The rumors of male courtesans operating secretly in London have piqued her interest, so she hires one for an illicit rendezvous during a Christmas house party.Roger Thornton’s desperation to provide a dowry for his sister pushes him to moonlight as a secret courtesan. What begins as a convenient affair blossoms into more as Roger and Miranda find in one another the things they have been missing. But will a scandalous discovery ruin their chances for a happy future?Previously published in the anthology, Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal This standalone version has been republished with a bonus epilogue!

    Each brand-new title is inspired by a Christmas carol and will lift your spirits and bring on the holiday cheer. We Need a Little Christmas by Leanne Banks - Can a handsome cynic become a Christmas believer? Frosty the Snowman by Mimi Barbour - Stranded in an Alaskan snowstorm, strangers Hali and Terry are forced to rely on each other for survival. Last Christmas by Joan Reeves - Annabelle gave him her heart, but Rick threw it away. He wants redemption, she wants revenge. Holly Jolly Christmas by Mona Risk - Pregnant at 18. Adoption would save the baby’s future but may cost her the man she loves. Do You Hear What I Hear? by Patricia Rosemoor - Live-in-lovers Shelley and Jake are now in a cold war of their own over Christmas. White Christmas by Rebecca York - Was she in a coma, or was she in a Christmas fantasy? So This is Christmas by Denise Devine - He was her child nemesis, now he’s her best friend forever. Grown Up Christmas List by Donna Fasano - All she wants for Christmas is to feel safe… then she meets her guardian angel. Blue Christmas by the Sea by Traci Hall - Alone for Christmas, Tamsyn helps mystery writer Evan find his mojo—love is a gift neither can refuse. Santa Baby by Taylor Lee - Lily’s only hope was that this time, he wouldn’t be able to find her. Let It Snow by Stephanie Queen - A stranger and a snow storm on Christmas Eve create the ultimate test for Dane & Shana. Merry, Did You Know? by Jennifer St. Giles - Can a Christmas Miracle change the future of a woman who doesn’t believe in love and a man who can't love again? O Christmas Tree by Alicia Street - Can Piper convince Cody to let go of his painful past and embrace the hope of Christmas and possibly love? Sleigh Ride by Katy Walters - Miss Sophia Vale faces poverty. Enter the Earl of Breconbridge, renowned as a rake hell with a conscience. Deck the Hearts by Rachelle Ayala - Can Holly’s jolly Christmas spirit help Grinch Gordon Gills save the town of Christmas Creek? Silver Bells by Jacquie Biggar - Can a Christmas wish bring two stubborn souls together and give a little girl the gift she wants? Hark the Herald Angel Falls by Michele Hauf - To earn her halo, angel Merit must convince the person who holds her earthly soul in limbo—her husband—to stop loving her. Little Drummer Boy by Dani Haviland - How could a mere drummer boy help those stranded in the worst winter storm of the 18th century? I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Nancy Radke - When former a former Navy SEAL plucks a woman from the Mediterranean Sea, he discovers a fighter tougher than he. Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Cynthia Cooke - A big city girl reunites with a small town boy—magic. A Santa in need of an elf—Christmas magic.

    By her parents, her brother, even the servants. So she was secretly able to develop her talent for painting well beyond the usual watercolors. Too bad no one will let her actually use it—women are rarely accepted into the Royal Academy. But when a connection at the Haverhall School for Young Ladies gets Charlotte her dream commission, she'll do whatever it takes to make it work. Including disguising herself as "Charlie."Flynn Rutledge has something to prove. His lowly upbringing is not going to stop him from achieving his artistic dreams. This commission is the key to his future, and his partner, an unknown youth in oversized clothes who is barely old enough to shave, doesn't exactly inspire confidence. But Charlie does inspire Flynn's artistic passion—something he worried he might have lost forever. For all his street smarts, nothing can prepare Flynn for the shock of Charlie's true identity. He doesn't care that she's a woman, but a lady of the ton is a different matter altogether.

    Judith McNaught, Arnette Lamb & Jill Barnett whisk you away... to New York in the late 1800s, where a beautiful but clumsy angel turns a lonely man's life around... to medieval Scotland, where intrigues surrounding a Christmas Mass imperil two Highland lovers... to Regency London, where a world-weary lord receives an outrageous proposal... to modern-day Colorado, where a daring and clever twelve-year-old plays matchmaker for his bighearted, impractical mother... to a world where love always reigns supreme!

