But when her father catches her kissing the handsome Sir Roland (how else is she to determine if he is the one who will make her feel thunder and lightning, hear bells and music?), he declares that her days of headstrong independence are over. She will, he commands, announce her engagement to Sir Roland—immediately. But in an age where marriages are about alliances rather than affection, practicality not passion, Myriah wants more—she wants to fall in love. And she does not love Sir Roland. So she runs away to her grandfather with her faithful manservant, Tabson, at her side.A wrong turn in the fog, however, leads to the discovery of an injured young man, and before she knows it Myriah is caught up in world of intrigue and secrets. And when she meets the young man’s older brother, the mysterious Lord Kit Wimborne, the sparks fly. Their first encounter—in his bed, both of them naked, no less!—is an explosion of wills, and it is what finally set Myriah on fire.She has, it seems, finally found her thunder and lightning…**note: this is an updated version of an earlier novel written as Claudette Williams. The updated versions of Claudy's Claudette Williams titles are more sexually explicit than the original versions.

    In Scotland, her estranged father’s noble blood will finally make her a respectable debutante. Except she finds herself accidentally wed to a devil-may-care rogue with a sinful smile. He’s the last thing she needs…and everything her traitorous heart desires.Charming rake Anthony Fairfax is on holiday to seek his fortune…and escape his creditors. When an irresistible Lady Luck wins him in a game of chance—and a slight mishap has them leg-shackled by dawn—the tables have finally turned in his favor. But when past demons catch up to them, holding on to new love will mean destroying their dreams forever.

    . .Charlotte Fallon let her guarded virtue fall once--and she's paid dearly for it ever since. She swore she'd never succumb to men's desires again. But even a village spinster's life miles from temptation can't save her from a sister with no shame whatsoever. Or a heart that longs for more, whatever the cost. . .Sir Michael Bayard found more than he expected in his bed when he finally joined his new mistress. He'd fantasized about her dewy skin and luscious curves, assured her understanding that what passed between them was mere dalliance. But he didn't expect the innocence and heat of her response in his arms. Nor her surprisingly sharp tongue once she was out of them. . .A few days of abandon cannot undo the hard-learned lessons of a lifetime. Nor can an honest passion burn away the restraints of society's judgments. Unless, of course, one believes in nonsense like true love. . .

    She'd been raised to bake in her parents' bakery, and after their deaths, she had planned to carry on the family tradition. Devastated to find out she was losing her family's business, she needed something to do to support herself. When she received a letter from her twin sister's husband in Arizona Territory, suggesting she come out to be the bride of his best friend who was opening a restaurant, it seemed like the perfect solution to her problems. Tripp had gone to the best culinary school in the country, and he knew exactly how to create the perfect meal. He spent hours and hours coming up with just the right menu for his restaurant, only to be told he couldn't get a loan for it unless he married. When his best friend came up with the solution of sending for his baker sister-in-law, it only made sense. Her ideas of the perfect menu were different than his, though. Would the two be able to stay together long enough to convince the bank he was a good risk? Would Sadie be able to convince Tripp that the two of them belonged together after all?

    But a case of mistaken identity put her in a compromising position with the Highland earl sworn to protect her. Marriage to him saved her reputation, but nothing could save her from the stormy passion that bent her innocent body to his will--and shattered his last defense...The acclaimed author of The Thistle and the Rose presents an exciting new trilogy. Three sisters each hold a clue to their family's treasure--and the key to the hearts of three Highland warriors...

    charity anthology** Length: 20 pages A late night game of cards turns into something far more intriguing when Edwina Merriweather confesses a secret to one of the most charming and debauched men in London. Contrary to popular opinion, Dina is not in town to find a husband. Instead, she’s resolved to find a rake. Francis Chevalier is fascinated by the drunken spinster offering up her virginity like a piece of cake. Torn between the need to have her and the desire to protect her from her own stupidity, he politely declines. Undeterred, Dina returns with a proposition so daring even Chevalier cannot refuse.

