Entrusted with delivering a small black box to its rightful owner, she calls upon Graham Wessit, the notorious Earl of Netham, whose life has been forever marred by rumor and scandal.But Graham wants nothing to do with a bequest from the man he holds responsible for his ruin—or with the bewitching emissary who brings it. In the face of breathtaking erotic mystery—in the throes of an inflamed passion unbeckoned but impossible to deny—a rogue's hardened heart may be undone by love...and a staid beauty in straits may learn the exquisite, sensuous freedom of surrender.

    What she doesn’t know is that she is about to become a mail-order bride, too. 1881 Oregon Melissa Eversoll Burgess’s hope of a wonderful life with her first husband went up in smoke the day she married him. Not only was his abuse difficult to take, but she also learned that he was deeply involved in crime—on the very day he died. Now that they’re both widowed, Melissa and her mother are ready to start over in a place called Hope Hollow. When she is introduced to a handsome farmer and informed that she is to be his mail-order bride, she doesn’t know whether to hug him…or slap him. Garret Pearce came to Oregon three years ago to claim land and nurse a broken heart. Though he’s smitten with Melissa from their very first meeting, he’s not about to fall into that trap again. That is, until it becomes obvious she needs his protection. Entering a marriage of convenience may not have been in his plans, but now that he’s got a wife—and a pretty one at that—he realizes that keeping his heart from being torn in two is going to be the challenge of his life. One that he just might lose. Will Melissa and Garret get a second chance at love? Welcome to Hope Hollow, Oregon, a place where hope abounds for the downtrodden and weary, and where peace and love abide amidst life’s trials. ***Warning: sensitive topics such as domestic abuse and familial suicide are mentioned as past experiences for Melissa and her mother in the story, though the author has made every effort to keep the focus on the development of the main characters' relationship with each other in this sweet romance.

    Elias is a Christian Arab living on the eastern side of the newly divided city, and Lila is a Jew living on the western side. A growing conflict between their cultures casts a heavy shadow over the region and their burgeoning relationship. Between them lie not only a wall of stone and barbed wire but also the bitter enmity of two nations at war.Told in the voice of Elias as he looks back upon the long years of his life, About the Night is a timely story of how hope can nourish us, loss can devastate us, and love can carry us beyond the boundaries that hold human beings apart.

    But even as her father cancels her engagement and makes her travel to England to become the wife of a Duke, Isabella is not one to give up that easily! Her spirited, witty nature pushes her to change positions with her maid with the intention of sabotaging the engagement. However, even though she's determined to dislike the Duke, she can't help but feel an untamed attraction towards him. When the innocent attraction evolves into ardent passion, what is she willing to do to salvage the situation?Thomas Wilmington has just returned from Scotland to become the Duke in his late father's place but also inherit the massive debt that came with the title. He is in desperate need of money. Fortunately for him, the solution comes in the face of a wealthy French merchant's daughter. The only problem is, she's not the fiery, passionate woman he expected to meet. To add to his problems, he finds himself irresistibly attracted to her maid! Entangled in this impossible situation, will he choose love and undeniable passion over duty?When things don't go according to plan and identities are threatened to be exposed, what can Isabella do to ensure that she won't lose Thomas? In this forbidden romance, can they find a reason to believe it's worth risking everything they have for it? The battle between right and wrong may not have the final say in this story of unprecedented love."The Mischievous Plan of a Fiery Lady" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    She covers him up and fetches help. Trouble is, she can't banish his muscular form from her dreams as easily. She finds herself compelled to put every detail down on canvas. What she doesn't know is that she's painting the infamous Duke of Weston, and that her life will never be the same.A second son, Anthony Philby thought he could flee his brutal family legacy and become his own man. Forced back to London by his brother's death, he inherits a fortune... with strings attached. One scandal will sink his bid for independence. It's in his best interest to burn Lucy Coover's shocking painting and pretend he never met the bewitching young artist. Instead, he finds himself offering a devil's bargain. He'll save her aunt's dressmaking shop from ruin, if she'll seek out his missing sister, Effie.As they work together, an unexpected passion ignites between them. But the hunt for Effie leads to unexpected danger, and soon they find themselves risking everything... for a love that might destroy them both.

    many secrets. But when they are unexpectedly attacked, she must fight her way to the only man her father says she can trust… Lord Harington. Edwin, the Earl of Harington, is one of the best spies the Crown has. When his partner’s infuriating daughter shows up injured on his doorstep, he's forced to ensure her protection while he searches for Lord Rawlings. As Marianne stumbles into his world of espionage, Edwin struggles with his growing attraction towards her, while still maintaining his own secrets. As traitors are revealed, can they learn to trust each other before it's too late?

    Enigmatic, brooding, and darkly handsome, Thomas Cresswell has always been the one mystery Audrey Rose has never been able to fully solve. As brilliant partners in crime investigation, they understand each other perfectly...but as young lovers, their passionate natures have led to both euphoria and heartbreak throughout the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.This novella features a collection of scenes that takes place during and after the pair's horrifying Atlantic voyage in Escaping From Houdini. Experience new and familiar scenes from Thomas's unique point of view, including an intensely personal look into his plea for Audrey Rose's hand in marriage.With a romance for the ages, Audrey Rose and Thomas reach the conclusion to their epic, irresistible partnership in their final adventure, Capturing the Devil.

