Books like 'The Ideal Wife'
Readers who enjoyed The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical plain heroine regency marriage of convenience shy heroine sweet-hero cheerful heroine sweet heroine working class heroine class difference
-
Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsCharlie Jonquil is mild-mannered and kind—except when it comes to his one true adversary, Artemis Lancaster. Though Charlie has a brilliant mind for mathematics, Artemis poses a problem he can’t seem to comprehend: how can one be so lovely and so infuriating? A party in London brings him into the company of the maddening young lady, and it is clear that Charlie’s disdain is mutual...Categorized as:
regency marriage of convenience m-f historical clean from hate to love length-medium -
![Miss Determined by Grace Burrowes]()
Miss Determined by Grace Burrowes
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsTrevor, Marquess of Tavistock, has finally decided to stop larking around on the Continent, come home, and take a bride. His solicitors applaud his decision to settle down, provided he chooses a wealthy young lady to be his marchioness. Those years Trevor spent seeing the world were bad years for the lordly coffers... -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![In the Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell]()
In the Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell
A lady of reserve and a fierce street fighter find common ground in the second Lost Lords of London novel by USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell.Eight years ago, Lady Lila March retreated to the safe shadows of her family’s estate after a devastating tragedy. Weary of being a whisper of her former self, she is determined to brave the dangers of the outside world again... -
![Duke with a Reputation by Scarlett Scott]()
Duke with a Reputation by Scarlett Scott
From USA Today bestselling author Scarlett Scott comes a scorching-hot enemies-to-lovers romance between a single dad duke and the fiercely independent countess who has vowed to guard her heart at all costs...The Duke of Brandon is London’s most infamous rake... -
-
![The Duke's Virgin Sister by Caroline Lee]()
The Duke's Virgin Sister by Caroline Lee
They haven’t quite managed to tame her wild streak. It is to be The Match of the Season. At least, that’s what Lady Carlotta Merritt, sister to the cool and aloof Duke of Cashingham, has been told repeatedly by her mother. The Dowager is beyond thrilled about her daughter’s engagement to Society’s most eligible bachelor, Lord What’s-His-Face... -
![Precious Bane by Mary Webb]()
Precious Bane by Mary Webb
A compelling story of passion, with an enduring air of enchantment throughout, Precious Bane is a novel that haunts us with its beauty and its timeless truths about our deepest hopes. Set in Shropshire in the 1800s, it is alive with the many moods of Nature, benevolent and violent and the many moods -- equally benevolent and violent -- of the people making lives there... -
![One Night to Remember by Erica Ridley]()
One Night to Remember by Erica Ridley
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMeet the unforgettable men of London's most notorious tavern, The Wicked Duke... -
![Stormy Persuasion by Johanna Lindsey]()
Stormy Persuasion by Johanna Lindsey
James Malory sets sail for America to honor a promise he made to his in-laws: His and Georgina’s daughter, Jacqueline, will have her come-out in America. Judith and Jacqueline Malory are not simply cousins; they are inseparable best friends...Categorized as:
regency class difference sweet-hero m-f historical virgin heroine pirates cruel hero -
![Miss Dignified by Grace Burrowes]()
Miss Dignified by Grace Burrowes
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsLydia Lovelace has taken the housekeeper’s post in the London home of Captain Dylan Powell. The captain is short on charm, but he’s known for his rapport with, and support of, former soldiers trying to make a peacetime life in London... -
![Vacancy: Viscount Preferred by Tammy Andresen]()
Vacancy: Viscount Preferred by Tammy Andresen
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLady Priscilla is in trouble…When a cousin she didn’t even know existed inherits her father’s title, the new Earl of Purlington wants more than just the earldom, he want’s Priscilla too. Or at least, her dowry. What she needs is a hero. A man to swoop in and save her despite her cousin’s intimidating lurking...Categorized as:
regency marriage of convenience m-f historical mystery victorian suspense length-short -
![Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer]()
Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer
THE ABDUCTION Dominic Alistair, Marquis of Vidal is a bad lot a rake and seducer, reckless, heedless, and possessed of a murderous temper. He is known by friend and foe alike as the "Devil's Cub." Yet as the handsome and wealthy heir to a Dukedom, he is considered a good prospect on the marriage market... -
![Always the Matchmaker by Emily E K Murdoch]()
Always the Matchmaker by Emily E K Murdoch
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAlways the matchmaker and never the bride - even when she's found her perfect partner…Miss Theodosia Ashbrooke does not believe there is anything greater than matching the perfect pair - and she's become rather expert in it. Never mind that she's never found the missing half to her own soul and body. Perhaps that's not her lot in life, even at the age of eight and twenty... -
![Indecent by Darcy Burke]()
Indecent by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSociety’s most exclusive invitation...Welcome to the Phoenix Club, where London’s most audacious, disreputable, and intriguing ladies and gentlemen find scandal, redemption, and second chances.If Bennet St... -
![The Duke and the Dressmaker by Eva Devon]()
The Duke and the Dressmaker by Eva Devon
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA duke becomes unraveled by love in this delightful historical romance from USA Today bestselling author Eva Devon…Dressmaker Miss Lily Martin knows too well the sordid dealings of London’s corrupt underbelly. She should have known borrowing from one of the city’s most reviled moneylenders was risky. Horribly so... -
-
![A Governess Should Never... Tempt a Prizefighter by Emily Windsor]()
A Governess Should Never... Tempt a Prizefighter by Emily Windsor
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 15 ratings“So tell me, Miss Griffin, why should I employ you as governess?”A question to rouse fear within the breast of any prospective governess but for Matilda, a lady without references, appropriate brown clothing or any experience with children whatsoever, doubly so... -
![Cotillion by Georgette Heyer]()
Cotillion by Georgette Heyer
Kitty Charing can inherit a fortune from her irascible great-uncle Matthew when she marries one of her cousins. Kitty is not wholly averse, if the right nephew proposes. Unfortunately, Kitty has set her heart on Jack Westruther, a confirmed rake. To make him jealous and to see a little more of the world, Kitty convinces cousin Freddy Standen to pose as her fiance...Categorized as:
regency sweet-hero sweet heroine m-f historical fake relationship slow burn shy-hero -
![Schooling the Duke by Christi Caldwell]()
Schooling the Duke by Christi Caldwell
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBook 1 in a brand-new Regency series by Christi Caldwell! There once was a gypsy’s pendant said to bring its wearer the heart of a duke. Some found love and others--heart ache...Categorized as:
regency working class heroine m-f military historical victorian tall-heroine teacher-heroine -
![The Moonstone Duke by Meara Platt]()
The Moonstone Duke by Meara Platt
What happens when a steamy duke who has never lost in battle meets the innocent young lady determined to conquer his heart?When Lady Henley Killigrew’s father dies and his title of earl passes to a not so friendly cousin who wants her and her two younger sisters out of their elegant London townhouse, she takes them to Moonstone Cottage, a lovely manor house they inherited from a maiden aunt in... -
![Never Have I Ever With a Duke by Darcy Burke]()
Never Have I Ever With a Duke by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the USA Today bestselling author of The Untouchables series comes your next Regency obsession: The Spitfire Society... Meet the smart, independent women who've decided they don't need Society's rules, their families' expectations, or, most importantly, a husband. But just because they don't need a man doesn't mean they might not want one.. -
![Undressed with the Marquess by Christi Caldwell]()
Undressed with the Marquess by Christi Caldwell
For a heartbroken woman and a daring thief, the most tempting proposal comes after marriage in the unforgettable final Lost Lords of London novel by USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell.Long ago, Dare Grey disappeared from privilege to help the downtrodden. Abandoning his future as a nobleman, he instead came of age as the most skilled—and wanted—thief in East London...Categorized as:
regency class difference marriage of convenience m-f historical victorian open-door second chances -
![Impassioned by Darcy Burke]()
Impassioned by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsSociety’s most exclusive invitation...Welcome to the Phoenix Club, where London’s most audacious, disreputable, and intriguing ladies and gentlemen find scandal, redemption, and second chances.In nearly two years of marriage, Sabrina Westbrook has barely spoken to her husband and shared a bed even less. Both activities would require they actually live together... -
