Her plan is to travel to India instead—if only to find peace for her restless spirit and to escape the family she abhors. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. She makes a bargain with Kate: India, yes, but only after Kate has secured—and rejected—three marriage proposals.Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore determined to fulfill her end of the bargain and enlists the help of her dearest childhood friend, Henry Delafield. But when it comes to matters of love, bargains are meaningless and plans are changeable. There on the wild lands of Blackmoore, Kate must face the truth that has kept her heart captive. Will the proposal she is determined to reject actually be the one thing that will set her heart free?Set in Northern England in 1820, Blackmoore is a Regency romance that tells the story of a young woman struggling to learn how to follow her heart. It is Wuthering Heights meets Little Women with a delicious must-read twist.

    But after they arrive and begin teaching the younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen and danger mounts. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte, only to find the music room empty? Who sneaks into her room at night? Who rips a page from her journal, only to return it with a chilling illustration?The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry, wrestle with problems—and secrets—of their own. They both remember Emma Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. She had been an awkward, studious girl. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her.When the suspicious acts escalate, can the clever tutor's daughter figure out which brother to blame... and which brother to trust with her heart?

    caring... supportive... protective. Catherine Walman's brother, however, is not. He has maligned her reputation until no honorable man will seek her company, wasted her dowry and endangered her home with his gambling and now his new wife has made it clear Catherine is no longer welcome. The hand of fortune intervenes when a letter arrives advising Catherine that a stranger has bequeathed to her "a home and money to keep it." Catherine seizes upon this chance, hoping that it might be enough for her to be independent, to be free - only to discover this stranger also had a brother, or two, or three.

    Darcy, she despised him and was sure he felt the same. Angered by his pride and reserve, influenced by the lies of the charming Mr. Wickham, she never troubled herself to believe he was anything other than the worst of men--until, one day, he unexpectedly proposed. Mr. Darcy's passionate avowal of love causes Elizabeth to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about him. What she knows is that he is rich, handsome, clever, and very much in love with her. She, on the other hand, is poor, and can expect a future of increasing poverty if she does not marry. The incentives for her to accept him are strong, but she is honest enough to tell him that she does not return his affections. He says he can accept that--but will either of them ever be truly happy in a relationship of unequal affection?Diverging from Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice at the proposal in the Hunsford parsonage, this story explores the kind of man Darcy is, even before his "proper humbling," and how such a man, so full of pride, so much in love, might have behaved had Elizabeth chosen to accept his original proposal.

    Her uncle is determined. He’s threatened to sell Helmsby Abbey, the only home Alexandra has ever known, and throw the estate’s staff into the streets if he doesn’t get his way. But her uncle has the intelligence of a turnip, surely Alexandra can manage to outwit him and save all she holds dear. After years of living in Macao, Sutton “Satan” Reynolds, the decadent, handsome Marquess of Cambourne, has finally returned to take his place in society. As beautiful as he is wealthy, the ladies of the ton are lining up to be ruined at his hands. He finds them all tedious and boring until he meets the delectable Miss Dunforth. Miss Dunforth seems immune to his charms. In fact, the tart-tongued spinster assures Sutton that she finds him arrogant. Annoying. And lacking in some way. One wicked kiss leads to a scandalous attraction.Determined to save her home, Alexandra has no time to flirt with scandalous rakes, especially one who sports a dragon tattoo and possesses a ridiculous nickname. Lord Cambourne is a distraction Alexandra can ill afford, even after he kisses her. Besides, she’s certain he is only toying with her for his own amusement. After all, notorious rakes don’t desire plain, bookish spinsters from Hampshire.Do they?

    . . ...nothing can be lost that love cannot find? Jane Austen's beloved "Pride and Prejudice" is readapted in this Regency tale of love in the face of tragedy. Mr. Darcy is thwarted in his attempt to propose to Elizabeth Bennet at Hunsford when he encounters her minutes after she receives the sad news from Longbourn of her sister's death. His gallantry and compassion as he escorts her back to Hertfordshire begins to unravel the many threads of her discontent with him. While her family heals from their loss, Darcy must search London for answers --- answers that might bring justice but also might just mark the end of his own hopes with Elizabeth.

    To ensure her family's survival she and her sister decide to take a drastic step - they don masks and take to the road as highwaymen. Disaster strikes when, inside the first carriage they rob, they find the one man Olivia had hoped never to see again. Five years ago Lord William Ryder had broken Livvy's heart. Now he has returned and she has a bad feeling that if anyone can succeed at unmasking her deepest secrets, it will be him.Can a rake reform?Will knew his return would be greeted with both joy and resentment, but after five years of hard living he was ready to come home and take his place in society. He had never forgotten Olivia no matter how hard he'd tried, and whilst he hadn't imagined she would welcome him with open arms, the hostility and anger she displays are at odds with the woman he once knew. Will is horrified to find she's living a dangerous lie and refuses his help. But now that he’s back, Will is determined to do whatever it takes to protect her, and finally claim her for his own.BOOKS IN THE LANGLEY SISTERS SERIESLady In DisguiseLady In DemandLady In DistressThe Lady Plays Her AceThe Lady Seals Her FateThe Lady’s Dangerous LoveThe Lady’s Forbidden Love

    After Miss Darcy has returned to London, she invites her new friend to stay with her at the Darcy home in town ... unbeknownst to Mr. Darcy.Will this change in circumstances lead to a change in affections?

    You have no rights to allow or disallow anything I may choose to do. You have, in fact, no claim over me whatsoever – a circumstance for which I thank the Lord on a daily basis! I am neither your ward nor your dependent, and I will not allow you to talk to me in that odiously overbearing fashion!'High-spirited Artemisia Grantley, niece of the Duke of Wentworth, has never made any attempt to conform to the feminine ideal expected of a lady of quality, nor has she ever had the benefit of an unfavourable opinion formed against her. But when the Marquess of Chysm enters her life, it seems to her that his lordship is always at hand to witness her shortcomings and bring them to her attention, inciting her temper and leaving her flustered. As she reluctantly embarks upon her first London Season, a scandalous family secret and a conspiracy that stretches all the way to Napoleonic France threaten to entangle her with the one person she could happily throttle.

