Best of
Historical-Romance

1997

Topaz


Beverly Jenkins - 1997
    Her investigation points to Rupert Samuels,one of the wealthiest and most eligible black men in the East, but her covert efforts to get close enough to uncover the goods on him bring her to the brink of becoming his wife.A Promise of Pleasure Snatched from the altar by Dix Wildhorse, a Black Seminole Marshal from Oklahoma's Indian country, Kate has no choice but to flee with the daring knight her father sent to rescue and wed her. Marriage had never been part of Kate's plans,and she isn't about to abandon her career to become the dutiful wife of a Wild West lawman bent on wrapping her in his own protective cocoon. Determined to hold on to her independence despite the dark simmering fire Dix's bronzed, muscled embrace ignites, she challenges him at every turn. Yet even as their battle of wills intensifies, the heat of their passion blazes with unmatched fury...a wildfire of love that can only be answered in the sweet ecstasy of surrender.

The Legend


Kathryn Le Veque - 1997
    On the Seventh Crusade, Sir Alec Summerlin makes a horrible mistake that costs him everything. Once the greatest swordsman in the realm, he lays his weapon down and refuses to ever wield a broadsword again. Surrendering his spurs, he retires to his father's castle in self-imposed exile. His father, however, has other ideas for his greatest son and betroths him to a local ale heiress. The Lady Peyton de Fluornoy is as resistant to marriage as Alec is, but she gradually begins to warm to the man who has given up on life. Alec comes to know a lady of spirit, beauty and intelligence. Before their marriage can happen, however, Alec's father is blackmailed by a neighbor who wants Peyton for his own son. Now deeply in love, Alec elopes with Peyton and an entirely new world of danger and passion opens up for them both. As the conflict with the neighbor heats up, deep and horrific secrets are revealed, and Peyton ends up in grave danger. Alec must recant his vow and draw his sword again to save the woman that he loves as The Legend is once again reborn.

The Promise of Jenny Jones


Maggie Osborne - 1997
    Though she and the six-year-old Graciela get off to a rocky start, Jenny will do everything in her power to keep her promise, even with the child's cousins in hot pursuit. Then she is mysteriously drawn to the handsome cowboy Ty Sanders, and though neither know it yet, their purpose is the same.

Darling Jasmine


Bertrice Small - 1997
    She was just like her grandmother, the legendary Skye O'Malley. Darling Jasmine Jasmine had been forced into marriage twice. Rebelling at King James' decree that she wed Jemmie Leslie, fifth earl of Glenkirk, she fled to France with her children. But her youngest, the illegitimate offspring of Jasmine's lover, Prince Henry Stuart, is also the king's only grandson. Now the man coming after her and her little boy is the man she both fears and desires. . . Jemmie Leslie has come to France to possess Jasmine--by force if necessary. Though they shared a night of unforgettable passion, her rejection of their betrothal stunned and maddened him. Yet once he sees her again, Jemmie vows to win the elusive Jasmine back. . .and take her beyond ecstasy.

Jake


Leigh Greenwood - 1997
    "Neat as a pin and stiff as starch," he classified her when she and her wagonload of orphans pulled up to his Texas ranch. But without any men of his own, the boys under her care were Jake's only chance of driving his beeves to market. Still, he couldn't help wondering if he could teach a gang of outlaws-in-the-making to herd cattle...if he could keep his hands off the oh-so-proper belle...if there was any way at all to stop Isabelle from branding his heart as her own.

Texas Embrace


Rosanne Bittner - 1997
    A man and woman who have both known violence and tragedy, and how it feels to be outcasts, Tess and John are drawn together by a deep understanding few couples share. Both want a chance at happiness in a land as wild and free as their own hearts, and they will risk their lives and their honor to build a life together in an unforgiving land. Texas Embrace is a gritty tale that keeps the pages turning in an unforgettable love story told in the spirit of the pioneer—a story that shows the bravery and fortitude of a frontier woman and a rugged Texas Ranger. Rosanne Bittner writes emotionally stirring stories featuring unforgettable men and women who settled the American West, with tough heroes and heroines who remain the foundation of America’s strength and freedom today. Sequel—Texas Passions

Jade


Norah Hess - 1997
    There, amid the majestic peaks, the rugged horseman fell in love at first sight—with a white stallion that had no equal anywhere in the West. But before Kane could ride the magnificent beast off into the sunset, he'd have to use his considerable charms to gentle a beautiful spitfire who claimed the animal as her own.The RenegadeProud, high-spirited Jade Farrow could do what no man had ever done: She could ride the notorious Satan. So she'd be damned if she'd give up her beloved horse without a fight. Determined to break Roemer, the fiery hellion followed him to his Laramie spread. Then a sudden blizzard trapped Jade with her sworn enemy, and she discovered that the only way she could hope to keep Satan was to rope, corral, and brand Kane with her unbridled passion.

