Where better for the annual festive jump than the chance to experience a real Victorian Christmas?On the longest night of 1895, a terrible storm rages above Harewood Hall. Max, Markham and an injured Peterson are welcomed in by the Harewood family, but quickly realise that the gathering is far from celebratory. For tonight marks the Ordeal of the Haunted Room.Every Harewood heir must endure one terrifying night alone in the Haunted Room before he can inherit the family seat. Legend says that ghosts will murder anyone who isn't the true heir. Francis Harewood's ordeal will begin at midnight and end at dawn, but it isn't long before everything goes horribly wrong....

    The book explores the coded significances associated with various blooms, from flowers for a lover to flowers for an enemy.The language of flowers was historically used as a means of secret communication. It soared in popularity during the 19th century, especially in Victorian England and the U.S., when proper etiquette discouraged open displays of emotion. Mysterious and playful, the language of flowers has roots in everything from the characteristics of the plant to its presence in folklore and history. Researched and illustrated by popular artist Jessica Roux, this book makes a stunning display piece, conversation-starter, or thoughtful gift.

    Young, widowed Clare Byrne, is escaping the famine in Ireland. On the coffin ship from Dublin, in the final hours of the journey to England, Clare goes into labour. Weakened and alone, the young, beleaguered mother gives birth near the quayside. Unable to look after the newborn, the child is bought for a single shilling by a curious gentleman, the industrialist Samuel Hudson. What will happen to the young girl? What plans does Mr Hudson have for her? Will the child thrive, or merely survive? Also by Emma Hardwick ----------------------------------- The Urchin of Walton Hall

    December 1865.Snow is falling fast and Sally Suggs is working tirelessly to bring in enough money to keep bread on the table. Her father, a skilled rag-and-bone man, has fallen ill and now Sally has taken up his trade.But this is a man’s world and competition is fierce, and Sally’s rival Finn Kelly always seems to be one step ahead. Her family’s one valuable possession is their horse, Flower, yet with no one to protect them, London’s underbelly of black-market traders circle closer.Sally needs to find help in the most unexpected places if they are to survive…

    In her final dying moments, she thrusts a letter into Bella’s hand. It’s an offer of employment in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace, and everything the budding young chef desperately wants: an escape from the constrictions of her life as a lowly servant. In the stranger’s stead, Bella can spread her wings.Arriving as Helen Barton from Yorkshire, she pursues her passion for creating culinary delights, served to the delighted Queen Victoria herself. Best of all, she’s been chosen to accompany the queen to Nice. What fortune! Until the threat of blackmail shadows Bella to the Riviera, and a member of the queen’s retinue falls ill and dies.Having prepared the royal guest’s last meal, Bella is suspected of the poisonous crime. An investigation is sure to follow. Her charade will be over. And her new life will come crashing down—if it doesn’t send her to the gallows.

    Slumped in a first-class car at Paddington Station is the body of a young, handsome gentleman. He has no luggage, empty pockets, and no sign of violence upon his person - yet Lenox knows instantly that it's not a natural death.Pursuing the investigation against the wishes of Scotland Yard, the detective encounters every obstacle London in 1855 has to offer, from obstinate royalty to class prejudice to the intense grief of his closest friend. Written in Charles Finch's unmistakably warm, witty, and winning voice, The Last Passenger is a cunning and deeply satisfying conclusion to the journey begun in The Woman in the Water and The Vanishing Man.

    Compelled to find the passionate soul who penned it and the person who never received it, she takes a job as a nurse at the seaside estate of Crestwicke Manor.Everyone at Crestwicke has feelings--mostly negative ones--about the man who wrote the letter, but he seems to have disappeared. With plenty of enticing clues but few answers, Willa's search becomes even more complicated when she misplaces the letter and it passes from person to person in the house, each finding a thrilling or disheartening message in its words. Laced with mysteries large and small, this romantic Victorian-era tale of love lost, love deferred, and love found is sure to delight.

    

    She runs off to the wilds of the moors to live in anonymity. All that changes the day she discovers a half-dead man near her house. Escaped convict Oliver Ward is on the run to prove his innocence, until he gets hurt and is taken in by Maggie. He discovers some jewels in her possession—the very same jewels that got him convicted. Together they hatch a plan to return the jewels, clearing Oliver’s name and hopefully maintaining Maggie’s anonymity.

    When the River Thames freezes over, thousands of people descend onto the ice to enjoy the Frost Fair, an exciting, frozen extravaganza.But Detective Stephen Lavender and his loyal constable, Ned Woods, are distracted from this carnival of colour and noise by the perplexing case of a missing man. Their investigation takes on a sinister and more dangerous twist when a body is found on the rapidly thawing ice beneath the arches of Blackfriars Bridge.Set against the thrilling backdrop of London’s last Frost Fair – which is also one of history’s darkest moments – this bone-chilling short story is a superb introduction to the Detective Lavender Mysteries and a bonus read for the half a million readers who already enjoy this series.

    One taste is all it takes to be captivated…The Duke of Pelham desires a brand-new confection to win the Season’s loveliest lady. Naturally, he turns to London’s premiere chocolatier for assistance.Amity has never had a customer quite like the duke. In status, he’s far above ordinary men, yet he is one of the friendliest, funniest, and most engaging males she has ever met.As the duke enters the scrumptious world of confectionery, he discovers the chocolatier is as delightful—and tempting—as her creations. While Amity designs the perfect proposal chocolate, her heart begins to wish the duke could be her very own mouthwatering reward.Join Amity and her duke on a chocolate-filled romance in the heart of Mayfair, where nobility often acts in a less-than noble fashion. Will the upper-echelon of society sour their happiness and keep them from the sweetest of endings?Engaging characters, attention to period detail, and heartfelt romance—you’ll find it all in the stories by USA Today bestselling author of historical romance, Sydney Jane Baily.

    Not only that, he is on his way to rescue her from the collapse of their school under a mountain of debts.A wild journey across country later, Mina finds herself thrown at the feet of the brutish William Nye, prize-fighter and owner of a disreputable inn, The Merry Harlot. Respectable Mina is appalled to find herself obliged to wed this surly stranger!Forced to draw on reserves of inner strength she never knew she possessed, Mina uncovers perilous secrets and bravely carves herself a new life at the side of this man, as she proves herself a more than worthy partner for the prize-fighter.

    Available together in one digital collection--the complete Enola Holmes series by Edgar Award nominated author Nancy Springer! Read the books that inspired the Netflix original movie starring Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, and Helena Bonham Carter!Meet Enola Holmes, teenage girl turned detective and the younger sister to Sherlock Holmes, as she solves the mystery in each of these action-packed adventures! This collection includes: The Case of the Missing Marquess, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets, The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan, The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline, and The Case of the Gypsy Good-bye.

    A forced engagement. Can it become something more?Lily Kingsley accepts that she is destined to be a spinster—but not until she gets her first kiss. And she knows the perfect gentleman to enlist. Unfortunately, she kisses the wrong one and ends up in the arms of an overbearing and exceptionally frustrating merchant.When busybodies catch them in their illicit embrace, an engagement is the only solution, but Lily doesn’t want a fiancé who’s only doing his duty. And she certainly doesn’t want a gentleman far too used to getting his own way. She simply must make him see how ill-suited they are.But why is the fellow so determined to see their engagement through?Jack Hatcher hates surprises, but when a beguiling lady mistakes him for someone else and launches herself into his arms, he discovers not all surprises are bad. Marriage was not in Jack’s plans, but Lily stirs something inside him he never expected to feel.But with his fiancé desperate to break with him and a new enemy working to woo Lily away, Jack discovers force of will won’t keep her by his side. Can he find a way to win her heart before it’s lost forever? The Victorian Love series is a spin-off series that follows the children of the heroes and heroines of the Regency Love Series. Each book in both series is a standalone sweet historical romance and can be read in any order.

