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Daring the Duke by Charlie Lane
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One Night with an Earl
Tina Gabrielle - 2021
She’s no stranger to fake identities, having posed as a chaperone since the scandal that destroyed her titled family. So she dons a mask, changes into a low-cut red gown, and attends the city’s most elite brothel, the Silver Chalice.Oliver Bedford, the imposing Earl of Drake, is only at the Silver Chalice to appease his debauched friends—until he spots Lady Scarlet. She’s refreshing...and a complete mystery. Certain she’s a lady in disguise, Oliver is determined to learn her identity, but she eludes him at every turn.The night with Oliver was unforgettable. But when he arrives at her employer’s home, she’s horrified to discover her lover is the Earl of Drake, the son of the man responsible for her father’s death and subsequent family ruin. And that he’s there to court her young charge.Oliver never had any interest in the debutante, but he is drawn to her chaperone—a woman he soon realizes is his Lady Scarlet. Now that he’s found her, she claims she wants nothing to do with him, even though her kisses say otherwise. Fortunately, Oliver is not one to give up when he finds something he wants...and he wants Ana. In his bed, and in his life. Forever. But first, he must persuade her to trust him—and to believe that one wild, passionate night can turn into forever.
Duke of Madness
Jennifer Monroe - 2021
A woman looking for love. And a romance of two opposites that definitely attract.After watching his parents’ marriage collapse, Matthew Colburn, 5th duke of Elmhurst, has outright dismissed the notion of love. After all, if he is destined to become as mad as his father had been why make any prospective bride suffer? Delving into work to avoid the reality of his future, Matthew focuses on an ever-growing empire, all due to the luck he gleans from a family heirloom – a simple gold pocket watch.Miss Julia Wallace does not believe in luck, nor any other such absurdities. Fate and personal strength drive what happens in life. Unless one considers her father, who is determined to choose her husband whether love is included or not.When a reclusive man known as the Duke of Madness comes to her school, Julia is immediately taken by his handsomeness. And when she foolishly collides into his broad chest, he does more than take her breath away — until he accuses her of theft.Matthew is horrified to learn the very trinket that gives him such wonderful good fortune is missing. He has no doubt that the beautiful young woman used her alluring smile to distract him while picking his pocket. With an important upcoming party and his lucky watch missing, Matthew is at a loss as to what to do. The headmistress of the school insists her pupil is no thief, but rather a woman with a great deal of luck in her own right. Julia will accompany him to the party as a replacement for his missing watch — as his new lucky charm.As the two become better acquainted Julia sees not a duke who is on the verge of madness but rather a man who is lost. And Matthew begins to believe love may have a place in his life after all – though he cannot help but think that it may take more than just luck to bring them together.
A Duke by Scot
Amy Jarecki - 2021
But upon his father’s sudden death, he heads for Scotland where he finds his inheritance in a shambles, his sisters without prospects, and his brothers relying on his patronship—and he’s not about to conquer his problems alone.Penniless, Lady Julia St. Vincent has no choice but to dress as a man and accept a position as steward to the Duke of Dunscaby. But when she meets His Grace, she’s not expecting him to be dashing, charming, or utterly enchanting. And the more time she spends with the duke, the more difficult it is to ignore the flickers of passion smoldering in her heart.Martin instantly develops a fondness for the wee man. While they work together to rebuild the Dunscaby dynasty, they travel to London where Martin takes it upon himself to introduce his sheltered steward to the world of manly pursuits. Julia falls from one mortifyingly compromising situation to another as she pines for a duke she can never have…until an old friend invites her to a masque. And there, it takes but one kiss for Martin to stop at nothing in his pursuit of the mysterious woman who has captured his very soul.
Educated by the Earl
Alexa Aston - 2022
Third sons are promised to the church. Second sons do their duty and serve in the military—unless fate intervenes and turns their lives upside down.Welcome to Second Sons of London, a new Regency Historical Romance series by USA Today Bestselling author Alexa Aston, where seven men who are second sons lay claim to fabulous wealth and lofty titles and fulfill their destinies when they find their soulmates.A dutiful army officer who shuns intimacy. A selfless beauty ready to start living for herself. A chance meeting in the street that leads to love...When Major Spencer Haddock’s father dies, he returns to England as the Earl of Middlefield. He seeks a typical ton marriage, where his wife will provide him with an heir and possibly other children and then they go their separate ways. He intends to find his countess quickly and not waste time at boring social affairs.Lady Tessa Foster delays her come-out for several years in order to care for her ill parents. Now out of mourning, Tessa is eager to be introduced in Polite Society so she can find a husband and start a family of her own.When Spence attempts to save Tessa from a thief brandishing a knife, she turns and attacks Spence. He quickly learns that instead of the pliant woman he thought he wanted as his countess, he desires Tessa—a woman of beauty and valor who stands up for herself and those she cherishes.
Can Spence change Tessa’s poor opinion of him and win the heart of the woman he has come to love?
Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston’s Educated by the Earl, the first book in Second Sons of London.Each book in Second Sons of London is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Second Sons of London
Educated by the EarlDebating with the DukeEmpowered by the EarlMade for the MarquessDubious about the DukeValued by the ViscountMeant for the Marquess
Spinster Sister
Elise Marion - 2021
He never anticipated her.
Welcome to book 1 in the new and exciting series from bestselling author Elise Marion.Helena Montgomery is left to care for her siblings after the deaths of her parents. Buried under a pile of debt, she has no choice but to join her friends in a dangerous scheme. Moonlighting as a masked highwayman is a sure way to end up facing the hangman, but there is nothing Helena wouldn’t do for those she loves. Besides, she only intends to continue her illegal activities until her sister’s first season yields an advantageous marriage.Lord Sebastian Radcliffe doesn’t want a wife but must select one to secure his family legacy. The young, beautiful Harriett Montgomery seems like the perfect choice—yet Sebastian finds himself drawn, instead, to her elder sister. He never expected to marry for love, yet the vivacious Helena quickly burrows her way past his stony façade and straight into his heart.He thinks her a high-handed shrew; she thinks him a self-righteous bore. Yet, passion kindles between this unlikely pair, leaving them hopeful that the futures they once thought impossible might be within reach. However, the damaging secret of Helena’s crimes hangs over her head, forcing her to keep Sebastian at arm’s length. Despite her best efforts, she is unable to deny the depth of her feelings.
When the truth is exposed, will Helena lose the man she has come to love?
Lady Luck and the Lyon
Chasity Bowlin - 2022
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.Kissing her had been a terrible miscalculation on his part. But laughing with her, finding something to enjoy about being in her company, that could well be an unmitigated disaster.Welcome to the next Lyon's Den book by USA Today Bestselling author Chasity Bowlin!Garrick Bancroft, Viscount Lynley, is in dire need of both a wife and a fortune. He thought he’d found the perfect woman to fulfill both very nicely. But just days before they were to marry, she fled to Scotland in the arms of her younger brother’s tutor. Left high and dry, there’s only one option—Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon, London’s most notorious matchmaker. With desperation as his constant companion, Garrick informs her that any young lady will do…so long as she has the appropriate accompanying fortune.Miss Ellis Lockhart is in a terrible situation. Embarking on her fourth season with not a prospect in sight, her sisters are beginning to turn on her. Her infamously tightfisted father has refused to have more than one daughter launched in society at any given time. Until she makes a match, her sisters must hover in the background—waiting as spinsterhood looms over them all. Out of desperation, she reaches out to Mrs. Dove-Lyon and begs for her assistance…anyone will do, so long as he is a gentleman of rank.There’s really only one problem and it becomes apparent when the duo meet at the church for their wedding—Garrick and Ellis are not unknown to one another. In fact, they rather hate one another.
But with the help of a little luck, and the meddling of Mrs. Dove-Lyon, they might soon realize that the line between love and hate is a fine one, and a fiery one, indeed.
The Duke I Tempted
Scarlett Peckham - 2018
Meticulous. Immaculate. No one would expect the proper Duke of Westmead to be a member of London’s most illicit secret club. Least of all: his future wife.
Having overcome financial ruin and redeemed his family name to become the most legendary investor in London, the Duke of Westmead needs to secure his holdings by producing an heir. Which means he must find a wife who won’t discover his secret craving to spend his nights on his knees—or make demands on his long scarred-over heart. Poppy Cavendish is not that type of woman. An ambitious self-taught botanist designing the garden ballroom in which Westmead plans to woo a bride, Poppy has struggled against convention all her life to secure her hard-won independence. She wants the capital to expand her exotic nursery business—not a husband. But there is something so compelling about Westmead, with his starchy bearing and impossibly kind eyes—that when an accidental scandal makes marriage to the duke the only means to save her nursery, Poppy worries she wants more than the title he is offering. The arrangement is meant to be just business. A greenhouse for an heir. But Poppy yearns to unravel her husband’s secrets—and to tempt the duke to risk his heart.
The Spinster and the Rake
Eva Devon - 2021
Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught. So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s aunt walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield.Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her. As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade?
Never Doubt a Duke
Maggi Andersen - 2020
Stir in an explosive, passionate attraction. Sparks fly!
Welcome to book one in this exciting new series by Maggi Andersen! Read for Free in Kindle Unlimited!Lady Nellie Dountry, and Charles, His Grace, Duke of Shewsbury have had their hearts broken in the past. Neither is prepared to chance love again. When they are compelled to marry because of an agreement made long ago by their fathers, they are both determined to resist falling in love. Convinced that it’s mere desire which draws them together, both are surprised by their jealousy.Nellie finds Charles irresistibly attractive, but other women do too. They circle like sharks. Aware that Charles’s former fiancée, who had broken his heart some years ago, is now a widow and on the hunt for a lover, Nellie struggles to trust him while she fears she is falling in love with him.Charles was more than pleased with his choice of bride, but he wishes she wasn’t so difficult to understand. One minute she’s hot for him, the next as remote from him as a chalet in the Alps. Why he wants to get close surprises him; he planned for his marriage to be little more than one of polite indifference. But Nellie is so dashed beguiling!
