Luckily, she has a dashing hero to assist her. But his puzzling past may tear them apart.Eleanor Blackwood is thrilled to spend time at her best friend’s country estate. Angsley Hall overflows with the breathtaking natural beauty of fields, forests, and a mighty river, as well as with a mystery or two. She’s even more delighted by the unexpected arrival of the man who has secretly captured her heart.Grayson O’Connor is not immune to Eleanor’s charms. True, she still climbs trees and acts rashly, but she also has a quick wit and joyful humor. Yet with his own past cloaked in shadows, he’s not convinced he has the right to pursue this innocent spirit.Amidst a week of drenching squalls, they begin an intriguing treasure hunt based on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Gold Bug. Danger becomes all too real with midnight intruders, shots in the dark, and a perilously swollen river cresting its banks. Unlike Poe’s story of pirate booty, Eleanor and Gray discover the greatest treasure is the precious human heart—theirs to cherish or to tear apart.Engaging characters, attention to period detail, and passionate romance with a touch of intrigue—you’ll find it all in the stories by USA Today bestselling writer Sydney Jane Baily.(Note: This story was first published as part of the USA Today Bestselling Boxed set, The Midnight Hour: All Hallows' Brides, October 2019)

    THE HIGHLANDER’S IMPROPER WIFE by Tarah Scott and KyAnn WatersA proper young lady should never attend a Masque...Aphrodite is no lady. Upon the death of her betrothed Lord Blackhall, Lady Caroline Wilmont is promised to his brother. But she refuses to allow her first taste of desire to be at the hands of a man who hates her. Taran Robertson scorns marriage to the Sassenach heiress. The night before his wedding he attends a masque. The vixen he meets and seduces has secrets...secrets that may reveal he’s to have an improper wife.THE LOVE OF A RAKE by Linda Rae SandeAt thirty-five, Randall Roderick, Marquess of Reading, decides it's time to trade in his life as the ‘Rake of Reading’ for the life of a married man. Trouble is, his reputation precedes him. When Constance meets him in the park, she's intrigued by the gentleman she thinks is a well-to-do cit with a fascination for horse racing. Determined to discover what’s become of her inheritance and then return to her home and horses to live as an independent woman, she’s not interested in being courted. Or is she? It may take a bit of horse sense for these two to get on the right track in “The Love of a Rake”.A QUESTION OF LOVE by Angeline FortinThough widowhood freed her from the prison her life had become, Eve was still floundering, trying to rediscover the lively girl she'd once been when her first love Francis MacKintosh, Earl of Glenrothes reappeared in her life. Tempted by passion and the longing to truly live again, Eve struggles between her old self and the new, between yearning to be with him and a determination never to put herself under the thumb of another man - even one she discovers she still loves as much as her Glenrothes. MYRIAH FIRE by Claudy ConnIt started with a stolen kiss.Fiery Myriah Whitney is wild of nature, contrary, and independent. 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 sets Myriah on fire.She has, it seems, finally found her thunder and lightning. LOVING THE MARQUESS by Suzanna MedeirosTo save her family from destitution, Louisa Evans must turn to the head of the family that ruined hers. But the Marquess of Overlea hides a secret that will turn her whole world upside down.

    unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.Love is just a whim away…Free-spirited Opal Jones and straight-laced Peter Ravenshaw are childhood friends growing up in India, away from the structured mores of English society. But all good things must come to an end. The friends are sent to England and go their separate ways.Years pass but not Opal's love for Peter. Opal is determined to get her man, but she will need the help of Lady Dove-Lyon, the most notorious matchmaker in London.The Lyon’s Den will host a most unusual game: He who can stay awake the longest, wins the hand of the fair Miss Opal Jones. Peter is horrified that his beautiful, headstrong friend would give herself away on a game of chance, not realizing that Opal already holds all the cards.

