New Historical Romance Novels for February 2020

Are you ready for the list of new historical romance for February, 2020? I know I am. If you notice that I’m missing a book, please contact me!

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar (Feb 4, 2020)

A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history.

When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, they must join forces with an unusual rabbi named Paul and fight to turn treachery into redemption.

With impeccable research and vivid detail, Daughter of Rome is both an emotive love story and an immersive journey through first-century Rome and Corinth, reminding readers once again why Debbie Macomber has said that “no one brings the Bible to life like Tessa Afshar.”

The Chief: A Medieval Friends to Lovers Romance (Order of the Broken Blade Book 5) by Cecilia Mecca (Feb 4, 2020)

lady’s maid and a future chief. Can St. Valentine’s Day magic bring them together?

Rory Kennaugh is perfectly happy to remain his brother’s second indefinitely. Or so he tells himself. Their father served as both clan chief and earl, after all, and despite Terric’s long residence in England, there’s no reason to believe his brother will relinquish the title. But his perception of himself and his future in the clan is transformed by a surprising revelation on Saint Valentine’s Feast Day.

Cristane has ascended to one of the highest position possible for a servant: lady’s maid. Only her lady Cait, now the countess of Licheford, has not yet sent for her, and her foolish heart has attached itself to Cait’s brother. She knows perfectly well Rory can never return her love, which is why she keeps her feelings to herself—until the Valentine’s feast, when the traditional games reveal her mortifying secret to the object of her affection.

The revelation about Cristane’s feelings changes Rory, unlocking his heart, and a new challenge to the clan gives him the chance to prove his mettle. But can a future chief dare to love a lady’s maid?

WARNING: Rory and Cristane’s love story will melt your heart. If you have a weakness for friends to lovers and “wrong side of the tracks” romance, proceed with caution.

The Warrior (Highland Heroes Book 2) by Maeve Greyson (Feb 10, 2020)

The seer predicted a union of necessity. A marriage foreseen to save a man’s life and heal a woman’s soul.

Grab Book 2 in the new popular highland series Highland Heroes. Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited!

Death by boredom is the only fate Duncan MacCoinnich fears. Years as a mercenary fed him the adventure he needed, but now the dull routines of his brother’s keep are starving him for excitement. So, he offers his services to the ruthless smuggling lord, the MacDonald of Skye and all is set–until the woman screams.

Independence and adventure are all Tilda Mackenzie wants, a tall order for the only child of the chieftain of Clan Mackenzie. Her duty is to marry and secure an alliance. But she’d rather work at her father’s side, helping him build their smuggling empire and outmaneuver the bloody MacDonalds. She’s fearless and canny and takes pride in bending her will to no man–until the day the soldiers decide she needs humbling.

Tilda’s rescue has Duncan headed for the gallows even though she claims him to be her husband to refute the accusations. Both of them wished for adventure. But adventures can weary a soul especially when deadly enemies appear in unexpected places. That’s when wishes change to prayers for nothing more than the safety and love found in each other’s arms.

Take care with what ye wish. And word such wishes wisely. For when ye receive what ye want, ye might discover it a curse instead.

Adventure, treachery, and romance abound in this second book of the Highland Heroes Series from bestselling author Maeve Greyson.

Highland Heroes
Book 1 – The Guardian
Book 2 – The Warrior
Book 3 – The Judge
Book 4 – The Dreamer
Book 5 – The Bard
Book 6 – The Ghost

Duchess of His Heart (Seductive Scoundrels Book 6) by Collette Cameron (Feb 11, 2020)

He once loved her beyond all reason. Dare he risk heartbreak again?

Leaving her first love behind was the hardest thing Regine, Duchess of Heartwaite, had ever done. Her marriage of convenience to another man saved her family, even as it laid waste to her heart. That was years ago, however. Now widowed, she’s ready to begin her life anew. But all it takes is one glimpse of her former sweetheart to realize the feelings she buried so long ago are still there, stronger than ever. Unfortunately, his feelings for her are decidedly colder…

Solicitor James Brentwood has only one mistress these days—his work. Being jilted by his betrothed taught him love simply wasn’t worth the cost. But Regine is back in England now, more beautiful and alluring than ever. And it’s not long before he begins to feel things he has no business feeling. Especially not for her. Not again.

But when a nemesis intent on destroying Regine emerges, it’s James who must come to her rescue. Can they overcome their differences and painful past to claim their happily ever after? Or will their second chance at love end as disastrously as their first?

