As weeks go by with no responses to his newspaper advertisement, he has taken to spending his days wandering idly about London rather than admit his failure to his beloved wife Julia, the former Lady Fieldhurst.One day, while loitering amidst the crowds thronging the Covent Garden market, he wonders morosely if it might have been better had he not been born at all. Then he sees one of his former colleagues and, in an attempt to make a discreet exit, contrives instead to knock himself unconscious.He awakens to discover that his Bow Street colleague doesn’t seem to remember him, and after staggering back home to Curzon Street, he finds someone else living in the house where he lived with Julia. But still greater surprises are in store for Pickett as he attempts to navigate his way through a world in which he never existed…With a wink and a nod to Frank Capra’s classic film IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, NOWHERE MAN offers an alternate version of many of the earlier entries in the John Pickett mystery series.

    Once he gets over his shock, Sobran decides that Xas, the male angel, is his guardian sent to counsel him on everything from marriage to wine production. But Xas turns out to be a far more mysterious character. Compelling and erotic, The Vintner's Luck explores a decidedly unorthodox love story as Sobran eventually comes to love and be loved by both Xas and the young Countess de Valday, his friend and employer at the neighboring chateau.

    Surrounding herself with nature and the mystical animals inhabiting the savannah not only allows Mnemba’s tracking skills to shine, it helps her to hide from the terrible memories that haunt her. Mnemba is employed to guide Mr. Harving and his daughter, Kara, through the wilderness as they study unicorns. The young women are drawn to each other, despite that fact that Kara is betrothed. During their research, they discover a conspiracy by a group of poachers to capture the Unicorns and exploit their supernatural strength to build a railway. Together, they must find a way to protect the creatures Kara adores while resisting the love they know they can never indulge.

    It wasn't her fame as the star witness in the local werewolf trial. What brought on the gooseflesh, first time I saw her, was she's the spitting image of her murdered identical twin.

    All she really wants to do is provide for her family and stay out of trouble, but when the Sheriff of Nottingham levies the largest tax in the history of England, she’s forced to take matters into her own hands. Relying on the help of her band of merry women and the Sheriff’s intriguing—and off limits—daughter, Marian, Robyn must find a way to pull off the biggest heist Sherwood has ever seen.With both heart and freedom at stake, just how much will she risk to ensure the safety of the ones she loves?

    Lynn stands as a groundbreaking author of fantasy and science fiction. Her stories weave richly drawn characters and complex scenes of daily life into the intricate tapestry of speculative fiction. But beyond her technical skill, Lynn has changed the landscape of fantasy writing as one of the first authors to incorporate themes of gender and gay relationships into her work. Importantly, these themes are not part of the fantastic story line but simply of the unremarkable, normal relationships around which the fantasy occurs. This collection of Lynn’s early short stories serves as a wonderful introduction to her influential work. Soaring emotions, eloquent prose, and fully realized worlds are truly a joy to become lost within. That explains why the namesake short story “The Woman Who Loved the Moon” won Lynn one of her two World Fantasy Awards.With The Woman Who Loved the Moon and Other Stories, readers will delight in an author whose work George R. R. Martin has described as “the sort of fantasy we don’t see enough of: lyrical and literate, and a treat from the first page to the last.”

    Despite her best efforts, however, her escape attempt fails and she quickly finds herself held in place over his strong thighs as her bare bottom is thoroughly spanked.Thanred's plans for Royla include much more than merely using her to keep his lust at bay. She will be his mate and bear his children. But to end his exile and take back his place among his people he will need to master his little human completely, claiming her publicly in even the most shameful of ways and leaving every potential rival in no doubt that she is his and his alone.Publisher's Note: Bride to the Beast includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.

    At Lord and Lady Quinton's now annual summer house party, sexually neglected and frustrated wives finally find their fulfillment. Of Love and Lust: Piers and Judith, Lord and Lady Lipscombe have been married for four years, but their beddings have never been more than quick, five-minute affairs intended to secure the line. After being too rough and randy on their wedding night, he's always been afraid of hurting her again, so he held himself back. She thought their marriage was normal, until she saw the lustful looks continually passed between the Quintons. Could there be something more? One Lonely Night: The boisterous nighttime activity of Vivian Flynn's neighbors is keeping her awake--and in need. When she takes a step out onto her portico for a bit of night air, she's shocked when those very neighbors come out onto their portico and make love in front of her. When her husband, Lord Tucker Flynn, comes upon her surreptitiously touching herself while spying on the randy couple, everything changes within their once lackluster marriage. A Perfect Pearl: Elaine Shelton, Lady Raynesford, has never been dissatisfied with the efforts of her husband, Owen, in bed. However, she's never been left in awe by them, either. He makes love the very same way he does everything in life--in exactly the same, predictable manner, each and every time. Encouraged by her new friends, Judith and Vivian, Elaine takes a bold step: she intends to seduce Owen into variety, no matter the consequences. Leg-Shackled: Audrey Veazey thinks she's always been rather open-minded when it comes to beddings with her husband, Lodge, but watching the other young, married ladies at the Quintons' house party titter and talk leaves her blushing. The Earl of Holbrook, the blackguard, insinuates in no uncertain terms that she's a bit prudish. Could that be? One thing is for certain--she intends to find out if her husband agrees with Holbrook or not, and if he does, she's determined to change his mind. Uninhibited: A child bride who hasn't seen her husband for ten years, Naomi Cunningham refuses to spend another day as the Countess of Holbrook, essentially locked away in her husband's Hampshire estate. She seeks him out at the Quintons' house party looking for one thing--an annulment. When Naomi arrives, Grey is livid. His ire only rises upon her preposterous request, not to mention his unfounded desire for the woman who was only a girl when last he saw her. But will she be satisfied with a divorce, or might something else satisfy her?

