In Tanners Alley in Bermondsey, Ruby Neal gives birth to a son, Paul. On the edge of a paddy field in Eastern China, a young woman dies giving premature birth to a girl. A travelling trader takes pity and takes the tiny child to the Anglican mission to be cared for. He becomes the child's guardian and names her Mei Li Ching.By the time Paul and Mei Li reach their twenty-first birthdays, they could not have had more different lives. And it is only as a consequence of war that they ever meet. Instantly attracted to each other, they are soon to discover the problems their cultural differences - and family prejudices - will bring.

    When these overlooked girls make a pact to change their lives, anything can happen.Eleven girls – Eleven dares in a hat. Twelve stories of passion. Who will dare to risk it all?This book is not a new story, but a compilation of all the instances throughout the Girls Who Dare series where Matilda Hunt and Lucian Barrington, Marquess of Montagu interacted and/or corresponded, as well as bits where Matilda, Lucian or Phoebe, Montagu’s niece, may have been thought of or talked about.That said, this is a wonderful prequel for Matilda’s upcoming story, To Hunt the Hunter and really highlights how their relationship began and how it has progressed over time.NOTE: While this book and To Hunt a Hunter CAN be read as a standalone, many of the characters would be unknown to the first time reader and reading the Girls Who Dare series is highly recommended.And now, Matilda & Montagu, the Story so Far!Happy Reading!

    It's 1940 and the threat of invasion hangs over Britain. But in the isolated hamlet of Nun Ainsty it is the arrival of the Army that turns things turned upside down – especially for two young women.Lorna Hatherwood, married to a man ten years older, lives a quiet life. Then she volunteers to read to blind soldiers at the nearby Manor and everything changes – because of a handsome medical officer named Ewan MacMillan. But their relationship could spell disaster…Then there is Ness Nightingale. A Land Girl billeted with Lorna, Ness is trying to forget a disastrous love affair. But when she meets Mick Hardie, a conscientious objector, she has to remind herself that she has vowed never to trust a man again …

    But when she lands the job of her dreams, it costs her her best friend.However, apart from her creepy ex-boyfriend, Storm loves the job. Until she’s asked to go undercover to find out if sexy TV chef Nico Alvise is cheating on his girlfriend. Storm knows it’s wrong but agrees because she likes him. A LOT. And she’s determined to protect him.She didn’t bank on them falling in love though. But Nico has secrets to hide, and he hates journalists.So when he finds out what Storm does, the fallout is brutal.Suddenly jobless, friendless and heartbroken, Storm knows that no matter how hard she wishes, Nico will never forgive her…

    Then, from a dark Parisian back alley, he plucks Leon, a redheaded urchin with strangely familiar looks, just in time for his long over-due schemes of revenge on the Comte de St. Vire. Among the splendours of Versailles and the dignified mansions of England, Justin begins to unfold his sinister plans -- until, that is, Leon becomes the ravishing beauty Leonie... Unanswered questions.Lovely, titian-haired Leonie, ward of the dashing Duke of Avon, had all Paris at her feet. Yet her true origins remained shrouded in mystery. And neither the glittering soirees nor the young aristocrats who so ardently courted her could still the question that plagued her young heart.What was her mysterious parentage?Just one man held the secret, the one she feared most in the world--the iron-willed Comte de Saint-Vire, deadly enemy of the Duke. He would give her the answer--for a price. But could she betray the man she secretly, helplessly loved? And could this proud young beauty bear to face the truth when it came?Devil's CubDominic Alistair, Marquis of Vidal is a bad lot a rake and seducer, reckless, heedless, and possessed of a murderous temper. He is known by friend and foe alike as the "Devil's Cub." Yet as the handsome and wealthy heir to a Dukedom, he is considered a good prospect on the marriage market. Vidal currently has his eye on the young, lovely, and unintelligent Sophia Challoner, and Sophia's greedy mother is more than happy to encourage his dubious attentions.When lovely, saucy Mary Challoner had practiced her hold deception upon the hot-blooded, fiery-tempered young Marquis of Vidal--substituting herself for her young sister he had thought to carry off to France--she had little notion he would grimly hold her to her part of the bargain. Now he had left her, and she was alone, a stranger in a strange land, prey to the intrigues of glittering, heartless, 18th century Paris.Only one person could rescue her--the Marquis himself. But how could she ever trust this man? How could she even hope to overcome the contempt in which he held her? And how could even the sudden flowering of her love ever bridge the terrible gap between them?

    But as more children are born, Joe's wife Tess sinks deeper into the obsession that will be her undoing. When Tess screams her belief that the area is cursed, few people heed her ravings. She is ignored, even as the Myrtle Street tragedies become more frequent and begin to feature in local gossip. It is left to Megan, the third Duffy child - the one who felt she was unworthy and unloved because she had been born a girl - to end the curse. When she becomes embroiled in a web of deceit, Megan needs all her strength, talents, and wit in order to survive. But it is her capacity to give love that ensures her family's stability, the future of the Althorpe cotton mills, and the safekeeping of the Hall i' the Vale.

    Perfect for fans of Donna Douglas and Kate Thompson.Maddy Kiernan knows her situation is desperate. With her parents dead, her brother Thomas is left as guardian to Maddy and her sister Carmel. But Thomas has plans that don't include his sisters and his reckless ambition could put all their futures at risk. Sharp-witted and strong-willed, Maddy knows it is she who must assume responsibility for the fragile young Carmel.When Thomas deserts Ireland for Liverpool, Maddy realises she has little option but to follow. Within days the girls are destitute, their precious savings gone. Even when Maddy finds a position with an elderly widow, Thomas's aspirations threaten their security. And then Maddy is faced with a terrible choice - between love and a promise...