    When her aunt gives her an ultimatum to leave, Jessamine accepts a position as companion to Lord Kirkendale’s sister—even though she’s been warned her predecessors can’t seem to resist the earl’s exceptional good looks. Can Jessamine manage to hold onto her job without losing her heart?To honor a promise made to his dying father, Lord Kirkendale agrees to an arranged marriage to a woman he cannot love. Although he is resigned to a life without sentiment, the arrival of his sister’s new companion awakens a slumbering passion. Can he find a way to secure his own happiness without sacrificing his family’s honor, or will his broken promise result in the ruination of the person he loves most?

    When a mysterious note arrives from Tristan Bonnaud asserting that the Duke's brother is alive, it leads Max straight to the winsome Lisette Bonnaud, illegitimate daughter of a viscount and Tristan's sister. Soon he and Lisette are traveling to Paris posing as husband and wife, in search of Tristan, who has disappeared. And the longer he spends with Lisette, the easier it is for Max to see that the line between dukedom and desire is easier to cross than he imagined...

    There, the girls encounter familiar faces and intriguing new acquaintances. As fate would have it, their aunt’s Gracechurch Street home is frequented by intimate members of Mr. Darcy’s family, and Elizabeth discovers that she and Darcy’s uncle have more than one favorite in common.This is a tale of wrong first impressions, mistaken pride and prejudice, rights and wrongs — a divergent but familiar story of the struggle for happiness of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy.

    The fantastic notions and romantic heroes contained in those books are the only thing that distracts her from the abuse of her adopted family. But then a mysterious stranger, the Earl of Austell, finds they have a mutual malady of boredom, and he endeavors to rescue them both.THE DUKE'S DILEMMAAfter losing their parents in an accident, older sister Leslie Endale, her two younger sisters, and her brother Daryl, the nine-year-old heir to the Endale estate, run away from their wicked cousin, March Wardell, who is trying to do away with the young heir so that he may capture the earldom for himself. Leslie leads the young orphans to the ruined mansion of the Duke of Kenelm, Drogo Trevelyan, who has not entered the much-hated premises since his father died. Drogo discovers the Endale children in his home seeking refuge until they can reach their Great-aunt in London. Much to his chagrin, Drogo becomes entangled with the children's plight and more specifically with one certain Lady Leslie.THE RANDOM GENTLEMANBelinda is arranged to marry the Duke of Romsdale, but rather than acquiesce to tradition, she flees to Devon. She soon discovers that the Duke is in pursuit of her, and, disguised as a gypsy, he's endeavoring to win what he believes is his birthright: her heart.THE MARRIAGE MARTAthena always has her nose in a book, despite her grandmother's insistence she find herself a husband. Her grandmother has a plan, take her to London, transform her from an ugly duckling into a swan, and marry her off to the first bachelor too dumb to recognize her intelligence. Her plan backfires when Athena meets the Duke and a social blunder turns them into instant enemies. As her grandmother had feared, the Duke is thoroughly threatened by her Bluestocking smarts, and his campaign to slander her in polite society may mean she'll never be married.

     Ian’s a vengeful lord… Notorious for his stern demeanor and inflexible honor, he journeys to London for one purpose—the permanent and irreversible downfall of the siren who caused his brother’s death. Instead of an immoral seductress, he discovers a soft-spoken, raven-haired beauty. Against all reason, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to the last woman in England he could ever love. Evangeline’s a spirited gypsy lady… She endures the bon ton’s disdain and numerous indecent propositions with grace and poise. But when a dastardly lord plots her ruination, she’s finished with propriety and politeness. To make matters worse, he becomes caught in his own snare, forcing them into a marriage neither wants…or do they? A love that transcends betrayal… When their lives are suddenly in danger, Ian and Vangie must trust each other and their love. But can she forgive Him? Will his regrets keep them from finding the happiness they both crave?

    When Emmaline reads one too many reports of his scandalous liaisons in the gossip rags, she takes matters into her own hands. War-torn veteran, Lord Drake devotes himself to forgetting his days on the Peninsula through an endless round of meaningless associations. He no longer wants to feel anything, but Lady Emmaline is making it hard to maintain a state of numbness. With her zest for life, she awakens his passion and desire for love. The one woman Drake has spent the better part of his life avoiding is now the only woman he needs, but he is no longer a man worthy of his Emmaline. It is up to her to show him the healing power of love.

    Four weddings... Four unforgettable stories...A BROODING BEAUTYOnce darlings of the Ton, Marcus and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Kensington, have been estranged for over three years. Secrets and miscommunication tore them apart. Will their love be strong enough to bring them back together? Find out in A Brooding Beauty, the first novella in the Wedded Women Quartet! A RAVISHING REDHEADThe last time Margaret saw her husband was on the day of their wedding. He arrived drunk and ran off with her dowry, leaving her stuck at his rundown estate without a shilling to her name. Now he has returned, and while their sizzling chemistry is undeniable, will their differences prove to be too difficult to overcome?A LASCIVIOUS LADYJosephine never wanted to be with Traverson. In love with a Duke, she had dreams of grandeur that did not include marrying a lowly Earl. But when fate forces husband and wife together again and Josephine finally realizes her heart belongs to Traverson, will her efforts to win him back be too little, too late? A GENTLE GRACEGrace has been in love with Stephen from the first moment they met. When he disappeared mere weeks before their wedding, she was left heartbroken and alone. Now he has returned, and he wants her back... But can Grace love the man who left her, and can Stephen trust her with his darkest secret? Find out in A Gentle Grace, the anticipated conclusion to the Wedded Women Quartet! [This is the complete series of the Wedded Women Quartet novellas, all previously published and available individually on Amazon. The novellas range from 75 - 110 pages in length.]

