Young, widowed Clare Byrne, is escaping the famine in Ireland. On the coffin ship from Dublin, in the final hours of the journey to England, Clare goes into labour. Weakened and alone, the young, beleaguered mother gives birth near the quayside. Unable to look after the newborn, the child is bought for a single shilling by a curious gentleman, the industrialist Samuel Hudson. What will happen to the young girl? What plans does Mr Hudson have for her? Will the child thrive, or merely survive? Also by Emma Hardwick ----------------------------------- The Urchin of Walton Hall

    When her friend Doris proposed sending for a mail order husband for Gretchen, who was seven months pregnant and unwed, she hoped for the best for her friend, but still felt badly for herself. Darryl Miller has always been known as one of the demon horde. If he stays in Beckham, Massachusetts, he will never rise above the reputation, but he has nowhere to go! When he receives a letter from his sister asking him to marry her pregnant friend, he only hesitates for a moment. Two weeks later, he arrives in Salmon to marry a stranger. The only trouble is the stranger refuses to marry him. Within an hour, he finds himself married to another friend of his sister’s. Will he be able to make a go of life with the beautiful straight-laced schoolteacher? Or has he made a huge mistake leaving everything to travel across country? A Distant Shore: a Kansas Crossroads novelette by Amelia C. Adams Collette Barnard has traveled from England to America to work as a ladies’ maid for a spoiled socialite who doesn’t want the California life her husband is seeking. When her employer leaves her husband in the middle of the night, Collette is discharged and abandoned in the town of Creede, Colorado, with little money and no idea what to do next. When the kind hand of fate lands her at the Brody Hotel in Topeka, Kansas, she meets a handsome young man named Gabriel Brody, who is also struggling to choose the right path for his life. Perhaps together, they can piece together a future from the bits that have been left them. Mail Order M’Lady by Carra Copelin Lady Anne Medvale, the daughter of the Marquess of Thamesford, has created a scandal by running away with a prominent politician. In America, alone and penniless, she answers an ad in the Grooms’ Gazette and travels to Beaumont, Texas as a mail order bride. Morgan Grant, a dedicated cattleman/lawman isn’t looking for a wife, but circumstances present themselves and he marries an unlikely mail order bride. Can the two of them overcome their differences to live happily ever after? Mail Order Millennium by Peggy L Henderson Growing up in a privileged society may seem glamorous, but having every material possession has left Sherri Stucki feeling empty, exploited by her friends, and abandoned. A world where people see past her money seems like a far off dream, until a mysterious stranger offers her a second chance at the life she seeks. Alexander Walker learned the hard way that city life – and its women – were not meant for him. He must complete one final job before returning to a life of solitude in his beloved mountains. The last thing he needs is a distraction from a spunky socialite who seems like a fish out of water. As they travel together toward new destinies, Alexander and Sherri discover that the life they desire can only be found in each other. Mail-Order Brides of Coldwater Creek Josie by Margery Scott Josephine (Josie) Parker’s birthday is coming up, which means she’ll have to leave the Chicago orphanage where she’s lived her entire life. With nowhere to go and no future to look forward to, she agrees to become a mail-order bride to Cooper Thompson, a rancher in Coldwater Creek, Montana. Cooper Thompson is happy with his life. He has his work, his family, and enough money to get by. He doesn’t need – or want – anything more, especially a wife. When Josie arrives in Montana, she’s shocked to learn that Cooper’s sister actually wrote the letter, and that he knows nothing about it.

