Books like 'This Rotting Heart'
Readers who enjoyed This Rotting Heart by Celeste Baxendell also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy ancient times m-f independent heroine competent heroine sunny hero sweet-hero royalty aristocratic heroine
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Reign & Ruin by J.D. Evans
“All magic is beautiful,” she said, “and terrible. Do you not see the beauty in yours, or the terror in mine? You can stop a heart, and I can stop your breath. ”. She is heir to a Sultanate that once ruled the world. He is an unwanted prince with the power to destroy. She is order and intellect, a woman fit to rule in a man's place... -
![When We Were Crowned by Auryn Hadley]()
When We Were Crowned by Auryn Hadley
Long Live the Gladiator Queen! With the crown safely on Leyli's head, her problems should've been over. Her country is safe. Her family is together. What more could a new Queen ask for? Unfortunately, spending her mornings purging her stomach isn't it. Evidently, not even the Queen of Norihame is immune to morning sickness... -
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![Troy by Stephen Fry]()
Troy by Stephen Fry
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsThe story of Troy speaks to all of us - the kidnapping of Helen, a queen celebrated for her beauty, sees the Greeks launch a thousand ships against the city of Troy, to which they will lay siege for ten whole years. It is a terrible war with casualties on all sides as well as strained relations between allies, whose consequences become tragedies... -
![Fantasy of Flight by Kelly St. Clare]()
Fantasy of Flight by Kelly St. Clare
My veil is gone and I need it back. Stuck in the lethal Outer Rings of Glacium, I must fight to survive while keeping my true identity the gravest of secrets. Only then can I continue the search for Prince Kedrick's murderer and navigate my way back to King Jovan's castle. No one can discover I'm the Tatuma of Osolis - the princess of their enemy world. .Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine aristocratic heroine royalty fantasy new adult high fantasy strong heroine -
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![Starfire by AJ Sherwood, Katie Griffin]()
Starfire by AJ Sherwood, Katie Griffin
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLuca O’ Broín’s original wife checklist:. a loving marriagemother for his childrencapable of running a fortresssexually compatiblesomeone intelligentLuca’s REVISED non-negotiable husband checklist:. dependable friendcapable of running a fortresswilling to move to Bhodhsasomeone with brainsNoe Keller’s husband checklist:. LucaLuca’s UPDATED husband checklist:... -
![The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper]()
The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe final, dramatic installment in Elodie Harper's Sunday Times bestselling Wolf Den Trilogy. Amara's journey has taken her far; from enslavement in Pompeii's wolf den brothel to her new life as a high-powered courtesan in Rome, but her story is not over yet. While Amara plays for power in Rome's imperial palace, those dearest to her remain in Pompeii... -
![These Immortal Truths by Rachelle Raeta]()
These Immortal Truths by Rachelle Raeta
Both epic and intimate, These Immortal Truths is a powerful and romantic historical fantasy that explores not only what it means to live forever, but what it means to live fully. A shapeshifting god. A divine peach. And a woman gifted with forever. Anna is used to hunger and hardship...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine historical fantasy length-medium sweet heroine magic audiobook -
![Dreamers by Angela Elwell Hunt]()
Dreamers by Angela Elwell Hunt
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsTuya came as a teenaged slave to Potiphar's household, a personal gift from the Pharaoh. Tall and slender, the young girl had eyes that shone like a stream of gold. She knew nothing about her past, except that she had always been a slave. -
![The Unexpected Heir by L.L. Diamond]()
The Unexpected Heir by L.L. Diamond
Elizabeth Bennet has a secret that will shock the magical world. While most ladies in her world have talents, a singular ability, and hold no other power, Elizabeth is the first female since Niniane, the Lady of the Lake, to wield magic as freely as any male heir...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine sweet-hero historical fantasy length-medium explicit-open-door regency -
![When Sisters Collide by S.E. Bouvier]()
When Sisters Collide by S.E. Bouvier
Two sisters, torn apart by fate, now stand on opposing sides of a brutal war. High in the snowy mountains, Alena trains harder than ever under the watchful eye of an Amazon warrior... -
![Queen of Ash and Iron by Melanie Karsak]()
Queen of Ash and Iron by Melanie Karsak
