The historical romance genre is full of delightful tropes, but one that doesn’t get enough air time is stories featuring heroes and heroines who have to work for a living.
On The Historical Romance Sampler, I’ve had the pleasure of sampling lots of romance books with this trope. Some of them are working class born and bred, while others are upper class characters who have fallen on hard times, and a few are just plain eccentric.
Here is a list of books featured on the Historical Romance Sampler that break away from ballrooms and feature characters with a work ethic. Listen to the story sample on YouTube, or go ahead and add the book to your library!
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When reclusive inventor Stephen Lenox agreed to impersonate his cousin for a few days, he didn't expect the earl to vanish altogether. Nor could Stephen predict mounting death threats... or the arrival of a beguiling, blade-wielding spinster who declares herself his new bodyguard. As the earl's enemies lay siege to the castle, Stephen fights his way past Elizabeth's defenses. She'll share his bed, but when the adventure concludes, she vows to sever their affair. Unless he can somehow convince a swashbuckling siren to surrender her heart...
Bold, curvy Elizabeth Wynchester loves cuddling hedgehogs almost as much as she adores vanquishing villains with the sharp blade concealed inside her cane. Despite others' opinions about her body and gender, nothing will stop her from seeing justice done. When her next mission drops her at the dastardly Earl of Densmore's castle, she's prepared to duel like gentlemen--only to be locked inside! Her trusty sword cannot defeat the castle's hidden traps... or protect her heart from the devilishly handsome rogue guarding the keep.
Action adventure meets Regency romance in this feminist romp from New York Times Erica Ridley, perfect for fans of Manda Collins and Evie Dunmore.
A marquess with an inheritance problem.
When his father dies, Raph Bromley, new Marquess of Waneborough inherits more than his father’s title. He inherits a crumbling estate, an ocean of debt, a valuable art collection, and a most unusual stipulation in his father’s will. No piece in the art collection can be sold unless Raph first creates a brilliant work of art. But his imagination is as nonexistent as his artistic experience, and that’s never going to happen.
Thank goodness for heiresses. Raph will simply marry for money. Problem solved.
Except his mother’s new companion, a dark-haired, clever, poor beauty tests his resolve and makes him think …Maybe painting won’t be so hard. (It is…)
A companion with no home of her own.
Matilda Bellvue has worked as a companion for fifteen years, but she’s inherited a cottage in Cumbria, and she’ll soon make it her home. She plans to spend her days reading scandalous novels and redecorating every room. But first, she must complete one final job, serving as companion to the Marquess of Waneborough’s mother.Her task is simple: help the grieving marchioness, argue with the hard-headed marquess, avoid matchmakers, and resist spying on naked men swimming in the lake. Above all else, she must not fall in love with her employer, a man who makes her feel like she's finally found home.
Because she has no money. And he must marry rich. And that way only lies heartache.
Neither one of them planned on falling in love.
Frances lost her heart in the Crimea to Cormac Byrne, an Irish doctor. He disappeared during the melee following the last battle and she doubts she'll ever see him again. She's spent the last three years praying he's still alive. Imagine her shock when she accepts a teaching position at Florence Nightingale's new London hospital and finds herself face to face with him again.
An independent woman hoping to fulfill a dream. A duke who can’t seem to ignore his attraction to the lady. Together they uncover their heart’s desire. With a spirit that knows no bounds, Miss Iona Richards sets her sights on independence and greatness as a landscape architect in Burnham-On-Sea. However, her ambitious dream encounters an unexpected roadblock in the form of the enigmatic Duke of Rosewood.Thorpe Covington, the Duke of Rosewood, is deeply skeptical of Iona’s abilities, yet undeniably drawn to her spirited nature. As she seeks to transform his cottage retreat, a captivating dance of wit and longing ensues between the two.
Soon, the duke’s stoic façade crumbles under Iona’s charm, entwining their hearts in a journey of self-discovery and desire.In the enchanting realm of Burnham-On-Sea, passion, and ambition intertwine, and the Duke of Rosewood finds himself yearning for a love that surpasses society’s expectations.
In this heartwarming tale, Miss Iona Richards and the Duke of Rosewood uncover a love more vibrant and beautiful than any masterpiece they could have imagined.