![Ten Kisses to Scandal by Vivienne Lorret]()
Ten Kisses to Scandal by Vivienne Lorret
The Bourne Matrimonial Agency has one rule—never fall in love with the client. However, they never said anything about kissing a rake…Briar Bourne’s matchmaking career could be summed up in two words—comic disaster. Unless she can learn about the irresistible forces that draw men and women together, her professional future looks rather bleak...Categorized as:
regency class difference m-f victorian age difference historical length-medium explicit-open-door -
![Violet by Lauren Royal]()
Violet by Lauren Royal
England, 1673 The Ashcroft family motto is "Question Convention," and eldest sister Violet agrees with the sentiment completely. For one thing, she's not planning to marry... -
![The Murmur of Masks: Love and Heartbreak in Regency England by Catherine Kullmann]()
The Murmur of Masks: Love and Heartbreak in Regency England by Catherine Kullmann
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAnything Can Happen at a Masquerade – Just Ask Olivia Eighteen-year-old Olivia's naval captain father is 'somewhere at sea' fighting the French when her mother dies suddenly, leaving her daughter homeless. Desperately in need of security and safety, a distraught Olivia accepts Jack Rembleton's offer of a marriage of convenience, hoping that love will grow between them... -
-
![Sweet Rogue of Mine by Shana Galen]()
Sweet Rogue of Mine by Shana Galen
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA sharpshooter who’s lost his sight…When a stray pistol ball from the battlefield took Nash’s sight, it also took his entire identity. He’s retreated to his father’s county home to lick his wounds, but his drinking and isolation have only made things worse... -
![Accidentally His by Sabrina Jeffries]()
Accidentally His by Sabrina Jeffries
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWith a fresh new hook for readers of Regency romance by Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, and Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries returns to the Dazzling Debutantes series featuring a trio of ladies who defy social constraints by starting a business as party planners to the ton... -
![The Surprise Heir by Merry Farmer]()
The Surprise Heir by Merry Farmer
Sometimes the right man comes along in what seems like the wrong package, and sometimes making the wrong decision turns out to be the right way to fall in love….American dollar princess Melanie Pennypacker has accepted the surprise invitation to join a matchmaking house party for the summer for one reason and one reason only—to find a partner. But not a marriage partner... -
![Taking the Spinster by Samantha Holt]()
Taking the Spinster by Samantha Holt
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe Earl of Henleigh has no time or desire for women. Well, that’s a lie. He has the desire, but since his disastrous engagement, he’s avoided the opposite sex at all costs.It’s a shame Miss Haversham has not received the message, though.The determined reporter refuses to leave Guy alone, convinced he’s the key to a story... -
![Lady Helen Finds Her Song by Jennifer Moore]()
Lady Helen Finds Her Song by Jennifer Moore
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsSpring 1813 --The exotic splendors of India are legendary, and the colorful sights of her new home in Calcutta immediately captivate eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Poulter. Whereas many of her fellow British expatriates despise the culture they see as barbaric, Helen sees excitement in the unusual locale... -
![His Wicked Heart by Darcy Burke]()
His Wicked Heart by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIt’s hard to be respectable… Jasper Sinclair, Earl of Saxton, made a bargain with the devil—his father—to marry in one month's time. But instead of declaring his intentions for an acceptable debutante, he indulges his long-buried baser needs by joining a fighting club and pursuing a delectable woman who may not be what she seems... -
![The Wicked Baron by Mary Lancaster]()
The Wicked Baron by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsThe Wicked Baron is the first in the Blackhaven Brides series, set in a newly fashionable spa town on the beautiful Cumbrian coast, where the great and the bad of visiting Regency society turn local life upside down. Orphan Gillie Muir makes ends meet by holding genteel card parties for friends and visitors to the newly fashionable spa town of Blackhaven... -
![The Prizefighter's Hart by Emily Royal]()
