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!

    His destination gets delayed when he finds an abandoned donkey, and his efforts to save the animal bring him into contact with a lovely widow and a menagerie of both animals and children who need his help with their Christmas pageant.Widowed Lady Elizabeth Newton enjoys her life and her home in the country. She cares for three children from her late husband’s mistress, as well as helpless animals of every description that would, otherwise, have no home. Life changes when the handsome Lord Bergen brings an abandoned, cross-eyed donkey, believed cursed, to her doorstep.Against all odds, sparks fly between Bergen and the widow. But can a romance survive the danger that follows the donkey?

    Can St. Valentine’s Day magic bring them together? Rory Kennaugh is perfectly happy to remain his brother’s second indefinitely. Or so he tells himself. Their father served as both clan chief and earl, after all, and despite Terric’s long residence in England, there’s no reason to believe his brother will relinquish the title. But his perception of himself and his future in the clan is transformed by a surprising revelation on Saint Valentine’s Feast Day. Cristane has ascended to one of the highest position possible for a servant: lady’s maid. Only her lady Cait, now the countess of Licheford, has not yet sent for her, and her foolish heart has attached itself to Cait’s brother. She knows perfectly well Rory can never return her love, which is why she keeps her feelings to herself—until the Valentine’s feast, when the traditional games reveal her mortifying secret to the object of her affection.The revelation about Cristane’s feelings changes Rory, unlocking his heart, and a new challenge to the clan gives him the chance to prove his mettle. But can a chief, or even a second, dare to love a lady’s maid? WARNING: Rory and Cristane's love story will melt your heart. If you have a weakness for friends to lovers romance, proceed with caution.

    Miss Barrington knows her chances with the duke are incredibly good given what her close gypsy friend had once foretold, but a forgotten wager with her greatest nemesis, American millionaire, Mr. Redstone, is about to bring on complications and...chaos.Will she claim the dashing and respectable duke once foretold by the stars? Or will she fall for Mr. Redstone and go against destiny? Only the days leading up to Christmas will tell!

     Alice has never felt so lonely. Having lived both a life of poverty and then of riches due to her father making his fortune later in life, Alice finds herself sent from America to England, in order to marry the Charles, the Earl of Allerton. Charles is much too generous. Over the years, he has given his brother too much money to free him from debts and is now forced to find a rich bride. Knowing that Miss Jones has a large fortune, Charles prepares to meet his betrothed. He is horrified by her lack of manners. Mortified by his beautiful yet embarrassing bride to be, Charles tries to keep his distance, whilst still preparing for their Christmas wedding. Alice finds him distant and unfriendly, whilst his aunt, Lady Fossett, is nothing short of cruel. When offensive notes begin to arrive, Alice struggles against the urge to return home, leaving her new life in England behind. With their Christmas wedding only a few weeks away, Charles and Alice must find a way to come together. Will Alice be able to confront Charles about the notes? Or will Charles continue to push her away, right when she needs him the most?

    At the same time, Naval veteran and retired spy Adam Hardacre learns he has an adult son he never knew existed. Thrown together one Christmas, by circumstances beyond their control, father and son must find mutual ground on which to come to terms with the past. Life is too short to hold on to regret, and a greater regret awaits if the two men cannot work together to save a life. Love comes in many forms... and none more strongly than the love from father to son.

    The long awaited story of how Nugget Nate and Penny Ryder met. Nugget Nate Ryder get's a Callin' that led him to New York and made a vow to rescue Pennelope O'Rourke from the men who abducted her and then rode west with her. What he didn't count on was falling in love with her. Can he save the woman he loves but has never met? Can she heal enough from her rough ordeal to love him back? Find out how Nate and Penny became the legendary couple they were destined to be.