    Betrothed to the wealthy Sir Henry Rivenhall, she has no reason to be unhappy—or so people keep reminding her. But Beryl’s life isn’t as perfect as everyone believes. A Longstanding Love… As village curate, Mark Rivenhall is known for his compassionate understanding. When his older brother’s intended needs a shoulder to lean on, Mark’s more than willing to provide one. There’s no danger of losing his heart. He already lost that to Beryl a long time ago.During an idyllic Victorian summer, friends and family gather in anticipation of Beryl and Sir Henry’s wedding. But in her darkest moment, it’s Mark who comes to Beryl’s aid. Can he help her without revealing his feelings—or betraying his brother?

    She takes refuge at a centuries-old inn where the only available room is haunted by the ghost of a warrior who fell at Culloden Moor.One who refuses to give up his side of the bed.Johnathan de Lohr awakens to find a siren bathing in the chamber of sorrows that keeps his restless spirit imprisoned. Though he’s the ghost, John knows that the captivating woman will be the one to haunt him.Unless they can figure out a way to set his tormented soul free.Please note: This novella is also connected to The Victorian Rebels SeriesPreviously published in the anthology, A Very Highland Christmas.

    Who will pay the ultimate price? Lucy Lawrence throws caution to the wind and embarks on a journey of self-discovery to the land of the pharaohs. Travelling to Cairo as the patron of the charming French Egyptologist, Armand Moreau, Lucy discovers an archaeological community plagued by professional rivalries and intrigue. It is soon apparent that the thriving black market in antiquities threatens Egypt’s precious heritage. When the Egyptian Museum is burgled, Lucy is determined to solve the case, much to the annoyance of the local inspector of police, and the alarm of Mary, her maid. But when an archaeologist is found murdered in the Great Pyramid, Lucy is catapulted into the resulting maelstrom. Can she keep her wits about her to avoid meeting a similar fate?

    But Sophie has bigger plans - she aspires to be an investigative reporter. When a stuffy ballroom at yet another Season proves to be nothing more than the usual rumor mill, Sophie seeks respite in the library alongside four other young women who, for their own reasons, are also looking for escape. As the conversation turns to their secret ambitions, the women form a sisterhood and a bold plan: they will make their dreams a reality, no matter the obstacles. Thus begins the Blue Orchid Society.Hearing of a murder in a London rookery, Sophie seizes the opportunity to prove her skills. Detective Jonathan Graham doesn't believe a civilian, a noblewoman at that, should be anywhere near a murder investigation, but Sophie insists on helping bring the killer to justice. Her investigative prowess doesn't go unnoticed by the police, especially Jonathan, who can't decide whether this intrepid reporter is a thorn in his side or the woman of his dreams. But as the case grows more complicated and dangerous, their very lives - and their hearts - may be at risk.

    unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves. Intrigue makes for strange bedfellows... Elliott, Lord Byrn, often found himself in strange places, but none is more bizarre than the infamous Lyon’s Den gaming house in a tony part of London. The gambling doesn’t surprise him, nor the salacious things rumored to happen in the upstairs rooms. What shocks him is a slip of a girl jeweler/fence who bargains with him over a missing brooch. He needs her to refashion the thing before anyone else realizes it is missing and she drives a hard bargain. Harder than he can imagine... Amber Gohar lives her days in the gray world of a gambling hell, but she dreams of escaping into the vibrant world of the ton. When the opportunity arises for her to spend just one night at a society ball, she grabs it with both hands, never expecting that she would also be taking hold of a man who set her heart on fire. But once she realizes what she’s done, she won’t let go. She can’t. Happily ever after doesn’t come easily, or for free, in the world of The Lyon's Den. How these two unlikely bedfellows discover their best bargain will set both the ton, and The Lyon’s Den, on fire.

    War-torn Paris is in flames, houses are being ransacked, streets barricaded. Amid the chaos, little Helene St Clair becomes separated from the rest of her family. Lost and alone, she must fend for herself on the streets. Her parents wait desperately for news of her, as the fighting rages. But Helene has vanished, swept away on the tides of war. Will she ever be found again?

    Searching for meaning in her grief, she uses her photography to feel closer to her late father, taking solace from the skills he taught her - and to keep her distance from her husband. But her pictures seem to capture things invisible to the eye . . .Henriette is a celebrated spirit medium, carrying nothing but her secrets with her as she travels the country. When she meets Viola, a powerful connection is sparked between them - but Victorian society is no place for reckless women.Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, invisible threads join Viola and Henriette to another woman who lives in secrecy, hiding her dangerous act of rebellion in plain sight.Faith. Courage. Love. What will they risk for freedom?

    

    She longs to be a veterinarian, but education requires more coin than she possesses. When the walls of her home come tumbling down, she has to take two steps back—to servitude.Inventor Andrew Blair keeps his nose to the grindstone, knowing his friends and family depend on his talent for turning machines into money. He is about to embark on his biggest investment yet—rebuilding crumbling tenements in Old Town Edinburgh— until his beleaguered cousin begs him to hide his precocious children from a killer.When the School of Malcolms sends Lady Phoebe as governess for his wards, Drew's well-ordered beliefs are upended. Ladies don't live in slum housing like the one he's about to tear down, nor do they command ravens or encourage children to talk to dead mothers. It might take a vengeful ghost to show the disparate pair how to join forces, fight their fears and their enemies, and reveal a path to love.

    South China Sea. While on patrol between the Opium Wars, the crew of the steam frigate HMS Charger pursues a fleet of pirates that have been terrorizing the waters surrounding Hong Kong.But now the hunters have become the hunted. Something else has come to the South China Sea, something ancient and powerful and malevolent. Now, the crew of the Charger must face their worst nightmares in order to survive the terrible creature they come to know as the Darkstar.A Song For The Void is a haunting, terrifying historical horror novel that will keep you turning the pages and jumping at the shadows.

    Struggling to survive, Genevieve dances on the street for coins saving every coin she can to bring the family home.Frail and earning barely enough to stay alive, a fortuitous meeting brings Genevieve to the Mowbray’s Music Hall. Now with more earnings and regular employment, Genevieve puts her plan into action to deliver her siblings from the workhouse, yet soon discovers a jealous and bitter enemy set on her ruin. Now alone and fighting for her life, Genevieve is evicted from her humble home for a wrong she never committed and thrown onto the streets.Guy Chambers, a handsome and kind violinist, suspects Genevieve has seen more trouble in her life than she reveals. Careful never to frighten her, he gradually gains her trust and a fledgling love begins to bloom. When Genevieve disappears without a word, Guy is desperate to find her, and searches the streets and alleyways, but what he discovers brings him to the brink of despair.Will Genevieve be able to survive and bring her family home? Will Guy find her in time to save her? Or is all hope lost for their love, her family, and a future together?If you enjoy clean historical romance, you will love Nell Harte books.