    Yet if his anger is unleashed, so is his madness. Miri must keep his descent into lunacy a secret, or he’ll be committed to an asylum—and she’ll be sent to the poor house. ETHAN GOODWIN’s been on the run all of his life—from family, from the law...from God. After a heart-changing encounter with the gritty Reverend John Newton, Ethan would like nothing more than to become a man of integrity—an impossible feat for an opium addict charged with murder. When Ethan Goodwin shows up on Miri’s doorstep, her balancing act falls to pieces. Both Ethan and Miri are caught in a web of lies and deceit—fallacies that land Ethan in prison and Miri in the asylum with her brother. Only the truth will set them free.

    Chastain Warren, the Earl of Kensington, Chase to his friends, isn't pleased when he learns he's inherited the title of Marquess of Derebourne. Having recently lost his beloved wife and unborn child, the last thing he wants is to be attracted to Derebourne's widow, but he is. This woman who wears breeches isn't anything like the ladies he's waltzed with in the ballrooms of London. It doesn't take Claire long to realize she wants this man, and when he resists, she comes up with a plan she calls The Training of a Marquess and works her horse whispering magic on Chase.

    She finds instead his autocratic heir, Stefan Ankerville, and is dragged willy-nilly into the new earl’s unconventional family. Lucy is driven to battle for her independence while she struggles against the venom of the half-sister she never knew she had.When the secrets of Lucy’s past begin to unravel, she is reluctantly obliged to rely on Stefan’s help. Can Lucy overcome a dangerous attraction to the earl, with whom an alliance is impossible? Or is there a faint hope of happiness in the hidden truth of her origins?

    But when a pompous secretary gives him too many orders, Jack hops on the next stagecoach leaving London inn, not caring where it’s going. Too much whisky to stave off freezing leaves him sleeping it off in a different inn, and when an attractive young woman asks if he’s Jack Howard he happily goes home with her.Despite vile weather, Meg Lambert drives to the local inn to collect her brother’s friend Jack Howard, but since she’s never met the man, she doesn’t realize that she’s brought home the wrong Jack Howard. Jack realizes her mistake when he awakes the next morning with an aching head—but he finds a warmth and welcome with Meg and her family that he’s yearned for all his life. He can’t bring himself to admit that he’s a cuckoo in her nest—but what will happen when Meg’s brother and the right Jack Howard turn up for Christmas???

     Grace Ashman has lost everything: her mother five years ago, and now her father and her home just a week before Christmas. She lives on the streets until one kind man invites her inside for a meal before the holiday. What she couldn’t know is that his kindness will change her life forever. Joshua Dibbs has been the butler at the Earl of Harrington’s London town home since 1809. If there is one thing Dibbs is known for, it is doing things properly. At least until now. Alas, when the earl arrives unexpectedly, the butler is reliant on help from a homeless woman to keep the household running until the staff returns!

    When someone closest to her is cruelly betrayed and unjustly sent away, life afterwards proves never to be the same for everyone involved, beginning a series of events beyond her control. Somehow, through the years that follow, Payton manages to deal with the heartache of loss and rejection, all while balancing her new situation, and becoming her own woman. Finally settled into a life that she could only once imagine, Payton is content; especially when the promise of love is presented by someone she admires and trusts. Nothing ever goes to plan, though. Once again she is faced with surviving circumstances, and choices others make on her behalf. This time, they ultimately take her across the ocean, to settle in a harsh new land.

    As their love grows for each other, Matilda's past comes back to haunt her.MILADY HOT-AT-HANDAndrea’s sister Pola and her father are mysteriously murdered soon after Pola’s wedding. Andrea pushes through the shock and hurt and devises an intricate plan to disguise herself as a boy so she can investigate Pola’s husband, Lord Dominic Justin. She soon finds herself not only falling into a trap, but into the arms of the handsome Lord.A TIME TO LOVEAfter being left destitute by the death of her parents, Moira Lovelace travels by carriage to seek solace in the home of her Cousin Lily. On the way, the coach is attacked and a handsome but wounded Marquess is left in Moira's care. A mysterious traveler, Major Hilary Norman, comes to assist, and soon Moira realizes that she has captured the interest of both men. Her head and heart are lead into a battle as she tries to determine which man will gain her love.A PLACE FOR ALFREDAAt birth Alfreda’s father substitutes her for a male so his fortune and title will not be lost. Her father’s former governess is put in charge of raising and caring for Alfreda, and is given an allowance in exchanged for her silence. Alfreda grows up aching to know her real family. Now an adult, she goes on a search for the identity of her parents, and she soon begins to discover things she wishes she hadn't.

    To accept the part at the Theatre-Royal at Haymarket, the very proper young lady assumes the disguise of Miss Lily Underwood, the actress. Who knew all of London would soon be at her feet sending her love notes? One such Valentine goes awry only to be found by the dashing Irish barrister, Morgan O'Connell. Though he would have seduced the actress, Morgan must court the lady. Given three choices much like Portia's suitors, can she resist the handsome Irish rogue? And who is it who is following her?

    When Sally, Henri’s maid, comes across a Mask in a trunk of old costumes, Henrietta is entranced and transformed. She secretly wears the mask at the first of October’s masquerades, hoping to catch the attention of the man she thinks she loves. Instead, she finds herself the talk of the town. When her mother gives her an ultimatum to be engaged by All Hallows Eve or be forced into an arranged marriage, Henrietta continues her rouse in the hopes that the man of her dreams will recognize her. In a dance of mystery and disguise, love finds her when she isn't looking, and luckily for her, the heart sees through any mask.

    Mr. Andrew Garvin’s situation seemed ideal on paper. He is gone from the home often, in search of antiquities, leaving behind four children in need of guidance and supervision. Nan thinks it will be the perfect place to hide until her trust is released into her hands, but what she finds when she arrives is a household in an uproar, no staff, and a very handsome and roguish American who makes her heart beat just a little bit faster…the question is, will he discover who she is before she is ready to be found?

