Lord James Whitman is well aware of what others say about him. He has heard his name whispered behind closed doors and learned of his character being maligned without cause. But after his unearned reputation causes Iris to decline his marriage proposal, he is determined to show her the truth and win her love! Without her grandfather's guidance, Iris must decide whether to trust the London gossips or the tune of her own heart. Could she possibly love a man who is as horrid as some say he is? Or should she trust her instincts and what the duke tells her to be true? All Iris knows for sure is that Christmas day grows closer with each passing minute!

    The children have gone to bed, and a tall, gloriously decorated Christmas tree looms in the shadows of the hearth’s dying embers. A tattered copy of Charles Dickens’ masterwork, “A Christmas Carol” sits, cold and lonely, upon a table nearby.A small gust of wind, hurling from the seam of an ill-fitting window, blows the cover open. The first chapter appears… “Marley’s Ghost”…The clock on the wall chimes midnight.Now, the magic happens.From the gaily bedecked halls of Regency England to the cold and crisp air of the Scottish Highlands, and everything in between, enjoy the magic of a holiday collection that has drawn inspiration from Charles Dickens’ most beloved literary works. Where the ghosts of Christmas, the incandescent spirit of a tiny disabled boy, and the joy that is the very heart of the Christmas season come alive.USA Today and Internationally bestselling authors bring you their version of a Dickens’-inspired holiday in O NIGHT DIVINE. This collection includes: 'Twas the Executioner Knight Before Christmas by Kathryn Le VequeThe Laird's Yulebringer by Caroline LeeMaking Spirits Bright by Chasity BowlinThe Haunted Scot by Hildie McQueenNever Keep a Secret at Christmas by Maggi AndersenHer Star from the East by Mary LancasterThe Remembrance of Love by Meara PlattHow to Get an Earl for Christmas by Violetta RandYuletide at Gillingham by Alexa AstonA Thrill of Hope by Anna MarklandA Gift for Agatha by Anna St. ClaireThe Heart is Never Silent by Aubrey WynneOf Christmas Past by Charlotte WrenTidings of Comfort by Elizabeth Ellen CarterA Christmas Miracle by Elizabeth JohnsHer Christmas White Knight by Elizabeth KeysianAlways the Mistletoe by Emily E.K. MurdochA Libertine's Christmas Miracle by Emily RoyalPast, Present, Future by Lynne ConnollyA Yuletide Yearning by Maeve GreysonA Strange Christmas Game by Whitney BlakeFrom Dragonblade to you, we wish you a very happy holiday season!

    But when Chloe tricks him into wearing a hideous waistcoat—complete with sequins, pompoms, and jingle bells—to her family’s Christmas Eve party, she may have gone too far. Her penalty? A single, scorching kiss—and a Christmas gift she never expected.Love.

     No one would suspect the barmaid is an earl’s daughter. She’s learned to work hard and make her heart even harder. But … in one night, everything changes. She saves a life. Who knew that life would be the son of one of the oldest titles and most honorable homes in England? The Curbains And to a man who’s just as valiant as his name suggests. General Hero Curbain has fought England’s greatest enemies. As the son of a duke, he’s faced his own challenges but never had he expected the challenge of Lady Beatrix. In thanks for her kindness, he offers her the chance of a lifetime: 1- One Season. 2- One opportunity to restore her name. 3- One chance to find love. However … As secrets spill and the truth of Beatrix’s past is revealed, she’ll have to decide the best course of action. Fight for the man she loves or run away from her dreams once again? What happens when Hero discovers Beatrix is not the perfect lady he envisioned? Can love live in a society founded on duty?

    By her parents, her brother, even the servants. So she was secretly able to develop her talent for painting well beyond the usual watercolors. Too bad no one will let her actually use it—women are rarely accepted into the Royal Academy. But when a connection at the Haverhall School for Young Ladies gets Charlotte her dream commission, she'll do whatever it takes to make it work. Including disguising herself as "Charlie."Flynn Rutledge has something to prove. His lowly upbringing is not going to stop him from achieving his artistic dreams. This commission is the key to his future, and his partner, an unknown youth in oversized clothes who is barely old enough to shave, doesn't exactly inspire confidence. But Charlie does inspire Flynn's artistic passion—something he worried he might have lost forever. For all his street smarts, nothing can prepare Flynn for the shock of Charlie's true identity. He doesn't care that she's a woman, but a lady of the ton is a different matter altogether.

