But when he reaches the inn where the Lord Rockley is rumored to be staying, three well-dressed strangers are there to meet him instead. And the pretty blonde is aiming a pistol right at his head…Desire Is Always DangerousJoining Nemesis, Unlimited has made Eva Warrick much more than the well-mannered lady she appears to be—one who can shoot, fight, and outsmart any man in the quest to right the injustices so often suffered by the innocent. She’s not afraid of the burly escaped convict, but she is startled by their shared attraction. She and her partners need Jack’s help to get to Rockley, but Eva finds she wants Jack for scandalous reasons all her own…

    And now she’s returning after ten years of being gone, with a PhD and plans to use her new position to transform their struggling high school into a center for educational excellence.She soon realizes that her biggest challenge isn’t going to be the rival gangs embedded in the student body, although they’re a close second on the list. It’s Josh Hawling, who has somehow convinced their aging superintendent that he and his security firm partner can coach their backwoods collection of farm boys into a football team that’ll make the playoffs.How is a woman of her refined background and education supposed to improve test scores and graduation rates when her students’ biggest idol is a man who spent more time in the principal’s office than in the classroom? Even though she feels safer having him on their crime-ridden campus, she’s so not looking forward to her daily encounters with his cocky self. Or being socked in the heart all over again by his devastating smile. Or having to finally face her unwanted attraction that might have kindled into a lot more if she’d never left Texas in the first place.Welcome to Heart Lake! A small town teaming with old family rivalries, the rumble of horses’ hooves, and folks on both sides of the law and everywhere in between — faith-filled romance that you’ll never forget.

    unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.He was only supposed to win the high stakes game of chance, not a bride along with it.Lord Matthew Lyon is often called upon by the Crown because of his mathematical brilliance, and participating in a high stakes game of chance at the notorious Lyon’s Den should have been the easy part of his assignment...only it goes terribly wrong. He wins the pot, as expected since his probability calculations never fail. But no one calculated on his winning the hand of Lady Danielle Haverfield, daughter of the Earl of Haverfield, the prime suspect in a treason plot against the Crown and the very man he is assigned to bring down. She was only trying to stop her brother from gambling his life away. Lady Danielle Haverfield knew she did not belong in the Lyon’s Den, but she had to stop her brother before he gambled away his entire inheritance. Not only did she fail to stop him, but she’s ruined her life as well. Lady Dove-Lyon will not allow her brother to go unpunished, even though the handsome Scottish lord who’s wiped him out is willing to forgive the debt. But the Black Widow of Whitehall has a fearsome reputation to maintain. Someone is going to have to pay for her brother’s inability to pay up, and she’s decided it is to be Danielle. Well, the handsome Scot could have asked for her only for the one night, but he’s proposed marriage instead. Can their love survive his secrets and her father’s betrayal?

    The most likely suspect is a young woman named Mrs. Caroline Fordyce, whom he confronts in her parlour only to discover an inconvenient attraction to this beautiful young widow. But Caroline has secrets of her own and will do anything to avoid another scandal, even if it means journeying deeper in the the shadowy world of psychics, mediums and con artists, to help the enigmatic Mr Hardesty catch a killer.

    All she has to do now is survive her murderous uncle’s attempts to steal the throne for himself. But when a mysterious gentleman washes up on the shores of her beach, she’s shocked to realize she needs his help almost as much as he needs hers …When Drew Meyers left his estate, his plan was to escape the arranged marriage, his scheming father brokered for him. The storm that nearly killed him was not part of the plan. Neither was meeting her. Holly is everything he ever wanted, and he will do anything to keep her safe and get her home—even if doing so means he’ll be forced to let her go forever…A union between a princess and a lowly future duke is forbidden. But as intrigue abounds and their enemies circle, will Drew and Holly defy the obligations and expectations that stand between them to take a chance on love? Or is their happily ever after merely a dream?