    However, things turn dangerously complicated when she meets the lavish Philip, and she soon finds herself unable to resist him, and the fierce desire that burns between them. How long can she hide herself from her fiancé and her father, who are both desperately looking for her? When her secret is revealed, will this growing romance be doomed forever?Philip Hoskins, the Duke of Bambury, is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. Philip knows that he must marry soon and he must marry well, but fate may have other plans for him. Even though he believes marriage is nothing but a business arrangement, when he meets the gorgeous Emma, his world instantly turns upside down. But he quickly realises that, even though they might be a match made in heaven, her public outbursts, her wild temper and the rumours that she's run away from her fiancé, are enough to destroy every possibility of having a happily ever after. Will he take all of his courage to face a peril that could destroy everything he has ever achieved in the name of all- consuming love?In the midst of their passionate love affair, Emma struggles with telling the truth of who she is. As her life of deception grows ever more tangled, and her feelings for Philip ever deeper, Charles Gregory, her fiancé, the most dangerous man she's ever known, is coming for her. He'll do whatever it takes to possess her and make her pay, for what she has done to him... Will she manage to run away from him once again, and find happiness in a dashing Duke's arms? After all, with such a difficult beginning, can Emma and Philip ever hope to trust one another, let alone find everlasting love?"Temptations of a Mysterious Lady" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    Her life has definitely not been a fairytale so far, but she had found a man to respect her and share the same values. As the ranch is mortgaged to the hilt, and being rather desperate, she accepts Logan's, her husband's brother's proposal without second thoughts. Soon enough though, her decision to get married to a familiar stranger will give her sleepless nights. Can she finally live happily ever after and create the family she craves for?Logan Reeves has always looked up to his older brother and slightly envied him for both his professional and personal achievements. Now, he feels like he has betrayed him in the worst way possible. Not only did he think about it, but now he is married to his brother's wife. He has been in love with her from the very first moment he set his eyes on her, but will he be able to deal with all the challenging responsibilities he has committed himself to?Even though they have both agreed that this is a marriage of convenience, life will once again catch them off guard. An unexpected event will help them understand and confess their true feelings to each other. They won't survive apart, but can they really survive together? Could love bloom under the pressure of mourning and revenge??"A Blooming Garden Full of Love" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    This collection of five full novellas presents some very different heroes and heroines, but the common theme is that they all find love, despite trials and tribulations along the way, in some way related to Christmas.This collection contains:The Duke’s Christmas Vow by Arietta RichmondA Lady with unexpected interests and few prospects, a Duke with a vow to keep, a Christmas House Party, an accidental meeting, a plot to compromise, a trail of feathers, a love born of defiance.The Countess’ Christmas Miracle by Clara KensingtonA widowed Countess determinedly settled in her ways, yet hiding loneliness, a man returned from war, already in love with the impression of a woman gained from letters, a son determined to bring them together, a Christmas which changes everything.The Duke’s Christmas Masquerade by Grace AustenA Lady in love with the wrong man – at least as far as her mother is concerned, a Masquerade Ball, a deception with unintended results, a last minute reprieve achieved through the courage of love.Christmas Love for the Duke by Lydia PembrokeA Duke caught in past grief, a commoner born Companion who hopes for more out of life, the meddling of a well-meaning aunt, a love condemned by society, decisions which change both of their lives.The Christmas Letter by Regina DarcyA Viscount’s heir, estranged from his parents because he wants a life different from his heritage, a lawyer’s daughter who finds joy in everything, especially family and Christmas, a letter never meant to be sent, written with only love in mind, the interference of a friend, the transformation of two lives.

    She was taken in by the Choctaw and treated as one of their own, even though she failed at the simplest of tasks. Eight years later, when two white men came into the village to claim her as their relative offering herds of cattle and horses in trade, she did what she thought was best for her Choctaw family. Bliss left her village in hopes she would find herself a better fit in the white world. Before the day was out, she learned the men were not who they said and had no intention of treating her like family. In the end, she was faced with an unforeseeable choice and an unwinnable battle. Two Feathers was a young Native learning the ways of the Choctaw. However, he was not like the other men in his village who lived off of the land, farming and raising livestock. He enjoyed spilling the blood of the invaders and was absent, fighting, more than he was home. Still, he had fallen for the little white girl who couldn’t farm, couldn’t make baskets, and was generally a failure at Native life. Returning from a battle, he discovered the white men had taken Bliss, the woman with whom he expected to share his life. Her unexpected departure changed everything. Gone were his desires to do anything other than locate the girl; she consumed his every thought and he vowed to bring her back. Learning that the men had nefarious intentions, only reinforced his resolve. Will he find her before she makes the dreadful decision she knows must be made? Will she be able to face her adopted, Native family after all that has happened? Will Two Feathers’ love be enough to vanquish the horrors she endured at the hands of her own people?

