Her father’s death – and life – have left her lonely, longing for a home and a true family, but these dreams feel hopeless. With nowhere else to go and simply trying to survive, she sets off for Winchester with the hope of finding work, and eventually her long-lost aunt. On her way, she is injured by a speeding phaeton and falls into a ditch. The handsome, kindly Lord Edward Westerham finds her and takes her to the home of Lady Tremaine, his great aunt.Anna floats in and out of consciousness, but Lady Tremaine and her servants dutifully care for her. As Anna slowly recovers, she and Lady Tremaine find that they have much in common, despite coming from completely different worlds. Soon, Lady Tremaine asks Anna to be her companion and teaches her how to be a lady. Anna feels safe and comfortable with Lady Tremaine, and finds herself falling for her savior, Lord Westerham. But she knows he cannot marry a commoner such as she.However, Anna soon finds an enemy in Lady Tremaine’s unscrupulous nephew, Lord William Comey. Worried that he will be cut from the will in favor of Anna, and in desperate financial straits, Lord Comey becomes determined to destroy her reputation – and Lady Tremaine’s affection.Can Anna overcome the schemes of a cunning conman? Or will she lose her one chance at a proper family and possibly, true love?

    But six years of marriage resulted in no children, and the widowed Emily now cares for others as a governess. She loves her work, and it allows her to care for her parents who can no longer support themselves. But it does not quite fill the hole in her heart.Lord Charles Blythe, Earl of Doverton, absolutely must produce an heir to prevent his loathsome cousin or the man's obnoxious son from inheriting. Since the death of his wife, however, Charles has no desire to wed any of the young, empty-headed women that society thrusts at him.When Charles impulsively tells his cousin he is to marry, he chooses the first woman he sees in the crowd at a ball. Shocked to find out she’s a governess, he nevertheless convinces her to join his family for Christmas to participate in the charade. They must fight their attraction, however, for Charles needs a son, the one thing Emily knows she cannot give him.Is there any chance for their Christmas wishes to come true?

    When he sends for English governess Thea Reynolds to serve as a companion for his sister, he’s counting on her reputation for unconventional methods. Yet he never imagines the mysterious beauty will capture his heart under the mistletoe. An English governess who just might be able to save him… An assignment at a remote manor deep in the heart of Scotland is just what Thea needs to escape her past. But when she arrives at Kinfallon Castle, she quickly realizes that her charge—and her ruggedly handsome employer—are not what she expected. Never one to balk at a challenge, Thea begins to make inroads with the Earl’s deeply scarred sister, but her growing desire for Edmund threatens her tenuous position. When her secret is exposed, will it destroy their budding love? This novella-length Scottish historical romance is holiday-themed, but can be enjoyed any time of the year. Pick up your copy today! ***This story was originally published in The Nutcracker Reimagined collection.

    She's too voluptuous, too intelligent, too strong minded. Why, she even reads! But then Jonathan, Earl of Fairley, arrives at court. Tall, dark and handsome, the knight is any woman's dream. And he has just been ordered by the king to find a bride… and Alice is to help him!Jonathan has been evading his mother's matchmaking schemes for years, so why does she insist that Lady Alice isn't for him? Alice is only to aid in his search for a bride, yet Jonathan can't help but be distracted by her glorious hair—the color of a sunset—and a figure that is like a lush berry about to burst to full ripeness… Has Jonathan fallen prey to love?

    All she wants is to belong. But when compromising circumstances force them together, do they have a chance at finding love? Silas Riley, Earl of Inglewood, is known among his peers in Parliament as the man made of stone. As a wealthy peer, there are few he trusts with his friendship. He guards his heart and his honor with vigilance, and when an accident nearly takes his life, he’s faced with a situation which threatens his standing in society.Growing up in the shadow of her older brother, Esther Fox’s acceptance in his circle has been indifferent at best. So when she ends up in a compromising situation as she saves the life of her brother’s dearest friend, the Earl of Inglewood, she is forced to marry him to save her own reputation. Once again, she finds herself accepted only because of the situation, and not because she is truly wanted.Neither are prepared for a loss which further complicates their new relationship. With such a difficult beginning, can they ever hope to understand one another, let alone find love?

    He prefers to live in the London townhouse, far away from Brockwell Court, the old family secret that haunts him, and the shadows of his past mistakes. But then his mother threatens to stop funding his carefree life--unless he comes home for Christmas. Out of options, he sets out for Ivy Hill, planning to be back on a coach bound for London and his unencumbered bachelor life as soon as the festivities are over.But Christmas in the country presents unforeseen surprises, including encounters with an orphaned apprentice, the first love he disappointed years ago, and Arabella Awdry, a young lady who is far more appealing than he recalled . . . and determined to have nothing to do with him.Will Christmastime in Ivy Hill, with its village charm, kissing boughs, joyous songs, and divine hope, work its magic in his heart . . . and hers as well?

    But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion—or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she’s ready to put an end to things. A Last Chance for Love But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn’t as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there’s Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What’s a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there’ll be no false formality. This time they’ll get to know each other for who they really are.

