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.

    . .For fiercely independent Grier Hadley, being the illegitimate daughter of one of London's most unsavory characters has only one advantage: an enormous, ill-gotten dowry.Prince Sevastian Maksimi knows where his duty lies: he must find a well-bred young lady—one with a considerable fortune to her name—wed her promptly, and get to the business of producing an heir.The last thing Grier needs is some unattainable prince curling her toes with his smoldering glances and wicked suggestions. As far as Sev is concerned, she lacks the breeding to become a princess. And yet one kiss from this arresting female is all it takes for him to realize that anyone else in his arms would be unthinkable . . .

    But when the man she's loved since her girlhood returns from a long spell abroad, she quite suddenly finds herself hoping the fine lord her brother has picked for her won't propose. She decides that if he does, she'll quite improperly turn him down—that is, until the man of her hopes and dreams informs her he has no intention of marrying her.The last time Tristan Nesbitt saw Alexandra, he was a common man with no hope of ever wedding the daughter of a marquess. Seven years later, he's now Lord Hawkridge, which should make him eminently suitable for the woman who long ago captured his heart. But a dreadful scandal has tarnished his name in England—a scandal so horrid that marrying Alexandra would ruin not only her flawless reputation but her whole family. For Alexandra's own good, he must fight his relentless desires and stay far away…

    The one challenge she can’t top? Managing the most infuriating man she’s ever met.Alexander Hall, Viscount Northwood, has purchased a one-of-a-kind locket from a pawnshop, unaware of the priceless sentiment it holds for Lydia. If he were a gentleman, he would simply return it to her. But Alexander is curious to see just how bold this brilliant beauty will be.What began as a playful wager quickly escalates. As their sizzling attraction grows, even Lydia can’t account for the feelings Alexander arouses in her with his smile or the fire he ignites with his touch. But when a dark family secret is suddenly thrown into the equation, it just might divide them forever.*An earlier edition of this book was published under the name Nina Rowan by Grand Central Publishing

    She’s ramshackle, always says what she thinks and prefers riding and fishing over sewing and social graces. Grayson Lyall, Marquis of Carraway, is Society’s ideal of a perfect gentleman. He’s handsome, wealthy and considered a war hero by everyone but himself. A gentleman, that is, until he sets eyes on the intriguingly different Lady Juliana, emotionally jilted and humiliated and under pressure to change everything about herself. For her, he is quite willing to play the hero to a reluctant damsel in distress. But nothing is ever easy with Lady Juliana. It will take persistence.

    Now it’s time for him to save hers… Charlene Ellington is the daughter of a well-known and respected doctor in the area of Bath. Going to the woods to collect some herbs for her father’s work, she encounters the young Lord Eric Cumberland who was bitten by a venomous snake. Brave Charlene drags him immediately to her house and her father saves his life. The young Lord promised Charlene to repay the debt whenever Charlene needed his help. And he sealed that promise with a kiss. Her first one and not forgotten by both of them. Years after Charlene’s father is accused of poisoning a member of the peerage and he is sentenced to death. A devious Marquess blackmails her that if she betroths to him, he will clear her father’s name. Charlene decides to ask Eric’s help who is now an eligible and very wealthy Duke with a lot of power due to his father’s connections. But Charlene Ellington’s name is already dragged in the mud with the serious allegations against her father and Eric’s family doesn’t want him to associate with her. Besides the real murderer lurks in the shadows… Eric feels his passion for her grow as he is trying to help her case. But so is the passion of the devilish Marquess for her… Between schemes, life threatening and dangerous poisons will they find their place in the sun? *If you like thrilling characters, steamy and unexpected twists, and lots of romance, then you’ll love “A Wicked Scandal for the Bluestocking!” Get “A Wicked Scandal for the Bluestocking” and let the breathtaking story of Charlene and Eric unravel today!

    She travels to Scotland posing as Lady Deirdre to care for her cousin's fiancée, the handsome, wealthy Duke of Silchester who has been temporarily blinded in a hunting accident. It's Sacha's one chance to wear fine gowns and be waited upon -- a fairy-tale come true. Then the unthinkable happens...she loses her heart forever to a man she can never love.

