Working as a governess has brought her fulfillment, but when she finds herself suddenly without a position, Jane begins to fret. When her cousin alerts her that a Duke is seeking a governess for his son, Jane is overcome with joy. That is until she finds out that this is a man who is believed to have killed his wife, a man known as the Duke of Fire. Michael Blackstone, Duke of Hayfield, knows all too well the rumors surrounding his wife’s death. For years, he has remained isolated inside his home with his son, allowing his misery and the guilt of her death to consume him. When the latest in a string of governesses leaves their home, he sends word in hopes of finding anyone who would risk being in his employ. Desperate for employment, Jane agrees to work for the man she fears, but when she meets the Duke she is left to wonder if there is any humanity left within him. As times progresses, Jane begins to see a different side of the infamous Duke of Fire, for she sees a man who is overcome with guilt and grief—a man so lost, he is losing his mind. For Michael, Jane has brought more than excellent teaching inside his home, she has also brought hope into an otherwise dark life. Finding the woman intriguing and enjoying her company, his feelings for her begin to grow, although he fears his love will never be returned. Although she is afraid, Jane allows herself to fall for the broken Duke despite not knowing if her love will be enough to save the man from himself...

    She even suspects the deliciously handsome--if somewhat stuffy--viscount next door is developing a tendre for her. That is, until the day Ashlin Lancester learns she's not the unassuming spinster she's pretending to be. NOW SHE HAS FARTHER TO FALLAfter a decade of proving he is nothing like his profligate father, Ash is horrified to have given his heart to a Cyprian. He launches a campaign to prove his attraction is nothing more than a sordid reaction he can't control. But he soon learns that unlike his father, he can't find comfort in the arms of just any woman. He needs Celeste. When he takes her as his mistress, he's still not satisfied, and the many late nights in her arms only make him want more...

    However, by night, he is a masked avenger named Prometheus, rescuing unfortunate children from lives of prostitution. Horribly burned as a child, he loves the anonymity of his mask.Vanessa Bourke, the famous actress, is fascinated by both Adrian Strathmore, who throws flowers at her feet but remains in the shadows, and Prometheus, the masked man who shows up in her flat in the middle of the night with a small boy he’s saved. When she discovers they are one and the same, she begs him to unmask himself, to no avail. He is willing to lose her forever rather than trust her to love him despite his scars. Frustrated, she blackmails Adrian into marrying her, ruining his trust.Will he ever believe she’s come to love the man behind the mask?

    As a common woman, she will never be able to pursue her passion and become an architect as well -- at least, not under her own name. When her father slowly begins to lose his sensibilities and falls into debt, Rebecca becomes far more than a secretary, but rather the designer. No one, however, can ever learn the truth. He is duke only in name...No one was pleased when Valentine St. Vincent was shockingly named the Duke of Wyndham -- least of all Valentine himself. He made a career and a name for himself through the use of his fists, but all it led to was his brother’s death. Now determined to become the man his family always wanted him by fulfilling his brother’s destiny, Valentine is caught between two identities. A relationship that can never be...When Valentine hires Rebecca’s father, she must complete the work commissioned to them. But as she spends more and more time at Wyndham House and the Duke’s country manor, she finds herself hopelessly falling for a man she can never have. For the Duke of Wyndham must marry a woman of the ton for her dowry and respectability -- two things Rebecca can never provide.Will Rebecca and Val resign themselves to the lives chosen for them, or those they were born to live?

    They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience? Fate plays her hand when Lucy discovers the earl unconscious and injured in the middle of the road. When he awakens with no recollection of who he is, Lucy seizes the opportunity to teach the earl a much-needed lesson in humility and tells him that he is nothing more than a mere servant. Her servant, in fact. And thus begins the charming tale of a pompous lord and an impetuous young woman, caught together in a web so tangled that it begs the question: Will they ever get out?

    Determined to do right, he reclaims his illegitimate daughter Penelope and heads to London in search of a very rich wife. Abigail Merriweather's farm has been quiet since she lost custody of her four young half-siblings-until a roguish gentleman named Fitz stops for a rest, his rebellious daughter in tow. His etiquette is questionable, his parenting deplorable-so why does Abby delight in his flirtations? And when she seeks a suitor to help her regain the children, why does Fitz keep popping up?