    Now sober, he wants to make amends by opening a mission for drunkards. The most suitable location belongs to Joanna Cranston Stewart, a love from his sordid past and the one person he hurt the most.A pariah among her peers, Joanna is all too eager to sell her property and flee the rumors that she sent her late husband to an early grave. But she will let the gossips talk and the walls of her rundown property crumble around her before she’ll allow Kit back into her life.When a blackmailer threatens to reveal her long-held secret, she must choose between trusting Kit or seeing her best friend trapped in an abusive marriage.Will Joanna risk another betrayal? Or will she find a way through the pain of the past to love and trust again?

    Bertrice Martin—a widow, some seventy-three years young—has kept her youthful-ish appearance with the most powerful of home remedies: daily doses of spite, regular baths in man-tears, and refusing to give so much as a single damn about her Terrible Nephew. Then proper, correct Miss Violetta Beauchamps, a sprightly young thing of nine and sixty, crashes into her life. The Terrible Nephew is living in her rooming house, and Violetta wants him gone. Mrs. Martin isn’t about to start giving damns, not even for someone as intriguing as Miss Violetta. But she hatches another plan—to make her nephew sorry, to make Miss Violetta smile, and to have the finest adventure of all time. If she makes Terrible Men angry and wins the hand of a lovely lady in the process? Those are just added bonuses. Author’s Note: Sometimes I write villains who are subtle and nuanced. This is not one of those times. The Terrible Nephew is terrible, and terrible things happen to him. Sometime villains really are bad and wrong, and sometimes, we want them to suffer a lot of consequences.

    Maybe it’s the noble title or the chivalry. Perhaps it’s the dashing sense of danger. No matter your preference, prepare to fall in love with five heroes who know how to make a girl swoon in any century:Truth Within Dreams: Claudia’s plan to stage her own ruination and escape marriage to the churlish and elderly Sir Saint seemed foolproof. She was sure the kindly Henry De Vere wouldn’t mind helping her out … but somehow she hadn’t counted on him actually proposing. Can a fake scandal lead to real dreams coming true?The Winter Promise: In the fall of 1053, Lady Imma has one loyalty: to help her uncle, the king of Wales, win his war against the English. Lord Robert, the steward of Wessex, has one loyalty as well: to keep his beloved Wessex safe from enemies. When she is forced to seek shelter in his keep, they must decide if they can listen to their hearts – or if they would be wiser never to trust each other. Revolutionary Hearts: To complete his mission in India’s fight for independence, General Carton—aka U.S. undercover operative Warren Khan—must hide both his true objective and his heritage. But once he meets the captivating Parineeta, who holds the key to both his freedom and capturing her brother, a suspected anarchist, he finds the subterfuge more difficult than anticipated. Merry’s Wonderful Christmas Gift: The winter holidays used to be Miss Merry Damonson’s favorite time of year. Until her almost-fiancé Edward Everton abandoned her two days before Christmas. Now he’s returned to their country village, but is it too late to reignite old flames? A holiday ball might just offer these unlucky lovers a second chance. An Unconventional Courtship: George Fitzpatrick had boarded the new omnibus intent on nothing more than a ride from one point to another. Until a gorgeous young blonde named Charlotte Ashcroft suddenly claims he is her chaperone. What’s an up-and-coming young banker to do but help a lady out?

    From unhappy historical marriages to covert teenage romances, there's something for everyone in FRESH ROMANCE."

    Swirling under my skin in shallow waves of agony while we’re apart.But my need for vengeance is stronger. The hatred I cling to comes easy when my mind lingers on my Fated.Amelia. My Millie.Nothing can save her now. It’s time to give her exactly what she deserves.

    Tobias, tethered to the forest, does not dwell on his past life, but he lives a perfectly unremarkable existence with his cottage, his cat, and his dryads.When Greenhollow Hall acquires a handsome, intensely curious new owner in Henry Silver, everything changes. Old secrets better left buried are dug up, and Tobias is forced to reckon with his troubled past—both the green magic of the woods, and the dark things that rest in its heart.

    Her prayer is heard and an angel is dispatched to assist Felicity in finding the answer to her heart's desire. Prescott Jones arrives in Appleton, Idaho with plans to build a cannery, find a woman to marry, and settle down. He and his partner have managed to acquire all the property needed—except for a plot of land owned by an old-maid seamstress. With the help of a large white cat named Angel, Prescott sets out to change Felicity's mind. About the cannery … and about him. A NOTE TO READERS:A Wish & a Prayer is a bit different from my usual fare. It was written for fun and is pure fantasy. It isn't meant to be anything more than that. It definitely isn't theologically correct when it comes to angels. The angels of the Bible are portrayed as quite different from Angel Emeline. Whenever angels appeared to mankind in the Bible, they did it in a human form, and the Bible is what we should trust for an understanding of all things spiritual, including angels.Still, I hope you'll enjoy reading this romantic bit of whimsy. It's a story that made me smile as I wrote it.Robin Lee Hatcher