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
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The Best-Kept Secrets by Sarah M. Eden
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWith her ever-ready smile, Eve O’Doyle faces life’s challenges with boundless optimism. However, even she finds it difficult to see the silver lining in her parents’ news: disaster has struck, leaving their genteel family in dire financial straits. But all is not lost. In the name of economizing, Eve will skip the London Season—even if it means dooming herself to spinsterhood... -
![Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden]()
Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden
Charlie 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... -
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![The Loyalty of a Lyon: The Lyon's Den Connected World (The Lyon's Den Connected World) by Linda Rae Sande]()
The Loyalty of a Lyon: The Lyon's Den Connected World (The Lyon's Den Connected World) by Linda Rae Sande
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe’s the widowed Marquess of Hawke. She’s a wealthy spinster named for Apollo. Will a conniving cousin thwart a matchmaker’s plans to see they end up together? Robert Strathford, Marquess of Hawke, had thought to spend his older years traveling the world with his beloved wife, but when Eleanor dies in a carriage accident, he’s left heartbroken—and broke... -
![Petteril's Folly by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Folly by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTime to confront reality – and a worrying mystery.Lord Petteril and his new viscountess return to England to face the consequences of their unequal marriage, only to discover that Petteril’s valet, the enigmatic Stewart, has been arrested for theft... -
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![The Secret Heart by Mary Lancaster]()
The Secret Heart by Mary Lancaster
Betrayal, temptation and an impossible love.The final book in the Unmarriageable series...Some suspect that Lily Villin is the true heart of the Hart Inn, a lucky house where love always seems to blossom, whatever the obstacles. But Lily has another secret. She is in love with an enigmatic nobleman, and no luck in the world can make such a marriage possible... -
![The Devil's Deception by Wendy Vella]()
The Devil's Deception by Wendy Vella
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHiding in plain sightWhen your life is destroyed by a faceless villain and the grief cuts so deep it could destroy you, there are two choices. Give up or fight. Lord Montgomery chose the latter. Society sees him as a bumbling fool, but in fact Theo is far from it. With the return of his childhood friend, Lady Iris Challoner, everything suddenly changes... -
![Petteril's Wife by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Wife by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIncognito in Portugal…Lord Petteril’s cousin, the newly commissioned Major Bertie Withan, has gone missing somewhere between landing in Lisbon and joining his regiment on the front line of the Peninsular War... -
![Winter of Solace by Kathryn Le Veque]()
Winter of Solace by Kathryn Le Veque
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCaius d'Avignon, the knight known as The Britannia Viper, finds himself on the opposite side of William Marshal... and the Executioner Knights are caught in the middle... Welcome to another Executioner Knights' tale! When Caius d’Avignon is sent north at the request of a cousin of William Marshal to help in a dispute between neighbors, Caius couldn’t have imagined how his life would change... -
![A Proposal to Wed by Kathleen Ayers]()
A Proposal to Wed by Kathleen Ayers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLucy Waterstone is being bartered.Gerald Waterstone, her father, is drowning in debt and would never sell his precious horse farm. He’d much rather trade his lisping spinster of a daughter to Lord Dufton in return for being made whole. But it isn’t Lucy Dufton wants, rather the estate attached to her skirts. Marsden. She has no idea why Dufton covets Marsden or even what it is... -
![A Proposal to Wed by Kathleen Ayers]()
A Proposal to Wed by Kathleen Ayers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLucy Waterstone is being bartered.Gerald Waterstone, her father, is drowning in debt and would never sell his precious horse farm. He’d much rather trade his lisping spinster of a daughter to Lord Dufton in return for being made whole. But it isn’t Lucy Dufton wants, rather the estate attached to her skirts. Marsden. She has no idea why Dufton covets Marsden or even what it is... -
![Petteril's Christmas by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Christmas by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA merry Christmas for the Petterils?Piers wants to make their first Christmas together special, and so it proves to be - just not quite in the way he planned.His eccentric Great Aunt Prudence summons him to London with the news that she is dying and that one of her servants is stealing from her. Only one of these claims turns out to be true, though both require investigating... -
![Petteril's Corpse by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Corpse by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA murdered stranger in his home wood…The discovery of a naked corpse upsets the new Viscount Petteril’s return to his ancestral acres. The local magistrate, Robert Lindon, has no idea how to proceed with so heinous a crime... -
![An Impulsive Kiss by Alexa Aston]()
