The Duchess never asked to be illegitimate. And neither of these two asked that their fates become so entwined.Marcus is passionate, quick to rage, just as quick to laughter. He's tough, opinionated, domineering, known as the devil's own son. The Duchess is serene and aloof -- she has silence down to a fine art. She is always in control, her smiles as rare as bawdy jests in the pulpit. She is self-reliant once she realizes that a very special talent can make her so, a talent no one suspects.Surrounding this unlikely pair are three servants cast in the Shakespearean mold: Spears, Badger, and Maggie -- all cocky, smart, good plotters and better friends, who don't know the meaning of subservient.

    Now she cooks up a delicious new story where the taste of Texas blends with the flavor of Britain to create her most lovable characters yet. A CHILI QUEEN IN ENGLANDIndependent daughter of socially prominent Texans, Christina Delaney stirs up scandal along with her spicy Texas Red when she's crowned Chili Queen of San Antonio. Her family reacts to this culinary coronation by packing her off to live with her grandfather on his English estate, hoping to transform Chrissy from Chili Queen to countess. Never mind the fact that what she longs for is a modest home and loving family deep in the heart of Texas.A TEXAN WITH A CRAVINGBorn British but reared Texan, Cole Morgan would do anything for the Delaney family, even escort the incorrigible Christina to England. Besides, he has his own agenda abroad: to locate the missing copy of the Republic of Texas' Declaration of Independence. But when a viscount offers Christina marriage, Cole is forced to see that the girt he grew tip with is now a woman whose fiery passion -- and love -- he craves. So he sets out to win her, and in the process proves that only he can make the Chili Queen...

     But when she discovers their sister Vivienne is actually being courted by Adrian Kane, the mysterious viscount rumored to be a vampire, she decides to accept his invitation to a midnight supper and do some sleuthing of her own. To both her delight and her dismay, she soon finds herself falling under Kane's bewitching spell. After all, what's a proper young lady to do when her sister's suitor arouses more than just her suspicions?

    She vowed to play his seductive game, surrendering herself to his will, all the while determined to fight for her independence in a land that considered women only as playthings.Mysterious as the desert night, rich as Midas, Galen ben Rashid swept Tess away to his palace in exotic Sedikhan, offering her freedom in exchange for the marriage that would join their kingdoms. A man surrounded by enemies, he would make her a slave to his passion in order to bind her to his side, little knowing that when he took the captivating princess as his bride, he would lose his heart.

    But sin is not confined to the underworld. One couple passes seamlessly between the neighboring worlds of privilege and privation, solving crimes and enabling love to bloom. An unforgettable night at the opera... When she accompanies her family to Covent Garden, Lady Grizelda Niven does not expect to be discovered in a nearby back street, clutching a dagger over the dead body of her maid. However, she is even more surprised when the police arrest, not her, but, the devastatingly handsome young man who found her. Clearly, it behooves her to have him released and to enlist his alliance in discovering who truly killed Nancy.Dragan Tizsa, a Hungarian refugee doctor, revolutionary, and soldier, lives constantly with the anguish of loss. The death of one more acquaintance makes little difference to him, except that it brings the vital and eccentric Griz into his life. He is a man who likes puzzles, and the mystery that is Griz soon assumes as much importance as that of the murder.As they work together to unravel the layers of Nancy’s life and discover why she died, friendship and attraction blossom, much to her family’s unease. From the danger of London’s underworld, to the glittering salons of her married sister, Griz and Dragan look out for each other. But is she right to believe in her new friend when the evidence begins to tell against him? And as she comes face to face with the killer at last, is love and happiness forever beyond her reach?

    Looking after her brood of wayward siblings like a mother hen, she has disregarded any and all advances from handsome gentlemen. Who has time for courtships when she’s busy pulling her sisters out of trees? Until she meets a duke whose smoldering stare is impossible to ignore...A renowned scoundrel, Perth never takes anything seriously. Until he meets the infuriatingly stubborn Lady Lenora Rosewood. Completely impervious to his charms, she presents a unique challenge. And even though stern schoolmarms are decidedly not his type, Perth vows to loosen those too-tight corset strings one way or another…Equal parts romantic, humorous, and tantalizingly passionate, The Rose and the Duke is the first book in a brand new series from best-selling author Jillian Eaton!

    When Eachann's two unruly children are expelled from school, he is even determined to wed. Following an old Scottish custom, Eachann decides to solve the problem for both himself and his brother ... Spying on a fancy society party, Eachann spots debutante Georgina Bayard basking in the spotlight. Meanwhile, pretty Amy Emerson is valiantly struggling to conceal her first broken heart. Swept away by this strange Scotsman, both young women become captives. Kidnapped and furious, Amy and Georgina have a choice: fight for the life they'd previously known --- or let their hearts get carried away.

    But when her father catches her kissing the handsome Sir Roland (how else is she to determine if he is the one who will make her feel thunder and lightning, hear bells and music?), he declares that her days of headstrong independence are over. She will, he commands, announce her engagement to Sir Roland—immediately. But in an age where marriages are about alliances rather than affection, practicality not passion, Myriah wants more—she wants to fall in love. And she does not love Sir Roland. So she runs away to her grandfather with her faithful manservant, Tabson, at her side.A wrong turn in the fog, however, leads to the discovery of an injured young man, and before she knows it Myriah is caught up in world of intrigue and secrets. And when she meets the young man’s older brother, the mysterious Lord Kit Wimborne, the sparks fly. Their first encounter—in his bed, both of them naked, no less!—is an explosion of wills, and it is what finally set Myriah on fire.She has, it seems, finally found her thunder and lightning…**note: this is an updated version of an earlier novel written as Claudette Williams. The updated versions of Claudy's Claudette Williams titles are more sexually explicit than the original versions.

