He was happier living in seclusion with his sisters. About to become betrothed to the icy daughter of a duke, he meets the vibrant, alluring Annie, who captivates his heart. But if he gives in to his desires, he risks a happy ending for his sisters, and they deserve their chances.Annie Cathcart is a widow from the City of London. Finally, she has the chance to achieve her dream of creating silverware for the table. But she needs Gerald's old Shoreditch home to do it. Expecting a stuffy, pompous aristocrat, she meets a man who sees right through her practical exterior to the passionate woman beneath. She wants him more than the house, her respectability, and her independence.Annie and Gerald are faced with stark choices when her landlord tries to blackmail her into marriage. Either they give in to the pressures forcing them into unhappy respectability apart... or they boldly defy convention in the name of love.

    His mother was right. He still had deep feelings for her and wanted to make things right between them.Two Tempted Loves - Ebony McKenna writing as Ebony OatenA newly-minted marquis meets an heiress on a missionThree French Men - Ava JanuaryThree ladies need to rid themselves of the men they find living in their house. Or will they find a way to keep them in instead?Four Calling Cards - Susanne BellamyHer fiancé is missing and his best friend takes his place. What can possibly go wrong?Five Gold Flings - Beverley OakleyWicked and lively Fanny and Antoinette Brightwell have made spectacular marriages. Now, it’s their children’s turn to play matchmaker...Six Belles Need Saving - Janis LinfordA reluctant debutante and a viscount on the brink of ruin, tangle at a Christmas school of manners.Seven Lords Proposing - Erin GraceAmateur botanist Charlotte Grey has long declared she should never wed. When six eligible gentlemen offer for Miss Grey’s hand at a party, she sets them impossible tasks.Eight Spinsters Singing - Catherine BilsonAn heiress fleeing an unwanted marriage must place her trust in an American ship captain.Nine Years A'Yearning - Alison StuartA wounded soldier and a lonely girl find love at Christmas time, but the fortunes of war will tear them apart.Ten Shipwrecked Books - Renée DahliaLord Rupert Stanmore was banished to the continent for a grand tour after being caught kissing his best friend, Lord Benburgh. Two years later and life back in England has caught up to him.Eleven Christmas Pipers - Pamela HartA Widow who'll never love a soldier again. Especially one who plays the bagpipes!Twelve Drummers Coming - Heidi Wessman KnealeMaude regarded her teacup. So that was Uncle Nate's eldest son? She'd heard much about him, of his grand career as a soldier. Funny that nobody mentioned he was only a drummer.

    As soon as he rights his family legacy, he'll return to London where he belongs. He definitely won't rekindle the forbidden spark crackling between him and the irresistible spitfire he'd left behind...Noelle Pratchett is immune to charming rakehells like the arrogant duke. He stole her heart, stole her first kiss, and then stole away one night never to return. Now he's back—and so are all the old feelings. Noelle knows he won't stay. But how can she maintain her icy shields when every heated glance melts her to her core?

    But six years of marriage resulted in no children, and the widowed Emily now cares for others as a governess. She loves her work, and it allows her to care for her parents who can no longer support themselves. But it does not quite fill the hole in her heart.Lord Charles Blythe, Earl of Doverton, absolutely must produce an heir to prevent his loathsome cousin or the man's obnoxious son from inheriting. Since the death of his wife, however, Charles has no desire to wed any of the young, empty-headed women that society thrusts at him.When Charles impulsively tells his cousin he is to marry, he chooses the first woman he sees in the crowd at a ball. Shocked to find out she’s a governess, he nevertheless convinces her to join his family for Christmas to participate in the charade. They must fight their attraction, however, for Charles needs a son, the one thing Emily knows she cannot give him.Is there any chance for their Christmas wishes to come true?

    Will they dare reach for more?She is his oldest friend, and he is hers.Until a mistletoe kiss......goes horribly wrong.England 1801: MISS ANNE THATCHER ought to choose a husband. That, however, is easier said than done for no man of her acquaintance manages to capture her attention, her interest, her heart. The only man she has ever loved is Tobias Hawke, her childhood friend who has always been like an older brother to her, troublesome but loyal.Anne cannot think of him without remembering how he used to hide frogs in her bed when they were children. He is her friend, not a suitor, and yet, lately, whenever she finds herself looking into those chocolate-brown eyes of his, Anne cannot help but wonder......what if he kissed her?TOBIAS HAWKE, brother to Viscount Barrington, no longer sees the little girl he once knew when he looks at his childhood friend Anne Thatcher. To him, she’s no longer Little Annie, and the thought that she might still think of him as Little Toby disturbs him greatly. Yes, she is his confidante, his friend, the one woman who knows him like no other, but......what if he kissed her?Neither one of them dares to risk the friendship that connected them since childhood...until Christmas arrives, and they find themselves pushed under a sprig of mistletoe.What if?This is the prequel to the Whickertons in Love series and was previously published in the holiday anthology, Mistletoe & Mayhem.

