29. That dreadful. Is it the book's fault? Not entirely. I mean it's not bad, but it also didn't help my situation at all either.

This anthology kicks off with the late Blythe Gifford's Christmas at Court. I have enjoyed several of Gifford's full-length historical romances, she really had a way of infusing history into her romances that I always appreciated.  Unfortunately the short format here does her no favors. This story is mostly political intrigue not given enough room to breathe with a teaspoon of romance that never takes off because I never felt invested in the couple either separately or together.

The story is set after the young princes "disappear" and Richard III is King. Lady Alice is our heroine and her family is working in concert with a rebellion to have Henry Tudor (future Henry VII) claim the throne by marrying Elizabeth of York. Part of the scheme involves Lady Alice becoming betrothed to Sir John Talbot.

That's pretty much it and I confess I couldn't figure out why the Alice-John marriage was so reliant on whether Henry married Elizabeth. Also the whole "romance" consists of Alice and John not sure if they can trust each other because they have to act like they're loyal to Richard, even though they're not, but they also can't tell the other that because what if the other one IS loyal to Richard. The short word count means neither the romance nor the political intrigue have room to grow and it comes off convoluted. 

Final Grade = D

Secrets of the Queen's Lady by Jenni Fletcher was by no means perfect, but after slogging through politics it was nice to get back to a story that was mainly romance, even though Anne of Cleves is the main secondary character.

Pippa is a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves who has since been divorced by Henry VIII and living quietly in the country. Landing on their doorstep is Kit, a diplomat, who is delivering a message that Henry wishes for Anne to join the court for the Christmas holiday.  Kit met Pippa years ago and was besotted, despite the fact that she was married. Now widowed, he sees an opening, but he's unaware that despite what everyone may think, Pippa's marriage was not a happy one. Her husband became emotionally abusive due to her in ability to get pregnant.  Needless to say Pippa has no desire to marry ever again, and besides - Kit is 7 years younger than she is, and even though he's not the heir, his political animal of an older brother is determined that Kit do his familial duty. Marry well, keep the future Mrs. pregnant and squirting out babies.

Kit's a rather enlightened hero for the times, and while his lack of concern about being disowned by his family raised an eyebrow, it helps that he's not a fan of court, Henry's tendency to discard wives, nor his brother's machinations. Our Kit wants a different sort of life. Still, during this period family and loyalty were kind of, well, everything. Pippa is ready to tar and feather Kit with the same brush as her husband - which I can understand better here than in other romances because a woman's ability to procreate was pretty much her sole reason for existing during this time period (and future time periods...). It wasn't perfect but it was quick, readable and heavy on the romance.

Final Grade = B-

The anthology ends with His Mistletoe Lady by Amanda McCabe, which is set during that period when Queen Mary was "pregnant" and newly-wed to King Philip II of Spain. Catherine Greaves' father is currently in the Tower of London for his part in the failed Wyatt Rebellion. Catherine's mother came over from Spain with the former Queen, Catherine of Aragon, so the plan is to head to court and hopefully a sympathetic Queen Mary will allow them to see her imprisoned father. The Queen is sympathetic, as is Don Diego de Vasquez, a visiting courtier from Spain who has been sent to help ferret out other plots against the Queen - and turns out that Catherine's father is a double agent. He's Diego's contact on the inside and feeding him information. Oh, and Catherine nor her mother have any clue about any of this. For all they know, their husband and father is a traitor.

Of course these two crazy kids start to fall in love despite the drama and intrigue surrounding them, and there's a little suspense at the end to carry us home to the happy ever after. The story works so long as you don't think about what's going to happen shortly after these events - but I'm convinced it all works out for Diego, Catherine and her parents in the end. One imagines that once they find out the Queen's pregnancy is a "phantom" one, they hightail it back to Spain to live on Diego's lands populated with orange and lemon groves.

Final Grade = B

The last two stories were pleasant enough, but the whole reading experience overall was very much a slog. Certainly this time of year is challenging for a lot of us, but I also think the overt political threads running through all these stories was just not where my mind wanted to go right now. I probably would have been better served reading some cotton candy holiday fluff instead of the political machinations and shenanigans of the Tudors.  Your mileage may vary.

