The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.A Kiss by the Sea by Grace BurrowesHe's not really a blacksmith, and she's not really an heiress... Can they forge a happily-ever-after anyway?Thaddeus Pennrith finds a way to recover from multiple griefs when he accepts the blacksmith's post at Fenwick on Sea. Village life gives him a sense of belonging that Polite Society never could, though he must resume his aristocratic responsibilities soon. Along comes Lady Sarah Weatherby, refugee from an engagement gone badly awry, and Thaddeus is faced with both a compelling reason to reveal his titled antecedents, and a longing to keep them forever hidden...An Improbable Hero by Mary LancasterA runaway heiress, a mysterious stranger.When Letty's ship founders in a violent storm, she forges a rare bond with her rescuer.Simon is a troubled man on a final, deadly mission—until the spirited yet soothing Letty makes him question everything. Hiding in plain sight among the refugees at The Queen's Barque, Simon is more than capable of protecting them both. But when the floods recede, can either of them say goodbye?The Comtesse of Midnight by Alina K. FieldA Scottish Earl on a quest for the elusive Comtesse de Fontenay rescues a French lady smuggler from the surf during a devastating storm, and takes shelter with her. As the stormy night drags on, he suspects his companion knows the woman he's seeking, the one who holds the secret to his identity. When she admits she is, in fact, the Comtesse Fontenay, just not the one he's seeking, she dashes all his hopes—and promises him new ones.Lord Stanton's Shocking Seaside Honeymoon by Cerise DeLandShe is so wrong for him.Miss Josephine Meadows is so young. In love with life. His accountant in his work for Whitehall. Her father's heir to his trading company—and his espionage network.Lord Stanton cannot resist marrying her. But to ensure Wellington defeats Napoleon, they must save one of Josephine's agents.Far from home, amid a horrific storm, Stanton discovers that his new bride loves him dearly.Can he truly be so right for her?And she for him?The Tender Flood by Caroline WarfieldZach Newell knows Patience Abney is far above his touch. But he has been enchanted by her since she raced out of the storm and into The Queen's Barque with a wagon full of small boys, puppies, and a bag of books. When the two of them make their way across the flooded marsh to her badly damaged school in search of a missing boy, attraction deepens. She risks scandal; he risks his heart.A Dream Come True by Jude KnightThe tempest that batters Barnaby Somerville's village is the latest but not the least of his challenges.Vicar to a remote parish, he stretches his tiny stipend to adopt his orphaned niece and nephew and his time to offer medical care as well as spiritual. A wife is a dream he cannot afford.But the storm sweeps into his life a surprising temptation—a charming young woman who lavishes her gentle care upon his wards—and him.God knows, he will forever be richer for having known her, even if he must let her go.Wait for Me by Rue AllynEnemies by nature—Esmeralda Crobbin, aka the pirate Irish Red, and Captain, Lord Brandon Gilroy have met before.Fate trumps nature—When a fierce storm creates a chance encounter and forced proximity, Brandon learns the pirate is a woman of serious honor and responsibility. Esmeralda discovers the captain is more than a uniform stuffed with rules and regulations. Both love the sea with boundless passion, but can they love each other?Before I Found You by Sherry EwingA quest for a title. An encounter with a stranger. Will she choose love?Miss Miranda de Courtenay has only one goal in life: to find a rich husband who can change her status from Miss to My Lady.Captain Jasper Rousseau has no plans to become infatuated during a chance encounter at a ball.Their connection is hard to dismiss, despite Miranda's quest for a title at all cost. What if the cost includes love?

