Need a good historical romance. Other genres too. discussion

I am looking for a romance novel, historical-fiction.
I best remember the beginning: the heroine is trapped in a run-down cottage, I beileve it was, with two men (of whom I do not remember if they share any relation to her) who are beating her for information (I think information...?). While one is away, she knocks the other -lesser intelligent one- out, then escapes.
It then turns to our hero who is traveling by, passes through the nearest village and comes to his horse in the stables at an inn he is staying at, where he sees our escapee all beaten and bruised hidding out for the night. He then calls for his manservant and takes her on through the night to his home (I know he doesn't hold any HUGE title but he does come from money because he has an impressive house that is staffed well enough to help keep the place going)
What other BIG things I remember about the book is that:
~ The hero was captured in his past (during a war I think) and turtured. Mostly his hands were abused and this left them undesirable he believes, always covering them with gloves and never touching people nor letting them touch him.
~ I also remember that when someone comes looking for our heroine, the hero tells her to go out a secret way through a book case in his study.

Lets see, what else...

~ The home is by a cliffside (both hero and heroine are stuck there at one point, to which he has to grab her to save her)
~ Hero marries heroine so that he can protect her better from those searching for her.
~ Since there is no touching for quite some time, the love making is very heated and passionate (I think pretty vivid, as well)
~ Scots are not invovled.
~ The heroine does not have any siblings or relatives that come to her rescue.
~ And at the end of the book, the more slightly intellectual thug that abducted and beat her at the beginning died by falling down.. a mine shaft? An old well? I'm almost certian it was a mine shaft.
~ And I do recall that the heroine gives the lesser intellectual thug the news of his friend / brothers death, and when he cries about it, she comforts him. This is from the heroes perspective and he is thinking about how truly kind and generous she is.

If I remember any more details I will make sure to add them. Please pardon the misspells, I am handling a baby 😅.

I deeply appreciate ANY and ALL help I can get on solving this; this was the first romance novel I have ever read and would love to be able to read it again :)

Part of it sounds familiar. Was he missing fingers or parts of fingers?

I don't remember :/, but its possible.

Rebecca wrote: "I am looking for a romance novel, historical-fiction.
I best remember the beginning: the heroine is trapped in a run-down cottage, I beileve it was, with two men (of whom I do not remember if they ..."

Any idea when it was published? it's not this one, is it?

No I don't remember when it was published. Sorryyyyy😩! It was a long time ago when I read the novel :(. But I know it was published as early as the late 80's to the early 2000's. (It was around 2006 when I read it)

Rebecca wrote: "No I don't remember when it was published. Sorryyyyy😩! It was a long time ago when I read the novel :(. But I know it was published as early as the late 80's to the early 2000's. (It was around 200..."

Ok - that helps a little :) I asked some of the ladies I call "miracle workers" when it comes to figuring this kind of puzzle out --- I will let you know what I hear :)

Thank you SO much 🙏🎉!!!

I know I have read this book. The hero was a prisoner in India and tortured there, wasn't he? And the heroine was escaping from her brothers or half-brothers because she was an heiress, and they were trying to force her into marriage to get some of her money. But, I can't remember the title or author.

I found the title I was thinking of--Captive of Sin.

Is this the one you meant?

YES!!! THAT'S IT!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH 💗😭💗!! Thank you everybody 👑❤👑❤👑❤👑❤!!!!!!!

Oh good. I know the feeling. I have been trying to find a book that I only remember one scene from and haven't been able to. It drives me crazy.

Yes, right??? I hope you find it 🙏! Have you posted anything about it?

I posted something a while back on the romance sleuth forum but didn't get much of a response. I suppose I could repost.

Rebecca wrote: "YES!!! THAT'S IT!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH 💗😭💗!! Thank you everybody 👑❤👑❤👑❤👑❤!!!!!!!"

Oh yay! So glad it was figured out for you. I just got a response from the forum I posted the question to, and they thought it might have been this one.. .... I will let them know it was solved! :

Roberta2 wrote: "I posted something a while back on the romance sleuth forum but didn't get much of a response. I suppose I could repost."

Have you re-posted? I almost always get replies from that group (Romance Novel Book Sleuths - is that where you asked?).

I haven't yet. I think I will try now.

Rebecca, I'm glad for you that clever Roberta2 came up with the name of your book. Now if only I can find the title of that book I was looking for....

I'll repost here:
All I remember is that the heroine is trying to inveigle her way into the upper echelons of Society, and knows it's the ladies she has to get in with, not the gentlemen (they can come later when she's looking for a rich husband). She is at an evening "do" somewhere and all the men have stayed in the dining room to smoke and drink their port and the women are in the parlour. Several of the women recite and at least one sings an aria.

Our heroine WAS going to sing an aria, but realises that her voice will easily eclipse that of the woman who had already sung, so she decides to sing a "fun" song. She sings 'Funiculi Funicula' with appropriate gestures (she MAY have been on the stage?) that is a hit with the ladies - and with the gentlemen who have been drawn into the parlour by her voice.

I have the memory that it was set in New York city and possibly in the early 'Gilded Age'?

I have no idea when I read it. (I have absolutely no sense of time) But I am sure I must have got it from the library, although I have been through my catalogues (that I keep of books and authors I have borrowed from the library), but can't find anything that rings a bell :(

Hello! Looking for historical romance where the hero makes a major mistake and hurts the heroine terribly then has to work hard to gain her trust back
Any ideas?
Thanks so much!

Hi all,

I KNOW you will be able to help with this b/c I got the rec. from OLT/Danker/Judge Tabor (?) in the first place.

