The Secret Christmas Ciphers


Carolynn Carey - 2012
    If his poor fiancée had not died, he would now be wed to her instead of Abigail. But then Abigail begins uncovering some of the secrets that are a part of her husband’s life and wonders if perhaps there is hope for their marriage after all.Derek, Lord Westdale, wasn’t sure why Abigail married him; she obviously despised him. On the other hand, he knew exactly why he was marrying her: she was the only woman he would ever love, despite his having offered marriage to another. Unfortunately, he can’t seem to convince Abigail that he never really betrayed her after all.Can their decoding of a secret Christmas cipher bring an end to their misunderstandings and help them create their own special Christmas tradition?

Silent Night


Deanna Raybourn - 2012
    There are missing jewels, new faces at the Abbey, and a prowling ghost that brings back unwelcome memories from a previous holiday—one that turned deadly. Is a new culprit recreating crimes of the past? And will Brisbane let Julia investigate—?

Winning Lady Jane


Isabella Thorne - 2019
    Dukes, earls and brave ladies, all wrapped up like a present with a dangerous Christmas masquerade! Randolph Keening, the Earl of Keegain, is engaged to be married, and therein lies the problem. He does not love his intended bride, but he will honor his word, both to the lady and to his late father. When Miss Jane Bellevue traveled to Kennett Park for the Christmas holiday, she never expected to fall in love with her best friend’s brother. But from the moment Jane first locked eyes with Lord Keegain, she knew she was meant to be his. If only he was not already promised to the cold but beautiful, Lady Margret Fairfax. Lady Margret is everything Jane is not. Why would the earl notice her when he could have a proper lady? But there is more afoot at Kennett Park than a simple Christmas Ball. With a borrowed identity, during the Christmas Masquerade Jane runs afoul of a dangerous plot. Jane’s life may be in peril, but it is the loss of her heart that she fears the most. Trapped in the web of upper society that she does not understand, Jane must uncover what it is that truly makes a lady noble. Lord Keegain has always been an honorable man, but with a traitor in his own house everything has changed. Miss Bellevue is in danger and England is at stake. The earl is determined to bring the villains to justice, no matter the personal cost. He has given his vow to Lady Margret, but it is the lovely Jane Bellevue that holds his heart. Balancing love against honor, the intrepid pair must catch the culprits or risk losing their own happily ever after. Join Jane and Lord Keegain on this Heartfelt Christmas Romp.

Netherby Halls


Claudette Williams - 1977
    She has turned twenty-one and is going through transition as her powers of light magic are completed. Not quite penniless but no longer able to stay in her home, as a new vicar would arrive to take over the parsonage, she has to find a respectable position. She finds one through her late mother’s friend, as a tutor at Netherby Halls. As she makes the journey to Netherby she meets the man who has been making love to her in her dreams…the irresistible Marquis of Dartmour. Things at Netherby are not what they seem. The handsome marquis is not what he seems, and Sassy…Sassy has to find her way through a maze of evil and magic.

The Price of Innocence


Vicki Hopkins - 2009
    The book is historical fiction, with romantic elements, set in 1878 Paris and London. The book is the first in a series of three entitled the Legacy Series.It is the tender story of Suzette Camille Rousseau, a young woman in late 19th century Paris, who makes a difficult journey from innocence to maturity. After losing a sheltered life with her father, Suzette is thrown into the harsh reality of poverty, struggling as a homeless woman on the streets of Paris. In order to survive, she faces difficult choices that offer little hope of redemption. Her journey takes her from the charities of St. Vincent de Paul, to a local laundry house where she toils endlessly in filth and squalor. To her surprise, one of her customers is the Chabanais, the most famous brothel in France that only caters to aristocrats. Like a fly drawn to a spider's web, the mistress of the brothel entices Suzette into a world of opulence, comfort, and beauty, but there is a price to pay -- her innocence. Succumbing to a life of prostitution, she meets a handsome English Lord who saves her from the unthinkable.

