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For Want of a Penny
Fenella J. Miller - 2016
A family tragedy means Sarah is forced to go into service at Grey Friars House as an under nursery-maid. Meanwhile her younger brother Alfie, to avoid being taken into the workhouse, runs away to London to seek his fortune. Although the situation wasn’t of her making Sarah thrives, but just as she is becoming established in the household her past returns to shatter her happy life and she is dismissed without references. Alfie arrives in London but is tricked and sold to work as a slave on a coal barge. However, eventually he prospers and begins to make himself a better life. 'One Good Turn' the second and final part of this series will be published in July.
Riders of the Lone Star: Heck Carson Series Volume 1
John Spiars - 2017
Johnstone, Best-selling western author, John Spiars has created a timeless hero of the old west. The first novel in the Heck Carson Series, Riders of the Lone Star brings the wild and lawless Texas frontier to life. When the Law ain’t enough… He brings Justice. The year is 1852. Settlers on the Texas frontier are at the mercy of hostile Comanche and vicious outlaws, and the only ones holding the line between life and death are a few brave men, known as Texas Rangers. Outnumbered and outgunned, they bring law and order to the untamed land. They face impossible odds with nothing more than grit, determination, and a fast gun. It is this adventure and excitement that lures sixteen-year-old Jesse “Heck” Carson to leave his families ranch to join the fight. Heck quickly learns that this life comes at a price, the cost of which is hardship, danger, and possibly his own life. The bonds of friendship, loyalty, and duty lead him into epic battles that test his courage and resolve, and along the way he learns what it means to wear the star of the Texas Rangers. Excerpts: As fast as he could, he pulled the hammer back and fired, the first Comanche jerked once and hit the ground. The other warrior was no more than two feet away now. Heck wondered if he had another bullet left. Had he fired five or six shots? He couldn’t remember. Saying a silent prayer, Heck pulled the hammer back and looked at his approaching enemy. The point of the warrior’s lance was inches away from his chest when heck pulled the trigger. The barrel of the Walker was almost touching the chest of the charging Indian. Heck heard no sound, but saw the smoke pour out of the barrel and the big warrior dropped to his knees, and fell on top of the young Ranger. Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson approached the men on horseback, ready to do what had to be done. Looking at the group of riders, however, Sutter immediately recognized he had made a terrible mistake. These men were not military, not even by Southern standards. They were unkempt, filthy, and armed to the teeth. His heart sank as he noticed that most of the detachment were Mexican and their guns were not in their holsters. “What is going on here?” he said, unable to believe what he was seeing. The lead rider smiled and said, “This was even easier than Senor Cortina said it would be. Thank you.” Without saying another word, the man raised his pistol and fired two quick shots, hitting both Lieutenant Sutter and Corporal Anderson between the eyes. The man wheeled around with his rifle as Heck landed on his back, but it was a fruitless gesture. There was a look of pained surprise on the man’s face as Heck covered his mouth and pulled him to the floor. Heck plunged his knife into the man’s chest several times, as he kept his hand over the man’s mouth. After several seconds his muffled cries were silent. John Spiars is the author of the Heck Carson Series. He is a writer and amateur historian with a passion for the history and myths of the "Old West". His hope is to keep alive the western genre for this generation and all of those to come, while both entertaining and educating readers of all ages. He is a native Texan and lives in North Texas with his wife and four children. When not writing western novels, he maintains a blog and Facebook page about Texas history and travel entitled Under the Lone Star.
The Fallen One
Kathryn Le Veque - 2013
– As the premier commander for Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, when he commandeered the throne from a young Edward III, Sir Mathias de Reyne is the type of knight that all men aspire to be; fair, powerful, intelligent, and bold. Men on both sides of the Mortimer/Edward lines respect and admire de Reyne for his outstanding character, including Dragonblade himself, Tate de Lara. Before the war separated men into two groups – those that supported Mortimer and those that supported the rightful king – Mathias, Tate, Kenneth St. Hever and Stephen of Pembury were inseparable friends. But then, sides were chose and lines were drawn. When Roger Mortimer lost his head, Mathias de Reyne was spared because of his great and fair reputation. Stripped of his lands and titles, however, he was forced into obscurity. He became known in legend as The Fallen One.More than a year after being stripped of his knighthood, Mathias now makes his living as a blacksmith in the north Cumbrian town of Brampton. One morning, he hears cries for help and, being an innately brave and helpful man, follows the cries and comes upon a terrible scene. Rescuing a young woman from a fiend, he very quickly realizes that the young woman is the most beautiful he has ever lain eyes upon. The Lady Cathlina de Lara is a lush beauty with dark hair and flashing dark eyes, and the attraction between the pair is immediate. But she is also a de Lara, related to the man who took Mathias’ titles from him… his former best friend.Still, he cannot forget the dark-eyed beauty and soon finds himself swept up in a wildly passionate love affair, breaking his promise to never bear arms again by resuming his knighthood without the permission of the king and fleeing to Scotland. From the brutal Scots borderlands to the fields of Dupplin Moor and a historic battle, join Mathias and Cathlina as their journey in life takes them on a passionate adventure of love, life, learning, and the redemption of the man once known as The Fallen One.