    Robert can’t speak. He can’t tell her what makes him happy or sad. Nell has to work that out for herself. Not everyone is happy about Robert’s existence. Can Nell save him from a desolate future, secure his inheritance and ensure he takes his rightful place in society? A love story.

    Who will protect her from herself?Shoney's lightning speed with a bow captures Ronan by surprise, and their chance meeting ends with him lying unconscious at the bottom of a ravine.When he awakens, he cannot rid his mind of her startling beauty, her valor, or the secret fear he glimpsed in her steel eyes. He vows to find her, but as the mysteries of her identity unfold, his courage and heart are tested as never before.Highland Thunder, Book 2A STORM IS COMING...Although she faces tragic loss, Brenna will never succumb to grief or fear, nor will she surrender to the one man she despises--the very man who now has the power to control her destiny. Like the storms that rage unchecked over the moors, her fury is about to be unleashed.A HIDDEN LOVE...He does not look at her or speak to her, and most importantly, he does not touch her. These are the rules Duncan set for himself long ago to ensure his affection for his best friend's wife remained undetected. But under the weight of a land besieged by war, the walls he erected to shield his heart crumble.If he can earn her trust, the one woman he has always loved may at last be his. But first he must save what he cherishes most from a nightmare of dark secrets.To Love a Warrior, Book 3Destinies unfold. Secrets are revealed. The Isle of Mull will be forever changed.Half Highlander, half Viking, Garik MacKinnon was not born on the Scottish Isle of Mull, but fostered there in his youth. Now, he leaves behind his home, once more bound for Mull, to join the MacKinnon warriors as they answer Robert the Bruce's call to arms. He is ready for battle, eager to fight for Scotland's freedom. What he is not prepared for is his encounter with Nellore, a shield maiden from Mull, whose allure defies all reason.Nellore has the strength and skill of a warrior but the heart of a woman. When the men are called away to war Nellore must aid those left behind to safeguard their village against attacks from the MacLeans--a feuding clan to the south. She understands her duty to her clan. She is ready to take up arms against the enemy if need be. What she is not ready for is the ache that fills her heart when war pulls Garik from her side.Desire ignites and battles are waged as both Nellore and Garik learn what it means to love a warrior.

    One forbidden love. Lady Cecily Balfour was always taught that the Hartley men are mad, bad and dangerous to know. When she meets Robert Hartley, Earl of Scarcliffe, she makes a few additions to that list: Stubborn. Infuriating. Handsome. Charming. Tempting. Society expects Cecily to make an advantageous match of her father’s choosing. What can she do now that her own choice is a man she is expressly forbidden to see? The Earl of Scarcliffe enjoys hunting, drinking, billiards, and bachelordom. Love does not feature on his list of requirements. Especially for a woman with a stubborn streak a mile wide and a penchant for riding off on his favourite stallion. And if that same woman is a Balfour? Not a chance! But Cecily just happens to have a pair of striking blue eyes, a taste for adventure and a rapier-sharp sense of humour… Robert’s heart is in as much danger as his head will be in if they are caught together. The Duke's Hidden Desire A reckless duke meets his match in a determined young woman – and throws her future into jeopardy with one stolen kiss. Miss Anna Hawkins, the daughter of a poor country doctor, knows the mysterious stranger who kissed her at the ball cannot really be the Duke of Beaumont. Dukes are virtuous and noble, and this man is arrogant, impudent… and dangerously seductive. Beaumont cannot forget Anna Hawkins. It’s not only her sharp mind and delicate features. It’s not only the flame-red hair he longs to caress. It’s not even that she is the only woman in England to say no to a duke. Anna is not afraid to chastise Beaumont for his lack of virtue, and he has never wanted anyone more. But it takes more than a dukedom to win a woman’s heart. The Lady He Longed For A brooding lord encounters his widowed childhood sweetheart – and they uncover a secret that could change everything… Lord Jonathan Hartley’s first love left him a broken man. Now that Isabella is back, widowed, wounded and more lovely than ever, the last thing he wants to do is revisit the past. But Isabella has a way of digging up all the secrets he thought he had buried. His undimmed love for the tragic heiress is only one of them. Isabella, the widowed Countess of Streatham, knows she belongs in Jonathan’s arms. But she is no longer the naïve debutante who believed in true love, and marriage brought her pain she vowed never to endure again. Jonathan abandoned her once, and if he wants her forgiveness, she will make him fight for it. Whether she falls in love again is quite a different question. The Baron's Inconvenient Bride In his haste to find a marriage of convenience, an arrogant baron proposes to his sworn enemy… Lady Jemima Stanhope has a secret she cannot share, even with her husband. Especially with her husband. Because that husband is the incorrigible rake, Lord Northmere.

