Books like 'After Innocence'
Readers who enjoyed After Innocence by Brenda Joyce also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical virgin heroine alpha male working class hero secret child forbidden love second chances shy heroine disabilities and marks class difference
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The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of What the Wind Knows and From Sand and Ash comes a powerful love story about a musical duo who put everything on the line to be together. New York, 1960: For Benny Lament, music is his entire life. With his father’s deep ties to the mob, the Bronx piano man has learned that love and family can get you in trouble...Categorized as:
20th century forbidden love historical mafia length-long audiobook standalone standalone-first -
A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White
Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I--to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales. Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won--until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist... -
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WolfeShield by Kathryn Le Veque
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsSometimes, men are impulsive in life and love. When Ronan de Wolfe, son of James de Wolfe (A Wolfe Among Dragons), marries young and impulsively, the consequences will prove to be disastrous when he meets the love of his life...Categorized as:
forbidden love second chances historical medieval cheating love triangle length-medium audiobook -
The Governess Diaries by Chasity Bowlin
Love lost and found…. As a girl, Euphemia Darrow had fallen desperately in love with the younger son of the Duke of Clarenden, Nicholas Montford. But he broke her heart with a cold dismissal before he left to join the army. Rather than pine for him, Effie found another purpose for her life... -
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Ruby in the Rough by Tamara Gill
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA cold-hearted duke. A spirited heiress. One scandalous surrender. Lady Cordelia Ravensmere wanted a love match. Instead, she wed the enigmatic Duke of Walpole, a man who warned her he would never give his heart. But Christian North is nothing like she expected—aloof yet magnetic, cold yet burning with a passion he cannot hide... -
Seven Nights with the Duke by Alyssa Clarke
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsMiss Elizabeth ‘Lizzy’ Fairbanks cannot forget a few abandoned moments with Rannulf Headley, the Duke of Ravenswood. Their romance had begun by accident until it ended when she discovered they were worlds apart. Now that her brother is the new Earl of Celdon, the very bad Fairbanks have been trying to behave themselves and fit into London society... -
Light at Lavelle by Paullina Simons
'Paullina Simons pulls on every heartstring, she's a master of epic love stories' COLLEEN HOOVER. TORN BETWEEN WHAT THEY CANNOT HAVE AND WHAT THEY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT. It is 1929. The world is about to change. Finn Evans is a successful Boston banker harboring a secret that threatens to unravel his carefully constructed idyllic life... -
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 virgin heroine shy heroine historical regency length-short m-f united-kingdom -
Meant for the Marquess by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAn army major compelled to leave the military. A lady forced to earn her living. Two souls finding a new way of life . . . and each other . . . along with love. A brutal attack leaves Major Devin Hunt missing two fingers. Unable to fire a gun, he sells his commission and takes refuge with a former fellow officer who has now become a duke... -
An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White
Once London’s top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker’s daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold...Categorized as:
20th century class difference suspense historical christian glimpses-kisses length-long audiobook -
A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsIn celebration of its thirtieth anniversary, here is the novel that started it all: New York Times bestselling author Barbara Taylor Bradford’s dazzling saga of a woman who dared to dream—and to triumph against all odds. . . . On the brooding moors above a humble Yorkshire village stood Fairley Hall. There, Emma Harte, its oppressed but resourceful servant girl, acquired a shrewd determination... -
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... -
Restored by Joanna Chambers
Eighteen years ago, Henry Asquith, Duke of Avesbury had to leave his kept lover, Kit Redford, in order to devote himself to raising his young family. Now, a lifetime later, his children are moving on and for the first time in years, Henry is alone...Categorized as:
second chances class difference historical regency m-m open-door queer length-medium -
One Wedding and an Earl by Tracy Sumner
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this sizzling Regency romance by USA Today bestselling author Tracy Sumner, a notorious earl and an infamous hellion need to face an unforgettable passion. A scarred earl with a big heart—and a big problem. Since his return from war, the Earl of Stanford’s life has been anything but simple... -