    From USA Today and Best Selling authors come five delicious Regency tales of Dashing Dukes and Romantic Rogues.Only For His Lady by Christi CaldwellThe Rayne family is trapped in a rut of bad luck. And now, it's up to Lady Theodosia Rayne to steal back the Theodosia sword, a gladius that was pilfered by the rival, loathed Renshaw family. The last thing Theodosia expects however, is that she’ll fall for the head of the Renshaw family...the Devil Duke.My Wild Duke by Eva DevonLady Beatrix Westport was once destined to be the most successful debutant the ton has ever seen but tragedy has stolen all her future. Captain Adam Duke loves adventure and justice. After meeting Lady Beatrix, he longs to convince her to choose a life of love. But will her broken past drive them apart?Her Errant Earl by Scarlett ScottWhen American heiress Victoria fell in love with the Earl of Pembroke, she never imagined he’d heartlessly wed, bed, and abandon her in the countryside. After he suddenly returns, determined to prove to her he’s a changed man, she’s not about to forgive him, trust him, or succumb to his scorching kisses.Hell in a Hand Basket by Annabelle AndersOnce in motion, their lie spirals into a web of deceit and guilt. Was Sophia and Devlin's grasp at heaven worth a lifetime of hell? Because love endures but the heart has it’s limits…My Earl's Entrapment by Tammy AndresenLord William Addington has been forced into retirement as one of the Prince Regent's domestic spies. He still has one case to solve while attending a house party when an adorably feisty lady enters his room in the middle of the night. He now has another delicious mystery on his hands. Why is Lady Roselyn Pennington snooping about?

    Join the Wicked Earls' Club as they celebrate the holidays in a most debacherous fashion and manage to find true love along the way...Earl of Dryden: A Dangerous lord and a desperate debutante...The Earl of Dryden knows all about the debutante who refuses to speak a word to anyone but he never expected she'd be so lovely, nor did he anticipate that he'd catch her confiding her secrets to a marble statue. 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.Earl of Kent: A lady is determined to woo a brooding and reclusive earl out of his home for Christmas, only to get snowed in with him.Earl of Kinross: Marcus Brayden, Earl of Kinross, thought fighting Napoleon on the battlefield was dangerous. But it is nothing to the upheaval caused by Lara Le Brecque, his best friend's sister, when she climbs over his townhouse wall shortly before Christmas and attempts to sneak into his London home.Earl of Bergen: Thomas, Earl of Bergen gets delayed on his trip home for Christmastide when he finds an abandoned, cross-eyed donkey who is believed cursed, and meets a lovely widow while trying to find the animal a home. Widowed Lady Elizabeth Newton enjoys her life caring for three children from her late husband's mistress, as well as helpless animals of every description that have no home. Sparks fly between Bergen and the widow, but can a romance survive the danger that follows the donkey?Earl of Charm: The Earl of Charm has it all—the title, the wealth, the land. The only one thing he doesn't have? Charm. Luckily, his great aunt has brought her companion along to celebrate Christmastide. The lovely Miss Lovelace might be plagued by scandal and notoriety, thanks to her family's downfall, but she knows more than anyone about the art of charm and flirtation. His new instructor makes the ideal practice partner for conversation, and dancing, and...kissing?Earl of Woodcliffe: What begins as a silly game between girlfriends becomes a dangerous distraction for William, Earl of Woodcliffe. Indulging Lady Mercy's desire for a kiss could lead to a duel with her brother, or at the very least, the loss of his glorious, hedonistic ways.The Earl of Edgemore, Blake Fox, does as he pleases and he would not dream of apologizing for it. His only weak spot is his sister, Lady Minerva. Little does he know the minx has matchmaking on her mind and Christmas provides the perfect opportunity.Earl of Oakhurst: James MacKenzie must face London as the new Earl of Oakhurst. Once there, he discovers an ailing grandmother, cause for a hurried marriage and a beauty who defies convention and sets his passion on fire. Caution: this story contains a meddling grandmother, a match-making mother and a marriage of convenience that goes wildly awry!Earl of Darby: Miss Hannah Pendleton, nursing her pride after a childhood crush falls for another, hurls herself into the excitement of a first season. Since his wife's tragic death, the Earl of Darby has cultivated his rakish reputation to deter the matchmaking mamas away. But when Nicholas sees a lovely newcomer being courted by the devil himself, her innocence and candor revive the chivalry buried deep in his soul.Earl of Scarborough: When a woman desperate for a job saves the life of an earl, both of their plans for the future are thwarted. Neither Ansley, Earl of Scarborough, or Willow Harwood are prepared for the upheaval to their lives when she reluctantly accepts his offer of employment... as his housekeeper. Nor can either predict the mayhem that follows when a lord who disdains society and a country miss with no experience plan a haut ton Christmastide gathering.