    After weeks of fog and cold all five stories converge on the ice at the 1814 Frost Fair when the ladies’ campaign to help the wounded and unemployed veterans of the Napoleonic wars culminates in a charity auction that shocks the the high sticklers of the ton.In their 2020 collection, join the Bluestocking Belles and their heroes and heroines as The Ladies’ Society For The Care of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes and the Children of Wounded Veterans pursues justice, charity, and soul searing romance.Celebrate Valentine's Day 2020 with five interconnected Regency romances.Melting Matilda by Jude Knight - Fire smolders under the frost between them.My One True Love by Rue Allyn - She vanished into the fog. Will he find his one true love or remain lost, cold and alone forever?Lord Ethan’s Courage by Caroline Warfield - War may freeze a man’s heart; it takes a woman to melt it.A Second Chance at Love by Sherry Ewing - Can the bittersweet frost of lost love be rekindled into a burning flame?The Umbrella Chronicles: Chester and Artemis’s Story by Amy Quinton - Beastly duke seeks confident woman who doesn’t faint at the sight of his scars. Prefers not to leave the house to find her.

    A chance encounter reunites lovers after a lifetime apart.Recently widowed, Lady Lydia has never forgotten her true love Geoffrey, the Duke of Bentley. Except, years later, Geoffrey doesn’t resemble the bright young love Lydia remembers.Indulging in a rakish lifestyle has left Geoffrey, the Duke of Bentley, hollow. Now, in his time of need, he turns to Lydia, his one true friend.Can the duke convince Lydia to try again? Or will past mistakes keep them apart, this time, forever?

    Instead of claiming his place in society, he became a physician to help the less fortunate. So, when he sees a patient mistreating her sweet, bright-eyed companion, Brandon is determined to help bring some holiday cheer into the poor girl’s life. It’s the least he can do. But in truth, he’d like to do much more for the kind-hearted beauty who so easily captured his attention...and his heart. She guards a scandalous secret... Joy Winterborne can’t afford to take risks. If anyone found out about her past, she’d lose everything. And getting fired from her companion job would deprive her of the only bright spot in her otherwise dreary life—the time she gets to spend with the charming and oh-so-handsome Dr. Morrisette. Of course, nothing can ever come of her attraction to him. He’s nobility, and she’s nobody. But that doesn’t stop her silly heart from wanting...more.With a little luck, some mistletoe, and maybe even a Christmas wish, can Brandon convince Joy to take the greatest risk of all—falling in love?Sweet Regency Romance

    However, the English have made smuggling almost impossible, and so order after order is waiting at the distillery until it’s safe enough to continue shipments. Most customers understand this. Most customers are reasonable. The Duke of Danby is not most customers. So after a number of demands from His Grace, insisting upon his order, Mary decides to deliver the whisky herself since no one else is available. Benjamin Storm, Earl of Kenley, breathes a sigh of relief when his summons from the Duke of Danby has nothing to do with matrimony or a stack of special licenses. Instead, his uncle just needs Benjamin to travel to Scotland and procure his missing whisky shipment in time for his holiday festivities. The chore sounds easy enough, at least until he encounters a most unusual smuggler on her way to Danby Castle. Benjamin’s life may never be the same. *This story originally appeared in “The Duke’s Christmas Summons” anthology.

    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.

    Follow each rogue as they learn how enticing love can be and that sometimes even the wickedest rogues can find their happy-ever-after."Jewel of Winter" by Kirsten S. BlacketerWhen a trio of thieves arrive at her inn during a snowstorm, Jessamine must submit to their leader, Edmund. She never expected to spend Christmas as a captive. "Christmas Seduction" by Samantha HoltAfter a rocky start to their arranged nuptials, the Duke of Fenhurst must make a success of his marriage somehow. Alex returns to his wife for Christmas to celebrate...and seduce. "How to Kiss a Rogue" by Amanda MarielLady Natalie's betrothal is ended and frees her to pursue the man of her dreams. During a holiday party she discovers the lord she desires in attendance. So hatches a plan to snare him. "A Wallflower's Christmas Kiss" by Dawn BrowerAn arranged betrothal has Lady Juliette Brooks seeking out her former childhood friend, the Duke of Kissinger to beg him to honor his long ago promise. Grayson Abbot has no desire to marry, but he always keeps his word. As they race to Scotland they rediscover the joy of friendship and a passion neither planned on. "The Rogue's Seduction" by Lauren SmithWhen a darling of the ton is targeted by a man who wishes to marry her and break her spirit, she seeks the help of London's most notorious devil in pretending that she's already engaged. What begins as a dangerous game soon turns to seduction over a Christmas neither of them will forget. "Tamed for Christmas" by Sandra SookooWhen a confirmed bachelor and a headmistress literally crash into each other at a boarding school for young ladies, an unexpected Christmas romance begins, proving love isn't just a game for young people. "The St Nicholas Day Wager" by Em TaylorWhen her childhood friend wins a wager against her brother for her hand in marriage, Gabriella is horrified. She knows he finds her looks hideous. Her marriage is surely doomed?

