Could it be that Jamie was finally showing an interest in something other than horseplay with his friends? But when lovely Miss Evalyn Pennington arrived at Gyllford Manor, it was the earl who found himself inexplicably drawn to her winsome beauty. Having been dismissed from her post as a governess, Evalyn would long remember the kindness of being welcomed at Gyllford Manor when she had nowhere else to turn. The elegant home was resplendent with the richness of holiday cheer – the warm glow of the yule log, the sumptuous sights and smells of the Christmas feast, the glittering parties, and the laughter of children at play. But neither Evalyn nor the earl expected the light of love that filled their Christmas with some very special gifts...

    The lovely debutante plans to steal a moment away with her beau, but her plans go terribly awry. Instead of her intended, she is joined by a stranger the largest man she's ever laid eyes on. And it is clear Jacob Steele is there for reasons far more sober than the party. With British raids erupting all around them, it is his job to reassure plantation owners of their safety. In reality, however, Jacob is an espionage agent, and the truth is dire: America is on the verge of invasion by the British.Blissfully unaware of the danger surrounding her, Lydia basks in the glow of her recent engagement. But her joy is short-lived—a surprise British attack results in a devastating wound, and her plans for the future are shattered. Lost in her devastation, Lydia could never dream that Jacob, that giant of a man she met so briefly, would prove to be her saving grace. And with a war raging around them, she may be called upon to save him too.

    She loves Laurence Radley, the brave and cultured eighth Earl of Conniston. Their shared pleasure in watching her half-sister Amabelle dance through her first London Season has deepened her love but his inexplicable offer for Amabelle shatters her dream. When her sister indignantly refuses him, their irate father orders Rowena to make her accept. Fearful the Earl might withdraw his offer he further orders Rowena to maintain the Earl’s interest at her aunt, Lady Tiverton’s summer ball. Burying her sorrow, Rowena determines to obey. She is horrified to find a fellow house guest, the exotic Araminta Neave, daughter of a wealthy East India merchant attracting his attention. Then news arrives that Amabelle has run away. The Earl’s fury alarms Rowena but worse awaits her at home. Endless questions arise. How will she survive another blow? Will Amabelle be found and relent or will the Earl transfer his affections to Araminta? Is there any hope for her own happiness?

    51 pages of summaries and analysis on Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks.This study guide includes the following sections: Plot Summary, Chapter Summaries & Analysis, Characters, Objects/Places, Themes, Style, Quotes, and Topics for Discussion.

    His brother, Reginald, suggests an advertisement in the papers, something Marcus refuses to consider—until a wine-fueled evening when he pens one in jest. Now, in a horrible mix-up, the ad has been printed and Marcus is mortified. At all of twenty-one years, Penelope's spinsterhood seems confirmed; she'll never find a man she can marry. But her half-brother thinks otherwise, and without her knowledge, he answers the Duke of Torringford's advertisement for a wife and signs her name to it. When an announcement of her upcoming wedding to the Duke appears in the papers, Penelope knows she must take her place as his wife, or her honor will be ruined. But it will be a marriage in name only, that she's sure of; until the handsome good looks and warm smile of her new husband make her heart pound in a most unsettling way...

     When she reads an ad for a mail order bride in Odessa, Texas, she decides to take the biggest risk of her life and set out in search of her happily ever after. Philip Carlson is a rancher with three children. He is desperately trying to make it on his own and raise his family without the mother he feels they truly need, but it’s becoming more of a struggle than he ever thought it would be. All he wants is a wife to care for the boys, he’s not looking for true love. Will the children ever think of her as their mother? Can Amanda and Philip eventually learn to love each other? And what kind of surprise awaits them? FREE Full Story Bonus Included! AUTHOUR’S NOTE: Lonely Hearts is a sweet, clean, standalone romance with a HEA.

     The same northeast portion of Cooke County, Texas in 1896 was the center of a massive rustling operation by the Red River Gang. Texas Ranger Bodie Hickman enlists the aid of Deputy United States Marshals Bass Reeves and Jack McGann to go undercover to end this scourge once and for all. But, the Red River Gang slaughters a sixteen man patrol of US Army soldiers to acquire a new weapon—a deadly Gatling Gun. Bass and Jack add Marshal Brushy Bill Roberts and Chickasaw Lighthorse Osí Hommá and Bodie calls upon fellow Texas Ranger Walt Durbin, to bolster their forces against the gang. Will it be enough when they have to face the awesome firepower of a ten barrel Gatling Gun? Who's the mysterious person behind the massive rustling operation? Find out in the exciting fourth novel in the award winning and best selling Bass Reeves saga of The Nations—ACROSS the RED.