    As the daughter of a famous archaeologist, she’s been everywhere and seen everything—except London. When the Talbot-Martin team travels there for her father’s investiture, Linley finally gets her wish. But when the time comes to trade her jodhpurs and work boots for silk gowns and kid gloves, she may be in over her head.Even though she can out-ride, out-shoot, and outsmart any girl in London society, Linley is destined to be the failure of the season. No one she meets cares about ancient pottery or lost Buddhist texts, and fundraising efforts for future expeditions keep coming up short. If the Talbot-Martin team doesn’t find money soon, they will be out of a job, and Linley will lose everything she holds dear.Patrick Wolford, Marquess of Kyre (pronounced 'Keer'), is a man who knows his place. Well-connected and respected, he is everything everyone expects him to be, but beneath his façade, he is as neglected and crumbling as the family estate. Now the strain of keeping up appearances is taking its toll. The smart thing would be to marry the heiress nipping at his heels and be done with it, but when he meets Linley Talbot-Martin, who dares to shake up his seemingly proper world, he must choose between the life he’s always known and one he never dared to dream of.

     Amy is a shy, timid soul, browbeaten by her domineering father until she’s terrified to do or say anything without his approval. When he dies suddenly, his will leaves large dowries for his six daughters, but only if they marry in the proper order, the eldest first. Amy must now find herself a husband, and soon, so her younger sisters can marry in their turn. There are several possible suitors, but will any of them come up to scratch? And how will Amy choose without her father to guide her? Belle is the plain one of the six Allamont sisters, happy with her books. With Amy betrothed, now Belle must find a husband. Reluctant to parade herself at balls and card parties, she intends to accept the offer of her cousin, James, a pragmatic but loveless choice on both sides. But fate and poetry and the gentle tendrils of friendship combine to overturn her careful plans. Connie’s older sisters have managed to find husbands, but now it’s her turn and she’s not sure she wants to marry at all. Having only just escaped her late father’s restrictive regime, she’s reluctant to surrender her freedom to another man just yet. If only she could find one who would fall so adoringly in love that he would do anything for her. Books 1-3 of the 6-book series The Daughters of Allamont Hall. Each book is a complete story with a HEA, but read them all to find out all the secrets of Allamont Hall!

    As their love grows for each other, Matilda's past comes back to haunt her.

    She longed to be free. Pressured by forces beyond their control, will they give in to forbidden desire?England, 1823. After establishing a successful practice in America, Dr. Harry Radcliffe swore he wouldn’t set foot on British soil again. But when he’s named the Duke of Ashton after his callous brother’s sudden death, he begrudgingly returns to the pretentious world he detests. And his pledge to his dying mother to find a wife is thrown into chaos when he meets his stunning sister-in-law.Margaret Radcliffe finally escaped her abusive marriage. Yet her late husband’s final cruel act left her penniless, with her only option to remarry... the one thing she vowed she’d never do again. But the new duke’s startlingly familiar features awaken yearnings she thought long-forgotten, dangling the heartbreaking whisper of a passion impossible to fulfill.Although convinced the accusations that she murdered her husband are only salacious gossip, Harry's real torment comes when he wishes for a union that would make them outcasts. But even when they finally submit to their simmering attraction, Margaret’s dream of happily-ever-after may be derailed by society’s schemes.Can a scandalous affair turn into a lifetime of love?The Reluctant Duke's Dilemma is the suspenseful first book in The Hope Clinic Regency romance series. If you like swoon-worthy heroes, uplifting humor, and heroines beating the odds, then you’ll adore Trisha Messmer’s tale of tortured hearts.