In 1776 London, orphaned vicar’s daughter Amaranthe Illingworth supports her small household with her skills as a copyist, but her quiet routine is shattered the day three children show up at her door seeking aid from her brother, their tutor. Behind them storms in Malden Grey, would-be barrister and their erstwhile guardian, who accuses Amaranthe of kidnapping the young Duke of Hunsdon and his siblings.
The former duke’s illegitimate son, Malden Grey has learned to live by his wits, and he’s told he’ll advance to the bar if he takes a proper wife. As she helps him restore order at Hunsdon House, Amaranthe seems a likely candidate—if only Mal can unearth the truth behind the rumors that she’s been forging, and selling, priceless medieval manuscripts. Amaranthe, in the meantime, needs to stay on her guard lest the charming Malden Grey steal her heart at the same time she’s hoping to borrow from his library a priceless book that could make her fortune.
But when Mal’s foray into Amaranthe’s past yields a discovery that will change both of their destinies, they’ll have to fight together to clear their names and stake out a future together—if either has a future at all.
Daughter of a wealthy upholsterer, Jo Metzger defies societal norms to pursue her dream of becoming an independent interior designer. The lack of good connections, as well as being a woman of German heritage makes it increasingly difficult for Jo to achieve what no woman has ever dared to do before. She is determined to push through, even when she is faced with an impossible task: in order to earn a mentorship with a prestigious member of The Society of Arts, she must transform the manor of a member of high society.
Enter Nicholas Blackstone, the dashing yet aloof son of a baron and the reluctant new master of Granborough Park. Jo finds herself at the Park, a pawn in her parents' intricate plans to secure advantageous marriages for their daughters. While the Park is the breakthrough Jo needs—a golden ticket to her independence—it also introduces a complication she hadn't anticipated: a growing attraction to Nicholas.
Granborough Park, like Nicholas himself, has seen better days. Haunted by a recent family tragedy and the weight of his responsibilities, Nicholas is far from the ideal suitor. As Nicholas grapples with the need to secure a marriage of convenience to save his family from financial ruin, and Jo fervently focuses on her work against the ticking clock of her deadline, their worlds collide, igniting an undeniable attraction.
As the restoration of the manor progresses, so does their unspoken connection. Despite their different social status and the impossibility of their budding romance, the attraction between them grows to such extent that neither of them can deny it any longer. What began as a clear path to her dream now risks leading her astray. Faced with the ultimate dilemma, Jo must decide if her pursuit of a career-defining opportunity is worth the risk of losing her heart.
When Lucinda Peterson’s recently perfected formula for a salve to treat croup goes missing, she’s certain it’s only the latest in a line of misfortunes at the hands of a rival apothecary. Outraged and fearing financial ruin, Lucy turns to private investigator Jonathan Thorne for help. She just didn’t expect her champion to be so . . . grumpy?
A single father and an agent at Tierney & Co., Thorne accepts missions for a wide variety of employers—from the British government to wronged wives. None have intrigued him so much as the spirited Miss Peterson. As the two work side by side to unmask her scientific saboteur, Lucy slips ever so sweetly under Thorne’s battered armor, tempting him to abandon old promises.
With no shortage of suspects—from a hostile political group to an erstwhile suitor—Thorne’s investigation becomes a threat to all that Lucy holds dear. As the truth unravels around them the cure to their problems is clear: they must face the future together.
She didn’t gamble on love.
SHE HAS THE DEED.
Camelia Parikh is a fallen woman trying to start over. When she wins the deed to a cottage in a card game, she believes her luck has finally changed. A charming coastal village seems like the perfect place to begin again, far from London and her romantic regrets. That is, until the stern Duke of Wednesbury arrives to claim the deed and cottage as his.
HE HAS THE TITLE.
Raaz Panchal, the new Duke of Wednesbury, is searching for the missing deed to his late father’s beloved cottage, and he travels to the countryside to investigate. But once there, he learns the home is not vacant, and a beguiling woman claims it’s her property now. When her deed proves genuine, Raaz prepares to leave, but then fate collapses the stable roof. Duty to his father’s memory–and certainly not a pair of alluring amber eyes–compels him to help.
