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

    But when the masks fall, hearts will break. When Lady Marianne Purcell visits Bath for a holiday to escape her sister’s temper and her mother’s scheming, she finds herself at a country fair. Masked and eager to pretend to be someone she’s not, she meets a gentleman who also disguises his identity. Intrigued and liberated by rouse, she meets the man at the fair every evening for three nights. They dance. They laugh. They kiss. And they fall in love. When they part ways at the end of their three nights together, she thinks she is leaving behind a shy townsman and returns to Mayfair with a sore heart. But when her sister introduces her newfound fiancé, Marianne soon realizes that she made a grave mistake. The masked man had not been a townsman. The masked man was Lord Alexander Redmond, the Marquess of Riversdale. And her cruel sister’s fiancé. With the help of her beloved friend, can Marianne persuade Alexander that love prevails over duty? And in the face of his father’s expectations, can Alexander prioritize his happiness over his fear of disappointing his father? Being so tender-hearted, will Marianne put her conniving sister’s materialistic desires over her own heart? Without their masks, Alexander and Marianne are different people. As they try to navigate the minefield of expectation and duty that surrounds them, will the love they felt at the country fair reign victoriously? Only time will tell. If you like thrilling characters, steamy and unexpected twists, and lots of romance, then you’ll love “A Marquess' Forbidden Desire!” Get “A Marquess' Forbidden Desire” and let the breathtaking story of Marianne and Alexander unravel today!

    For centuries the Scottish and English borders were known as the Debatable lands: wild, lawless, and the province of reivers, tight-knit robber families that roamed and pillaged the remote passes without fear...Fifteen-year-old Mintie Henderson has just seen her father murdered. With the Scottish King newly dead and an army of hired reivers on the march, justice is in short supply. Then she comes across Batty Coalhouse: one-armed and hard as nails. Together they will set out on a journey of revenge.But they are soon caught up in something bigger, a tale of Mary Queen of Scots and King Henry VIII. Stuck in the heart of a tempest, they know only one way to get out alive…Fight.

    Empty eyes – the empty eyes of her mother – stare right through her and Meara thinks her world has ended. She has no idea.Ebullient and feisty, eighteen-year-old Meara MacDonald lives an idyllic life with her family, on the mist-enfolded Isle of Skye, dreaming of the day when she will wed her heart, the gallant Duncan MacLeod. But fate has other plans and when Aunt Deirdre and Uncle Sloan seep into their midst, Meara’s family is taken, one-by-one, for reasons she discovers are both personal and nefarious. Mother is found dead, Da disappears, Duncan is taken by the Napoleonic Wars, Meara’s younger sister, Hannah – with child by Uncle Sloan – takes her own life and while Meara sleeps, her newborn son is snatched from her arms. Unable to reign in her spirit or her tongue, Meara finds herself catapulted from Scotland to a household steeped in mystery in Nova Scotia where, guided by her strength of will, she will fight her way back to the remains of her family; her heart and soul.**Warning ~ This novel is NOT suitable for the faint of heart. It is NOT a fluffy romance but a gritty tale of tragedy, betrayal and deception with true love, faith and justice. The dialogue throughout is authentic Scottish dialect with true-to-life swearing, violence and sex.Show more Show less

    Three o'clock struck. A sweet voice, abrupt and clear, broke the silence of the solemn scene. "Hubert. Where is Hubert? I must see him." "Tell him to come," said Dr. Evans to Dr. Letsom, "but do not tell him there is any danger."[...]".

    Rumors abound that this savage is responsible for the deaths of Lady Catrin’s father and brother. How can she allow her sweet cousin to wed a murderer? Bran ap Madog, bastard son of a Welsh prince, has devoted his life to serving the English king. His badge is the raven, a creature that feeds off rotting spoils, just as Bran feeds off the spoils of war. Now he wants a reward for his service: a wealthy wife and the land and power she can bring him. But there’s another side to the rapacious black birds Bran has chosen for his badge. Social and family-oriented, ravens mate for life. Which gives them something Bran never had—a family, a sense of belonging, and a rightful place in the world. Bran has fought for everything he’s ever had. But his last battle, with his new wife, may cost him the one thing he isn’t prepared to lose: his heart.

