While swimming one morning, he helps a young lady rescue her reticule from the pond. A promised dance in exchange for his service gives him hope there will be more to the summer than melting heat and his mother’s icy glares.Avice King is horrified to discover that the bumpkin who helped her retrieve her reticule is no laborer at all, but the charming Lieutenant Addison she bore her soul to five years ago aboard her father’s ship. Her anger at him pushing her away has festered, but she is determined not to let it distract her from her duty. Ever since losing her father at sea, she has thrown herself into caring for her mother’s fragile health without a care for her own wants or needs. But money is growing ever tighter, and the courts won’t declare her father’s death official without more evidence, keeping his fortune wrapped up out of their reach.As Spencer and Avice are thrown together in town, she comes to see his true humility, and he finds she is no longer the young girl he discouraged. Her feelings for him begin to bloom afresh, but Avice knows she cannot have what she wants. She needs her father’s death proved or his approval before she can marry. Spencer and Avice must find a way around the obstacles placed by their parents or let go of the only joy either has found in years.

    Yet here she is, dancing at Almacks and riding through Hyde Park. It would be perfectly delightful if it weren’t for the whispers and scornful glances. She certainly never sought to quit her place in society as a tradesman’s daughter. At least then she had known who she was and how to act; now, she’s completely lost.Adam Lambert has been raised to be a viscount and though the time has come sooner than expected he is confident stepping into this new life. Until he meets his Father’s best kept secret—a little girl. And now she’s Adam’s responsibility. Surely someone ought to have told him about her before now.After stumbling through an initial meeting, Adam and Eliza both find in the other what they most need this Season—a sincere friend. But society is not often willing to grant two people room to learn for themselves who to be, or who to love.As the first stand-alone novel in a new series by author Laura Rollins, The Audacious Miss Eliza begins the Daughters of Courage series. This charming story is a light-hearted, clean and wholesome romance set in the Regency era (think: a clean Bridgerton).

    Disregarding their feelings for the price their beauty will fetch on the Marriage Mart, he arranges a match for both. Lady Margaret, however, has her own views on the matter and takes her Fate into her own hands.Returning home after war to assume his responsibilities, Luke, Duke of Waverley, expects a nice, quiet life on his country estate. Within hours of stepping foot in England, though, he stumbles upon a young woman being attacked and no sooner does he rescue her than she runs away. His sense of curiosity is piqued and his sense of honour compels him to help her, leading him on a merry chase…Meg escapes the marriage, only to find herself at the mercy of others. Fortunately, in the soldier she cannot avoid she also finds herself in very capable hands. Only her uncle has a deeper reason for his actions and will stop at nothing to see his plans fulfilled.

    But it’s her own blossoming feelings for Lord Cameron that pose the greater threat. If she can’t keep him out of her heart, she’s sure to compromise the bargain, break her vow, and lose her one shot at freedom for good.

    There, she is free of society's expectations and her worries of the future. With the death of Lord Percival Barrington, the only grandfather figure she's ever known, Ivy is torn between the grief of losing him and her beloved summer home. Losing Bridgestone, even to one as worthy and handsome as Percival's great-nephew Henry, seems cruel and unfair. So when Ivy learns of a provision in the will, she is more than willing to go to great lengths to secure the inheritance for herself. The only catch? Ivy must marry a man that fits a list of requirements before the season ends. She quickly learns, however, that love has its own set of rules--rules that are not so easily defined nor understood. What if her opponent is actually the man she's been searching for? Can Ivy secure a match before her time runs out, or will surrendering her heart mean losing all that was intended for her?

    She needed a suitable match. Neither thought they would fall in love. For six years Alex Bellingham has pretended to be a pirate. Then his crew discovered his ruse, forcing Alex to run. His only way out of Portsmouth and away from his pursuers is in the carriage of two unsuspecting ladies. After an unsuccessful Season and several house parties without any assurances, Abigail Marleigh knows this house party is her last chance. If she is unable to secure a match for herself, her uncle will make good on his threats and arrange a match for her. Alex arrives at the house party intending to use it only as a place to hide. To his shock, one of the ladies attending not only knows who he is but also peaks more than just his interest. When his crew discovers his whereabouts, Alex knows he can’t risk her safety, even if it means living with a broken heart.