    A governess who is out to steal his painting -- and perhaps his heart.Calliope Murphy was determined to prove to her family that she was as capable as the rest of them. That she could paint a copy of a priceless masterpiece and steal from a pompous, arrogant duke. But when Calli is discovered and mistaken for the new governess, one night of deceit becomes a much longer game -- one that Calli is not sure she can win.Jonathan Saville, the Duke of Hargreave, should be able to attain anything he desires. His fortune is as large as his entailed lands, and his title is enough to cause young women to overlook his surliness and vie for the role of his bride. But Jonathan learned long ago never to trust, and never to let anyone in too close -- most especially not his overeager niece and nephew, nor the far-too-tempting new governess.Posing as the governess to the Duke of Hargreave, Calli relishes the opportunity to spend as much time as she can with the painting she must perfect. But the more time she takes, the closer she becomes to the children -- and the duke himself. As their relationship changes, she realizes she can never betray him -- but what other option does she have?When the deception is complete, Calli isn’t sure what all will be stolen -- the painting, the duke’s trust, or, most at risk, her heart.For readers 18+ due to some steamy scenes.

    Her father is a gossip, her mother has her nose in a book, and little Jack has shamefully been dismissed from boarding school. Worst of all, a pirate moves next door into Pembroke Hall.When Sophie's sent to a matchmaking party at a neighboring estate, the pirate from Pembroke arrives and distracts everyone from the summer festivities. Unguarded, her feelings about the mysterious Captain Murdock bloom into a trusted friendship that Sophie fears may come to mean more than anyone would ever suspect.

    She is his new beginning. After her sister’s untimely passing, Deborah Wilds is ready to marry the Duke of Tarsington in her place. Despite the circumstances, she can't help the flare of excitement in her belly at the thought of marrying the man she's been secretly in love with for years. Though plagued by his intended's sudden death, Leonard Fletcher, Duke of Tarsington, resolves to do his duty and honor his parents' agreement by marrying Edith's younger sister. He never imagined that the younger Miss Wilds would be so easy to fall in love with. Deborah's world shifts on its axis when she discovers her sister’s diary. But there's only one problem: important pages with events leading up to her death appear to have been violently torn and taken… Determined to discover what really happened to Edith, Leonard and Deborah unwittingly put themselves in grave danger. First, come the letters, then comes the handkerchief. And then Deborah walks in an old house, never to walk out again... *If you like a realistic yet steamy depiction of the Regency and Victorian era, then Guilty Pleasures of a Bluestocking is the novel for you. This is Olivia's 11th novel, a historical Regency romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a strong happily ever after.

    Too bad for him, clever and impossibly desirable Julia Sudbury shows up in his bedroom.Like a shadow, Julia slips from Mayfair's ballrooms into the nobility's private chambers where nothing is more appealing than a spare piece of jewelry. Earrings, necklaces, and cravat pins, oh my!With Julia's bad behavior tarnishing his reputation in ways he'd never imagined, Jasper goes on the run to escape the brutal gossips shredding his family name.It's enough to make a cocky rake wish he were safely married! Who will tame whom?

    Should she trust her own flesh and blood? Or rely on someone else, someone from her past, to keep her son safe?Convincing the Countess by Alina K. Field: When a business-minded aristocrat encounters a fetching widow he met years earlier as the bride of a ne’er-do-well earl, temptation steers him along a track that may derail all his plans. Can he convince her to set a course for her future that includes him?Rescued by a Rake by Wendy Vella: Miss Ivy Redfern’s life is thrown into turmoil when her brother disappears five days before Christmas. Desperate for help she turns to the devilishly charming Mr. Haddon. He agrees but it comes with a price: her heart!Unwise But Not Dishonorable by Barbara Monajem: A spymaster’s beautiful daughter crashes a Christmas house party to steal back a precious medallion, but finds that one of her father’s men is already there on a secret mission. Can they work together to unmask a traitor despite the distraction of falling in love?Meet Me at the Mistletoe by Donna Cummings: Desmond Mayfield enlists the Matchmaking Earl to find his perfect match, hoping for a love like his parents' legendary romance. He meets an enchanting temptress, but she is only amenable to a brief affair, unwilling to risk another loveless union. Can mistletoe—and the kisses they inspire—convince her their passion will last through every season? While You Were Roguish by Samantha Grace: When a roguish neighbor breaks into her cousin’s house seeking shelter from a winter storm, Bess decides to teach him a lesson. Instead, the wild and reckless Lord Julius reignites a fiery passion in her that almost led to her ruin years ago—and threatens to consume her now. Wedded to the Welsh Baron by Sasha Cottman: With little more than a ruined castle in Wales to his name, the last thing Welsh baron Rhys Morgan wants is to inherit a rundown English estate. With no money and no prospects, Wister York’s greatest fear is that when Lord Carno arrives at Kington House, he will throw her out. Once Upon a Kiss Gone Horribly Wrong by Bree Wolf: Always has Anne looked at her childhood friend Tobias Hawke with love in her heart. Only now, she no longer sees Little Toby when those chocolate-brown eyes meet hers and she cannot help but wonder, what if he kissed her?A Rogue and Some Mistletoe by Lana Williams: A lady fearful of risking her heart meets a handsome rogue who tempts her to find the courage to love with the help of mistletoe and the magic of Christmas. The Duke’s Christmas List by Bronwen Evans: Ignored all season, Lady Harriet Rondell is affronted by Charles Spencer, the Duke of Bladestow’s sudden Christmas visit proffering marriage. Armed with a copy of Blade’s disgustingly traditional list of requirements he is looking for in his wife, Harriet sets about convincing him she is not—and never will be—his Christmas bride.Publishers note: If you adore steamy Christmas and Regency romance, you’ll love this anthology!