Horn of Plenty: Unusual Historicals for November 2023

For those playing along at home, Amazon's search algorithm seems to be back to it's normal mess as opposed to the epic hot mess of the past several months. That said, I still found myself looking at entirely too much porn for my own good (seriously, some of the covers and titles - my eyes may never recover).  This month though I had a lot of help from AztecLady who sent me a wide swath of upcoming releases. I combed through that list, then did some of my own searching, which means this month we have a bonanza of 11 titles! 

The Lady's Scandalous Proposition by Paulia Belgado

A proposition to shock the ton

And delight her rogue

Lady Persephone MacGregor is a genius with machines but hopeless as a debutante! After a lackluster first season, this one will be her last—and her best chance to experience sensual pleasure if she’s going to be a spinster for the rest of her life… So when she meets unconventional Ransom, the charismatic yet elusive owner of a gambling den, she decides to shock him with a daring proposition!

 

Belgado is a relatively new author in the Harlequin Historical universe, and this, her third book, is her first to land within the parameters of "unusual historical." Oh sure, a heroine who knows she's bound to die a spinster but who wants to experience passion - it's been done. But said heroine is also  mechanically inclined (ahem, machines) and our hero owns a gambling den. It's also a Victorian and I can typically count on Harlequin Historical authors to write actual Victorians - not also-ran Regencies claiming to be Victorians. 

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney

Together they faced the past . . .

 

A sense of duty sends Bran Tremayne to Cornwall to confront his heritage of British nobility. Abandoned at birth, Bran wants nothing to do with the embittered remains of his family. But as a special agent for the Home Office, he senses trouble brewing along the coast. And he can’t turn away from the vulnerable woman he encounters in the Cornish countryside. Merryn’s amnesia makes her past a mystery to them both, but with her life in danger, the only thing Bran knows for sure is that the beautiful stranger needs his protection . . .

 

But would they share a future?

 

Leaning into Bran is difficult enough, but can Merryn trust the strong bond—and the powerful passion—she feels for her rugged rescuer? She has no choice once Bran uncovers that she is at the center of a plot between French agents and Cornish smugglers. From misty woodlands to stormy shores, the two join forces with a band of loyal Cornishmen to bring down a common enemy. Yet will their growing love survive the coming peril?

Cornwall! Smugglers! An amnesiac heroine in danger! Icing on the cake of Putney's latest is that it's also set during the Georgian era.

Courting Miss Emma by Linda Broday

Texas, 1868. Emma Taggart has finally found a place to belong – setting up Heaven's Door orphanage with her sister Maura was a new beginning for her – and one she will do anything to protect.

When guarded ex-army man Stone Landry buys the neighboring land and moves in - camels and all - Emma's world changes forever. He is an infuriating man who instantly gets under her skin - in ways she never dreamed possible, and despite herself, Emma starts to wonder if, just maybe, he is man enough to take on a Hangman's daughter . . . But their newfound connection is quickly tested by violent night raids, kidnappings, and underhand tricks by powerful rancher Zeke Parker, who is intent on running them out of town and taking the land he deems to be his. Can Emma find enough courage to trust in Stone and help him give her the life she's always dreamed of?

Book 2 in a series centered around sisters whose father was a hangman. Also our hero buys the land next door and moves in with some...camels? In Texas? I've read Broday in the past and she tends to infuse some humor in some of her books and I'm not a Funny Ha Ha Western fan (dark, gritty, death lurking around every corner Western fan here). This blurb certainly doesn't read Funny Ha Ha, but this is one I'll be sampling from the Day Job to see if it sticks.

Warriors in Winter by Michelle Willingham (Reprint)

Enjoy a collection of three holiday stories featuring second-generation characters from the MacEgan Brothers series!