To Stop a Scoundrel
Abigail Bridges - 2021
He wants to regain his reputation. Will working together bring redemption—or ruin?Welcome to Book 1 in the fabulous new series from Abigail Bridges.
Spinster Lady Rose Timmons has one purpose in life: protecting the vulnerable young women in London's Society from the scores of scoundrels who would prey on their innocence. She has an extensive network of informants who keep her up to date on all their misdeeds and schemes, and she will take any action needed—even public humiliation.Thomas Ashton, Lord Newbury and heir to the Duke of Kennet, is one of those Lady Rose has in her sights. Despite being a childhood friend—and a man she has long been fascinated with—Lady Rose is determined not to let his rakish behavior spoil the debut season of her beloved sister or any other woman.Lord Newbury, however, has his own ulterior motives about rejoining Society after years as a rogue. He desperately needs an heir—and an heiress. Society, however, is not so eager to welcome home a prodigal son. When he crosses paths—and wits—with Lady Rose, he proposes an unexpected bargain: if she will help him regain his reputation, he will help her destroy the one scoundrel she has never been able to touch, a man who has hurt dozens of people, including Rose herself.
Lady Rose, intrigued and as fascinated by Newbury as ever, accepts the challenge. But even as they are drawn ever closer to each other, they remain unaware that their efforts to bring down a ruthless man could endanger more than their reputations—it could cost them their lives.
Lady Mary's Dangerous Encounter
Cheryl Bolen - 2021
Lady Mary Beresford has impetuously set off on her own for Vienna. Vexed with the headstrong woman he’s yet to meet, Stephen despairs of ever catching up with the maddening lady. They eventually meet at an inn in the Alps, where the guests’ progress has been impeded by two matters: a blizzard—and Lady Mary’s refusal to leave until she’s found an elderly fellow traveler who has disappeared.Mary’s infuriated that everyone at the inn is in a conspiracy to deny the woman ever existed and to imply Mary invented her. Just when every person at the inn is against her, the handsome Lord Stephen arrives and becomes her champion.
Stephen doesn’t tell her he’s been sent by her brother, nor does he actually believe her preposterous story. Until there’s an attempt on her life...
Unmasking the Hero
Mary Lancaster - 2021
Setting aside her bewildered grief, she has become a fashionable socialite living on the edge of scandal, surrounded by male admirers. Now, she awaits her husband’s return with a little revenge in mind.However, a foolish wager has caused her to lose his wedding gift during a masquerade ball at the infamous Maida Pleasure Gardens, and she is worried it could be used against her. And, by the time Wenning comes home, she has befriended a mysterious stranger she met at Maida whom she believes might just serve as her means of revenge.The earl and the countess circle each other in a wary, dangerous dance where either might win—or ruin what’s left of their marriage. Meanwhile, a more deadly enemy stalks them.
Can the couple rise above the past and unite before death parts them forever?
How to Steal a Lyon's Fortune
Alanna Lucas - 2021
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.When it comes to stealing a Lyon's fortune, it takes two to right a wrong.Visitors to the Lyon’s Den, run by the mysterious Mrs. Dove-Lyon, usually wish to find a spouse, but Audrey has quite another goal in mind. She needs help to secure an invitation to Lyon’s masquerade, the annual event hosted by her once-stepfather, Vincent Lyon, so that she may retrieve the statue he stole from her late mother.Mrs. Dove-Lyon knows just the person to take Audrey to the ball, a shrewd matchmaker that she is, also sees an opportunity to help Lord Peter Dermott, who has been recommended to her as being in urgent need of a wife.When Peter meets Audrey, the attraction is instant, but she presents him with a huge dilemma. Her plan to take the statue is daring, and if it fails, his reputation will be ruined.
However, if he walks away, he will most likely lose her, and the chance to make her his...
Third Son's a Charm
Shana Galen - 2017
Ewan trusts his brawn more than his brains, but when he's offered a job watching the Duke of Ridlington's stubbornly independent daughter, he finds both are challenged.Lady Lorraine wants none of her father's high-handed ways, and she'll do everything in her power to avoid her distressingly attractive bodyguard―until she lands herself in real trouble. Lorraine begins to see Ewan's protectiveness in a new light, and she can only hope that her stoic guardian will do for her what he's always done―fight for what he wants.
How to Capture a Duke
Bianca Blythe - 2016
When her dying Grandmother worries about Fiona’s future, Fiona stammers that she’s secretly engaged. Soon she finds herself promising that she will introduce her husband-to-be by Christmas. One dutiful duke… Percival Carmichael, new Duke of Alfriston, is in a hurry. He’s off to propose to London’s most eligible debutante. After nearly dying at Waterloo, he’s vowed to spend the rest of his life living up to the ton’s expectations. One fallen tree… When Fiona tries to warn a passing coach about a tree in the road, the driver mistakes her for a highwaywoman. Evidently he’s not used to seeing women attired in clothes only suitable for archaeology waving knives. After the driver flees, Fiona decides she may as well borrow the handsome passenger…