    She had come upon it not long after her marriage to Edgar, and it had offered her the only peace she was to know for a long time. It was dangerous to share the only thing that belonged to one. Yet the thought of spending an afternoon with the earl in her most treasured place, sharing a leisurely meal, beckoned her. She glanced shyly over her shoulder to see if he still followed.Lord Ashworth rode only a few yards behind her horse, and he grinned when their eyes met. He had a lazy, sensual smile and, when he looked at her like that, she felt an odd breathless catch in her throat. She wondered how it would feel if he were to place those warm lips to hers instead of the back of her hand. Oh dear! There went that catch again.Within moments they entered a clearing. Catherine dismounted without waiting for the earl’s assistance and swung her arms wide as she turned in a circle about the shaded copse.“What do you think?” she asked.The earl, still astride, cast his gaze slowly around the tiny glen as he studied the scenery. He then turned his attention to Catherine but did not speak. A suggestive grin broke the calm of his expression as he continued to watch her.“More beautiful than I could have imagined,” he murmured.Simple statement that, but it held a wealth of meaning. Catherine dropped her arms while staring back in fascination. Her mouth fell open and her breathing quickened. The air vibrated with unspoken words as they shared a moment of absolute understanding. The specter of desire had been brought into the open and was acknowledged.Experience IN THE GARDEN OF TEMPTATION today. Meet characters you'll visit again in the other books in this series.Now Available on Amazon:IN THE GARDEN OF SEDUCTION, Book 2 of The Garden Series.IN THE GARDEN OF DISGRACE, Book 3 of The Garden Series.IN THE GARDEN OF DECEIT, Book 4 of The Garden Series.Just Released: THIEF OF SOULSDark and sensual, Thief of Souls is one man's battle with evil for the fate of his humanity. It is a modern vampire-esque romance, gothic in tone, with a twist on the "Beauty and the Beast" theme, for the beast's ugliness resides on the inside rather than the outside, and his hope for redemption comes not from being loved by another but from discovering his own ability to love.

    She longed to be free. Pressured by forces beyond their control, will they give in to forbidden desire?England, 1823. After establishing a successful practice in America, Dr. Harry Radcliffe swore he wouldn’t set foot on British soil again. But when he’s named the Duke of Ashton after his callous brother’s sudden death, he begrudgingly returns to the pretentious world he detests. And his pledge to his dying mother to find a wife is thrown into chaos when he meets his stunning sister-in-law.Margaret Radcliffe finally escaped her abusive marriage. Yet her late husband’s final cruel act left her penniless, with her only option to remarry... the one thing she vowed she’d never do again. But the new duke’s startlingly familiar features awaken yearnings she thought long-forgotten, dangling the heartbreaking whisper of a passion impossible to fulfill.Although convinced the accusations that she murdered her husband are only salacious gossip, Harry's real torment comes when he wishes for a union that would make them outcasts. But even when they finally submit to their simmering attraction, Margaret’s dream of happily-ever-after may be derailed by society’s schemes.Can a scandalous affair turn into a lifetime of love?The Reluctant Duke's Dilemma is the suspenseful first book in The Hope Clinic Regency romance series. If you like swoon-worthy heroes, uplifting humor, and heroines beating the odds, then you’ll adore Trisha Messmer’s tale of tortured hearts.

    From USA Today and Best Selling authors come five delicious Regency tales of Dashing Dukes and Romantic Rogues.Only For His Lady by Christi CaldwellThe Rayne family is trapped in a rut of bad luck. And now, it's up to Lady Theodosia Rayne to steal back the Theodosia sword, a gladius that was pilfered by the rival, loathed Renshaw family. The last thing Theodosia expects however, is that she’ll fall for the head of the Renshaw family...the Devil Duke.My Wild Duke by Eva DevonLady Beatrix Westport was once destined to be the most successful debutant the ton has ever seen but tragedy has stolen all her future. Captain Adam Duke loves adventure and justice. After meeting Lady Beatrix, he longs to convince her to choose a life of love. But will her broken past drive them apart?Her Errant Earl by Scarlett ScottWhen American heiress Victoria fell in love with the Earl of Pembroke, she never imagined he’d heartlessly wed, bed, and abandon her in the countryside. After he suddenly returns, determined to prove to her he’s a changed man, she’s not about to forgive him, trust him, or succumb to his scorching kisses.Hell in a Hand Basket by Annabelle AndersOnce in motion, their lie spirals into a web of deceit and guilt. Was Sophia and Devlin's grasp at heaven worth a lifetime of hell? Because love endures but the heart has it’s limits…My Earl's Entrapment by Tammy AndresenLord William Addington has been forced into retirement as one of the Prince Regent's domestic spies. He still has one case to solve while attending a house party when an adorably feisty lady enters his room in the middle of the night. He now has another delicious mystery on his hands. Why is Lady Roselyn Pennington snooping about?