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER

After Brianna MacEgan’s husband was killed by a Viking, she will stop at nothing to avenge his death—even if she must wield the sword herself. But when the handsome Arturo de Manzano offers to train her to fight, the Spaniard slowly begins to melt the ice around her heart …

THE HOLLY AND THE VIKING

After being caught in a snowstorm, Rhiannon MacEgan seeks shelter with a fierce Viking. She’s intrigued by the handsome warrior Kaall, but he’s holding a terrible secret. Not only is Kaall blind, he’s also her cousin’s greatest enemy…

A SEASON TO FORGIVE

Adriana de Manzano is betrothed to Liam MacEgan, a man who rescued her from captivity, but she’s hiding the darkness of her past. To save Liam’s life, she was forced to betray him. If she tells this proud Irish warrior the truth, will he ever forgive her?

Originally published by Harlequin Historical in 2012, Willingham wraps up her MacEgan Brothers self-published re-releases with this holiday themed anthology featuring members of the second generation. All three stories are interconnected and you can read my review of the original edition over at The Good, The Bad and the Unread. 

The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick

Millicent Foxboro is haunted.

Not by ghosts, but by the anguish of her past and the uncertainty of her future. After all, even in the progressive year of 1928, most people would balk at hiring a woman who’d spent two months in a mental ward for traumatic amnesia. So when an uncommon assistantship to a reclusive Professor of mythology falls into her lap with an ungodly salary attached, her desperation for stability overrides her cautious nature.

To Millie’s dismay, the widowed Professor Callum Hughes and his estate, Willowfield, are more than she bargained for. The once magnificent home, known for its sprawling gardens and dazzling parties, is falling to pieces after the death of the professor’s fragile wife. What’s more, the staff has been reduced to the only three people not frightened away by rumors of ghosts, leaving the halls empty and languishing in bitter memories.

The professor himself is a grim, intense man with unclear expectations, unpredictable moods, and hungry eyes that ignite Millie’s own dormant passions. The closer she finds herself drawn to Professor Hughes and his strange world of flowers and folklore, the more the house closes in, threatening to reveal her secrets. But the professor is keeping secrets of his own and the most dangerous of all is hers to discover.

A Gothic! A heroine recovering from traumatic amnesia, a mysterious professor of mythology and a creepy house. Just inject this straight into my eyeballs.

Where There's a Duke There's a Way by Emily EK Murdoch

Arthur Hebblethwaite, Duke of Fitzpaine is in rather a pinch. Firstly, he’s not actually a Duke.

It was such a clever idea. Pretend to be a duke, go to France, and live on the scraping and bowing of those desperate to impress a nobleman. All well and good, until someone recognizes him. Until he grabs a woman and uses her as a hostage to escape a French encampment. Until he looks at the woman and…oh, hell.

Joanna Bettencourt doesn’t know what’s worse: being a shy heiress with a father desperate to marry her off, being captured by the French and held prisoner, or being dragged onto a horse by a maniac by the name of the Duke of Fitzpaine. Pretending to have a husband ready to protect her seemed the obvious option.

But as the “Duke of Fitzpaine” and the “penniless Mrs. Epwin” arrive at the coast, desperate to return to England, they are faced with a problem: there’s only one cabin. Cue a little pretense that this time they both share. A fake marriage.

They’re both lying to each other, and they both don’t know it—but they can’t lie for long about the heat searing between them, the affection growing as they slowly open up to each other.

A hero pretending to be a Duke and a heroine pretending to have a husband. Oh, and they're on the run in France, only to take refuge in the only cabin available to them - so now they're fake married. This sounds positively delightful!

The Countess Caper by Alyxandra Harvey

Lady Tessa Kilkenny’s ramshackle manor house is filled with mice and snakes and peeling wallpaper—as well as women with nowhere else to go. And Tessa will do anything to keep them safe.

Even steal a carriage from Roarke Noble, the Earl of Dartmoor.

As her first foray into being a highwaywoman, it has mixed results. She gets her cousin to the midwife just in time. But she also gets a marriage proposal.

Because Roarke needs a wife.

And with Tessa he gets more than he bargained for. She won’t tell him why she is fighting off housebreakers and stealing from earls and viscounts. Or why her disaster of a house is rigged with traps to discourage unwanted visitors.

But when those secrets put her life in danger, Roarke discovers he will do anything to save her.