The Dashing Widow
Elizabeth Bramwell - 2016
Where it not for the gentle guidance of her best friend, Abby doubts she would have survived the Beau Monde's disapproval for even a week - and especially not the critical gaze of the Earl of Gloucester. The man is insufferable, arrogant, and everything that Abby hates about the Ton - except those rare moments when he laughs, and Abby's heart starts to beat in a most uncomfortable rhythm. George, Earl of Gloucester, is horrified at the scrapes his sister's best friend keeps falling into. True not all of them are her fault, but that doesn't change the fact that her actions reflect poorly on his family. Since Mrs Merriweather doesn't have any intentions of leaving London before the Season's end, there's nothing for it but for George to step in and help her navigate the treacherous waters of the Ton. She's impulsive, tempestuous, headstrong and willful; in short, everything that he claims to dislike in a woman... except after spending time with Abigail Merriweather, he's starting to wonder whether her faults are what make her so endearing. Abby and George may be developing a strange sort of friendship, but they come from different worlds that are not entirely compatible. The real question is whether they can get past their own prejudices - and the interference of their friends and family - to find out whether an arrogant Earl and a dashing young widow can fall in love without creating a scandal.
Heiress Without a Cause
Sara Ramsey - 2012
With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England–and he won’t ruin her, even if he secretly desires the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.One chance to break the rules...Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity–even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.One season to fall in love...Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?
Bred To Kill
Simone Majors - 2015
From that moment on her life went in a downward spiral.When love, disloyalty, betrayal, and drugs come into the mix, Queen comes to terms that living in the D, you will truly learn how cold it could be…..
Texas Ranger
Ash Lingam - 2019
Bates did as he was ordered but never could shake the fact that his friend and mentor had disappeared off the face of the earth, leaving little behind but rumors and gossip. Bates finally obeyed his feelings, took a leave of absence, and followed the sightings and rumors of his old boss’s travels, heading north to Kansas, Wyoming then to Deadwood in the Dakota Territories, seeking out the truth of what happened to his dear friend...wishing against all the odds that the captain was still alive...and if he wasn't, then learning where he died and was buried.
Never a Mistress, No Longer a Maid
Maureen Driscoll - 2011
After a night of passion, the two are separated. With nothing but the alias Jane used to protect her family, Lord Edward is unable to find the woman he cannot forget.Seven years later, Jane courts scandal by serving as the unofficial surgeon in the village of Marston Vale. When Edward arrives to formalize his betrothal to a viscount's daughter in accordance with his late father's wishes, Jane has no choice but to watch the match proceed. When a threat from the past emerges, Jane must join forces with Edward to safeguard her loved ones. But at what risk to her heart?
A Hopeful Kind of Love
Krista Lakes - 2017
Without his help, Mia’s fundraiser for the kids could pull in less money. There was no way that he wanted to run into an old flame. Not at all. Well, maybe just a little…
Laura
Laura Corbett hated a certain billionaire with every fiber of her being. She thought he crushed her heart on purpose. So when he showed up at the same charity fundraiser that she was working, she thought it was the worst thing that could happen to her night. Not until her little brother went missing in the blizzard did she realize how bad it could become. Ethan and Laura must work together to find a missing child before its too late. Will this draw the once-lovers back together, or push them further apart? Will they find the boy in time? This standalone novella bridges the gap in between "A Forever Kind of Love" and "A Wonderful Kind of Love", while also including characters from "Saltwater Kisses" and "Yours Completely". It is also fully included in the eBook version of "A Forever Kind of Love".