    With nothing more than a few coins in her pouch and the clothes on her back, she disappears into the night wholly unprepared for the stark reality of life on the streets.He was too late to save her. Vowing vengeance upon the uncle responsible for her brutal murder, Dominic Cavendish, Lord Havistock returns home to grieve for the woman he thought he had lost. The hauntingly familiar figure he finds there changes his life forever. Suddenly Dominic is faced with an entirely new battle.Will he and Isobel discover the truth behind the complex web of lies and deceit that tore them apart? Can he persuade Isobel to place her trust in him once more and take a chance on their future happiness, despite the threat to their very lives?Book One of new the Cavendish Mysteries series begins the journey of four very special couples living in Regency England, whose courtship is anything but conventional!Cinders and Ashes, book two of this intriguing new series is available from 15th January 2013. s

    Discovered by the police, Bincy is taken to an orphanage, where she learns that Mama is not the only person who doesn't want her. In truth, nobody wants her, and Bincy is forced to cling to the orphanage bully Mae for comfort. As the years pass, Mae forces Bincy to do everything she demands, from picking on the younger girls to giving up her meager allotment of food. When Bincy is betrayed by Mae, she's sent to work in a manor house as a scullery maid. That's where Bincy meets two young men: Judd, the street urchin who comes into the cellar to scavenge for food, and Henry, the charismatic young master of the house. Despite Judd's warnings, Bincy finds herself falling for Henry. But when Henry demands more from her than she's willing to give, Bincy has to make a choice: give herself to him or face her greatest fear of being alone and discarded once more.

    When an enigmatic stranger steals her heart, can she know he wants her for the right reasons?London 1808: Widowed at the age of twenty, Ann has no optimism for the future. At the beck and call of her domineering mother she longs to make a new life for herself with the legacy left by her late husband. But it's not that easy. Not when it means leaving her sisters behind. Her world is turned upside down when a curious gentleman stops to speak to her. Chas is new to the area, but he seems to know a lot about her … and he certainly looks well-to-do. Could he be her saviour? With newfound hope Ann dares to dream again, but Chas has a secret. Something he refuses to share. As their friendship grows, there are those who want to keep them apart … but when Ann stumbles upon Chas’s past, she realises that only she can decide what their future holds. Inspired by the compelling family history of author V L McBeath, The Young Widow is a standalone story in The Ambition & Destiny Series. Set in Georgian-era London, forty years before the start of this historical family saga, The Young Widow adds another dimension to this epic series. Get your copy today. Please Note: The Young Widow is written in UK English. Other books in The Ambition & Destiny Series: Prequel: Condemned by Fate Part 1: Hooks & Eyes Part 2: Less Than Equals Part 3: When Time Runs Out Part 4: Only One Winner Part 5: Different World

     After five years of hard work, Elliott Maitland has succeeded to make profitable the ranch he bought on a whim from a gambler who had no interest in working with cattle. A frosty winter day finds Elliott in town, hoping to conclude his business before the blizzard starts in earnest. Sam, the owner of the mercantile, asks him to give shelter to the new schoolteacher, who just arrived in town and has nowhere to stay. Celestine Tillman is in desperate need of a job and a place to live. Being hired as a teacher in Wyoming is a blessing. Discovering that no one is waiting for her at the train depot and no room is available in town so close to Christmas is distressing. Going home with this rancher could be dangerous, but what choice does she have? This adventure packed fictional story is set in Laramie, Wyoming at the end of the nineteen century and presents a true picture of the western town with all the good and the bad, the modern and the old west mixed together. An enduring town moving forward and changing with the times.