Lion Heart (Hearts of the Highlands Book 4) by Paula Quinn (Feb 13, 2020)

Tears are water for her roots and will make her stronger, not weaker.

Book 4 in the Hearts of the Highlands series is now available! Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited!

Elias MacPherson, a warrior suffering the consequences of war falls in love with the compassionate heart and warm smiles of a lass who is a healing balm for his troubled soul. But she is a lass he can never have.

Lily Bennett is a forbidden woman who will not budge in her loyalty, though her heart is being swept away by the handsome Highlander who has come to save her world and make her laugh again.

The Black Death, a force like nothing the earth has ever known, will bring them together and make them face their greatest fears.

Will they find themselves in the light that the other shines in the darkness? Or will an enemy, even more resilient than the plague, destroy them both?

Hearts of the Highlands Series
Heart of Ashes
Heart of Shadows
Heart of Stone
Lion Heart

A Spinster at the Highland Court: A Second Chance Highlander Romance (The Highland Ladies Book 1) by Celeste Barclay (Feb 14, 2020)

A spinster lady in waiting…

After four broken betrothals, Elizabeth Fraser believes her father’s political ambitions will keep her from ever finding a husband. Content to be considered on the shelf, Elizabeth would rather be left in peace as one of the queen’s ladies in waiting than engage in flirtations that lead nowhere. She never expected one chance encounter months ago would alter the future she had accepted.

Will Elizabeth give Edward a second chance to prove he wants more than a dalliance?

A warrior wanting to return home…

Edward Bruce, the adopted younger brother of King Robert the Bruce, is tired of fighting the English in Ireland. Loyal to his brother but homesick, Edward returns to Robert’s Scottish court in hopes of settling down once more in the Highlands. Edward recognizes the beguiling Lady Elizabeth from a brief meeting that involved one dance and a rushed conversation on the terrace. He still can’t believe the rumor she started to protect her friends. Drawn to her dry whit and independent nature, Edward realizes that his new home will require one particular lady of the keep.

Can Edward prove to his Highland lady that his intentions are sincere before time runs out?

A hidden threat…

When Elizabeth and Edward realize their lives are in danger, they must rely on the Sinclair brothers and their wives to help them investigate who might want them dead. Courtly intrigue follows them as their new love blooms and a home in the Highlands calls to them.

Welcome to Robert the Bruce’s Highland Court, where the ladies in waiting are a mixture of fire and ice. The Highland Ladies, spin off series from Celeste Barclay’s The Clan Sinclair series, returns to the Medieval royal court for love and intrigue. A Spinster at the Highland Court is the much requested and highly anticipated story of Elizabeth Fraser who appeared in both His Highland Pledge and His Highland Surprise. She finally has her own steamy love story and HEA. This a full length novel. The novella previously appeared in the Once Upon a Christmas Wedding anthology.

Chasing Cassandra: The Ravenels by Lisa Kleypas (Feb 18, 2020)

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. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love—the one thing he can’t give.

Everything except her . . .

Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win.

When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra’s reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he’s been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants—or does he? There’s one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride:

Never underestimate a Ravenel.

The chase for Cassandra’s hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun . . .

Romancing the Rake (Brotherhood of the Black Tartan Book 2) by Nichole Van (Feb 18, 2020)

Lady Sophronia Sorrow considers herself an unlikely heroine. Why, just her name alone proves this. Sophronia Sorrow sounds like a girl from a gothic penny novel—the foolish miss who falls prey to a rake and becomes an object lesson for the true heroine to avoid. No, despite her mawkish name, Sophie refuses to spend her life invisible and unwanted, relegated to the margin of the text. Despite her eccentric, bluestocking ways, there must be a place where she is wanted. If only she could uncover the identity of her natural father, perhaps she would belong there?

But one thing Sophie knows for sure—unlike that foolhardy miss in a novel, she will not succumb to a rake. No matter how thoroughly the rakish Lord Rafe Gilbert may tempt her.

Lord Rafe Gilbert longs for freedom—freedom from his controlling father, freedom to live his life as he chooses. He knows playing the rake keeps his autocratic father in check, but Rafe longs to determine his own destiny. Case in point, he fell in love with Lady Sophie years ago, but his father’s threats and his mother’s health prevent him from pursuing Lady Sophie in earnest. So when Fate thrusts Sophie into his path, Rafe knows he must turn her away and distance himself. But doing the right thing has never been so impossibly difficult.

Sophie and Rafe soon find themselves on a journey together from London to a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Along the way, can two kindred souls heal from past hurts and seize a second chance to write a love story of their own?