The Prizefighter's Hart by Emily Royal
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA spinster. A prizefighter. A marriage of convenience. This bout can’t end well. Plain, prim, and beyond marriageable age, Dorothea Hart is resigned to the life of a spinster aunt. But she yearns for a family of her own, and is hopelessly attracted to the ‘Mighty Oak’—a prizefighter renowned for his prowess—who stirs previously unknown passions in her... -
![Prince Charming by Gaelen Foley]()
Prince Charming by Gaelen Foley
" There is star quality in this writer!" raves the Romantic Times about gifted author Gaelen Foley. Her love stories are filled with glorious settings, stunning characters, and unforgettable passion. Destiny casts its hand one perfect moonlit night when Ascencion's most elusive highwayman, the Masked Rider, chooses the wrong coach to rob...Categorized as:
regency class difference m-f historical virgin heroine royalty explicit-open-door length-long -
![Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly]()
Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly
Playing with Fire — Young widow Roxanna Drew was fair game in the sport of cads. Her suddenly impoverished state made her as vulnerable as her beauty made her tempting to men with more money than morals. Lord Marshall Whitcomb, who held her purse strings in his pawing hands, was intent on luring her into his bed...Categorized as:
regency marriage of convenience sweet heroine sweet-hero m-f historical single-mother length-medium -
-
![Mr. Hunt, I Presume by Valerie Bowman]()
Mr. Hunt, I Presume by Valerie Bowman
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe never forgot her… When General Collin Hunt is ordered to take a much-needed holiday, he resigns himself to rest and recreation at his brother's country estate. But when the only woman ever loved—and selflessly gave up—shows up as his sister-in-law's governess, his carefully ordered life is turned inside out... -
![The Elusive Flame by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss]()
The Elusive Flame by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
A woman in desperate straits ... A fearless man ... A marriage of convenience on turbulent waters ... Cerynise Kendall has been left destitute and in dire need following the death of her doting patron and protectress...Categorized as:
regency marriage of convenience m-f historical pregnancy virgin heroine secret child -
![Her Prodigal Passion by Grace Callaway]()
Her Prodigal Passion by Grace Callaway
A Diamond in the Rough Merchant's daughter Charity Sparkler is a sensible miss who harbors one secret folly: she's in love with her best friend's brother. She knows that the worldly rake will never return a wallflower's affections, yet when destiny throws them together, she discovers that passion can be the greatest of equalizers ... and love can be more than a dream...Categorized as:
regency shy heroine plain heroine historical virgin heroine possessive hero athletes fighters -
![To Kiss A Rake by Barbara Monajem]()
To Kiss A Rake by Barbara Monajem
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWHEN A LADY IS ABDUCTED BY MISTAKE . . . Melinda Starling doesn’t let ladylike behavior get in the way of true love. She’s secretly assisting in an elopement . . . until she’s tossed into the waiting coach and driven away by a notorious rake. REVENGE REALLY DOESN’T PAY. Miles Warren, Lord Garrison, comes from a family of libertines, and he’s the worst of them all—or so society believes... -
![The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh]()
The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh
The Lady and the Libertine Lord Edmund Waite was everything that Lady Mary Gregg despised in a man. He was lewd, lascivious, mocking—the most notorious and successful rake in the realm. Happily, Mary had nothing to fear from this lord of libertines. A bluestocking like her could never tempt a man whose taste ran to pretty playthings for his pleasures... -
![The Wicked Games of a Gentleman by Jillian Hunter]()
The Wicked Games of a Gentleman by Jillian Hunter
Rated: 3.97 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsAward-winning author Jillian Hunter gives us another irresistible story teeming with seduction, scandal, and secrets.Lord Drake Boscastle has everything–smoldering good looks, extreme wealth, and devilish charms. Everything, that is, except true happiness. Hoping to satisfy his growing discontent, he is set to meet one of the most celebrated courtesans in England for a heated rendezvous... -
![Fortune Favors the Viscount by Caroline Linden]()
Fortune Favors the Viscount by Caroline Linden