    Working alongside her sisters, they strive to secure the most unlikely people with love matches. Everything is perfect until an infuriating lord steps into her office, turning her world upside down.Edward Simpson, the Viscount of Berkshire, has a problem. His sister needs to marry, and quickly. When he approaches Miss Blackmore to hire her services, he does so poorly and ends up soundly insulting her. Luckily, he fares better with his second attempt.Edward is boorish. Katherine is headstrong. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, they soon realize that they need each other if they want to save Edward’s sister from making a horrible mistake. But Katherine works hard to keep Edward at a distance, even if he is worthy of her heart. Can Edward prove to Katherine that he is the man for her, or will he lose her forever?

    He’s the captain who shipwrecked on her watch. A marriage of convenience can save her home—if secrets don’t destroy it first.Abigail Moore will do anything to keep Golowduyn Lighthouse shining brightly, even if she must do so alone. When a shipwreck occurs near her home one stormy evening—bringing with it a dashing captain keen to offer his aid at every turn—her days of isolation vanish. Captain Gavin Kendricks didn’t expect to end his naval career by crashing his ship against the rugged cliffs of Cornwall. When he’s pulled from the sea by the fearless and quick-tempered Miss Moore, a tentative friendship forms between them, and he begins to realize what has been missing from his life. Before either of them can explore these newfound stirrings, death and deception hit Golowduyn, and Abigail is left with a choice. Either she loses everything she has ever loved, or she marries the captain and accepts his help. Unable to give up the lighthouse, she agrees to the union, and they work together to see that the light does not diminish. But when her childhood secrets are unearthed, and their property falls victim to troubling defacement, their marriage threatens to crumble. Gavin fights to gain her confidence, but only Abigail can forget the crippling memories of her past to trust Gavin with Golowduyn—and her heart.

    Or that she will fall in love with him.Phoebe Kimball grew up believing in love, but after failing to find a gentleman capable of capturing her heart, she has turned more practical than romantic. She is determined to find a husband in London this Season. If only the annoying Mr. Fenwick would stop appearing every time she sets her cap at someone! When an anonymous letter arrives warning her that her current target is unsuitable marital material, Phoebe begins a relationship with the letter writer that promises something more than a practical alliance. Griffin Fenwick does not usually care for women on the hunt for a husband, but Miss Kimball's quick wit and refusal to admit she enjoys his company intrigues him. When he realizes the gentlemen on her list of eligible bachelors is full with scoundrels, he warns her the only way he can - through a letter. As he comes to know Phoebe better, he soon realizes he wishes to put his own name on her list. If only she liked Griffin as much as she liked her anonymous correspondent.When Phoebe realizes its been Griffin writing her all along, will she put aside practicality for love, or spurn Griffin for even trying to woo her?Letters for Phoebe is the first in a series of books about five friends. The next four novellas will be written by authors Joanna Barker, Megan Walker, Heidi Kimball, and Arlem Hawks.

     Miss Marianne Twisden knows her best chance at a safe and happy life is to marry a kind man and leave her violent father behind. When her father signs papers betrothing her to Lord Cockell—a cruel and even more violent blackguard—Marianne is desperate for a way out. Her new fiancé gives her one: if Marianne discredits Lord Sheldon Lockhart, England’s newest barrister, Cockell will release her from the marriage contract. Lord Sheldon Lockhart is determined to rid his neighborhood of Cockell—a man who preys on gamble-hooked gentlemen by loaning them far more money than they could ever hope to repay and then extracting it mercilessly. What he didn’t expect was to fall for Cockell’s most beautiful victim, Miss Marianne. The seemingly simple game becomes complex when a deep, abiding affection grows between Marianne and Sheldon. It is made all the more perilous when Cockell refuses to play by the rules. Strategizing together, Marianne and Sheldon must think several steps ahead if they ever hope to out-play their opponent and have a shot at victory and their own happily ever after.