    Haunted by memories of those she cared so dearly for, she soon longs to escape Providence in the hope that doing so will allow her to heal and feel whole once again. While browsing through the Providence Daily Post, she happens upon a series of ads placed by men from Montana who seek brides to join them on the new Frontier. All of the ads quickly begin to sound the same when suddenly, one stands out. Though skeptical, she decides to muster the courage to respond to a man named Mr. Adam Black who seeks an intelligent woman, not just a pleasant woman to keep his home tidy. Upon her arrival, Madeline meets the dashing Mr. Black and is quickly swept off her feet when he gives her a tour of his lavish home and all that lies within. Her hopes are quickly dashed, however, when he reveals to her that in truth, he’s only really looking to settle down to please his father, hoping to continue living his bachelor’s lifestyle. Although Madeline agrees to go along with Mr. Black’s peculiar arrangement, she can’t help but feel the palpable chemistry between them. Will Madeline settle for a picture perfect, yet hollow marriage arrangement, or does Mr. Black share the same feelings, turning her daydreams into a real life fairy tale? Book 2: Montana Mail Order Bride Clara: In 1890, New York City is no place for a woman alone, and that is exactly what young Clara has become. As she struggles to cope with the death of her only living relative, she is also faced with her own set of predicaments. Now, as she attempts to find work in the newspaper, she finds the advertisement of William Dean. William is a rugged man, used to the desolate life of the Frontier, and he’s made a place for himself in Montana--but his success means nothing without the tender warmth of a wife. When Clara notices his ad seeking a marriageable prospect, she responds and their worlds collide. Book 3: Montana Mail Order Bride Emma: When Emma marries her sweet husband James, she thinks she will finally get her happily ever after. But after eight happy years of marriage, Emma is forced to let her dear James fall prey to deathly clutches of a horrible illness. All she has left now is her dearest twelve year old daughter, Margaret. Both take jobs as seamstresses in a factory downtown, but their meager wages just aren’t enough for the two to get by. Emma is forced to admit that she needs the help of another husband, so when a matrimonial ad appears in the paper from a Frontier man, Emma takes a risk and heads to Montana with Margaret and Frederick, a long-time dear friend of her late husband’s who insists on accompanying the ladies as their chaperone. Book 4: Montana Mail Order Bride Julia: When a boy whom Julia has been charged to take care of dies, Julia is left searching for her next path in life. Her choices are limited, as she is not a wealthy woman nor is she married, and she fears that she must take the charity of her only living relative.

    

    The youngest son of a landowner offers her marriage but his brother seduces her little sister and then betrays her in the most brutal of ways. Susan faces losing everything.

    Studying hard to please them, she earns a place at Cardiff University. Here she is swept off her feet by handsome Gwyn Roberts, but when she becomes pregnant her parents are devastated and turn her from their door. All Gwyn and Sarah can afford are two squalid rooms in the infamous slums of Cardiff and Sarah soon realises she's made a terrible mistake. Gwyn becomes increasingly distant and when the baby dies in infancy, he leaves Sarah with little choice but to fall on her parents' mercy. But just when Sarah is starting to pull her life back together again, she is drawn to the charms of Stefan Vaughan and finds herself in trouble once more...

    Those exotic womanly curves… She was an enigma I had to unravel. I wasn’t there for the thrill of it. Not really. It was just something to do. But then she picked me out of the crowd. The sultry burlesque dancer. Savannah. Jesus, my c*ck ached as she danced over me. Bending. Contorting. I needed her like fire needs oxygen. I had Savannah that night. And several nights after that. There was no end to the lust she stirred in me... Then it all went to sh*t. Now, Savannah’s pregnant. With my babies. Triplets. This wasn’t the deal. I know who I am— A fucking widow who gave up on emotional bullshit long ago. But I can’t walk away from this. I can’t abandon the mother of my children. I know Savannah doesn’t trust me. And hell, I don’t blame her. However, she needs to understand that she’s mine. Her and our unborn kids. And no one is going to f@*k that up.

    They are locked up in his store because of an earthquake and by morning he knows that he can’t let them both go. Elizabeth Donovan can’t believe that her baby is about to be born on Christmas Eve, and in a small alley behind a department store at that. When the owner rescues her and helps her bring her baby into the world, she knows that she has received a Christmas miracle in more ways than one. Christmas Bride - A Very Special Christmas Baby is part of the Brides For All Seasons series - a festive collection of historical holiday romance guaranteed to warm your heart and fill your season with romantic cheer. Buy it today and enjoy the timeless gift of love!

     Every action has a consequence and this is the aftermath. My name is Kara Petersen. I am one of life’s survivors, but my life has not been easy. I am the product of a dysfunctional, broken home and parents who don’t care. Fallen from grace, abandoned and betrayed, I am now alone. Then there was hope. A boy, a saviour. He saved me, empowered me, and gave me the strength and courage to leave. To live. His actions will not be in vain. I will do whatever it takes to survive. My name is Sloan Foster. I am one of life’s failures, but my life has not been fair. I am the product of a loving home, a mother and father who adored each other, until death paved the way for the devil. Trapped inside a world with a gilded façade, I have always felt alone. Then there was hope. A girl, an angel, a beacon of pure light in the dark. She subconsciously called to me, reached deep into my soul, unknowingly claiming a part of myself I had let die years ago. I promised I would do whatever it took to be her protector. My promises were unachievable and futile. I will do whatever it takes to find her again. Please note this is a 36,000 word novella, chronicling the lives of Kara and Sloan and the ‘missing’ eight years. It is not a continuation of the present story, and should be read after Fractured and Tormented.

    Reprint.