Rogue. Scoundrel. Each of these words has been used to describe Damien Largess, youngest prince of Cardenas. But when he steps into a glittering ballroom on the night of his twenty-fifth birthday, the roguish young prince’s life will be forever changed. Beautiful. Graceful. Sensual. When Esmeralda steps into king’s ballroom to perform for the prince’s twenty-fifth birthday, every eye in the room is upon her. One pair of eyes intrigues her most of all … those of Prince Damien, seeming to stare straight through to her soul. The two know nothing can ever come of their love; he is a prince, and she a Gypsy dancer. Yet, neither can seem to resist the passion that sparks when they are together, or the unmistakable call of destiny forcing their lives onto the same path. However, love is not the only thing destiny has in store … With a deadly plot against the royal family surrounding him in danger and intrigue, Damien will face a decision he never thought he would have to make. Will he step up to claim a responsibility that should never have fallen to the third son? Or will he abandon it to risk all for love? Kings of Cardenas Series Reading Order The Third Son The Second Son The Lady Knights of Barony Gypsy Rose The Gypsy The Mistress (Bonus Novella) Interview with the Author Q: So, what makes the Kings of Cardenas series special? A: I’ve always been a romance reader, but the historical sub-genre has always been my first love. There’s something about the decadence and beauty of it that just enraptures me. So when I got the idea for The Third Son, I kept that opulence foremost in my mind. I knew that this kind of story couldn’t take place in an actual country and end the way I wanted it to, so I created my own fantasy kingdom. I love that element of it because it gave me freedom to make my own rules about the society that these characters live in. The cool part, I think, is that even though it has that fantasy aspect of being set in a made-up kingdom, it still has the familiarity of historical romance and the elements we all love: balls and masquerades, secret intrigues, and of course the fashion! I also think it’s special because of how unpredictable it is. The twists and turns incorporate elements of suspense and mystery along with the romance, and I loved crafting a multi-dimensional story using those elements. Q: Why should readers give these books a try? A: I think anyone who appreciates a good, meaty plot along with their romance will truly enjoy the series. While these stories are about love and romance, there are also elements of loss, intrigue, betrayal, and the dynamic of family weaving them all together. If you love mystery, suspense, and action woven through your romance, you’ll love the Kings of Cardenas series. Q: How many books will be in the complete series? A: The complete series is comprised of 6 books: 5 novels and 1 novella. While the series has been concluded, I do have plans for a spin-off series entitled Sons of Cardenas. The first book of that series might release in 2016.

    It is a vast cosmic sea. Where each life exists as rippling circles on its surface, past and future being eternally present. And occasionally, one expanding ring intertwines with that of another, weaving the lives of two people together...In 2012, Emme Wilde can’t find the right guy. She wants to feel that swept-off-your-feet dizziness of true love. But so far, her dating life has come up short. Star Trek geek? Nice but too serious. Hippy artist? Cute but too vulnerable. Instead, Emme obsesses over the portrait of an unknown man in an old locket. Granted, a seriously dreamy guy with delicious, wind-swept hair she just itches to run her fingers through. But still. Dead men may be great listeners, but they are not exactly boyfriend material. Emme travels to England, determined to uncover his history and conquer the strong connection she feels.In 1812, James Knight has given up finding the right woman. All he wants is someone to share his love of adventure. Instead, his life has become a Shakespearean drama. His brother languishes in a tragic star-crossed romance. His beloved sister clings to life, slowly dying of consumption. But then he finds a beautiful mystery woman, dripping wet and half-dead, beneath a tree on his estate. Now if he can uncover her history, perhaps adventure—and romance—will find him at last.

     For more than 200 years, the Treasure Pit on Oak Isle has baffled treasure hunters, engineers, and the common man alike. When Samantha Greene arrives, she finds her estranged father has spent years funneling energy and finances into the endeavor, finding nothing. When an accidental death occurs in the pit, fulfilling the prophecy that seven lives must end before the treasure can be found, the search kicks into high gear, with more than one party vying for the secrets that lie below. Finding herself the closest to the treasure anyone has ever been, Samantha throws herself into the work, landing among the coveted prize. Just as she's about to discover what's truly hidden beneath the island, the pit begins to flood with ocean water, sweeping her away despite her attempts to swim to the surface. Upon awaking, Samantha discovers that, not only did she not drown, but the year is 1695—one hundred years before the Treasure Pit was even discovered. Carried off by the pirate Tristan O'Rourke, a rouge Irishman with more than his share of secrets, she soon finds that there is much more than she realized in play. Will she discover the secrets of Oak Isle, or will an unexpected love keep her from finding out the truth? Will she ever make it back to her own time? Perhaps the real question is this; will she want to?