Rated: 4.78 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsFated to lead a rebellion against Rome. Destined to become a legend. Britain, A. D. 47. All at once, everything changes. The rebellion of the Northern Iceni under King Caturix results in dire consequences for Boudica. Without Aulus Plautius’s protection, Boudica must face the new, more severe Roman Governor Scapula... -
![A Kingdom of Sand and Ice by J.F. Johns]()
A Kingdom of Sand and Ice by J.F. Johns
The curse is broken. The veil has thinned. And now, the gods return. Some wearing familiar faces, others cloaked in shadow and ruin. Not all have come to save. Some have come only to watch the world fall. The witches have begun their revenge by taking the city of Spark. But they will not stop there. They intend to storm the capital, then the world... -
![Queen of the Hollow Hills by Melanie Karsak]()
Queen of the Hollow Hills by Melanie Karsak
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFrom ancient henges to windswept mountains, dive into a world where pagan gods rule, powerful priestesses weave magic, and fierce Celtic tribes battle for dominance. Britain, AD 38. Having defeated her enemies, Queen Cartimandua works swiftly to stabilize the north. But not all foes yield quietly... -
![Sage of Hope and Ruin by Riley Knight]()
Sage of Hope and Ruin by Riley Knight
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe walls close in. Hope lies beyond the world’s end. Aethra has no name, no parents, no home. Taken in by a secretive mentor, she’s taught to survive by robbing others of their coin - until the day he betrays her. Saddled with debt even a noble couldn’t repay, Aethra is offered a chance to shake off the underworld elite who hunt her... -
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![Undead Oaths by Caitlyn Battelle]()
Undead Oaths by Caitlyn Battelle
When a mortal woman makes a deal with a god and the fates come out to play. .. Can she change what has been woven, or will the mistake of a god be the ruin of them all? Elysia Parker is furious. After making a deal with the god of the dead to find his talisman, she's horrified to learn her mortality is on the line... -
![The Daughter of Rome by Angela Elwell Hunt]()
The Daughter of Rome by Angela Elwell Hunt
In Nero's Rome, Calandra helps her father, a renowned sculptor, complete the most significant commission of his illustrious career. But then a catastrophic fire nearly destroys the imperial city, leaving Calandra reliant on a group of Christians--unusual individuals unlike any she has encountered before... -
![He Who Lifts the Skies by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow]()
He Who Lifts the Skies by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPowerful imagery creates a 'you are there' immersion in the story of the post-Flood world. Kacy Barnett-Gramckow fans raved about her extraordinary job of moving the Flood off the Sunday School flannelgraph board and into life in the Heavens Before... -
![The Forgotten Palace by Alexandra Walsh]()
The Forgotten Palace by Alexandra Walsh
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn an underground labyrinth a lost soul wanders, waiting for revenge, waiting for love…. London 1900. Alice Webster has made the worst decision of her life. When her Aunt Agatha offers her the chance to go on a Grand Tour she jumps at the opportunity to get away from the glare of scandal... -
![The Plight of a Scottish Lass by Keira Montclair]()
The Plight of a Scottish Lass by Keira Montclair
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn his quest for vengeance, a Scottish chieftain finds something unexpected. Love. Thane MacQuarie, chieftain of Clan MacQuarie, has his sights set on taking over Duart Castle and exacting vengeance on the mother who abandoned him. But when he witnesses a cruel man leave his wife, Tamsin Garvie, to drown on a rock in the sea, Thane can’t ignore the plight of the red-haired beauty...Categorized as:
ancient times m-f medieval historical fantasy third-person-pov audiobook first-in-series -
![For the Gods' Sake by Rory L. Scott]()
For the Gods' Sake by Rory L. Scott
For the Gods' Sake is a fake dating, reluctant allies fantasy romance novel. It is the third book in the Tempt the Gods series and can be read as a standalone, but it is recommended to read the recap at the beginning of the book. A god and a princess. Working together. The Greek and Roman gods have co-existed for over two thousand years until the unthinkable happens... -
![Fiona by Ann Boelter]()
Fiona by Ann Boelter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Treasure Huntress sails again! 10th century Ireland, a country divided by internal conflict, continues to be ravaged by Viking raids. After four years, GUNNAR is poised to finally return to the East but must wait for the rivers in Rusland to thaw. Frustrated by the delay and eager to be at sea, he sails the Treasure Huntress to Dublin... -
![Illuminator by Kara Reynolds]()
Illuminator by Kara Reynolds