With This Ring


Carla Kelly - 1997
    This outrageously impudent officer kept deplorable company in dismal surroundings beyond the boundaries of polite society. Even worse, he was shamelessly, sinfully penniless.To keep him company would ruin Lydia's already slim chances in the marriage mart. To listen to the shocking proposal he made to her would spell ruin to her good name. To run away with him in a mockery of marriage on a honeymoon journey through the wilds of England was the ultimate folly for a young lady whose family demanded she wed both wisely and well. Could Lydia say "I do" and accept the Major for better or for worse, or would she risk losing the only man who had ever captured her heart?

The Wild One


Danelle Harmon - 1997
    When he takes a bullet for boldly thwarting a stagecoach robbery, he is stunned to discover that the beautiful young woman he has heroically rescued, Juliet Paige, is his deceased brother’s American fiancée, accompanied by her infant daughter. Despite his brother the duke's refusal to acknowledge Juliet, Gareth is determined to do right by the courageous woman who crossed an ocean to give her baby her rightful name. But Juliet is wary of marrying this black sheep aristocrat, even while she is hopelessly charmed by the dashing devil. Never has she met anyone who embraces life so thoroughly, who makes her laugh, who loves her so well. And, even when it seems the odds are against them, Juliet has absolute faith that Gareth will go beyond the call of duty, risking his life itself to give her and her daughter a home — and a love that will last a lifetime.

Warrior's Song


Janis Reams Hudson - 1997
    One man has the courage to help her, an enigmatic half-breed who rides into Colorado from nowhere, and finds love to heal all wounds.

Texas Destiny


Lorraine Heath - 1997
    The tall cowboy at the station wasn't Dallas. He was Houston, Dallas's brother, sent to escort her on the rugged three-week trek to the ranch where Dallas waited. Brought up in war-ravaged Georgia, Amelia thought Dallas's letters made Texas sound like heaven, a place for her dreams to grow with the right man beside her.And his only love...By all appearances, Houston Leigh would hardly be considered the "right man." The war he survived had scarred him inside and out, and he was little competition for his handsome brother. But from the moment Houston met Amelia, he knew she possessed the courage this wild land needed. She had eyes that could see past his wounded face to his soul. And he would fight any man—except his brother—for her heart. Now he and Amelia were riding down dangerous trails, sleeping under the stars, and God help them, they were falling in love.

Nowhere to Run (Indigo Sensuous Love Stories)


Gay G. Gunn - 1997
    Even if you're a fast reader, you'll want to savor this newly minted but priceless little book.

Enchanting the Duke


Patricia Grasso - 1997
    . . Lady Isabelle Montgomery wants to be left alone to play her flute and talk to Giselle, the guardian angel only she can see. Because Isabelle manages her brother’s estate finances, her greedy stepmother and selfish stepsisters continually harass her for fancy clothes and a season in London. For reasons she refuses to share, Isabelle has no desire to go to London. Unexpectedly, the Duke of Avon announces that he is her temporary guardian while her brother, the Earl of Stratford, has gone abroad. This complication annoys Isabelle who thinks the duke is thoroughly irritating. So why can’t she stop thinking about him? And why does Giselle keep telling her about a dark prince? He doesn’t want a ward . . . John Saint-Germain, the Duke of Avon, wants nothing to do with wards or stepfamilies. The duke suffered a moment’s weakness and promised the earl that he would watch over his sister, including sponsoring Isabelle and her stepsisters into society. And then John meets his stubborn, outspoken, thoroughly irritating ward. Her fiery beauty and independent spirit attract him. Is he falling in love? If only she’d stop talking to that imaginary friend. Their enemies want to destroy them . . . Both John and Isabelle have enemies who join forces to plot against them. John will brave any danger to protect Isabelle and his family. Even if it means seeing with his heart and believing in the impossible.

Captain Jack's Woman


Stephanie Laurens - 1997
    He is her dream lover come vividly alive, and his command of the smuggling gang is absolute. His all-knowing gaze penetrates her disguise as the “lad” leader of a rival gang with frightening ease and his “punishment” with kisses leaves her maidenly modesty in tatters.Suddenly Kit finds she’s only too delighted to explore with Jack the pleasures conventionally reserved for married ladies . . . little knowing what dangerous forces she’s unleashing. For even as Kit revels in midnight gallops and cottage rendezvous, Captain Jack is laying a gentle trap that will curtail her freedom . . . and bind her to him with a ring, a promise . . . and ties of devotion and desire.

Strand of Dreams


Audrey Howard - 1997
    Set in Oldham in the years after World War I, this is a story of an milll-girl who is torn between two very different worlds.