The Duke's Scottish Lass


Tammy Andresen - 2016
    Though he has long reformed his ways, he steals her breath away every time their eyes meet and she simply doesn’t deserve that kind of happiness. Not after the death of her brother, Reginald. She must pay penance, because, if not for her, he would still be alive. Roderick Maddox, has known for years he would marry Delia. Before Reginald’s death, he made a promise to his friend, not only would he care for Reginald’s sister, but he would reform himself into the type of man Delia deserved. He never expected Delia to ignite such passion or to be so resistant to him. Nor did he realize he held the secret about Reginald’s death that could crush their budding feelings forever.

Ivy and Intrigue: A Very Selwick Christmas


Lauren Willig - 2008
    In this novella (a sequel to "The Secret History of the Pink Carnation"), the newly married spy, the Purple Gentian, and his bride find more than mince pie when they head home for the holidays.

The Twelve Days of Seduction


Maire Claremont - 2012
    His ward deserves a reputable governess, so he threatens to give Adriana the sack mere days before Christmas.Desperate to convince the sexy duke not to tear her from the little girl she's grown to adore, Adriana challenges him to prove she’s not the reputable governess he believed he hired. If he can seduce her before the Twelve Days of Christmas have come to an end, she will leave without protest.But when they find the challenge more difficult than either imagined, can they face the consequences of their decisions?

His Lady Smuggler


Tamara Gill - 2015
    But before she can embark on her new life, May must complete her dealings with the local smugglers, men who have kept a roof over her family’s head during frugal times. One last Christmas at home and her life would change forever. So when William Scott, the Earl of Grandison arrives and crumbles her perfectly planned future to rubble, May is less than pleased. William, Lord Grandison works for the Crown, and is determined to catch the nuisance Englishmen who dare smuggle along the Cornwall coast. William has never veered from his pursuit of these men working against the law, that was until he meets May Stanford, the maddening daughter of his host for Christmas. May drives him to distraction and forces him to admit to feelings he has never felt before. But when May and William discover the crippling truth of each other, their secrets will threaten to tear them apart.

Unexpected Gifts


Elena Aitken - 2011
    But he’s determined to show her everything the season has to offer…including love. For Andi Williams, Christmas represents everything she’s supposed to have—and doesn’t. Running away to a remote mountain lodge seems like the perfect way to escape the season. And it would have been if it weren’t for the snow storm and a booking mix-up that finds her stranded. That is, until a rough around the edges, green eyed stranger offers a solution.  There was no way in good conscious that Colin Hartford could leave the woman with nowhere to stay. Especially on Christmas. He knows all too well what it’s like to be alone for the holidays. It isn’t long before Colin’s determination to enjoy the festivities he’s missed for so long sweeps Andi into the season of joy that she’s not so sure she’s ready for.  If Andi can allow herself to open up—just a little—she might finally have the chance to experience everything the holidays can really offer…including love.

Love by the Letters: A is for Amorous / B is for Beautiful Secrets / C is for The Chapel of Love