Helena Tefraine was abducted from her homeland alongside her teenage daughter, her two closest friends, and other women who were in the wrong chapel at the wrong time. She finds herself in Tintar, the only known country in her world where magic exists...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine independent heroine sunny hero fantasy historical length-medium magic -
![Amnesty by Lara Elena Donnelly]()
Amnesty by Lara Elena Donnelly
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe revolution has come and gone, with Amberlough City striving to rebuild itself from the ashes. The Ospies have been ousted, and the very face of the nation has been changed in the process. Now, a rising politician is determined to bring Amberlough’s traitors to justice. Including double agent Cyril DePaul. Everyone believes Cyril deserves to suffer for his crimes. . -
![Castle of the Winds by Christina Baehr]()
Castle of the Winds by Christina Baehr
At Midsummer’s Eve, the Red Dragon will choose his bride. Following this mysterious invitation, Edith sets off on a quest to the Castle of the Winds to find a lost family of dragon keepers in the mountains of Wild Wales. But all is not as it seems. Edith must guard her own hidden power, or she might not return to her friends in Ormdale—including the man who has come to love her...Categorized as:
m-f independent heroine sweet-hero fantasy new adult historical glimpses-kisses victorian -
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![Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Stephanie Marie Thornton]()
Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Stephanie Marie Thornton
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsEgypt, 1400s BC. The pharaoh’s pampered second daughter, lively, intelligent Hatshepsut, delights in racing her chariot through the marketplace and testing her archery skills in the Nile’s marshlands. But the death of her elder sister, Neferubity, in a gruesome accident arising from Hatshepsut’s games forces her to confront her guilt. .. and sets her on a profoundly changed course...Categorized as:
ancient times royalty historical superheroes fantasy legends & fairy tales christian length-long -
![Wildwood Larkwing by Shari L. Tapscott]()
Wildwood Larkwing by Shari L. Tapscott
This is a previously-published edition - ASIN: B072MRYC3W. “Till death do us part” might come sooner than Lucia imagined. After living her entire life on the outside looking in, Lucia has finally ventured into the world of Kalae’s nobility...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine independent heroine sunny hero royalty fantasy new adult pirates -
![The Majestic Impostor by Tanya Bird]()
The Majestic Impostor by Tanya Bird
A relentless love. An impossible choice. Companions are the kingdom’s most beautiful and educated women—possessions of Syrasan’s royal men. Aldara has left the Companion life behind her. Having returned south to her family, she thought all ties to her prince severed. She was wrong. Now she has a secret—one she must keep in order to protect the people she loves...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine sweet-hero royalty fantasy historical medieval class difference -
![The Wall by Adrian Goldsworthy]()
The Wall by Adrian Goldsworthy
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBritannia, AD 117: Roman centurion Flavius Ferox is trying to live a quiet life of dignified leisure, overseeing his wife's estate and doing his best to resist the urge to murder an annoying neighbour – until someone else does it for him... -
![The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish: Canji Baojun De Zhangxin Yu Chong (Novel) Vol. 1 by Xue Shan Fei Hu]()
The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish: Canji Baojun De Zhangxin Yu Chong (Novel) Vol. 1 by Xue Shan Fei Hu
After Li Yu stays up all night to read an engrossing webnovel, he finally falls asleep–only to wake up in the world of the novel itself. And not as himself, but as a helpless fish! Shocked and dismayed, Li Yu quickly realizes that he must live in a tank owned by Mu Tianchi, the tyrant of the novel who never speaks... -
![Greybrow Serpent by Shari L. Tapscott]()
Greybrow Serpent by Shari L. Tapscott
The captain of the Greybrow Serpent is the last man Lucia’s willing to trust. But he’s the only one who can save her. Lucia’s dreamed of finding Avery for a solid two months. In every one of her fantasies, the dashing captain has been on the deadly end of her dagger. Unfortunately, their reunion is not all she hoped it would be...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine independent heroine sunny hero royalty humor new adult fantasy -
![Titans of War by Wilbur Smith, Mark Chadbourn]()
Titans of War by Wilbur Smith, Mark Chadbourn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA brand-new Ancient Egyptian epic from the master of adventure, Wilbur Smith. Global bestselling author of River God and The New Kingdom, Wilbur Smith, returns with the next epic book in his brand-new Ancient Egyptian series. AN UNSTOPPABLE ENEMY. A CIVILISATION IN RUINS. A QUEST FOR SALVATION... -
