Avelyn was determined to be the perfect wife - as meek and biddable as any woman - but her husband-to-be wanted the burning fire he had glimpsed in her.

    Tormented by his past, Alaric knows better than to trust a woman yet finds himself ensnared by a spirited, virtuous virgin—who accuses him of a crime he didn’t commit. Is she his foe... or his salvation? A Novice to DesireEmma Kent is an independent country miss cast adrift in the ton. When a depraved encounter with an arrogant rake lands her in intrigue, Emma’s honor compels her to do the right thing. But desire challenges her quest for justice, and she must decide: can she trust her heart to discover the truth? Bound by Passion and PerilAlaric and Emma engage in a battle of wits and will. As their attraction flares, the true enemy stalks their every move. With danger looming, will they solve the mystery and find true love— before it’s too late?

    They are the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare. And to lead his secret Highland Guard, Bruce chooses the greatest warrior of all. The ultimate Highland warlord and a swordsman without equal, Tor MacLeod has no intention of being drawn into Scotland’s war against the English. Dedicated to his clan, the fiercely independent chief answers to no one—especially not to his alluring new bride, bartered to him in a bid to secure his command of the deadliest fighting force the world has ever seen. The treacherous chit who made her way to Tor’s bed may have won his hand, but she will never claim his heart.Although her husband’s reputation is as fierce as his manner, Christina Fraser believes that something softer hides beneath his brutal shell. But the only warmth she feels is in their bed, in glorious moments of white-hot desire that disappear with the dawn. When Christina’s reckless bid to win her husband’s love goes awry and thrusts them into danger on the eve of war, Tor will face his ultimate battle: to save his wife and to open his heart—before it’s too late.

    Their bond of friendship grew even stronger as they were tortured while being held for ransom by the Bey of Algiers. All that kept them going was the idea of returning to Jeremy’s wife, Cordelia, the woman they both courted and are both still in love with. But will Cordelia be willing to accept both of them…in her heart and her bed?For Cordelia Highsmith, the greatest Christmas gift she could ever imagine is the return of her husband and his best friend. But can she accept the even greater gift they offer…the two of them, hers, forever?MY HEART'S DESIRE by Kate PearceAfter a dreadful disfiguring accident and the loss of her husband, Caroline Lyndhurst has spent the last two years hiding away from society. One man has never forgotten her. Jasper, Lord Mansell is determined not only to see her again, but to persuade her that in the spirit of Christmas, true love can bloom again.Warning: This anthology contains m/f/m sex scenes.

     It started as a night to forget my past hurts. I just wanted to watch, to lose myself in my uncle's illicit club. I never meant to find someone — someone much older. I never meant to watch with him. I never meant for him to be my uncle's friend. None of that mattered. All that mattered was how he made me forget—how he made me want more. But was he willing to give me more? Or was it just one night.

    A man perfectly suited to train her: Christie Kelley weaves a scintillating novel of one rapturous night of ecstasy...A Woman Yearning For A Taste Of The Forbidden...At twenty-six, aspiring novelist Avis Copley intends to wear spinsterhood as a badge of honor. But when she discovers a volume of erotica that ignites a searing fire within her, Avis realizes just how much she doesn't know about the actual pleasures of the flesh. Determined to learn more, she devises a daring plan...A Man Ready To Teach Her Much, Much More...Avis chooses Emory Billingsworth, a fellow novelist - not to mention a beautiful specimen of manhood; to instruct her in carnal pleasure. But when the brash earl of Selby, Banning Talbot, a man she has known for years, unearths Avis' true intentions, he claims she's made a dangerously bad choice. Volunteering his services for one wicked night of reckless, abandoned passion, Banning promises he will satisfy all of her deepest longings. Yet Banning cannot begin to imagine the effect his willful, voluptuous, and very eager student will have on him - or how far an innocent lesson in desire can go...

    Pods of civilization struggle to survive on the precious, fertile land. Desert inhabitants live in these communes, surviving off whatever resources the small community possesses, but no commune can measure to the Palace of Lazar. Stories of sex, lust, forbidden acts, and a society wrapped around taboo are told among other communes. The four brothers that rule Lazar are known for their insatiable tastes and their women that cater to it all. The Palace of Lazar is not just a commune. It is a harem. For Briar Hope, the palace offered more. The wonder of the harem and the four brothers haunted her dreams. Briar wanted to see it, live it, feel it, and submit to it. The world of submission called to her very soul. She wanted to end her life as a desert nomad, to exchange it for the promise of the harem's song. In a world where only the strong survive, can Briar allow the submission required to be part of the harem? Is it possible to find strength in surrender?

    But this fearless heroine and "hero of all heroes" must first endure countless unforeseen dangers before they can enjoy sensual, exhilarating passion that burns between them.

    Paige Matthews has a lot to learn - about everything, including herself. At age twenty-two, she finds herself driving across the country to start an internship with the F.B.I. in Quantico, Virginia. You might think that Paige would be grateful to her older brother, Trace Matthews, a senior F.B.I. agent who pulled strings on her behalf to get her into the program, right? Wrong. She has insecurities and self-esteem issues, and she masks those issues in various attention-grabbing ways. Always a loner, she quickly wears out her welcome with Trace and his wife Lindsey, due to her . . . need for random hook-ups, and finds herself crashing with her oldest brother, Easton, and his wife Darcy. Through Darcy, Paige is introduced to her sister-in-law's former roommate and bestie male friend, Eli Chambers, along with his sinfully handsome partner, Cain Maddox. They're looking for a roommate and Paige is looking to get out from underneath her family's watchful eye. This is no typical "Three's Company" story though. Living with these men, Paige quickly learns that it's time to grow up and take responsibility for her life. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery that teaches her not only about giving, but about accepting love as well. She soon realizes that sometimes what you're searching for has been right there with you all along. This book is intended for mature audiences. Explicit Sex.