A heroine with a scandalous past who essentially opens a battered women's shelter in Regency England, finds herself swept up by the hero - who needs a wife. The second book in a series, go forth and read AztecLady's recent review, who describes it as delightful with serious underpinnings.

One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Oxford 1360

When his sister’s betrothed vanishes the night before her politically arranged marriage, Raff Barden must track and return the elusive groom to restore his family’s honour.

William de Foucart — known to his friends as Penn — had no choice but to abandon his fiancé, and with it his own earldom, when he fled the night before his enforced marriage. But ill-equipped to survive on the run he must trust the kindness of a stranger, Raff, to help him escape.

Unaware their fates are already entwined, their unexpected bond deepens into a far more precious relationship, one that will test all that they hold dear. And when secrets are finally revealed, both men must decide what they will risk for the one they love…

A medieval featuring a double-deception plot - neither hero is being honest with the other by pretending to not be who they truly are.  Reviews for this one have been a bit all over the map. Of the folks I follow I've seen emotional swooning messes, meh it's OK I guess and this book got on my last hot nerve. I am curious but what this adds up to is me leveraging one of my library cards.

Her Warrior's Surprise Return by Ella Matthews

A surprise reunion

With the warrior from her past…

It’s been years since Ruaidhri abandoned Sorcha, and she’s no longer the woman she once was. Now leader of the Suibhne Clan, she must unite her people against invading forces. When rumors of Ruaidhri’s return to Ireland prove true, she’s unsettled at seeing him again. He offers to help her, but his past betrayal still burns, even if desire is as strong as ever. Should Sorcha trust her head…or her heart? 

 

First book in a new multi-author series (Brothers and Rivals) this one features some of my favorite medieval catnip. A heroine in need of a warrior and the only one who shows up is the hero who betrayed her in the past. 

Western Blue by Suzie Clarke

In 1868, Caroline Bluebonnet Hutching is forced to leave her Texas home and make a new life in Nevada. But the townsmen are against her, and she can’t get the help she needs. Undaunted, she advertises for female workers, only to find that each woman who answers her ad is as desperate as she is. And she’s entirely unprepared for the one who steals her heart.

When raiders attack Isabel Segura’s horse ranch and slaughter her family, she’s left with nothing—no home, no future, no hope. When she sees Blue’s ad, a new dream sparks to life. Determined to begin again, she sets out on a journey she never could have imagined.

Heroism, loyalty, friendship, and love. The odds are against this unlikely group—but never underestimate women who have nothing to lose.

Lesbian cowgirls battle Evil Rancher in 19th century Nevada. Reviews I've seen so far mention plenty of grit, well-done action scenes, yet a hopeful tone. They also mention a slow burn romance that never fully catches fire.  I adore gritty westerns and these heroines sound like my jam but this is another one going on the library lending list to try out.

A Gilded Age Christmas by Amanda McCabe & Lauri Robinson

Two festive romances set in the glamorous Gilded Age

Two short romances

Celebrate a Gilded Age Christmas!

In Amanda McCabe’s A Convenient Winter Wedding: marrying Connor O’Neill is about survival for penniless heiress May Van Der Berg. The distant self-made millionaire is far from the passionate husband she’d once dreamed of…except for that scorching kiss! In Lauri Robinson’s The Railroad Baron's Mistletoe Bride: after years of estrangement, romance blooms when Kurt invites store clerk Harper and their shared niece to spend Christmas at his mansion. But are they just a family for the holidays? 

The holiday season can be hard. You're busy, your attention span is close to snapping, but you still want to unwind with some reading. Harlequin is usually there to help me out this time of year with their holiday-themed anthologies and this one is set during the Gilded Age! 

Whew! Enjoy this bountiful harvest now folks because December tends to be traditionally fairly thin.  Also, for those who celebrate Thanksgiving here in the States - stay safe and stay healthy.  What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?

Hop To It: Unusual Historicals for April 2023

I don't know about y'all but I can't believe we're already into April. This month I broke up the monotony of work, home, sleep, with a trip north to see my niece, Lemon Drop, compete in an equestrian event.  Once she started school I stopped sharing photos of her on this blog, but long time readers will be shocked to hear she is now 13.  I know, I don't know how that happened either.  Also, SHE'S A ROMANCE READER!  She likes rom/com type stuff, so yes - all those illustrated covers her Aunt Wendy turns her nose up at because I am an old fuddy duddy.  I told her she needs to share the books she likes with me because I am nothing if not nosy. 

