She decides marrying a biddable groom is the only way to salvage her future and chooses her old friend, astronomer Henry Killam. But she soon realizes Henry isn’t quite as manageable as she first believed and her feelings for him are stronger than she ever imagined.A Lady’s Gift for Scandal by Elizabeth EssexMiss Tamsin Lesley desires above all else to be a bluestocking and lead an intellectual life. The only thing standing in her way is her father’s heir, who wants her along with her father’s estate. To foil him, Tamsin enlists the services of masculine wallflower Simon Cathcart to ruin her. But the road to ruination leads to far more pleasurable places than Tamsin could ever imagine, and her charming wallflower proves to have secrets of his own.

    Major, Lord Ralph Duval, is recuperating from a sabre wound that almost killed him.When her carriage breaks an axle in the snow, she is obliged to take refuge at the house she believes is called Devil's Gate. Will Ralph be able to keep her safe, or is he the biggest danger to her?

    

    The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.A Kiss by the Sea by Grace BurrowesHe's not really a blacksmith, and she's not really an heiress... Can they forge a happily-ever-after anyway?Thaddeus Pennrith finds a way to recover from multiple griefs when he accepts the blacksmith's post at Fenwick on Sea. Village life gives him a sense of belonging that Polite Society never could, though he must resume his aristocratic responsibilities soon. Along comes Lady Sarah Weatherby, refugee from an engagement gone badly awry, and Thaddeus is faced with both a compelling reason to reveal his titled antecedents, and a longing to keep them forever hidden...An Improbable Hero by Mary LancasterA runaway heiress, a mysterious stranger.When Letty's ship founders in a violent storm, she forges a rare bond with her rescuer.Simon is a troubled man on a final, deadly mission—until the spirited yet soothing Letty makes him question everything. Hiding in plain sight among the refugees at The Queen's Barque, Simon is more than capable of protecting them both. But when the floods recede, can either of them say goodbye?The Comtesse of Midnight by Alina K. FieldA Scottish Earl on a quest for the elusive Comtesse de Fontenay rescues a French lady smuggler from the surf during a devastating storm, and takes shelter with her. As the stormy night drags on, he suspects his companion knows the woman he's seeking, the one who holds the secret to his identity. When she admits she is, in fact, the Comtesse Fontenay, just not the one he's seeking, she dashes all his hopes—and promises him new ones.Lord Stanton's Shocking Seaside Honeymoon by Cerise DeLandShe is so wrong for him.Miss Josephine Meadows is so young. In love with life. His accountant in his work for Whitehall. Her father's heir to his trading company—and his espionage network.Lord Stanton cannot resist marrying her. But to ensure Wellington defeats Napoleon, they must save one of Josephine's agents.Far from home, amid a horrific storm, Stanton discovers that his new bride loves him dearly.Can he truly be so right for her?And she for him?The Tender Flood by Caroline WarfieldZach Newell knows Patience Abney is far above his touch. But he has been enchanted by her since she raced out of the storm and into The Queen's Barque with a wagon full of small boys, puppies, and a bag of books. When the two of them make their way across the flooded marsh to her badly damaged school in search of a missing boy, attraction deepens. She risks scandal; he risks his heart.A Dream Come True by Jude KnightThe tempest that batters Barnaby Somerville's village is the latest but not the least of his challenges.Vicar to a remote parish, he stretches his tiny stipend to adopt his orphaned niece and nephew and his time to offer medical care as well as spiritual. A wife is a dream he cannot afford.But the storm sweeps into his life a surprising temptation—a charming young woman who lavishes her gentle care upon his wards—and him.God knows, he will forever be richer for having known her, even if he must let her go.Wait for Me by Rue AllynEnemies by nature—Esmeralda Crobbin, aka the pirate Irish Red, and Captain, Lord Brandon Gilroy have met before.Fate trumps nature—When a fierce storm creates a chance encounter and forced proximity, Brandon learns the pirate is a woman of serious honor and responsibility. Esmeralda discovers the captain is more than a uniform stuffed with rules and regulations. Both love the sea with boundless passion, but can they love each other?Before I Found You by Sherry EwingA quest for a title. An encounter with a stranger. Will she choose love?Miss Miranda de Courtenay has only one goal in life: to find a rich husband who can change her status from Miss to My Lady.Captain Jasper Rousseau has no plans to become infatuated during a chance encounter at a ball.Their connection is hard to dismiss, despite Miranda's quest for a title at all cost. What if the cost includes love?