    In stories ranging from 1820s Regency England to present-day Washington state, readers will be treated to Christmas tales of an heirloom brooch passed from mother to daughter for almost two hundred years. Will the family legend claiming the brooch brings love to its recipient hold true for these women separated by the years but bonded together by the ties of family?In Kristi Ann Hunter's "Legacy of Love," Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson. While he may be far above her station, she can't help but notice that his desire to make this Christmas special for his grandmother matches her own.In Karen Witemeyer's "Gift of the Heart," widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love as the holidays draw near.In Sarah Loudin Thomas's "A Shot at Love," Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her mother's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance one December.In Becky Wade's "Because of You," Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

    Don't come back to me with your therapy bills.This is the first part of the full story featured in FORBIDDEN. If you have read Forbidden, you don't have to read this.

    . . that doctor could sit by my bedside if I ever got sick. And Ned Blydon in Splendid by Julia Quinn . . . he makes me want to learn to waltz! I never thought living in a drafty castle would be much fun until Simon of Ravenswood in Master of Desire by Kinley MacGregor came along.Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that these are my men—when do they get their stories?Sincerely,A Romance Fan___________________________________ Against All Odds by Lisa KleypasWhen eminently sensible Lydia Craven decides to marry for security rather than love, she doesn't calculate on the determination of devil-may-care doctor Jake Linley to rewrite the romantic formula. A Tale of Two Sisters by Julia QuinnDashing Ned Blydon is in a most unenviable predicament—he's engaged to one Thornton sister, while being secretly in love with the other. Midsummer's Knight by Kinley MacGregorWhen Simon of Ravenswood secretly answered Lady Kenna's letters in the name of a powerful earl, he was only being polite. Little did he know the lady would fall in love with the author and come between him, his best friend, and a solemn vow made long ago.

    Welcome to the Sinners Club... Secret Desires Faith Pelly is tired of being the responsible daughter. She longs for adventure with a man who will introduce her to the secrets of carnal desire. But she never dreams she will meet the Savage Rake who flirts with her, seduces her and takes her as his own… Dark Secrets Asked to investigate charges of treason, the Earl of Westbrook attends a house party determined to discover the truth. That includes using all his sensual wiles on the lovely Miss Pelly, a beguiling young woman eager for erotic excitement with a man who will fulfill all her secret fantasies. And he plans on being that man...

    When her mother dies, she’s left with her grief-stricken father, a man reduced to a shadow of his former self. But Paige discovers the perfect escape.A hidden and secret place, lost in time - the medieval village of Caistley.Only Paige can enter the tiny hamlet. There, among the children of the villagers, she finds friendship and affection. As the years pass, she grows into a young woman, and her visits grow fewer. Home from college, Paige decides to return one last time. But instead of finding a peaceful village, she arrives to find it in flames – Vikings are attacking Caistley. A brutal Viking Berserker leads a raid. The English town offers Eirik and his men little in the way of booty. A few pigs, a few sacks of grain, some gold and silver. Most of the inhabitants have already fled, but a few remain. One in particular – a woman – catches the warrior's eye. She’s oddly dressed, but comely, and she seems innocent – as if she’s never known a man’s touch. After a little teaching, the chestnut-haired wench should warm his bed nicely.But the woman is as frightened as a spring lamb. Her panic and terror of Eirik makes bedding her a test of his patience. To coax her into his arms, he’ll have to be gentle with her, take his time, and show her a more tender side of himself. As the days pass, and his heart softens, Eirik vows to win Paige’s love.A harsh winter keeps Paige trapped with her Viking captor. The nights are long and cold. As the snow deepens, a fragile truce forms between them. With every tender touch, he claims a little more of her heart. But the memories of her old life linger. She worries about her father and her duty to return to modern times for his sake. An agonizing choice. When Eirik is wounded, Paige realizes that without modern medicine, her Viking lover will likely die. Does she dare return to the future and risk never making it back to him? Or does she remain by the side of the man she has come to love, as he fades away before her eyes?Authors Note: Eirik is a 110k time-travel romance novel. It contains adult situations and language and is intended for readers over 18.

    But when powerful enemies threaten, each Douglas lass will find she must face them alone. CAPTURED BY A LAIRD Haunted by his father's violent death, David Hume, the new laird of Wedderburn, sets out to make his name so feared that no one will dare harm his family again. The treacherous ally who played on his father's weakness is dead and beyond David's vengeance, but his castle and young widow are ripe for the taking. The moment David lays eyes on the dark-haired beauty defending her wee daughters, however, he knows this frail-looking lass is the one person who could bring him to his knees. Wed at thirteen to a man who tried daily to break her spirit, Lady Alison Douglas is looking forward to a long widowhood. But when the fearsome warrior known as the Beast of Wedderburn storms her gates, she finds herself, once again, forced to wed a stranger. Alison is only a pawn to serve his vengeance, so why does this dark warrior arouse such fiery passion and an unwelcome longing in her heart? With death and danger looming, these two wounded souls must learn to trust each other...for only love can save them.