    Yet Nell is determined to elude the duties and restrictions of matrimony. So when she finds herself pregnant at the age of 17, she refuses to divulge the name of the father and even her childhood friend Martin is kept in the dark.Nell's stepfather Hiram sends Nell to live at the Poor Farm of which he is a governor, to await the day when her baby can be discreetly adopted. Nell is ready to go along with Hiram's plans until an unused padded cell is opened and two small bodies fall out.Nell is the only resident of the Poor Farm who is convinced that the unwed mother and her baby were murdered, and the incident prompts her to rethink her decision to abandon her own child to her fate. But the revelations to which her questions lead make her realize that even if she manages to escape the Poor Farm with her baby, she may have no safe place to run to.

    Four years ago, his fiancée betrayed him and he has no desire to experience that again so when he meets the beautiful Rebecca Kingsley, it’s passion at first sight. And only passion.Rebecca has led a very quiet life working for her father at a small country inn. When she meets Geoffrey she falls in love with him right away. But she’s only the daughter of a baronet and men like Geoffrey never marry country girls like her. Do they?When Rebecca’s father tries to marry her off to a wealthy old man, Geoffrey intervenes and marries her himself. He wants her very much but he couldn’t possibly love her. Love is for fools. At least that’s what he tells himself. But a sinister enemy soon threatens to destroy all that Geoffrey holds dear, forcing him to face the truth. His marriage depends on it... And maybe even Rebecca’s very life.

    But now that the war is over, and Napoleon is exiled to the island of St. Helena, he finds himself adrift. The life of a wealthy nobleman isn’t enough to satisfy him. When the government tasks him with one last mission—to find out who is trying to kill Napoleon—Reed takes on the job with gusto. Disguising himself, he slips into the Romani world while convinced that one of them will know who was responsible for the attempt. Orelia finds herself charmed by the stranger in their midst. When he comes to her rescue, however, that infatuation quickly comes to an end. As far as Orelia is concerned, the Romanis are being used as scapegoats—as usual. She’s determined to prove Reed wrong. Together, they set out to find the truth. With their combined quick tongues and ability to slip in and out of society, it should be easy. But the more time spent together, the harder it becomes to understand—why can’t a duke and a poor gypsy girl be together? Will their wits be enough to carry them through their treacherous journey and bring them together, or will their differences and the danger force them apart?

    Brilliant. A Liability?Doctor Anna Cassidy has been trained by the best; the former Chief Surgeon for the Auckland Police Force. She knows how to dissect a body. She knows how to treat any ailment. And she knows how to find a cause of death. But society is not ready for a female surgeon.Fighting for what she believes in has been ingrained in Anna since she was a young child. But the battles she faces now are not all based on equality. A murderer stalks her fellow Suffragettes and the police inspector in charge of the case could be Anna's downfall.Experienced. Dedicated. Something to hide?Inspector Andrew Kelly holds duty and honour in the highest regard. His role as a detective proves just that; he never stops until justice is served. Love is something he has forsaken, for reasons he'd rather you didn't know.But Anna is not a woman a man can ignore.Fighting his instincts with cold determination is something Kelly has become accustomed to. But a murderer is loose in his adopted city, bringing memories to the fore of a killer who walked in the shadows of Whitechapel, and shining light on a dark past the Inspector is trying hard to forget.A gritty, twisted, and authentic Victorian romantic suspense, sure to rip you apart... just like old Jack.

    A plan that should have brought the lovers together and had them married within a month. It was a simple matter of masquerading as the duke’s gardener, compromising the lady, and then having the duke rush them off to Gretna Green.Alas, he underestimates the duke’s intelligence and the tangled situation on the estate—never had he imagined that compromising a lady could be so difficult.His endeavours lead to a comedy of errors, charades, and knotty love affairs. Yet he forges ahead in spite of pesky house guests, a flea bitten mattress, his lovesick best friend, and a blackmailer.Just when things seem to be going well, someone is murdered (very inconvenient), and he happens to be one of the suspects (extremely inconvenient).His simple plan for winning the wager suddenly becomes … a tad complicated.