    Known for changing women faster than bed sheets and adept in the swordplay, William thinks it is business as usual when the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos challenges him to a duel. To William's surprise and that of every other spectator, this duel will not go as expected.On a quest for vengeance, William plots out a path to the heart of young Joane, the Duke's daughter. His fury and passion burn even hotter, when he realises that she is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. How will he manage to succeed, when he is constantly wrestling the temptation to take her in his arms?On the other end, Lady Joane, the only daughter, and favorite child of the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, is, to William's surprise, a diamond of first water. Her beauty and wit are beyond measure. She is known as a bluestocking and isn't eager to change that perception of herself, but when she meets William, her life and her "proper manners" are irrevocably changed. As much as she tries to avoid his touch, the walls around William's heart are crumbling... and she's in danger of falling, hard. But when the scandal unfolds, will she be able to put reason over her growing passion?From the agonizing contest of swords to the duel of hearts between lovers, love grows even when forbidden. How will their hearts find their way back to each other?"A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    Experience Christmases spanning over one hundred years through nine inspiring historical romances, beautifully and economically packaged for you and all your gift-giving needs.

    Her father’s death a year before has left her with a crumbling manor and a handful of old retainers relying on her for support. Her scandalous reputation has put her beyond the pale for most members of the Ton. When the Most Noble Hugo Ashton Duke of Northbridge sweeps into her life and proposes she should enter into a marriage of convenience, Vanessa is tempted – but the arrogant duke believes her to be something she’s not!

    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?

    In Unexpectedly Yours… Sophie has been dreaming of a magical winter holiday in New York City. Can a chance encounter with musician Austin bring her festive dreams to life?In Holiday Kisses… Writer Dash needs peace and quiet to finish his new script, but he wasn’t betting on inn-keeper Ellie and the local Starbright festival to give him a jolt of holiday inspiration.

    She’s lost her grandfather and the bookshop they ran together. If not for the invitation from the Duke of Danby, she would have no place to go.No Christmas festivities for Baron Ellesworth this year. His newly inherited estate is in bad shape—and so is his bank account. He’ll spend the holiday traveling to do a bit of business with Lord Danby, in hopes of bringing Christmas to Elleshaven next year.Traveling during the holiday season doesn’t sound romantic, but a star in the East, an abandoned child and a quest for holiday cheer might just convince these two that love is the best gift of the Season.

    Persuading London’s most cynical rake to show an interest in her, will prove to the ton she is worth their attention. What she doesn’t expect is how his bold whispers and sinful touch make her forget everyone else in the room.Roman Thorne, Marquess of Granville, is as wicked as they come. He warns the persistent Miss Dellacourt an involvement with him will lead to only scandal and ruin. Though he desires to claim her for his own, he is determined to keep her at a distance for her sake as well as his own.While Haylie gains the social acceptance she thought she wanted, she loses her heart to the dark-eyed rogue who saw her value when no one else could. Can a stubbornly optimistic wallflower convince a disillusioned rake to reserve his wicked ways for her alone and accept the forever kind of love is theirs for the taking?DANGEROUSA hedonistic rake is in danger of losing his heart when he sets out to seduce a reclusive historian.Studious and socially awkward, Desdemona Littlefield is devoted to researching her family’s extensive history in the seclusion of her moorland estate. When the arrival of her negligent brother and his London guests disrupts her quiet and orderly routine, the dangerous smile of a scandalous rogue threatens to turn her world upside down.Bored with the pleasures of London, Count Leander Vittori joins the country party in search of diversions to satisfy his pleasure-seeking nature. He is intrigued by Miss Littlefield’s forthright manner while her oddly assessing gaze sparks an intense desire and her innocence triggers a protective instinct he wasn’t aware he possessed.When Leander uncovers a plot to compromise the young woman and force her into marriage, he realizes he wants her for himself. Can a man who has lived his life for pleasure alone win the heart and mind of a scholarly recluse?BRAZENA rake known for his seductive charm marries the one woman determined to resist his brazen smile.Braden Fulke, the Duke of Melbourne, is a devil-may-care rogue and a shameless charmer. Rebelling against the day he must marry a bride chosen or him when he was a boy, he refuses to take life’s pleasures for granted. But when his Scottish betrothed tracks him down in London, he is surprised to find her so formidable…and so lovely.Moira Dunn has no desire to marry the bold and rakish duke, but she has a responsibility to fulfill her duty as the lady of Dunnwood. She proposes a compromise—handfast to each other for a year and day, which will fulfill their commitment under the betrothal, then go their separate ways.Though passion flares easily between them, Moira is determined not to fall in love with her temporary husband. Can a brazen rake convince his resistant bride that there is more to their marriage than desire?