    When he finally comes home to celebrate the holidays it’s to introduce his fiancée to his family.Will the Christmas season give them a second chance at happiness? Or will honor demand they separate forever?

    For at the top of each guest’s wish list is a last chance to find true love before the New Year…A chance meeting beneath the mistletoe, a stolen glance across the dance floor—amid the sumptuous delicacies, glittering decorations, and swell of the orchestra, every duchess and debutante, lord and lackey has a hopeful heart. There's the headstrong heiress who must win back her beloved by midnight—or be wed to another....the spinster whose fateful choice to relinquish love may hold one more surprise for her...a widow yearning to glimpse her long-lost love for even one sweet, fleeting interlude...a charming rake who finds far more than he bargained for. And many other dazzling, romantic tales in this star-studded collection that will fill your heart and spice up your holidays...Contents:Prologue by Jo BeverleyMy True Love Hath My Heart by Joanna BourneA Scottish Carol by Susan KingChristmas Larks by Patricia RiceIn the Bleak Midwinter by Mary Jo PutneyOld Flames Dance by Cara ElliottA Season for Marriage by Nicola CornickMiss Finch and the Angel by Jo BeverleyMistletoe Kisses by Anne Gracie

    Too bad for him, clever and impossibly desirable Julia Sudbury shows up in his bedroom.Like a shadow, Julia slips from Mayfair's ballrooms into the nobility's private chambers where nothing is more appealing than a spare piece of jewelry. Earrings, necklaces, and cravat pins, oh my!With Julia's bad behavior tarnishing his reputation in ways he'd never imagined, Jasper goes on the run to escape the brutal gossips shredding his family name.It's enough to make a cocky rake wish he were safely married! Who will tame whom?

    Vincent, spinster sister of the Devil Duke of Enwright, finds herself in something of a quandary. While attending Lord Raynecourt's annual holiday house party she has been relentlessly pursued by a veritable army of men after her hand in marriage. Not to mention her obscenely sizeable dowry. She is at her wit's end when the dashing Lord Fitzherbert Frost, the current Earl of Houghton, appears as if by magic and comes to her rescue, saving her from yet another fortune hunter. Now paired with Lord Frost during a rather absurd treasure hunt through the manor house, Amelia must decide if she is willing to trade one night in the earl's bed for a lifetime of ruination. Or whether the magical power of love can melt even the frostiest of hearts before it is too late. This 36,300-word novella, which is a companion piece to the "Tales From Seldon Park" series, is written in the modern, Regency romance style for a slightly hotter and sexier read. It may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

    More than anything, he did not wish for word of it to reach Emily’s ears. When the truth surfaces, Alexander may lose the only woman he's ever loved. Miss Emily Ingram is a lady. At least she has the appearance of one. Secretly, Emily would much rather return to the days of her childhood raising trouble with her wild brother and his best friend, the handsome Alexander. Emily's mother, the Viscountess of Kentleworth has other ideas. Emily is given the Christmas holiday to choose between her London suitors. Alexander may be a duke, but he is not a proper gentleman. He fears he is too late to win the lady’s affection. He only has until the New Year to discover Emily’s feelings. As the holiday festivities begin, an event from his past may sever their childhood friendship and extinguish any chance at love between them. Will the duke’s secret destroy the love he hoped to kindle in her very proper heart? Will practical and determined Emily overcome what keeps them apart? One can hope for a Christmas miracle. After all even the coldest heart can melt. A sweet Christmas romance about growing up, overcoming the past and learning to love. Get your copy today! Though part of a series, all of Isabella Thorne’s novels are standalone stories, and can be read in any order. Fans of Grace Burrowes, Georgette Heyer and Christi Caldwell will enjoy all of Isabella Thorne’s classic sweet regency romance books. The Ladies of the North The Duke’s Winter Promise (Prequel) - Isabella Thorne’s Christmas new release 2019 The Ladies of Bath The Duke’s Daughter The Baron in Bath The Deceptive Earl Winning Lady Jane (Prequel) The Hawthorne Sisters The Forbidden Valentine The Baggington Sisters The Countess and the Baron Almost Promised The Healing Heart The Lady to Match a Rogue Nettlefold Chronicles Novellas Not Quite a Lady Not Quite a Knight Stitched in Love Other Novels by Isabella Thorne The Mad Heiress and the Duke The Duke’s Wicked Wager Follow Isabella Thorne on Amazon, Facebook and Bookbub. SIGN UP for her newsletter to be notified of the debut of Isabella Thorne's next novel.