    When she sees an ad looking for a nanny to care for an orphaned baby way out in the Montana Territory, she decides to leave her ruined reputation behind and make a new start far away from her home in Philadelphia. But when she arrives in the booming frontier town of Twin Forks, she realizes that her new employers are devastatingly handsome cowboy twins, and they want to show her exactly what it means to be a woman. Unaware of the secret eating at her heart, they can’t possibly understand why she could never wed either of them. But they’ll do whatever it takes to lasso her heart forever. This MFM historical romance features lots of steamy moments, scorching love scenes, and a happy ending for Abigail and both of her hot cowboys.

    His brother's best friend. And the valium for his soul he had no business wanting.To be fair, she did ask him for advice--on what she could do to stop being 'the nice girl' for a little bit. All he did was answer truthfully:"Try something new that excites you."...Preferably him.NOTE TO READERS: This is Book #1 in a three-part 600-pg SERIAL (also available as a bundled box set). Each book in the trilogy has a separate story arc in the greater love triangle, and need to be read in order. Book #4 (the other brother's happily ever after) is a standalone novel that can be read on its own.

    James the Black Douglas knows this all too well. With a past that has left him vengeful and his dragon blood thirsty, his reputation as a ruthless warrior haunts his enemies in their sleep. As his allegiance stands with Robert Bruce, the King of Scotland, he must now repay a debt to the king and agrees to marry his daughter, Abigale Bruce. The problem is he doesn’t want a wife. When flames start to burn out of control between him and the auburn-haired lass, he must decide to either kindle the flames of passion or shelter her from the truth and set her free. It’s What Shines in the Dark That Brings Forth Your True Light… Determined to keep his daughter safe and out of the hands of the English, Robert hides Abigale behind the safe walls of a nunnery. After eight long years of living her life in seclusion, Abigale is finally set free. But her new found freedom comes to an abrupt halt when she learns of her betrothal to the infamous Bogeyman – James the Black Douglas. She soon finds herself falling in love with the uncontainable and haunted man. Is her love enough to soften his hardened heart?

    There she meets a tempting stranger who sweeps her into a night of unforgettable passion. Grayson Danford never expected a night with the irresistible Mrs. Wilde, but she was a welcome distraction from the unpleasant duty of breaking up his brother’s impending nuptials. He’s shocked when he discovers his passionate lover is none other than the sister of his brother's intended. Now Rosalinde and Gray will butt heads, even as their simmering desire for each other threatens to boil over. Who will win? And who might lose it all?

    The grand opening of the Manchester Ship Canal is set to be a day of unfettered festivity for Ruby and her younger sister and brother. Even Queen Victoria will be in attendance.But the glories of the ceremony fade into insignificance when their dying mother delivers them to the imposing oak doors of Ignatius House. Abandoned in the not-so-tender care of the nuns, the siblings are soon separated.So when the Board of Guardians force Ruby into a marriage that sends her to a new home upon the Salford waterways, she makes only one vow: to reunite her family whatever the cost. This is an enthralling story of romance and rebellion perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court. Praise for Ruby McBride ‘An inspiring novel about accepting change and bravely facing the future’ Bangor Chronicle‘Compelling and heart-wrenching’ Hull Daily Mail‘The kind of character-driven saga that delights the Catherine Cookson and Josephine Cox audience’ Peterborough Evening Telegraph‘This book deals with gritty, real-life situations and shows how the heroine’s strength of character triumphs through adversity’ 5* Reader review

    But when she sets a “werewolf trap”, she finally snares the one thing she’s been praying for—a handsome “knight” who can protect her from the ruthless land baron who has been lusting after her property.It has not been a good day for Sterling Montoya. He had awakened next to a naked, screeching stranger, been chased across hostile Apache territory by her shotgun-toting father and had become the reluctant guardian for a newborn babe… And now he was the prisoner of a beautiful, but batty, would-be sorceress—a stunning, Shakespeare-spouting enchantress whose passionate touch promises Sterling heaven…until he realizes that whenever she’s around, all hell breaks loose.Can Sterling break the tender spell Chimera casts over his hungry heart or will he discover her love is the one enchantment too magical to resist?

    But when he is suddenly called off to war, he has no choice but to obey his father’s wishes and find a wife… Just days later, he marries the lovely Lady Alyssa. For a man committed only to his freedom, she seems a perfect—and perfectly undemanding—bride. Intelligent and self-sufficient, Alyssa craves her independence just as much as Griffin loves his. But as the irresistible attraction between them flourishes with every look and touch, they discover there is something they desire even more than a loveless marriage of convenience—the passion they find in each other’s arms…

    The man is boastful, rude and devilishly handsome. Worst of all, he has stolen a kiss that causes Mary to desire more.Lord Anthony Greyson knows the rumors concerning him and his rakish ways and cares not. He has spirited many women to his bed, and his eye is now on Mary. Wooing the innocent woman with a kiss, he has no doubt he will soon add her to his list of conquests, and he is certain she will not have the strength to resist.Upon learning of several unsavory rumors, Mary is tasked to spy on Anthony, and she readily agrees. Doing so will prove she is more than a pretty thing for others to admire. More importantly, she will be able to prove to herself she can resist the rake’s charms.Anthony soon becomes enchanted with the secretive woman and desires to know more about her and what she is hiding…And for Mary, she begins to wonder if Anthony is the cruel man about whom the ton whispers. Or is he the gentleman she secretly wishes him to be?