    Originally published in separate anthologies, and out-of-print for many years, these three novellas by legendary Regency romance author Barbara Metzger are in one volume for the first time ever!This collection includes the following stories:"Autumn Glory""The Management Requests""A Match Made in Heaven - Or Hell"125 pp.

    One Perfect Bride.Whitfield Calder, Earl of Danning, would much rather spend a fortnight tending to his estate than entertaining three eligible young ladies. But when his valet insists that marriage is an earl's duty, Whit agrees to the house party. He has no intention of actually proposing to anyone...until flame-haired Ruby Hollingsford declares she'd never accept him anyway. Ruby has been tricked into attending this charade, but she certainly won't compete for the earl's attentions. Yet, Whit isn't the selfish aristocrat she envisioned. And with a little trust, two weeks may prove ample time for an unlikely couple to fall headlong into love. The Master Matchmakers: Wedding bells will ring when downstairs servants play Cupid for upstairs aristocracy

    Celebrate the magic of the holiday season with a little Regency romance!Originally published in separate anthologies, and out-of-print for many years, these Christmas-themed novellas by legendary Regency romance author Barbara Metzger are in one volume for the first time ever!This collection includes the following stories:Greetings of the SeasonThe Proof Is in the PuddingThree Good DeedsChristmas Wish ListLittle Miracles

    His mother prefers entertaining men in her bedroom, while her husband sits downstairs, unable or unwilling to respond to his wife’s inappropriate behaviour. From that day on Tom vows that no woman will hurt him the way his mother hurt his father. For the next seventeen years Tom works hard to become one of the most notorious rakes London society has ever seen, successfully keeping all the women of his acquaintance at a distance. In 1810 twenty-four year old Isabelle Crawford had been brought up hearing stories of how much in love her dead parents were and had expected to find similar happiness when she came out in society. Reality was different to what she had imagined though, instead of love, she found fortune hunters and as a result left London to set up home in Bath. Her two elder brothers had supported her decision, although they would have rather seen their sister married instead of choosing what was seen by the ton as an eccentric decision, a young woman living a single life in Bath with a cousin as chaperone. A potential marriage between Tom's sister and Isabelle’s brother throws the couple together and sets in motion a chain of events that will see Tom fighting for his life and Isabelle being kidnapped by the very man that Tom had found in his mother’s bedchamber all those years ago.

    Erin soon finds the insipid conversations and fashionably late nights tiring and wishes she could find a gentleman that enjoys talking to her and is not put off by her blue-stocking ways. Lord Jackson Bell, Marquis Guildford does not have time for the frivolities of London. His research for the Horticultural Society of London keeps him quite busy, but his mother has other ideas in mind. She’s decided he needs a wife and she is determined that this will be the season he finds one. Erin and Jack become fast friends, allies against boring conversation and soon make a pact to help each other find their perfect match. Only what if their perfect match is each other? Will they realize in time that friendship has bloomed into love or will they become star-crossed lovers married to the wrong people?

    Their lives should have ended in happily-ever-after, but he was destined to be a duke and she was the third daughter of a baron. Curtailing to his mother’s demands, Reginald broke the engagement… and Abigail’s heart.Thirty years have passed since then. Now a confirmed spinster, Abigail has forgiven the boy she loved, but she has never forgotten the man. When Reginald unexpectedly returns to England she wants nothing to do with him, fearful of stirring up old feelings that should have died long ago.Reginald made the worst mistake of his life when he left Abigail. She is the only woman he has ever loved, and he is willing to risk everything to get her back. But once lost trust does not come easily, and Abigail is reluctant to give her heart away a second time. Can Reginald and Abigail come to terms with their painful past? Or are some second chances best left untaken? Find out in The Spinster and the Duke, the newest novella from historical romance author Jillian Eaton.

    Bored with life in the Prussian provinces, Princess Johanna is delighted when she is invited to bring her fourteen-year old daughter to the Russian court to be betrothed to the future Emperor. But there are powerful court factions determined to prevent a Prussian princess from taking the Russian throne. The Russian court is not for the faint-hearted but Sophie survives two decades of dangerous court intrigue, not only to to take the throne of one of the greatest empires of the eighteenth century but to become Catherine the Great, one of its greatest rulers.

    Isobel Kennilworth Aiken, Duchess of Warwick spent 6 years of her young life in a loveless marriage. Now, at the age of 24, Isobel is a widow. As Isobel awaits the reading of her late husband's last will and testament, she feels no grief, but in fact is quite hopeful. She is eager to start her life anew. But, as the droning of the solicitor's voice washes over her detailing the bequests to various servants and family members, a shock awaits her. The "other woman" was not his mistress, but his lawfully wedded wife and together they had a son. Six year old Reggie was now the Duke of Warwick, displacing Reginald's brother Charles. There is a collective gasp as the revelation is made that instantly displaces Isobel and Charles and dashes their hopes for the future. Isobel must indeed start anew, but not as a titled, influential and wealthy widow, but as plain Miss Kennilworth, tainted by scandal. Can she get past the disgrace and humiliation she has endured and fight her way back into society? Will she find love again with her childhood sweetheart, Andrew Stafford, former vicar, now Lord Saybrooke? Or perhaps she will rekindle the flame with Jeremy Ingles, Lord Westcott, who had caught her fancy at her come out six years earlier, but had not been ready to be leg shackled. But before Isobel can find true love, she must come to grips with her past mistakes and the people she has hurt along the way. She must discover who she is without the title of duchess to her name.

    Now, as all of Europe celebrates the end of the long wars, the scheming Lord Marstoke has revived it--and transformed it into a weapon.A List no respectable lady wishes to be on . . .Miss Brynne Wilmott escaped the monstrous Marstoke once, with the inadvertent aide of Nathan Russell, the Duke of Aldmere, and the incredible generosity of Hestia Wright, the former courtesan pledged to help any woman in trouble. But now Marstoke's Love List is threatening her new future--and forging her into a weapon made to destroy her friend.The Request a certain Duke has no wish to hear . . .The Duke of Aldmere doesn't believe in meddling. Fate has proved that interfering in personal matters only leads to bigger trouble. He has no wish to involve himself in Brynne Wilmott's affairs, despite her spirited beauty and damned tempting mouth. But she's discovered that his brother is mixed up in this business as well. Reluctantly, they agree to work together.Their search leads them through some of London's most dangerous haunts and it quickly becomes clear that Marstoke's plans are more twisted and treasonous than anyone has suspected. Yet the danger and intrique are as nothing compared to the effect than Nathan and Brynne have on each other . . .

