She had come upon it not long after her marriage to Edgar, and it had offered her the only peace she was to know for a long time. It was dangerous to share the only thing that belonged to one. Yet the thought of spending an afternoon with the earl in her most treasured place, sharing a leisurely meal, beckoned her. She glanced shyly over her shoulder to see if he still followed.Lord Ashworth rode only a few yards behind her horse, and he grinned when their eyes met. He had a lazy, sensual smile and, when he looked at her like that, she felt an odd breathless catch in her throat. She wondered how it would feel if he were to place those warm lips to hers instead of the back of her hand. Oh dear! There went that catch again.Within moments they entered a clearing. Catherine dismounted without waiting for the earl’s assistance and swung her arms wide as she turned in a circle about the shaded copse.“What do you think?” she asked.The earl, still astride, cast his gaze slowly around the tiny glen as he studied the scenery. He then turned his attention to Catherine but did not speak. A suggestive grin broke the calm of his expression as he continued to watch her.“More beautiful than I could have imagined,” he murmured.Simple statement that, but it held a wealth of meaning. Catherine dropped her arms while staring back in fascination. Her mouth fell open and her breathing quickened. The air vibrated with unspoken words as they shared a moment of absolute understanding. The specter of desire had been brought into the open and was acknowledged.Experience IN THE GARDEN OF TEMPTATION today. Meet characters you'll visit again in the other books in this series.Now Available on Amazon:IN THE GARDEN OF SEDUCTION, Book 2 of The Garden Series.IN THE GARDEN OF DISGRACE, Book 3 of The Garden Series.IN THE GARDEN OF DECEIT, Book 4 of The Garden Series.Just Released: THIEF OF SOULSDark and sensual, Thief of Souls is one man's battle with evil for the fate of his humanity. It is a modern vampire-esque romance, gothic in tone, with a twist on the "Beauty and the Beast" theme, for the beast's ugliness resides on the inside rather than the outside, and his hope for redemption comes not from being loved by another but from discovering his own ability to love.

    Reginald Mason is wealthy, refined, and, by all accounts, a gentleman. However, he is not a gentleman by title, a factor that pains him and his father within the Regency society that upholds station over all else. That is, until an opportunity for social advancement arises, namely, Lady Annabelle Ashton. Daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, a neighbor and enemy of the Mason family, Annabelle finds herself disgraced by a scandal, one that has left her branded as damaged goods. Besmirched by shame, the earl is only too happy to marry Annabelle off to anyone willing to have her.Though Reginald Mason, Senior, wishes to use Annabelle to propel his family up the social ladder, his son does not wish to marry her, preferring instead to live the wild, single life he is accustomed to. With this, Reginald Senior serves his son an ultimatum: marry Annabelle, or make do without family funds. Having no choice, Reginald consents, and enters into a hostile engagement in which the prospective bride and groom are openly antagonistic, each one resenting the other for their current state of affairs while their respective fathers revel in their suffering.So begins an intoxicating tale rife with dark secrets, deception, and the trials of love—a story in which very little is as it seems.

    Viscount Easton, wounded and sent home, falls for the unrefined beauty on the voyage home. Can Easton help her overcome her aversion to men? Can Elinor conquer her fears and give love a chance? Seasons of Change Cruel pranks motivated by jealousy spoil her betrothal and send Lady Beatrice Chalcroft, daughter of a Duke, into rustication at an orphanage in Scotland. Lord Vernon decides to move on and forgo love, until a chance meeting awakens his heart to Beatrice, but he isn't sure love is enough to overcome her shrewish ways. Seeking Redemption Lady Lydia Markham and Lord Nathaniel Fairmont find love in a whirlwind season, but a tragic incident caused by his wild behaviour force him to leave abruptly and join Wellington. He comes home and unexpectedly runs into Lady Lydia—but will secrets and war spell disaster for rekindling their romance? Shadows of Doubt Gwendolyn Lambert's finds her life reduced to penury and homelessness after her father is killed in a duel, and her invalid mother dies. Her godmother, the Dowager Duchess of Loring, is determined to see Gwendolyn taken care of and restored to her rightful place, and schemes to bring her handsome grandson up to scratch as Gwendolyn's perfect love match. But will they be able to overcome being separated by oceans, storms, and the interference of scheming mamas? Second Chance The Dowager Duchess of Loring has a chance meeting with a flame from the past—Luca Faranese, Conte de Salerno—a man who was never able to forget the woman who stole his heart. Fate gives them a second chance, but will their love be enough to keep them together forever the second time around?