    Now that she is nearly a grown woman and her father is ailing, she must make difficult choices about the future. Several men--ranging from the undesired to the unthinkable--vie for her attentions, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a forbidden love that both terrifies and intrigues her. Can she betray the memory of her lost loved ones--and garner suspicion from her friends--by pursuing a life with him? Or should she seal her own misery by marrying a man she doesn't love? This sweeping tale of romance and forgiveness will envelop readers as it takes them from a Kentucky fort through the vast wilderness to the west in search of true love.

    Can she trust her heart to him again?During an age of chivalry they were sweethearts, planning a future together in England.Headstrong and proud, Catherine Sudfield remembers everything about Stefan Boswell. And she loved him in spite of his poverty and lack of nobility. The restless Gypsy rogue’s powerful good looks and promises of love were more than enough to satisfy her youthful dreams.But then Stefan left without a word, and Catherine's uncle bargained her off to a brothel.Sometimes, bonds between a man and a woman, however young, are meant to last a lifetime. But will it take more than a dose of Gypsy magic to chase away the doubts between two guarded lovers?SEEKING CATHERINE is a short novella (12,000 words)The story is a sweet romance. (no sex), but with sensual content.

    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.

    In Derry they both start to realise that sometimes you have to say goodbye to what you thought you always wanted, in order to find what you have needed all along. Editorial Reviews “One of the most scrumptious books i think I’ve ever read”All Things Books“Like a hug in a book! ... ideal book for those who doubts there's such a thing as having it all” – Woman’s Way“An amazing story of first love and how, even years later, the feelings can still exist. Based on a true story, this was my favourite tale of true love in recent years. Sweet, warm and endearing, it stayed with me for weeks after I had finished it. For all of us that believe there is a soulmate out there for everyone.” Bleach House LibraryQuite simply, this is one of the nicest, warmest and moving love stories I have read in years and I found myself very emotional while reading it. It had some personal meaning to me, as it was a similar tale to a relative of mine, and I had to stop reading a few times in order to pull myself together. I didn’t want it to end and the lump in my throat remains with me, even as I write this review. Writing.ieI LOVED this book. I was completely absorbed in it ...I really couldn't put it down - At Home with Mrs M“A feel-good, touching and amusing tale which readers will find hard to put down” – Irish Independent

    Two families - the Bruces and the Balliols - vie for the throne. Robert the Bruce is in love with Elizabeth de Burgh, the daughter of an adherent of the ruthless Longshanks, King of England. In order to marry her and not give up his chances of someday becoming King of Scots, Robert must abandon his rebel ways and bide his time as Longshanks' vassal. But Edward, Longshanks' heir, doesn't trust the opportunistic Scotsman and vows to one day destroy him. While quietly plotting his rebellion, Robert is betrayed by one of his own and must flee Longshanks' vengeance. Aided by the unlikely brilliance of the soft-spoken young nobleman, James Douglas, Robert battles for his throne. Victory, though, is never certain and Robert soon learns that keeping his crown may mean giving up that which he loves most-his beloved Elizabeth.

    By the time she realizes she might want to keep him, she has been too successful, and other forces are dividing them as well. A whirling romance in the enchanting world of Charlemagne’s Empire. Rochelle of Alda, a feisty Frank noblewoman, expects to continue her industrious life managing her family’s estate. When her emperor summons her to the palace to meet the skilled soldier she is required to marry for political reasons, Rochelle quickly engages in a battle for independence from David of Bavaria. Even as her own deceptions multiply she suspects another of also plotting against their marriage. To her surprise, and too late, David’s passion and patience begin to win her heart. Can their love survive the tangled web of her schemes and the secret adversary David refuses to see? Book One in the Evolution Series.

    Wounded and vulnerable, Alan encounters another injured fighter, a shaven-headed Bavarian named Hanno. But will this thuggish killer prove to be Alan's friend - or his foe? The legend continues in this short story in Angus Donald's masterly series The Outlaw Chronicles, perfect for devoted fans and newcomers alike. Also includes an extract from Warlord, the latest novel in The Outlaw Chronicles.

    Rhiann is a courageous and beautiful Scottish princess and priestess scarred by her violent past. Of noble blood, she faces what for her is the ultimate sacrifice - a forced marriage - to protect the freedom of her people. Eremon is an enigmatic Irish prince in exile, who must seek an alliance elsewhere to regain his throne. Will he prove himself to be the man who can unite the squabbling Celtic tribes against the more ominous threat of Rome? With war and chaos looming for her people, Rhiann finds herself drawn into an unexpected journey of the spirit and heart, which will reveal the true purpose of her life.