His mother prefers entertaining men in her bedroom, while her husband sits downstairs, unable or unwilling to respond to his wife’s inappropriate behaviour. From that day on Tom vows that no woman will hurt him the way his mother hurt his father. For the next seventeen years Tom works hard to become one of the most notorious rakes London society has ever seen, successfully keeping all the women of his acquaintance at a distance. In 1810 twenty-four year old Isabelle Crawford had been brought up hearing stories of how much in love her dead parents were and had expected to find similar happiness when she came out in society. Reality was different to what she had imagined though, instead of love, she found fortune hunters and as a result left London to set up home in Bath. Her two elder brothers had supported her decision, although they would have rather seen their sister married instead of choosing what was seen by the ton as an eccentric decision, a young woman living a single life in Bath with a cousin as chaperone. A potential marriage between Tom's sister and Isabelle’s brother throws the couple together and sets in motion a chain of events that will see Tom fighting for his life and Isabelle being kidnapped by the very man that Tom had found in his mother’s bedchamber all those years ago.

    Her suddenly impoverished state made her as vulnerable as her beauty made her tempting to men with more money than morals. Lord Marshall Whitcomb, who held her purse strings in his pawing hands, was intent on luring her into his bed. But even more dangerous was Lord Winn, who owned the dwelling where she sought refuge. The dashing lord reminded the widow that the lure of sharing a warm bed on a winter's night might indeed be worth the risks.Lord Winn had trusted one woman and been betrayed. That disastrous marriage had endowed him with a wariness of females in general, and prospective wives in particular. But when the door to the dower house on one of his estates was opened by a woman with a cautious smile and memorable brown eyes, he knew here was danger to avoid at all costs -- if he really wanted to...

    The stranger's sunstreaked hair was much too long to be fashionable. His buckskin breeches seemed woefully out of place in a London drawing room.Anne's heart began inexplicably to pound, as she asked: "You are the new Viscount Mainwaring?"The stranger broke into a laugh that seemed to shake the walls."I reckon so, Ma'am. I reckon so..."

    A near fatal riding accident has left her with a pronounced limp which means she cannot even make a good curtsey, let alone dance. There can be no expectation of marriage, but her Mama makes one last effort, not least to avoid her cousin inheriting a considerable sum from their grandfather’s will. She draws up a list of guests for a country house sojourn, picking only young ladies she feels will not be rivals, and some potential suitors. Among the well-bred gentlemen is Lord Levedale, sent by his reprobate father to restore the family fortunes by wooing an heiress, a beauty tarnished by her family background in trade. When he meets Celia he sees her, not the limp, but even as his heart draws him to her, he is held back by his duty to his family name. Sophia Holloway’s graceful Bless Thine Inheritance is about who people are, not how they look. The book’s sharp and witty social observation and elegant verbal duelling weave together two love stories, a guest from Hell, a meddling mama and a grandmama who would give Downton Abbey’s Dowager Lady Grantham a run for her money. Praise for Sophia Holloway... "The Devil You Know is an immensely satisfying read. Everyone loves a Georgian rake and Sophia’s hero doesn’t disappoint. Lord Ledbury’s as naughty as they come – enough George Wickham to set the pulse racing, with a civilising measure of Mr Darcy’s nobility to ensure you fall in love for all the right reasons" - Annie Holder, author of Against All Odds Sophia Holloway describes herself as a ‘wordsmith’ who is only really happy when writing. She read Modern History at Oxford and her factual book on the Royal Marines in the First World War, From Trench and Turret, was published in 2006. Among her published fiction is The Devil You Know, another Classic Regency. She also writes mediaeval murder mysteries under another pen name.

    Now with the London season just beginning, Sophie is determined to become a Lady--even if it means forgoing love to marry for wealth alone. If only her straight-laced sponsor would give her his approval-and stop weakening her resolve with his startlingly blue eyes. Bramwell Seaton: The picture of propriety, he swore he could control the passionate appetites that were his late father's downfall. But from the moment Bramwell takes charge of the incorrigible yet irresistible Sophie Winstead, he is driven to mad distraction. Suddenly he and his lovely ward are waltzing ever closer toward scandal, and Bramwell must resist her charms to preserve their reputations--and his heart.

    Never one to bemoan her change in fortune, Celestine is content to spend her days raising and overseeing their children, knowing in her heart she will never have any of her own.Lord St. Claire Richmond, Langlow’s brother, is a rogue and seducer, content to while away his days pursuing pleasure—and driving his brother and sister-in-law mad by reducing their female staff to lovelorn fools with his flirtations. When he learns on his annual Christmas visit that the drab Celestine was hired as governess solely to thwart his dalliances, he devises a scheme to both stir her heart and spite his family’s interfering ways.But as his game unfolds, the cunning St. Claire discovers this conquest may be more challenging than expected when the thoughtful and intelligent Celestine begins to fire an ache in his own heart. And what began as an amusement to give the plain, timid miss an innocent thrill is turning into much more, as St. Claire realizes she may be the one giving him the thrill—and teaching him in a way only a governess can that real beauty lies beneath the surface and that true love is often found where you least expect it.