Tomorrow's Memories


Audrey Howard - 1997
    Salvation arrives in the form of Adam Cooper, who is fascinated by this proud yet vulnerable girl. He marries her, but life still has some shocks in store for them both.

Love's Ambush (Hunters of the Ice Age Book 3)


Theresa Scott - 1997
     Ambushed… Banished by his Lion People for a crime he did not commit, Blade expected to walk the windswept, prehistoric hills, alone for the rest of his life—on constant guard against the huge bears and saber-tooth tigers…. Instead, he was ambushed by three hunters. After her husband-to-be was killed by a vicious bear, Denai gave up all hope of a man of her own. Her life would henceforth be spent sewing and cooking for her three brothers, hunters all, in return for their protection against the huge wild animals that stalked the land. Then came the day when her brothers returned from a hunt, leading a strong, handsome captive—a man they'd captured out on the prehistoric hills, a man with no people, no past. A man who was to be her mate… or he would die. And beautiful Denai had little choice, for she, too, was caught… in Love’s Ambush...

Firelight


Linda Sandifer - 1997
    Original.

Indiscreet


Mary Balogh - 1997
    In the country visiting his twin brother, Rex longed for a little diversion. But Catherine Winters was a lady of virtue, and she roundly rejected his improper proposal to become his mistress. Since the handsome lord would not be daunted, Catherine fought the feelings he aroused—feelings that brought to life a past she had sought to escape. One kiss could bring her to ruin. But temptation proved a worthy foe—and Catherine could not ignore the beating of her treacherous heart...

Capture the Wind


Kit Garland - 1997
    She dared to live like a man...She raced by him on her schooner Mischief, beating Fleetwing and its legendary skipper in a race at sea, proving that the ship she designed, built, and sailed was the fastest craft afloat.  Then Dominique Willoughby offered Nicholas Hawksmoor the ultimate challenge: to take her with him on a perilous mission across the Mediterranean in search of a fabulous gem.  She was ready for danger, but not for the passions ignited by his smoldering gaze....And love with a woman's passionate heart....They called him adventurer, rogue, gambler, thief, a man who would do anything to get what he wanted.  But Nicholas Hawksmoor needed the ship and the woman to help him find the Cat's Eye, a priceless gem with a blood-soaked curse.  He'd never met a woman like her--a born sailor packaged in a temptress's body, with an angel's freckled face.  Dominique, who sailed with him into unknown waters, evoking desires in which a pirate prince could drown....

The Forever Man


Carolyn Davidson - 1997
    And Johanna Patterson was the kind of woman who could make him leave the past behind. But how would he ever convince this reclusive spinster to open up her heart to him and his boys?It seemed to Johanna that she had always been alone. Until the day that Tate Montgomery turned up at her farm with a ready-made family, and an offer that would change her life forever.

Pride of the Courtneys


Margaret Dickinson - 1997
    But perhaps the most disturbing personality at the Hall is Bassett Courtney. Louella soon realizes that Lady Courtney's hatred springs from the closely-guarded secret surrounding her mother's connection with the Courtney family some years before Louella's birth. Only the friendship of Georgiana and Charles Corby sustain Louella when, suspected of theft, she becomes a prisoner of her fear of Bassett, Master of Courtney.

Eugene Onegin in Full Score


Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsy - 1997
    Adapted from a novel in verse form by Aleksandr Pushkin, it is the tale of a jaded Russian aristocrat who scores the love of Tatyana, an attractive young girl of the provincial petty nobility. After years of aimless wandering, Onegin returns to St. Petersburg to find Tatyana much changed and married to a prince. Onegin falls in love, but this time she rejects him in favor of marital fidelity.The theme and treatment of Pushkin's text so strongly appealed to Tchaikovsky that he devoted himself to the opera's execution with single-minded fervor, drawing the libretto from the poet's own lines as far as possible. The composer's passionate attachment to the work was undoubtedly interlocked with analogous events in his private life: at the time of the opera's creation Tchaikovsky was involved in a disastrous marriage that swiftly led to his emotional breakdown.Today, Eugene Onegin is a staple of the operatic repertoire, moving audiences everywhere with its richly melodic score and imaginative orchestration. Musicians and music lovers will welcome this inexpensive high-quality edition, reprinted from an authoritative early score.

The Girl With The Creel


Doris Davidson - 1997
    However Lizann overcomes the obstacles in the way of her happiness - which she finds in the last place she expected. This novel is by the author of "The Three Kings".

Mary


Theresa Michaels - 1997
    Until a fierce stranger holding a bloodied child appeared on her doorstep, demanding entry into her world--and into her heart.Rafe McCade would have sold his soul to the devil to save his little girl's life, but he bartered it instead to a soft-spoken angel with the power to heal his daughter's wounded body, and the tenderness to rescue him from the torments of his own bitter past.