Will I eventually get her hooked on Harlequin Presents and Unusual Historicals?  Well, time will tell.  In the meantime, let me pique all y'alls interest with the April Unusual Historical releases that caught my eye.

 

Desert Phoenix by Suzette Bruggeman (Kindle Unlimited)

A woman with a past is not a woman without a future. 

Nevada's gold country, 1901. 

No longer young or fresh, Tempa is staring face to face with the whore's unholy trinity: alcoholism, drug abuse and suicide. While her best friend, Belle, has chosen laudanum, Tempa finds escape in literature, which she shares with the illiterate prostitutes in a book club-like setting at the cribs. Forced into prostitution as a girl after losing her family to yellow fever, Tempa also retains a sense of self-worth by using her knowledge of herbs to heal others. 

When she nurses Henry—a good-natured, young German immigrant on the run from a man who has reason to want him dead—Tempa sees a future she longs for but cannot allow herself to claim. So when the noose tightens around Henry's neck, she ransoms her life for his. 

At once a sweeping love story and a harrowing account of the harshness of the American Old West, Desert Phoenix is the tale of a middle-aged, crib prostitute who gains an unlikely ally in her struggle for physical and emotional survival. Based on local history and family stories passed down from Bruggeman's grandfather, this engaging and evocative novel for fans of Kristin Hannah and Kate Quinn interweaves Tempa's rise from the ashes of her old life with Henry's turbulent passage into manhood.

There are a lot of self-published historical westerns out there and to be honest I'm naturally wary unless I've got some sort of "history" with the author.  So I'm really happy that AztecLady posted a review for this one recently.  Y'all I want to read the hell out of this book and I've already downloaded it.  

Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa

A forbidden love between a Mexican heiress and a shrewd British politician makes for a tantalizing Victorian season. 

Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, and the perfect representative of the powerful Luna family. So when Ana María is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge from the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox. 

Gideon Fox elevated himself from the London gutters by chasing his burning desire for more: more opportunities, more choices. For everyone. Now, as a member of Parliament, Gideon is on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all—a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore. 

But when Ana María finds herself in the crosshairs of a nefarious nobleman with his own political agenda, Gideon knows he must offer his hand as protection . . . but will this Mexican heiress win his heart as well?

Publishers seem determined to move historical romances into trade paperback and slap illustrated covers on them no matter how much I dislike the trend.  Yes, yes, profit margin blah blah blah - my blog = all about me.  Anyway, the cover is at least pretty (I love the colors and it's a clinch even if it is illustrated...) and it's a Victorian (I love this era for historical romance).  Also the back cover blurb evokes some actual history - which isn't always a guarantee in historical romances.  It's also the first book in a new series and De la Rosa's debut with big boy Berkley / Penguin Random House.

Bound to the Warrior by Ella Matthews 

A tense battle of duty and desire in this Medieval romance 

Wed to a stranger 

Awakened by his touch 

As the new wife to stoic knight Benedictus Monceaux, innocent Adela finds herself in a whole new world… Their union is one of convenience and power, but her feelings for the warrior unsettle and excite her. Hiding an inner strength, Adela knows she can be a strong ally to her husband—but she must walk a fine line between duty and desire, both at court and in the bedchamber…

At this point I could literally not read anything but Harlequin Historicals for a year and I'd still have plenty in my TBR.  Matthews is a relatively newer writer for the line and this is the fourth book in her second series for them. Seriously, if you love medievals, Harlequin Historical is more than happy to keep you in a steady supply.

