High-spirited Lydia expects a very dull visit, but her sojourn to the village of Diddlington is not as idyllic as she anticipates . . .A charred and bludgeoned corpse is found in the woods, and suspicion falls on Lydia’s aunt’s suitor, an intriguing Frenchman. Convinced of his innocence, Lydia enlists the help of her new friend, John Savidge, to catch the real killer. But before their dangerous adventure ends there will be more than one unexpected discovery.

    Ruth Conroy is the pride of her father and brothers and the despair of her mother, who fears that her daughter’s unconventional ways will prevent her from marrying. Goaded by her mother’s nagging, Ruth declares that she will only marry a man who can beat her in a horse race. As she is an expert horsewoman, her challenge seems unlikely to be met. But family friend Robert Holloway has always loved Ruth, and if it takes a horse race to win her, then an equestrian he will be, even though he is a poor rider. Out of friendship, Ruth agrees to teach him how to ride with skill, never realizing that his goal is to win the race and win her hand in marriage. When she is challenged, she must decide what she will win or lose in this race for her heart.

    

    Four lovely ladies will arrive… but only one can become a duchess.James, the scandalously uncivilized Duke of Harland, requires a bride with a spotless reputation for a strictly business arrangement. Lust is prohibited and love is out of the question.Four ladies. Three days. What could go wrong?She is not like the others…Charlene Beckett, the unacknowledged daughter of an earl and a courtesan, has just been offered a life-altering fortune to pose as her half-sister, Lady Dorothea, and win the duke’s proposal. All she must do is:* Be the perfect English rose [Ha!]* Breathe, smile, and curtsy in impossibly tight gowns [blast Lady Dorothea’s sylph-like figure]* Charm and seduce a wild duke [without appearing to try]* Keep said duke far, far from her heart [no matter how tempting]When secrets are revealed and passion overwhelms, James must decide if the last lady he should want is really everything he needs. And Charlene must decide if the promise of a new life is worth risking everything . . . including her heart.

    She had come upon it not long after her marriage to Edgar, and it had offered her the only peace she was to know for a long time. It was dangerous to share the only thing that belonged to one. Yet the thought of spending an afternoon with the earl in her most treasured place, sharing a leisurely meal, beckoned her. She glanced shyly over her shoulder to see if he still followed.Lord Ashworth rode only a few yards behind her horse, and he grinned when their eyes met. He had a lazy, sensual smile and, when he looked at her like that, she felt an odd breathless catch in her throat. She wondered how it would feel if he were to place those warm lips to hers instead of the back of her hand. Oh dear! There went that catch again.Within moments they entered a clearing. Catherine dismounted without waiting for the earl’s assistance and swung her arms wide as she turned in a circle about the shaded copse.“What do you think?” she asked.The earl, still astride, cast his gaze slowly around the tiny glen as he studied the scenery. He then turned his attention to Catherine but did not speak. A suggestive grin broke the calm of his expression as he continued to watch her.“More beautiful than I could have imagined,” he murmured.Simple statement that, but it held a wealth of meaning. Catherine dropped her arms while staring back in fascination. Her mouth fell open and her breathing quickened. The air vibrated with unspoken words as they shared a moment of absolute understanding. The specter of desire had been brought into the open and was acknowledged.Experience IN THE GARDEN OF TEMPTATION today. Meet characters you'll visit again in the other books in this series.Now Available on Amazon:IN THE GARDEN OF SEDUCTION, Book 2 of The Garden Series.IN THE GARDEN OF DISGRACE, Book 3 of The Garden Series.IN THE GARDEN OF DECEIT, Book 4 of The Garden Series.Just Released: THIEF OF SOULSDark and sensual, Thief of Souls is one man's battle with evil for the fate of his humanity. It is a modern vampire-esque romance, gothic in tone, with a twist on the "Beauty and the Beast" theme, for the beast's ugliness resides on the inside rather than the outside, and his hope for redemption comes not from being loved by another but from discovering his own ability to love.

    Nor does he wear the most fashionable coats. But when Marissa York's brother approaches him, desperate to preserve Marissa's tenuous reputation, Jude does prove heroic enough to offer to marry the girl. In fact, the union should more than make up for his lack of social graces --- and his own scandalous past ...BUT MINDS CHANGE ...Marissa knows that betrothal to the son of a duke --- even one as raw and masculine as Jude --- will save her from ruin, but that doesn't mean she's happy about it. Soon, though, she finds that Jude has a surprisingly gentle touch --- and plans to use it to persuade Marissa that their wedding day cannot come soon enough ...