    A dinner. An opportunity. These simple steps of fate bring one couple together, but it is up to them to find if happiness can follow.Graham Descantes first saw Lady Jane Leicheshire when both of them were barely more than children. Her kindness and beauty captivated him. He never forgot her. The son of a man in trade, Graham knew he would never be able to approach her. But in the following years, the Descantes family made their fortune while Lord Leicheshire gambled away his.A dinner provides the chance for Graham to see her again. Would she anything like the lovely creature he remembered?An opportunity is presented to Graham; he could have Lady Jane's hand in marriage for satisfying her father's debts. Graham isn't a man to waste an opportunity, particularly where his heart is involved. They will marry in two months. Will he be able to show her the man behind his cool facade? Can he win the love of Lady Jane?Jane has never been considered a beauty. She certainly doesn't have the dazzling looks of her sister. Why would a man pay such a large sum of money to marry her? Her father has implied the business man Descantes is interested in her only for her title. Jane will make the best of this arrangement, but she struggles to protect her heart.

    Marry the desperate Louisa Evans, saving her and her siblings from ruin, and produce an heir. But when he proposes, Nicholas doesn’t tell her the real reason they must wed so quickly.They are married when Louisa learns the Marquess doesn’t intend to father his future heir himself. Drawn to her new husband in a way she never expected, Louisa has no intention of agreeing to his scandalous proposition. Instead, she shows him that what is developing between them goes far beyond a typical marriage of convenience.Nicholas never imagined he would fall in love with Louisa. Despite the distance he tries to put between them, one thing soon becomes clear—he will never allow another man to touch her. Even if it dooms his family’s future.

    The book was updated on August 6th, 2013 after having been professionally edited***Hope Hillburn was born to a life of servitude and never once questioned her role in society. As a lady's maid to Noelle Parrish, she had everything she wanted out of life; a secure and honorable post, a decent room to call her own, and ample time to write fantastical tales of winsome creatures while her mistress, Lady Noelle, attended the various society events offered by the ton. Lady Noelle Parrish knew that her father was anxious to see her wed but she never imagined he'd go behind her back and arrange for her to marry against her will, to a duke with a questionable reputation no less. Disheartened by the prospect of marrying a man she's never met and the possibility of foregoing a lifetime of love, Noelle makes the impulsive decision to flee England with an American gentleman she's only just met. There's only one problem...Lady Noelle's father, the Earl of Brattondale, would never permit her to marry an untitled American, nor was he willing to go back on his word to the duke. In her desperation, Lady Noelle convinces Hope to take her place after noticing an uncanny resemblance between them both. Against her own better judgment, Hope agrees to take Noelle's place when she realizes there's no other way for Noelle to flee to America without causing her family disgrace. Thrown into a life she has only ever viewed from the outside, Hope must convince everyone that she is a lady lest her farce be discovered. She is confident that she can handle society's strict rules of propriety but she soon learns that guarding her heart from falling in love with an incredibly handsome, self assured duke with a penchant for snarling isn't going to be quite as easy.

    Only one man stands in her way—her abuser.SummaryPreston Mallory hires Elyse Brigham as a nursemaid for his son. Recovering from an abused past, she begins to open her heart to Preston. When she discovers Preston's true identity, she feels betrayed and flees to London. Preston follows hoping to mend things, but his plans are thwarted when his former fiancée is murdered. With plenty of motive and no alibi, he's arrested. How will he prove his innocence and convince Elyse to forgive him?Elyse has nowhere to turn and believes the Almighty has forsaken her. As her life begins to unravel, a new foundation and path are laid before her if she has the courage to forgive and cling to a forgotten faith.

    She is more familiar with farmers and her blunt opinions and rough manners offend polite society. Yet when she hears the scandalous rumours involving her sister and the seductive Duke of Darlington, the fiercely loyal Katherine vows to save her sister's marriage – whatever the cost.Intrigued by Katherine's interference in his affairs, the manipulative Duke is soon fascinated. He engages in a daring deception and follows her back to her country home. Here, their intense connection shocks them both. But the Duke's games have dangerous consequences, and the potential to throw both their lives into chaos…

    But Joseph finds their fruitful partnership compromised when this so-called Arthur Baddely turns out to be one Miss Alice Hapgood, daughter of the neighboring squire.

    James wouldn't care. Then she'd have peace. Her nightmares of courtship would end,and she'd cozy up with a Psalm in her aunt's quiet sculpture garden. Yet, a chance meeting and a bullet wound change everything, and Madeline must trust the Good Shepherd has led her to the altar to marry a dashing stranger, Lord Devonshire. Death and pain are no strangers to Justain Delveaux, Lord Devonshire, and he vows his dutiful bride will be kept safe and in her place. Though this compro mised marriage is in-name-only, his wife and her unwavering faith both intrigue and allure him. Perchance when he thwarts his brother's killer, Justain will tempt the unpredictable Madeline with the comfort of his arms.But can Madeline and the stubborn earl forge a true bond before the next disaster strikes?

    He attempts to defend himself but is bludgeoned to the ground. Death seems inevitable when a fat ugly man carrying a stick and a beautiful slender young lady appear and rescue him. The rescuers bundle Edward home and the young lady, Madelaine, summons the Bow Street runners. Refusing reward she provides no address. But Edward, fascinated by both Madelaine’s beauty and swordsmanship, intends to pursue the acquaintance. Edward seeks his rescuers and the culprits who wish to terminate his life. He offers the elusive Madelaine marriage but she repeatedly declines. Madelaine's father accepts an invitation to visit Edward's estate with her over Christmas as he takes a liking to Edward. As Edward pursues Madelaine, the attempts on his life continue. The mystery intertwines as their romance progresses and Madelaine eventually reveals the secret making her refuse to marry him.

