The man is boastful, rude and devilishly handsome. Worst of all, he has stolen a kiss that causes Mary to desire more.Lord Anthony Greyson knows the rumors concerning him and his rakish ways and cares not. He has spirited many women to his bed, and his eye is now on Mary. Wooing the innocent woman with a kiss, he has no doubt he will soon add her to his list of conquests, and he is certain she will not have the strength to resist.Upon learning of several unsavory rumors, Mary is tasked to spy on Anthony, and she readily agrees. Doing so will prove she is more than a pretty thing for others to admire. More importantly, she will be able to prove to herself she can resist the rake’s charms.Anthony soon becomes enchanted with the secretive woman and desires to know more about her and what she is hiding…And for Mary, she begins to wonder if Anthony is the cruel man about whom the ton whispers. Or is he the gentleman she secretly wishes him to be?

    However, the English have made smuggling almost impossible, and so order after order is waiting at the distillery until it’s safe enough to continue shipments. Most customers understand this. Most customers are reasonable. The Duke of Danby is not most customers. So after a number of demands from His Grace, insisting upon his order, Mary decides to deliver the whisky herself since no one else is available. Benjamin Storm, Earl of Kenley, breathes a sigh of relief when his summons from the Duke of Danby has nothing to do with matrimony or a stack of special licenses. Instead, his uncle just needs Benjamin to travel to Scotland and procure his missing whisky shipment in time for his holiday festivities. The chore sounds easy enough, at least until he encounters a most unusual smuggler on her way to Danby Castle. Benjamin’s life may never be the same. *This story originally appeared in “The Duke’s Christmas Summons” anthology.

    But her rescuer, the mysterious Anthony Sterling, immediately melts her heart and makes her dream of a life beyond her tiny, sheltered world. The more she gets to know him, the more she senses he is hiding something from her.When Captain Anthony Sterling was wounded in battle, he lost his leg, his fiancee, and any hope for happiness. Even the revelation that he is the heir to a fortune brought him nothing but bitterness. Then his chance encounter with the charming, innocent Phoebe makes him wonder if there may be a future for him after all. But first he must escape the shadows of his past.

    And though Miss Euphemia (Mia) Buchanan liked them all, love was simply not in the picture.But the accident was to change all that. The accident that had almost killed her and her brother. Suddenly Mia found herself convalescing at Dominer, the ancestral home of the infamous Garret Hawkhurst, who, rumor had it, had murdered his wife and son--and for whom Mia had developed a dangerous tenderness.

    She is surprised when Mark Linfield, the handsome and powerful Duke of Edgerton, and his Uncle Silas invite her and her sisters to supper together. Both Mark and his uncle are smitten with the elegant, statuesque Emily, and the Duke, a patron of the arts, suggests he would like to help launch her career as a solo pianist throughout Europe. Silas wants to help Emily too, but only if she will agree to accept his advances toward her. And not only must she contend with Silas, but there are forces within her own family that want to prevent her from achieving her dream. Despite these difficulties Mark and Emily, are becoming intensely attracted to each other. But Emily has a beau, and Mark's family wants him to marry a woman of his social class. Neither one is certain how to deal with these challenges by themselves. But might they succeed together, or will they be overpowered by the forces working against them? *A Dashing Duke for Emily is a historical Regency romance of 90,000 words (around 450 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a sweet happily ever after. Get this book for free with Kindle Unlimited!

    Close to receiving a proposal from the Duke of Wathersby, Sera's reputation is ruined after a rumor spreads through the ton that she had been compromised by Lord Devericks--and in a library no less! Lord Quinton Devericks, the Earl of Surrant, never thought inheriting his father's title would leave him destitute, but the gambling debts his father had accumulated did just that. Desperate, he decides to take advantage of the gossip surrounding him and Lady Sera, a woman he has never met. Hoping that her ample dowry would be enough to repair his neglected estates, Quinton risks everything on yet another gamble: a proposal of marriage.With their lives in shambles, they agree to the only recourse left to them: to convince the ton that their scandalous interlude was a marriage proposal, and that their engagement is based off of love. When a vicious plot against Sera is revealed, she doesn't know who she can trust. Is Sera's love for Quinton true, or is she only caught up in a scandal of love?

    Determined to rise above the gossipmongers, Zelah knows she can rely on no one but herself.But her independence takes a knock when a terrifying stranger must come to her aid. Major Dominic Coale's formidable manner is notorious, but Zelah shows no signs of fear. She doesn't cower at his touch as she begins to get a glimpse of the man behind the scars….

    Martin Phippen, a highly successful London builder, is forced by a business partner’s foolish decision, to take on a project in the wretchedly scenic wilds of Yorkshire. Three little scamps have made his work site their private playground, and Martin is determined that their mischief be curtailed before somebody gets badly hurt. Widowhood means Mrs. Christina Thacker has her hands full with her children, while her exchequer is distressingly empty. To remedy her lack of funds, she focuses on making a match at her sister’s upcoming house party. When Christina's energies should be fixed on finding security for her family, she is, instead, powerfully drawn to the blunt, irascible Londoner with callused hands, sharp wit... and also, an intrinsic honor. As passions flare between Christina and Martin, she must choose between a future defined by predictable security, or one built—with Martin—on a foundation of love.

