Books like 'The Secret Mistress'
Readers who enjoyed The Secret Mistress by Mary Balogh also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical funny regency virgin heroine independent heroine grumpy sunshine slow burn cheerful heroine sassy heroine strong heroine
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever... -
![Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh]()
Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
All of London is abuzz over the imminent arrival of Wulfric Bedwyn, the reclusive, cold-as-ice Duke of Bewcastle, at the most glittering social event of the season. Some whisper of a tragic love affair. Others say he is so aloof and passionless that not even the greatest beauty could capture his attention...Categorized as:
regency cold hero grumpy sunshine cheerful heroine m-f independent heroine dual-pov sassy heroine -
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![Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas]()
Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas
Everything has a price... Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything—or anyone—is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife—and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he’s determined to have her... -
![The Chemistry of Familiar Objects by Alexandra Vasti]()
The Chemistry of Familiar Objects by Alexandra Vasti
57 Gresham Street is the most incendiary building in London. Upstairs, unconventional chemist Emmeline Starling uses combustion to solve scientific mysteries. Downstairs, buttoned-up children’s book printer Robert Vane tries very hard not to panic when the ceiling catches on fire. And when these two opposing forces are contained within one small building? Explosions are just the beginning... -
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![My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long]()
My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long
In USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s latest installment in the Palace of Rogues series, a notorious rake meets his match in a doe-eyed girl from the country, changing the course of both of their futures…A London season is the chance of a lifetime for Catherine Keating...Categorized as:
virgin heroine regency m-f third-person-pov cheerful heroine slow burn grumpy sunshine dual-pov -
![Truce by R.L. Mathewson]()
Truce by R.L. Mathewson
This is the story before everything... Elizabeth knows what’s expected of her, perfection. She’s the daughter of an Earl and expected to marry well, say and do the right things with a smile on her face when inside she’s dying for a chance to escape. Thanks to an inheritance her godmother left her years ago, her chance will come with her next birthday... -
![Frederica by Georgette Heyer]()
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
LONDON IN "THE SEASON" Frederica Merriville and her three siblings have come to London for the glittering social season, in order to give young and beautiful Charis a chance to make a good marriage. Frederica herself, a witty charmer, believes herself happily beyond marriageable age -- she is twenty-four, after all... -
![Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare]()
Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare
On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library. •Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan? •Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall? •Perhaps the butler did it. All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing... -
![Her Ruthless Duke by Scarlett Scott]()
Her Ruthless Duke by Scarlett Scott
From USA Today and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author Scarlett Scott comes a new, deliciously wicked Regency romance featuring scorching heat between a jaded guardian and his bluestocking ward, plus a delightful dash of mystery.Conscienceless seducer, cunning spy, confident scoundrel. Trevor Hunt, the Duke of Ridgely, has been called many things, most of which are true... -
![What Happens in London by Julia Quinn]()
What Happens in London by Julia Quinn
RUMORS AND GOSSIP ... THE LIFEBLOOD OF LONDON When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancee, she doesn't believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits ..Categorized as:
regency virgin heroine grumpy sunshine sweet heroine cheerful heroine tall-heroine sweet-hero m-f -
![How the Marquess Was Won by Julie Anne Long]()
How the Marquess Was Won by Julie Anne Long
The Scandal Sheets call him Lord Ice. Ruthless, cold, precise, Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, tolerates only the finest-- in clothes, in horseflesh, in mistresses. And now he's found the perfect bride, the one whose dowry will restore his family's shattered legacy and bring him peace at last: the exquisite heiress Lisbeth Redmond. She's about to play with fire..Categorized as:
regency virgin heroine independent heroine angst other-man-woman third-person-pov m-f cold hero -
![The Duke's Counterfeit Wife by Caroline Lee]()
The Duke's Counterfeit Wife by Caroline Lee
How did she end up make-believe married to the Grump Next Door?Spinster scientist Felicity Montrose has always been as curious as one of her pet cats. So when her dark and dangerous neighbor catches her breaking into his house, her body’s reactions to his manhandling raises all sorts of interesting questions...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity cold hero m-f highlander historical victorian humor -
![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... -
![A Secret Love by Stephanie Laurens]()