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Mrs. Milner Gets A Kitchen by Jane Hadley
St. Paul, Minnesota -. 1955 -. Marion Milner is the only divorcee she knows (other than her ex-husband, of course) and she’s sick and tired of being the target of all the neighborhood gossip...Categorized as:
class difference 20th century working class hero historical beta-hero christmas sweet-hero m-f -
The Blacksmith by Cecelia Mecca
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFour men. One mission— to save England. Love will have to wait. . . Lance Wayland has a secret purpose for becoming Stanton Castle’s new smith. He and his three closest friends are the founding members of the Order of the Broken Blade, formed to blunt the power of King John, whose outrageous taxes and unjust laws have taken a toll on their country... -
Speak of the Duke by Tamara Gill
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSpeak of the duke and he shall appear…. Julia Woodville knew the kiss she’d shared with Lord Cyrus Franklin, known rake, couldn’t have meant as much to him as it had to her. And he proved her right by leaving London and marrying another. But now he’s back, and this time, she’s not about to let him anywhere near her heart…. Leaving Julia behind was one of Cyrus’s greatest regrets...Categorized as:
second chances secret child victorian historical regency humor highlander length-short -
The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWelcome to the next generation in the Duchess Society! Tobias Streeter’s son and Xander Macauley’s daughter fight falling in love! In the bustling streets of 1840s London, a jaded and world-weary man, Nigel Streeter, carries the scars of a tortuous past... -
Moonstone Angel by Meara Platt
He thought she was a thief, but the only thing she ever stole was his heart... -
The Matter of a Marquess by Jess Michaels
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsViscountess Aurora Lovell has been in love with one man her entire life, but life intruded and never allowed her to be with him. She came to accept it, marrying for title rather than love. Now a widow, she’s busy trying to figure out how to manage a scandal about to destroy her world when she is invited to a country party. Desperate to escape the realities of her life, she accepts...Categorized as:
second chances class difference working class hero historical regency length-medium audiobook m-f -
Curled Up with an Earl by Amy Rose Bennett
"Ever since we first met, I've imagined what it would be like to be in your arms, to feel your lips upon mine. I'm twenty-eight years old. A shy and oft-times awkward spinster with singular scientific interests, and I've. .. I've never been kissed. Not once. In fact, I never thought I would ever want to be kissed. But then I met you and. .. and I do want this. Very much. "... -
Marquess of Fortune by Tammy Andresen
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Marquess of Fortune is too dangerously wicked to ignore…. Tall, dark, and handsome, the mysterious Lord Smith is the exact kind of man with which the sister of a baron should never consort. But he captures Miss Emily Cross's interest at every turn, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest whenever their eyes meet. Is this how a woman falls into ruin? One delicious step at a time…... -
The Hero and the Hellion by Ava Devlin
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsOne Last Scandal, for Old Time's Sake . .. A Hero's Homecoming. Lieutenant Callum Laughlin has spent four long years at war. Finally, he has enough status and fortune to return to Yorkshire and reclaim the woman of his dreams - a girl he could never have wed when he was a mere stable boy. What awaits him at Somerton is far from the warm welcome he imagined. A Hellion's Heartache... -
Lake + Manning by Jessica Hawkins
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsThe final book in the Something in the Way series, a love saga. Manning and I have what happily-ever-after is made of . . . A home he built us on the unshakeable foundation we fought for. A life of laughter carved out of heartache and betrayal. A love story to stand the test of time... -
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Savage Paradise by Cassie Edwards
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWhen Mariana Fowler arrives in the Minnesota territory, she is not prepared for the uncivilized world she encounters. What unsettles her most is the man who captures her attention, a handsome Chippewa brave named Lone Hawk - an enemy of her people. .. A fiercely proud warrior, Lone Hawk has every intention of resisting his powerful feelings for the beautiful woman whose life he saved... -
The Broken Heart by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsDanger, loyalty and loving the enemy…. Book 4 in The Unmarriageable Series is now available! Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited! Shunned by society and even by her own family after the treachery of her late husband, Isabelle de Renarde has long given up any thought of love or remarriage...Categorized as:
forbidden love working class hero alpha male regency historical victorian military insta-love -