A Manhattan Heiress in Paris by Amanda McCabe 

Step into the roaring 1920s Parisian music scene 

Leaving Manhattan… 

For a secret Parisian affair… 

New York darling Elizabeth Van Hoeven has everything…except freedom. But now Eliza’s traveling to study piano at the Paris Conservatoire and falling for jazz prodigy Jack Coleman in the process! A love like theirs is forbidden back home, and as they make beautiful music together under the Parisian lights, Eliza and Jack face a difficult choice: the life they’ve always known, or the possibility of a life they never could have imagined…

McCabe is a prolific writer and she's certainly bitten off quite a bit with this latest release. 1920s! Paris! Music! But also a really complicated relationship between an heiress and a jazz musician that will undoubtedly face many, many challenges (especially "back home").  I've always found McCabe to be a very solid writer so I'm giving this one a whirl.

At the Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs (Reprint)

Feisty orphan Pippa de Lacey lives by wit and skill as a London street performer. But when her sharp tongue gets her into serious trouble, she throws herself upon the mercy of Irish chieftain Aidan O'Donoghue. 

Pippa provides a welcome diversion for Aidan as he awaits an audience with the queen, who holds his people's fate in her hands. Amused at first, he becomes obsessed with the audacious waif who claims his patronage. 

Rash and impetuous, their unlikely alliance reverberates with desire and the tantalizing promise of a life each has always wanted—but never dreamed of attaining.

The final book in Wiggs' Tudor Rose trilogy bows this month with yet another new cover iteration. This book was originally published in 1996 under the title Dancing on Air and it's first appearance under the new title of At the Queen's Summons debuted in 2012. I really need to read this trilogy this year because they all sound fantastic. Also I've had the original print editions in my TBR for an embarrassingly long time....

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?

Unusual Historicals Spotlight September 2022: Small, But Mighty

Publishing, she's a fickle mistress. Some months are a bonanza for unusual historicals, see August 2022 which had 7 titles (7!) that caught my eye.  September 2022? Just three. At least the lighter months slow down the exponential growth of Ye Olde TBR - that's something right? 

Her Highlanders for One Night by Terri Brisbin 

Claiming the warrior 

For one night of pleasure! 

When Glynnis had to make a noble marriage, Iain Mackenzie Cameron’s illegitimacy stood in the way. She married another—but now she’s returned to the clan a widow, and Iain is an assured warrior, the chieftain’s heir. Glynnis would make him a more than suitable bride—except for her inability to produce heirs. Iain must marry elsewhere…but only after she claims one precious impassioned night with him!

 

This book immediately jumped up several spots in my TBR queue after finishing the previous book in the series, The Highlander's Inconvenient Bride, just last week. Glynnis was featured prominently in that story, assigned to the heroine betrothed to the future laird to help get her settled in, make her feel at home etc. Glynnis was not an evil other woman in that book but she was seen as something of a paragon, the type of heroine raised from the cradle to make the ideal nobleman's wife. And wouldn't you know it? She's in love with the guy born on the wrong side of the blanket. I'm expecting a lot of pining and angst and OMG CANNOT WAIT!

Secrets of Her Forbidden Knight by Ella Matthews 

She’s rescued a knight 

Now she needs the favor returned… 

When widowed Lady Johanne happens upon an injured knight, she sees an opportunity to form an alliance and protect her home, Castle Brae, from her enemies. The betrothal she proposes might be merely for appearances, but the very real attraction between her and Sir Alewyn thrills and disturbs her. For it’s clear he’s hiding something… 

Can she trust him with so much at stake?

Nothing gets me from the jump quite like a resourceful historical romance heroine. The kind of gal who is very much aware of how the world operates around her and finds a way to circumvent those challenges.  In other words, I like sneaky, resourceful heroines. And Lady Johanne here sounds right up my alley. There are enemies. Her home is threatened. So naturally when she stumbles across an injured knight she sees a potential solution to her problems.  This is the third book in The King's Knights series.

Countess of Scandal by Amanda McCabe (Reprint)

As children, Eliza Blacknall and William Denton ran wild over the fields of southern Ireland and swore they would be friends forever. Then fate took Will away to England, while Eliza stayed behind to become a proper Irish countess. 

Years later, Will finally makes his way home-as an English soldier sent to crush the Irish uprising. When he spies the lovely Eliza, he is captivated by the passionate woman she has become. But Eliza's passions have led her to join the Irish rebel cause, and Will and Eliza now find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous conflict. 

