But the former abbey they received came with a price—a curse that no family member would ever know happiness.Devin Aincourt, Earl of Ravenscar, makes no apologies for who he is—a drinker, a womanizer, a gambler. Having been cast aside by his disapproving father years before, Dev is content to live out his cursed life in this hedonistic manner. Until his mother asks him to make a bold move to restore the family name and fortune: marry a rich American heiress.Believing it will be a marriage in name only, Dev agrees to marry Miranda. But he never imagined that this feisty, unconventional foreigner would have plans of her own: to restore Blackwater, the old abbey, to its former glory, to extricate Dev from the clutches of a devious mistress and to win his heart for her own. All while risking her own life to an unknown enemy.

    Or it would be if the local villagers weren’t on edge because of the vampire in their midst, at least they think he’s a vampire. The fascination with the reclusive viscount disrupts the girls’ studies and Tess fights an unending battle to convince her students that monsters do not exist.Vincent Latimer, Viscount Atwood, is not a vampire, no matter what the villagers believe. He wishes the book, Wake Not the Dead, had never been written. There is a very good reason he visits his wife’s grave at night, and it has nothing to do with trying to raise her from the dead.When a storm thrusts Tess into Vincent’s path and destroys the school, both of their pasts collide.

    As the new Earl of Balfour, though, he must marry an English heiress to repair the family fortunes.But in his intended's penniless chaperone, Augusta, Ian is finding everything he's ever wanted in a wife.

    The bemused stranger stayed to capture the fancy of the brood of orphaned children in her charge, then stole Lauren Hill's heart with a searing kiss as he left. Lauren couldn't tell him she was a widowed countess fallen on hard times. She tried to forget him--until she saw him again at a London ball. The man who haunted her dreams was a duke, out of her class...and he was pledged to another woman. The ton is ablaze with talk of the ravishing Bavarian countess. Stunned, Alexander Christian, Duke of Sutherland, recognizes Lauren as the country girl who's captured his heart. Duty has forced him to pledge himself to another, to take his proper place in society and in Parliament. He wants one night with his blue-eyed enchantress, but will he be able to walk away from her again, or will he risk it all to be with the woman who fires his blood and makes him think of a . . . Wicked Angel.

    Suspecting the culprit traveled in society circles, she diverts attention from eavesdropping and prying with constant and tiresome complaints of illness.But nothing is as it seems...Sir James Branstoke sees straight through Cecilia's feigned fragility. Intrigued by her odd behavior, he believes she has secrets—secrets that could lead to her demise. So, the hunter follows the huntress through society, never imagining that what has started as a chance inquiry could lead to a surprising love greater than either had ever known.But will the cost of uncovering a murderer be too high? Can Cecilia and James reveal the culprit so love can blossom in the end?

     NOTE: This novella was originally written and published as a part of the once limited edition The Hearts of Courage box set, where proceeds went to Walter Reed Army Hospital. I hope you enjoy reading this Beauty and The Beast inspired story.

    But as a Wallflower of West Lane, Poppy has a far more vital role—she and her three best friends have made a pact to protect each other from the clutches of dangerous, disreputable men. So when one of them is about to be married off to a duke sight unseen, Poppy makes it her mission to divine the prospective husband’s true character. If only she didn’t require the aid of London’s most unsuitable rake. Rhys Draper, Earl of Marsden, has known the headstrong Poppy since she was a young girl naïve to the ways of men. To her eternal chagrin—and to his vague amusement—they have been at odds over the memory of their embarrassing first encounter all these years. Now, with his services in need, Rhys sees a chance to finally clear the air between them. Instead, he is surprised by the heat of their feelings. If the two do not tread carefully, they may end up in a most agreeably compromising position...

    Now that her brother the duke's completely malleable best friend Edward Wallis has been brutally (and luckily) rebuffed by his intended, Lily knows her chance for a very permissive and entirely convenient husband is here. In fact, he is staying in her very own home for a house party.But this promising party's tone is quickly changed by a horrible twist of fate that threatens Edward's very life. Nothing but luck can save Edward, but Lily's heart is lost for good when she sees what a strong and devoted man he can be in times of trouble. Lily has set her cap on a man who should be unlovable and fallen more in love than she ever thought possible. Their passion brings great risk, but when a man and a woman prove to be so much more together than they were apart, is there anything that their love cannot overcome?