    

    A young man is given a new start in life as a result of an impulsive action, beginning a journey that will take him to the far reaches of the known world to watch - and sometimes to partake in - the rise and fall of mighty empires.

    When she lost the printing business that was their livelihood soon after they had lost both their mother and father, they also lost the home in which they had both been born. Relegated to a life in a grey tenement, and long hours of Ada working in the Bow match factory and little Emma selling wares on the cold, unaccommodating streets of east London, the sisters had nothing but each other. What they shared now was a life without warmth, a life of disadvantage, a life where roast lamb and gravy was no more than a shared illusion, where Christmas was not a day apart from any other. And then Ada was forced to enter into a contract with a monster. Would he sell her to the highest bidder just as he had done to so many women before? What would become of little Emma if she were taken from her? Everett Floyd was known to be heartless. How was it that two young, vulnerable and innocent girls could melt his icy heart without even trying? In an age of misery where money distinguished people - and separated lives - could two very different worlds come together to heal the pain of the past and bring a new reality?

    Ordered by the League of Nations to keep the peace, he has just a handful of aeroplanes to control the skies over Mesopotamia. Attacked by rebellious Kurds and then an invading Turkish army, the Royal Air Force is hard pressed to keep the peace. When an old nemesis from Bill’s past emerges, he finds himself fighting for not only peace but his life. Based on true events this is a fast-moving novel about the early days of the Royal Air Force.

    Can they reconcile their differences?When Lord Pendleton loses his brother, his entire world changes. Inheriting the title of Marquess of Leicestershire, he soon finds himself surrounded by nobles and sought-after by their daughters. He becomes determined to make a name for himself – and not be seen as a rogue like his late brother.Lady Augusta is destined to be married to Lord Leicestershire in a rigid, business-like agreement. Hating her father at first for not letting her choose her own husband, over time she grows to accept it – but she finds herself thrust aside by his newfound status.With Lord Leicestershire hounded by ladies and faced with distractions at every turn, will he and Lady Augusta be able to make their coming marriage work? Or will the strife between them be too much to overcome?In Search of LoveA lady in her third Season. A lord who is a rake. A case of mistaken identity changes their lives.Miss Julianna Martins is in her third Season and will soon be a spinster. However, a moment of mistaken identity sets her into a whirlwind– and she is forced to wed a rake she has never once set eyes on before.When her husband, Lord Altringham, leaves her in the country and returns to London, Julianna plucks up the courage to take a step forward in her life.Finding courage she didn’t know existed, she sets out to force her husband to get to know her and maybe even fall in love with her! Can she do it?Wed In DisgraceAn orphan and a disgraced Viscount...will they work together to clear his name…and find happiness along the way?Delilah’s decrepit uncle arranges her marriage to a disgraced Viscount, who is tainted by a crime he insists he didn’t commit.Can she allow herself to trust him and help him clear his name? Or will she turn her back on him completely?Betrayal and LiesA lady in exchange for debt. Is there any way out for Lady Christina?Lady Christina is stunned to learn that her father, Lord Enfield, is heavily in debt and the Baron holding the cards wants the family estate and her hand in marriage for his son.She desperately hopes her suitor, Lord Harlow, has a solution so they can be together.Can he puzzle a way out of this mess?A Past to ForgetA past relationship threatens their future. Can they clear his name and find happiness together?Miss Brooks must marry Viscount Stafford, although she knows nothing about him.Viscount Stafford is shunned by society for something from his past. Wanting to protect her from society’s gossips, he ends their engagement.But he didn’t count on Miss Brooks’ persistence and loyalty.Can she help him clear his name? And possibly even forgive him?Engaged to a FriendFriends for several Seasons, Lady Tabitha agrees to a fake engagement to Lord Yarmouth to help him inherit a fortune. What could go wrong?Lady Tabitha and Lord Yarmouth are nothing more than friends. When he needs a fake engagement, Lady Tabitha is happy to fill that role. But when a new version of his late father’s will is found, the solicitor informs him that he must be married, not just engaged, Lord Yarmouth begins to panic. What will he do now?