So what do you get a man who has everything? Innocent and comely Verity Ewing plans on giving Julian her heart—the most precious gift of all.previously published in The Gifts of Christmas AnthologyThe Season for Suitors (Tallants, #3.5) by Nicola CornickAfter some close encounters with rakes in which she was nearly compromised, heiress Clara Davenport realizes that she needs some expert advice. And who better for the job than Sebastian Fleet, the most notorious rake in town? But the tutelage doesn't go quite as planned, as both Sebastian and Clara find it difficult to remain objective when it comes to lessons of the heart!previously published in Christmas Keepsakes AnthologyThis Wicked Gift (Carhart, #0.5) by Courtney MilanLavinia Spencer has been saving her hard-earned pennies to provide her family with Christmas dinner. Days before the holiday, her brother is swindled, leaving them owing more than they can ever repay. Until a mysterious benefactor offers to settle the debt. Innocent Lavinia is stunned by what the dashing William White wants in return. Will she exchange a wicked gift for her family's fortune?

    . . that doctor could sit by my bedside if I ever got sick. And Ned Blydon in Splendid by Julia Quinn . . . he makes me want to learn to waltz! I never thought living in a drafty castle would be much fun until Simon of Ravenswood in Master of Desire by Kinley MacGregor came along.Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that these are my men—when do they get their stories?Sincerely,A Romance Fan___________________________________ Against All Odds by Lisa KleypasWhen eminently sensible Lydia Craven decides to marry for security rather than love, she doesn't calculate on the determination of devil-may-care doctor Jake Linley to rewrite the romantic formula. A Tale of Two Sisters by Julia QuinnDashing Ned Blydon is in a most unenviable predicament—he's engaged to one Thornton sister, while being secretly in love with the other. Midsummer's Knight by Kinley MacGregorWhen Simon of Ravenswood secretly answered Lady Kenna's letters in the name of a powerful earl, he was only being polite. Little did he know the lady would fall in love with the author and come between him, his best friend, and a solemn vow made long ago.

    And in Laurie Benson’s novella, Juliet’s One Night Under the Mistletoe leads to a marriage of convenience with handsome former love Lord Montague…

    A proper young lady risks more than her reputation when consorting with the roguishly handsome Lucian Langdon, but Lady Catherine Mabry believes she has no choice. To protect those she loves, she would do anything—even strike a bargain with the devil himself.Lucian desires respectability and a wife above all else, but the woman of his choosing lacks the social graces to be accepted by the aristocracy. Catherine can help Lucian gain everything he wants. But what she asks for in exchange will put their very lives in jeopardy. When danger closes in, Catherine discovers a man of immense passion and he discovers a woman of immeasurable courage. As secrets from his dark past are revealed, Lucian begins to question everything he knows to be true, including the yearnings of his own heart.

    Jackson

    Nicholas Brogan is an ex-pirate with years of sin branded on his soul. Captured by His Majesty's marshals, the two are on their way to the gallows until they stage a daring escape and run for their lives—shackled together by an iron chain that quickly proves unbreakable. Lost in a remote forest in Staffordshire, the pair of outlaws are forced to work together to survive and quickly find themselves locked in a battle of fierce wills…and fiery passions.“4 stars (highest rating). This could be the romance that takes Shelly Thacker to the big time: the hardcover contract, the fan club… Thacker always spins a good story, but this is her best ever. There’s a new depth of soul to go with all that heart.” –The Detroit Free Press“Thacker skillfully entangles a notorious ex-pirate with a high-born lady turned thief… Offers an exciting and innovative plot…and many steamy love scenes.” –Publishers Weekly"A thrilling romantic adventure, exciting and sensual. Shelly Thacker has a unique and dazzling talent!" -Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling authorAn earlier edition of this novel was published by Avon Books under the title Run Wild. This new Author’s Preferred Edition has been revised by the author.The Escape with a Scoundrel SeriesThese sexy bad boys are on the wrong side of the law—and willing to break all the rules to protect the women they love. Each book is a stand-alone steamy historical romance:Book 1: ESCAPE WITH A SCOUNDREL (Nicholas and Samantha)Book 2: HER SCOUNDREL EARL (Marcus and Elizabeth)Book 3: ONE NIGHT WITH A SCOUNDREL (Saxon and Ashiana)Book 4: A SCOUNDREL’S KISS (Max and Marie)