    She only wishes that he actually felt the same desire for her, as she does for him. Jessica soon finds that she must leave London when a letter arrives informing her of her father’s assassination attempt in Vienna. Her best friends join her on her journey and she realizes that Ashley will be along as well. She is secretly thrilled, for it will afford her more time in his company. Enter Lord Knight, a handsome and romantic masked Romeo, who takes Jessica’s breath away. His late night visits to her balcony, and his stolen kisses have Jessica’s heart soaring. His dancing grey eyes and wicked smile remind her so much of her love, but are her suspicions of her amorous Romeo correct? Join Jessica and her friends as they travel to Vienna to unmask an assassin and find her heart’s desire.

    He soon learns a bit of Yuletide peace and quiet is too much to ask for. When he encounters Miss Cerian Blake, who’s dodging her own unwanted set of admirers, the two decide to join forces and fake an infatuation to keep their suitors at bay. But when a bough of mistletoe becomes involved, will their Christmastime prank turn into a love to last all seasons?

    Her aunt and her father, however, have very different plans for her. They have given her until Valentine’s Day to become engaged to their idea of the perfect man. Madeline is resigned to meekly do as she is told, until a chance meeting on the street has her stumbling into the arms of Lord Samuel Powell, Duke of Wiltshire. One look in his mischievous, twinkling blue eyes and Madeline is ready to fight for what she wants, true love. Now Madeline has two weeks to convince her family that Sam is her perfect Valentine, despite his past, and that love will always conquer all.

     Lady Ann Beecham-Brooke, better known as Lady Ice, was once a stunning young beauty, known for her piercing violet eyes and raven hair, but long years in a loveless marriage left her cold and aloof. Intent on steering clear of the London society she was once so much a part of, she’s reluctantly forced to seek help at a nearby estate when her carriage topples into a ditch on a deserted road. Charles Montrose, Viscount Ruston, has had a difficult life of his own. Left widowed by his one true love and raising a daughter alone, he now travels the world, aimlessly going from place to place in a futile effort to escape the pain of his loss. When the imperious Lady Ice shows up at his door, he finds himself attracted to this beautiful and hardened woman. Driven by his attraction to the lovely Ann but daunted by her equally powerful rebuffs, Charles must devise a way to keep her at his estate long enough to delve deeper into the reasons for her frosty temperament. As Christmas approaches and Ann begins to lower her defenses and warm to the idea that Charles just might be as good a man and father as he appears to be, she wonders if she’s found the one person who can thaw her heart. This novella was originally published under the title “Noël’s Christmas Wish.” About the Author: Donna Lea Simpson is a nationally bestselling romance and mystery novelist with over twenty titles published in the last eleven years. Besides writing romance and mystery novels and reading the same, Donna has a long list of passions: cats and tea, cooking and vintage cookware, cross-stitching and watercolor painting among them. She lives in Canada.

    Charles Holloway. She and her best friend, Annie, have the most clever idea. They've arranged a bachelor auction for charity. The proceeds will go to the Royale Society for the Humane Treatment of Animals and the winners will be escorted to the most talked-about ball of the Season by their bachelor of choice. When Frances makes a bid for Charlie, will one fun night's amusement turn into a lifetime of love?

    Wealthy, but undeniably arrogant, he is certainly not the kind of husband she has in mind. Although she can't help but find him attractive.Soon Susannah gets what she hopes for — a marriage proposal! She may be an innocent country miss, but now Susannah is determined to inflame her husband’s passion — and melt the ice around his heart…An Innocent Debutante In Hanover SquareDebutante Helene Henderson has been given a gift of one season in London — if she is to save her impoverished family, she must find a husband! Only, unworldly Helene’s compassionate nature leads her into the path of a handsome rake with secrets of his own...Lord Max Coleridge is intrigued by Helene’s beguiling mix of shyness and spirit — but with his life in danger, how can he put her at risk? Helene’s courage shines through, and Max intends to solve this mystery — and make this innocent miss his bride!

    In Ava Stone's A Bit of Mistletoe, Everett Casemore, the very serious Marquess of Berkswell, returns home for Christmas, slightly shaken by the death of an old friend. Determined not to suffer the same sort of fate at the hands of a woman, Berks resolves himself to eternal bachelorhood. Unfortunately, both his resolve and his peace of mind are threatened by the arrival of a beautiful, thoughtful, but mostly unsuitable lady. Miss Theresa Birkin knows better than most that an error in judgment can lead one down an unfortunate path. If only she'd been wiser when she was younger. If only she hadn't followed her foolish heart. If only she'd met Lord Berkswell long before now.In Jane Charles's Lady Disguised, Mr. Sebastian Stanwick never intended to marry. It was bad enough that his father gambled away everything they owned and then drank himself to death, leaving his mother broken until she could not go on. But the death of his good friend at the hand of the man’s wife only solidifies Stanwick’s decision to remain a bachelor. Women were simply unpredictable and unstable if not taken care of properly. Hélène Mirabelle wants few things in life. One, is to perform on the stage, and the other, is to be out from under the roof of her overbearing new family: Lord Bentley and the Trent brothers. Since her mother’s recent passing, Hélène's desire to return to Milan and the stage has only grown. A husband could never fit into the plans because no decent man would take an actress as a wife. One fateful night leaves Hélène questioning if being an actress is the only thing she wants, while Stanwick begins to wonder whether all women are truly prone to madness and if they are, he may never get Hélène off of his mind.In Catherine Gayle’s Thick as Thieves, David Hounslow, the Marquess of Preston, will not stand aside while those he loves are hurt. When it becomes clear his brother-in-law’s guest is up to no good, Preston determines to scrutinize every move of the would-be thief. Not that he minds such a task—Lady Frederica is as beautiful and intelligent as she is enigmatic. Considering her close relation to a wastrel brother and her current proclivity for the less-than-savory, Preston never expected to be won over to the lady’s charms. Yet she just might steal his heart. Desperation has become Lady Frederica Bexley-Smythe’s constant companion due to her brother’s recent affinity for gambling and carousing. With the fate of both her mother and sister resting upon her shoulders, perhaps the time has arrived for Freddie to bend the rules. How else can she secure their future? Unfortunately, Lord Preston’s scrutiny is complicating her task. Far more perplexing than his perusal is his caring nature, which is distracting her from the treasures she intends to steal. But desperate times call for desperate measures…