It is a series of four, each one focussing on a different member of a family. I can't quite remember the period; English Civil War/Elizabethan/ earlier/later. The big family lived on a prosperous Manor farm and the first book featured mainly the eldest daughter who ended up marrying an Italian artisan who had been working for her father? It turned out he was grandson to an Italian aristocrat and there was something about a precious family heirloom - an exceptional jewel.

One of her brothers made an unfortunate marriage and was a cuckold and took it very badly when he found out. He thought he'd killed the lover, left his family home and refused to even see his baby daughter b/c she might be the lover's child and not his.

Thanks.

Book where hero makes terrible mistake etc
I hope this list that I’ve pulled together helps:

The Wronged Wife by Margaret Brazear
Lady Gallant by Suzanne Robinson
The Major’s Mistake by Andrea Pickens
The Duke’s Double by Anita Mills
The Discarded Wife Camille Oster
The Runaway Countess Amanda McCabe
Dark Wager by Mary Spencer
His Secret Duchess by Gayle Wilson
Betrayal by Sandra Schwab

Is it one of them?

Mary - above is the list for you, mentioned in the HR thread.

Vivienne wrote: "Hi all,

I KNOW you will be able to help with this b/c I got the rec. from OLT/Danker/Judge Tabor (?) in the first place.

It is a series of four, each one focussing on a different member of a fam..."

That's an easy one, Vivienne. Stella Riley's Roundheads and Cavaliers series. The first book you describe is The Black Madonna.

OLT wrote: "Vivienne wrote: "Hi all,

I KNOW you will be able to help with this b/c I got the rec. from OLT/Danker/Judge Tabor (?) in the first place.

It is a series of four, each one focussing on a differen..."

Oh yes, that's is, OLT. Now that you have named it I can't believe I couldn't remember it :)

Thank you so much. I am in the mood for a re-read.

And after you finish the reread of the Roundheads and Cavaliers series, there's the Georgian one that stands up to rereads also. The Rockliffe series that begins with The Parfit Knight, I believe.

OLT wrote: "And after you finish the reread of the Roundheads and Cavaliers series, there's the Georgian one that stands up to rereads also. The Rockliffe series that begins with [book:The Parfit Knight|404876..."

Thanks, OLT. I don't think I ever did buy the Rockliffe series, although "The Parfit Knight" certainly rings a bell.

Hi everyone,

I realise this sub section in the forum is quite old but right now its my best bet.

I've been looking for this historical romance book for the past 8 months and to no avail. (I think it was published from 2017-early 2019, I think I read it end of 2018 or beginning of 2019.)

It's set in the regency period and also set in Wales (to do with mining?). I believe it was part of a trilogy, I'm looking for the third book (perhaps 4th in a series?). If I remember correctly the first two books had a duke and someone else from nobility.

The hero in the third book was not liked by the first two heroes in the first two books as he was part of the mining group, had a lot of money and was influential on the village, and he was also not a blueblood.

The heroine (I think her name was Chloe? Catherine?) and the hero met in the parlor at the beginning of the book where they had a very civil conversation about marriage of convenience. I think he came to her and asked her for her hand. They moved to Wales where be begins to focus on the mines (or was it train tracks ? I don't think so) and she felt neglected however she starts to care for him.

I think a semi sub-plot was the heroine's best friend had died and had a child. But she wasn't married and the person who impregnated her wasn't a good man. This person turns out to be advising the hero (albeit very badly) about the mines and it turns into an argument between the hero and heroine. She didn't initially recognise him but when she did she felt horrified. I remember the hero would physically assist in the mines and he would come home very tired.

I know this isn't much to go on but I would really appreciate any suggestions.
If I remember anymore details, I'll add them.

Again, thanks so much!!

Sorry. I haven’t read that one and can’t help.

Thunder and Roses by Putney isn’t what you are looking for, but I’d recommend it.
There are many Mary Balogh HRs set in Wales, but I’ve read them all. Some parts of your story line resonates with a couple of her story lines, but not all.
Anyway, here is a thread on romances set in Wales or with Welsh protagonists that you might find useful:

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2...

I remember Marrying Winterbourne - is it that book?

Here is another link that might help:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Hi Danker,

Thank you so much! I'll check them out and see :) Really appreciate it and will also add Thunder and Roses to my quarantine reading list !

Definitely not . I remember that one very well. He is Welsh but owns a big store.

It almost sounds like a couple of different books mixed up in the Ravenal series tho.

Hmm, I've checked out the list but I don't think it's there! Sometimes I think i've dreamt up this book haha. But I still have hope as once couldn't find a book for 3 years and I happened upon it by chance! Thanks ladies, I'll try to get my investigative skills out this weekend again and if anyone has any suggestions, will always check it out :)

Have you checked both lists?

yes I have! I checked all the books that had a series and that were published in the years I thought the missing book is published. I might do another indepth search sometime as soon as work eases a bit. Again appreciate your help :)

Dima wrote: "Hi everyone,

I realise this sub section in the forum is quite old but right now its my best bet.

I've been looking for this historical romance book for the past 8 months and to no avail. (I thi..."

Dima wrote: "Hi everyone,

I realise this sub section in the forum is quite old but right now its my best bet.

I've been looking for this historical romance book for the past 8 months and to no avail. (I thi..."

Could this be A Rogue of Her Own?

@HappyBookWorm2020

Yes it is that book! Thank you so so much, I really appreciate it !

Welcome Dima!

HBW: thanks for solving the mystery.