    Should she trust her own flesh and blood? Or rely on someone else, someone from her past, to keep her son safe?Convincing the Countess by Alina K. Field: When a business-minded aristocrat encounters a fetching widow he met years earlier as the bride of a ne’er-do-well earl, temptation steers him along a track that may derail all his plans. Can he convince her to set a course for her future that includes him?Rescued by a Rake by Wendy Vella: Miss Ivy Redfern’s life is thrown into turmoil when her brother disappears five days before Christmas. Desperate for help she turns to the devilishly charming Mr. Haddon. He agrees but it comes with a price: her heart!Unwise But Not Dishonorable by Barbara Monajem: A spymaster’s beautiful daughter crashes a Christmas house party to steal back a precious medallion, but finds that one of her father’s men is already there on a secret mission. Can they work together to unmask a traitor despite the distraction of falling in love?Meet Me at the Mistletoe by Donna Cummings: Desmond Mayfield enlists the Matchmaking Earl to find his perfect match, hoping for a love like his parents' legendary romance. He meets an enchanting temptress, but she is only amenable to a brief affair, unwilling to risk another loveless union. Can mistletoe—and the kisses they inspire—convince her their passion will last through every season? While You Were Roguish by Samantha Grace: When a roguish neighbor breaks into her cousin’s house seeking shelter from a winter storm, Bess decides to teach him a lesson. Instead, the wild and reckless Lord Julius reignites a fiery passion in her that almost led to her ruin years ago—and threatens to consume her now. Wedded to the Welsh Baron by Sasha Cottman: With little more than a ruined castle in Wales to his name, the last thing Welsh baron Rhys Morgan wants is to inherit a rundown English estate. With no money and no prospects, Wister York’s greatest fear is that when Lord Carno arrives at Kington House, he will throw her out. Once Upon a Kiss Gone Horribly Wrong by Bree Wolf: Always has Anne looked at her childhood friend Tobias Hawke with love in her heart. Only now, she no longer sees Little Toby when those chocolate-brown eyes meet hers and she cannot help but wonder, what if he kissed her?A Rogue and Some Mistletoe by Lana Williams: A lady fearful of risking her heart meets a handsome rogue who tempts her to find the courage to love with the help of mistletoe and the magic of Christmas. The Duke’s Christmas List by Bronwen Evans: Ignored all season, Lady Harriet Rondell is affronted by Charles Spencer, the Duke of Bladestow’s sudden Christmas visit proffering marriage. Armed with a copy of Blade’s disgustingly traditional list of requirements he is looking for in his wife, Harriet sets about convincing him she is not—and never will be—his Christmas bride.Publishers note: If you adore steamy Christmas and Regency romance, you’ll love this anthology!

    ***** FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED ***** The stories in this collection, because they all happen in Upper Nettlefold, have things which happen, that influence the other stories. So the order in which they are presented here aligns with the timeline in which events in the stories happen (although many are in parallel). Read through this collection in order, and you will find that each story builds on the ones before, weaving the magic of community and interconnection between characters. There is also a map of Upper Nettlefold to help you visualise everything as you read. Although each story can stand alone, we’re sure that you’ll love finding the linkages as you go. This is our second visit to Upper Nettlefold, but it won’t be our last. (Our first was the collection ‘Love, One Regency Summer’ which will only be available for a limited time, so, if you like these stories, you’ll want to grab it before its gone!) You may see other collections based here, or you may see individual books from the various authors, but we will keep expanding the stories about the people you’ll meet in this collection. We have also each given you a short preview of another of our books. This collection includes: To Dance with the Dangerous Duke by Arietta Richmond A Duke sworn never to love again, a Lady trapped by one past mistake, a Christmas Ball, a blackmailing cad, an impossible choice, a last minute reprieve, a miraculous love. Merry Christmas My Love by Rose Pearson A Lady whose heart is broken, an Earl whose life needs to change, an accidental meeting, the interference of well-meaning friends, a confrontation, a new love that heals old hurts. >Miss Modesty’s Mistletoe by Grace Austen An Earl with a scandalous reputation, a young woman whose parents hope to see marry a respectable man, a not so accidental meeting, a dramatic rescue on the way to the Ball, a love long held declared.< The Compromised Lady’s Christmas Wish by Regina Darcy A Lady deceived, abandoned and robbed, a gentleman rescuer who has lost all that he loves, a murderer unveiled, a love that restores two reputations and heals broken hearts. A Christmas Secret by Kelly Anne Bruce A widow whose days are lonely, even surrounded by family, a military man who brings news of her husband’s last days, and unexpected attraction, an identity revealed, a new love for Christmas. The Earl’s Christmas Love by Sophia Wilson A widowed Earl, avoiding society, a Lady who hopes for love, a past acquaintance with designs on the Earl, a trap set and sprung, a misunderstanding resolved, a love saved from despair. Miss Fitzwilliam’s Christmas Redemption by Lydia Pembroke A young woman, bitter about her own bad choices, and a love lost, a change in circumstances, a charitable action which leads to a meeting with a man of the merchant class, a love that redeems. The Christmas Fortune by Isabella Thorne A Knight who hopes to marry, a Lady whose place in society is newly restored, and threatened by past scandal, the villain who could ruin her, a plan to trap a wrongdoer, a love saved by royalty.

