But yet, she wants more... For Miss Isabel Chenieux, the thought of attending London Season is nearly too much to bear. Ward of the Duke of Ventury after the tragic loss of her parents, she is torn between apprehension and a forbidden yearning for his affection.The passing of his parents leaves David Thorough not only with the title of Duke but also a ward. And, as he quickly finds out, she gains a dangerously bewitching hold of him.But the night is the time for shadows and Isabel's unknown past is rife with them.A note delivered by a stranger is followed by Isabel's disappearance. And David has but a single old letter to help him find Isabel and guide him on the right trail. A trail that leads to a conspiracy twenty years in the making...

    While working at the house of Norman Pembroke, the Duke of Bancroft, she has always dreamt of advancing her life from a humble maid to that of a governess. Despite knowing that this opportunity may never appear, her love for reading is enough to keep the dream alive. But little did she know that fate would bring an unforeseen twist that would make this dream a tangible reality... When Edward, the endearingly attractive brother of the Duke, comes to visit, the last thing she expected was to end up under his roof and away from the only place she's ever known. Laura will inevitably find herself seduced by his ravishing beauty, but will she allow herself to finally surrender to her burning desire for him?Edward Pembroke has always been the opposite of his brother. Being warm and dutiful himself, he was against his brother's love for gambling that was dwindling the Pembroke fortune every day. When he finally decides to confront him about his wayward habit, they both end up engaging in a fateful night of gambling, and Edward wins the prize of taking anything he wants with him. Without a second thought, he chooses Laura, as her fiery nature lightens a spark inside him. Once they move to his house, he can't help but be mesmerised by her every move, willing to do whatever it takes to possess her. Will he manage to turn this promising desire into an everlasting love?Laura and Edward's attraction is impossible to deny, but their evident class differences are threatening their undeniable lust. The more time they spend together, the more they lose their hearts and bodies to one another. Will their passionate connection prove strong enough to shatter the insurmountable obstacles? Or will their heated affair go down in flames before it even sets them on fire?"A Lord's Bet of Desire" is a historical romance novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    A situation almost as agonizing as her father’s death.Severely wounded and with war raging around him, Duncan Goreidh, Laird of Brynkirk, has but one choice if he wants to survive: to disguise himself as a British soldier. Rescued at the last minute by an old English lady, his plans to flee home are ruined when he meets her irresistible niece.Their love is forbidden, but their meeting was not a coincidence.With Isabella’s presence turning his own flesh and blood against him, Duncan finds himself short of allies. And ways to protect her. An old vendetta started by his kin returns from the grave to haunt them, and it comes with a price. For whose fault is it, when you invite death into your own house?*Ravished by the Iron Highlander is a steamy Scottish historical romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, lots of steam and a happy ending.

    Even though this is her safe, familiar environment, a part of her is missing. While she is desperately trying to find herself in a place far away from home, she ends up in distress, when her carriage is violently wrecked. Thankfully a vigorous man appears to rescue her and she instantly knows that accepting the seductive stranger's offer for temporary hospitality is her only option. However, little did she know that the most passionate and fulfilling chapter of her life was about to begin...Laurence Gillingham has always been a fierce young man, known for his love for the countryside and his roots. Being a farmer and having spent all his life close to nature, he appreciates rural living more than anything else. Will his peaceful and isolated life change after hosting the high-society lady that fate threw in his arms? Laurence will soon realize how much the world of London high-society collides with his rural retreat... Could Alison be the woman that will finally stimulate the mind and hidden desires of the distant Laurence?When Laurence and Alicia come closer than they could ever imagine, they realise they may have found their missing halves in each other. However, they are struggling to leave their prejudice behind and they soon find themselves torn between love and social status. Alicia should now decide whether she is willing to sacrifice all she has held dear for a lifetime of incomparable bliss and lust. Is love enough to keep these two passionate lovers together against all odds? Do they have the courage to overcome themselves and surrender to their deepest desires?

    Rescued from the workhouse by a kind Duke, his charity school is the only home she knows. Until the day his son, the man she loves, announces his intention to shut it down.David Wearwood, the Duke of Lentingdale, could never live up to his father’s expectations. Now returned from his travels to attend his funeral, he stumbles upon Teresa. In the place of the little girl stands a woman he seems unable to control himself around.In a desperate attempt to save the only home she’s ever known, Teresa mingles with the wrong crowd. Abominable agendas born in the slums of London decades ago, that not even David can protect her from. Attending a disastrous ball leads them to a peculiar clue: a pink handkerchief. The one Teresa has been seeing in her nightmares...