    But no matter how hard she smiles, she can't forget the youthful mistake that could have ruined her reputation. Even though the worst of her indiscretion was kept secret, one other person knows the truth of those dark days: the sarcastic Doctor Jonas Grantham. She wants nothing to do with him...or the butterflies that take flight in her stomach every time he looks her way.Jonas Grantham has a secret, too: He's been in love with Lydia for more than a year. This winter, he's determined to conquer her dislike and win her for his own. It all starts with a wager and a kiss...A Kiss for Midwinter is a novella (38,000 words) in the Brothers Sinister series. It follows The Duchess War. Each book stands on its own, but those who prefer to read in order might want to read that book first.

    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.

     Ashamed of his behaviour he hides away in his country seat, determined to become a sensible gentleman, no longer caught up by whichever eligible young lady catches his eye. The only problem? A beautiful tenant named Julia who is living in his gatehouse. William knows that he should have very little to do with his tenants but he simply cannot get her out of his mind. The more time he spends, the more he wants to know her despite their difference in status. A sudden accident leads to a whole new life for Julia, who is loathe to tell him much about herself, despite their intimate connection. When the truth finally comes out and Julia confesses all, William must decide what to do with the lady who has stolen his heart. Authors Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance with an HEA. If you love clean Regency-era romances you will love The Viscount in Hiding!

    It's only through her brother's good connections that their family is even accepted in polite society. While Triana cares nothing for the ton, the arrival of the Duke of Chiltern changes everything. He is everything she might have ever dreamed of in a husband, but she knows that something isn't quite right about his sudden resurgence in London. Thankfully, she's willing to do her part in uncovering his secrets.To learn what the gentleman is hiding?Gabriel Wilde, the Duke of Chiltern, is on an undercover mission to find out who is behind the illegal smuggling in the city. Upon his father's death, he returns to society under the perfect guise of assuming the title, believing the culprit to be within the ton. With the help of a trusted colleague, Gabriel believes that when he's done, he can move on with his life—away from England and the unpleasant memories that go along with it. But when he meets Triana, he finds he's not quite as eager to leave as he once was. Unfortunately, the only problem is trying to keep her out of trouble. So he does the only thing he can think of to keep her occupied: seduction.

    To be reinstated, Andrew decides to pretend that he has changed his wicked ways.As part of his plan, he wants to convince his father that he is courting a respectable woman with the intention of marrying her. The problem is, he doesn’t know any decent women, except for his friend’s spinster sister, Miss Caroline Hargreaves. He blackmails the reluctant Caroline into helping him, and so the charade begins . . .

    The men of the Maclean Clan are fierce warriors. From the battle of Flodden Field to the waters off the Spanish Coast, they fight to protect their homes and those they love. In this spellbinding Scottish Highland series, the Maclean brothers find unexpected romance with women who heal and stir their souls.  Beloved Imposter: Felicia Campbell has set a plan in motion to escape her wedding to the lecherous old Earl of Morneith—but she’s interrupted when she’s abducted. Her fury turns to curiosity when she discovers her captor is the handsome Rory Maclean, her clan’s hated enemy. And Rory, who has sworn never to love again, finds himself daring to care for the fiery captive who could save his broken soul . . .  Beloved Stranger: Lachlan Maclean rode with King James IV of Scotland to free his country from English tyranny. In the slaughter at Flodden Field, he’s thrown from his horse and awakes to the beautiful visage of Kimbra Carlton, a border woman whose husband was killed by a Scot, leaving her to fend for her daughter alone. Now, she can neither let the wounded Lachlan die nor let anyone know his heritage. But perhaps in healing him, she may heal her own heart . . .  Beloved Warrior: Patrick Maclean spent years enslaved aboard a Spanish galleon. But after he leads his fellow oarsmen in an uprising, he finds himself in charge of not only the vessel but also a fetching young passenger: Juliana Mendoza, the ship owner’s niece. Juliana was bound for a wedding and a man she never wanted. But the more she comes to know Patrick and his honorable clan, the more she realizes that only she can decide her fate . . .