An Impulsive Kiss by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA hardened marquess who feels he has no soul. A naive young lady making her come-out. An impulsive kiss which leads to a marriage of convenience . . . Judson Jarvis, Marquess of Huntsberry, was raised by his uncle, who brutally punished Judson in order to toughen the orphaned weakling... -
![Designs on the Duke by Alexa Aston]()
Designs on the Duke by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA twin back from war, his brother dying in his arms . . .A woman who has traveled the world and learned from those travels . . .Two people who don’t fit into the constricting rules of London’s Polite Society . . .Major Elijah Young never met his father, the Duke of Bradford, who believed his young wife betrayed him and gave birth to twins sired by another man... -
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![The Mysterious Marquess by Grace Burrowes]()
The Mysterious Marquess by Grace Burrowes
The Prodigal Peer…Lucien, Marquess of Lynnfield, disappeared from the family seat nearly a decade ago, and now he’s back, ready to take his inheritance in hand. Questions swirl–Where was he? Why return now? What sort of man has he become?–and Lucien can’t offer much in the way of explanations... -
![Petteril's Thief by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Thief by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA missing family heirloom – and one of the family stole it.In the spring of 1812, Piers Withan is dragged from his beloved Oxford to be the new Viscount Petteril. Burdened by responsibilities he doesn’t want and the remnants of a family who don’t want him, he is saved from an irredeemable mistake by Ape, the small thief burgling his house... -
![Petteril's Ladybird by Mary Lancaster]()
Petteril's Ladybird by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAn earl’s son, shot in the home of his mistress…Lord Petteril, with his redoubtable assistant April, is called back to London to help prove the innocence of his friend, Percy Austen, who is suspected of murder.Percy was once the lover of the victim’s mistress, and his pistol was found at the scene of the crime... -
![The Earl's Iron Warrant by Kate Archer]()
The Earl's Iron Warrant by Kate Archer
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn Icy Lady and an Implacable Lord... Charles Battersea, Earl of Dalton and heir to the Duke of Glastonburg, is the last holdout among the six young heirs who have been pressured to marry by way of the Dukes’ Pact. This surprises precisely nobody, especially not himself. He has unaccountably lost his friend, Grayson, to Miss Dell, but if he is forced to tow the bachelorhood line alone, so be it... -
![Jennifer by Beverley Watts]()
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![An Autumn Courtship by Mary Kingswood]()
An Autumn Courtship by Mary Kingswood
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA family in trade moving up in the world. A family of landed gentry stepping aside for them. And the sons and daughters caught in the middle.Johnny Fletcher is exactly where he wants to be - a Fellow at Cambridge, with a lifetime of scholarly pursuits in front of him. He’s not allowed to marry, but he has no need for a wife when he has his books for company... -
![Fashioning the Duke by Alexa Aston]()
Fashioning the Duke by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEight titled peers who never expected to become dukes do just that—and are attracted to females whom Polite Society does not believe worthy of the title duchess, due to their desires to be more than typical ladies of the ton... -
![Investigating the Duke by Alexa Aston]()
Investigating the Duke by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA serious clergyman whose brothers die, leaving him an unexpected duke . . .A woman who is making her way as a Bow Street runner . . .An investigation that leads them to the truth—and each other . . .Jasper Lincoln is happy tending to his congregation when news arrives of his brother’s death in battle. Jasper’s father, ailing for several months, slips away, unable to bear the news... -
![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... -
![Fall of the Lyon: The Lyon's Den by Chasity Bowlin]()
Fall of the Lyon: The Lyon's Den by Chasity Bowlin
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made... unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves... -
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![A Winter Chase by Mary Kingswood]()
A Winter Chase by Mary Kingswood
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA family in trade moving up in the world. A family of landed gentry stepping aside for them. And the sons and daughters caught in the middle.Julia Fletcher is the unimportant daughter of the Fletcher family, with neither beauty nor wit nor accomplishments, but always in a scrape. Somehow she never manages to get through the day without breaking or spilling or tearing something... -
![Mercedes by Beverley Watts]()
Mercedes by Beverley Watts
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFrom the highly acclaimed author of The Shackleford Sisters, Beverley Watts, comes an exciting new series featuring the next generation. The Shackleford Legacies are a delightful dance of romance, humour, mystery and fun... As the eldest daughter of the Earl of Cottesmore, Lady Mercedes Stanhope didn't expect to be still without a husband at the start of her third season... -
![Sleepless in Southampton by Chasity Bowlin]()
Sleepless in Southampton by Chasity Bowlin
Every touch brings with it a world of temptation. Eventually, there is a point of no return. Miss Sophia Upchurch is not having a good day. Her employer is dead, she’s been robbed, she’s now stranded in a strange city, and the handsome man she’d met on the stage, the man she’d flirted with, is no longer simply Mr. Henry Meredith, a possible suitor... -