    Not in her name, but in his arms... Merial Hanraham has no recollection of who she is. Found unconscious in a dinghy with nothing but a mysterious coffer, she is taken on board by a crew of British sailors heading to England. Christopher Buckthorn, son of the Duke of Heyerdahl and proud captain of the “Valkyrie”, never expected to find a woman with no memories floating in the middle of the ocean. Especially not one as stunning as Merial. Amidst old superstitions turning the crew against her and pirates constantly on their tail, Merial and Christopher must piece together the fragments of her returning memories. And the key to the truth might just lie in a riddle carved on the mysterious coffer; a single word to unveil not only Merial’s true identity but also the name of the person hunting her… No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a sweet happily ever after.

    

    Until his father was murdered at the hands of his sworn enemies.But the fire Verity ignites in him was not at all what he had planned. Or that he would marry her after their compromise. Torn between their hatred and their passion for each other, the ghosts of their past start emerging one by one. And they all desire one thing: revenge.

    Her life is thrown into turmoil therefore when her parents present her with a surprise betrothal to a man she hasn't even met. Without a second thought, she refuses to abide by it, protesting that she will never marry a man she does not love. Then, out of nowhere, a mysterious stranger shows up in town, confusing her feelings and challenging her convictions. Joseph always appears to be in the right place at the right time and Cassie finds herself intensely intrigued by him. Will Cassie set aside her doubts and take a chance on the unknown with Joseph? Can she escape the fate that her parents have arranged for her?Michael Joseph hasn't had much luck with meeting a loving wife to spend his life with so far. When his parents reveal that he is promised to a girl from his past, he sees his chance to have his happily ever after. Having no intention of marrying someone who may only want him for his money though, he decides to set out to win this woman's heart as a stranger. Yet when he arrives in Texas, he discovers that approaching Cassie will be a little more complicated than he expected. Will he be able to break down her walls and gain her trust? Or will Michael lose his chance at true love?Michael and Cassie slowly start to form a precious bond, but shadowy forces are not willing to let them find happiness. When Michael's life is put in danger, Cassie will need to make a decision that could decide the rest of her life... Will they overcome the danger and stand by each other's side forever?

    

    Her refusal to marry certainly hasn't done her any favors, but having her life controlled by a man is something she simply wants no part of. So when her father tries to force her into an arranged marriage, she's left with no choice but to flee to her Aunt's farmhouse in Wyoming. There, in an unexpected turn of events, her powerful connection with a kind rancher tempts her to reconsider her harsh preconceptions about love and marriage. Caught in a whirlwind of emotions, will her growing attraction to him be strong enough to overcome such deep-seated fears?Humiliated and heartbroken after his fiancé leaves him at the altar, Joseph Smyth refuses to fall victim to his emotions again. Swearing off romance once and for all, but still needing a wife to help him run his ranch, he seeks out a mail-order bride. When Joseph meets the town's charming new teacher, however, it feels like a ray of light has appeared in the darkness of his life. As he gets to know her better, his cynical attitude toward love begins to thaw. Before too long though, forgotten obligations come knocking on his door when his betrothed arrives. With his sense of responsibility weighing heavily on his shoulders, will Joseph be forced to sacrifice his second chance at true love and happiness?Life in Wyoming brings Charlotte and Joseph closer than they would have ever expected to be, and undeniable feelings grow between them. Joseph is torn between duty and true love, while Charlotte worries that he may prove to be just another man who will let her down. Yet, when the line that separates right from wrong becomes blurred, will they decide to follow their reason or their hearts? Will they find a way out of the tangled web they've found themselves in?"True Love's Surprise" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    Posing as a noble upon her Lady’s insistent request, she finds herself not only attending the Season’s grandest balls, but also a betrothed Duchess-to-be.Robert Jameson, brother of the Duke of Cromwell, has spent his years struggling with his horrid reputation and terrible relationship with his mother. Still, he is quite certain that nothing could ever compare to his most recent sin: falling for his brother’s betrothed.Caught between duty and lies, threatening letters turn Jane’s happiness to ashes in her mouth. For, someone knows her secrets; even ones she doesn’t know herself. On Twelfth Night, the masks shatter and the face they see behind them has been dead for a long while.

    Until she meets her employer and experiences his brutish manners.Left to care for his young son on his own, Randolph Higgins, Marquess of Naitham, still mourns the loss of his wife. Despite his mother's insistent attempts to get him to reenter the social circle, he refuses to entertain the idea. A conviction that crumbles when he is introduced to his son's new governess.So comes spring after snow, and both Randolph and Valerie find their hearts reaching out for each other. A love that seems doomed, when Valerie starts receiving threats. A note logged in her pillow with a dagger brings back some of the worst memories of her life, fearing that the man from her past has returned to get her. Desperate to keep her safe from a stranger, Randolph fails to see the danger that's hiding in plain sight.

    

    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