A Counterfeit Courtesan by Jess Michaels
The final book in the popular series by 10 time USA Today bestselling author Jess Michaels. The last of the Shelley triplets to remain unmarried, Juliana Shelley has never felt like she’s recognized as her own person. But now, scarred by a terrible attack, she’s never felt so alone. Or so tired of cleaning up every else’s mess. She longs for something just for herself... -
Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCan she nab the headline without losing her heart? Elissa Tillman may be confined behind a secretarial desk, but her heart is out in the open world landing the big story that’ll place her father’s struggling newspaper back on top. When a millionaire inventor is murdered, she finally convinces her hesitant father to give her the break she’s been dreaming of. But there’s a catch... -
His Family Objects by Lucy Marin
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYou will find me here, patiently awaiting you. AFTER THEIR UNEXPECTED MEETING AT PEMBERLEY, Elizabeth Bennet believes that she and Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy have been afforded a second chance at love. Even with the news of Lydia Bennet’s elopement with George Wickham could surely only delay their happily ever after... -
Secrets of a Duke by Martha Keyes
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBy station, they’re worlds apart, but living under the same roof brings their hearts dangerously close. William Yorke faces a tall order: convince people he is worthy of the Dukedom of Rockwood that has unexpectedly fallen to him. Returning from London to his enormous estate, he breaks his journey at an inn and finds himself witness to a drunkard selling his wife to the highest bidder... -
Missing by Tammy Andresen
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsLady Rebecca has seen a ghost…. Three years after the death of her fiancé, the Marquess of Northhampton, she swears she sees him walking down the street. Why now? She can’t afford to lose her mental faculties after all this time. But then again at his father’s funeral, she sees his specter. That can’t be him under the trees...Categorized as:
virgin heroine second chances virgin hero historical victorian regency length-novella -
Lady Constantine and the Sins of Lord Kilgore by Julie Johnstone
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the game of love, even a rogue can come undone by his own wicked wager. Callum, the Marquess of Kilgore, long ago accepted that he was no saint. So when he’s offered a shameful bet—to seduce the lady some have dubbed the “Ice Queen” and recover the land he foolishly gambled away—he agrees... -
Saved by the Highland Beast: A Medieval Historical Romance Novel by Lydia Kendall
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo people that think they’re unworthy of love…meet each other. Lady Sophia’s life is in her stalker, who has been sending her love letters for years, is closing in on her. So, she decides to take a job as a tutor to the most dangerous part of the Laird McGill’s castle. Laird Dean’s son has driven away five tutors so far. And the man is desperate to find a woman to take care of his offspring...Categorized as:
alpha male class difference medieval historical victorian regency ancient times highlander -
The Scarred Highlander by Donna Fletcher
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCavell is searching for the wife he never wanted. A marriage has been arranged without his consent by his ambitious father, but he cannot locate his wife and he hopes it is because she wants nothing to do with the marriage, though a more likely reason is she doesn’t want to be wed to a badly scarred Highlander... -
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Wager with a Siren by Sofie Darling
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsIt was supposed to be one night with the marquess…. Everyone loves Lord Julian Batchelor, Marquess of Ormonde. The golden boy of the ton, he knows everyone, and they think they know him, too. But Julian harbors dark secrets, and he’s determined not to let anyone discover them—until he meets the one woman immune to him…. But when he meets a lady who’s his perfect match…... -
A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries
New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries delights readers with the final novel in her sexy Regency Hellions of Hallstead Hall romance series, featuring Lady Celia Sharpe and the upstanding Bow Street runner, Pinter. Lady Celia Sharpe has always been wary of marriage but now her future depends on it... -
Lord of the Privateers by Stephanie Laurens
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWidely known as the lord of the privateers, Royd Frobisher expects to execute the final stage of the rescue mission his brothers have begun. What he does not expect is to be pressured into taking Isobel Carmichael his childhood sweetheart, former handfasted bride and current business partner with him. A force of nature, Isobel has a mission of her own: to find and bring a young cousin safely home...Categorized as:
secret child second chances historical regency mystery friends to lovers length-long audiobook -