    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

    Instead, her intended is a saloonkeeper. Her refusal to marry enrages John Hardy and he slices her cheek with a knife so no other man would want her. She runs into the street and no one helps her until blond, blue eyed Cinders rescues her. Sexy, rancher Cinders saves Shannon and offers her a job. To protect her reputation he must marry her. They both agree it’s a marriage of convenience. He admires her spunk and willingness to learn everything about surviving the Texas frontier. He waits for her to ask to go home but she never does. They learn a lot about each other through, stolen horses, Indian troubles, a cattle drive and the busybodies of the town. Their attraction for each other grows, but can they learn to trust enough to love? Join me in Asherville, Texas and see how this love story unfolds.

    She may never know true love, but her people will finally know peace. However, when tragedy strikes more than once, and Elizabeth is pawned from laird to laird, unexpected desires for one man threaten to compromise her dutiful existence, forcing her to defy the rules. As the spare to the heir, Robert Irvine understands his obligation to the clan during these volatile times. But, marrying his brother’s beautiful widow is more than he bargained for, and nothing he is prepared for. When all he never wanted becomes all he ever needed, Robert suddenly stands to lose it all. When war is a constant threat, and a marriage to Elizabeth is the key to peace, Robert will do all he can to secure both, until he discovers she has done something that may destroy them both. Irvines of Drum Book 1 - For Love of a Laird Book 2 - Like a Laird to a Flame Book 3 - Maid for the Knight

     When Ellen Holton’s father dies, she faces yet another adversity: for her father to forge the business alliance he always wanted, she must marry the son of a Scottish Laird. But arriving at the Highlands she discovers two brothers and, unfortunately, she falls for the wrong one… Alexander Golgow, the youngest of Laird Elairon’s sons, is a man of honor and a true Highland warrior. But the moment he first lays his eyes on his brother’s bride, he feels torn between his duty and his heart. However, trying to escape the luring erotic ropes slowly embracing them is more difficult than they think… When Ellen realizes her father’s death was not an accident, her life changes for the third time. Now she and Alexander must quickly uncover the one behind all misfortunes—the one person who has been pulling the strings right from the very start. *Torn Between Two Highlanders is a steamy Scottish historical romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, lots of steam and a happy ending. Get this book for free with Kindle Unlimited!