    Can he help her regain her sense of self-worth? Or will she condemn them both to live a life without each other? The Duke's Christmas Promise by Sandra Masters The Duke of Abington returns to England after 20 years, and finds himself at a house party in the presence of the woman who broke their engagement, and his heart. Noelle Fenwick, now a widow, has never stopped resenting the man who left her pregnant, then abandoned her, 20 years ago. They meet again, and it is clear that their attraction still exists. When a decades-old secret of deceit and betrayal is revealed, can they forgive the past and rekindle the flame of their love? Prince of Frost by Angelique Armae When a bearish prince stirs from hibernation, he sets his eyes on a very beguiling prey, only to realize that true love never comes without a cost Prince Leopold of Countavia has a secret that keeps him isolated from the world. When he encounters Miss Juliana Radcliff, a spinster raised by nuns, everything he believes gets called into question. Is love possible? Or will circumstances destroy all hope? A Merry Wicked Christmas by Gina Danna Lady Marina Lockhart's dreams died when her father arranged a marriage for her. A Christmas house party is her last hope of meeting a man who will save her. Reclusive Phineas Carrollton, the Marquis of Huntington, previously betrayed, faces a conflict of passion and honour when a snowstorm traps him with Marina at a hidden cottage. Can he forget the past in time to save Marina? Or is their love doomed? The Gift of a Christmas Scandal by Arietta Richmond A Duke who has no wish to marry the woman he was promised to from childhood, a Lady who has no wish to do as her father requires, a Christmas House Party. When they meet, there is an intense instant attraction – but both are promised elsewhere. There seems only one solution – the gift of a Christmas scandal. The Christmas Gift by Sandy Raven A Lady who hopes for more children, a Viscount who returns to his wife, injured in service to the crown, and despairing of ever being whole again. Can enduring love overcome the obstacles they face, and allow them to fulfil each other’s desires? Will Christmas bring joy, or misery? Yours by Yuletide by Victoria Oliveri Lady Beatrice Cunningham, jilted lover of the villainous Lord Greyson, escaped to the peace of Scotland and has kept her past a secret for nine long years. Now, a mysterious Duke has come into her life setting her heart to racing. Can she allow herself to love again, risking her past coming to haunt her, or should she run as she did so long ago? One fateful night at a holiday party will change everything. A Holiday Code for Love by Jacki Delecki A Christmas house party becomes a covert operation to trap a French spy. Can the Honorable John Bonnington protect his wife from their guest’s murderous intentions? Can Abbie Bonnington protect her husband from his spy/ex-mistress' intent to seduce him into revealing Crown secrets? Can Abbie and Jack continue the charade of hosting the perfect party as danger, treachery, and treason swirl in the ballroom? Doubt Not by Tracy Edingfield A Viscount, a schoolteacher, a ca

    A woman with a pure heart and the ferocity of a warrior is called to the fairy pools on the Isle of Skye upon the death of the previous protector. However, nature has a way of balancing itself, and so with each call to a Protector comes the call of an evil force, set on using the stone for their own purpose. These are the stories of the Protectors of the Heart of Scotland, the stone they seek to keep safe and the love that strengthens and emboldens them. The Highlander’s Quest by Eliza Knight Her mission was to protect the young boy king. He’s uncovered a plot to destroy Scotland. Together, they must fight a powerful enemy who hides behind a traitorous veil of secrecy… Cassandra by Madeline Martin Together their power is brilliant. But when destiny rivals the safety of family and the whole of Scotland hangs in the balance, can their love survive the required sacrifice? The Protector’s Promise by Cecelia Mecca Two bitter enemies. One sacred vow. Will the passion that flares between them consume everything they love? The Highland Guard and His Lady by Lori Ann Bailey To protect Scotland, she must eliminate her greatest enemy. But when the challenge begins, will he forgive her for destroying his family?