A Woman of True Honor (True Gentlemen Book 8) by Grace Burrowes (Feb 18, 2020)

Valerian Dorning is handsome, charming, and absolutely pockets to let. He’s hopelessly attracted to heiress Emily Pepper, but as he puts it to Emily, an honorable man must bring independent means to his marriage.

Emily has been chased by enough fortune hunters to know that the forthright fellow who balks at taking advantage of her wealth is exactly the man she needs, but she’s hiding secrets that Valerian must never learn. He needs a fortune, she needs a miracle. How can true love prevail?

Highland Steel (The Highland Chronicles Book 3) by Elizabeth Rose (Feb 19, 2020)

She needs him to escort her to the Highlands.

But where she wants him to take her is to enemy territory. It’s a dangerous game she plays!

The Sassenach:

Englishwoman Lady Rhoswen Asquith accompanies her father and siblings on a journey to the Highlands, setting out on a very dangerous but important mission. The plan is to save her baby nephew from her late sister’s murderous Highland husband. But then her traveling party is attacked, her escorts killed by bandits, and her father left for dead. With the only item they had to barter for her nephew’s return now stolen, she and her younger siblings are left without an escort and stranded on the wrong side of the border.

The Highlander:

Logan MacKeefe travels with his pet wolf at his side, and his sword in his grasp. But today he’s been thrown out of the Horn and Hoof Tavern in Glasgow because his wolf has stolen a chicken right out of old Callum MacKeefe’s soup pot. Wanting a few minutes of peace and quiet, he bathes in the loch and suns himself on a rock to dry. But it isn’t long before he is disturbed, as a bonnie lassie atop a horse comes crashing through the thicket, right toward him.

She’s a Sassenach who begs him to help her dying father. Never able to turn away a bonnie lassie in distress, Logan agrees. But when her father dies, Logan finds himself in the middle of a harrowing situation. He’s agreed to be protector and escort, but where she wants him to take her is right to his enemy’s door.

Will honor and love win over revenge and guilt, as two people who should never be together find comfort and solace in each other’s embrace? How far are they both willing to go for love?

The Scot’s Betrayal (Highland Swords Book 1) by Keira Montclair (Feb 20, 2020)

A warrior with a wounded heart.
A lass in desperate need.

Will destiny be on their side in Scotland’s War of Independence?

Destiny sent the famous warrior Alexander Grant three grandsons on the same day, at the same time. Or so the story goes. Alasdair Grant, one of the three, struggles to believe he has any special purpose. The future has never seemed bleaker for Scotland—or for Alasdair’s own family. And yet, he cannot help but wonder if fate has reached for him at last when his grandsire sends him to MacLintock Castle to help Emmalin MacLintock, the very lass who has possessed his thoughts.

Emmalin would have been laird of her castle had she not been forced to marry a controlling English baron. Her heart longs for a different life, a life in which she leads her people and a handsome, strong Highlander stands by her side. A Highlander like Alasdair Grant. When the baron dies unexpectedly, Emmalin is relieved, but that feeling quickly fades when an English garrison shows up to storm her castle. Worse, there’s evidence someone in her life might be in league with them.

Alasdair and one of his cousins arrive in Emmalin’s hour of need, giving Emmalin a glimpse of what life might be like with him by her side. If Alasdair can open his wounded heart to Emmalin, it will bring him one step closer to his destiny, but he’ll need to have faith in himself—and in Scotland—to do so.

The Bachelor (Duke Dynasty Book 2) by Sabrina Jeffries (Feb 25, 2020)

New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries features an irresistible family in a series to savor, as the grown children of a thrice-married dowager duchess piece together the stories of their fathers–while pursuing passions of their own . . .

Lady Gwyn Drake has long protected her family’s reputation by hiding an imprudent affair from her youth. But when her former suitor appears at Armitage Hall, manhandling the heiress and threatening to go public with her secrets, it’s Gwyn who needs protecting. Her twin brother, Thorn, hires Joshua Wolfe, the estate’s gamekeeper, to keep her safe in London during her debut. As a war hero, Joshua feels obligated to fulfill the assignment he has accepted. But as a man, it’s torment to be so very close to the beauty he’s fought to ignore . . .

With handsome Joshua monitoring her every move, Gwyn would prefer to forget both the past and the parade of money-seeking bachelors at her coming out. But Joshua is unmoved by her attempts at flirtation, and the threat of blackmail still hangs over her. With danger closing in, Gwyn must decide which is the greater risk: deflecting a scoundrel’s attempts to sabotage her—or revealing her whole heart to the rugged bodyguard she can’t resist.