    Reunited after decades with her long-lost son, everything should have been perfect. Yet it wasn’t. Without the constant grief, she became aware of how empty her life was. Hoping that spending the Christmas holidays with her son and his new bride would improve her outlook, Sarah met an ill fate once more. With her carriage broken down in a snowstorm, she sets out on foot to reach the family home, not realizing just how treacherous the conditions are. Bransen Middlethorpe is also at loose ends. Since his brother’s untimely but mostly welcomed demise, it’s been his job to look after the estates… and his brother’s widow. To say that Sarah had resented his interference was to put it mildly. But with his nephew returned, looking after the estates and after her, are no longer his purview—that is until he encounters Sarah braving blizzard like conditions. Furious with her and terrified at what might have happened had he not found her; they are forced to take shelter for the night in his small cottage on the family estate. While they are trapped by a blanket of snow and ice, they are forced to face the truth. There is far more between them than simply shared history. In such an intimate setting, they have no choice but to acknowledge the desire they both feel… and the love they’ve been denying for decades.

    Anything could happen...and it all begins with Christmas Kisses.The Wallflower’s Christmas Wish (Brides of Bath) by Cheryl Bolen: While painting the portrait of Sir Elvin Steffington, Bath’s most eligible bachelor, the exceedingly plain spinster Diana Furness develops a strong friendship with her subject. Could this be more than friendship? Could he ever be attracted to one as inconsequential as she?A Kiss From a Captain (An Everly Manor Happily Ever After) by Samantha Grace: Captain Gabriel Brazier defied doctors’ predictions and learned to walk again after losing his leg in war. But the damning voice whispering no woman will find him desirable again is hard to ignore, especially when he arrives at Everly Manor to compete for the charming Lady Laurel’s heart.A Rogue’s Christmas Kiss (The Rogue Chronicles) by Lana Williams: Mary is shaken by a letter requesting she return home for Christmas. But her world is truly upended when she reunites with a former love for the long journey. Arthur has no desire to rekindle their relationship after Mary broke his heart, but a snowstorm and some passionate kisses just might reignite their love.’Twas the Rogue Before Christmas (The Honorable Rogues®) by Collette Cameron: Eager to leave England, American, Jason Steele can’t forget the beautiful noblewoman he saved from a foiled robbery. Determined to behave properly, Lenora Audsley can’t stop thinking about the rogue who rescued her. Can the magic of the holiday season unite these lovers who are forbidden to see each other?Bound to the Belgian Count (London Lords) by Sasha Cottman: Abandoned bride, Lily is determined to seek an annulment. But when her absent husband Count Maximilian de Viron suddenly appears in court, the judge decides on a unique compromise. Between now and Christmas Eve, the couple must live together, share meals, and talk.Embracing the Scandal by Barbara Monajem: Harriet is banished for her naughty behavior, and when Jonathan asks for her hand, he is told she is dead. When they meet again, can they overcome the lies and sins of the past to fall in love once again?A Viscount for Christmas by Suzanna Medeiros: Viscount Thornton returns home for his mother's annual Christmas party to find a beautiful woman sleeping in his bed. Neither he nor Celia are happy when her mother demands they wed. Can they escape marriage or will they both get the Christmas gift they didn’t know they wanted?The Impetuous Heiress (The Upstart Christmas Brides) by Alina K. Field: Before dashing Lord Loughton can make amends with his neglected fiancée, the lady’s meddling cousin delivers her to his doorstep. He soon realizes more is amiss than his carelessness. Can he uncover her secrets and win her back before he loses her altogether?A Duchess for Christmas (Forgotten Heiress) by Alanna Lucas: Grace Banks is looking forward to her first Christmas at the Home for Desolate Ladies, but Edward, Duke of Tavistock, is set upon ruining it, and the secrets keeping them apart leave little hope for reconciliation. Can the spirit of Christmas heal two wounded hearts?Let it Snow by Heather Boyd: When the worst scoundrel in her acquaintance rescues Yvette from a winter storm, she fears a holiday spent dodging his attempts at seduction. But more than one yuletide surprise awaits as she discovers Luc is a man of surprising patience, and passion for just one woman…Yvette herself.