When Ireland explodes in bloody rebellion, Will's regiment is ordered to the front lines, and he is forced to choose between his duty to the English king and his love for Eliza and their Irish homeland.

This former RITA finalist was originally published by Hachette in 2010 under McCabe's Laurel McKee pseudonym and is the first book in her Daughters of Erin series. Set in Ireland in the late 18th century, y'all need to ignore the fact that Amazon has this currently listed under subject headings for Victorian and Regency (Go home Amazon, you're drunk. Also time periods and eras should actually mean something...) Ahem, anyway. An Irish hero who leaves behind a childhood sweetheart and comes home to quash a rebellion in the name of the enemy while the heroine is on the other side of the fence. My own personal catalog (yes, I'm a nerd) tells me I have a print copy of this buried somewhere in the TBR Mountain Range of Doom. It's probably past time for me to unearth it.

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to this month?

Bloomin' April: Unusual Historicals Poppin' in April 2022

Y'all, it's April. April?! I'm not sure how this has happened but 2022 seems to have picked up all the steam of a runaway freight train.  Case in point, I dragged my feet just a wee bit on culling through the Unusual Historicals offerings for this month and good Lord this post took me forever to draft. I mean, LOOK AT ALL THESE TITLES?!  It's a cornucopia.  Grab yourself a nice beverage, sit back and enjoy!

 

Death of a Sorcerer by Jeannie Lin (short story, Kindle Unlimited)

The sequel novella to The Hidden Moon and prequel to Red Blossom in Snow. 

Newly married Constable Gao and Wei-wei have just begun their lives together when they're faced with the death of a Taoist sorcerer during Ghost Month. 

As mysterious occurrences arise during the investigation, are they truly receiving a message from the spirit world? Or is Gao's dark past finally catching up to them, threatening their chance for happiness?

Let's start off this month's post with a gift from Jeannie Lin - yes, it's currently only available via Amazon, but even if you don't have KU, it's currently free (at the time of this posting). This short story is tucked in the middle of the Lotus Palace Mysteries timeline, being a sequel to The Hidden Moon.

Jack of All Trades by Kate Pearce

When the brash railway contractor Elijah Hepworth and his rowdy crew of navvies arrive in Millcastle the town is divided between those who embrace the possibility of change and those who want things to remain the same. Alice Collins, who has recently come to live at Grafton Hall, knows which side she’d prefer to be on, but Mr. Hepworth obviously has other ideas. When the comfortable, safe existence Alice hoped for is snatched from her grasp, will she accept an offer from a man who never claims to be a gentleman, but who might be what she needed all along? 

I could write something pithy here about this fourth book in the author's Millcastle series, but why not crib what the author herself wrote on her website about this book?  "I loved writing this one because the hero isn’t an aristocrat, and he has no desire to become one. He’s hardworking, brutally honest and when he decides he wants something he’ll go all out to achieve his aim. The nice thing is that the heroine is so much more than he bargained for, and he has to grovel quite a bit at the end to get his HEA." 👀

Crying Wolfe by Kerrigan Byrne

He’s the man with the Midas touch… 

Elijah Wolfe is just as ruthless and aggressive as his name suggests. Born in harsh Nevada desert, he used his sharp wits and sharper fists to fight for survival mining ore for terrible men... Until one day he struck gold, literally. Despite his unimaginable wealth, his heart is empty of trust and his world full of enemies. He’s come to England searching for a priceless treasure once stolen from him and is prepared to ruin anyone who gets in his way. 

She’s a thief with a heart of gold… 

Rosaline Goode’s callous father left her nothing but a legacy of shame. Instead of worrying about the women gossiping behind their fans, or the cruelty of eligible men, she spends her nights avoiding society and mapping the stars. That is until absurd circumstances find her, nearly naked, in the home of the famously unscrupulous, lethal American whose name is on everyone's lips. 

The promise of plunder… 

Succumbing to a shotgun wedding is the worst thing Eli can imagine, but if it is what he must do to get what he wants, then so be it. Except now, all the arguments he’d made against the marriage are becoming enticements. His new wife is too young. Too small, sheltered, soft, and sensitive for a man forged in the mines and tempered in the desert heat. If theirs is a Devil’s bargain, then why does her shy touch take him to heaven?