A Secret Love by Stephanie Laurens
All of Regency London knows that no Cynster male would ever walk away from a lady in distress...but their protection can come at a tantalizingly high price. And now, Stephanie Laurens has created her boldest Cynster yet--Gabriel--a man who has known the pleasure of many women, but who has given his heart to no one. She was desperate for his help.. -
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![The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer]()
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
When the redoubtable Sir Horace Stanton-Lacy is ordered to South America on Diplomatic Business he parks his only daughter Sophy with his sister's family, the Ombersleys, in Berkeley Square. Upon her arrival, Sophy is bemused to see to see her cousins are in a sad tangle...Categorized as:
regency forced proximity slow burn sassy heroine strong heroine cold hero tall-heroine m-f -
![In Which Winnie Halifax Is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti]()
In Which Winnie Halifax Is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti
In 1811, Winifred Wallace told one tiny lie. To secure her future as an independent sheep farmer, she invented an estranged husband named Mr. Spencer Halifax and forged their marriage record. Ten years later, her deception catches up with her: in the form of the disturbingly real, distressingly attractive earl on her doorstep... -
![Willful in Winter by Scarlett Scott]()
Willful in Winter by Scarlett Scott
Rand, Viscount Aylesford, needs a fiancée, and he needs one now. His requirements are concise: she must not embarrass him, and she must understand he has no intention of ever marrying her. Miss Grace Winter is the most stubborn of the notorious Wicked Winters. When her brother decrees she must marry well, she is every bit as determined to avoid becoming a nobleman's wife...Categorized as:
regency virgin heroine independent heroine forced proximity dual-pov angst m-f slow burn -
![The Duke's Wicked Widow (Surprise! Dukes) by Caroline Lee]()
The Duke's Wicked Widow (Surprise! Dukes) by Caroline Lee
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThey call him the Duke of Death, but he’s her last chance at a life worth living!To Society, Fawkes MacMillian is a nobody; a hanger-on at the edge of respectability with a murky past and an even murkier lineage. But to Lady Danielle Aycock, he is her only hope of salvation before a horrible Christmas deadline... -
![Wild in Winter by Scarlett Scott]()
Wild in Winter by Scarlett Scott
Gill, the Duke of Coventry, has never been the sort of gentleman who woos ladies with effortless ease. In fact, he’s never even kissed a woman, let alone courted one. But as the new duke, he’s in need of a wealthy bride to replenish his dwindling familial coffers. Preferably a sweet, calm bride who is equally reserved. A bride who is nothing at all like Miss Christabella Winter... -
![Her Wicked Marquess by Stacy Reid]()
Her Wicked Marquess by Stacy Reid
Miss Maryann FitzWilliam is too witty and bookish for her own good. No gentleman of the ton will marry her, so her parents arrange for her to wed a man old enough to be her father. But Maryann is ready to use those wits to turn herself into a sinful wallflower.When the scandal sheet reports a sighting of Nicolas Ives climbing out the chamber windows of a house party, Maryann does the unthinkable... -
![It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas]()
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
Four young ladies enter London society with one necessary goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So they band together, and a daring husband-hunting scheme is born. It happened at the ball... Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren't entirely "the thing... -
![Duke the Halls by Felicity Niven]()
Duke the Halls by Felicity Niven
A ray of sunshine gives the perfect Christmas present to a disagreeable duke. The Duke of Kittredge is that rarest of men—a wealthy, tall, and still-unmarried duke at the age of thirty-one. As such, he’s perennially at the top of the “Most Eligible Bachelor” list of the ton. And yet, he’s never gotten close to landing a wife. Young ladies don’t seem to like him. Scratch that. They revile him... -
![Temperance by Beverley Watts]()
Temperance by Beverley Watts
In this funny romantic series, the Shackleford sisters descend on a Regency society that doesn’t know what’s hit it…Reverend Shackleford was at a loss. He’d truly believed that in marrying his eldest daughter Grace to an extremely wealthy peer of the realm, his problems would be over...Categorized as:
regency cold hero sassy heroine m-f virgin heroine slow burn other-man-woman historical -
![The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian]()
The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian
Cat Sebastian returns to Georgian London with a stunning tale of a reluctant criminal and the thief who cannot help but love her.Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside... -
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![Miss Fleming Falls in Love by Emma Melbourne]()
Miss Fleming Falls in Love by Emma Melbourne
A Girl. An Earl. A Battle of Wits . . .Miss Amelia Fleming has a very good reason to hate the Earl of Langley. A year ago, her father drowned in the Thames after losing a fortune to Langley at cards. Now her family is broke, her fiancé has broken their engagement, and the debt still hasn't been paid... -
![The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare]()
The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare
They call him the Duke of Ruin.To an undaunted wallflower, he's just the beast next door. Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even. Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart... -
![Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti]()
Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti
In this steamy Regency romp, Lady Selina is determined to find the Duke of Stanhope the perfect wife―the only problem is she's starting to think that might be her.Peter Kent―newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana―must become respectable...Categorized as:
m-f dual-pov virgin heroine forced proximity regency rich heroine aristocratic heroine sweet-hero -
![The Duke's Diary by Ashtyn Newbold]()
The Duke's Diary by Ashtyn Newbold
She only meant to read one page...until she saw her name.Rather than being forced to marry the vile man her father intends for her, Nora Rothwell plans to escape... -
![The Player by Stella Riley]()
The Player by Stella Riley
Tragedy drove him into unwilling exile. Death demands his reluctant return. In the decade between, he has answered to many names and amassed a variety of secrets...Categorized as:
regency angst slow burn virgin heroine sassy heroine cheerful heroine strong heroine historical -
![My Rogue to Ruin by Erica Ridley]()
My Rogue to Ruin by Erica Ridley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThe riotous Wynchester family has taken on a new case to expose a forger, but the prime suspect isn't at all what he seems in this captivating Regency romp from a New York Times bestselling author.Lord Adrian Webb is a no-good, roguish, rakish scoundrel of the first order, which is why his father sends him to the Continent and cuts him off without a farthing...Categorized as:
regency dual-pov forced proximity historical from hate to love mystery humor suspense -
![The Duke's Wayward Wallflower by Maggie Dallen]()
The Duke's Wayward Wallflower by Maggie Dallen
“A Duke's taciturn demeanor does not necessarily indicate a black heart.Although . . . sometimes it does. Tread with care.” — Lady Greta, a truly dreadful chaperoneThere's no love lost between this shy wallflower and society's most formidable duke... -
![A Lady's Rules For Ruin by Jennifer Haymore]()
A Lady's Rules For Ruin by Jennifer Haymore
She’s found the perfect plan to avoid marriage…Miss Frances Cherrington has long been criticized as independent and prickly. And she’s fine with it. Truth be told, she’d prefer to be a spinster—damn her family’s desires. But it’s a conversation with the devilishly handsome yet highly infuriating Earl of Winthrop that inspires the perfect escape from her nuptial troubles... -
![The Earl's Debutante Debacle by Maggie Dallen]()
The Earl's Debutante Debacle by Maggie Dallen
"Any young lady would be lucky to marry the Earl of Yardley. Perhaps he failed to mention that to Lady Daphne." - Lady Greta, lovely woman, terrible gossipLady Daphne could have her pick of husbands, but she has very particular requirements—namely, the older and more decrepit the better. Actually, knocking on death's door would be nice...Categorized as:
regency strong heroine dual-pov m-f third-person-pov independent heroine slow burn angst -
![The Parfit Knight by Stella Riley]()
The Parfit Knight by Stella Riley
The Marquis of Amberley is rich, assured and thirty-four years old, with the reputation of being a law unto himself and a degree of charm which even his friends consider disastrous. When his coach is waylaid by highwaymen and his coachman shot, he is forced to take shelter at the first house he finds and is subsequently trapped there for a week by a severe snow storm... -
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![Courting Danger by Wendy Vella]()
Courting Danger by Wendy Vella
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestseller Wendy Vella comes an exciting Regency series about legend, love and destiny, with a hint of magic …If only he’d taken more care, she wouldn’t now be facing her destiny.Somerset Sinclair vows not to follow in her elder siblings’ footsteps. There will be no marriages or daring rescues of any man carrying Raven blood. Somer has a career, and nothing is about to thwart that... -
![The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn]()
The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn
He thinks she's an annoying know-it-all... Hugh Prentice has never had patience for dramatic females, and if Lady Sarah Pleinsworth has ever been acquainted with the words shy or retiring, she's long since tossed them out the window. Besides, a reckless duel has left this brilliant mathematician with a ruined leg, and now he could never court a woman like Sarah, much less dream of marrying her... -
![Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase]()
Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase
USA Today bestselling author Loretta Chase continues her Difficult Dukes series with this delightful spin on Shakespeare's classic, The Taming of the Shrew.Cassandra Pomfret holds strong opinions she isn’t shy about voicing... -
![The Wrong Marquess by Vivienne Lorret]()
The Wrong Marquess by Vivienne Lorret
USA Today bestselling author Vivienne Lorret continues the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series with a debutante who believes she is destined to marry the lord next door until a fateful encounter with a rogue makes her wonder... if she might be falling for the wrong marquess!The wrong place...Elodie Parrish can feel spinsterhood breathing down her neck... -
![The Earl and the Spinster by Collette Cameron]()
The Earl and the Spinster by Collette Cameron
