Books like 'The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart'
Readers who enjoyed The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical victorian mystery suspense regency grumpy sunshine class difference slow burn forced proximity third-person-pov
-
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Two families, generations apart, are forever changed by a heartbreaking injustice in this poignant novel, inspired by a true story, for readers of Orphan Train and The Nightingale . Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat... -
The Dance Teacher of Paris by Suzanne Fortin
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 24 ratings'But how will I look after them? Where can I hide them?' She looked up at me and didn't try to stop the tears from falling. 'I'm begging you. Please, save our children.'Paris, 1942. As the Germans occupy the city she calls home, Adele Basset is determined to keep her pupils' spirits up. Their dance class offers a moment of solace in the dark days of occupation... -
The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsFrom bestselling author Diane Chamberlain comes an irresistible new novel that perfectly interweaves history, mystery, and social justice.When Kayla Carter's husband dies in an accident while building their dream house, she knows she has to stay strong for their four-year-old daughter...Categorized as:
mystery suspense class difference dual-pov historical contemporary racism length-medium -
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... -
-
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... -
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... -
Taken to the Grave by Cara Devlin
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe Bow Street Duchess Mystery series comes to a thrilling conclusion in the seventh and final book, Taken to the Grave.As Audrey Sinclair reaches the end of her mourning period, she and Hugh Marsden, the Viscount Neatham, are at long last looking toward their future together — and hoping for a respite from the dangerous criminal investigations they’ve found themselves entrenched in... -
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
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... -
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
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... -
Deadly Lies by Carla Simpson
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA young woman has been murdered at the prime of her life, striking fear into the hearts of women across London and anguish into the heart of her dear fiancé.There are no answers, only a single red rose left on the young woman’s body, the calling card once used for a cold-blooded killer who left a trail of dead women across the East End years ago... -
The Duke's Magnificent Obsession by Chasity Bowlin
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIf there is one thing I know, kisses have a tendency to alter things irrevocably.Abandoned at the family’s country estate by her employer, Minerva Stone realizes that the concerns harbored about her position with Mrs. Charlotte Entwhistle-Graves were well founded... -
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... -
-
The Custom House Murders by Ashley Gardner, Jennifer Ashley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsCaptain Lacey encounters an old army friend just returned from Antigua, who is being accused of smuggling and possibly murder. Lacey decides to help the man, whom he considers honorable, to clear his name.Meanwhile James Denis has given Lacey a task, to deliver a mysterious package to a man with an office near the Custom House on the bank of the Thames... -
Entranced by the Earl by Jillian Eaton
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSometimes love is hiding in the unlikeliest of earls . . . Evelyn Thorncroft wants to marry a duke, but she'll settle for an earl. The Earl of Hawkridge, to be precise. The only problem? Weston cannot stand the sight of her. At least, that's what he says. Their passionate kisses, however, tell a very different story . . -
Who Buries the Dead by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsThe grisly murder of a West Indies slave owner and the reappearance of a dangerous enemy from Sebastian St. Cyr’s past combine to put C. S. Harris’s “troubled but compelling antihero” (Booklist) to the ultimate test in this taut, thrilling mystery.London, 1813. The vicious decapitation of Stanley Preston, a wealthy, socially ambitious plantation owner, at Bloody Bridge draws Sebastian St... -
A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsSHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER 2022A Raven and Fisher Book 3Edinburgh, 1850. This city will bleed you dry.Sarah Fisher is keeping a safe distance from her old flame Dr Will Raven. Having long worked at the side of Dr James Simpson, she has set her sights on learning to practise medicine herself. A notion everyone seems intent on dissuading her from... -
No Stone Unturned by Pam Lecky
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsLucy Lawrence stared down at her husband, his once handsome face now a twisted mask of death. She shivered and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. His life had held so many secrets, and now his sins were hers to bear… England, 1886. In the flickering gaslights of Victorian London, 28-year-old Lucy Lawrence's future hangs in the balance... -
When Falcons Fall by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsAyleswick-on-Teme, England, 1813. Sebastian has come to this seemingly peaceful Shropshire village to honor a slain friend and to learn more about his own ancestry. But when the body of a lovely widow is found on the banks of the River Teme, a bottle of laudanum at her side, the village’s inexperienced new magistrate turns to St. Cyr for help... -