    Winning the very proper Lady Iona for a wife would go a long way to achieving that end.They found each other.The more Nathan tries to protect Lady Iona from running head-long into disgrace, the more he admires her daring spirit and unpredictable antics. Instead of returning her to the obedient world to which she was raised, he encourages her blossoming passions. Such a move is surely going to lead them both to ruin.But for love he is willing to risk everything.

    Why, just about anyone would make a more suitable match...even her own paid companion, Emily Townsend! But if her dear, practical-minded Robert were to back out of the betrothal, the tongues of the ton would never stop wagging...At the very least, the dowager decides, she will extract a promise from her grandson to find Emily a husband. But when the handsome, rakish earl comes to know the charms of Emily Townsend, he suddenly regrets his hasty engagement-and is sorely tempted to win her hand for himself.

    Passion and seduction collide in 5 richly realized, full-length novels by 5 of romance's bestselling and award-winning authors.Be swept away by strong and sassy heroines battling wits and hearts with the hot-blooded Creoles and Irish rebels of early America to the rakes and rogues of regency England.Includes these all-time, standalone favorites by 5 Queens of Romance:MIDNIGHT WALTZ - Jennifer BlakeSEDUCING THE RAKE - Christina SkyeALMOST PERFECT - Denise DomningRAPTURE IN HIS ARMS - Lynette VinetTO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL - Darcy BurkeOver half a million words - almost 1800 pages! - of lush prose, sensual stories, and heroes you'd dearly love to call your own._____________MIDNIGHT WALTZ (Louisiana Plantation Collection) - Jennifer BlakeIntrigue, suspense and sensual romance set in the sultry bayous of the Antebellum South.SEDUCING THE RAKE (Mad, Bad & Dangerous Heroes) - Christina SkyeA pretty thief and martial artist is a temptress the Earl of Morland just might die trying to resist.ALMOST PERFECT - Denise DomningA bewitching cardsharp and an irresistible rogue know it takes two to play--but only one to call a bluff.RAPTURE IN HIS ARMS (The Virginia Brides Series) - Lynette VinetAn indentured Irish patriot becomes a slave of desire to the plantation owner's young bride.TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL (Secrets & Scandals Series) - Darcy BurkeA lady on the brink of scandal meets a noble scoundrel with a past too tortured to redeem.

    What she needs is a husband, and she knows well enough that romance and matrimony aren't always compatible. While providing for her twins and the child she now carries is paramount, wedding a virtual stranger—even a wealthy one, like Gideon St. Goddard, Duke of Stanthorpe—is no light matter.Sabrina knows the friend who arranged the union would not promise her to a true scoundrel, but one look at her future husband convinces her that he is a shameless rogue. A shockingly handsome and desirable one, at that. Why has he agreed to marry her? When Gideon flashes that wicked, seductive smile, the reason hardly matters, but the chance that he'll steal her heart becomes all too real...

    The first three books in The Untouchables Series feature three "untouchable" bachelor nobles in London Society and the intrepid wallflowers who bring them to their knees... The Forbidden DukeSpinster Miss Eleanor Lockhart is suddenly homeless and employment is her only option. Ruined after succumbing to a scoundrel’s excessive charm nearly a decade ago, she’s lucky to obtain a position as a paid companion and committed to behaving with the utmost propriety. She definitely shouldn’t be in the arms of a man capable of utterly destroying what little remains of her reputation... Titus St. John, Duke of Kendal, is known as the Forbidden Duke, a mysterious, intimidating figure who enters Society just once each year at his stepmother’s ball. A decade ago, he was a devil-may-care rake until his idle roguery brought about the ruin of Eleanor Lockhart—and his resulting self-imposed isolation. Now she’s back, and she needs his help. But by “saving” her, he may just ruin her life all over again.The Duke of DaringMiss Lucinda Parnell is out of money, a dismal failure at the Marriage Mart, and she’d just as soon leave Society far behind. Desperate to earn funds to retire with her grandmother to the country, Lucy disguises herself as a man to gamble in London’s hells. But the Earl of Dartford, an Untouchable she never imagined speaking to let alone spending time with, is onto her in a trice. When he insists on joining her, Lucy fears her desire to remain an independent woman is destined to go up on flames. As a boy, Andrew Wentworth, Earl of Dartford lost his family to illness, leaving him a hollow shell. Obsessed with conquering one adventure after another to fill the bitter holes inside of him, Andrew has set his sights on parachuting. Nothing will stop him from trying to achieve his goal—not the hazard of death and certainly not a woman who’s gotten far too close. Love is the one risk he doesn’t have the heart to dare.The Duke of DeceptionAfter five years on the Marriage Mart, Miss Aquilla Knox is ready for spinsterhood until a benefactress steps in to help her secure a husband. Only Aquilla doesn’t actually want to marry—her failure is entirely on purpose. When the earl she’s nicknamed the Duke of Deception sets his sights on her, she refuses to be drawn in by her attraction to him. If there’s one thing she knows it’s that a gentleman is never what he seems. Edward Bishop, Earl of Sutton, has a reputation for courting young misses and dropping them without a second thought. This has earned him a reputation for deceit, a description he can’t refute because he does in fact, harbor secrets and will do anything—deceive anyone—to ensure they don’t come to light. As he comes to know the charming Miss Knox, his resolve is tested. However, trust comes at a price and Ned won’t pay with his heart.