    Originally published in separate anthologies, and out-of-print for many years, these holiday novellas by legendary Regency romance author Edith Layton are in one volume for the first time ever! This collection includes the following stories:The Earl’s NightingaleThe Hounds of HeavenThe Rake’s ChristmasThe Dark Man

    His destination gets delayed when he finds an abandoned donkey, and his efforts to save the animal bring him into contact with a lovely widow and a menagerie of both animals and children who need his help with their Christmas pageant.Widowed Lady Elizabeth Newton enjoys her life and her home in the country. She cares for three children from her late husband’s mistress, as well as helpless animals of every description that would, otherwise, have no home. Life changes when the handsome Lord Bergen brings an abandoned, cross-eyed donkey, believed cursed, to her doorstep.Against all odds, sparks fly between Bergen and the widow. But can a romance survive the danger that follows the donkey?

    She’s kept a secret from him for years, but he’s here now, he’s furious, and nothing is going to stop him from getting the truth.But will the results be what he expected?

     Lord Harry Marlow reluctantly attends a Christmas house party hosted by his brother and his sister-in-law, who also happens to be the woman he once longed to wed himself. He’s not pleased by the prospect of holly and mistletoe and merrymaking any more than he is with the reminder of the love he could have had. But his dismay doesn’t last for long when a mysterious stranger in the midst of a blizzard captures his interest. Lady Alexandra Danvers is unabashedly eccentric. Nothing and no man interests her more than her scientific pursuits. Until she meets the sinfully handsome Lord Harry, that is. When sparks fly between the unlikely pairing, scandal isn’t far behind. Will Lord Harry and Lady Alexandra find true love together by Christmas day? Length: novella Note: Previously appeared in the collection Seduced Under the Mistletoe. This is an extended version never before published.

    Somewhat foxed, he agrees to a wager which states that he can marry the spinster sister of the Earl of Thornwich by Christmas eve. If Thornwich wins the wager and Eastden fails in his quest to marry her, he will get ten thousand pounds and vice versa. Having grown up on neighbouring estates, Nicholas can’t figure out why a nice girl like Gabriella failed for so many seasons on the marriage mart. Gabriella appreciates the viscount’s honesty when he explains the wager. Knowing the dire straits of her family’s finances and her brother’s addiction to gambling, it seems that marriage to Nick may be the only option. But can she overcome his cruel words from their childhood when he taunted her about the strawberry birthmark on her face which blights her appearance? After such a rocky start, can the Spirit of Christmas find its way into the lives of Nick, Gabriella and their families or will injury and grievances from the past keep them apart forever? Content Warning: This book is not a sweet romance. It contains sex scenes. If such content is not to your taste or offends you, please do not upset yourself by purchasing this book. Thank you.

    She's my sister's Best FriendAnd I want to give her something...BIG!I am a billionaire businessman with an empire to runWomen were just an after thought in my lifeUntil that hot Christmas EveWhen I fell for those amazing curves of hersIt was supposed to be just for one nightAfter a long gap I see her again at my sister's weddingShe's still HOT as ever but avoiding meI guess she is hiding somethingDon't worry son! Daddy's gonna win back your Mommy! This is a FULL LENGTH Secret Baby Romance with HEA guaranteed!!! Also included with this book is a never before published novella - BILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR to double your pleasure!!!

    The Earl of Mapleton is failing miserably at wooing Eliza's mistress. Perhaps they can fail together... aided by the magic of the season and some harmless mistletoe.A Gypsy’s Christmas Kiss by Dawn BrowerFin and Lulia have a history. One that neither one has forgotten. When they meet again they are drawn together. After that chance meeting they share a magical kiss. Along the way they discover that sometimes the one thing a person needs isn’t what they would expect.Mistletoe, Whisky, and a Rogue by Jane CharlesOne gossiping parrot, a few sips of whisky, and mistletoe could seal one’s fate.If Ethan Copeland had it his way, he’d be back in New Orleans and not stuck in England. However, one encounter with Miss Fanella Grant, a lass with a taste for whiskey and adventure, could change everything—especially when a parrot not only repeats what he hears, but also what he sees. Silver Bells and Mistletoe by Anna St. ClairLady Susan Winslow wants love and a Christmastide wedding. But when her father betroths her to a stranger—she rebels.Lord Grayson Harding signs a secret betrothal to his childhood love, before realizing first, he must woo her.Lady Susan’s brother is being murdered. Will they save her brother but lose a chance at happiness?Stealing a Rogue’s Kiss by Amanda MarielDetermined not to grow old alone, Daphne takes fate into her own hands. Marcus made her a promise years ago, and she's ready for him to make good on it. One passionate kiss. How could either of them have guessed where one stolen moment would lead?Bedded under the Christmastide Moon by Christina McKnightWhen two best friends agree to a marriage of convenience, neither admits they've always harbored a secret desire for the other--until one night under the Christmastide moon, when passion consumes them.A Winter Wish by Nadine MillardMariah and Brandon are forced to endure each other’s company when a snowstorm traps them in the same house. They argue, they bang heads and they drive each other insane. But something precious is blooming beneath the surface of all that ice. Something neither looks for but both need. On a Midnight Clear by Sandra SooKooChristmastide 1814 takes a fateful turn when Major Cecil Stapleton returns from hospital and finds his cottage in the country already occupied by the lover he left behind six years before. As shared memories collide with budding romance, he and Olivia will need to work through painful truths and personal expectations in order to grasp the love they both desperately need.Miss Pageant’s Christmas Proposal by Tabetha WaiteMiss Emary Pageant can have any man in London, but the one she wants thinks she’s nothing but a simpering debutante. She has to gain his attention, so she approaches him with a wager...Donovan Wainwright, Duke of Windwood, is a physically and emotionally battle-scared war hero. He knows his duty to his title like he knew his duty to his country, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to marry some vain, empty-headed woman.It isn’t until Emary approaches him with a rather shocking proposal that he takes a closer look.