    Thousands of gorgeous stickers! The perfect present for sticker lovers of all ages! Peel and decorate or browse and feast on the beauty of this lush sticker book unlike any other. A treasure trove of authentic historical prints from the ornate Victorian era to the early twentieth century can live on its own, be used on stationery and wrapping, or create an amazing collage.

    Tired of treating rich hypochondriacs, Dr Will Fitzgerald left his father’s medical practice and his home on Merrion Square to live and practice medicine in the Liberties. His parents were appalled and his fiancée broke off their engagement. But when Will spends a night in a brothel on the eve of his best friend’s wedding, little does he know that the scarred and disgraced young woman he meets there will alter the course of his life.Isobel Stevens was schooled to be a lady, but a seduction put an end to all her father’s hopes for her. Disowned, she left Co Galway for Dublin and fell into prostitution. On the advice of a handsome young doctor, she leaves the brothel and enters domestic service. But can Isobel escape her past and adapt to life and the chance of love on Merrion Square? Or will she always be seen as a scarlet woman?Please note that this novel contains sexually explicit and sensitive content and is intended for readers aged eighteen and over.A Suitable Wife: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book 2Dublin, Ireland, 1881. Will and Isobel Fitzgerald settle into number 30 Fitzwilliam Square, a home they could once only have dreamed of. A baby is on the way, Will takes over the Merrion Street Upper medical practice from his father and they are financially secure. But when Will is handed a letter from his elder brother, Edward, stationed with the army in India, the revelations it contains only serves to further alienate Will from his father.Isobel is eager to adapt to married life on Fitzwilliam Square but soon realises her past can never be laid to rest. The night she met Will in a brothel on the eve of his best friend’s wedding has devastating and far-reaching consequences which will change the lives of the Fitzgerald family forever.A Discarded Son: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book 3Dublin, Ireland, 1881. Isobel Fitzgerald’s mother, Martha, marries solicitor James Ellison but an unexpected guest overshadows their wedding day. Martha’s father is dying and he is determined to clear his conscience before it is too late. Lewis Greene’s confession ensures the Ellisons’ expectation of a quiet married life is gone and that Isobel’s elder brother, Alfie Stevens, will be the recipient of an unwelcome inheritance.When a bewildering engagement notice is published in The Irish Times, the name of one of the persons concerned sends Will and Isobel on a race against time across Dublin and forces them to break a promise and reveal a closely guarded secret.

    Despite his hatred for London, he promises her father that he will travel to London and retrieve her. He just never counted on retrieving the wrong woman.Jane Campbell has always lived in the shadow of her older sister. When Mary implores Jane to leave her home in the Highlands to help her sister through her difficult pregnancy, Jane sees no choice but to agree—until, one night, she is mistaken for her sister, and finds herself stolen away in the arms of a man who doesn’t even remember meeting her.Duncan refuses to leave London without both Campbell women, while Jane has no intentions of leaving her sister. They have no choice but to spend Christmas in London, where they discover a new season—and a new love.For readers over 18 due to some steamy content.Duncan's Christmas was first published in the anthology, Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal

    So when her sister runs off with a footman and her parents decide on a hastily arranged marriage for her, she agrees. Then she kisses a stranger in the library on the same night her fiancée has a tryst of his own and suddenly everything changes.Lord Edmund Marshville, a former soldier and the second son of an earl, has one desire—to be left alone with his scars and his memories in his remote Hollingswood Estate. When he gives in to his mother’s plea to attend his brother’s engagement party, he doesn’t realize how life altering one night can be. For when his brother must marry the woman he compromises, suddenly Edmund takes on the role of groom to his brother’s original bride, a role he has no wish to assume.When Hannah and Edmund return to Hollingswood, it doesn’t seem like they will ever be married in anything more than name, until they begin to uncover secrets hidden for decades. Will attempting to reunite lost loves help them find their way to each other, or do the fates have other plans for them?For readers over 18 due to steamy content.Previously published in the Wicked Liaison anthology

    A mysterious nobleman who is the last of his name. A passion that will not conform to the rules of society.Willful, rich and clever, Lady Catherine Lytton believes she is in full control of her destiny after she inherits a large fortune.However, the return of Lord Adrian Stowe to England will turn her world on its head.He is the last Earl of Halford, and has been missing for years after the gruesome murder of his family; he is also different from any man she has ever met. She does not expect to feel such a strong attraction to him, or to finally lose head and heart to a man with grim secrets.When he leaves for Constantinople on a mysterious quest, she must follow, embarking on a journey of change that will lead her to understand the meaning of true love.

    Mrs Crocombe is the breakout star of English Heritage’s wildly popular YouTube series, The Victorian Way. Millions of fans around the globe devour her historical cookery videos, and their hunger for her content shows no sign of abating. The book features authentic do-it-yourself recipes chosen and tested by Dr Annie Gray alongside insights into daily life at Audley End from Andrew Hann, beautiful food photography and a foreword by the ‘face’ of Mrs Crocombe, Kathy Hipperson. It showcases the best recipes from Mrs Crocombe's own book, alongside others of the time, brought together so that every reader can put on their own Victorian meal. It’s a moreish smorgasbord of social history –an absolute must for fans, foodies and anyone with an appetite for the past.

     The last thing museum owner Flora O’Bannon expects is to find her name on a 150-year-old locket. As she brushes the dust away, the mystery doesn't just deepen... it explodes. In a fury of blue swirling light, it rips her from her museum, whisks her back in time, and drops her in the middle of London’s Whitechapel, an unwilling witness to the single most horrific murder to rock the Victorian world. Her only hope... Butcher and shop owner Draven Gray lost everything with the deaths of his wife and son. At times, it's as if he's died along with them, right up until the morning he rescues a woman from certain murder. She's battered, lucky to still be breathing, without any memory of who she is, and she looks uncannily like his dead wife. She's not, of course, but knowing that and leaving Florrie to fend for herself in Whitechapel are two distinctly different things. Especially once word gets out about the Ripper's only surviving victim. Now everyone wants a piece of Florrie—the papers, the police, even the Ripper himself—but Draven is determined... To get to her, first they'll have to go through him. And he has knives of his own.

    And then the handsome but poor Alex Faraday walks through the front doors.In 2019, Oxford-educated Josie Minton never dreamt of living in a house as grand as Veronica Gardens, but the nanny’s quarters are a perfect fit for a young woman in need of a job. Wealthy financier James Cavendish and his twin girls quickly find her indispensable to their happiness, but Josie is still searching for her future.Then the great house reveals the first of its secrets, and the tragedy and romance of one era are brought into sharp relief with another.

    Her biggest secret is the tender feelings she holds for Thomas Garrick, her father’s personal guard. As the pressure to choose a husband at an upcoming Christmas house party mounts, Victoria grows desperate.When circumstances trap them together in a cottage with a single bed and a bottle of brandy, her infatuation with the gruff Garrick might cause the scandal of the season...and give Victoria exactly what she wishes for this Christmas.Previously published in the anthology, Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal

    The Municipality of Lost Souls is a gothic ghost story set in 1860s England with characters destined to haunt you forever.For readers of dark fantasy who love witchcraft, magic and a little spookiness. For fans of Daphe du Maurier, Laura Purcell, Michelle Paver and Stacey Halls.