    When she accidentally cuts the prince’s friend Beau Brummell at a ball, the scandal sends her packing to the countryside. Her faulty eyesight causes her to enter the wrong coach, which delivers her to the estate of handsome Lord Bryn. He mistakes her for the governess who was due to arrive from London.Preferring work over a life of isolation, she goes along with the erroneous impression, and can’t help adoring his mischievous orphaned niece and nephew. When Meg begins falling in love with the handsome lord just as he’s about to become engaged to another woman, however, she can’t see a way out of her dilemma.This is a lighthearted tale in the traditional Regency style—no sex, but plenty of romantic complications and a happy ending. It has been lightly revised since its original print publication.

    Lady Felicity Vane 19, unwilling client, lures unwitting Lord James Bremmer. Lord Ravenswood 30s quietly donates his town furnishings and servants despite his fiancée Betty.

    Ten years later, Lydia has no regrets and, having concluded that matters of the heart need no longer trouble her, she is quite happy to remain unwed.But others still seek Lydia's advice on their love lives, and when her godmother implores her to take her young ward Phoebe's search for a suitor in hand, it's hard to refuse. In truth, the prospect fills Lydia with horror (especially as she must go to Bath of all places to do it), but poor Phoebe, having managed to promise herself to two men at once, rather needs her help.However, finding a solution to Phoebe's dilemma proves far trickier than anyone imagined. As affairs become increasingly tangled, Phoebe more muddled and Lydia's exasperation grows, the confirmed spinster finds that her own heart is not quite the closed book she thought it was...

    Unwittingly, she becomes the savior of an enigmatic man who suddenly approaches and kisses her to evade the violent scoundrels stalking him. Terrified and aghast at his audacity, she abandons him to his fate, only to discover his identity as a roguish nobleman engaged to the very woman who insulted her! She finds herself drawn into a web of frightening intrigue, in which the only way out is to trust the desire in her heart....

    Even this might have proved tolerable. After all, Lydia was an independent sort of a girl, more than capable of holding her own against importunate tradesmen, and more than happy to bring her younger sister up on her own.It would not do, however. The state in which Lydia discovered the family affairs made independent existence quite out of the question. In spite of all her best efforts, within a few months of her mama’s death, and scarcely out of full mourning, it became apparent to her that there was nothing to be done but to acknowledge the inevitable and appeal to her relations for help….It is 1810. Lydia, now penniless, is forced to seek a home with an aunt and uncle who have no interest in her whatsoever. But there are plenty of others with an interest in her – including the handsome but selfish son of the family – her cousin Charles - and two elegant brothers who live nearby.Each, in his own way, poses an intriguing challenge to her. Luckily Lydia is well able to look after herself but she gets into a number of scrapes which almost cost her any chance of happiness before finally managing to sort things out in the end.

    Anthony hired Daphne to restore the priceless treasures he has been digging up, but it's hard for a woman to keep her mind on her work when her devastatingly handsome employer keeps taking his shirt off. He doesn't know she's alive, but who could blame her for falling hopelessly in love with him anyway?Anthony thinks that his capable employee knows all there is to know about antiquities, but when his sister decides to turn the plain young woman in gold-rimmed glasses into an enticing beauty, he declares the task to be impossible. Daphne is devasted when she overhears...and determined to prove him wrong. Now a vibrant and delectable Daphne has emerged from her shell, and the tables are turned. Will Anthony see that the woman of his dreams has been there all along?

    He is so scarred from manipulative women - ones he trusted - that you can understand his hatred of the whole sex! Now he is the guardian to two young women ... debutantes ... just what he hates! He brings them to London with the idea of marrying them off as quickly...

    Wealthy landowners are enthusiastically improving their vast country estates. When Sir Eustace Lawrence, renowned King's Counsel, invites Cabot to visit his Berkshire home, Cabot plans to apply his talents to a modification of the grounds. But he soon discovers that other skills are called for. All is not well with the amiable Lawrence family. One daughter, Margaret, has for years drawn the unwelcome, jealous attentions of the powerful Earl of Sutcliffe. The earl has essentially placed Meg under siege. Meg has had ample proof of Sutcliffe's deadliness. She has not dared to bestow her hand or her heart on any suitor for fear of what may befall him. But she is unaware of the lengths to which their new family friend, Charles Cabot, will go in order to protect her. When her family visits London for the season and a confrontation looms, Meg and her awakened affections must face the ultimate test.

    The dowager, no less, has invited her for a season in London, where she will attempt to catch a husband.Thus begins our heroine’s tale as she attempts to tackle the London season with all her rustic finesse. Unfortunately, her rustic finesse turns out to be as delicate as a fat bear trying to rip apart a honeycomb infested with buzzing bees.What follows is a series of misadventures, love affairs, moonlit balls, fancy clothes, fake moustaches, highwaymen, sneering beauties, pickpockets, and the wrath of a devilishly handsome duke.