    She'd married young, hoping to put down roots in a safe haven, but her husband had shattered her naiveté, and made her fear for her beloved daughter's safety until the day he died.When she first met her new neighbor, Zachariah McGovern, all she saw was danger. But Zach saw much more. He saw beauty, he saw tenderness. He knew he could rescue Kate Blakely from her past - if only she would let him. What Zach couldn't know, however, was the price that had to be paid to save the woman he loved.

    Though deaf, she is a free spirit--a woman full of life and love. She is struck down all too soonBut for Tess, a new life begins at her death, in post-Civil War America. She is now Amarylis Rafferty, wife and mother of three--and she can hear. Shocked and disoriented by her new surroundings, she is drawn into the savage heartache burdening the family, especially her husband, Jack, a man who fears himself capable of anything.

    Dedicating his life to bringing criminals to justice, he's on the trail of Tyler Boone, an escaped outlaw and killer.Jake and Maddie lock horns when Jake shows up at Maddie's homestead and announces he's staying until he captures Tyler. But living in close quarters exposes emotions and feelings they had both thought long dead, and brings danger, sorrow and love, forcing them both to question the past, and eventually, to trust in the future.

    Both of their families were dead-set against the match and sorely made her pay for it too. Now she learns the shock that Shane, her childhood sweetheart, has a dark past. When he presents her with a son by another woman, he even expects her to raise the child as her own. HER DESIRE, HIS BETRAYAL But Caitlin has a few surprises of her own in store for Shane, things he will find hard to forgive. In the hard, hot frontier, husband and wife return to each other with a passion still burning hard and deep. But Shane and Caitlin are not the same two people who once fell in love…and Missouri is a far place from Ireland. REVIEWS OF MCKENNA’S BRIDE 3.97 average rating all editions, 68 ratings, 4 reviews, added by 164 people, 50 to-reads, 93% of people like it.—Goodreads 4.2 stars out of 5 (6 customer reviews)—Amazon“Wonderful historical romance! I must admit that I have been a Judith E. French fan for years. Her books take me away from my normal, hectic life and offer me hours of enjoyment....I absolutely fell in love with Shane, and Caitlin is as feisty as they come! The love these two people found is just what I was looking for in a romance novel. I loved this book! Bravo, Ms. French! Highly recommended.”—DJ Faz, Amazon Customer“GONE-TO-HEAVEN—6 STARS!!!! I can't even begin to put it in words how emotionally exhausting and beautiful this book was.”—Elaine (Blissfully Booked), Goodreads“4 Stars! Excellent! "A tale with style, emotion, depth of characters and desire."— Romantic Times Book Club"McKenna's Bride is outstanding! 5 Bells!"—Bell, Book, and Candle ABOUT JUDITH E. FRENCH Judith E. French captures the essence of passion and brings her special characters alive on every page. A multiple award winner, including RT's Historical Romance Lifetime Achievement Author, Best Historical Author of the Year, The PEARL award for Best Anthology, and The Delaware Diamond Award for Literary Excellence, she is best known for her American frontier historical fiction. A master storyteller, she finds inspiration in her Scottish, Irish, Welsh, English and Lenni-Lenape ancestry near Chesapeake Bay, where the French family has made its home for more than 300 years. Judith’s novels have sold millions and been translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Bulgarian, and Mandarin. She appeals to readers of Christi Caldwell, Mary Balogh, C. J. Petit, Shirleen Davies, Karen Kay, Madeline Baker, Elle Marlow, Ellen O'Connell, Vonna Harper, Kathryn Le Veque, Colleen French, Julie Garwood, Cecelia Mecca, Caroline Fyffe, and Hannah Howell. She is the mother of bestselling novelist Colleen French.

    Instead, the matriarch makes Lauren a scandalous offer to marry her son in name only. Lauren has strong feelings for him but are they strong enough?

    The only place she could think of to get that kind of money was a riverboat poker tournament. Problem was, she didn't know a thing about playing cards. Dyer Straights may have been the best cardsharp in New Orleans, but the true goal of this hardened gunslinger was vengeance, not profit. He didn't have time for a beautiful belle who wouldn't take no for an answer. So to scare her off, he upped the ante with a proposition: He'd give her the lessons she was so desperate for. And if she won the jackpot, she'd owe him one naked night in his bed. He didn't realize she couldn't afford to refuse. As the cards are dealt and the seduction deepens, the two find they're taking a gamble on a lot more than a good hand and a one-night stand --- they're betting on a lifetime of love.

    Delia Somerset despises the privileged ton, but her young sister, Lily, is desperate to escape their family’s scandalous past and join high society. Unwilling to upset her sister, Delia reluctantly agrees to attend a party at the Sutherland estate—and avoid the gossip at all costs. Alec Sutherland is known as a hot-headed scoundrel, but nothing gets a rise out of him as much as the news that his brother desires Delia’s hand in marriage. She is, after all, the daughter of the London belle who soiled their family name. He’s determined to ruin her reputation as well, in the most delicious way possible. It’s only a matter of time before he can woo her with his irresistible advances. As Delia devilishly plays along in Alec’s game, determined to prove the joke is on him, they inch ever closer to repeating history. And in this game of seductive glances, scandalous whispers, and old debts, the outcome might be much more than either of them anticipated…