    Her Winter SuitorIf Callie doesn’t attract the interest of a suitor by the Patriarch Ball, she’ll be shipped off to England to find a husband. Unwilling to let that happen, Leo, the son of Callie’s favorite chocolatier, volunteers to pretend to be her secret admirer. In return, Callie will ensure his family’s shop provides chocolate favors for the ball—in hopes of keeping the shop from closing. But when their arrangement deepens into real feelings, the two must decide if a humble maker of chocolate and a wealthy heiress can find more than temporary happiness together. An Unlikely Spring CourtshipTempest and Bram are both eager to have the most successful mercantile in town. But there are only enough customers to support one store, and neither Tempest or Bram are willing to concede defeat. In spite of their initial competition, the two can’t help but admire the tenacity of the other and eventually they form a bond of friendship. When disaster strikes the town, the pair will have to choose what matters most—success in business or in following one’s heart. A Summer for LoveWhen circumstances thwarted their young love, Wyatt and Loralee promised to meet in eight years if neither of them had found someone. This time Loralee isn’t returning to the beach resort as a lowly hotel maid, though—she’s become a renowned singer, performing across the country. Wyatt’s situation has also changed. He’s become a father to his orphaned niece and wishes to provide her with a stable home. But when Wyatt and Loralee see each other again, they begin to wonder if their love hasn’t lessened with time but has deepened instead into something lasting. Romance in AutumnOnce the daughter of a servant, Phoebe is now an heiress with enough funds to provide herself and her mother with a home of their own. And she knows exactly which house she wants to buy—the mansion at the seaside where she and her mother once worked in the summers. However, James, the son of their former employer, has been tasked to sell the mansion at auction for a price much higher than Phoebe can likely afford. Still hopeful, she volunteers to help James return the neglected mansion to its former glory, and the two become good friends. Yet as the auction draws nearer, they will need to determine which dreams are worth pursuing and which are worth changing. A Long Winter KissOnce the best of friends, with the promise of being something more, Samantha and Rex have seen little of each other since Rex returned home from the war. Samantha is still hurt over Rex eventually asking her not to write him anymore while he was away, and Rex is certain Samantha doesn’t deserve to be with a man who bears the emotional scars of a soldier. However, the two of them are thrown together again when Samantha’s father is unable to deliver his annual Christmas Eve gifts. As Samantha and Rex perform the task, the walls between them start to crumble, making them both hope in the miracles of the season.

    Even more surprising, he wants to help her. Which is a mistake. A man like him shouldn’t go anywhere near a woman as lovely as Miss Chloe Finch. She’s too alluring by half and his soul holds real darkness, the kind that would swallow such a lovely creature whole.Too Wicked to WooHe’s dark and dangerous and so delicious, how can she resist…Miss Penny Clearwater considers herself a sensible woman. After all, she’s navigated her mother’s death, her father’s financial ruin, and her own fall from society with all the grace she could muster. So when her friend, Lady Chloe Dryden suggests they make a chronicle teaching young ladies of London all about the elusive rake, Penny refuses. It’s a silly idea that could end in absolute disaster. Except, she’s almost nothing left to lose. And when the perfect rake crosses her path, why not do a little research on Lord Preston? So he’s handsome and dashing… she’s only interested in the book, of course. Isn’t she?Lord Wesley Preston hasn’t had much by the way of successes since he left the military. A failing earldom, a bad accountant, and a drinking habit have left him in tatters. He desperately needs a break. And when Miss Clearwater stumbles into his life, he discovers that she had just inherited a large piece of land perfect for farming, if only she had someone to help her do the work. Wes makes her a proposition he hopes she can’t refuse. Accept his proposal of marriage, become a countess, and make both their lives better.The problem? Penny takes one look at him and declares him the worst sort of rake. She’s right of course. But how far will he go to prove to her that he can change?Too Wicked to WantA scarred marquess and a ruined bluestocking with everything to lose…Lord Harding doesn’t give a dung pile about the ton or society. His lands, his duty, and the people who depend on him are all that matter. But when Lady Annabelle begins following him about, he won't stand for it. He's knows she's attempting to trap him in marriage.Lady Annabelle is determined to study the rakes of London. It’s purely for research she wants to share what she’s learned with the ladies of her station. The problem, she can’t find any research subjects. That is until she meets Lord Harding, a reclusive marquess accused of ruining a young lady in her first season.What she didn’t count on was that dangerous and mysterious men are also exciting.Too Wicked to WedA rakish lord and a lady with a vendetta….Lord Pierce Marksman isn’t certain why he finds Lady Caroline so tempting. Yes, she’s blessed with waves of thick blonde hair, lush pink lips, the sort that make a man ache. But he’s met beautiful women before. And of course, her curves are lush and sweet, the kind that could keep a man warm for days. But he’s seen better. Hasn’t he? The problem is he can’t bloody remember. That’s a damn shame because he needs to find a rich wife with a sterling reputation to bolster his family name after his brother destroyed their’s. And that’s not Lady Caroline…The more their path’s cross the harder it is to deny that he wants her. Maybe needs her. And when Caroline’s in trouble he has a decision to make. Does Pierce save himself or her?

    An age of discovery and progress. But for the Wainwright family, residents of the gloomy Teesbank Hall in County Durham the secrets of the past continue to overshadow their lives. Harriet would not have taken the job of governess in such a remote place unless she wanted to hide from something or someone. Her charge is Eleanor, the daughter of the house, a fiercely bright eighteen-year-old, tortured by demons and feared by relations and staff alike. But it soon becomes apparent that Harriet is not there to teach Eleanor, but rather to monitor her erratic and dangerous behaviour – to spy on her. Worn down by Eleanor’s unpredictable hostility, Harriet soon finds herself embroiled in Eleanor’s obsession – the Wainwright’s dark, tragic history. As family secrets are unearthed, Harriet’s own begin to haunt her and she becomes convinced that ghosts from the past are determined to reveal her shameful story.For Harriet, like Eleanor, is plagued by deception and untruths.

    Lady Alexandrina Gailey is looking forward to a cozy holiday at Windsor Castle with her best friend, Princess Alice, and her long-time crush, Lord George Worthington. But Drina's plans are all but dashed when Alice's parents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, declare that Alice must choose one of two royal princes to become engaged to before Christmas. There's just one problem: George, a junior member of the Foreign Office, has accidentally misplaced one of the princes.Together, Drina and George scour the town of Windsor for the missing prince, desperately hoping to deliver him to the royal dinner party with the queen none the wiser. They might just need a royal Christmas miracle to pull it off.