    Seeking the truth, Emily finds herself travelling to England, comforted in the knowledge that her inheritance will allow her to live a pleasant life. Her world turns upside down though, when she finds out about the condition that dictates she needs to find a husband before her twenty-first birthday... Fate seems to be teasing her even further, as she soon finds her heart entrapped by the presence of a dashing lord. Will Emily manage to secure her fortune without risking her one chance at true love?Lord Maximillian Camborne is a strong and independent man. Despite appearing calm and collected on the surface, a dark secret is hidden behind the reason he's keeping everyone at distance. Rumours surrounding his wife's death and a curse upon his home in Cornwall have left him with little to be joyful of, but the arrival of a mysterious young lady might be exactly the salvation he's been looking for...Emily and Maximillian feel completely lost before their pathways meet, but they end up finding more than they dreamed of in each other's mesmerising gaze. Regardless of how unexpected their encounter is, the connection is instant and their feelings persist against all odds. With Emily hiding her real identity, though, and Maximilian concealing an even darker reality, could love stand a chance? Will they manage to defy the endless obstacles and rumours to reach the final destination of love?"A Fateful Twist of Love" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    But when the blasted man hasn't the grace to die, she suddenly finds herself with a healthy, vibrant husband who wants to renegotiate the terms of their bargain -- and ultimately possess the heart of his bewildered bride...

     At the age of thirty-five, Randall Roderick, Marquess of Reading, decides it's time to trade in his life as the ‘Rake of Reading' for the life of a married man. Trouble is, his reputation precedes him, and he's not particularly attracted to the milk water misses who make up the eligible ladies of the ton.  His counterpart, Charles Goodwin, Earl of Wakefield, is only twenty-five and enjoys his life as a rake far too much to consider marriage. A visiting prostitute may change his mind on the matter, though, if only because he wants to do the right thing. When the Earl of Norwick's skittish cousin, Constance, meets Randall in the park, she's intrigued by the gentleman she thinks is merely a well-to-do cit with a fascination for horse racing, but she's only in London to find out what's become of her inheritance. She's determined to return to her home and horses in Sussex to live the life of an independent woman.  Her counterpart, Eleanor Merriweather, is in London for her come-out with a dream to marry her perfect knight, but having been duped by a brothel's madame upon her arrival, she suddenly finds herself completely and thoroughly ruined. When the lives of these four are suddenly upended by their chance meetings, the events of two nights and two days will prove that it takes a bit of horse sense to get on the right track in “The Love of a Rake”.

    Now, faced with the unknown they must rely on each other to survive. A new teacher, Sarah Reynold’s sets out to meet her father in the untamed territory of 1837 Georgia, where she is to become a teacher for children of the white settlers. While her father claims all is peaceful between the settlers and the Cherokee, there is much left unsaid. When she is saved from certain death by White Eagle, a bold Cherokee warrior opposed to his tribesmen renegade attack, he, too, is injured. As he fights to survive, they are thrust into the turmoil of the forced emigration of his people. Thrown together by circumstances not of their own making, Sarah and White Eagle overcome betrayal and tragedy to find a love strong enough to bring nations together.

    When everything goes wrong are you still meant for each other?After being dispatched to Blanchard Creek, Wyoming by her mother as a mail order bride, Christina Mills tumbles from one mishap to another. As if arriving in Wyoming with a fever, losing luggage and being accosted by the hotel owner isn’t already bad enough, her to be groom decides to back out of the marriage.Alexander Barrett Patterson is a man of honor. However, the scars from battle are more than skin deep. Rather than tying the beautiful woman to a cripple, he decides to give her up and suffer the consequences of a decision every ounce of his being protests. Now, if only half the town would stop trying to make him change his mind.A story of hurt, scars and the healing power of love.

    The youngest daughter of a duke, all she wants is to make her own choices. Now she's engaged to an infuriating, handsome Scottish baron who doesn't even know her name! Using all her feminine wiles, along with advice gleaned from a training guide for hunting hounds, Elsinore is determined to mold her baron into the husband she wants.Quin Graham is a man with many secrets. If another scandal can be avoided with a sham marriage, so be it. Only his fiancée isn't at all what he's expecting, and the clumsy, curious, and clever Elsinore refuses to be set aside. For reasons he's unwilling to explain, the last thing Quin needs is to fall for his wife.

