Make It Rain: Unusual Historicals Landing May 2022

Every month I buckle in to ride the wave of Amazon's terrible algorithm (so much Daddy Kink, so much public domain literature with half-assed covers), cross my fingers and hope for the best as I go on the Great Hunt for Unusual Historicals. And then I get months like May 2022 where they seem to rain from the sky.  Seriously, enjoy this now Bat Cave Followers, because I guarantee that if we manage to survive our slog to December you're going to get maybe 3 titles that month.  So grab yourself something to drink, crack your knuckles, and get ready for a dive into the deep end of the Historical Romancelandia swimming pool.

Rose and Wicked by Rebel Carter (Kindle Unlimited)

Rose Wickes-Barnes has a plan to establish herself as an independent woman of good standing. 

Move away from Gold Sky. 

Join one of New York City’s most prestigious theater companies. 

Establish herself in society as an up-and-coming costumer with said theater company. 

Thusly, she aims to enjoy the fruits of her labor just as any woman should. What she never anticipates is the scandal, paparazzi storm, and subsequent whirlwind marriage she finds herself in. 

Rose and her new husband, the gentle, soft spoken and earnest Samuel Walker, who selflessly put himself in harm's way to keep her safe one fateful, rainy, day, are forced to flee the city and marry to keep their reputations in tact. All the while Rose suspects there is far more to her new husband than the man she’s coming dangerously close to falling in love with. 

People on the streets of New York give him a wide berth, and they call him ‘Wicked Walker’. Rose has never known him to be anything but a gentleman and her protector, but she can’t help but admit she is curious to see just what’s so wicked about ‘Wicked Walker.’

An independent heroine determined to establish herself a theater costume designer finds herself married in order to avoid scandal - which, isn't that always the way?  But what's this? There's more to her new husband than meets the eye? Do tell! This appears to be the last book in Carter's Gold Sky series.

The Iron Warrior Returns by Michelle Willingham 

A fight to save his people 

A kiss to save his heart… 

To regain his stolen lands and save his people from suffering, Robert of Penrith has returned to marry his enemy’s daughter. To Robert’s surprise, his dearest friend, Morwenna, helps him win the heiress’s hand—despite the danger to them both. The fierce, beautiful miller’s daughter has stood by him throughout his exile. But a single kiss ignites a passion that threatens to upend all Robert’s plans…

To reclaim his land and save his people our hero decides a match with his enemy's daughter is the way to go, but he needs help, and for that he turns to his best friend, our heroine. What we have here is a fairly rare unicorn - a friends-to-lovers trope in a medieval!  Willingham is one of my autobuys in Harlequin Historical and this is the start of a new series.

A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera

Paris, 1889 

The Exposition Universelle is underway, drawing merchants from every corner of the globe…including Luz Alana Heith-Benzan, heiress to the Caña Brava rum empire. 

Luz Alana set sail from Santo Domingo armed with three hundred casks of rum, her two best friends and one simple rule: under no circumstances is she to fall in love. In the City of Lights, she intends to expand the rum business her family built over three generations, but buyers and shippers alike can’t imagine doing business with a woman…never mind a woman of color. This, paired with being denied access to her inheritance unless she marries, leaves the heiress in a very precarious position. 

Enter James Evanston Sinclair, Earl of Darnick, who has spent a decade looking for purpose outside of his father’s dirty money and dirtier dealings. Ignoring his title, he’s built a whisky brand that’s his biggest—and only—passion. That is, until he’s confronted with a Spanish-speaking force of nature who turns his life upside down. 

From their first tempestuous meeting, Luz Alana is conflicted. Why is this titled—and infuriatingly charming—Scottish man so determined to help her? 

For Evan, every day with Luz Alana makes him yearn for more than her ardent kisses or the marriage of convenience that might save them both. But Luz Alana sailed for Paris prepared to build her business and her future; what she wasn’t prepared for was love finding her.

A Caribbean rum heiress takes to Paris hoping to expand her family's business, only to get doors slammed in her face because she's a female (sigh). Enter our hero, with plenty of Daddy Issues, and his own whisky empire, smitten from the jump.  Another Unusual Historical this month from our friends at Harelquin, this time with the HQN line, and also the start of a new series.

Miss Peverett's Secret Scandal by Bronwyn Scott

Working in close quarters…With an employer she can’t resist! 

Thomasia Peverett is dreading her return to society, but when she’s offered a secretarial role by Member of Parliament Shaw Rawdon, he tempts her to leave the safety of her home. Shaw’s unlike anyone she’s ever met, and their attraction is undeniable. Even the revelation of her scandalous secret draws him closer! Thomasia knows it’s foolish to trust the wrong man, but will Shaw prove he’s worth it?