    One broken hero. With danger looming, will they uncover more than they bargained for?A determined Duchess...Lady Anna Trevallyn, Duchess Wrexford, does not possess the typical qualities of the Boston elite. Confident and strong, she refuses to accept her place as a second-class citizen in a man's world--especially when her best friend, Libby, unexpectedly disappears without a trace. Unwilling to leave it to the men to uncover, she's determined to get answers.A damaged Prince...His Royal Highness, Prince Penforth Armstrong-Leeds, will do anything to locate his sister, Libby. Sharing resources, knowledge, and time with the beautiful and intelligent Lady Anna is an added advantage. Pen has secretly admired Anna from afar for years, but his war wound forces him to remain at bay.An unlikely pair...As Pen and Anna delve for answers beneath high society's gilded exterior, their feelings for one another intensify. Now, they must navigate their strong feelings while locating Libby before her reputation is permanently destroyed. With time running out, will they uncover the truth before lives are lost and hearts broken?This is the first in a Victorian Romance series featuring strong and feisty heroines at the forefront of the new age in 1890s America.Read each story as a stand-alone, or read the series in order.If you enjoy Gothic Victorian historical romantic suspense stories, such as those made popular by Victoria Holt, Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, Christi Caldwell or Dorothy Eden, you'll love this series by historical romance author, Ava Rose.The Boston Heiresses series:1 - Not Quite a Duchess2 - Not Quite a Baroness3 - Not Quite a Lady4 - Not Quite a Princess

    When Aldgate Underground station was extended, the workmen discovered the grave and unceremoniously dumped the bones, to make way for the new track.Now, a renowned spiritualist is claiming the dead are rising to punish Londoners.Strange encounters start to be reported in London’s East End with some people dying from unexplained causes.People start to panic, and distressed parishioners consult local preacher, Matthew West, looking for reassurance.Matthew is at a loss and turns to local doctor, James Carlyle, for answers.Carlyle and West have very different views on science and religion, but they decide to work together to get the bottom of the mysterious deaths.Has a curse really been put on London? Have the dead risen from their graves?Or could a serial killer be loose in the city…?INTERVIEWING THE DEAD is the first crime thriller in an exciting new historical crime series, the Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries, private investigations set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense.

    

    1890: Joseph Johnson arrives from London to see the property that his wealthy industrialist father, Samuel, has developed on the American coast. Riding through the dunes, the young man comes across a two-room cabin that houses his father’s 18-year-old adopted daughter, Isabel. Before this visit, Joseph knew nothing about the young woman, whom his father apparently saved from drowning off the coast of Colombia when she was small. To be fair, Joseph knows almost nothing about Samuel, either, as the man left him back in England to be raised by a nurse; his mother “disappeared.” Samuel now expects Joseph to marry Elizabeth Edwards, the beautiful daughter of a local doctor. Joseph likes the girl, but he can’t get his mind off the mysterious Isabel, who everyone claims has a fatal disease. Nor does he know that Isabel almost succeeded in poisoning Samuel to death when she was younger. Isabel is anything but welcoming, but as she and Joseph get to know each other, long-held secrets threaten to come to light.This novel is for mature readers, due to sexual content, some violence, and a-small amount of profanity.

    The perfect series for anyone who likes their Victorian mysteries with a heaping teaspoon of magic, adventure and romance! Includes The Daemoniac, The Thirteenth Gate, A Bad Breed, The Necromancer’s Bride and Dead Ringer. Praise for the Gaslamp Gothic books “Beautiful landscapes, beasts with more to them than meets the eye, women who fight the darkness, and men seeking redemption. This book was amazing.” –The Caffeinated Reader "Greatly entertaining, fun, thrilling, at times chilling and with a light hint of romance. I have no word left to say, only 'perfect'." -Field of Bookish Dreams “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde combined with Sherlock Holmes . . . If you like historical books that also have mystery, suspense, action and all the other ingredients for a page-turning stay-up-all-night experience, Dead Ringer is a must read!” –Books+Coffee=Happiness “You just can’t help but fall for the male interest. Everything about this book just screams darkness. If you want a page-turning, plot-twisting, soul-burning story, this is it!” –Treestand Book Reviews “Mystery. Paranormal creatures and myths. Intelligent, brave and daring characters. Love and hate. History. What else can you possibly want?” –Dena Garson’s Book Blog Book #1: It’s August 1888 and a bizarre killer is stalking the gas-lit streets of New York. His handiwork bears all the hallmarks of a demonic possession. But are the murders a case of black magic—or simple blackmail? From the gambling dens of the Tenderloin to the glittering mansions of Fifth Avenue, consulting detective Harrison Fearing Pell and her best friend, medical student John Weston, follow a twisted trail of lies, treachery and madness that ends closer to home than they imagined. Book #2: At an asylum in the English countryside, a man suspected of being Jack the Ripper kills an orderly and escapes into the rain-soaked night. Occult investigator Lady Vivienne pursues him across the Atlantic to New York, where a powerful Egyptian amulet has been stolen from the Museum of Natural History. With the bodies mounting, Lady Vivienne joins Harry and John to confront an ancient evil. The key to stopping it is something called the Thirteenth Gate. But where is it? And more importantly, who will find it first? Book #3: After a Romanian village suffers a series of brutal attacks, Lady Vivienne’s ward Anne Lawrence is dispatched to hunt the killer – only to find herself herself at the mercy of a mysterious captor with a beast inside and a memory as old as the ancient legends. As the weeks pass, Anne slowly uncovers a complex and deeply passionate man. But is she willing to pay the price for falling under his spell? Book #4: Forgiveness is not Gabriel D’Ange’s strong suit. A ruthless self-appointed soldier of God, he vanished after Anne stabbed him with his own dagger. The smart thing would be to let him go. But Anne’s world isn’t just lonely without Gabriel. It’s insufferably boring. When she’s drawn into one of his tangled plots, Anne learns just how far she’ll go to save the man she loves. Book #5: Back in New York, Harry and John face off with sewer beasts, doppelgängers and the city’s most devious criminal mastermind to solve one of the strangest

    Unrepentant, Elsie explores the countryside on horseback, riding astride like a gentleman—not at all like the demure lady her family demands of her.Mr. Fitzburgh Smith is determined, both in his bachelorhood and business acumen. While the titled peerage struggles with the mercurial economy, Fitz has come into his own, rising from a lowly yeoman to a powerful man of finance. His success allows him to turn the tables on his childhood bully, Elsie’s brother—a man whose gambling debt has reached obscene levels. Without warning, her family arrives on Elsie’s doorstep—the earl in tow. After purchasing the local bank, Fitz calls on the Bevue estate to give Elsie’s brother a gentleman’s warning. His visit rekindles his hidden tenderness for Elsie and encourages her defiant behavior. Her lack of decorum reignites the earl’s wrath, threatening her family’s already tenuous future. Fitz and Elsie form an unlikely bond but both must relinquish their pride before the earl exacts revenges—or lose their chance at freedom, and love.

    Richard’s future is also destroyed.  Penniless and angry, he wanders Europe, until he finds himself in a Paris café watching a pretty singer…Eve Martel Davies, posing as a café singer called Evelyn, barely recognizes her second cousin. Eve’s family take Richard in, but Eve knows Richard needs more than a warm bed and new clothes. She devises a way for Richard to assist her with her work for the Sûreté, which she suspects will help Richard find himself again.  The scheme involves Eve posing as Richard’s mistress, but the truth is very different…This book is part of the Scandalous Family—The Victorians. This is the second spin-off series to feature a new generation of the Great Family, who are now scattering across Europe and beyond in search of adventure…and love.This story is part of the Scandalous Family—The Victorians series:1.0 His Parisian Mistress2.0 Her Rebellious Prince…and more to come!A Sexy Victorian Era Historical Romance___Praise for previous Scandalous series:If you haven't started this series, start right now and you will fall in love with this very unconventional family during a time when rules, etiquette and unwritten rules had to be followed or the lack of them would bring scandal and ruin to an entire family.I love these books. Tracy creates these characters so well and with such care. I really recommend reading this series.I am overwhelmed by how much I have enjoyed this series so far. It was not superficial fluff as I thought it might be when I began. Cooper-Posey books have touched on so many universal themes.Her characters are admirable people who love their family and are capable of deep romantic love as well.I just love this series and the books just keep getting better and better. This series takes us on a romp through historical times, which I love.If you haven't read this magnificent series you must do so now; you will love each story, be moved by each of them, fall in love with the heroines and heroes, you will cheer for them and just as loudly boo the villains.Love this series and have bought them all.This entire series is filled with so much love for each other and family, that there is no way you cannot be emotionally drawn into each story.___Tracy Cooper-Posey is a #1 Best Selling Author. She writes romantic suspense, historical, paranormal and science fiction romance. She has published over 100 novels since 1999, been nominated for five CAPAs including Favorite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award.She turned to indie publishing in 2011. Her indie titles have been nominated four times for Book Of The Year. Tracy won the award in 2012, and an SFR Galaxy Award in 2016 for “Most Intriguing Philosophical/Social Science Questions in Galaxybuilding” She has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at MacEwan University.She is addicted to Irish Breakfast tea and chocolate, sometimes taken together. In her spare time she enjoys history, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction and ignoring her treadmill. An Australian Canadian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a former professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line.