The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsIn Laurie R. King’s latest Mary Russell–Sherlock Holmes mystery, the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author delivers a thriller of ingenious surprises and unrelenting suspense—as the famous husband and wife sleuths are pursued by a killer immune from the sting of justice... -
What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThe latest request for help from Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin--from the Archbishop of Canterbury, no less--is undeniably intriguing: The bodies of two men have been found in an ancient crypt, their violent deaths separated by decades. One is the Bishop of London, the elderly Archbishop's favored but controversial successor... -
An Artless Demise by Anna Lee Huber
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsLady Darby returns to London with her new husband, Sebastian Gage, but newlywed bliss won't last for long when her past comes back to haunt her in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.November 1831. After fleeing London in infamy more than two years prior, Lady Kiera Darby's return to the city is anything but mundane, though not for the reasons she expected...Categorized as:
mystery regency victorian suspense historical pregnancy heroine sleuth length-medium -
Love Blooms with the Duke by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA fourth son instantly propelled into a dukedom . . .A beautiful woman trying to support herself as a governess . . .Two people who want to be accepted—and who long for love . . .Xander Hughes, London’s biggest rake, suddenly finds himself in over his head, becoming the Duke of Brockbank and guardian to two nieces he has never met... -
-
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 Killer in the Crystal Palace by Deb Marlowe
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA grand showcase for technology, art, design and . . . murder. London, 1851, and the Great Exhibition is on. A soaring success despite months of dour predictions, it is the event of the year, on front pages and wagging tongues the world over—and Miss Kara Levett is thrilled to be in the middle of it... -
Nature of the Crime by Cara Devlin
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Bow Street Duchess Mystery series continues in January 2024 with the sixth Audrey Sinclair and Hugh Marsden investigation...When a fellow passenger is found dead on Audrey’s packet ship from France, a mysterious note on the body points to her as the killer... -
Beguiled by a Baron by Christi Caldwell
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA Lady with a Secret… Partially deaf, with a birthmark marring her face, Bridget Hamilton is content with her life, even if she’s been cast out of her family. But her peaceful existence—expanding her mind with her study of rare books—is threatened with an ultimatum from her evil brother—steal a valuable book or give up her son. Bridget has no choice; her son is her world... -
What the Devil Knows by C.S. Harris
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsSebastian St. Cyr thought a notorious killer had been brought to justice until a shocking series of gruesome new murders stuns the city in this thrilling historical mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Who Speaks for the Damned.It's October 1814. The war with France is finally over and Europe's diplomats are convening in Vienna for a conference that will put their world back together... -
Murder in the Eternal City by Ashley Gardner, Jennifer Ashley
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen I agree to take my family to visit Grenville in his villa near Rome, I hardly imagine that I immediately will become embroiled in mystery and mayhem. James Denis has requested that I purchase an antique from a collector, one Conte de Luca... -
The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger: absolutely heartbreaking World War 2 historical fiction by Suzanne Fortin
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratings'This story has great depths of emotion, highs and lows, and I found it utterly gripping!' Christina Courtenay'A deeply moving story of love in all its forms – I adored it' Mandy BaggotThe secrets of the past won't remain hidden forever...Arthur Pettinger's memory isn't what it used to be. He can't always remember the names of his grandchildren, where he lives or which way round his slippers go...Categorized as:
mystery victorian military suspense historical heroine sleuth 20th century length-long -
Petteril's Portrait by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA defaced portrait and the death of an artist – but is anything quite what it seems?To the furious disapproval of his assistant, April, Lord Petteril insists on calling in on Lady Haggard’s country house party – only to discover his hostess and her guests in uproar over a portrait of the late Sir Weston Haggard which has been deliberately damaged... -
Irresistible by Darcy Burke
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsJessamine Goodfellow has spent six Seasons avoiding the parson’s trap, and spinsterhood is finally within her grasp. A brilliant scholar, she longs for adventure and new experiences, things her family frowns upon. Presented with the opportunity to use her puzzle-solving talent on a secret mission for the Foreign Office, Jess eagerly accepts... -
Deserted by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAbandoned by all, saved a cold-hearted rake…Sophia, once betrothed to Major Giles Butler, who shot the Duke of Cuttyngham in a duel, has become the companion of the widowed duchess. In theory, at least. But when the duchess also abandons Sophia at Cuttyngs, her past catches up with her in the shape of her bullying cousins... -
-
A Brush with Shadows by Anna Lee Huber
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSebastian Gage returns home to battle the ghosts of his past and prevent them from destroying his future with Kiera in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.July 1831. It's been fifteen years since Sebastian Gage has set foot in Langstone Manor... -