    None of them are looking for a mate, but fate has other ideas, in the shape of the three feisty women who capture their hearts. Are you ready for the Broken Hill Bears to fight for your heart? Bear In The Rough (Broken Hill Bears Book 1) Xander Silvester is hellbent on proving himself as the new Alpha of the Broken Hill Bears - an infamous wrestling clan. Freya Wright is hiking across the USA with her two best friends, hoping that the challenge will help her find herself. When Xander’s clan accidentally kidnaps her, he’s left with a terrible dilemma - not least because the smart, feisty human is everything he could want in a mate. Bare Knuckle Bear (Broken Hill Bears Book 2) To Braxton Quentin, the world would be a better place if humans didn’t exist. They destroyed his family, leaving him with terrible emotional scars that have made him unable to contemplate finding a mate. And then he meets smart, sexy, auburn-haired Neve. His bear wants her, his clan needs her, but accepting her help means betraying his most deeply held convictions. Bear Cuffs (Broken Hill Bears Book 3) Sexy tearaway Rocco Silvester has been pushed to the brink by troubles within his clan. He can’t fight. He can hardly deal with being around the other bears. Then his Alpha forces him to take a mate to save the Broken Hill Bears from ruin. Smart, strong, big-hearted Harper Waverly is everything that a bear could wish for. The only problem? She hates his guts.  This is a 135,000-word boxed set. All books in the boxed set are standalone and can be read completely independently.

    What follows are moments that challenge Thea in every way possible; not only must she survive the humiliation of the whirlwind process of planning a ceremony that even the dourest bride would be embarrassed by, but also find her place in the vast, intimidating Seaforth house with a man she barely knows. Will this be the beginning of a lustful journey or will she be entrapped in a loveless marriage?Philip Bennington, the dazzling Earl of Seaforth, has vowed to never risk his heart in a love match. But his life is about to change forever when he sees an attractive young Lady falling off her horse and he runs to her rescue. To their misfortune, they are discovered in what mistakenly seems to be a compromising situation, and he soon finds himself trapped in an accidental marriage. As they embark on their tumultuous relationship together, he finds himself losing his heart to her, unsuitable match or not. However, when his family and the whole of society refuses to accept their passionate affair, will he ever manage to prove them wrong and turn this forced marriage into a burning love?Just when Thea and Philip think they've reached a peaceful point in their flaming relationship, she finds mysterious notes addressed to Philip. Before they realise it, they embark on a path to discovering who is trying to shove a wedge between the newly married couple. Will they be able to discover who is trying to ruin their unexpected affair, or will all of their hard work be ruined by a malicious outsider? In the end, will they break all the barriers that wish to keep them apart and create their own happily ever after?"A Dazzling Stranger in the Earl's Arms" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    When he takes a bullet for boldly thwarting a stagecoach robbery, he is stunned to discover that the beautiful young woman he has heroically rescued, Juliet Paige, is his deceased brother’s American fiancée, accompanied by her infant daughter. Despite his brother the duke's refusal to acknowledge Juliet, Gareth is determined to do right by the courageous woman who crossed an ocean to give her baby her rightful name. But Juliet is wary of marrying this black sheep aristocrat, even while she is hopelessly charmed by the dashing devil. Never has she met anyone who embraces life so thoroughly, who makes her laugh, who loves her so well. And, even when it seems the odds are against them, Juliet has absolute faith that Gareth will go beyond the call of duty, risking his life itself to give her and her daughter a home — and a love that will last a lifetime.

     Ashamed of his behaviour he hides away in his country seat, determined to become a sensible gentleman, no longer caught up by whichever eligible young lady catches his eye. The only problem? A beautiful tenant named Julia who is living in his gatehouse. William knows that he should have very little to do with his tenants but he simply cannot get her out of his mind. The more time he spends, the more he wants to know her despite their difference in status. A sudden accident leads to a whole new life for Julia, who is loathe to tell him much about herself, despite their intimate connection. When the truth finally comes out and Julia confesses all, William must decide what to do with the lady who has stolen his heart. Authors Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance with an HEA. If you love clean Regency-era romances you will love The Viscount in Hiding!