    It is a vast cosmic sea. Where each life exists as rippling circles on its surface, past and future being eternally present. And occasionally, one expanding ring intertwines with that of another, weaving the lives of two people together...In 2012, Emme Wilde can’t find the right guy. She wants to feel that swept-off-your-feet dizziness of true love. But so far, her dating life has come up short. Star Trek geek? Nice but too serious. Hippy artist? Cute but too vulnerable. Instead, Emme obsesses over the portrait of an unknown man in an old locket. Granted, a seriously dreamy guy with delicious, wind-swept hair she just itches to run her fingers through. But still. Dead men may be great listeners, but they are not exactly boyfriend material. Emme travels to England, determined to uncover his history and conquer the strong connection she feels.In 1812, James Knight has given up finding the right woman. All he wants is someone to share his love of adventure. Instead, his life has become a Shakespearean drama. His brother languishes in a tragic star-crossed romance. His beloved sister clings to life, slowly dying of consumption. But then he finds a beautiful mystery woman, dripping wet and half-dead, beneath a tree on his estate. Now if he can uncover her history, perhaps adventure—and romance—will find him at last.

    Now, with the tightening of a noose, it’s changed again, but she needs to make amends for what her father did.Which means returning, secretly, to the place where he did the most damage.And to the residence of one Lord Leonard Moncrieff—the only man she’s ever loved.She’s certain she won’t see him again, though. Nicknamed a Lord of Scandal Row, it’s clear to her, he’s no longer the boy she knew, and never returns home. The last thing she needs it to be distracted by a man deemed one of the most attractive men in London. Unfortunately for Rebecca, Leo has been practically banished from London under the orders of his mother thanks to a scandal that, for once, had nothing to do with him. Now he has to spend his days playing the country gent and trying to avoid the female of the species.It will be harder than he expected, given a sudden influx of young ladies to the area. He might be a rogue, but he has no desire to upset his delicate mother and will, albeit begrudgingly, play the dutiful son. He can avoid a few pretty faces, surely?At least, until he discovers the beautiful Rebecca hiding in the stables. She’s in need of help, and he cannot resist, despite the fact she once shattered his young heart. The pull between them is as strong as ever but anything between them is impossible. Or is it?

    Dedicated to restoring his clan pride, Keenan strikes a bargain with his brothers, they will each marry, but not for love, only for the generous dowries their future wives will bring.Fionna has suffered the consequences of endless wars and plague, leaving her the unlikely laird of Clan Taylor. When her past love summons her to his keep under the threat of killing her clansmen he captured trying to steal horses, she has no choice but to meet him.There she discovers a man much changed, heartless and bitter. Especially when he demands that Fionna help him get engaged to her best friend!Unable to deny him, Fionna plays along, waiting for the right moment to strike, save her clansmen, and celebrate teaching Keenan the hardest lesson of his life. But not everything is what it seems, and Keenan and Fionna discover that distance and time cannot change what their hearts truly want—each other.

