Belinda


Anne Rampling - 1986
    She's sixteen years old. She's the object of one man's ultimate fantasy. And she's one of the most "uniquely sensual and provocative" heroines to emerge from the "fearless" imagination of New York Times bestselling author Anne Rice.

The Burning Times


Jeanne Kalogridis - 2001
    The Inquisition rages throughout medieval France, searching ruthlessly for heretics. In an epic tale of passion, mystery, and unspeakable danger, one woman faces the flames...and triumphs. Mother Marie Francoise, born Sybille, is a midwife with a precocious gift for magic -- a gift that makes her a prime target for persecution at the hands of the Church. She flees her village and takes refuge in a Franciscan sisterhood. Before long, Sybille's unusual powers bring her under the scrutiny of the Inquisition. Michel, a pious and compassionate monk sent to hear her confession, finds himself drawn more intimately into Sybille's life and destiny than either of them could have imagined. Like a magician herself, Jeanne Kalogridis weaves a tale of star-crossed love, of faith and heresy, of mysticism and witchcraft, against a fascinating historical backdrop -- the Black Death, the Hundred Years' War, and the catastrophic defeat of France at the hands of the English. The result is a page-turning novel about one of the most intriguing periods in history.

Master of Desire


Kinley MacGregor - 2001
    The youngest daughter of an English lord at war, she is shaken by the arrival of a mysterious stranger to her father's castle. Could this breathtaking man be Emily's yearned-for lover? Indeed, Draven de Montague, Earl of Ravenswood, has come for Emily...but romance has nothing to do with it.In the Tender Embrace of an Enemy...Draven would never have entered the home of his most hated adversary had not the King himself ordered him to take in his foe's daughter for a year to forge bonds of peace between their two feuding houses. Worse still, here is a lass whose exquisite loveliness could tempt Draven to betray his sworn vow never to let another close to his heart. Emily knows the searing heat of her passion could burn down the defenses of this proud warrior. But will the surrender of the sweet nectar of his lips and his bold, sensuous caress ignite a blaze so hot it consumes them both?

What She Wants


Lynsay Sands - 2002
    His uncle's will clearly states that Hugh must marry— yet he has just insulted his would-be bride by calling her a peasant! Now he must do whatever it takes to win back the fair Willa . . .Everyone has advice, it seems. His comrades-in-arms believe gifts and baubles will earn her love. The old witch who was her guardian wants Hugh to crawl back to Willa on his belly. And his castle priest suggests he read De Secretis Mulierum, a book on the secrets of women. But Hugh knows only one sure way to overcome her reluctance: he must convince Willa that his passion and devotion are not only what she needs, but what she wants more than anything else in the world.

The Crown of Anavrea


Rachel Rossano - 2004
    Injured and losing blood with a patrol on his tail and a price on his head, he begins to wonder if he should just give up. After all, he had tried. Or, maybe that was the fever speaking.Eve faces a decision. Help the severely injured stranger she stumbled upon in the depths of a Braulian forest or return home to her slave master on time and possibly avoid a beating.Her choice will change both of their lives forever.

Daughter of Destiny


Jeannie Johnson - 2004
    But in a single night, the actions of one generation alter the family's legacy for ever. The three Strong brothers are overseeing their inheritance in the West Indies. In this balmy, tropical setting, an ugly situation is fuelled by Barbados rum, a murder is committed, and a child conceived. And the repercussions of this fatal night have a violent domino effect which reaches down through generations.

Everlasting


Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - 2007
    Woodiwiss gifted the world with her groundbreaking love story, The Flame and the Flower. Now, twelve consecutive New York Times bestsellers later, "the first lady of the genre" (Publishers Weekly) returns with her most breathtaking masterwork to date—a glorious celebration of a secret love that is dangerous, irresistible, forbidden, and . . .Once, Abrielle's name was on the lips of every unwed nobleman in London as a proud exceptional lady coveted for her bearing, her breeding, her wit, and her beauty.But when her stepfather—respected for his courage and valor during the Crusades—is denied his rightful title and the wealth that accompanies it, Abrielle finds herself suddenly disgraced, no longer a suitable match for any proper gentleman. Only one would still have her, though he desires no more than physical pleasure: the oafish and grotesque Desmond de Marlé. His dark and scandalous reputation is legend, and Abrielle has heard rumors that his first two wives perished by his hand. Yet no one else can rescue her once-proud family's honor and keep her stepfather from debtor's prison, so she is left with no choice but to accept the cruel and hateful de Marlé's offer of marriage and sacrifice her virtue to a scoundrel she fears and detests . . . even as she yearns for another lover.Dashing, handsome, tall, and kind—a black-haired Scotsman with vivid blue eyes—Raven Seabern is an emissary for his king, and quite unlike any man Abrielle has ever encountered. From the very first moment their eyes meet, he intrigues and mesmerizes her—and dancing in his arms at a royal banquet leaves her weak with the desire to surrender. But their love can never be, for Abrielle is betrothed to a monster. And the well-being of everyone she cares for demands that she honor her promise. Still, the fire lit that night will not be doused. Raven knows he has found the true one and must never let her go—though secrets, deceptions, dishonor, and unimaginable peril will surely be their fate if they follow the dictates of their hearts.