Wild, Wild Rake: The Cavensham Heiresses by Janna MacGregor (Feb 25, 2020)

Wild, Wild Rake, the next sweeping, emotional, witty, and sharp romance in the Cavensham Heiresses series from beloved author Janna MacGregor.

Her first marriage was an epic fail.

Lady Avalon Warwyk never did love her husband. Arrogant, selfish, and cruel, it’s a blessing when she’s widowed and left to raise her son all by herself. Finally, Avalon can live freely and do the work she loves: helping fallen women become businesswomen. She’s lived these past ten years with no desire to remarry—that is, until Mr. Devan Farris comes to town.

Can he convince her to take another chance at happily ever after?

Devan Farris—charming vicar, reputed rake, and the brother of Avalon’s son’s guardian—is reluctantly sent to town to keep tabs on Avalon and her son. Devan wishes he didn’t have to meddle in her affairs; he’s not one to trod on a woman’s independent nature and keen sense of convictions. But she’ll have nothing to do with a vicar with a wild reputation—even though he’s never given his heart and body to another. If only he could find a way to show Avalon who he really is on the inside—a good, true soul looking for its other half. But how can prove that he wants to love and care for her. . .until death do they part?

His Secret Mistress: A Logical Man’s Guide to Dangerous Women Novel by Cathy Maxwell (Feb 25, 2020)

At the Logical Men’s Society—an exclusive bachelor’s club—brandy flows like water, bawdy stories abound, and a gentleman tempted to marry is always persuaded to reconsider . . .

Brandon Balfour made the mistake of trusting his heart to the exquisite, strong-willed actress, Kate Addison, with whom he shared one intimate night before fate intervened. Now a decade later, Brandon is a leading member of the Logical Men’s Society—for no woman since Kate has managed to captivate him.

To Kate, the memory of that night still burns strongly, because it was followed by a stunning betrayal. A chance encounter may have brought Brandon back into her life, but that doesn’t mean Kate will ever forgive him. She’s vowed to make him pay—even as she realizes the promises of the young love they once shared are still etched upon her heart . . .

Loving her exiled him.

Trusting him ruined her.

And now, a clash of passions threatens everything each of them ever desired.

Engaged to the Earl: The Penhallow Dynasty by Lisa Berne (Feb 25, 2020)

A spirited debutante–a brash adventurer–the perfect fiancé–and good intentions gone terribly, deliciously bad. The Penhallow Dynasty continues in this sparkling Regency romp!

Christopher Beck came striding into a glamorous London drawing-room and can’t believe his eyes. The last time he’d seen Gwendolyn Penhallow, she was a dreamy, strong-willed girl with a wild imagination, and now she’s a beautiful and beguiling young lady . . . who’s engaged to Society’s darling the Earl of Westenbury. Christopher had fled England to seek adventure elsewhere. Has he found it here too — the most delightful adventure of his life?

Gwendolyn is sure she’s betrothed to the most wonderful man in the world. But then, shockingly, Christopher Beck shows up. Nobody has heard from him in years — and not only he is very much alive, he’s also sinfully attractive, blithely unconventional, and disturbingly fun to be with. Which wouldn’t be a problem, except for the fact that she’s, well, promised to another. And just what on earth is she going to do about it?

An Inconvenient Duke (Lords of the Armory Book 1) by Anna Harrington (Feb 25, 2020)

All’s fair in war…and in love…
Marcus Braddock, former general and newly appointed Duke of Hampton, is back from war. Now, not only is he surrounded by the utterly unbearable ton, he’s mourning the death of his beloved sister, Elise. Marcus believes his sister’s death wasn’t an accident, and he’s determined to learn the truth—starting with Danielle Williams, his sister’s beautiful best friend.

Danielle is keeping deadly secrets of her own. She has dedicated her life to a charity that helps abused women—the same charity Elise was working for the night she died. When Danielle’s work puts her life in danger, Marcus comes to her rescue. But Danielle may not be the one in need of rescuing.

Every Bit a Rogue (The Ellinghams) by Adrienne Basso (Feb 25, 2020)

When a young lady sacrifices her reputation to save a viscount, it’s the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in Adrienne Basso’s captivating Regency tale . . .

Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, knows what the gossips say about him. They claim he’s been a dejected, half-mad recluse ever since he was jilted at the altar. The simple truth is that Jon has thrown all the passion he once had for his fiancée into his latest mechanical invention. But his single-minded existence has lately been shattered by repeated encounters with Miss Emma Ellingham, his neighbor’s intriguing sister-in-law . . .