If loving the boss/secretary romance is wrong (OK, yes - it's problematic as hell...) then I don't wanna be right. And this is, OMG wait for it, a boss/secretary romance in Victoria England!  Oh, and of course our heroine is hiding a Big Secret, because why wouldn't she be?!  This is the third book in Scott's The Peveretts of Haberstock Hall series.

The Earl on the Train by Kerrigan Byrne (novella)

Sebastian Moncrieff is a villain, a traitor, and a pirate, who has recently inherited an Earldom he never wanted. As a man who’s committed every sin imaginable, he knows his only chance at redemption is the one woman who ever reached through to his soul of ice. He’s kidnapped Veronica Latimer once before, and was enchanted by everything about her... This time, when he takes her, he’ll have to admit that she’s kept his heart captive since the moment they met. But can he convince her to forgive his past in order to claim a future?

Villain, traitor, pirate and a kidnapper? Wow, this hero sounds like a prince! But he also sounds like just the kind of Alpha throwback that I sometimes can't say no to.  This novella from Byrne ties into her Victorian Rebels series.

Escaping Her Saxon Enemy by Sarah Rodi 

Her tempting enemy...

Is a chink in her armor! 

Viking shield maiden Svea Ivarsson would far rather face Saxon warriors than be on the run with the fiercely captivating Lord Ashford Stanton, protector to the Saxon king. Reaching Ash’s family castle, Svea must swap her chain mail for life as a lady. She can wield a sword like an expert, but no training has prepared her for craving the touch of her greatest enemy…

A shield maiden heroine who finds herself having to play the part of a lady and falling under the spell of our hero.  This seems to tie into the author's previous release and a content warning that reading in between the lines of the teaser description on the author's website, the heroine may be a rape survivor.

The Servant and the Gentleman by Annabelle Greene

William Hartley’s wealth and social standing often make up for his short temper, but they can’t cure his claustrophobia. He’d lost hope of finding help for it, until meeting Josiah Balfour. In a moment of panic, Josiah’s presence is a balm to his senses, leaving Hartley calm for the first time in months. 

Josiah Balfour knows his place—and it’s not in the bed of a gentleman. As the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s responsible for the club’s well-being. When a threat to the Society emerges from an unexpected quarter, it falls to Josiah to deal with it. But Hartley is willing to help, even if it involves posing as a couple to infiltrate a rival club. 

Josiah needs Hartley’s prestige to help him save the Society, while Hartley simply needs Josiah. Their relationship might be a sham, but the desire between them is all too real. Stuck in close quarters with everything they love on the line, they discover that everything might just include each other.

The third book in Greene's Society of Beasts series features Unusual Historical catnip - a cross-class romance and a claustrophobic gentleman. OK, so maybe not the claustrophobia, but it certainly ADDS to the unusual!

A Daring Pursuit by Kate Bateman 

TWO ENEMIES 

Carys Davies is doing everything in her power to avoid marriage. Staying single is the only way to hide the secret that could ruin her―and her family―if it was revealed. For the past two seasons she’s scandalized the ton with her outrageous outfits and brazen ways in a futile bid to deter potential suitors. Outwardly confident and carefree, inside she’s disillusioned with both men and love. There’s only one person who’s never bought her act―the only man who makes her heart race: Tristan Montgomery, one of her family’s greatest rivals. 

ONE SCANDALOUS BARGAIN 

Wickedly proper architect Tristan needs a respectable woman to wed, but he’s never stopped wanting bold, red-headed Carys. When she mockingly challenges him to show her what she’s missing by not getting married, Tristan shocks them both by accepting her indecent proposal: one week of clandestine meetings, after which they’ll go their separate ways. But kissing each other is almost as much fun as arguing, and their affair burns hotter than either of them expects. When they find themselves embroiled in a treasonous plot, can they trust each other with their hearts, their secrets…and their lives?

Well, bless their hearts. A heroine determined to make herself as "unmarriageable" as possible and an architect hero who needs to "marry up." Oh, and their families have been feuding for generations. I mean, what could possibly go wrong here?! This is the second book in Bateman's Ruthless Rivals series.

I don't know about you all, but I just feel like I ran a marathon!  What unusual historicals are you looking forward to?

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?