    Should she trust her own flesh and blood? Or rely on someone else, someone from her past, to keep her son safe?Convincing the Countess by Alina K. Field: When a business-minded aristocrat encounters a fetching widow he met years earlier as the bride of a ne’er-do-well earl, temptation steers him along a track that may derail all his plans. Can he convince her to set a course for her future that includes him?Rescued by a Rake by Wendy Vella: Miss Ivy Redfern’s life is thrown into turmoil when her brother disappears five days before Christmas. Desperate for help she turns to the devilishly charming Mr. Haddon. He agrees but it comes with a price: her heart!Unwise But Not Dishonorable by Barbara Monajem: A spymaster’s beautiful daughter crashes a Christmas house party to steal back a precious medallion, but finds that one of her father’s men is already there on a secret mission. Can they work together to unmask a traitor despite the distraction of falling in love?Meet Me at the Mistletoe by Donna Cummings: Desmond Mayfield enlists the Matchmaking Earl to find his perfect match, hoping for a love like his parents' legendary romance. He meets an enchanting temptress, but she is only amenable to a brief affair, unwilling to risk another loveless union. Can mistletoe—and the kisses they inspire—convince her their passion will last through every season? While You Were Roguish by Samantha Grace: When a roguish neighbor breaks into her cousin’s house seeking shelter from a winter storm, Bess decides to teach him a lesson. Instead, the wild and reckless Lord Julius reignites a fiery passion in her that almost led to her ruin years ago—and threatens to consume her now. Wedded to the Welsh Baron by Sasha Cottman: With little more than a ruined castle in Wales to his name, the last thing Welsh baron Rhys Morgan wants is to inherit a rundown English estate. With no money and no prospects, Wister York’s greatest fear is that when Lord Carno arrives at Kington House, he will throw her out. Once Upon a Kiss Gone Horribly Wrong by Bree Wolf: Always has Anne looked at her childhood friend Tobias Hawke with love in her heart. Only now, she no longer sees Little Toby when those chocolate-brown eyes meet hers and she cannot help but wonder, what if he kissed her?A Rogue and Some Mistletoe by Lana Williams: A lady fearful of risking her heart meets a handsome rogue who tempts her to find the courage to love with the help of mistletoe and the magic of Christmas. The Duke’s Christmas List by Bronwen Evans: Ignored all season, Lady Harriet Rondell is affronted by Charles Spencer, the Duke of Bladestow’s sudden Christmas visit proffering marriage. Armed with a copy of Blade’s disgustingly traditional list of requirements he is looking for in his wife, Harriet sets about convincing him she is not—and never will be—his Christmas bride.Publishers note: If you adore steamy Christmas and Regency romance, you’ll love this anthology!

    Now her reputation hangs by a thread and only a hurried marriage can rescue her. Is the Earl of Erskine the heartless libertine the world believes? Or will Philippa discover unexpected honor in a man notorious for his wild ways?Blair Hume, the dissolute Earl of Erskine, has had his eye on the intriguing Miss Sanders since he arrived at this deadly dull house party. Now a reckless act delivers this beguiling woman into his hands as a delightful Christmas gift. Is fate offering him a fleeting Yuletide diversion? Or will this Christmas Eve encounter spark a passion that lasts a lifetime?

    But it is nothing to the upheaval caused by Lara Le Brecque, his best friend's sister, when she climbs over his townhouse wall shortly before Christmas and attempts to sneak into his London home. Lara ought to be on the marriage mart, enjoying her London season and the holiday festivities, but when she confides the Le Brecque family problems to him, he knows he must do all he can to help...even if it means marrying Lara. Lara Le Brecque is facing another difficult Christmas with her family in disgrace and under threat of losing all their holdings. Lara has no one else to turn to but Marcus Brayden, who has just returned home from the Napoleonic War and been awarded the Scottish earldom of Kinross for his heroism in battle. With her father under house arrest and suspected of treason, and her brother condemned as a pirate and a murderer, she must expose the villain behind this plot to destroy her family and needs Marcus to help her bring this culprit to justice. Marcus has told her to hide in his rooms at the Wicked Earls' Club if ever she is in danger, but as she finds herself falling in love with Marcus, she realizes the greatest danger of all is to her heart.

    For the courageous and beautiful single mother, this was her reality… When a meet and greet with an adoring young fan changes both of their worlds, Kyle will have to prove that there’s more to him than meets the eye, and Aurora will need to have faith that, after years of just scraping by, she is deserving of more than just a temporary reprieve from her daily struggle… For the movie star and the single mom, will a Christmas Wish become their new reality? *Can be read as a standalone. No cliffhanger*

    Roy enthralled her with the legend of a mystical sword—almost as much as with his kiss. When she encounters him at a Highland inn, she hears the sword may be real...and that his name isn’t Roy. She determines to find the blade as well as the truth about the enigmatic man she hasn’t been able to forget.Wounded at Culloden, Tavish Crawford lost his family legacy, a centuries-old sword on the battlefield. Now many people would like to find it, including a villainous secret society and the captivating woman who has remained in his memory. When nefarious forces overtake the inn, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect the sword and the woman who has stolen his heart.Previously published under the title Highland Hearts as part of the A Very Highland Christmas anthology