    But a midnight wager with Win Maddox has her dreaming of more. Losing to the silver-tongued barrister would cost her everything, but winning could lead to her dreams coming true forever.Ruination of a Rogue by Clair Brett… Will Lord Zander Milford find rumination an acceptable outcome if only at the hands of Miss Maria Lightowler?It Was Only a Kiss by Sofie Darling… Snow falling, the Twelfth Night Ball, a stolen kiss—but no one would’ve expected bespectacled spinster Violet Hotchkiss to be the one stealing a kiss from Bumpstead Hollow’s most eligible bachelor, Will Sinclair. And now that she’s had a taste of passion, she refuses to settle for a life without romance, adventure…or Will.Christmas Chase by A.S. Fenichel… Sarah Sommers has a plan—find the father who abandoned her and live happily ever after as his beloved daughter. Not even the handsome Lord Monty Witmore with his determination to deliver her to yet another guardian will stop her. Her heart, however, has other ideas about where the chase will end… Twelve Nights of Ruin by Carrie Lomax… Holly Mayweather was the delight of London society—until her reputation was tarnished by a shocking scandal. Can the spirited beauty find happiness with William Sharp, a stoic former soldier? Or will their wedding vows end with “I don’t”?What If I Still Love You by Erica Taylor… After a failed elopement ten years earlier, Henry, Earl of Eddington, and Anna, the widowed Viscountess Newcroft, are reunited at his aunt’s Twelfth Night party. As they search the castle for a box of letters left to Henry by his late father, can this star-crossed pair find their way back to each other? Or will fate intervene, again, and separate them for good?Three Kisses Before Christmas by Tanya Wilde… Wolfstan Robert Ward, the Earl of Wicke and Selborne, lost his head for his best friend’s sister the day he saved her from a frightful bully in their youth. There is just one problem. Rebecca is in love with another man—his cousin. Winning her would take every trick in the book, but what is Christmas if not a time for miracles?

    He risks an ancient curse to retrieve treasure hidden within icebound Castle Cavanaugh, only to become trapped inside. Not with the gold he so desperately needs, but with medieval Princess Marigold who's been cooling her heels since...well, medieval times. The lonely princess refuses to acknowledge the blossoming attraction between them. Not just because she deserves a better future than a penniless rogue. But because at midnight, he'll vanish like all her other would-be heroes. And the evergreen in the parlor will have one more figurine hanging from its boughs... A previous edition was published as Let It Snow.