    . .and a partridge in a pear tree . . . In Coventry's Christmas, Rebecca Hagan Lee offers a charming new story. With Christmas approaching, Amabel Thurston is ordered from the family home by her father's widow and must seek the protection of her guardian, Deverel Brookfield, eighth Marquess of Coventry. Unfortunately, the Devil of Coventry has little use for Christmas and even less for proper young ladies. In the never-in-print Star of Wonder, Lynn Kerstan brings her special brand of magic to the page when an exotic and dangerous stranger arrives to disrupt the meager Christmas of Stella Bryar, who has struggled to support the family retainers in the wake of her father's death.Allison Lane's newest Christmas treat is A Christmas Homecoming. When prodigal son Alex Northcote returns from a six year absence to take control of the family estate, he must run a gauntlet of possible brides, who have all been installed for a holiday house party by his determined grandmother. Avoiding the trap would have been so much easier, if the guest list hadn't included a quiet widow, who once jilted him for another. In the classic Home for Christmas, Alicia Rasley gives us a Christmas with a bit of intrigue. When Verity receives an unexpected invitation from her estranged father to spend the holidays at his Cornwall estate, she accepts with delight. But, ever mindful of her father's attention to propriety, she must scramble to find a husband and "father" for her fatherless child. Could a handsome and enigmatic stranger solve all her problems?

    Despite his reservations, however, he begins to recognize in Cassie a kindred spirit.A Christmas Courting by Chalon LintonWhen obligations keep her in London, Keturah Hensley sadly anticipates missing the festivity of Christmas at her family's country home and the company of her best friend, Christopher Shepherd. When she learns that Christopher will be joining her family in London for Christmas, she is delighted--but her elation is short-lived. Christopher is coming to Town to court the woman of his dreams, and Keturah fears she may have lost the chance to win his love.Mistletoe Memories by Jen Geigle JohnsonFrom childhood, Patrick, Duke of Montrose, knew he'd found his perfect match in Lady Alice Tarrington. When he's sent on a grand tour, Patrick is confident he'll marry his sweetheart upon his return. But when he receives word that Alice is to marry another, will he be too late to claim her heart?Second-Chance Christmas by Heidi KimballFrancie and Gerard have been friends since childhood, but their friendship ended when she declined his heartfelt proposal of marriage. However, when her interactions with Gerard's holiday houseguests provoke in Francie unexpected jealousy, she realizes she must fight for Gerard's affections or risk losing him forever.

    She’s a refugee with a dangerous secret that could cost her life. Outnumbered by thousands, he’s fated to die in battle like so many Berserkers before him. Could the strength of their love defy destiny?Connor – (Highland Shadow)He’s a mercenary Laird who fears nothing but the darkness inside him. She’s a noble beauty from two of the most prominent families in Scotland, sold to the highest bidder. He mistakenly rescues her from a fate worse than death, but now she’s his captive. They must battle their pride and their explosive attraction to each other in order to defeat a common enemy who threatens the clan’s survival.Finn – (Highland Stranger)He’s a nameless bastard, stalking the Highlands bent on revenge and murder when he stumbles on an infant deserted in the snow. She’s a desperate woman who’s lost everything, including her dignity.They are three of the world’s Unwanted. On a snowy Solstice night, their tale becomes one of blood and vengeance, of love, redemption, and forging the bonds that make a family.Note: This book was previously published as Unleashed.

    Instead, she accepts the shocking proposition. After all, what’s her other choice? To live with her cousin, caring for six children and a barnyard full of chickens?James Archer has roamed the world, determined never to settle down. He’s faced danger and disaster…he fears nothing and no one—except his mother and her matchmaking ways. So when ordered to attend a Christmastime house party filled with holiday cheer and simpering young misses, he produces—a fiancée!Sophronia and James vow to pretend to be in love for one month. But when they promise to give each other a Christmas kiss, it becomes clear that this pact made out of necessity might just be turning into love.