Young, widowed Clare Byrne, is escaping the famine in Ireland. On the coffin ship from Dublin, in the final hours of the journey to England, Clare goes into labour. Weakened and alone, the young, beleaguered mother gives birth near the quayside. Unable to look after the newborn, the child is bought for a single shilling by a curious gentleman, the industrialist Samuel Hudson. What will happen to the young girl? What plans does Mr Hudson have for her? Will the child thrive, or merely survive? Also by Emma Hardwick ----------------------------------- The Urchin of Walton Hall

    

    Even if it meant striking a deal with the surly, and devilishly handsome, mountain man to do it. More lives than just her own depended upon it… She was the type he swore never to fall for again…He was a complication she could ill afford…Together they will discover love is worth the risk, no matter the cost…Lady Ann Dunneroy finds herself in a desperate situation and her search for the man responsible leads her on a perilous journey to the American West. Relying solely on her wit and resourcefulness to survive, she strikes a deal with a rugged mountain man by the name of Grayson Stone. The more time Ann spends with Grayson, the less certain she is of the original mission she embarked upon. Determined to do what is right, Ann must make a difficult decision; one that may break her heart and perhaps cost her very life as well as the lives of those she loves most…Grayson Stone is the leader of the wagon train and it’s his job to ensure everyone arrives safely; a duty made aggravatingly more challenging when he agrees to escort a reckless, young woman along the way. A hard man, as rugged and imposing as the mountains he calls home, Grayson wants only to live a peaceful life of solitude. But something about the tenacious Lady Ann makes him yearn for more… A story of love and loss on the Santa Fe Trail! Follow the hoyden daughter of an earl, from the ballrooms of London to America’s wild frontier; where she must choose between her heart and her honor. Excerpt from Ann’s Valley: “Nothing has changed.” Grayson’s words were direct and curt. Ann stiffened, feeling her anger with him return, “I hadn’t been under the impression they had.”“Do not confront me again on the matter. I will not change my mind. No woman or child allowed on the trail unless accompanied by a guardian. Is that understood?”“Perfectly.” She leveled him with her most imperious stare. Then added impertinently, “And do you own the trail, then?”His jaw clenched in irritable fashion, fastening her with a menacing glower, “Don’t even think about following on your own.”“You can’t stop me.”

    Giles, she cursed the day she let a man dictate her life...Amelia Knight was given the chance to start anew in Scotland to live with her wealthy grandmother but not without a price. She must never reveal her past to anyone and must marry for a title to have access to her very large inheritance. To secure a husband, she heads to the glamourous Regency London with a plan to ensure her independence and risks everything she vowed never to do: fall in love.Born to privilege, he is forced back to London to remedy the family debt and shame and to fulfill a deathbed promise to his beloved brother...Emotionally scarred and devastatingly handsome, Richard, the Earl Blackthorn, saw the horrors of a broken marriage first-hand. He has no plan to marry or remain in London. When an heiress devises a plan that will ensure their freedom from marriage in two years and pay off his inherited debt, he agrees to marry. Until an unknown threat forces him to face the one question he isn’t willing to consider and open his heart to new possibilities.

    

    Until his father was murdered at the hands of his sworn enemies.But the fire Verity ignites in him was not at all what he had planned. Or that he would marry her after their compromise. Torn between their hatred and their passion for each other, the ghosts of their past start emerging one by one. And they all desire one thing: revenge.

    All her dreams were cruelly shattered, leaving her struggling through her grief. In time, she accepts there's more life still to live and decides to set off to be a mail-order-bride. Little does she know though that her new beginning out West may prove to be her greatest challenge yet. Finding herself facing hostile relatives and unexpected intrigue, her only glimmer of hope lies in the eyes of her betrothed. She immediately feels an undeniable connection to this kind-hearted man. Despite the unforeseen obstacles standing in her way, could this be her one chance to reclaim the happiness that was stolen from her in the past?Nick Sloane is on a mission to save his family's ranch after learning how fragile life can be in the most heartbreaking way. He is still carrying deep scars from the loss of a loved one when Sheila enters his world, and he knows at once that nothing will ever be the same again. From the moment he sets eyes on her, something about her shy laughter makes him want to take a leap of faith and open his heart again. Yet what Nick doesn't realize is that his meddling family has other plans for him that could undermine the future he's now longing for. How far will he be willing to go to stand up to them in order to follow the true calling of his heart?As the blossoming romance between Sheila and Nick grows, so does his family's desperation to tear them apart. With the scheming against their love threatening to destroy everything, Sheila resolves to do anything for the man she loves. Could this mean walking away from the promising future she and Nick are dreaming of and breaking both their hearts? Will Nick and Sheila get their happily ever after, or will outside forces ruin their precious chance at happiness?"His Unexpected Twist of Fate" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    His duties as Sheriff in Kansas only reinforce his sense of justice and his desire to do good, although he has received very little himself. After a terrible heartbreak, he puts up a Mail-Order-Bride ad, wishing to finally find the love and warmth missing from his life. . Little does he know, he is about to find all that and much more in the face of Natalie, the most talented young baker of Boston.Natalie has always loved her family and they have loved her in return. Yet, she knows that it’s high time she made a life of her own. When her hope to work as a professional baker and her wish to find an honorable man for herself merge by what seems to be a magical touch of fate, Natalie grabs the chance and heads out to Kansas to meet her destiny.When Natalie and Harland meet, their attraction is undeniable. With her lively attitude and her delicious baked creations, Natalia wins Harland’s heart and everything seems to be going smoothly for them. But as the new shop takes a lot of Natalie’s time and Harland’s duties drag him away from his bride-to-be, an unsuspected threat slips into their lives. As the Sheriff, Harland must figure out the menace that hides in plain sight before the town’s safety is jeopardized. But at what cost?

