Who would want such a woman? Obviously no one. For here she was, eighteen and now of age to set out on her own. But New Orleans was full of men with evil intent for one such as herself, and she saw no other choice but to take the only offer for survival she could find and become a mail order bride. What she didn't count on was becoming Sheriff Clayton Riley's Christmas present!

    Secret!From the seductive boudoirs and elite salons of London to the ancient castles of the snowy Scottish Highlands, our fearless heroines enter the Christmas season in pursuit of their heart's desire.But, the course of true love never did run smooth... especially when SECRETS abound.Settle in to enjoy these tales of intrigue, romantic adventure, sizzling passion, and heartwarming holiday romance.This collection of never-before-published Yuletide historical romances from your favorite authors is available for just three months, so don’t miss out.Unwrap the pleasure...Wedding Her Christmas Duke - by Collette CameronHe’s not who he says he is…but then again, neither is she. Their secrets are revealed at a Christmastide house party, resulting in scandal and scorching romance.The Knot of a Knight - by Linda Rae SandeSir Randolph’s daytime occupation collides with his nocturnal avocation of service to the Crown when he discovers Lady X's hidden stash of bank notes. They might be counterfeit—but are his feelings for her?The Marquess is Mine - by Tamara GillIs a Christmas ball at St. Albans Abbey the perfect setting for Sarah to regain her trust in love—and in Giles? Or is their second chance at happily ever after doomed to end as badly as their first?A Yuletide Miracle - by Laurel O'DonnellThe one knight who didn’t believe her was the only man who could keep her secret and save the Yule.The Lady Who Stole Christmas - by Sydney Jane BailyAmid mistletoe and missing jewels, a wealthy widow and a sexy sleuth play a game of cat and mouse.Christmas with a Czar - by Emily E.K. MurdochThis Christmas at St. James’ Court, a gentleman claiming to be a Czar is not all that he seems...A Scot Most Wanted - by Angelique ArmaeWhen highwaywoman Catrina Lennox’s secret is unmasked during a Christmas Eve snowstorm, she learns just how deliciously scandalous the laird she once walked out on, truly is.Secretly Marvellous - by Virginia TaylorLady Mary doesn’t expect Lord Westerham to ask for her hand in marriage, but she has a secret reason to say ‘yes’ and mean ‘no.’Yuletide Secrets - by S. CindersHe promised to never love again—until she, quite literally, fell at his feet. Now, he's ruined for anyone else but her.One Scandalous Christmas - by J. BurrelliRobert Vaughn never expected to lay eyes on Kitty Thorpe again. Her misplaced anger confounds him, but the fire in her eyes tempts him to pure folly, of falling in love with her all over again.The Rogue's Secret - by Stacy Reid and Giselle MarksBachelor Lord Rupert Rogers is searching for the treasure his great uncle suggests he has left him but finds an enemy and a bride he must convince with one kiss at a time that they are perfect for each other...The Secrets He Keeps - by Amy SandasShe’s the madam of an elite London brothel. He’s a master in the art of seduction. Enticing her to his bed will be a pleasure. Convincing her love is real might prove to be impossible.

    She doesn’t know he’s been secretly in love with her since grade school. A Holiday Rescue BY TAMIE DEAREN Despite her fame as an author, Amy is all alone at Christmas. Stranded in a snowstorm, she's rescued by a handsome stranger. Can shared cocoa lead to love?  A Second Chance for Christmas BY MICHELLE PENNINGTON Grace planned to spend December moving into her new apartment and getting ready for Christmas with her daughter, not falling for her neighbor, Sam--whose heart she broke years ago.  The Billionaire’s Perfect Match BY ANNIE HOUSTON Heading up large corporations is tough on your love life. A trip home throws high school friends Aurelia and Lander together and sparks fly. They each have everything, except love.

    He's learned a trade and excelled at it and is ready to prove to his father and the town he can amount to something.Upon his return he learns the fate of the daughter of an innocent man who died in the robbery crossfire. To make amends he takes her out of the saloon and gives her a job, not realizing she'd been squatting in the very building he'd purchased for his business.Can two battered hearts find solace or will the past continue to haunt their lives?

    She's drawn to veterinarian Cameron McKenzie's good looks, caring nature and especially his devotion to his young daughter. There's just one problem — he's her boss. Putting her heart on the line could cost Rina both her job and their friendship forever. But when a kiss under the mistletoe unlocks the simmering passion between them, Rina and Cameron may just find love for the holidays after all….The Sheik and the Christmas BrideWhen Prince As'ad of El Deharia agrees to adopt three orphaned American girls, he does so on one condition — that their beautiful teacher, Kayleen James, become their nanny. His plan is to leave her to deal with the children as he continues his life, undisturbed. But all that changes when Kayleen and the girls invade the palace — and As'ad's heart — and change it for the better.