An Independent Woman by Sarah F. Noel
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSummoned to Edinburgh by the Dowager Countess of Pembroke, Tabitha and Wolf reluctantly board a train and head north.The dowager's granddaughter Lily refuses to participate in the preparations for her first season unless Tabitha and Wolf investigate the disappearance of her friend, Peter... -
The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe's doing what he can to save the Prince Regent's life . . . but can he save his new marriage as well? Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero--he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn't think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock...Categorized as:
suspense regency mystery military christian historical marriage of convenience length-medium -
The Orphan in the Peacock Shawl by AnneMarie Brear
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYorkshire Dales 1850As a terrible storm rages, Annabelle Wallis is shocked to find a distressed young woman at her cottage door, heavy with child. Moments later a baby girl is born. But by dawn, the mother has vanished, leaving behind the helpless child wrapped only in a silk peacock shawl... -
The Sapphire Intrigue: A Crown Jewels Regency Mystery by Lynn Morrison, Anne Radcliffe
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA stolen code, a locked-down Pavilion, and a love on the line—Regency Brighton’s season of secrets is just beginning.Brighton, 1813: The upper class departs London’s bustling streets for the serene seaside elegance of the Royal Pavilion. A summer of relaxation and romance beckons, especially for Lord Roland Percy and Lady Grace Tilbury... -
Evidence of Evil: Victorian Historical Romance Mystery by Mary Lancaster
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPursuing murder and fighting love… Several weeks after they parted company, courtesan Constance calls on the wealthy business-man Solomon Grey to request his help solving another mystery. Her old friend Elizabeth, now the wife of respected magistrate Sir Humphrey Maule, is being accused of murder... -
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 in All But Name by Caroline Warfield
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSecrets and lies threaten to pull them under, but a forced marriage may be their salvation. Gideon Kendrick grew up as the despised bastard son of the Duke of Glenmoor. Exiled to the mines by his father, he has not only survived but thrived and prospered. He lives apart, wanting nothing to do with the duke, the estate—or anything in his past, except his younger brother Phillip, the new duke... -
So True a Love by Joanna Barker
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsDanger and passion collide when a plucky young woman becomes embroiled in a Bow Street investigation alongside a handsome officer. London, 1803As the daughter of a renowned actress, Verity Travers is a privileged lady of high society —and the last woman one would suspect of working as a private investigator... -
Murder at Kingscote by Alyssa Maxwell
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFor fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, explore the dark side of the alluring world of America’s 19th century elite in this gripping series of riveting mysteries… In late nineteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, journalist Emma Cross discovers the newest form of transportation has become the newest type of murder weapon . . -
-
Deadly Illusion by Carla Simpson
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhat is real or only an illusion?Ghostly images that appear and float across the stage, objects that levitate into the air, and a beautiful assistant who disappears inside a glass box, then reappears inside a second glass box. All while the audience at the Crystal Palace, including amateur investigator Mikaela Forsythe, watch the performance... -
Deadly Curse by Carla Simpson
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe British Museum gets one more corpse than they bargained for as doors open for their new Egyptian exhibit.Excitement is palpable among London Society as the opening of the exhibit draws near... -
The Starlet Spy by Rachel Scott McDaniel
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHollywood Star Turns Spy In 1943, Movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie’s homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the ‘Casablanca of the North... -
A Vicious Machination by Lynn Messina
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAs eager as Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave, is to meet her husband’s newly discovered illegitimate half sister, she does not want it to happen like in the keeper's house at Newgate. Yes, that Newgate, the abject prison filled with squalor and misery to which Verity Lark has been consigned for murder... -
The Business of Blood by Kerrigan Byrne
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLondon, 1890. Blood and death are Fiona Mahoney’s trade, and business, as they say, is booming. Dying is the only thing people do with any regularity, and Fiona makes her indecorous living cleaning up after the corpses are carted away. Her childhood best friend, Mary, was the last known victim of Jack the Ripper... -
Kiss The Rake Hello by Tracy Sumner
Cortland DeWitt is the most infamous second son in England. Twin to a duke, he thankfully lost out on the ducal title by a mere three minute's grace. And he's never looked back, living his life with one rule and one rule only: no attachments.But to Alexandra Mountbatten, the fearless woman who's known him since childhood, Cort is merely the loathsome boy next door...
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.