A Relative Matter
Karen Cogan - 2015
They are sent to England to live with a grandfather that neither remembers. However, as the years pass, the kindly man proves a balm for their wounded hearts. His death, when it comes, is a cruel blow. Though his will leaves the estate to Jeremy, the boy is not yet of age. His grandfather’s nephew, a man with a mysterious past, is named guardian of the property and soon arrives to take up his duty. Unfortunately, the man has a son who is both evil and cunning. Since he stands to inherit the estate should Jeremy die, he will stop at nothing to get his hands on the property. Murder and threats of murder soon haunt their every move. Standing between them and disaster is the handsome Lord Westerfield, a man who promises to defend Anne and Jeremy, even at risk to his own life.
The Brethren Prince: Piracy, Revenge, and the Culture Clash of the Old Caribbean
Ira Smith - 2012
But when his passage is interrupted by a terrible battle at sea, he is washed ashore and taken in by an international band of the underclass: English, French, Hollanders, Native Americans, and runaway black slaves.However, as he builds a life with these castaways of humanity, the Empire of Holy Spain launches a campaign to purge all “heretics” from its imperial lands: a campaign that will take from James all that he loves. He abandons his humble ambitions, taking up sword and sail to avenge the atrocities committed by the Spanish crown and inquisition, unaware that he would one day become the most feared pirate on the Spanish Main, a hero to his countrymen, and the Brethren Prince.The Brethren Prince is the real story of buccaneers in the New World. It is a thoroughly researched, historically accurate portrayal of life in the mid-17th Century Caribbean, nested in authentic historical events of the time. It captures the cruelty, nationalistic fervor, and religious virulence of the Imperial powers of the day, but also the pirates who preyed on them.
Sea Scoundrel
Annette Blair - 1999
Penniless and stranded, she found only one way to get home: charge four hapless American Colonials to find them titled husbands in London. At the ship, she realized their mothers expected each to wed the Marquess of Andover, but how hard could it be to seek an introduction? Meanwhile, Captain Grant St. Benedict was anything but friendly. Why? Because her girls set fire to the rigging? Grant had never met a woman more irritating, or more desirable, than the Lady Patience Kendall. But however dangerous his interest, he couldn't resist teaching the delicious distraction that independence was nothing to passion.
Lyon's Prey
Anna St. Claire - 2020
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.Haunted by his wife’s death, he vowed to never marry again...until he meets her!
Evan Prescott, the fifth Earl of Clarendon lost his wife during the birth of their child. Broken, Evan seeks solace in the Lyon’s Den, a world of drink, cards, and excess—where wins and losses are easier to navigate than responsibilities. Overconfident and in his cups, he makes a bet that will change his life.
Still mourning the loss of her father and elder brother…
Lady Charlotte Grisham saves her young brother from the path of a speeding carriage. In a fit of pique, she throws propriety to the wind and storms up the steps of the owner’s London townhouse—and meets the man that upends her world.The stars align when his high stakes bet and her lapse in judgement give the Black Widow of Whitehall the perfect opportunity to spin her web of hearts, while untold danger lurks a step behind.
Can a marriage of convenience give rise to love in time to avoid deadly disaster?
(Note: This is an introductory novella to the Rakes of Mayhem Series - The Earl of Excess, Book One, coming soon!)
Three Abductions and an Earl
Tessa Candle - 2017
Now an encoretante whose family has lost a fortune, Lydia discovers that the beau monde is hard on a nouveau riche social climber, particularly one who is no longer riche and only wants to climb trees. Lydia must stave off the effrontery of rakes and conniving competitors long enough to make a good match, or else incur society's scorn by earning her own money. Falling for the unattainable Lord Aldley is a distraction she cannot afford. But they share such an enchanted history, how can her heart resist?The tragically virtuous Earl of Aldley is tired of ambitious families hurling debutantes at his head, but cannot hide in France forever. He returns to London to seek out the mysterious tree-climbing girl who once saved him from a scheming chit, and finds more than he bargained for. Abductions, seductions, trickery and injury all endanger Lydia, but Lord Aldley's heart is imperiled beyond rescue. He has only just found her; will he lose her forever to his enemy, his best friend, or his own dangerous mistake?Three Abductions and an Earl is a full length novel and the first book in Tessa Candle's Parvenues and Paramours series.
The Highland Bride's Choice
Amanda Forester - 2013
Three Campbell sisters find true love with the ancestors of the three heroes featured in the author's hot new Regency romances.In this first installment, the clan has gathered for May Day festivities, and Laird Campbell is trying to arrange marriages for his younger sisters. Practical Elyne Campbell is pleased to marry whomever her brother has chosen for her. Unfortunately, she is more attracted to Tavish Grant, the cousin of her intended, than the prospective groom himself. When she is caught outside the castle gates during a siege and is forced to spend time hiding with Grant, the attraction grows beyond all hope of practicality.