    Focused on her work as a schoolteacher assistant, it seems that nothing could disturb her peaceful existence. Little did she know that her world would be turned upside down the moment her mother starts receiving mysteriously threatening letters. Wasting no time, Loren turns to the charming sheriff, who will do whatever it takes to help her and the only person she has by her side. However, she has no time for romance, as she needs to find the evil mastermind behind her family's ruin. Will she manage to escape from a painful dilemma of choosing between love and devotion to the only person that was always there for her?Edison Haynes is a determined man who has devoted his life in serving justice after his brother's tragic passing. Upon completing his training under one of the best sheriffs in Tombstone, he moves to Bridgestone at the age of twenty-six to become the local sheriff. Soon, fate brings him in front of an unprotected woman who is desperately asking for help. When he realizes that his mission is not a child's play, it will require all of his skills to rescue the helpless lady. What he could never expect though, is that he would find himself hopelessly in love with her along the way. Will Edison manage to save the helpless woman that could be the missing piece to the puzzle of his lonely life?The clock is ticking for Edison and Loren, who have to quickly discover what lies behind the blackmailing letters that are haunting their dreams. Will they manage to solve the baffling mystery and find their other half against all odds?"Her Port in the Storm" is a historical romance novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    A situation almost as agonizing as her father’s death.Severely wounded and with war raging around him, Duncan Goreidh, Laird of Brynkirk, has but one choice if he wants to survive: to disguise himself as a British soldier. Rescued at the last minute by an old English lady, his plans to flee home are ruined when he meets her irresistible niece.Their love is forbidden, but their meeting was not a coincidence.With Isabella’s presence turning his own flesh and blood against him, Duncan finds himself short of allies. And ways to protect her. An old vendetta started by his kin returns from the grave to haunt them, and it comes with a price. For whose fault is it, when you invite death into your own house?*Ravished by the Iron Highlander is a steamy Scottish historical romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, lots of steam and a happy ending.

    His rakish lifestyle has provided him with every pleasure possible, but now it’s time to settle down. To find his future duchess, he decides to hold a secret dinner party. But the ladies have an impossible task; leave their homes unchaperoned. Certainly from those brave enough to attend, he will find a woman worthy of his attention.Alice Egerton is a helpless romantic. Reading her books and keeping a low profile is her cup of tea. But when her sister decides to leave their house unchaperoned, she is ready to do anything to prevent her ruination.This roguish duke is definitely one to stay away from.Surprisingly, the only lady who catches Henry’s attention is neither a debutante, nor a diamond of the first water, but a bluestocking hiding inside his library, making fun of his eccentric way of choosing a bride.As the only woman who has ever resisted his charm, he decides that he should win her. What a task it would be to unplug the wallflower…He set her body on fire, she burned his rakish past…

    

    After her marriage to one of them, she buried all feelings for the other deep in her heart. But in the aftermath of a bloody battle between the English and the Scots, Gretchen loses her husband, Laird Fraser, and is left alone to raise their daughter Ava... Callum was never one to care for responsibilities. Now he finds himself thrust in a position he never wanted, being the Laird. While overwhelmed by his new responsibilities and power, Callum must also honor his best friend's dying wish: protect his widow. Being at Gretchen's side awakens feelings that Callum thought dead long ago, but with malicious enemies surrounding them and threaten everything that he is trying to build, will this love have a chance at survival? He has to fight for his clan, but he only wants to fight for her...