    What’s a girl to do when she’s left poor and destitute? Seduce an Earl, of course. Handsome and rich, the Earl of Rodrick is the perfect target. Unfortunately, Rodrick despises innocent virgins. There’s only one place where Grace can learn the secrets of seduction… Lavender Hills. The moment Grace spots Alex, the man who will teach her the ways of intimacy, she knows she must guard her heart. Alex is charming and gorgeous and completely inappropriate.As a young man, Alex Weston is blackmailed into working at Lavender Hills in order to save his family from London ’s prisons. There could be worse ways to spend his days and nights. Still, seduction has become a chore and thoughts of freedom keep him up at night. Until he receives a new client, the sweet Grace Brisbane. He should be thinking only of his growing need to escape, instead he’s captivated by the lovely Grace. The more time they spend together, the more he realizes that their brief meetings aren't enough. For while marriage between a lady and a whore could never happen, Alex knows in his heart that he is willing to accept nothing less.

    A fiery young woman. Neither one's heart will come away unscathed.Juliet Graham fervently counts the days until her twenty-first birthday, when she can claim the inheritance that will grant her the freedom she has always craved and the guardianship of her younger brother. Until then, she is trapped under her aunt Agnes’s domineering will. When forced to accompany the family to a house party at Shaldorn Castle, Juliet’s only objective is to keep to herself. That is, until a chance encounter with a boorish stranger stirs up an unexpected whirlwind of emotions in her. Thrown off-balance, Juliet does the unthinkable: loses her temper and insults the man—who turns out to be her unwilling host, the Duke of Halstead. Fully expecting to be sent away, Juliet is surprised when the brusque and callous duke instead takes an interest in her. Drawn to the duke in unguarded moments, Juliet finds herself more and more intrigued by the man who shuns Society’s rules as completely as she does, and over the next few weeks, their unlikely friendship deepens into a connection neither expected. But even as Juliet comes to recognize her true feelings, her scheming aunt issues an ultimatum that threatens the future she was just beginning to hope for. Juliet must choose: either break the promise she made to herself years ago, or lose the man who has captured her heart and soul.

    . .His Greatest SurpriseMistaking Anne Paget, a beautiful artist, for her sister Nicole, an adventuress who has stolen his nephew's heart, Richard Cameron, Earl of Mulgrave, receives the shock of his life when he meets the woman in question. For she is nothing like he's imagined. . .and everything he's ever wanted. His Deepest DesireFrom the moment she sees the darkly handsome Earl, Anne Paget longs to paint him. But Anne doesn't realize that Richard believes she is her younger sister. . .until he unwittingly leads her into a compromising situation that threatens her reputation. His Noble PromiseWith her own ideas of honor--and dreams for the future, which do not include marriage--Anne is determined to refuse every one of Richard's proposals. Yet as each day passes, she finds herself drawn to his gentle persistence. . .tempted by nights of reckless abandon. . .and enticed by the promise of a love that will last forever.119,000 Words

    But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster…STEALING BEAUTYDorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is a ruthless villain. Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian is one of London’s wealthiest, most influential men who will stop at nothing to wreak vengeance on those who’ve wronged him…and will fight to the death to seize what he wants. The lovely, still innocent widow Farah Leigh Mackenzie is no exception—and soon Dorian whisks the beautiful lass away to his sanctuary in the wild Highlands…COURTING DESIREBut Farah is no one’s puppet. She possesses a powerful secret—one that threatens her very life. When being held captive by Dorian proves to be the only way to keep Farah safe from those who would see her dead, Dorian makes Farah a scandalous proposition: marry him for protection in exchange for using her secret to help him exact revenge on his enemies. But what the Blackheart of Ben More never could have imagined is that Farah has terms of her own, igniting a tempestuous desire that consumes them both. Could it be that the woman he captured is the only one who can touch the black heart he’d long thought dead?

