Books like Just One Kiss by Samantha James

Lady Elizabeth Stanton is cheated out of her inheritance by a willful stepmother and, desperate for a new life, follows the dashing shipbuilder Nathaniel O’Connor to America in hopes of accepting his proposal of marriage. At the grand Boston mansion where Nathaniel’s affairs are managed, Elizabeth is unexpectedly greeted not by the shipbuilder but by Morgan O’Connor, Nathaniel’s handsome and secretive older brother. Morgan, bearing the brunt of a sibling’s treachery, harbors bitterness yet takes in Elizabeth, who has fallen on her own. A stolen kiss between the two sparks scandal and leads Morgan to propose marriage to the proud, golden‑haired beauty. Elizabeth, however, remains devoted to Nathaniel and must navigate her growing feelings for Morgan, while Morgan must confront his own pain and suspicion to find a passion that can thaw a frozen heart and heal all wounds.

First publish date: 1996