    In her letters she referred to "horrid Russia" and was adamant that she did not wish her granddaughters to marry into that barbaric country. She distrusted Tsar Nicholas I but as a young woman she was bowled over by his son the future Alexander II, although there could be no question of a marriage. Political questions loomed large and the Crimean war did nothing to improve relations. This distrust started with the story of the Queen’s "Aunt Julie", Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg, and her disastrous Russian marriage. Starting with this marital catastrophe, Romanov expert Coryne Hall traces 60 years of family feuding that include outright war, inter-marriages, assassination, and the Great Game in Afghanistan. In the fateful year of 1894, Victoria must come to terms with the fact that her granddaughter has become the Tsar's wife, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia. Eventually, distrust of the German Kaiser brings Victoria and the Tsar closer together. Permission has been granted by the Royal Archives at Windsor to use extracts from Queen Victoria's journals to to tell this fascinating story of family relations played out on the world stage.

    Along with her brother, Damien, as children of the youngest son of a huge, aristocratic family, she has only her connections to her name, and what little money she inherited is running out. In a last-ditch effort to save themselves from ruin, she and Damien have joined the rest of the McGovern cousins on a grand tour. First stop, Paris.Lord Marshall Stone, the brand-new Duke of Reith, has fled to Paris to visit his disgraced brother and to drown his grief over his father’s death in parties and female company. His reputation is going downhill fast, and he has no wish to save it. He even goes so far as to seduce who he thinks is the pretty companion of one of his friend. Except, the woman he seduces turns out to be his friend’s cousin and a noblewoman in her own right. One he can’t stop thinking about or wanting.To make matters worse, a mysterious figure begins sending threats that could destroy both Marshall and Dorothy and put the entire McGovern family in danger. The unlikely lovers must work together to figure out who is blackmailing them and to save the entire family from social ruin.

    Meet rakes, rogues, wallflowers, and even the occasional gentleman in this bargain boxset, filled with romantic reads guaranteed to sweep you off your feet. The set includes:The Rake Who Rescued MeA gentleman spy meets his match but can their love cross the divide between them?Sinful CravingsThis dashing rake soon finds himself at the mercy of an uptight vicar's daughter. Kissed at MidnightA master and a governess cannot resist the pull between them in this steamy Victorian read.Amelia and the ViscountAmelia will do anything to keep her secret, especially from the man she has loved forever.Wake Me With a KissA sweet, fun retelling of Sleeping Beauty.   A Rake for All Seasons is limited edition boxset featuring full length and novella length Regency and Victorian romances of all heat levels.

    Powerfully attracted to her, he employs her as his maidservant, to care for his ailing wife.In his household, Jane discovers the truth about the inquest and pieces together the dark secrets of a powerful abuser. As Doughty struggles with his passion for her, she must convince him to act, even though exposing the truth will destroy his marriage and his career. The twisting darkness of this story pervades a bittersweet romance and explores the risks of allowing desire to triumph over reason.

    She's been sent to "bring to heel" their foremost Ripperologist, Agent Darrish Fox, who shows signs of going rogue. But when she finally arrives in Victorian London and discovers what Agent Fox has been investigating, she realizes that situations in the field are rarely as cut-and-dried as they are on paper. The Bureau has always used technology that simulates ghosts and haunted houses to disguise their presence in the past, but now, it seems that not all Bureau ghosts are accounted for--and a mysterious entity may be using that same technology for illegal and sinister purposes...

    Yet when her father suddenly becomes ill, she agrees to his dying wish—to marry Mr. Lacy and secure her future. Cast suddenly into a mourning period, Suzanna and Mr. Lacy agree to keep their engagement a secret until the proper six months have passed. But when Suzanna and Mr. Lacy find themselves thrown together with Miss Grysham and her handsome uncle Lord Haversley, everything becomes complicated. If only Lord Haversley didn’t expose his true bravery. If only there wasn’t so much more to him than a gaudy Lord in Parliament. If only he would leave Suzanna alone. As the threat of smallpox looms close, all four friends must work together—and apart—to save the lives of those they love. Forced into keeping a promise, or securing the promise of her future, Suzanna must reconcile her obligations with her heart as she searches for a love she never had.

    "Shore captures not only the war and politics of the time period, but the romantic lens through which the characters view their world" (Kirkus Reviews)"'Terribilita' is a term used to describe how a piece of art evokes emotion from a viewer, be it awe, terror, or a subtler reaction. Good art makes you feel. Author Ben Wyckoff Shore delivers plenty of thrills, chills, and romance in his novel TERRIBILITA." (IndieReader)The rebel caprices of Enzo Ferrando have dire consequences. His father, the Risorgimento war hero is gunned down on his veranda. His son Lucca is forced into hiding as a deckhand on a merchant ship. Enzo himself is conscripted into the Italian army and forced to wage war on the African Horn, yet he yearns to take vengeance on his father's killers and to reunite with his son.Set in the second half of the 19th century, Terribilita is a coming of age tale about family, and an examination of the redemptive power of violence. In this drum tight historical fiction novel, readers will encounter Bashi-Bazouk mercenaries, blackbirding pirates, Ethiopian army hordes, and historical figures of the era.Cinder Block Publishing is contributing a portion of the book's profits to the American Red Cross for Disaster Relief.

    The murderer calls himself the Skilamalink Man, and Oliver vows to get revenge against him. In his sorrow, Oliver discovers he has magic—an energy that’s anchored to his physical self and acts as an enhanced extension of his senses, but only stays with him if he remains chaste.With nowhere else to go, Oliver accepts an offer to live in a brothel, starting work as an exotic dancer to earn his keep. If he thought his life had been turned upside down, things become even more interesting when a scraggly, tousle-haired lad named Tom Arkwright—the son of a local constable—arrives at the brothel as part of another murder investigation.Together they help each other with their cases, and in doing so, realise the Skilamalink Man is responsible for all the murders in the area. Oliver soon finds himself falling for the charming, streetwise young man. Now Oliver must choose between sacrificing his magic for the love of Tom or keeping it to catch the Skilamalink Man and get his revenge before he murders again.