For Letter or Worse by Esther Hatch
Every word in his letter spells mortification. There was only one reason young Harrison Chase moved away from his idyllic country upbringing to the long dark hours of working in a London factory—he was bound and determined to make his fortune and deserve a chance to court Christine Stone...Categorized as:
class difference alpha male regency victorian historical beta-hero friends to lovers length-novella -
Dublin Bay by John Patrick
In 1939, the world tumbles toward war and the lives of two young men will be forever changed. James Brennan grew up in the poorest of Dublin’s tenements, turning adversity to advantage wherever he could. But he’s nearly a man now—with a good education at that—and wants more from life than what he can get as a day laborer, or following his father into the factory...Categorized as:
20th century class difference working class hero forbidden love historical m-m insta-love war -
To Bed the Baron by Emma V. Leech
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsGirls who dare – Inside every wallflower is the beating heart of a lioness, a passionate individual willing to risk all for their dream, if only they can find the courage to begin. When these overlooked girls make a pact to change their lives, anything can happen. Eleven girls – eleven dares in a hat, twelve passionate stories. Who will dare to risk it all? To Bed the Baron... -
Deceived by Jess Michaels
* * * A hot historical romance from USA Today Bestselling Romance Author Jess Michaels * * *. Josie Westfall spent a lifetime feeling alone and bullied and an unfortunate incident involving her best friend’s brother, Evan, only made things worse. Still, when she and her mother are invited to the wedding he will be attending, they can’t exactly refuse... -
Winter's Woman by Scarlett Scott
The reigning toast of the Season, Lady Evangeline Saltisford is betrothed to the most eligible bachelor in London and a scant few weeks from having everything she has ever wanted. Until danger comes calling, and she is forced to accept aid from a decidedly unlikely—and infuriating—source. Devil Winter is the illegitimate offspring of a wealthy merchant and a prostitute... -
Keepsake by Heather Boyd
A BATTLE OF WILLS…. When the Marquess of Taverham married at eighteen, he was certain his life would be smooth and well ordered—right up till the moment his exuberant bride ran away on their wedding night, never to be seen again... -
Shadows of Scandal (Guardians of the Bones) by K.J. Jackson
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsShe needs a champion willing to scandalize her. He doesn’t need anyone. Scandal turns into seduction when a not-quite-perfect heiress tangles with a lost son of society. -
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My Captive Earl by Emily Windsor
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Earl of Rookdean did not want to host a house party. Miss Clara Lockwood did not want to attend the Earl of Rookdean’s house party. You don’t always get what you want…. At a masquerade ball on the opening night, Rookdean encounters a captivating Grecian-dressed goddess... -
Lady Scot by Jade Lee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMairi MacAdaidh is done with Scotsmen. They don’t know their head from their arse, and they break your heart without realizing what they’ve done. She’s off to London to find a manageable Sassenach to wed. Connall Aberbeag has loved one woman for the whole of his life, and she’s a feisty, frustrating lass determined to go her own way...Categorized as:
second chances virgin heroine friends to lovers historical highlander medieval victorian regency -
My Best Friend's Earl by Bethany Bennett
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA bold bookseller tries to matchbreak her friend’s engagement to an earl . . . until she finds herself falling for him instead. The one thing Constance Martin wants most to avoid is a boring life. She walks her cat with a leash in Hyde Park and even called off her wedding at the altar to stop what would have been a monotonous marriage... -
A Desperate Hope by Elizabeth Camden
Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she's finally put behind her—or so she thinks. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak. Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map...Categorized as:
20th century second chances historical christian glimpses-kisses length-medium audiobook -
The Forbidden Lord by Sabrina Jeffries
Devastating Passion. Jordan Willis, the Earl of Blackmore, has played with the hearts of many a society belle- yet one stolen kiss impulsively planted on the soft, irresistible lips of the preacher's daughter, prim and proper Emily Fairchild, proves to be his undoing... -
The Following Sea by Marsha Canham
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratings3rd in Canham's Pirate Wolf trilogy. This time the story focuses on Gabriel Dante, taking up where The Iron Rose left off as he sails away from battle with horrendous wounds and half a crew on board a captured ship. On his way home to the safety of Pigeon Cay, Dante crosses paths with a strange ship sailing in circles, showing no signs of life on her deserted decks...
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