    What’s a desperate and slightly mad laird to do? Why, take a page from his great-great-whatever-grandfather’s folio, and declare an ultimatum: Whichever daughter marries and has a son first, then her husband gets to be the next Laird Oliphant. There! Only a little bit sexist, and it should get the job done!Unfortunately, none of his daughters are interested. Take the youngest, for example... Leanna Oliphant’s goal is to lead as adventurous a life as possible, and it seems as if she’s going to get her wish, even without having to help things along (that fire was an accident, honest!). First, her father made that ridiculous proclamation, which she figures she can ignore, because the dear man is several eggs short of a dozen. Next, a handsome and mysterious man arrives at Oliphant Castle, claiming to be on a secret mission from the king (although he won’t say which king). Then Leanna, through some careful “negotiations,” convinces the delicious stranger to let her help in his mission, which leaves the two of them all alone in a dark and secret passageway.Then, a skeleton drops on them, completely ruining the mood.As one of His Majesty’s elite Hunters, Laird Kenneth McClure is on the trail of a missing royal messenger. The man’s secret mission had sent him toward Oliphant Castle, so that’s where Kenneth followed, looking for clues to the man’s disappearance. The brawny warrior doesn’t know who he can trust, particularly when one of the laird’s daughters offers to help in his mission. But bubbly Leanna is a ray of sunshine in his dark life, and too enticing to resist.When the pair of them discover the dead body mid-canoodle, Kenneth is fairly certain it’s not his missing quarry. Almost. Probably not. But…he’s beginning to realize things are not as they seem on Oliphant land, what with the mad laird, hypochondriac lady, more ghosts than he can count, six sisters, one wailing bagpiper, and who let this random donkey wander through the great hall?Does the delightful Leanna know more than she’s saying? Kenneth’s mission for the king may be the downfall of this crazy family, and he’s not certain it’s worth it.Warning: Contains silliness. And, like, a lot of anachronistic jokes. And plenty of really naughty bits. If you don’t have a sense of humor, you might want to skip this one.

    Loren is perceived as a child as thin as a rail with mud caked hair when Old Tom and his boys come across Thad Walters on their way to town. Rather than take the chance that Miss Pearl won't offer him enough money for a visit at Pearl's brothel, Old Tom decides to convince Thad to buy her. Thad knew that he would do everything in his power to get the child away from the men that had her tied behind their horse half dragging her to town. When he finally payed them enough to get four steak dinners and one roll in the hay for Old Tom, he took her to his ranch planning to take the child to the next town where she could be taken in by a good family. To his surprise, when she got all the mud off, he found her to be a beautiful woman, not a child at all.

    In order to earn a spot on his Jarl’s voyage, he must compete against his fellow Northmen in games of strength and skill. But when he learns that the prize for winning the competition is the hand of the dark-haired beauty he met only days ago, will he be forced to choose between his dreams and his heart? Eyva wants nothing more than to train as a shieldmaiden, but her parents refuse, hoping to yoke her to their Northland farm forever. When they put her up as the bride prize for their village’s festivities, she fears she will never escape the fate of a grueling life on her parents’ farm. But Tarr’s longing gaze and soft kisses just might give her the courage to fight for herself—and for their budding love. *This is a novella in the Viking Lore series and features all the beloved characters from Enthralled, Shieldmaiden’s Revenge, and Desire’s Hostage. Although it is meant to take place between Shieldmaiden’s Revenge (Book 2) and Desire’s Hostage (Book 3), it can be read as a stand-alone novella. **This novella was originally published in the Sirens of the Northern Seas collection in January, 2016.

     In the service of the Hadley family since birth, she’s been in love with Frederick, the Duke of Chescrown’s son, all her life. But years of rejection and unrequited love have taken their toll and when a charming new servant arrives at the manor, Josephine is determined to leave the past behind. Frederick Hadley, Marquess of Pentford, is a man who carries his title with pride. Determined to uphold the family’s spotless reputation, he renounces his feelings for Josephine, invoking the social gap between them. However, anonymous letters addressed to his mother threaten to shatter that pristine image. Amidst a wild goose chase to get answers before the culprit acts on their threats, Frederick risks losing not only Josephine but also his very own birthright.

    But it is time to settle down and marry an heiress to save the crumbling and heavily burdened estate he inherited from his wastrel father. Not that he wishes to marry. He rather enjoys his own wastrel life.He finds the perfect solution when he rescues one hugely irritating spitfire by the name of Miss Katie Pringle from drowning. She's a runaway bride. Her wealthy father and even wealthier betrothed are offering an extremely generous reward for her safe return. All Niall has to do is get her back to London and claim his riches. What can possibly go wrong?