    The only problem is I hate punishment.Train me to be all yours, and I won’t disappoint you, Daddy.Publisher’s Note: This is a collection of five steamy, full-length romance novels – Little Prim and Proper, Little Lizzie’s Reform, Delia’s Debt, A Proper Punishment, and Little Brides – which contain power exchange and scenes which may trigger some readers.

    He experiences two realities, one real, the other a dreamworld state brought on by a neurological condition.When murders in Victorian Edinburgh echo the ancient Celtic threefold death ritual, Captain Edward Hyde hunts for those responsible. In the process he becomes entangled in a web of Celticist occultism and dark scheming by powerful figures. The answers are there to be found, not just in the real world but in the sinister symbolism of Edward Hyde’s otherworld.He must find the killer, or lose his mind.A dark tale. One that inspires Hyde’s friend . . . Robert Louis Stevenson.

    When a grumpy inventor meets her outrageous new neighbor in the big black castle down the road...more than one kind of spark will fly! Meet: Good Neighbors, a new series of fantasy rom-com short stories.

    Now he is his bitterest enemy.And he has the most disturbing proposition:He wants to marry me.”A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Gina, a young, idealistic woman, is recruited by the elusive Rebellion.“The Director must die!” they said.She wants to fight the fascistic, high-tech, Victorian-flavored dictatorship that keeps oppressing her planet.And this marriage proposal is a golden opportunity to infiltrate the loyalist circles.So despite her parents’ warning, Gina complies reluctantly.Alas, the innocent girl falls into a trap! Why does the Director seem to hate her even more than she does? Why is he willing to put himself at risk?Now her beloved father is in danger, threatened by this powerful officer of the Empire who wants to exact a terrible revenge because of an affair that started before Gina’s birth.But facing the Director turns out to be much less unpleasant than expected and the situation becomes untenable. One misstep could lead to mutual destruction...140 000 word Dark Erotic Romance, bittersweet HEA.-----------------------------------------------------------------review on another siteTruly love this. So decadent and wrong and utterly perfect, the way they fight for power, how she claims to be disgusted but can’t stay away from him. Excellent characterisation of both of them,and omg hot hot hot!

    Especially when a groundbreaking discovery is at stake, and dark secrets are lurking in the shadows.In a Neo-Victorian London of mechanical horses and aerial gondotrams, airship engineer Jasper Kendall Asher has a bright future ahead as the youngest member of the Engineers Order and a secret agent in Her Majesty’s service. But a terrible accident brutally changes the course of his career, sending him instead to a dull life as a mechanic among the poor of St. Giles.Three years later, unusual circumstances give him the opportunity to return into service as the main engineer for the Queen’s new airship—and a chance to uncover the truth behind the unfortunate event that changed his life.Along with an outlandish woman navigator, a reckless female agent, and his taciturn brother, Jasper resumes his work. From his workbench, to London’s airharbour, to remote Scottish villages, he follows the trail of a scientific discovery that promises to reveal much darker plots than he initially imagined in his search for answers.

    From a distance, the crowns of the palms within are silhouetted in the central dome; close to, banana leaves thrust themselves against the glass. To enter it is to enter a tropical fantasy. The body is assaulted by heat, light, and the smell of damp vegetation.In Palace of Palms, Kate Teltscher tells the extraordinary story of its creation and of the Victorians’ obsession with the palms that filled it. It is a story of breathtaking ambition, of scientific discovery and, crucially, of the remarkable men whose vision it was. The Palm House was commissioned by the charismatic first Director of Kew, Sir William Hooker, designed by the audacious Irish engineer, Richard Turner, and managed by Kew’s forthright curator, John Smith, who battled with boilers and floods to ensure the survival of the rare and wondrous plants it housed.

     It’s the year 1885 and the world has just begun giving up its ancient secrets. Miss Charlotte Blakely is a librarian in Rome. She’s researching evidence of the fabled Veil of Veronica, but her time abroad is drawing to a close. Her viscount father is dying and has called his children home, yet a chance encounter with a stranger one balmy night might change her direction. Mr. Everett Desmond is the English ambassador to Rome. He’s dashing and would have been daring had he gone down a different path, but being jilted at the altar sent him far from England and sordid memories. Now, life has grown staid and boring. When he literally crashes into a pretty lady on the street, he’s intrigued enough to further an acquaintance. Desire flares after a couple of moonlit strolls, and a kiss at the Trevi fountain irrevocably changes both of their lives. Budding romance blooms beneath the heat and they find themselves enchanted enough to land into potential scandal. Is it a love to last a lifetime or is it merely a moonlight indiscretion? Only they can decide what they truly want for the future.

    Rosa Bonheur was the very antithesis of the feminine ideal of 19th-century society. She was educated, she shunned traditional 'womanly' pursuits, she rejected marriage - and she wore trousers. But the society whose rules she spurned accepted her as one of their own, because of her genius for painting animals. She shared an intimate relationship with the eccentric, self-styled inventor Nathalie Micas, who nurtured the artist like a wife. Together Rosa, Nathalie and Nathalie's mother bought a chateau and with Rosa's menagerie of animals the trio became one of the most extraordinary households of the day. Catherine Hewitt's compelling new biography is an inspiring evocation of a life lived against the rules.

    But he must make some serious decisions when he hears disturbing rumours about her.

    To protect the lady's reputation, Alfred Conley backs up the story in public― but he exacts his price in private. Any wife of his must be subject to domestic discipline, and he does not tolerate lies.Especially those lies that lumber him with a surprise bride still being claimed by a powerful enemy.This full-length Victorian romance includes a fake husband with a stern hand, a spunky heroine who won't be bartered away, domestic discipline and punishment scenes, and a full slate of hissable villains with deplorable manners.

    Now, he must search the ancient catacombs under the city's streets to find the woman he loves–and kill the monster that took her.The Vampire's Gift is a short story prequel to The Vampire's Daughter, the first book in the exciting Calmet Chronicles! Be sure to check out the entire series!

    On the appointed day, Aunt Margaret comes to collect Evelyn, and Margaret informs her that they’re going on a Grand Tour to spend as much of the estate money they can before a distant cousin inherits all. When Henry Gaiman discovers he’s inherited his distant uncle’s estate, he loathes the thought of returning to England since he’d rather continue with his archaeology dig in Egypt. Return he must, and there, he meets Evelyn, a woman who will change his world in more ways than one.