    Utterly wonderful!" -- RT Book Reviews "A love story that transcends all boundaries." -- The Medieval Chronicle Legendary warrior Conor of Ulster defies his people to make the exiled Brigid of Morna his queen—until a shattering act of treachery destroys their world. Driven to the ends of the earth, Conor lives a thousand lifetimes in the fading hope that—one day, somehow—he’ll find Brigid once again. Finalist "Best Time Travel" -- RT Book Reviews "One of the Year's Best Reads" -- The Readers’ Voice Finalist, three categories, Affaire de Coeur Reviewers’ Choice Awards

    Although the proud Yankee was prepared to face any hardship on her journey to Fort Bridger, she was horrified to learn that single women weren't welcome on any wagon train. Desperate to cross the plains, Ashley decided to pay the first bachelor willing to pose as her husband. Then the fiery redhead came across a former Johnny Reb in the St. Joe's jail, and she couldn't think of any man she'd rather marry in name only. But out on the rugged trail, Tanner MacTavish quickly proved too intense, too virile, too dangerous for her peace of mind. And after Tanner stole a passionate kiss, Ashley knew that, even though the Civil War was over, a new battle was brewing -- a battle for the heart that she might be only too happy to lose.

    One mission—to save England. Love will have to wait... Lance Wayland has a secret purpose for becoming Stanton Castle's new smith. He and his three closest friends are the founding members of the Order of the Broken Blade, formed to blunt the power of King John, whose outrageous taxes and unjust laws have taken a toll on their country. To succeed, they need money and men, both of which they can get from the Earl of Stanton. Lance's mission is of vital importance and can only be waylaid by one thing—his interest in the earl's lovely daughter.Idalia knows better than to think she'll be allowed to marry a smith, yet Lance Wayland is the most compelling man she's ever met—a welcome diversion from the stresses of running Stanton Castle and her mother's illness. Although she knows the entanglement can go nowhere, their connection grows stronger each time they see each other, until she begins to forget all the reasons they should stay apart.Although fate seems determined to keep them apart, Lance and Idalia are drawn together like moths to a flame. But can Lance pursue the woman he loves without betraying the order to which he's pledged his troth?WARNING: Lance Wayland is a dreamier than usual historical hero who may steal your heart. If you have a weakness for sexy blacksmiths, proceed with caution.

    . . The first book in Barbara Bretton's beloved Home Front Series It's June 1943. From New York to California, families gather to send their sons and husbands, friends and lovers off to war. The attack on Pearl Harbor seems a long time ago as America begins to understand that their boys won't be home any time soon. In Forest Hills, New York City, twenty-year-old Catherine Wilson knows all about waiting. She's been in love with boy-next-door Doug Weaver since childhood, and if the war hadn't started when it did, she would be married and maybe starting a family, not sitting at the window of her girlhood bedroom, waiting for her life to begin. But then a telegram from the War Department arrives, shattering her dreams of a life like the one her mother treasures. Weeks drift into months as she struggles to find her way. An exchange of letters with Johnny Danza, a young soldier in her father's platoon, starts off as a patriotic gesture, but soon becomes a long-distance friendship that grows more important to her with every day that passes. The last thing Catherine expects is to open her front door on Christmas Eve to find Johnny lying unconscious on the Wilsons' welcome mat with a heart filled with new dreams that are hers for the taking. "This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny." --Franklin Delano Roosevelt ˃˃˃ A Desert Island Keeper - All About Romance Harlequin Award of Excellence4.5 stars - RT Top Pick! ˃˃˃ And the story continues with Stranger in Paradise (Home Front - Book 2) Buy your copy now!