Top 4 Unusual Historicals for August 2018

Normally my “sweet spot” for these posts are to find four or five books, preferably published during the month of the blog post, that feature “unusual elements.” “Unusual” typically takes the form of non-UK settings, “nobody” main characters that aren’t titled, unique professions etc. But when I started looking for titles to feature for August? Yeah, pickings were slim. So I did what any good librarian does - I whined on Twitter, got some suggestions, did some more investigating and now we have an August Unusual Historicals list! Huzzah!

Forbidden Night with the Prince by Michelle Willingham

A lifetime of being good…

One night of sin!

A Warriors of the Night story: virtuous Joan de Laurent is fated never to marry. Three betrothals, each ending in the groom’s death, have convinced her she’s cursed! But only her hand in marriage can help darkly brooding Irish prince Ronan win back his fortress. To break the curse, Joan must risk all to spend one forbidden night with the royal warrior…

Willingham does write in the Regency era (mostly for Amazon Montlake these days) but her medievals for Harlequin Historical are personal favorites. She’s got a great handle on the time period, has written stories all over the island (check out her Ireland-set MacEgan series!), and there’s usually plenty of angst-o-rama-jama to make my heart sing.

Joy to the Earl by Nicola Davidson

Shunned for his mismatched eyes and awkward limp, Yorkshire carpenter Jack Reynolds lives a lonely and impoverished existence. Then comes a shocking discovery: he’s the discarded heir of a wealthy noble family, and if he travels to London by Christmas, he’ll not only gain an earldom, a home, and position like he’s never dreamed, but maybe—just maybe—he can finally lose his damned virginity.

Scandalous widow Rosalind Nelson’s life centers around four things—her young daughter, helping couples suffering sexual discord, avoiding all peers, and definitely not falling in love. That is, until the day she rescues a mysterious stranger from a carriage accident. Kind, brave, and achingly seductive, Jack is everything she’s ever wanted. Nothing can destroy their growing bond…except the demons of his past...

This book was previously published in the anthology A Very Wicked Christmas.

This previously published novella popped up on my radar thanks to a Twitter friend. Thank you Twitter friend! For those of you looking for steam, Davidson writes the sexy times and what could be sexier than a carpenter virgin hero? I may have broken a nail one-clicking this...

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrigan Byrne

The bravest of heroes. The brashest of rebels. The boldest of lovers. These are the men who risk their hearts and their souls―for the passionate women who dare to love them…

He is known only as The Rook. A man with no name, no past, no memories. He awakens in a mass grave, a magnificent dragon tattoo on his muscled forearm the sole clue to his mysterious origins. His only hope for survival―and salvation―lies in the deep, fiery eyes of the beautiful stranger who finds him. Who nurses him back to health. And who calms the restless demons in his soul…

A LEGENDARY LOVE

Lorelai will never forget the night she rescued the broken dark angel in the woods, a devilishly handsome man who haunts her dreams to this day. Crippled as a child, she devoted herself to healing the poor tortured man. And when he left, he took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after all these years, The Rook has returned. Like a phantom, he sweeps back into her life and avenges those who wronged her. But can she trust a man who’s been branded a rebel, a thief, and a killer? And can she trust herself to resist him when he takes her in his arms?

Brutal honesty time: I completely skipped over this book when I saw “Duke” in a title that plays up another famous book title (I seriously hate that). I get it. Most readers see “Duke” and can’t grab the book fast enough. Me? Not so much. Then I stumbled across reviews at The Day Job. The hero has to be nursed back to health after crawling out a mass grave (!) and when he’s reunited with the heroine he’s now a “lethal pirate captain.” There’s also a treasure hunt and what Library Journal describes as “the darker side of the Victorian Age.” So, of course, I put myself on a waitlist for this at the office. Because, of course!

The Mysterious Lord Millcroft by Virginia Heath

Life as a duchess…

Or something much more dangerous?

Part of The King’s Elite: constantly told her beauty and charm are all she has to offer, Lady Clarissa is intent on marrying a duke. And intriguing spy Sebastian Leatham will help her! Only, first she’ll assist him with his new assignment—playing the part of confident aristocrat Lord Millcroft. Sebastian awakens a burning desire within Clarissa that leaves her questioning whether becoming a duchess is what she truly longs for…

Again, another title I skipped over (at first) because the back cover blurb makes it sound like your run-of-the-mill Regency spy story. But when I whined on Twitter about this blog post with, “I need historicals that aren’t another Girl Falls In Love With Duke story….” the author responded with, “I've got a girl who thinks she wants a Duke but actually falls for a shy nobody story.” O.M.G. Ladies and gents, that’s an elevator pitch right there! Print is out in August, but y’all need to wait for September 1 for the ebook.

What Unusual Historicals are you looking forward to this month?