![Heart of the Villain by Dany Crooks]()
Heart of the Villain by Dany Crooks
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsEvery villain has a story. This is Marlena Caelum’s. Born to rule, Marlena is thrust into a world of politics and power before most children have even manifested their gods-given ability. With traditions passed down through the generations, Marlena becomes subject to her mother and father’s grueling lessons and nearly unattainable expectations... -
![Island of Ghosts by Gillian Bradshaw]()
Island of Ghosts by Gillian Bradshaw
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAriantes is a Sarmatian, a barbarian warrior-prince, uprooted from his home and customs and thrust into the honorless lands of the Romans. The victims of a wartime pact struck with the emperor Marcus Aurelius to ensure the future of Sarmatia, Ariantes and his troop of accomplished horsemen are sent to Hadrian's Wall... -
![A Vow of Embers by Sariah Wilson]()
A Vow of Embers by Sariah Wilson
A princess’s forced marriage to a dangerously seductive prince becomes a life-and-death alliance in an exhilarating adventure by Sariah Wilson, the USA Today bestselling author of A Tribute of Fire. Lia is always prepared for battle, but being blackmailed into marriage by Prince Alexandros is a challenge too far. She has no choice. He’s holding her sister hostage to force her hand...Categorized as:
ancient times m-f aristocratic heroine independent heroine sweet-hero royalty fantasy magic -
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![Ares by Carly Spade]()
Ares by Carly Spade
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMMA fighter Harmony “Harm” Makos steps into the ring every day for more than the fame and glory of the fight. For her, it’s the alternative to therapy. An opportunity to tame the constant beast struggling to break free. Hardened by a broken home and high school ridicule, she’s learned to control the fury but it always lurks beneath the surface...Categorized as:
ancient times m-f contemporary fantasy legends & fairy tales historical tall-heroine length-medium -
![Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier]()
Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier
Bored and restless in London's Restoration Court, Lady Dona escapes into the British countryside with her restlessness and thirst for adventure as her only guides. Eventually Dona lands in remote Navron, looking for peace of mind in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. She finds the passion her spirit craves in the love of a daring French pirate who is being hunted by all of Cornwall...Categorized as:
m-f independent heroine aristocratic heroine historical 20th century mystery suspense pirates -
![The Honor of Duty by A. R. Rend]()
The Honor of Duty by A. R. Rend
Phillip had spent his life living by his mother’s code of honor. One she had instilled in not just him but her household staff, her soldiers under her command as a general, and all his siblings. One that called to the familial bonds and the importance of putting those above all else. Second only to the land and the crown. If he was being honest with himself, Phillip valued that code of honor... -
![The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stephanie Marie Thornton]()
The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stephanie Marie Thornton
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsWhere Theodora went, trouble followed…. In sixth-century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know...Categorized as:
royalty ancient times historical fantasy legends & fairy tales christian length-long audiobook -
![Salvation in the Sun by Lauren Lee Merewether]()
Salvation in the Sun by Lauren Lee Merewether
This future she knows for certain--the great sun city will be her undoing. Amidst a power struggle between Pharaoh and the priesthood of Amun, Queen Nefertiti helps the ill-prepared new Pharaoh, Amenhotep, enact his father's plan to regain power for the throne. But what seemed a difficult task only becomes more grueling when Amenhotep loses himself in his radical obsessions... -
![Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King]()
Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSet amongst the scandal, wealth, and upstairs-downstairs politics of a Roman family, Crystal King’s seminal debut features the man who inspired the world’s oldest cookbook and the ambition that led to his destruction. On a blistering day in the twenty-sixth year of Augustus Caesar’s reign, a young chef, Thrasius, is acquired for the exorbitant price of twenty thousand denarii... -
![The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland]()