    With a reputation that makes nice young ladies swoon, he is just not the marrying kind. A friend to the rescue... Unwitting wallflower Felicity Bunting is only trying to protect a friend when she finds herself in a compromising situation with this lusty lord. An unlikely pairing... She might not have meant to do it, but Bunty just accidentally trapped Lord Courtney into marriage.Neither of them is what the other ever expected to have, but perhaps they might be all they ever wanted.Previously published in the Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal anthology

    She has been in love with Viscount Heathfield since she was in leading strings. Unfortunately, it's been almost that long since she's laid eyes on her brother's old friend and vice versa. Tired of waiting for him to remember her, Emma pens a holiday invitation (in her brother's hand) to Heathfield and waits as patiently as she is able for her one true love to arrive. * Heath isn't quite certain what to make of the very strange summons he received, but his curiosity is most definitely piqued. He heads north to Danby Castle, only to find that his very orderly life is about to be turned upside down.In Aileen Fish's The Viscount’s Sweet Temptation, Lady Harriet Thornhill knows the summons from her grandfather means he’s decided whom she must marry. Determined that she’d only marry a man of her choosing, she stows away in her friend’s father’s carriage, only to find herself alone with young Archibald Napier,Viscount Morley. * Morley’s plans for a quiet Christmas vanish when he discovers the sweet young lady hiding under the blankets in his carriage. As she claims an acquaintance with his sister, he feels duty-bound to see her safely back to her family.* A broken carriage wheel leaves them stranded, and Harriet’s reputation is at stake. Morley’s not ready to take a wife, until he’s told he wouldn’t be a suitable husband for her. With memories of her sweet, tempting kiss filling his thoughts, he prepares to fight for the hand of the woman he believes he could love.In Julie Johnstone's Gift of Seduction, the day Andrew Whitton, Earl of Hardwick chooses his fortune over the woman he loves, Drew discovers that money makes for a cold bed partner. Now, no matter how far he runs, the memory of his betrayal haunts him, and there’s not enough liquor to dull the past or diminish his disgust. * Charlotte Milne trusted in happily ever after until her knight turned out to be wearing rusty armor. Drew, the scoundrel, seduced her, though she very much enjoyed the seduction by the man she’s loved since childhood. Left scandalously ruined, Char flees her home intent upon forgetting Drew and proving her worth. * Separated by disloyalty and pain, each struggle to bury the memories of the other until a mandatory summons from the Duke of Danby sets them on a path of collision to Danby Castle. With the tides of irrevocable change rising, Drew must find a way to show Char that even the most selfish of rakes can be redeemed by love before the woman of his heart becomes the wife of another.

    Reunited after decades with her long-lost son, everything should have been perfect. Yet it wasn’t. Without the constant grief, she became aware of how empty her life was. Hoping that spending the Christmas holidays with her son and his new bride would improve her outlook, Sarah met an ill fate once more. With her carriage broken down in a snowstorm, she sets out on foot to reach the family home, not realizing just how treacherous the conditions are. Bransen Middlethorpe is also at loose ends. Since his brother’s untimely but mostly welcomed demise, it’s been his job to look after the estates… and his brother’s widow. To say that Sarah had resented his interference was to put it mildly. But with his nephew returned, looking after the estates and after her, are no longer his purview—that is until he encounters Sarah braving blizzard like conditions. Furious with her and terrified at what might have happened had he not found her; they are forced to take shelter for the night in his small cottage on the family estate. While they are trapped by a blanket of snow and ice, they are forced to face the truth. There is far more between them than simply shared history. In such an intimate setting, they have no choice but to acknowledge the desire they both feel… and the love they’ve been denying for decades.

    The friendly Londoners shake up the staid people of Hemshawe, and villagers see each other in a new and oh-so-appealing light. Suddenly long-sparring enemies become lovers, a town festival heralds a new start for a fallen woman and a dandy, and a man who has given up on love gets a second chance with the woman he never forgot. And the matchmaker herself? She won’t rest until she finds her own happily-ever-after… A Madness in Spring by Kate Noble Adam Sturridge has made Belinda Leonard’s blood boil since childhood, and the feeling is mutual. But when a would-be matchmaker arrives in the village of Hemshawe, she’d determined to erase the thin line between love and hate. Now, Belinda and Adam are faced with falling for someone they’ve always considered an enemy — can they overcome old prejudices and discover how to rub each other the right way? The Summer of Wine and Scandal by Shana Galen When viscount’s son and dandy Peregrine Lochley is temporarily exiled from London to the country for his misdeeds, the last thing he expects is to encounter an intriguing woman. But Caroline Martin has a secret to hide, and it just might be too scandalous for even this debauched rogue. Those Autumn Nights by Theresa Romain Ten years ago, wealthy Eliza Greenleaf broke lowly soldier Bertram Gage’s heart—but the last decade brought changes in fortune to them both. Now that he’s made his mark on the world, a twist of fate brings the Greenleaf family under his power. Will this war-hardened officer triumph over his former lover…or will Bertie and Eliza give love a second chance? The Season for Loving by Vanessa Kelly Miss Georgie Gage, matchmaker extraordinaire, is resigned to life as a spinster—almost. When notoriously aloof bachelor Fergus Haddon arrives from Scotland to spend Christmas with the Gage family, Georgie thinks she’s finally found her own perfect match—if, that is, she can get the handsome Highlander to agree!