    The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.A Kiss by the Sea by Grace BurrowesHe's not really a blacksmith, and she's not really an heiress... Can they forge a happily-ever-after anyway?Thaddeus Pennrith finds a way to recover from multiple griefs when he accepts the blacksmith's post at Fenwick on Sea. Village life gives him a sense of belonging that Polite Society never could, though he must resume his aristocratic responsibilities soon. Along comes Lady Sarah Weatherby, refugee from an engagement gone badly awry, and Thaddeus is faced with both a compelling reason to reveal his titled antecedents, and a longing to keep them forever hidden...An Improbable Hero by Mary LancasterA runaway heiress, a mysterious stranger.When Letty's ship founders in a violent storm, she forges a rare bond with her rescuer.Simon is a troubled man on a final, deadly mission—until the spirited yet soothing Letty makes him question everything. Hiding in plain sight among the refugees at The Queen's Barque, Simon is more than capable of protecting them both. But when the floods recede, can either of them say goodbye?The Comtesse of Midnight by Alina K. FieldA Scottish Earl on a quest for the elusive Comtesse de Fontenay rescues a French lady smuggler from the surf during a devastating storm, and takes shelter with her. As the stormy night drags on, he suspects his companion knows the woman he's seeking, the one who holds the secret to his identity. When she admits she is, in fact, the Comtesse Fontenay, just not the one he's seeking, she dashes all his hopes—and promises him new ones.Lord Stanton's Shocking Seaside Honeymoon by Cerise DeLandShe is so wrong for him.Miss Josephine Meadows is so young. In love with life. His accountant in his work for Whitehall. Her father's heir to his trading company—and his espionage network.Lord Stanton cannot resist marrying her. But to ensure Wellington defeats Napoleon, they must save one of Josephine's agents.Far from home, amid a horrific storm, Stanton discovers that his new bride loves him dearly.Can he truly be so right for her?And she for him?The Tender Flood by Caroline WarfieldZach Newell knows Patience Abney is far above his touch. But he has been enchanted by her since she raced out of the storm and into The Queen's Barque with a wagon full of small boys, puppies, and a bag of books. When the two of them make their way across the flooded marsh to her badly damaged school in search of a missing boy, attraction deepens. She risks scandal; he risks his heart.A Dream Come True by Jude KnightThe tempest that batters Barnaby Somerville's village is the latest but not the least of his challenges.Vicar to a remote parish, he stretches his tiny stipend to adopt his orphaned niece and nephew and his time to offer medical care as well as spiritual. A wife is a dream he cannot afford.But the storm sweeps into his life a surprising temptation—a charming young woman who lavishes her gentle care upon his wards—and him.God knows, he will forever be richer for having known her, even if he must let her go.Wait for Me by Rue AllynEnemies by nature—Esmeralda Crobbin, aka the pirate Irish Red, and Captain, Lord Brandon Gilroy have met before.Fate trumps nature—When a fierce storm creates a chance encounter and forced proximity, Brandon learns the pirate is a woman of serious honor and responsibility. Esmeralda discovers the captain is more than a uniform stuffed with rules and regulations. Both love the sea with boundless passion, but can they love each other?Before I Found You by Sherry EwingA quest for a title. An encounter with a stranger. Will she choose love?Miss Miranda de Courtenay has only one goal in life: to find a rich husband who can change her status from Miss to My Lady.Captain Jasper Rousseau has no plans to become infatuated during a chance encounter at a ball.Their connection is hard to dismiss, despite Miranda's quest for a title at all cost. What if the cost includes love?

    For one thing, she's not planning to marry. Plain Violet is smart enough to realize any suitors would be after her large inheritance, or else interested in her beautiful younger sisters—and she'd much rather spend her time improving her mind than risking her tender heart...Having wasted six years wooing a lady who eloped with another man, Ford Chase, Viscount Lakefield, has had it with women. Ford would much rather spend his time pursuing the sciences and constructing the first watch with a minute hand. Having his young niece dropped in his lap proves an unwelcome, annoying distraction…until an uncommonly intelligent neighbor named Violet comes to help…