    Responsible for a large family of younger siblings that his frivolous parents have brought to bankruptcy, his youth was spent clawing back the family fortunes. Now a man in his prime and financially secure he is betrothed to a strict, sensible and cool-headed woman who will never upset the balance of his life or disturb his emotions ... But then Miss Skeffington-Fox arrives. Brought up solely by her rake of a step-father, Benedict is scandalised by everything about the dashing Miss. But as family members in line for the dukedom begin to die at an alarming rate, all fingers point at Benedict, and Miss Skeffington-Fox may be the only one who can save him.

    Famously known in London society as "The Matchbreaker," Henrietta Cynster's uncanny skill lies in preventing ill-fated nuptials - not in falling victim to Cupid's spell.But then she disrupts one match too many and feels honor-bound to assist dashing James Glossup in finding a suitable bride for a marriage of convenience.A task infernally complicated by the undeniable, unquenchable attraction that flares between James and Henrietta, who continues to believe she will never fall...

    It's only through her brother's good connections that their family is even accepted in polite society. While Triana cares nothing for the ton, the arrival of the Duke of Chiltern changes everything. He is everything she might have ever dreamed of in a husband, but she knows that something isn't quite right about his sudden resurgence in London. Thankfully, she's willing to do her part in uncovering his secrets.To learn what the gentleman is hiding?Gabriel Wilde, the Duke of Chiltern, is on an undercover mission to find out who is behind the illegal smuggling in the city. Upon his father's death, he returns to society under the perfect guise of assuming the title, believing the culprit to be within the ton. With the help of a trusted colleague, Gabriel believes that when he's done, he can move on with his life—away from England and the unpleasant memories that go along with it. But when he meets Triana, he finds he's not quite as eager to leave as he once was. Unfortunately, the only problem is trying to keep her out of trouble. So he does the only thing he can think of to keep her occupied: seduction.

    But as grand as her new position is, the one thing she wants the most feels out of her grasp. Her heart belongs to head stableman Harry Pond, but she’s convinced that she’s already ruined her chances with Harry by being too bold too soon. So when mine surveyor Stephen Adler takes a shine to her and offers her the adventure of a lifetime, her heart is torn. Harry has loved Ginny from the moment he met her, but he believes that her ambition and hunger for adventure mean she will never look on him as more than a bit of fun. He’d do anything to convince her to marry him…and when Adler swoops in, anything is what he just might have to do. This heartfelt tale of love below-stairs continues the story that started with DECEMBER HEART, the first book in The Silver Foxes of Westminster series. PLEASE BE ADVISE – Steam Level: Very Hot!

    Marcus Kincaid, Earl of Ashford, has returned to England after a ten-year absence to find his younger sister embroiled in a potential scandal that could ruin her chance at marriage. His aunt has already called in reinforcements - The Paragon. And Marcus can hardly believe how drawn he is to her, by how utterly seductive she is…Vivian March moves through every circle within Society, smoothing out scandals and stopping gossip in its tracks. What they don’t know is that she uses their secrets to cover her own jaded past. But with every kiss and every touch that Marcus thrusts upon her, Vivian comes to want things she never dared dream for herself…The Paragon has an impeccable reputation, but he knows her secret...

    A strange twist of Fate brought the unlikely pair together… now nothing will keep them apart.Lady Amelia Atherton is not a woman to be trifled with. Known as the diamond of the Ton, she is beautiful, witty, and the only daughter of the Duke of Ely. The men of the Peerage see her as a prize to be won, and perhaps a way to obtain her father’s influence. Commander Samuel Beresford is the brash, sometimes rude, younger son, of the Earl of Blackburn. A Royal Navy Commander who has little time for the affectations of Society.Two people have never been so mismatched, but when Amelia’s father, The Duke of Ely, dies under mysterious circumstances, and Samuel’s elder brother is poisoned within a mere day of the Duke’s death, both Lady Amelia and Commander Beresford find themselves forced to work together in a desperate search for the culprit.Amelia was always careful to guard her feelings, that is until she met Samuel Beresford. Now everything Lady Amelia once took for granted has been shattered, and with the Dukedom in the hands of her odious Uncle Declan, Amelia and Samuel plan an elaborate ruse, in the hope of drawing out the murderer. Lady Amelia Atherton considered herself as tough as a diamond, but somehow Samuel Beresford has found his way into her heart…Neither could imagine falling in love … now it seems they cannot imagine loving anyone else.

    Ensconced with mysterious Jack behind his manor's walls, soon escape is the last thing on Letty's mind!Jack may be an earl, but his father's exploits have left him with nothing to offer except a tarnished name. He's turned his back on the ton, but with Letty tempting him day and night, he finds himself contemplating the unthinkable -- a society marriage!"