    But he has a request to make in exchange, and it may cost Selina her carefully guarded heart.For Selina Ellis, a crowded fair held on the frozen surface of the Thames is the perfect opportunity to meet with her secret suitor—the son of her family’s solicitor—without being caught. But when an acquaintance from her childhood, Sir Edmund, discovers their courtship, a bargain is struck. In order for Edmund to keep her secret, she must convince her mother to allow him to stay in their home for Christmastide, where he will be close enough to keep watch on her and her secret suitor…a man of whom he strongly disapproves. Though he hadn’t planned on staying in London longer than his grandmother’s funeral, Sir Edmund cannot leave an innocent young woman like Selina in the grip of a man as manipulative as Mr. Skinner. Loyal to his new purpose, he sets out to thwart Selina’s efforts to marry Skinner, unleashing a rivalry between himself and Selina. When she matches his subterfuge with ease, and Skinner threatens to destroy all he has, Edmund must take a new approach—one with more risks than it’s worth. As Selina’s feelings for Edmund shift from enmity to friendship, her uncertainty grows. She must choose whether love is worth sacrificing her pride. And Edmund must choose whether the price of his silence is worth losing his heart.

    For four years, Miles Linwood, the Marquess of Grenton, has felt incomplete without her. When a carriage breakdown leaves him temporarily stranded in a tiny town, Miles makes an unexpected discovery that will alter the course of his life, and rewrite the pages of his past.

    They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience? Fate plays her hand when Lucy discovers the earl unconscious and injured in the middle of the road. When he awakens with no recollection of who he is, Lucy seizes the opportunity to teach the earl a much-needed lesson in humility and tells him that he is nothing more than a mere servant. Her servant, in fact. And thus begins the charming tale of a pompous lord and an impetuous young woman, caught together in a web so tangled that it begs the question: Will they ever get out?

    Meet Me under the Kissing Boughby Josi S. KilpackDeborah Winfrey hasn’t had the heart to host a holiday party since her husband’s death. But this Christmas, it’s time to move forward. The festivities bring renewed life to her home, and the attentions of two very different men promise a chance at new love.Healing Hearts for the Holidaysby Anneka R. WalkerJulia Hunt is strictly forbidden from associating with the family in the nearby manor—including the handsome younger son, Esmond, who quickly steals her heart. With Christmas around the corner, an old bundle of hidden love letters may be the key to her own happily ever after. A Christmas Correspondenceby Sarah L. McConkieIn this novella inspired by the timeless tale, A Christmas Carol, John Charleston finds himself on an unexpected journey in the company of the insufferable Lady Caroline Morleigh. But the magic of the season has a way of softening even the hardest of hearts.

    Instead, he finds that inheriting his grandfather's wealth and title—and securing the welfare of his sister and mother—means joining the ranks of high society and living with the aristocracy. Luckily, Ivy Carlisle, the granddaughter of a dear friend of Jack's late grandmother, is willing to teach him etiquette and properly introduce him into society. Jack soon learns that his challenge isn't surviving his new lifestyle but surviving the conspiracies against him—as well as keeping himself from falling madly in love with his new tutor.

    She would never even consider remarrying, if it wasn’t painfully clear that her son needs a father. With no male relative to help her see past the masks everyone wears among society, Alice chooses to embark on a most risky endeavor—she will be Lady Nightingale half the time, and Mr. Allen, her own cousin, the other half.Lord Ezra Brooks has tried everything else, but it is now clear he must marry a woman with a large dowry or lose everything. Such would be simple, if Lady Nightingale would stay out of his way and out of his mind—as the daughter of the man responsible for his near ruin, Ezra would court any woman before her.Alice practices and rehearses and yet she still isn’t prepared for Lord Brooks, a man who shows Lady Nightingale utter disdain while showing Mr. Allen friendship, and even trust. Nor is she ready for her heart to find in him the companion she’d only ever dreamed of. But how can they ever become more when, if she were to tell him the truth, she’d only prove herself to be as manipulative as her father?Other books in A Christmas Matchmaker Series :A Wish for Father Christmas by Laura RollinsA Sleighride Kiss by Jen Geigle JohnsonA Yorkshire Carol by Jennie GoutetA Mistletoe Mistletoe Mismatch by Sally BrittonA Tangled Wreath by Laura Beers

    Why, the latest on-dit is that rakish Viscount Sheffield is canceling the fête of the year because he hasn't time for silly soirees. He doesn't need time—he needs her! When a flash of lightning destroys the venue for his family's annual Christmas ball, Lord Benedict Sheffield intends to enjoy a relaxing holiday for once. But after twelve days of beguiling Lady Amelia's guerrilla tactics, he's up to his cravat with tinsel . . . and tumbling head over heels in love.

    A fiery young woman. Neither one's heart will come away unscathed.Juliet Graham fervently counts the days until her twenty-first birthday, when she can claim the inheritance that will grant her the freedom she has always craved and the guardianship of her younger brother. Until then, she is trapped under her aunt Agnes’s domineering will. When forced to accompany the family to a house party at Shaldorn Castle, Juliet’s only objective is to keep to herself. That is, until a chance encounter with a boorish stranger stirs up an unexpected whirlwind of emotions in her. Thrown off-balance, Juliet does the unthinkable: loses her temper and insults the man—who turns out to be her unwilling host, the Duke of Halstead. Fully expecting to be sent away, Juliet is surprised when the brusque and callous duke instead takes an interest in her. Drawn to the duke in unguarded moments, Juliet finds herself more and more intrigued by the man who shuns Society’s rules as completely as she does, and over the next few weeks, their unlikely friendship deepens into a connection neither expected. But even as Juliet comes to recognize her true feelings, her scheming aunt issues an ultimatum that threatens the future she was just beginning to hope for. Juliet must choose: either break the promise she made to herself years ago, or lose the man who has captured her heart and soul.