    But now, years later and by her own choosing, Penelope is still unmarried. She has little interest in love and prefers to spend her time at St. Thomas’s hospital in pursuit of medical knowledge and helping others. However, staying unwed when one’s mother is a notorious matchmaker is no easy feat. AND A MAN WHO DOESN’T WANT A WIFE Through unfortunate circumstances, James MacKenzie is the new Earl of Oakhurst, a title he never expected or wanted. When he is summoned by his only living relative, his grandmother the Dowager Countess of Oakhurst, to attend to her in London so that she might instruct him on his duties as earl, including finding a bride, he reluctantly complies. Upon arrival, he finds the older woman ill and in need of medical attention. When his grandmother proves difficult and resistant to help, he allows Lady Penelope’s aid in treating her. MAKE THE PERFECT MATCH? When both learn of the other’s lack of desire for love, they know the best chance to escape those seeking to wed them is to come to an agreement—one that will free them both from the pressures of matchmaking. But a marriage of convenience doesn’t imply a marriage without passion. As their feelings eventually warm toward one another, old enemies emerge and threaten everything they have worked for. Will they be able to draw strength from their blossoming love to defeat those who seek to destroy them, or will they deny their feelings and lose one another forever?

    Unfortunately, growing up pulls them apart and transforms Henry into a pompous scoundrel. When they meet again at a house party hosted by Henry’s sister, will Henry remember his once faithful promise to Lily?

    plus one or two dukes, one heiress, and one headstrong beauty—to a surprise snow storm, the comfort of a blazing fire, and the heat of a lover's kisses...A CHRISTMAS ABDUCTION by Madeline HunterCaroline Dunham has a bone to pick with notorious rake Baron Thornhill—and a creative plan to insure his undivided attention. Yet once in close quarters, she finds herself beholden to their smoldering connection. A PERFECT MATCH by Sabrina JeffriesWhisked away from a wintry ball by a commanding colonel, Cassandra Isles struggles with her feelings for Lord Heywood. For he is a man sworn to marry only for money—and Cass is an heiress who will accept nothing less than love. ONE WICKED WINTER’S NIGHT by Mary Jo PutneyDressed as a veiled princess, Lady Diana Lawrence is shocked to discover that the mysterious corsair who tempts her away from the costume ball is the duke she once loved and lost. Now ensconced with Castleton at a remote lodge, will she surrender to the passion still burning hotly between them?

    When he gets into a tussle with her—and she can hold her own—Crispin knows he has finally met his match.Miss Gwen Prim is mortified that she attacked a duke, but even more concerning is the way her resolve melts when she's near him. She's never felt this way about a London gentleman in her life. And with the magic of Christmas in the air, she may end up with a proposal she didn't expect...in this delightful Regency gem, The Duke and Miss Christmas by New York Times bestselling author Amelia Grey.

    For Joanna remains scarred by the pranks Lord Elijah Kentmore pulled on her all those years ago. She does, however, long for a Christmas with her closest friend, one in which she can, for a brief holiday, enjoy a respite from her work as a seamstress and appreciate the extravagance of Christmas in the home of a marquess.Lord Elijah Kentmore has returned home from war just in time for Christmas, only to find that nothing has changed at Briercrest Hall, while he is but a shadow of the man he used to be. Many of his memories of old have fled, only to be replaced by others he wouldn’t wish upon anyone. All he wants now is to be respected for the man he has become, instead of the man he used to be. When Elijah attempts to capture the beautiful, mysterious woman under the mistletoe, he is shocked by her dismissal—and by the news that the ugly duckling turned swan is, in fact, his sister’s friend Joanna. Now all he wants for Christmas is to win her over and convince her that he is not the man she remembers. Can he ever earn the forgiveness of a woman he so wronged?

    In the snowy Scottish countryside, Karen Hawkins’s rakish duke has an unforgettable holiday encounter in "Twelve Kisses" when the alluring lady he surprises under the mistletoe is not who he expected, but a long-lost love with a score to settle. In "By Any Other Name", Edinburgh is aglitter for Christmastime as Candace Camp sends a curious gentleman in hot pursuit of an intriguing lady in disguise—one who refuses to reveal her true identity, though she fears he has already stolen her heart with his kiss. In "Sweet Ruin", will the festive spirit of the season sweep Meredith Duran’s feisty heroine beneath the mistletoe—and back into the arms of the dashing rogue whose carelessness soiled her reputation and sent her into exile in London?In this all-new story collection sparkling with sexy charm and heartwarming wit, four beloved bestselling authors reveal the mix-ups and make-ups, the missed chances and golden opportunities that come but once a year.