The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAfter a failed escape attempt, the princess of a tiny kingdom begins to reevaluate her life. Caroline, a former marathon runner who dropped out of school at fourteen to pursue an Olympic medal, was the perfect candidate for a tiara: shapely, disciplined, accustomed to public attention, and utterly uneducated. When she meets Finn, the handsome prince of a small European kingdom, her fate is sealed... -
![Black and Blue Widow by Rhiannon Rollness]()
Black and Blue Widow by Rhiannon Rollness
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGild. by Raven Kennedy meets a female version of Dexter in this gritty dark romantasy. With gods-blessed magic, vigilante justice, sisterhood, and unexpected romance, Black and Blue Widow will have you rooting for rage, revenge, and somehow, love. She’s killed every husband she’s ever had. He wants to marry her anyway. Luella Amulius identifies and marries the worst men in the republic... -
![The Pasha of Cuisine: A Novel by Saygun Ersin]()
The Pasha of Cuisine: A Novel by Saygun Ersin
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA deliciously sweeping, satisfyingly succulent novel full of passion, intrigue, history, politics, astrology, medicine, and the magic of a perfect meal. A Pasha of Cuisine is a rare talent in Ottoman lore. Only two, maybe three are born with such a gift every few centuries... -
![The Trickster's Heart by Molly Tullis]()
The Trickster's Heart by Molly Tullis
Across the Greek world, Hermes is known as the trickster. After centuries, he's leaned into the title and ignored the unfair reputation that comes with it. Hercules, the mortal hero, has already gained a fearsome reputation of his own. When he needs help to finish his last labor and gain immortality, there's only one god who will be able to help...Categorized as:
ancient times historical legends & fairy tales fantasy explicit-plentiful length-short -
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![Blood King - Part II by Nicola Tyche]()
Blood King - Part II by Nicola Tyche
To avenge his past, he must sacrifice his future. Blood or the heart—only one will prevail. A kingdom on the edge…. Cyrus has taken the throne with blood and steel, yet peace remains out of reach. As his long-held dreams of vengeance taunt him as a possible reality, he stirs war on every front. And his list of enemies grows. A witch’s desperation…... -
![The Bull of Min by Libbie Hawker, L.M. Ironside]()
The Bull of Min by Libbie Hawker, L.M. Ironside
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 11 ratings“I know,” Satiah called. Her voice was musical, light, confident as a king's. “It's the Bull of Min you remember, Thutmose. You remember, and you fear. ”. Conspiracy and treason simmer in the northern reaches of the Two Lands. Thutmose is crippled by guilt over past wrongs. Hatshepsut is subdued by the grief of betrayal and loss... -
![Sovereign of Stars by Libbie Hawker, L.M. Ironside]()
Sovereign of Stars by Libbie Hawker, L.M. Ironside
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHatshepsut has fulfilled her divine destiny and taken the Pharaoh's throne. But she knows her position is precarious. In all Egypt's long history, never has a woman ruled as king -- and Hatshepsut must use all the cleverness and bravery at her disposal to keep the reins of power from tangling in her fist... -
![Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight by Katherine Macdonald]()
Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight by Katherine Macdonald
Mirror, Mirror, way down deep. What ancient secrets do you keep? When Aislinn Ardenthorn, Princess of Faerie, volunteers to track down a mortal prince that's been kidnapped by dwarves, the last thing she expects is for the prince to baulk at the offer of rescue... -
![Destiny Redeemed by Vanessa Rhoswen]()
Destiny Redeemed by Vanessa Rhoswen
The game has changed, but the stakes remain deadly. .. Lady Ilyana D'Arcane thought she could outmaneuver fate, but the past refuses to stay buried. Newly divorced and determined to forge her own path, Ilyana builds her empire from the shadows, a new threat emerges – one that could unravel everything she's fought to protect...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine independent heroine aristocratic heroine royalty time travel fantasy medieval -
![Greetings Ninth Uncle 九叔万福 by Jiu Yue Liu Huo, September Flowing Fire]()
Greetings Ninth Uncle 九叔万福 by Jiu Yue Liu Huo, September Flowing Fire
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCheng Yujin was the elder twin sister, who was supposed to be engaged to an excellent man. However she later learned that her fiance, Marquis Jingyong, had proposed to her because he mistakenly recognized her as her younger twin sister. Marquis Jingyong and her younger sister had a deep relationship, and after many twists and turns, finally broke through all hardships and became eternal lovers...Categorized as:
ancient times royalty historical fantasy friends to lovers virgin hero vengeance alpha male
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