    He needs one less person to worry about.Selena Lockhart comes with neither fortune nor connections, and she knows better than to expect Society to give her a welcome—especially after her father gambled away his fortune, precipitating the family’s sudden fall from grace and Selena’s betrothed to break off the engagement. It therefore comes as no surprise that her new neighbor, Sir Lucius, treats her with disdain. Why should he look beyond appearances when her own promises so little? Sir Lucius Clavering is not married, but he may as well be, considering he is expected to escort his widowed mother to watering holes, round out the numbers at his married sister’s dinners, and come to the aid of his scapegrace younger siblings. It doesn’t help that single women and matchmaking mamas jostle each other for his face, fortune, and title so that he’s left without a moment’s peace. When Selena shows up at Lucius’s doorstep looking for help, he is sure it’s another ploy aimed at cutting up his prized bachelor existence. Although his prejudice does not last long, Lucius fears his first reaction might have ruined his chances with her. How can he save her from Society’s teeth when she continues to hold him at arm’s length?

    The second mystifies. The third unbalances. The fourth sends her reeling. And the fifth –ah, the fifth . . .Inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, Miss Sarah Meacham has always behaved circumspectly, until an emotional outburst directed at a well-deserved gentleman earns her the nickname of Miss Shrew. As a result, she vows to never trust—or love—again. But when her father decrees that her younger sister cannot marry the man of her dreams until Sarah has secured a suitor of her own, she is faced with a dilemma: Deny her sister marital bliss or feign an interest in the next gentleman to come along, at least until their father relents.Mr. Ian Collum is no gentleman. A tradesman and newcomer to Brighton, he has been searching high and low for the perfect house. When he at last discovers Ivy Cottage, with its magnificent views, extensive lands, and a large oak tree reminiscent of his favorite childhood escape, he will do whatever it takes to obtain it. Trouble is, the owner of the property will only sell if Ian agrees to court the beautiful and infamous Miss Shrew—a woman as intent on eluding Ian as he is on pursuing her.

    A mysterious coast. Two reluctant hearts. Much to her father’s dismay, Miss Amelia Buxton aspires to become a spinster, just like her eccentric aunt. Growing up with parents who married for every reason but love, she has never seen a joyful marriage. When Amelia requests a summer trip to the legendary waters of Brighton, her father allows her the excursion, but with one requirement: she must return engaged, or agree to the proposal of the man of his choosing. Crawling with tourists, Brighton is not the town Adam Claridge once loved. When his sister Eleanor disappears without warning, Adam is desperate to bring her home. In his search, he happens upon Miss Amelia Buxton, a young tourist that proves vital in his search for Eleanor. But Amelia is conducting a search of her own—a search for a husband—and Adam has little choice but to offer a fair trade: he will play the role of Amelia’s betrothed in exchange for her assistance in finding Eleanor. Convenient at first, Amelia and Adam’s arrangement quickly plummets into disarray. Falling in love had not been part of their bargain. A Convenient Engagement is a sweet and clean regency romance novel. BRIDES OF BRIGHTON SERIES: A Convenient Engagement Marrying Miss Milton (November 2018) Romancing Lord Ramsbury (December 2018) An Unexpected Bride (January 2019)

    Clara Harlow is perfectly content with her life as a teacher of art and French at the Miss Masters Finishing School, so nothing startles her more than to discover that the school is far more than it seems, and its purposes more complicated than anything she could have imagined. She finds herself accepting an assignment from the highest powers in England to use her talents for a particular mission: to impersonate the ward of the late Duke of Kirklin, gain access to the estate, and to discern how a strip of the Kent coastline there is being used against the security of England.The present Duke of Kirklin, George Russell, better known as Hawk, does not know what to make of the appearance of the former ward of his late uncle, but he is captivated by her. Her skills in art are unlike anything he has ever seen, and her company grows more agreeable with every passing day. His boring, bachelor life grows less and less appealing, and the company within his walls more perfectly suited for the place than he ever dreamed.What could possibly go wrong?

    But when the man she's loved since her girlhood returns from a long spell abroad, she quite suddenly finds herself hoping the fine lord her brother has picked for her won't propose. She decides that if he does, she'll quite improperly turn him down—that is, until the man of her hopes and dreams informs her he has no intention of marrying her.The last time Tristan Nesbitt saw Alexandra, he was a common man with no hope of ever wedding the daughter of a marquess. Seven years later, he's now Lord Hawkridge, which should make him eminently suitable for the woman who long ago captured his heart. But a dreadful scandal has tarnished his name in England—a scandal so horrid that marrying Alexandra would ruin not only her flawless reputation but her whole family. For Alexandra's own good, he must fight his relentless desires and stay far away…