    How to Distract a Duchess, How to Please a Pirate and How to Vex a Viscount in one glorious romp of a book set! Book 1—How to Distract a Duchess The widowed Duchess of Southwycke doesn't give two figs for the ton’s opinions on propriety. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, so Artemisia is painting the entire Roman pantheon in glorious nudes. The man who arrived to pose for her is far too muscular and virile to fit her vision of a cherubic Cupid, so she’ll simply turn him into Mars.Trevelyn Deveridge never expected to pose naked to serve Queen and country, but the trail of the elusive Mr. Beddington leads right to the door of the duchess. Unless Trev retrieves Beddington’s key, a whole string of operatives in India are in danger of discovery. Since he’s convinced that Her Grace can point him in the right direction, he's left with little choice but to play along with her artistic endeavors. Besides, when a lady asks a gentleman to disrobe, how can he refuse?Book 2—How to Please a PirateWhen Captain Gabriel Drake earns a royal pardon and comes home to Cornwall, he finds himself elevated to lord of the manor with the added complication of being responsible for his five orphaned nieces. He's also obliged to wed, bed and breed an heir on a well-born lady as soon as possible to secure the barony or it will be devolved to the Crown. And the fact that he only wants Jacquelyn Wren, the bastard daughter of a courtesan who couldn't possibly satisfy the King's requirements to become his baroness, means he'll have her any way he can. To protect the orphans in her charge, Jacquelyn has to see the new baron suitably wed to a lady of quality. A few lessons in courting should do the trick nicely. But she forgot one thing. What a pirate wants, a pirate takes… Book 3—How to Vex a ViscountDaisy Drake needs Lucian Beaumont. Tired of being "on the shelf," she craves adventure and Lucian holds all the clues to a long-buried Roman treasure. Too bad the devilishly handsome viscount doesn't want her help.Until she masquerades as a French courtesan who offers to teach him all she knows of the pleasures of the love couch. Of course, Daisy only knows what she learned from the memoirs of a real courtesan, but she's always been a fast learner.As children they sparred with wooden swords, and Lucian has the scar to prove it. Now that they're all grown up, the true battle is only beginning...

    Lady Adeline Wivenly is resolved to keep him at arm’s length during her first Season—until she overhears another woman’s plot to trick him into marriage. Even a rogue is undeserving of such deception, and Adeline feels obliged to warn him—only to find herself perilously attracted...In the past, Littleton’s charm nearly got him leg-shackled to the wrong woman. Now he’s positive he’s found the right one, for Adeline is everything he wants and needs in a wife. Her sense of justice is so strong she agrees to help him despite her mistrust. But can the ton’s most elusive lord convince the lady he is finally serious about marriage—as long as she will be his bride?

     A MICHAELMAS WAGER Rufus Lovell has been thrust unexpectedly into riches with nothing too big to gamble on – even marriage. So when a tipsy party joke becomes a wager on Rufus’ marriage, he knows he should said no. But Juliana Honeyfield, the unwitting and unknowing focus of the gamble, is not the simple and malleable young woman that Rufus’ friends take her for. Will it be possible for Rufus to charm the winning Juliana or does he owe her the truth about his initial interest in her? A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE Every year for thirty years Lord Robert, the Viscount of Marchwood, throws a Christmas Ball. But this year the Marchwood Christmas Ball holds extra importance as his daughter, Lady Audrey, has just turned 18 and it is time for her coming out. With the Marchwood family fortune all but gone, Lord Robert is keen to secure her a prosperous match. But when a handsome, masked stranger threatens to steal Audrey’s heart, will it prove to be a good or bad Christmas Surprise. A VALENTINE’S SECRET Jonathan Brodie, the only son of Sir Roger and Lady Brodie, has lived in the village of Maplebridge his whole life. Penelope, the daughter of the local florist, was adopted by the Baldwins when she was just a baby. They could not be more different and yet, one blustery January morning, their paths collide in a chance encounter that is destined to change their lives forever… A JUNE WEDDING Victoria Walsingham’s heart will only ever belong to Isaac Quinn, the son of the Duke of Daventry, but their opposing social standings force them apart. However, when her brother unexpectedly inherits the title of the Earl of Cheshire, Victoria’s life is transformed and she is thrown into high-society. But when Victoria finally returns home in the hope of reconciling with Isaac, an invitation is waiting for her to the wedding of Mr Isaac Quinn and a Miss Hestia Royce. With time running out, will Victoria ever get her happy ending? A HARVEST PASSION When teacher Leo Tyndale moves to the small English town of Sandercombe after five years in India, he does not expect that his time at the local school will be a long one. But a brief encounter with the beautiful – and fiercely independent – Hestia Royce soon has him changing his mind. But Hestia is an outcast in the town after leaving Sandercombe a year ago to be married, only to return without a husband to a place abuzz with speculation. Will they ever be able to admit their feelings for each other? Or will society deny them their happily ever after? *** Each of these books are sweet Regency romances with happily ever afters and no cliffhangers.