    Harriett doesn’t want proper. She wants passion. And the prospect of a passionate marriage is becoming increasingly unlikely, judging by the men she meets. When she and her family visit a dying relative at his country mansion in Kent, Pendleton Manor, everything appears normal on the surface, until Harriet is suddenly embroiled in murder, intrigue, and lust. A man determined to live life on his own terms Gentleman farmer, Gerard Everard, Earl of Foxworth, has inherited an estate deep in debt. While he toils to save Foxworth from creditors, he becomes embroiled in a dangerous mission. Together, Harriett and Gerard work to uncover a murderer, while Harriett, expecting Gerard to succumb to the charms of her younger, beautiful sister, Leonora, tries unsuccessfully to guard her heart. Originally titled Murder at Pendleton Manor

    His family is responsible for the ale reputed to be the best in England and Reid’s heart lies in brewing not wooing. Until one wintery night when his world is turned upside down by a snow-laden branch and a woman who smells of spring. Lady Prudence Eldridge has come to Chillendale Village with her cousin, and really didn’t expect to find astounding passion flat on his back at her feet. She’s ready, willing and intrigued by this kind man who is so much more than he might appear. His clothes mark him as a gentleman – when he removes them he’s anything but!There are Christmas Fêtes for the children and a Mistletoe Ball for the adults. There will be carols sung, there will be naked frolicking in the snow, and there will be surprise romances. There will most likely be a Christmas pudding or two for good measure. Reid and Prudence may have found each other, but keeping each other may be a bit more of a Christmas challenge…

    At a house party in the countryside, the joyful spirit of the Christmas season threatens to sweep Georgiana Trent under the mistletoe—and back into the arms of the dashing rogue who broke her heart two years ago. Little does she know that Lucas Godwin has no intention of leaving until he has reclaimed her as his own.

    Ten New York Times, USA Today or Internationally bestselling authors bring you their twist on the holidays using some of your favorite characters in STARS ARE BRIGHTLY SHINING . This collection includes: "Heart of Thanks" by Paula Quinn -  ‘Tis the season of miracles, and when Elysande MacPherson begins falling in love with the son of her father's worst enemy, she's going to need one. A very big one. "The Hope of Love" by Meara Platt - Felicity Billings, raised as an orphan, has always hoped for a family of her own. Will her wish come true when she takes a tumble and Wellesford's handsome doctor comes to the rescue? "A Christmas Kiss for the Highlander" by Collette Cameron - A prisoner of his past, Quinn Catherwood scorns heritage and kin. Skye Hendron cherishes family and traditions, and she offers him freedom and a future…but can he pay the price? "Christmas Heart" by Mary Lancaster - A quarrel with her husband sees the Duchess of Alvan travelling to her parents’ home for Christmas. But the road is blocked by snow and there is no room at the Hart Inn… "Starlight Night" by Alexa Aston - A child from the streets. A couple with love in their heart. A warm, wonderful Christmas. "One Beastly Christmas" by Sydney Jane Baily - A frigid Christmas Eve, an infuriated husband, and beloved family members gone missing. Forlorn Lady Lindsey needs a holiday miracle, or maybe three! "Warming Winter's Heart" by Elizabeth Ellen Carter - Julian Winter has had his heart broken a time of two. And he's tired of his well-meaning family trying to set him up with yet another vapid debutante. His attitude to attending a winter house party is frosty indeed until he meets fellow guest Caroline, a widow with a young son. As Christmas draws near Julian finds there is warmth in Winter's heart, after all. "A Bunch of Mistletoe" by Lynne Connolly - When Matilda, chaperone and aunt to the most scandalous family in London, takes a tumble from a tree, she's rescued by the most unlikely saviour. Toplofty stickler Harold, the Duke of Trensom, is more than annoyed to find Matilda on his property. Worse when he finds himself falling for her. "A Solitary Candle" by Avril Borthiry - Lost in a winter storm, a cold-hearted man is drawn to a flicker of light in the darkness. Will he find the warmth he seeks? "A Merry MacNaughton Mishap" by Aubrey Wynne - When Calum MacNaughton rescues a rival clan member from an icy drowning, he is unexpectedly rewarded with the clansman’s most precious possession. Now Calum has until Twelfth Night to convince her to stay. From Dragonblade to you, we wish you a very happy holiday season! (Note: This collection will be approx. 500 pages)