TOGETHER, CAN THEY HAVE IT ALL?
Camelia cautiously accepts the duke’s assistance, but between a bold badger, a moonlit waltz, and dangerous late-night wagers, it’s impossible to keep her distance from the devastatingly handsome duke. When they surrender to temptation, she can no longer ignore their differences in station or the mistakes of her past, but her traitorous heart already wishes for a future that’s surely out of reach.
THE DEED WITH THE DUKE is a steamy, lust-at-first-sight Regency romance with a grumpy Indian hero, a sunshine Indian heroine, and adorable animal antics.
Sybil Chambers wanted a settled life. She had a steady income and a roof over her head working as a lady’s maid for an earl’s daughter. It was exactly what she sought, especially after the uncertainty she faced when her parents died. She earned this coveted position while processing her loss, and she loved the work. Even if it meant putting up with Lady Iris’s cruel husband. And she hasn’t thought about her childhood best friend, Charles Percy, in years.
Charles Percy wanted freedom. He got it at the age of sixteen through a sailing apprenticeship, when he was finally able to leave his family farm and all of Yorkshire behind. Unfortunately, that included Sybil. After spending their entire childhood together, he didn’t want to leave her. But the pull of the sea was too strong. After six years, he became an officer for White Star Line, sailing the greatest steam ships all over the world. Nothing could tie him down. He never expected over a decade to pass before he saw her—or his home. When they finally see each other again, it’s on the most famous ship in history, the RMS Titanic. Can they pick up where they left off all those years ago, before the ship meets its fate?
The Chelsea Milliner
By Annie R McEwen
All Paris-born milliner Amelia de Maupassant ever wanted was to make pretty hats. But overnight, her dream’s gone up in smoke, along with her London shop. When. witty, wealthy, and handsome Hugh Fyne comes to her rescue, Amelia has doubts. Is he there to save her, or seduce her?
Hugh’s heart leaps to its own conclusions. He must have Amelia and he will, if she doesn’t discover his very unpretty secret.
Betrayal and horror in Revolutionary France haunt Amelia. Memories of war and a father’s villainy ravage Hugh. A woman sick of lies. A man lying for love.
One woman. One man. One night.
And a shop full of hats.
Caitlin Blackwell’s life has been shaped by the whims of men—the cruel landlord who evicted her family when she was a child; the dirty grinders who bought her favors in the alleyways of Cork; and the uncaring husband who was forced upon her when she arrived as a convict in Australia twenty years ago. But at last, she's a widow. She's inherited a farm of her own, and she’s determined to seize control of her destiny.
There’s only one thing stopping her from becoming the prosperous, independent woman she’s always dreamed she could be: she’s illiterate.
Enter Michael Dunn, a man haunted with guilt. After six months of hell and hard labor at Moreton Bay penal colony—for a crime he should have known better than to commit—he’s more than haunted. He’s broken. Empty. A shell of a man.
But somehow, he’s given another chance. A glimmer of hope in an unexpected assignment to teach an Irish widow to read.
As Caitlin and Michael’s new life blooms amidst the vast Australian landscape, they uncover a secret that threatens to snatch away everything they hold dear. Can they face the demons of their pasts and embrace an uncertain future?
Two hearts, one vow, and a world built to keep them apart. Can true love conquer all, or will this romance end in heartbreak?
At age eleven, Caroline Preston and Eddie Chow vowed to marry.
At sixteen, they renewed their pact with a kiss under a starry sky.
Now, at last, Eddie is done with his apprenticeship. Caroline assumes they can finally begin planning their wedding. Even though she is a baron’s daughter and he is a tradesman, she knows her open-minded father won’t object - not when love is involved.
But when they are finally reunited, they discover that Lord Preston has very different plans in mind. Plans to keep Eddie away from Northfield Hall. Plans to separate Caroline and Eddie forever.
Threatened with never seeing each other again, Caroline and Eddie are forced to break free from their families in hopes of finding a happily ever after. As they come face-to-face with the challenges Lord Preston predicted, they must answer the ultimate is their love strong enough to survive the real world?