    He is as remote as the ghosts that supposedly haunt the Abbey...and, like its crumbling walls, her dreams fall apart.Occasionally she sees a different, more caring man behind the facade, so is she foolish to long for a happy home...and a family? His proposal is for a marriage of convenience, but his touch has awakened within her a fervent and forbidden longing...A Daring Liaison by Gail RanstromTasked with covertly investigating a string of suspicious deaths, Charles Hunter finds himself reunited with Georgiana Huffington, the darling of the ton, who broke his heart many years before. She's a woman with a mysterious past - mere days after exchanging vows, Georgiana's two husbands had perished under mysterious circumstances.As Charles works with Georgiana to prove her innocence, she finds herself captivated by the man he's become. Still devilishly handsome, he's now more guarded, more...dangerous. But as Georgiana fears she's losing her heart to him, will her love make Charles the killer's next victim?

    One evening, when Baron Pierrepont reaches a new low, offering his daughter's virginity to the next winner, Gabriel, Viscount Ashford, helps Arabella escape. He takes her to The Aphrodite Academy, where she is given three choices: the respectable but dull life of a companion, a marriage well below her station in life, or training to become one of London's finest courtesans. Since she has taken men in dislike and would like nothing better than to drain their purses dry, she chooses the scandalous life. But none of the armor she has thrown up can protect her when the highest bidder for her services is Lord Ashford, the one man she considers a hero. Both must grow wiser and listen to their hearts before Belle can put the abuse she suffered behind her and Gabriel can shed the casual sexual practices of the so-called Regency gentleman. Author's Note: I think of The Aphrodite Academy series as "Regency Darkside," novellas that go beyond the usual Regency Historical to explore what might have happened to young women, from ladies to tavern wenches, for whom life was unkind—young women with no family or friends willing to help when their lives fall apart. In this series each girl will find The Aphrodite Academy, or it will find them. The headmistress is a widowed baroness, left in charge of a remarkable fortune by a husband whose proclivities were as eclectic as they were enthusiastic. She has, perhaps not surprisingly, barred all males from the grounds of the Academy, where she offers academic classes, arranges suitable positions for some of her students, and offers training in the fine arts of the courtesan to those who wish it. The language is saucy, the sex occasionally graphic, but the stories are driven by character and plot, not sexual content.

    Was love not the greatest gamble of all? When bored Miss Lorelei Lindon sneaks out in the middle of the night in search of ghosts, she finds rather more than she bargained for in the enigmatic Lord Winbourne. And when he does a dastardly thing and steals her treasured necklace as a memento of their midnight encounter, she must find a way to retrieve it without causing a scandal. Lord Winbourne is certainly a mystery and he seems determined to make her whole world unravel. How can one man burn with such passion one moment, and assume such a frosty façade the next? Will Lorelei be able to retrieve her trinket without losing her heart and her virtue to the irresistible rake? Is she a complete wanton or is the passion between them so wrong that it must be right? And will he acknowledge the true depth of his own passion before it is too late?Throw in a few well-meaning relatives, a niece stubbornly caught up in her own romantic dilemmas and duel to the death, and Lorelei’s life will surely never be boring again…

    Needless to say she pretty much raised herself with the exception of her grandfather who taught her horse Breeding. He happened to raise the best stock of horses in England. She was madly in love with her neighbor the John Kincaid the young Earl of Ramport. He thought of her as a pest but he would defend her with his life. One day she grew up and he started noticing other guys paying attention to her. Every time a man smiled at her his blood boiled. These were feelings he never realized he had for her. slowly his blood boiled hotter and hotter till he had to make her his.

    But he is drawn to a beautiful woman whose brother is the target of mysterious accidents. Now Cardros must choose between repayment for past wrongs, or a love that could be his salvation.Helena Seaford is ready to do anything to protect her only brother, even trust a scoundrel. But will she hold to her an upbringing that intends her to be a lord’s wife, or will passion lead her into scandal?As a killing frost holds everyone prisoner in the Yorkshire country, a fragile alliance will be tested by old secrets and lies. Ultimately, the truth may be found in the story of what did happen to the Cardros Ruby five years ago?

    Jacqueline “Jack” Walters loves archery and Greek military history. In her third season she has failed to inspire so much as one marriage proposal and is planning to settle into the quiet life of a spinster.Gideon Wolfe, Earl of Harrington, has been avoiding marriage but a case of mistaken identity in the library has left him saddled with an argumentative and unwilling fiancee.

    The quick intervention of Tobias Longreach saves her from certain injury. Mariah has always believed her destiny to be teaching. After the early death of her mother, she was brought up by her papa, Jerome, to believe that she could learn anything a boy could. She shares his vision of a future in which everyone, rich or poor, boy or girl, will be taught at least the rudiments of reading, writing, and counting.Tobias was brought up a second son, but following his elder brother’s premature death, inherits an Earldom and the need to provide it with an heir. He comes to believe that Mariah will make a perfect countess and enrolls her papa’s help in securing her hand.However, Sir Lucas Wellwood, whose debts have made him urge his sister to attempt to trap Tobias into marriage, has sinister intentions. Mariah suspects Wellwood has been mistreating his sister and she heads off impetuously to rescue her. Will Tobias and his friends reach Wellwood’s home before he can exact revenge on Mariah?