    He has to find her, woo her, and wed her before he goes back to sea - all within a matter of days.Anne Lesley is a shy spinster with no prospects, and nothing and no one to recommend her but her own self. She accepts the lieutenant’s hasty offer only for the comfort and security it will bring. But when a midwinter storm snows her and Ian in, they both find they got much more than they bargained for - laughter, light, and a Christmas filled with honest to goodness true love...

    Hugo's cynical heart is in danger of being melted…. How much longer can he avoid the mistletoe?Twelfth Night Proposal by Lucy AshfordLeaving London to claim his newly inherited estate, Theo Dalbury finds remote Derbyshire as foreign to him as his feelings for country girl Jenna. Christmas evokes painful memories for him, but Jenna is bringing out his festive spirit…and will give him a yuletide that he'll never forget!Christmas at Oakhurst Manor by Joanna FulfordVivien Hastings is looking forward to a quiet Christmas at Oakhurst Manor, until she realizes she'll be sharing it with Max Calderwood. It's been years since he broke her heart, but one hot glance from his cool gray eyes shows her that she's just as vulnerable to him as she ever was….

    However she was desperate for money to support her children this Christmas, so it is to him she must go. Perhaps it had been wrong of her to point out his many faults so boldly, but the man drove her to distraction and all thoughts of lady-like behavior disappeared in his infuriating presence.Max didn't remember much of his first meeting with the annoying Miss Appleby, thanks to the after effects of one drink too many. But he vaguely recalled he'd promised her something, just to get her out of his house so he could suffer in peace. Unfortunately peaceful was the last word to describe her as he found out the next day. She was unlike any woman he knew - opinionated and rude certainly, but she worked selflessly to provide for children that were not even of her blood. Max had believed himself incapable of strong emotion yet Hero was changing that belief. Could his long forgotten Christmas wish really come true?THE EARL FROM CHRISTMAS PASTA feisty regency Miss and a cold arrogant Lord. Can a sweet kiss under the mistletoe, and a dangerous secret be enough to rekindle what they once shared?Gabriel Lord Lockhart wants nothing to do with the woman his childhood friend has become. Calculating, and aloof, Maddie’s beauty is now just a façade, and she is nothing like the mouthy hellion he remembers. That was until the day he found her on a dirty street in one of the seediest areas in London, championing children. He soon realizes how wrong he’s been about her, and that the feelings he’d once had for her had grown into something powerful. Now all he has to do is keep her safe!Miss Madeline Spencer loathes society but has promised her parents she will behave so she can keep her freedom. Everything is going to plan until Gabe stomps back into her life. He uncovers her secret, and demands she stop taking risks. She soon realizes that the gentle boy she once loved is now a man with an iron will, but she can’t allow him to deter her from what must be done. Even if it means she can’t be with the man she loves.MISTLETOE AND THE MARQUESSMarriage was something Miss Partridge had hoped to delay indefinitely, but due to her father's reckless behavior she is now expected to save the family from ruin. Determined to have one last night of freedom before marrying a man she detests; Jemma attends a Christmas Masquerade Ball. When a handsome highwayman awakens something inside her, with stolen kisses and whispered promises, she flees, vowing to forget about the man who touched her soul.From the moment the Marquess of Harrington sees the Grecian Goddess enter the ball, he wants her. Harry is not usually one for irrational impulses - indeed his life does not allow for that - but this woman makes him lose all reason. Her touch ignites a fire inside him, and her kisses sear his soul. When she runs from him he is determined to find her and finally unmask the woman who has captured his heart.

    In the snowy Scottish countryside, Karen Hawkins’s rakish duke has an unforgettable holiday encounter in "Twelve Kisses" when the alluring lady he surprises under the mistletoe is not who he expected, but a long-lost love with a score to settle. In "By Any Other Name", Edinburgh is aglitter for Christmastime as Candace Camp sends a curious gentleman in hot pursuit of an intriguing lady in disguise—one who refuses to reveal her true identity, though she fears he has already stolen her heart with his kiss. In "Sweet Ruin", will the festive spirit of the season sweep Meredith Duran’s feisty heroine beneath the mistletoe—and back into the arms of the dashing rogue whose carelessness soiled her reputation and sent her into exile in London?In this all-new story collection sparkling with sexy charm and heartwarming wit, four beloved bestselling authors reveal the mix-ups and make-ups, the missed chances and golden opportunities that come but once a year.

    But it might take a Christmas miracle for Faith Monroe to give him a second chance...

    Julia London's Snowy Night with a Highlander sends a debutante into the wintry Scottish wilds....Searching for her rakehell brother, an earl lying low in the wake of a scandalous affair, Fiona Haines is led by a rugged Highlander who obscures his scarred face. As they journey on, Fiona draws closer to her brave, enigmatic protector -- but will fury or passion ignite when he reveals his identity?