![The Moonstone Pirate: A Regency Historical Romance by Meara Platt]()
The Moonstone Pirate: A Regency Historical Romance by Meara Platt
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWelcome to Moonstone Landing, where moonstones shimmer beneath the sea and a pirate’s heart is about to be captured with true love’s kiss.Lady Imogen Stockwell is convinced her handsome new neighbor, Draco Waring, Earl of Woodley is a pirate... -
![The Fallen Viscount by Wendy Vella]()
The Fallen Viscount by Wendy Vella
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRuined in the eyes of society, and removed from the only world they’d ever known, the Nightingale siblings vow never to be victims again. They will build their new life on what they’d once ignored. Being a clairvoyant is an excellent survival skill.Could she be the one to save him?Leopold Nightingale was a man who could find things no one else could... -
![A Village Scandal by Dilly Court]()
A Village Scandal by Dilly Court
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe second book in the dramatic new Village Secrets trilogy from the Sunday Times bestselling author. It was her wedding day… the roses and bluebells were blooming and their sweet-scent was filling the air, so why did Daisy feel the cold fingers of fear run down her spine? Spring in the village, April 1869 It’s spring in Little Creek and wedding bells are ringing... -
![My Kind of Scoundrel by Adele Clee]()
My Kind of Scoundrel by Adele Clee
By day, Miss Eleanor Darrow is one of London’s finest modistes. By night, she is a trusted confidante and the keeper of the ton’s scandalous secrets. But what began as an innocent way to supplement her income has her fearing for her life. Her box of secrets is missing. Fortunately, she knows the identity of the handsome scoundrel who stole it... -
![Lyon's Prey: The Lyon's Den Connected World by Anna St. Claire]()
Lyon's Prey: The Lyon's Den Connected World by Anna St. Claire
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsEnter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made... unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.Haunted by his wife’s death, he vowed to never marry again.. -
![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... -
![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...Categorized as:
regency class difference m-f historical tortured heroine victorian tortured hero audiobook -
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![It's Raining Rakes in April by Annabelle Anders]()
It's Raining Rakes in April by Annabelle Anders
An undercover duke and a clumsy, but ambitious, debutanteEveryone knows debutantes will do anything to marry a duke, which is precisely why this season, the Duke of Ridgefield is going undercover as yet another notorious rake—the mysterious Mr. Pope. As the eldest of seven sisters, Miss Julia Rigsby has one task in life—marry well. The trouble is, she’s clueless when it comes to flirting...Categorized as:
class difference regency m-f shy heroine historical length-short united-kingdom virgin heroine -
![To Steal a Lyon’s Heart by Dayna Quince]()
To Steal a Lyon’s Heart by Dayna Quince
A marriage contract, a life debt, and a love worth defying fate for..Lord Samuel Clark, Earl of Alston, woke from the brink of death to a new life he didn’t recognize. To save him, his sister made a deal with the Widow of Whitehall, trapping Sam in a marriage contract with a total stranger. But Sam refuses to accept such a cold fate and schemes to free himself in secret...Categorized as:
regency m-f shy heroine sweet heroine historical length-medium explicit-open-door siblings-bff -
![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... -
![Duke of Pryde by Mariah Stone]()
Duke of Pryde by Mariah Stone
A marriage of convenience forces a powerful duke to choose between his ferocious pride and love that melts his icy heart.Reputation is everything in the ton. And no one's is more pristine than Constantine Buccleigh, Duke of Pryde's... -
![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 -
![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 -
![Miss Dignified by Grace Burrowes]()
Miss Dignified by Grace Burrowes
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 16 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... -
![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... -
![Seducing September's Scoundrel by Diana Bold]()
Seducing September's Scoundrel by Diana Bold
In the scandalous world of Regency London, where society's rakes reign supreme, the Brazen Belle, a notorious gossip columnist, casts her wicked spotlight on the charismatic scoundrels of the ton. Welcome to the captivating ninth installment of The Rake Review series, where chaos and reluctant romance collide in a tempestuous dance... -
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![The Hunt for Mr. October by Tabetha Waite]()
The Hunt for Mr. October by Tabetha Waite
It had been the moment Elwood Tyburne, the Earl of Belmont, had been dreading for months. Ever since that Brazen Belle and her dastardly, Rake Review had started wreaking havoc upon all of his friends and acquaintances—some of which were wrongly accused—he had been in a state of panic... -
![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.. -
![Fallen Angel by Charlotte Louise Dolan]()
Fallen Angel by Charlotte Louise Dolan
Man of Mystery It was simple for Miss Verity Jolliffe to find out a great deal about Gabriel Rainsford, Lord Sherington. His good looks and wealth were evident. His arrogance and ruthlessness were legendary. Still, a question remained...Categorized as:
regency shy heroine plain heroine sweet heroine class difference m-f historical slow burn -
![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...
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