    One broken hero. With danger looming, will they uncover more than they bargained for?A determined Duchess...Lady Anna Trevallyn, Duchess Wrexford, does not possess the typical qualities of the Boston elite. Confident and strong, she refuses to accept her place as a second-class citizen in a man's world--especially when her best friend, Libby, unexpectedly disappears without a trace. Unwilling to leave it to the men to uncover, she's determined to get answers.A damaged Prince...His Royal Highness, Prince Penforth Armstrong-Leeds, will do anything to locate his sister, Libby. Sharing resources, knowledge, and time with the beautiful and intelligent Lady Anna is an added advantage. Pen has secretly admired Anna from afar for years, but his war wound forces him to remain at bay.An unlikely pair...As Pen and Anna delve for answers beneath high society's gilded exterior, their feelings for one another intensify. Now, they must navigate their strong feelings while locating Libby before her reputation is permanently destroyed. With time running out, will they uncover the truth before lives are lost and hearts broken?This is the first in a Victorian Romance series featuring strong and feisty heroines at the forefront of the new age in 1890s America.Read each story as a stand-alone, or read the series in order.If you enjoy Gothic Victorian historical romantic suspense stories, such as those made popular by Victoria Holt, Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, Christi Caldwell or Dorothy Eden, you'll love this series by historical romance author, Ava Rose.The Boston Heiresses series:1 - Not Quite a Duchess2 - Not Quite a Baroness3 - Not Quite a Lady4 - Not Quite a Princess

    Despite her pleas of innocence, he refuses to listen and has her imprisoned. Aided by the Scottish father she never knew, Dreya escapes to Dragon's Breath Castle.Five years later, the laird is missing and a badly injured Frenchman washes ashore. Dreya is wary of the blind and amnesic man, though something about him is hauntingly familiar. Is he an ally or a ruthless mercenary who stumbled upon her father's smuggling activities?The stranger's vision and memory gradually return and Dreya discovers her fate and the continued existence of her clan might very well be in his hands. As the web of deception binding them together unravels, both are in danger of losing everything. Including their hearts.

    Except someone is out to reveal him as a wicked rogue in the tongue in cheek articles written about him by a notorious gossip columnist. Determined to unmask this meddler in his life, he finds his heart shockingly captivated by Miss Pippa Cavanaugh. The hopes of marriage or the charming attractiveness of the Duke of Carlyle didn't drive Pippa to pursue the most elusive catch of the season, she was out to avenge her dear friend whose heart had been callously injured. Pippa desires to reveal to society that their perfect duke is a wicked, unprincipled seducer. The last thing she expects is for the dratted man to turn the tables on her, engaging her in a dance of wits, soul stealing kisses, and unexpected, sensual adventures. Soon she must decide if he is her path to ruin or her promise of a happy ending. WHEN THE EARL WAS WICKED His touch awakens her desire, and his kiss demands surrender. Lady Verity Ayles will do whatever it takes to protect herself from a vile cur, no matter how scandalous or perilous it may be. And that means aligning with James Radcliffe, the Earl of Maschelly--a scoundrel who spends his days in sin and self-indulgence, and his nights in reckless pursuits. Clearly, a man any young lady of good sense and reputation should stay away from. James had clawed his way from poverty to the fringes of the ton using his wits and fists. His wicked reputation encourages ladies to approach him for clandestine affairs, never for anything as outrageous as Lady Verity's request--to teach her how to fight. And in exchange, she will instruct him on all the refined manners a hulking, ruthless, fighting brute as himself needed to net a lady of quality. Never a man to resist a challenge or the company of a beautiful lady, James agrees, and soon finds himself falling endlessly in love with a woman who may never see him as the man of her dreams. A PRINCE OF MY OWN One tempting kiss may be her undoing... Lady Miranda Cheswick's is beautiful, witty, intelligent, and the family's great expectations are for her to marry a prince or a duke! A duty she intends to fulfill despite the craving in her heart to marry for love. An accident leaves her stranded at the country estate of the enigmatic and charming Dr. Astor, a man to whom she is inexplicably attracted. Dr. Simon Astor has little expectation of making a grand society match. His sole focus should be on caring for his patients and raising funds for the hospital he hopes to build. However, the delectable and witty Miranda tempts him at every turn, he soon finds himself falling for her irresistible charm, and wants to marry her. Except Miranda's mother's devious plot will test Miranda and Simon's resolve. Is their love strong enough to triumph?

    Little does he know, it's his heart that needs the most loving care.