A ruthless hero obsessed with reclaiming a priceless treasure finds himself leg-shackled to a heroine that society loves to snicker and gossip about. The latest in the author's Goode Girls series, features some catnip many romance readers are helpless to resist - the Alphahole hero knocked upside the head by love.

Lady Armstrong's Scandalous Awakening by Marguerite Kaye 

Hers was a body of marble… 

Until he brought it to life 

After her tyrannical late husband ruined her reputation, Lady Mercy Armstrong is longing to reinvent herself. The perfect opportunity presents itself when rebellious self-made man Jack Dalmuir has a daring proposition—a fake dalliance that will change society’s view of her! Only, cavorting with the handsome Scotsman ignites a passion that could change both their lives forever…

This second book in the author's Revelations of the Carstairs Sisters series sounds like it should be subtitled: How the Victorian Lady Got her Groove Thang Back.  Although from the sounds of it, she never had much of a groove to begin with. Added bonus that our hero is a self-made man!

Winning Back His Duchess by Amanda McCabe 

An invitation to Venice… 

To save their marriage! 

Suggesting divorce to her estranged husband, Jamie, Duke of Byson, takes all of Rose Wilkins’s courage. Years of distance and heartbreak have taken a toll—she needs a new start. But Jamie won’t hear of divorce, because of the scandal alone. His counteroffer is a trip to Venice… 

Might discovering Venice’s delights together rekindle the still-simmering desire that drew Rose to Jamie as a starry-eyed young American heiress?

Y'all I am HERE for Victorians and this third book in McCabe's Dollar Duchesses series gives us a not-often-seen Marriage in Trouble trope in a historical, and a trip to Venice in a last ditch effort to save a crumbling marriage and themselves from ruin.

The Knight's Tempting Ally by Ella Matthews

A knight’s enemy...

Becomes his closest ally… 

Knight Theo Grenville will do whatever it takes to discover who’s plotting against his king. So befriending—and even romancing—his target’s middle daughter, Medea, is merely part of his sworn duty. But what isn’t? Falling under the spell of a woman who’s anything but plain in his eyes! Yet every day they become closer, the more torn he is between his allegiance to his king and his heart…

Matthews' second book in her The King's Knights trilogy features a spin on the Big Secret trope I can never say no to - the hero on a mission to uncover the truth who slithers his way next to the heroine to gain access to the information he needs (unbeknownst to her).  Added bonus if the heroine is described as plain, overlooked, and/or generally dismissed out of hand by those around her. 

The Highlander's Stolen Bride by Madeline Martin

From dutiful bride… 

To the laird’s unwilling hostage! 

Kidnapping Elspeth MacMillan on her way to an arranged marriage is the only way for new laird Calum Campbell to avoid more bloodshed and bargain peace for his people. Calum expects her fury but doesn’t expect the feisty lass to break through his defenses into his heart. With war waging between their families, will they ever be able to yield to love?

 

The final book in the multi-author Highland Alliances trilogy finds our hero kidnapping the heroine in a bid to broker peace (OK, sure my dude) and getting more than he bargained for when he starts falling for her.  Will these romance heroes never learn? The surest way to find yourself hitched is deciding to kidnap someone. If you won't to stay single, just don't do it!

Conveniently Wed to a Spy by Helen Dickson 

A daredevil rescue… 

An unexpected reunion Imprisoned during the French Revolution, English spy Lord Laurence Beaumont is finally rescued—by the courageous, beautiful Delphine St. Clair. Back home in Cornwall, Laurence has no interest in the convenient marriage offered by a local landowner—until he discovers the bride is Delphine! With intense memories of their liaison dangereuse in Paris, Laurence knows theirs will be an unconventional union…but can he keep his promise never to be a spy again?

And finally, brace yourself kidddies - a stand-alone book!  I know, it's a little shocking!  There's not a lot of 18th century romances these days, and when you do see one it usually involves Scotland and the Battle of Culloden.  Here we've got the French Revolution (!) and a heroine with enough moxie to save the hero from certain death. 

Whew! That was a marathon!  What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to?