    Instead, she reinvents herself and the new Bobbie Jones—new haircut, new name, new attitude—follows her soon-to-be ex to the small Northern California town of Cottonmouth. What better way to show him—and his sweetheart—what he’s missing in the brand new Bobbie Jones than taking up with the town’s local bad boy—who’s also reputed to be a serial killer. Nick Angel is devilishly handsome and sexy as all get-out. In a word, perfect.It’s all going exactly according to plan...until a real murder rocks the little town of Cottonmouth. Of course, Nick didn’t do it...did he?“She’s Gotta Be Mine”, previously published as “Sex and the Serial Killer”,

    . . where bad is, oh, so good. Six men return to the boys' ranch they spent one summer at as troubled teens. They're all searching for different things: peace, family, forgiveness, redemption, hope, and faith. It will take the love of strong Texas women to heal these wounded hearts and make these bad, bad boys realize they're good, good men. He’s a wild Texas whirlwind, trying to outrun his painful past. She’s a sweet Lone Star cowgirl, with deep down-home roots. Life in the fast lane is how bad boy Cru Cassidy escapes the aching memories of his childhood. Fast cars and fast women—not necessarily in that order—keep the sexy cowboy from caring or thinking too much. When a road trip has him passing through Simple, Texas, where he spent one summer on a boys’ ranch for troubled teens, he can’t help stopping in to see the two old cowboys who run it. When he sees the bad shape the cowboys and the Double Diamond Ranch are in, Cru knows he has to stay and help . . . and his job is made more enjoyable by the beautiful daughter of a neighboring rancher. He hopes to score a ride with the feisty redhead, but Penny is harder to catch than an unbroken filly. And when he discovers the soft heart under the womanly body, he soon starts to worry that he’ll be the one getting broken and tamed. Penny Gardener has loved Cru almost as long as she’s loved the Texas ranch she calls home. Unfortunately, when they first met, she was an awkward thirteen-year-old—which explains why Cru fell for her pretty older sister instead of her. Since her family’s happiness has always been Penny’s priority, she tries to push her feelings aside. But when Cru returns and sets his devilish green eyes on her, she struggles to remember that he was her sister’s first love. Discovering his heartbreaking past will finally have her giving into her feelings and putting her own happiness first for a change. But will her love be enough to rope and heart-tie her bad boy? Or will he slip through her fingers like the elusive Texas wind?

    Marshal Joshua Egan has a vengeance on his mind when he orders a mail order bride to care for his motherless children. A gang of outlaws murdered his dear wife during a stagecoach robbery gone wrong and Joshua's only need now is for justice. When Rachel Maitland arrives with her innocent eyes and kind smile, she breaks the shield around his heart to pieces, like water flowing through a canyon. He can't keep her out, no matter how hard he tries, and no matter the risk.Rachel Maitland was only sixteen when she entered into an arranged marriage lacking in just about every way. Now that her elderly husband has passed, she finds the courage to hope for a new and better life as a mail order bride. Her needs are simple, she wants to be loved. She wants a family. She wants a man who will not just provide for her survival, but shelter her lonely heart. Joshua Egan might be that man. And he might not. There's not a lot of room for love in a heart burned by vengeance.And this time, when the outlaws come looking for the money from the robbery...it's personal. There can be only one victor when the battle for a man's heart is fought between revenge......and love.

    Having grown coldhearted and cynical, as well as older and wiser, he has vowed to never again allow another woman to affect him emotionally, for he has learned his lessons and learned them well. So, when the breathtakingly lovely Ashleigh St. John suddenly and unexpectedly enters his life, as well as his home, he is determined to keep the alluring interloper at an emotional and physical distance. Unfortunately, he quickly discovers that some things are easier said than done.Reckless and daring, Ashleigh St. John is an unconventional young lady with the heart of a hopeless romantic. When she meets Nicholas Leighton she knows she has met the man of her dreams, but unfortunately, the man of her dreams seems bound and determined to keep her at a distance, hiding behind a self-erected wall of cool detachment and calculated indifference. Willing to do almost anything to break through the intractable barriers that guard his heart, she will willingly surrender her innocence, and time and again risk her ravaged heart to ultimately win his trust, and more importantly, his love.Original Publication Date: 6/1/2012Please note that the previous title of this novel was Forever and Always.**