    Willow Creek may be a sleepy little frontier town but the characters who live there are as untamed as the land itself! Book 1: The Lawman On the run from her ex-lover… Jilted by a no-show husband… And now mistaken for a whore in the Diamond Back Saloon… Abigail Thornton doesn’t think things can get any worse. That is until a single slap to a man’s face starts a barroom brawl that lands her in the last place she expected to be. Book 2: The Outlaw Sarah Hartford always dreamed of a grand adventure. She just never expected to find it in the arms of an outlaw. Book 3: The Gambler Emmaline Hunt only had one thing she could call her own. A piece of land that held a secret not even her drunken stepfather knew about. When he gambles it away in a high stakes poker game, Emmaline hatches a plan to get it back. She wants her land, and Tristan Averys money, and she’ll do whatever it takes to get them. All she has to do is convince him she’s there to stay, outwit him, find a way back home and not let a single soul know she has a gold mine bursting at the seems with untapped wealth. Book 4: The Rancher Laurel Montgomery wanted a new life, one that didn’t include a man. She’d had enough of their pretty lies and broken promises but one night of reckless abandon weeks before taking a job as the new schoolteacher in Willow Creek would come back to haunt her. The man she thought to never see again turns out to be the father of one of her new students. A man so handsome and rugged he takes her breath away. Too bad she’s sworn off men forever. If only the stubborn man would take no for an answer.

    ******************************************** TWELVE DAYS -- Book 1 Twelve Days before Christmas, Rachel McRae opens her front door and a social worker puts a baby in her arms -- one who comes with a four-year-old boy and an eleven-year-old girl -- siblings abandoned and in need of a temporary home. Rachel and her husband, Sam, have dreamed of a house filled with children -- a dream that has led them to repeated heartbreak. Sam McRae has finally decided the only thing left to do is leave his wife. Reluctantly, Rachel and Sam take the children in, but just until after Christmas. They will do their best not to fall in love with them, not to get their hopes up that this time a miracle will happen. That these children will stay, and that their marriage can still be saved. ******************************************** EDGE OF HEAVEN -- Book 2 She looks at him and thinks, "Please don't let him be more than twenty-five." He looks at her and thinks, "Please let her be at least twenty-five." Neither one of them is. And that's only one of their problems. Rye is a man with an ugly past. He didn't come to Baxter, Ohio, looking for a woman, but there she was. Emma is pretty and sweet, and the kind of woman he'd always wanted, but never dreamed he could have. Her innocence and vulnerability tugs at Rye's weary heart, and the sizzling sexual pull between them can't be ignored. But Emma has a dangerous ex-boyfriend, plus an outraged, overprotective father with a family connection that dooms Rye and Emma's relationship from the start. That and Rye's dangerous past make it seem impossible for them to have a future together. ******************************************** BED OF LIES -- Book 3 One very bad night, after more than a few drinks, the most perfect guy in the world falls apart and ends up in bed with Julie. She understands. It happens. It doesn’t mean anything, she says, but she’s lying to herself. It blows up her life and his — a specialty of Julie’s. Growing up, Zach McRae was her best friend's older brother, sweet, protective and perfect. He shows up out of the blue at her engagement dinner and instantly sees right through all the lies she's told herself. Like that she's fine, even happy and right where she wants to be. Zach, also, is no longer the perfect guy of her childhood, although he’s trying desperately not to let it show. His life is increasingly and uncharacteristically out of control. It’s time for he and Julie to face some hard truths from their past, plus puzzling ones from their present. Like that they can’t stop thinking about each other, can’t stop wanting each other, and can’t stop ending up in bed together. ******************************************** BONUS NOVELLA ONLY AVAILABLE IN THIS BOX SET: WELCOME LIZZIE Catch up with the whole McRae family as its newest member, Emma & Rye's daughter, Lizzie, is born. Also, get a sneak peak at the hero and heroine of Teresa Hill's New Adult series, McRaes/Next Generation, featuring Emma & Rye's oldest daughter, Dana, and Zach's fiancée's younger brother, Peter, coming in early 2015 in Saving Myself For You. (Dear Readers, Welcome Lizzie takes place a few months after Bed of Lies ends and well before the next book in the series, Five Days Grace, begins.

    Jemima Ashton is desperate to discover her real identity. With scant information and the burning question 'who am I?', she embarks on an incredible journey of detection. On learning of her late mother Stella's disappearance during WWII, she retraces her footsteps across the globe and at a distant vineyard, unearths a family she had no idea existed. While treading a path of narrow-minded bigotry, scandalous revelations emerge of two families inextricably linked by one woman and the drastic steps they took to hide the truth. ‘A powerful story of love and loss spanning two generations’ Frances di Plino - author of the Paolo Storey Crime Series