    This collection includes the complete novels of Borrowed Dreams, Captured Dreams, and Dreams of Destiny. Borrowed Dreams: Driven to undo the evil wrought by her dead husband, Millicent Wentworth must find a way to save her estate and free the innocent people her husband enslaved. Her only hope is a marriage of convenience with the notorious widower, Lyon Pennington, fourth Earl of Aytoun, who just may be the most handsome-and caring-man she's ever encountered. Captured Dreams: May McGoldrick returns with the latest in a trilogy about love-and the birth of a nation... Portia Edwards will go to any length to find the family she's never known. And when she meets merchant Pierce Pennington, a staunch but secretive Son of Liberty, Portia has the perfect chance to ask for his help. But her stubborn pride keeps her silent. That is, until she recognizes her strong attraction to the brave man who, by night, is known as the infamous Captain MacHeath, smuggling arms by sea under the pall of darkness-all in the name of liberty... Dreams of Destiny Wounded by scandal and the unsolved murder of his sister-in-law, David Pennington is outwardly insolent and arrogant. But nothing will stop him from escorting his childhood friend, Gwyneth Douglas, to Scotland-and saving the Scottish heiress from fortune hunters. But with their arrival in Scotland comes terrible danger. Now, if they ever hope to satisfy their desire, they will need to thwart the evil that threatens to destroy both their lives...

    Yet each lady he pursues ends up married to another. As a last hope, Sam plans a house party, intending to choose a bride from one of his guests. But when he encounters a raven-haired beauty by his estate’s pond, he’s captivated by her charm and desperate to see her again.A quiet trip to the country is just what Gemma Desmond needs to take her mind off marriage. After all, as the daughter of a notorious criminal, her prospects seem quite grim. The last thing she expects is a chance meeting with a handsome lord and an invitation to his lavish house party. Ellery is everything she hoped for in a husband. But can she ever escape the stigma of her father’s misdeeds?When a pair of conniving debutantes frame her for theft, Gemma has her answer. Unwilling to let her scandalous reputation taint the kind, honorable man she adores, she flees. Yet Ellery isn’t about to give her up. He might be just another viscount in love, but he refuses to let this potential bride slip through his fingers…

    Lysandra Keates is running out of options. Her father is dead, her mother is ill, and her efforts to find respectable employment have ended in failure. With her small savings bleeding away, she swallows her pride—and her terror—and turns to Vivien Manning, an infamous courtesan, to match her with a wealthy protector. For years, Viscount Andrew Callis has lived a monastic existence at his country estate, hardening his body against the snobbish, lazy young man he once was, hardening his heart against grief over the deaths of his wife and infant son. When Vivien asks him to spend one month training a young woman in the ways of a mistress, his mind resists…but his body responds with an ache he thought long dead. As Andrew begins his gentle tutelage, he finds himself falling under the spell of Lysandra’s innocent charms. And as they give in to the powerful hunger, the last thing Andrew ever expected, or wanted, forms between them. An emotional connection that could carry them well past the training period—if only Andrew can open his heart to the possibility of love. Product WarningsIncludes training in all kinds of sexual positions and delights, as well as an emotional romance. May produce swooning.

    Yet a shocking encounter with him in a crowded ballroom—and a single touch—are all it takes to reawaken her furious passion for him. But how can she trust the man who crushed her dreams and took away the one thing she wanted most?A Love Beyond ReasonLord Claxton has never forgiven himself for the youthful mistake that ruined his marriage to Lady Sophia. Now, after nearly a year abroad, the reformed rogue vows to win back the only woman he's ever truly loved. He'll do whatever it takes to prove he can be the honorable husband she deserves—and the passionate lover she desires. As the snowdrifts deepen outside their ancestral home, can they rekindle the flame that burned so bright and find a new path to forever?

    Abandoned by the fiancée he adored, the man who once walked like a prince among London's elite secludes himself in his family's mansion, cursing his way through dark days and darker nights. Prim nurse Samantha Wickersham arrives at Fairchild Park to find her new charge behaving more like a beast than a man. Determined to do her duty, she engages the arrogant earl in a battle of both wit and wills. Although he claims she doesn't possess an ounce of womanly softness, she can feel his heart racing at her slightest touch. As Samantha begins to let the light back into Gabriel's life and his heart, they both discover that some secrets -- and some pleasures -- are best explored in the dark ...