There’s no such thing as luck…Once a lady, reduced to a governess, Emilia Greene is desperate. The child in her care has been left orphaned and penniless, and Emilia will do anything to protect her—even track down the girl’s only relation. That man would be the next Viscount Sydenham, and surely he’ll be gentleman enough to take care of his cousin... -
![Courting the Countess by Donna Hatch]()
Courting the Countess by Donna Hatch
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen charming rake Tristan Barrett sweeps Lady Elizabeth off her feet, stealing both her heart and a kiss in a secluded garden, her brother challenges Tristan to a duel. The only way to save her brother and Tristan from harm—not to mention preserve her reputation—is to get married. But her father, the Duke of Pemberton, refuses to allow his daughter to marry anyone but a titled lord... -
![A Most Unlikely Duke by Sophie Barnes]()
A Most Unlikely Duke by Sophie Barnes
He never thought he'd become a duke, or that the secrets of his past would cost him his greatest love... Raphe Matthews hasn’t stepped foot in polite circles since a tragedy left his once-noble family impoverished and in debt. The bare-knuckle boxer has spent the last fifteen years eking out an existence for himself and his two sisters... -
![The Claiming of the Shrew by Shana Galen]()
The Claiming of the Shrew by Shana Galen
What happens when a marriage of convenience isn't so convenient? Lieutenant Colonel Benedict Draven has retired from the army and spends most of his days either consulting for the Foreign Office or whiling away the hours at his club with his former comrades-in-arms. He rarely thinks about the fiery Portuguese woman he saved from an abusive marriage by wedding her himself... -
-
![Red Roses Mean Love by Jacquie D'Alessandro]()
Red Roses Mean Love by Jacquie D'Alessandro
After nearly being killed, Lord Stephen Barrett regains consciousness in an unfamiliar but free-spirited household, nursed by the oldest sister of orphaned children. He decides to hide out there for a while and develops a bond with the children and a passion for his seductive nursemaid. But when Stephen walks out of Hayley's life one night, it will take his sister to bring them back together...Categorized as:
regency sweet heroine class difference m-f historical tortured heroine poor heroine open-door -
![The Marquess Move by Valerie Bowman]()
The Marquess Move by Valerie Bowman
She’s a maid with big dreams.A dutiful lady’s maid, Miss Madeline Atwood knows precisely what her future holds: countless nights of dressing her mistress in silk gowns, pinning her hair in elegant curls, and selecting the perfect pair of slippers before sending her off to the ball. But Madeline harbors a secret dream... -
![Ashbrook Abbey by Heather Chapman]()
Ashbrook Abbey by Heather Chapman
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAmbrose Notley couldn't imagine a better future than that of a rich bachelor. In fact, Loftus Notley, Ambrose's uncle and owner of the charming Ashbrook Abbey, leads the exact kind of life Ambrose longs for--freedom from worry, responsibility, and...any and all entanglements with the female gender...Categorized as:
regency marriage of convenience class difference historical christian length-novella -
![The Captain's Wife by Nina Jarrett]()
The Captain's Wife by Nina Jarrett
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsIn this steamy historical romance a vicar's daughter marries a handsome army captain but they are separated by war and the acts of men, with little hope of reconciliation.Mrs. Thorne is a woman with no past ...After fulfilling her life long dream of marrying Captain Lewis, Mrs. Lydia Lewis survives a brutal evening in her husband's absence and is forced to run from the family home... -
![A Taste for Scandal by Erin Knightley]()
A Taste for Scandal by Erin Knightley
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOne taste will bring him back for more . . . A Tempting Diversion Things have always fallen into place for Richard Moore, Earl of Raleigh. His good looks, abundance of charm, and the small matter of being heir to a marquisate make him quite the catch. So when a delectable young woman wants nothing to do with him, he can't help but seize the irresistible challenge... -
![Married to the Lord by Samantha Holt]()
Married to the Lord by Samantha Holt
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWaiting for one's fiancé to set a date is never fun. Especially when it has now officially been years. Particularly when one is a veritable wallflower with little chance of anything better coming along. More so when said fiancé's brother is paying particular attention to one's life and causing all sorts of confusing emotions.All Miss Augusta Snow wants is for Henry to return home and set the date...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