Formerly titled Brooke: Wagers Gone Awry An angry earl. A desperate spinster. A reckless wager. For five years, Brooke Culpepper has focused her energy on two things: keeping the struggling dairy farm that’s her home operating and preventing her younger sister and cousins from starving...Categorized as:
regency m-f independent heroine strong heroine virgin heroine third-person-pov humor historical -
![Yule Be My Duke by Darcy Burke]()
Yule Be My Duke by Darcy Burke
It was loathe at first sight when Cecilia Bromwell met John Rowley, the Earl of Cosford five years ago at a party where his ill-conceived prank and irascible temper ruined not one but two of her new gowns. Now, at a Yuletide house party, Cecilia learns their parents seek to match them in wedded bliss...Categorized as:
forced proximity regency virgin heroine rich heroine dual-pov third-person-pov historical christmas -
![The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey]()
The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey
As wild and reckless as the most incorrigible of her male cousins, Amy Malory has reached a marriageable age and has set her sights on a most inappropriate mate: the straight-laced American ship captain who once nearly had her Uncle James hung hanged for piracy. Warren Anderson is shocked by the brazen advances of his despised enemy's beautiful niece... -
![Chasing the Bride by Erica Ridley]()
Chasing the Bride by Erica Ridley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn this fast, feel-good romp from a New York Times bestselling author, forbidden love blooms between a runaway bride and the man sent to find her…Lady Tabitha Kerr was promised at birth to be the Viscount Oldfield’s bride. Their families had warred for generations, and this union will heal the longstanding rift. But Tabitha doesn’t want to be a pawn—or a consolation prize...Categorized as:
regency forced proximity grumpy sunshine victorian historical humor office length-short -
![The Naturalist by Christina Dudley]()
The Naturalist by Christina Dudley
Joseph Tierney, a naturalist commissioned by the Royal Society, stumbles upon the perfect assistant: an eager lad who knows the lay of the landscape and his flora from his fauna. But Joseph finds their fruitful partnership compromised when this so-called Arthur Baddely turns out to be one Miss Alice Hapgood, daughter of the neighboring squire...Categorized as:
regency independent heroine strong heroine nerdy-hero m-f historical humor class difference -
![The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean]()
The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean
LADY SOPHIE'S SOCIETY SPLASH The youngest of the infamous Talbot sisters scandalized society at the Liverpool Summer Soiree, striking her sister’s notoriously philandering husband and landing him backside-first in a goldfish pond... -
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![It Had to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret]()
It Had to Be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret
USA Today bestselling author Vivienne Lorret launches a new series with a sparkling romance about a spinster, a duke, and a fake engagement that blurs the lines between enemies and lovers…Verity Hartley always tells the truth. Well, mostly...Categorized as:
regency dual-pov virgin heroine third-person-pov cold hero m-f independent heroine sassy heroine -
![In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti]()
In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti
The Halifax Hellions are the most scandalous, outrageous, ungovernable ladies in London. From the day of their debut—in which Matilda smoked a cheroot and Margo tied a cherry stem in a knot with her tongue—they’ve turned the ton upside down. But when Matilda elopes with a dangerous aristocrat, Margo must stop her twin before this new misadventure becomes a permanent marriage... -
![The Matchmaker's Request by Ashtyn Newbold]()
The Matchmaker's Request by Ashtyn Newbold
His new challenge: Keep himself from falling in love again at all costs.At odds with love, Matthew Northcott has firmly decided that he will never marry, much to the dismay of his relatives...and nearly every young lady he meets. Rather than seek a marriage for himself, he attempts to find matches for others, grateful to see that love is not entirely cruel—just cruel to him...Categorized as:
regency m-f forced proximity other-man-woman slow burn cheerful heroine sweet-hero dual-pov -
![A Day Until Forever by Erin Langston]()
A Day Until Forever by Erin Langston
A Prequel Novella to Forever Your Rogue Raymond Travers is a Busy Man. The harried eldest son has a to-do list as long as his father’s last bender, and his plans don’t include spending Allhallowtide playing chaperone to a spirited debutante... -
![The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn]()
The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
She was in the wrong place... Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers' hideaway tucked inside a cave... -
![To Love a Hellion by Nicola Davidson]()
To Love a Hellion by Nicola Davidson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTwo years after the shocking deaths of his father and older brother, life is finally improving for Stephen Forsyth, Earl of Westleigh. His mother has rejoined society, the estates are flourishing, and according to his mathematical calculations his new betrothed is a sensibly near-perfect match...Categorized as:
regency sassy heroine cold hero virgin heroine humor suspense historical friends to lovers
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