Painting and sketching have been Emma’s consolation since her own secret heartbreak. When she stumbles upon the viscount’s workshop, his machine revives her artistic imagination. The gentleman himself is even more fascinating—and deeply seductive. When Jon is accused of a crime, Emma risks her good name for his sake. But though the threat of scandal compels them to wed, only courage can overcome their pasts, and allow desire to transform into love.

The Pursuit (Sherring Cross Book 3) by Johanna Lindsey Feb 25, 2020)

#1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey’s wonderfully delightful sequel to Say You Love Me.

What was to be a grand adventure for Melissa MacGregor—an escape from the wilds of her Scottish home into the whirl of the London social scene—seems to pale before the promise in the passionate gaze of Lincoln Ross Burnett. Though they exchange but a few words before parting after a chance encounter on her grandfather’s lands, Melissa instantly knows this bold stranger is her destiny, while Lincoln realizes his heart has been claimed forever and he will never be complete until Melissa MacGregor is his bride.

But there are serious obstacles impeding the well-smitten Viscount Cambury’s pursuit of glorious romance: sixteen of them—all big and brawny, six named Ian and all named MacFearson. The bane of Lincoln’s youth, Melissa’s stifling, disapproving uncles are now determined to rob him of his newfound happiness. Yet he is equally resolved to confront the peril—and to pursue his exquisite obsession all the way to London…and to the ends of the earth, if necessary.

A Duke is Never Enough (The Spitfire Society Book 2) by Darcy Burke (Feb 25, 2020)

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Untouchables series comes your next Regency obsession: The Spitfire Society… Meet the smart, independent women who’ve decided they don’t need Society’s rules, their families’ expectations, or, most importantly, a husband. But just because they don’t need a man doesn’t mean they might not want one.

Notorious rake Marcus Raleigh, Marquess of Ripley, is gracing the gossip pages for a new reason: the rumors he may have murdered his swindling cousin. His quest for answers regarding his cousin’s death leads him to an incomparable self-declared spinster, and he is—for the first time—beguiled beyond reason. Neither is what the other wants, and yet their intense mutual infatuation is inescapable.

After abandoning her philandering betrothed at the altar, Phoebe Lennox fled from London only to return an heiress who refuses to follow the ton’s rules. She won’t risk a relationship of any kind—until she meets the scandalous Marquess of Ripley. Swept into his seductive embrace, her resolve falters in the face of a pleasure she never anticipated. But when the truth about Marcus and the murder come to light, Phoebe could lose everything she holds dear, including a love for all time.

Sinful Scot (Highlanders Through Time Book 1) by Julie Johnstone (Feb 28, 2020)

In a time he doesn’t belong, in an alliance she shouldn’t have made, they’ll fall dangerously, hopelessly in love.

New Orleans, 2020. Billionaire Rhys McCaim doesn’t believe for one second that his missing mother is a time traveler. Still, his father insists that she didn’t leave them willingly but was pulled through time to her true home in medieval Scotland. But when he and his three brothers test out an ancient time-traveling spell to appease their dying father and Rhys is catapulted to thirteenth-century Scotland, he can’t exactly deny it anymore. Suddenly he’s a Highlander in a land on the verge of war. He needs to get back to his time before all hell breaks loose, but first he must find his mother. Luckily, fate drops the perfect guide in his path. She’s brilliant, beautiful and bold, and he’s drawn to her in a way he’s never been drawn to anyone or anything before. But he can’t afford to be distracted from his mission or lower his carefully constructed guard.

Scotland, 1286. Maggie Irvine is betrothed to a vicious man who cares only of wealth and power. Marrying him will restore her family’s reputation, however, saving her siblings from lives of misery. She has resigned herself to her fate, but when a mysterious, handsome stranger magically appears before her out of thin air, her plan—and the stranger’s life—are in jeopardy. And the only way to save him is to risk everything. As she comes to learn the shocking truth of what he hides, Maggie discovers what happens when duty collides with desire and long-abandoned dreams rise to the surface.

Bound by secrets and lies, Maggie and Rhys are entangled in the brewing battle for the Scottish throne. With his knowledge of the future, Rhys possesses the powerful ability to alter history. Yet, to do so successfully, he must let Maggie past the defenses he’s spent a lifetime building. Now, an alliance that began in desperation becomes a need that will leave them both torn between what they should do and what love demands.

If you love sexy bad boy heroes with hearts of gold, heroines with the courage to fight for what they want, and love stories that encompass all time, then you’ll love this sweeping romance series.