Our Lizzie


Anna Jacobs - 1999
    She makes an ill-advised marriage in order to escape her harsh home life. However, she quickly discovers that she has married a selfish and violent man. His beatings are ceaseless and she finds herself compelled to run away. With the help of some suffragettes, she escapes to Manchester, where she finds work in a munitions factory for a while. Sam manages to find her and drags her home. It is only when his violence causes her to lose their unborn baby that Lizzie really finds the strength to make things change, and to find happiness with a man who loves her.

The Evening and the Morning


Ken Follett - 2020
    England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns.In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined. A young boatbuilder's life is turned upside down when the only home he's ever known is raided by Vikings, forcing him and his family to move and start their lives anew in a small hamlet where he does not fit in. . . . A Norman noblewoman marries for love, following her husband across the sea to a new land, but the customs of her husband's homeland are shockingly different, and as she begins to realize that everyone around her is engaged in a constant, brutal battle for power, it becomes clear that a single misstep could be catastrophic. . . . A monk dreams of transforming his humble abbey into a center of learning that will be admired throughout Europe. And each in turn comes into dangerous conflict with a clever and ruthless bishop who will do anything to increase his wealth and power.

The Lady of the Rivers


Philippa Gregory - 2011
    Widowed at the age of 19, she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her household for love, and then carved out a new life for herself.

Night Fire / Night Shadow / Night Storm


Catherine Coulter - 2002
    

In Honor Bound


DeAnna Julie Dodson - 1997
    But his sins have nearly destroyed Prince Philip and the future of his reign. " I will not lie to you, I will not be unfaithful to you, and I will not love you. My heart is pledged to another, and I am not a man to break an oath."Lady Rosalynde stares at her groom on the first night of their arranged marriage. He will not love her? Well, she will love him--and she will win his heart.But Prince Philip's heart appears to be made of ice. Rosalynde could not possibly know of the festering wound on her husband's soul... how deeply he struggles with the circumstances of his first wife's death. Or what King Robert has done to his own son in trying to preserve the crown.In ruthless pursuit of the throne, Philip's cousin penetrates the defenses of the castle and captures King Robert. Philip rallies his army, preparing to fight to the end for his throne. But the battle within is greater. He knows he cannot hold his kingdom without divine aid. Yet he has hardened his heart against God. Against forgiving his father's unspeakable offenses. And against the unfailing love of Rosalynde. Can Love reach him before the kingdom is torn from his hands?

Wonderful


Jill Barnett - 1997
    But when he finally fetches his bride-to-be from a secluded English convent, he finds he needs more than his knight's spurs to bring order to his life.When she was betrothed at fifteen to the legendary English knight she had never met, Lady Clio of Camrose believed that love was something magical. But her youthful hopes faded as she languished in a convent for six long years, never hearing a word from Merrick.Weary of war, Lord Merrick finds little peace guarding the wild Welsh borders, and even less with the wife whose trust he destroyed. But as Lady Clio comes to understand the dark knight she so blindly wed, she sees a chance to make her dreams come true. Amid the enchanted mists that envelop Camrose Castle, they will battle together to discover a place where all things are possible, even a love that is rare and wonderful.

Return to Quail Crossings


Jennifer McMurrain - 2014
    She had dreams of Hollywood stardom, not dirty diapers and pigs. But when Robert Smith, a country boy from head to toe, offers her and her daughter a chance at a normal life, reputation intact, Evalyn can’t help but accept. Little does Robert know, Evalyn is keeping a huge secret. While Evalyn’s family members deal with prejudice in 1940s Texas, fertility, changes of the heart, and even a ghost come back from the dead, Evalyn must fight for her family or lose everything she has grown to love.

Bold Angel


Kat Martin - 1994
    Even though he had once saved her from a fate worse than death, she could not forget he'd raised the grim battlements of Braxton, keep on her dead father's lands or that his men had dishonored her sister. If she wed him to bring peace to her people, he would have to lay siege to her bed.But their destiny was more powerful than the clash of swords.The darkly handsome warlord's blood coursed with desire for Caryn's burnished crimson lips, and his passion would not be denied. But in the wild ecstasy they shared. Ral feared more than his heart was in danger. Could his rebellious bride be a traitor deadlier than the wolves and brigands prowling deep in English forests?A magnificent tale of intrigue, vengeance and soul-searing love, Kat Martin's newest romance is her most irresistible to date!