    Stefan, the future duke of Montmouth, no doubt thought his words were welcomed but he couldn't have been more wrong. Oh, he was handsome as a pagan Norse god, but that was unimportant when her life as well as those of her family hung in the balance. With less than six weeks left, Rosalind has stopped believing in the fairy tale, the prince on the white horse, and the stolen kiss that would awaken her from her worst nightmares. Resigned to her fate, she waits for the inevitable curse to run it’s course. "We must marry at once!" Stefan declared, fully expecting Rosalind to be delighted that he had come to save her, but he was sorely mistaken. Rosalind was no simpering docile female; she was a fiery temptress with a stubborn streak only matched by his horse, Samson. Insulting, infuriating, intoxicating and alluring enough to drive a man mad. Stefan found himself thankful for the curse that required him marry her, thankful for the betrothal contract he had so recently tried to release her from...With the fortitude of a sailor shipwrecked, abandoned, and a solider warring for his life Stefan decides to lay siege to the greatest prize, Rosalind's heart.

    With her faithful maid and companion she begrudgingly embarks on a voyage to new lands to marry the laird her father has determined will prove a fruitful alliance with her their clan. Alas, the ship she is on does not weather a storm well, leaving her cast upon the sea.Laird Duncan McAbee of Duffus is mourning his father on the shore when he notices a body bobbing among the waves. Little does he know, the body he pulls forth is a raven-haired spitfire of a lass with a steel will of determination not to marry her betrothed. He is caught unawares when she wields a poker and even further caught offguard when she manages to broach his defenses and capture her heart.How is he supposed to recover when she chooses to leave him for Laird Jared Stewart?

     Ashamed of his behaviour he hides away in his country seat, determined to become a sensible gentleman, no longer caught up by whichever eligible young lady catches his eye. The only problem? A beautiful tenant named Julia who is living in his gatehouse. William knows that he should have very little to do with his tenants but he simply cannot get her out of his mind. The more time he spends, the more he wants to know her despite their difference in status. A sudden accident leads to a whole new life for Julia, who is loathe to tell him much about herself, despite their intimate connection. When the truth finally comes out and Julia confesses all, William must decide what to do with the lady who has stolen his heart. Authors Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance with an HEA. If you love clean Regency-era romances you will love The Viscount in Hiding!

    When she is rescued from the near-disaster of recognition by a charming serving-man, Pearl pretends to be simple-minded to safeguard herself from any unwanted advances. But soon she begins to suspect that her rescuer is far more than the common servant he seemed at first.Luke St. Clair lives a double life, pretending to be a gentleman while in reality sustaining himself and the needy as the notorious Robin Hood-type thief, the Saint of Seven Dials. The last thing he needs in his life is a beautiful simpleton in need of protection. But "Purdy" proves to be anything but simple-or common! Once he learns the truth, does he dare continue, in the ballrooms of the elite, the flirtation that began in the slums of London? The risk is enormous, but Lady Pearl's sweet kisses may just be worth it.

    Three members of London's Bibliomania Club have promised a beloved professor they'll find the manuscripts before the professor retires. They are determined to vindicate his faith in the Duke's existence while rescuing a great literary work from obscurity. The problem? The book must be found in ten days. Matters of the heart intrude as each book hunter realizes that locating an ancient manuscript might just lead to happiness ever after.

    Suspecting the culprit traveled in society circles, she diverts attention from eavesdropping and prying with constant and tiresome complaints of illness.But nothing is as it seems...Sir James Branstoke sees straight through Cecilia's feigned fragility. Intrigued by her odd behavior, he believes she has secrets—secrets that could lead to her demise. So, the hunter follows the huntress through society, never imagining that what has started as a chance inquiry could lead to a surprising love greater than either had ever known.But will the cost of uncovering a murderer be too high? Can Cecilia and James reveal the culprit so love can blossom in the end?