    Over the course of the Atlantic voyage, he finds himself taken with Miss Clara Harper.Mrs Harper is set on finding husbands for her daughters—but that is not what Clara wants. Doing the bidding of a husband does not appeal in the least; not when there is a world out there she wants to discover. But after spending time with Jack, her feelings on the matter change.There is, of course, a problem. Jack is the second son of the Earl of Marstone and Clara is a merchant’s niece. For one of his background, marrying into trade just isn’t done. Both must move on. Clara busies herself with her new life in London. Jack tries to push his feelings aside. But neither can forget the other.To Jack’s dismay, his brother has arranged a suitable marriage for him in his absence—one that will advance his family’s status and prestige. His duty to the family demands he accept this union, but he cannot dismiss Clara from his heart and mind. Will he refuse his duty and marry for love?A Question of Duty is a prequel novella to the Marstone Series, taking place seventeen years before Sauce for the Gander (Book 1). While it’s perfect for fans of the series, it can also be read as a standalone story.

    When the opportunity arises via a newspaper ad, she and her best friend slip away from their oppressive fathers and head for Richmond. Neither can relax until they’re far away from their tiny hometown. With wealthy young widow Lydia Harrison’s help, Josephine and six other young women have a new life waiting in Tarnation, Texas. Michael Buchanan is fairly content running his mercantile and being mayor of Tarnation. The town is dusty and tiny, but it’s growing. He believes it holds all he needs to be happy—except a wife. There are no available women in town, but he hopes Lydia Harrison’s Bride Brigade will offer a woman he can wed. He is immediately attracted to Josephine. But Josephine has every reason to mistrust men in general and politicians in particular. Will her misgivings ruin her chance at happiness?

    With scandal nipping at her heels, to avoid total social ruin, Elizabeth must present a fiancé by the end of the Season. But when the viscount proves reluctant, Elizabeth is forced to employ a seduction of a different sort...With his seduction he is determined to ruin herViscount Derek Creswell believes Elizabeth set out to trap him into marriage. After all, her sister attempted the very same thing with his brother six years before. Now the delectable Miss Smith expects a betrothal and a ring, while Derek finds her ruination infinitely more appealing...But as Derek sets out to seduce only her body, Elizabeth is intent on claiming his jaded heart.This is a novella and 29,000 words. Included is a three chapter excerpt of the third full-length book in The Elusive Lords series, AN HEIR OF DECEPTION. The total word count for this book is 43,000 + words. Prior books in The Elusive Lords series are:SINFUL SURRENDER (Book #1)A TASTE OF DESIRE (Book #2)

    Between caring for her elderly father and managing a household barely out of mourning, she has no time for the softer things in life.Liam Barrett, the Earl of Tarrick, is certain he will not accept Marcus Fairfax's invitation to spend Christmas at the Fairfax family's estate - and the man's tales of a family ghost have nothing to do with his decision.Of all the blessings of the season, sometimes the most unexpected is love...Heat level: SWEETOriginally published in the anthology Christmas Ghosts, A Countess for Christmas is a Regency-set short story of 13,000 words (approximately 50 pages).

    She has learned to keep her head down, like a shell ready to be crushed at the first harsh remark of society. Now, a married woman, she must slowly start to realize that the man next to her, a man she never truly trusted, may have her best interest at heart after all... Reginald Barrington, the Duke of Crowan, has spent all his life trying to escape a world of crimes and high society. Lucille has always been the one thing that kept his heart warm, but winning her trust may prove to be the hardest thing he has done is his life. Right when she starts feeling her heart warming towards the Duke, a mysterious twist of fate comes to shake her life to its core once again. Now, Lucille may have to fight harder than ever to believe in her strength if she wants to save her loved ones and her marriage from the threat that lurks in the shadows... Can she race against time to defend her life and honor with the help of her loving husband? Or will shame return once more to crush her in its waves?

    But on V-J Day, her worst fear is realized. As celebrating crowds gather in Times Square, a soldier appears on her doorstep to claim Mary, the baby abandoned to Gwen one year earlier. Suddenly Gwen is on the verge of losing the child she has nurtured and loves dearly.With no legal claim to Mary, Gwen begins to teach Lieutenant John McKee how to care for his child, knowing that he will ultimately take Mary away. What starts as a contentious relationship, however, turns into something more, and Gwen must open her heart to learn that love means taking chances.While You Were Mine paints a vivid portrait of 1940s New York and tells an enchanting tale of the nature of love and trust.

    But her aspirations as a political journalist are thwarted when she is instead sent to a finishing school in Switzerland in the summer of 1939. On her way to Lausanne she meets Leo Oppenheim in Paris. He is not only the leader of the British communist party but also the prodigal son of Chaim Oppenheim, London’s richest diamond merchant. Lili’s time at the posh Swiss school even becomes bearable knowing Leo will take her under his wing. The Second World War breaks out and Lili ends up in London, finally indulging in free love and communism. But Leopold needs money, for his personal needs and for the communist party. He has his eye on the largest diamond centre in Europe: Antwerp. However, Germany, too, is in dire need of Antwerp’s diamonds for its war industry. Lili infiltrates in Antwerp’s Jewish community and befriends both the Goldmunz family and the German military commander Ulrich Lemberg. She becomes the diamond courier between Antwerp and London via Vichy France.Until she is caught in 1943 … The Diamond Courier is a young woman’s fight to liberate herself from her privileged upbringing, for which she pays the highest price. Will she ultimately choose politics over love?

    Loren is perceived as a child as thin as a rail with mud caked hair when Old Tom and his boys come across Thad Walters on their way to town. Rather than take the chance that Miss Pearl won't offer him enough money for a visit at Pearl's brothel, Old Tom decides to convince Thad to buy her. Thad knew that he would do everything in his power to get the child away from the men that had her tied behind their horse half dragging her to town. When he finally payed them enough to get four steak dinners and one roll in the hay for Old Tom, he took her to his ranch planning to take the child to the next town where she could be taken in by a good family. To his surprise, when she got all the mud off, he found her to be a beautiful woman, not a child at all.