Grace Burrowes - 2019
    Plato wasn't a bad sort, and Euclid was bright enough, but the modern variety of male holds no appeal for her. To earn ownership of a lovely country estate with a delightfully well stocked library, Ada must raise funds for an orphanage full of noisy, malodorous urchins.As if that isn't challenge enough, her only ally in this endeavor, is the headmaster, Lord John, who loves children, referees cricket matches, and plucks Ada’s very, very last nerve, even though she knows his devotion to the children is genuine, as is the orphanage’s need for funds. Opposites don’t always attract, but in this case, they must work together for thirty days, or neither Ada’s nor John’s dreams will ever come true.B is for Beautiful Secrets by Vanessa RileyDesperate to win proper dowries for his younger sisters, August Sedgewick has thirty days to sell his treasured art, make amends with his estranged brother, Lord Haverthon, and endure the prickly company of the business-minded Miss Nettles. The dedicated dressmaker is the toughest part of the deal for she's more adroit at lecturing him on the habits of trade than succumbing to his charms. Yet, the sparkle of joy radiating in her spectacles as August distracts her with leisurely picnics and long rides in the park, teaches him more than he bargained for.Modiste for those with secrets--pregnant brides-to-be, aging courtesans desperate to keep their patron's attention, Mary-Anne Nettles would love the opportunity to have her talent out of the shadows and as she creates the bridal gown for the event of the season, the Earl of Haverthon's wedding. To win that chance, the demure woman must spend time with the earl's flamboyant brother helping him set up a business in trade. Yet, Mr. Sedgewick proves a difficult student, teaching Mary-Anne about fun and drawing her deeper into the unseen turmoil of Ton.Can two very different souls rise above secrets to find a forever love for all the world to see?C is for The Chapel of Love by Kelly BowenHenry Blackmore has always been a black sheep. He's defied his ducal family, ignored expectations, and overcome tragedy to chase his own dreams of becoming a renowned architect. The only task standing between his fierce ambition and everything he's ever wanted is the restoration of his family's crumbling country manor. But first, he has to do something about Heaton Hall's impossible steward.Heaton Hall was essentially abandoned when Maeve Murray became steward after the death of her father. When Henry arrives with his pockets full of cash, Maeve is delighted - until she realizes that the money is not to help the struggling tenants but to restore the frivolous ballroom. Nonetheless, Maeve and Henry, they need each other, and working together might just restore more than a crumbling manor - it could restore two broken hearts!

Murder at Locke Abbey


Catherine Winchester - 2014
    When Lady Thea Copley arrives with her detective father, Cole is immediately taken with her. He soon realises that she is not a typical lady, and that her beauty is only surpassed by the sharpness of her mind. As they work together and expose the secrets and lies at the heart of his household, Cole is left reeling from the revelations. Can Thea overcome her past hurts to be his anchor, or will she hide behind her intellect, afraid to take a chance?

Beauty and the Baron


Joanna Barker - 2019
    With her father in prison and their bookshop sold to pay his debts, she has no choice but to turn to Henry Covington, the Baron Norcliffe. But the baron has more than earned his harsh reputation, and Rose must face his wrath in order to save her father—and herself.Since the deaths of his parents, Henry Covington has isolated himself from society, ensuring the solitude of his estate with his deliberate callousness. However, when the beautiful Miss Sinclair appears on his doorstep, begging for a chance to repay her father’s debt to him, a moment of weakness finds him offering her a position—as a maid in his own house.They both soon learn that first impressions are not to be believed. Henry is surprised—and intrigued—by Rose’s optimistic charm, while Rose slowly uncovers Henry’s true self, his compassion concealed behind the pain of loss and betrayal. But when a shadow from Henry’s past returns, their newfound hope is tested. They must decide for themselves who to trust—and what they will risk for their happily ever after.  Beauty and the Baron is a Regency retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is a sweet/clean romance novella, and is Book 1 in a series of Regency retellings. The stories can be read in any order.

Earls Just Want to Have Fun


Shana Galen - 2015
    She runs with the Covent Garden Cubs, a gang of thieves living in the slums of London's Seven Dials. It's a fierce life, and Marlowe has a hard outer shell. But when she's alone, she allows herself to think of a time before-a dimly remembered life when she was called Elizabeth.Maxwell, Lord Dane, is intrigued when his brother, a hired investigator, ropes him into his investigation of the fiercely beautiful hellion. He teaches her to navigate the social morass of the ton, but Marlowe will not escape so easily. Instead, Dane is drawn into her dangerous world, where the student becomes the teacher and love is the greatest risk of all.

With this Kiss


Victoria Lynne - 1999
    But Julia's bold gaze lit other fires he had long suppressed. And now this glorious stranger was his bride. But when he tried to claim his husbandly rights, she demanded three months grace--three months to know a stranger's mind, to touch a stranger's soul, to go where no woman had ever gone before. Into his lonely heart . . . With This Kiss.