    Prefers not to leave the house to find her.There comes a time in every bachelor's life, when his good-natured but meddling sister gets it into her mind to play matchmaker. And on every occasion, they contact none other than Lady Harriett Ross, self-proclaimed Motley Meddler, the Mistress of Destiny, and Wielder of the Infamous Umbrella.Enter the Duke of Eastly. A man with just such a sister. He has scars, thinks society is nonsense, and prefers to stay far away from any and all shenanigans. But he could never resist his sibling, who tells him a sorrowful tale of woe, of a dear friend's shy plight ahead of an important auction at the Frost Fair of 1814. No worries. He has the perfect solution. Help is on the way!Enter the aforementioned friend, Miss Artemis Synclaire. The precise opposite of timid and shy. And as such, she won't stand for the Beast's asinine resolution. She'd rather dine with an elephant (which could actually be arranged) than deal with a man such as he. Can two such stubborn people ever bend enough to discover they've found their perfect match?Published in the Fire & Frost anthology

    When a new gentlemen’s club positions itself to lure away her wealthy clientele, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her business. Even if it means accepting a wicked offer from the club’s mysterious and sensual owner.A man of experience.From the moment he meets Madam Pendragon, Erik Maxwell vows to have her in his bed. Her sharp mind challenges him while her lush body sparks every fantasy he’s ever had. But he’ll have to use everything he knows about desire to get past the jaded lady’s formidable walls.An offer too wicked to resist.If the man believes he has the talent and skill to seduce her, Callista will gracefully accept his defeat—and his exit from London—when he fails. And he will, of course.Unless, seduction isn’t all Erik Maxwell has in mind.Previously published in the Have Yourself a Merry Little Secret collection

    In this new selection of his short fiction, Wilde’s gifts as a storyteller are on full display, accompanied by informative facing-page annotations from Wilde biographer and scholar Nicholas Frankel. A wide-ranging introduction brings readers into the world from which the author drew inspiration.Each story in the collection brims with Wilde’s trademark wit, style, and sharp social criticism. Many are reputed to have been written for children, although Wilde insisted this was not true and that his stories would appeal to all “those who have kept the childlike faculties of wonder and joy.” “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime” stands alongside Wilde’s comic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest, while other stories—including “The Happy Prince,” the tale of a young ruler who had never known sorrow, and “The Nightingale and the Rose,” the story of a nightingale who sacrifices herself for true love—embrace the theme of tragic, forbidden love and are driven by an undercurrent of seriousness, even despair, at the repressive social and sexual values of Wilde’s day. Like his later writings, Wilde’s stories are a sweeping indictment of the society that would imprison him for his homosexuality in 1895, five years before his death at the age of forty-six.Published here in the form in which Victorian readers first encountered them, Wilde’s short stories contain much that appeals to modern readers of vastly different ages and temperaments. They are the perfect distillation of one of the Victorian era’s most remarkable writers.

    

    And in order to complete the investigation together, the brand new team must masquerade as husband and wife.

    

    Still, a part of him never gave up on her. He could hear her voice, feel her love even through the grave, relive her memories over and over until they were stripped from him.Now Leif has discovered the final piece to bring her back from death’s clutches. He carried her brooch, never knowing it held the key to resurrecting his love.Too bad it’s now in the hands of the formidable kraken shifter who nearly destroyed the Shifter Academy in the recent vampire/shifter war and then slithered away, never to be seen again.------------Across time, powerful selkie Gemma MacLugh--a magic user who can shape-shift into a seal--should have a wonderful, comfortable existence at her home in New York in 1897. But jealous sisters target her with their cruelty, making life miserable. If not for her Grandmother and her best friend and fellow selkie, Frederick, things might have been truly unbearable.But when a mermaid seer foretells her upcoming death and opportunity arises to leave her home and travel across the country to a boarding house in Washington, she takes it.To get away from her cruel sisters.To escape her destiny.But is it luck or fate’s final joke when she meets a tall, dark and handsome man by the name of Leif Villers?Their love will challenge time and death itself, but can Leif get Gemma back? Can Gemma truly escape her fate? **Reflect is the first book in the Reclaim Trilogy within the Shifter Academy Universe written by USA Today Bestselling Authors, Jesse Booth and Joanna Reeder**

    Barrie’s manuscript letters to Robert Louis Stevenson were presumed lost.Since Michael Shaw discovered them, he has been enchanted by the correspondence, and has now compiled this first ever edition bringing both writers’ letters together. The introduction to this fascinating exchange shows why they developed such an intense bond (despite never meeting) and the deep impact their correspondence had on Barrie’s life and work.

    Satisfying his last wish is all she’s ever wanted from life… until the possibility of a courtship with the handsome English ambassador to Rome made itself known. But does love mean giving up her hard-won independence?Mr. Everett Desmond spends far too much time behind a desk and entertaining dignitaries. He thought that was what he wanted from life… until an intriguing lady gave him a taste of adventure. But treasure-hunting comes at a price and, thanks to a failed engagement, he’s leery of romance.Balancing each leg of the quest with the heat and passion simmering between them keeps Charlotte and Everett on the razor’s edge. When danger and death collide with the joy of adventure, truths they’ve denied themselves come into sharp focus. But with a bit of faith, they may discover a treasure far more priceless than a religious relic in their hands.

    He races for home, only to find everyone gone, except his young valet, Davu Ganguly. With the odds against them, they strike out for a safe haven, discovering in their flight that faithfulness goes both ways and can mean much more than simple loyalty.

    And he was never expected to be the head of the family.Living a life of privilege and variety, he often spends his time in an unsuitable for his background company.Seeking the thrill and being easily bored with everything, he's unpredictable.Until one day Oliver- his new valet - shows up and that changes his whole life.Oliver is hired by Callum's father and the servant is supposed to report to the old Lord all of his son's actions and missteps.But something happens between Oliver and Callum that no one could have predicted and that changes their lives entirely.

    British troops are preparing for the invasion of Zululand. Walter Williams is among them, a gunner in the Royal Artillery, who no longer has any illusions about soldiering. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with young Davy Cochrane, a driver in his battery, a friendship that binds them for life.When Walter returns home to civilian life, he returns to a London that is poorer, dirtier, meaner than he remembers. He wants only a peaceful existence in the bosom of his family. However, the landscape has changed since he was last home. Edie, his mother, a towering figure from his youth, has been shunted off to an institution and Walter’s manipulative sister, Lil, with her husband Art, has plans for Walter that involve a match with Art’s sister, the sullen-faced Agnes.For her part, Agnes, traumatised by an episode from her past, carries with her a devastating secret that will greatly impact on Walter’s future happiness.Meanwhile, Walter strives for his ideal. Along the way, he makes a new friend, Jem Cresswell and reunites with an old one, Davy Cochrane. Both men will have a role to play in subsequent events. For just as Walter is close to achieving the life he wants, Grundy, a ghost from his past re-emerges, threatening to destroy everything. Now, more than ever before, Walter must engage fearlessly with the enemy . . .

    They are invited by long-time friends of their mother, who are saddened to hear of her death.Upon arrival, the siblings soon discover that the sleepy seaside town is plagued by family drama and plots of self-preservation. Gossip, greed, deceit, and lust are the vices hidden under the sands of time. As Elizabeth and Francis unearth the truth about their mother’s life at the resort, a shocking revelation comes to the surface. In the end, lovers find the courage to embark on adventures, while others accept change and new lives.(Historical fiction, set in 1840, with romantic and family saga elements.)

    

     The following year he joined the Metropolitan Police and began patrolling the streets of the capital as a uniformed constable. 35 years later he retired as Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department, the top detective in the country. Set against the backdrop of the developing Metropolitan Police, this book tells the story of a life and career which included railway murderers, grave robbers, fraudulent mediums, Jack the Ripper, the Philosopher’s Stone, Fenian dynamite campaigns, shocking revelations about the aristocracy and a crazed captain with sea serpents in a bottle. Linking it all together is Donald Swanson, whose application letter to the Metropolitan Police spoke of a desire for “a good opening”. After reading his story, the reader will be left in little doubt that he made the most of the opportunities which came his way.

    He convinces Lady Verity to help him search for a hidden treasure his great uncle has left him, and Rupert ends up finding an enemy and a lady he must convince with one kiss at a time that they are perfect for each other...A Rogue's Secret was previously published in the Have Yourself A Merry Little Secret boxset!