    Alison Larkin thought the most romantic thing in the world would be to have a lord falling at her feet and pledging eternal love. With the arrival of her recently widowed and wealthy aunt, Alison`s dream could become a reality. She was granted a Season and would be introduced to the creme of the ton. How vexing that the first eligible gentleman she was to meet was a plain Mr. Philip Trevelyan who had a way of making Alison forget that it was her dearest wish to marry a lord.

     Bookish, hopelessly romantic young bride Emily, youngest daughter of a British Earl, fell for her intended, the Duke of Wellington, months before ever meeting him in the flesh. Hopeless victim of a crush that bloomed at the mere sight of his portrait, she dreams of wedded bliss with the mysterious Duke. Her hopes are crushed when the proud, accomplished Duke barely speaks to her at her wedding, and avoids her for days afterward. Desperate to win his approval, she conspires with her maidservant Annie to try to determine the source of his unease with her. But as she tries to penetrate his secrets for the sake of her marriage, a hilarious misunderstanding develops. A mysterious book by one of France’s most infamous authors has fallen into the unwitting Emily’s hands, and she doesn’t read French. But her new husband does, and draws all the wrong conclusions when he catches her with it. The young couple is about to get an object lesson in the importance of communication--courtesy of the Marquis de Sade! AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a stand-alone story with an HEA, so no cliff-hangers! Story contains mature themes and language, and is intended for 18+ readers only.

    After the day-long journey, the only place for the weary travelers to sleep is the barn of an over-booked inn with only a single vacancy. Larissa, who has no intention of sleeping on a pile of straw, steps forward, claiming to be newly wed to Sir Randall Trent, baronet and unwitting accomplice in Larissa's scheme for adventure, in order to claim the last empty room. Convinced they will never see one another again and that no one will be the wiser about their little white lie, Larissa and Sir Randall part ways, though not before Sir Randall can bestow upon Larissa a passionate kiss that sends her reeling. Both are surprised to be thrown together again so soon in London for the Season. When their secret is discovered, Larissa and Sir Randall are forced to band together in the face of a crime spree in which Sir Randall is implicated. Life is about to offer Larissa an adventure unlike any she had ever imagined.

    He offers to pay her to impersonate her long-lost twin sister, who has mysteriously disappeared in Scotland. But she never counted on falling for her sister's rakish fiancee, the handsome Earl of Linley. And what would happen if he found out that the spirited, passionate object of his love was no more than a stand-in bride?

    Her mother already has schemes for her marriage prospects--and none of them include love, it seems. But when a dashing young duke begins to pursue her, Caroline has second thoughts. Caught between ambition and desire, Caroline may gamble her heart away without even realizing it . . .

    But everything changes when she's the beneficiary of a surprise inheritance. Her benefactor's deal comes with a catch: give up her life of toil and live in luxury only if she marries his illegitimate son, a prisoner of war. It's an offer she can't afford to refuse. But her husband-to-be is dying, and he begs her to take one of his men instead—to marry purely out of mercy….A marriage of convenience with a complete stranger… Could this arrangement ever work?

    Working on the family's stall, selling the fruit and vegetables grown in their own fields, gives her a sense of purpose and is healthier than working in a dangerous cotton mill.Although not thinking of marriage, when Beth meets Noah Jackson, a village miner, she is suddenly very aware of Noah as a man who could change her mind. The summer brings the two closer, and their feelings deepen, while Noah studies hard to fulfill his dreams of becoming a teacher and securing a better life than his parents endure.But, a disaster at the coal mine changes lives forever. Noah's plans are shattered. His love for Beth is put at risk, and he fears they can never find happiness together.However, another man wants Beth. Louis Melville, the wealthy son of a local gentry family, is acutely aware of Beth's beauty, and he wants her for himself. At first, he is willing to offer marriage, but when Beth turns him down in favour of Noah, Melville, furious to be denied, reeks revenge with devastating consequences.Will Beth and Noah find the happiness they wish for, or will overwhelming events break them apart?

    They looked into their past in an unconventional way. After Jacob healed, they had to go on a dangerous but important mission. They finally got a chance to enjoy each other in every emotional and physical way. When Samantha was kidnapped, Jacob nearly lost his grip with reality. The tension between Jacob and his mother-in-law becomes unbearable. She blames him for Samantha’s kidnapping. Will Jacob be able to rescue Samantha? If so, what will become of their life after this horrible ordeal? Will danger disrupt their lives again?