    Prudence is a surprise when she arrives, after having made an encounter on her journey with the irritated Lord Alverston and his wayward nephew; and appears from her propensity for scrapes to have been badly named! However, Prudence is a merry girl with a lot of common sense and both Mr Knightley and Lord Alverston are impressed by her concerns for the poor in the ‘year without a summer’ and her sensible suggestions to help preserve some crops. And meanwhile, Prudence finds love.

    Yet despite the eligible heiresses, none can compare to the exquisite but penniless Jenny Hastings.Jenny is swept off her feet by the Captain. But she has secrets which could change everything.  When they come to light, will the Captain still want her by his side? Falling For The Highland Rogue - Ann Lethbridge Disgraced lady Charity West lives in the dark world of London's seedy underbelly. Her distrust of men runs deep...until she meets highland rogue, Logan Gilvry.Whisky runner Logan lives outside the law. But Charity may be his most dangerous challenge yet.  He’ll do anything to save her, even face her inevitable betrayal... A Knight’s Fugitive Lady - Meriel Fuller Runaway lady Katerina of Dauntsey has disguised herself among a dance troupe. But when her act attracts the attention of Queen Isabella, Katerina's past catches up.Lussac de Belbigny can't help but admire the flame-haired acrobat's courage. A knight in the Queen's rebel army, Lussac will let nothing threaten his iron-clad self-control. Yet something about the mysterious Katerina touches his damaged heart...

    Dicing With The Dangerous Lord by Margaret McPhee Venetia Fox is London's most sought-after actress, darling of the demi-monde and every nobleman's desire. But she's about to face her toughest role yet - seducing a confession from the devilishly handsome and very dangerous Lord Linwood to bring her father's murderer to justice! The Taming Of The Rogue by Amanda McCabe Anna Barrett is more comfortable filling tankards at the White Heron theatre than shopping for corsets. Her ‘take no prisoners' attitude has earned her a tough reputation. Where she was once innocent and naïve, now she's vowed never to be ensnared by a man again. Except Robert Alden is not just any man…

    Starting with her street-side, reverse marriage proposal, to her habit of sucking on metal rings; from her mysterious Ghost Guardian, to her insane Mining, Minerals and Mayhem party; she is an audacious upstart who is now seeking entrance into his beloved Elements Club! Scarlet Ruby is no fool. A woman bent on revenge, she knows that Lord Gray’s club, a London-based investment group dedicated to scientific endeavors, holds the key to her cherished older brother’s death and to the men seeking to take over her family’s mining company. As the founder of the Elements Club, what could Lord Gray be hiding? For a tranquil-loving vegetarian, the man is a more than proficient knife fighter. And for a self-proclaimed tame botanist and cultivator of wheat strains, why does he collect poisons? Willing to risk everything, including her reputation, Scarlet seeks answers. When the worlds of gemstones and flowers collide, who will emerge victorious in the quest for truth?

    She must solve the mystery of why a deaf maidservant was summarily dismissed from her employment and later brought up on trumped-up charges of theft and attempted murder. Can the girl be a threat to someone in that household?

    .These will most readily make you. be supposed a hypocrite, though your heart may be single and your faith sincere, and will always expose you to be pointed at with ridicule and scorn. I do not mean by this however, to say, that the opinion of the world ought to regulate your conduct in your spiritual life: far be such a thought from me. I only warn you not to provoke the contempt and scorn of the profane and unbelieving, by peculiarities of behaviour, which are no part of true piety, and are only the characteristics of a base and time-serving hypocrisy. The example and the precepts of the Saviour teach us, that though the persecutions and the ridicule of.the world ought not to make us(...)".

    It will take him across the continent into a world of international intrigue - and into the arms of Elodie Lefevre, the society hostess who brought shame to his family.Is she seductress, spy, or damsel in distress? In the haze of the sensual spell she casts, Will has to keep his wits about him and uncover the true nature of this mysterious Madame…An Ideal Husband? by Michelle StylesWhen heiress Sophie Ravel finds herself in a compromising situation, notorious Richard Crawford, Viscount Bingfield, swoops in and saves her reputation! She might have escaped the attentions of one undesirable, but will Richard's protection expose her to even more scandal?Richard curses his impetuousness at offering a betrothal in the heat of the moment! He gladly accepts Sophie's terms that their engagement remains a pretence until, quite by chance, he unlocks his shy fiancée's passionate nature. Now nothing will steer him from wedding - then bedding - his blushing bride…

    Truth and consequences are central to the book, for good and for worse. Emily Worthing is a strong-minded, practical country lady, determined to stay unwed and keep her independence. When the Wingraves move into Reddester Hall, Emily and the rest of the Worthings are challenged to keep their principles as day by day they grow to love a family that won't allow anyone close enough to find out their true purpose.It takes no time at all for the Wingraves' troubles to follow them to Tripton in the form of Jude Annesley, a disowned man rife with depravity and disorder. Unable to fool Emily with false charm, Jude plots a course of revenge that will strip away all pretense, leaving no secret intact.

    What’s a lady with nothing to do to do? Bored with masquerades and endless dinners, the beautiful widow, Lady Claire of Glastonbury takes up the more meaningful task of launching a young blind woman named Camille into London society. But her mission is distracted by the arrival of Camille's dark and handsome older bother, Maxwell, the Marquis Wentworth. Physically and emotionally scarred from a fire that burnt down his family’s estate years ago, Maxwell is vehemently opposed to Claire’s plan. Though his gruff arrogance makes Claire question his status as a true gentleman, she can’t deny the passion he stirs within her. Soon Claire finds herself searching among the events of Max’s past, unraveling a mystery that had placed unnecessary blame on his person. Can she inspire Maxwell to discover his own truths and choose a bright future filled with love?

    Happy in childhood, their troubles begin as they reach the brink of womanhood; in the face of obstacles they must make decisions involving marriage, family, occupation and home.Dramatic, humorous and sad by turns, The Blakes raises issues concerning identity, stigma, power and women’s place in society. And throughout there’s mystery, vile deeds and a question of more than one murder.This is the author’s second novel, following her first successful publication, Reason & Resentment, a sequel to Pride & Prejudice.