    But it is nothing to the upheaval caused by Lara Le Brecque, his best friend's sister, when she climbs over his townhouse wall shortly before Christmas and attempts to sneak into his London home. Lara ought to be on the marriage mart, enjoying her London season and the holiday festivities, but when she confides the Le Brecque family problems to him, he knows he must do all he can to help...even if it means marrying Lara. Lara Le Brecque is facing another difficult Christmas with her family in disgrace and under threat of losing all their holdings. Lara has no one else to turn to but Marcus Brayden, who has just returned home from the Napoleonic War and been awarded the Scottish earldom of Kinross for his heroism in battle. With her father under house arrest and suspected of treason, and her brother condemned as a pirate and a murderer, she must expose the villain behind this plot to destroy her family and needs Marcus to help her bring this culprit to justice. Marcus has told her to hide in his rooms at the Wicked Earls' Club if ever she is in danger, but as she finds herself falling in love with Marcus, she realizes the greatest danger of all is to her heart.

    A woman with a pure heart and the ferocity of a warrior is called to the fairy pools on the Isle of Skye upon the death of the previous protector. However, nature has a way of balancing itself, and so with each call to a Protector comes the call of an evil force, set on using the stone for their own purpose. These are the stories of the Protectors of the Heart of Scotland, the stone they seek to keep safe and the love that strengthens and emboldens them. The Highlander’s Quest by Eliza Knight Her mission was to protect the young boy king. He’s uncovered a plot to destroy Scotland. Together, they must fight a powerful enemy who hides behind a traitorous veil of secrecy… Cassandra by Madeline Martin Together their power is brilliant. But when destiny rivals the safety of family and the whole of Scotland hangs in the balance, can their love survive the required sacrifice? The Protector’s Promise by Cecelia Mecca Two bitter enemies. One sacred vow. Will the passion that flares between them consume everything they love? The Highland Guard and His Lady by Lori Ann Bailey To protect Scotland, she must eliminate her greatest enemy. But when the challenge begins, will he forgive her for destroying his family?

    Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.Beauty and the Bounder by Jessica CaleHe's a liar and a fortune-hunter... and exactly what she needs.The moment Lady Emilia sets eyes on the Chevalier d'Aubusson, she knows their fates are tied together. For good or ill, she cannot say. A mysterious aristocrat with a tragic past, the chevalier makes waves with his considerable charm.But the chevalier is not as he seems. There are cracks in his story, and Emilia never could resist a mystery. Whether he's a gentleman or a bounder, he might just be the man for her.The Earl Takes a Wife by Sherry EwingIt began with a memory, etched in the heart.Lady Celia Lacey is too young for a husband, especially man-about-town Lord Adrian de Courtenay. But when she meets him at a house party, she falls in love.Adrian finds the appealing innocent impossible to forget, though she is barely out of the schoolroom and a relative by marriage.His sister's deception brings them together but destroys their happiness. Can they reach past the hurt to the love that still burns?The Beast Next Door by Jude KnightIn all the assemblies and parties of Bath, no one Charis met could ever match the beast next door.Charis Fishingham has always felt more at home at Eastwood— Beastwood, as the neighbours called it, after the flawed child who once lived there. In the Eastwood gardens, Charis can escape her mother's expectations, her sisters' chatter, and her own worries about her future. There, she reads and remembers her secret friend, long gone into exile to have his birthmarks removed at his family's command.Now, the Beast has returned. Eric Lord Wayford would rather face the surgeons of Naples and Napoleon's armies than the tongues of the ton. He joyfully greets Charis, and their future looks to be full of hope.But someone does not wish Charis to wed the Beast of Eastwood and will stop at nothing to keep them apart.The Umbrella Chronicles: John and Emma’s Story by Amy QuintonA serious-minded, scientific man of learning seeks a complex and chaotic practitioner of all things superstitious who will upend his well-ordered life.The Umbrella Strikes Again! Another Bachelor Has Fallen!Dr. John Edward Hartwell needs assistance, though not quite the kind of help he might think. True, he is well-organized, tidy, and pathologically set in his ways—a more serious-minded man one might never find. But in his ways, I have determined, lies misery.Enter Miss Emma Merryweather—a woman who is as lovely as she is chaotic. She is the perfect candidate to compliment our man of numbers and logical focus, bringing sunshine and superstition to redirect him away from a future of certain wretchedness.And now that she has been categorically convinced that they are destined to be together—the signs, you see—no one can stand in her way, for she is as tenacious and optimistic as she is beautiful.Candles in the Dark by Caroline WarfieldDoug Marsh and his candles bring light to many, none more than Esther. They may light the Assembly Rooms even as his love lights her life.Doug Marsh knew what the army expected of him. Invalided out, he struggles to run his uncle's candle-works and look after those dependent on it. A contract with the Bath Assembly Rooms would go a long way toward succeeding at both of those things. The plight of a young woman is a distraction he doesn't need.Esther Hopkins, formerly 'the Honorable', has no time to mourn the life denied her by a single mistake. A woman alone with a newborn son to raise needs work, and she is determined to make it on her own. If only she could stop yearning for the sturdy arms and kind blue eyes of the man who rescued her from starvation and enlisted the entire Marsh Candle Works to her support. But Sergeant Marsh shows nothing but benevolent interest in her welfare. Why should he care for a fallen woman?In the normal course of things, Esther is far above Doug's touch. Can he find the courage to court her and still take care of business at the same time?

    However, when the road is blocked by snow, she has to seek refuge at the Hart—and all the rooms are full. In the end, she has to share an old stable with a highly suspicious neighbor, a thief and a depressed rake. But there are plenty of unexpected gifts that night, and love is the greatest of them all. (Note: This story was first published as part of the Bestselling Boxed set Stars are Brightly Shining, November 2019)

     Diamonds of the Marquess Lady Emily Dove doesn’t know whom to trust. Her true identity must never be known. The Viscount’s Promise A mystery that surrounds Julianna’s family could lead her to the man that steals her heart. If you love clean and wholesome, Regency romances with strong heroines, mystery, and love, then the Ladies and their Secrets Regency Romance Collection will warm your heart.

    Getting her married off is the perfect solution, except everyone he introduces her to doesn’t seem right. In 1906 Guthrie, Oklahoma, History teacher, Ellie Henderson, has been a thorn in High School Principal Max Colbert’s side ever since he took over three months ago. When she’s not flying by his office, late for her class, with books and papers jumbled in her arms, she’s attending Suffragettes meetings against his orders. Because of her family connections, he can’t fire her, but he can certainly find someone to marry her, and keep her busy in the kitchen. And far away from his school. Max soon finds that what seemed like a good idea can turn into disaster when Miss Ellie Henderson is involved. The woman is a master at getting into trouble. With the Christmas season in full swing, he has many opportunities to introduce her to prospective husbands. However, the uncomfortable feeling is growing that no one is worthy of the minx…

    She’s got a fiancé, after all, who never bothered to come collect his bride. So when she decided to travel to England to track the rogue down, Fiona won’t be distracted by the rake, Thomas Mayweather. She’s dealt with rakes enough to last her a lifetime. The only problem is that he’s so handsome, he’s difficult to ignore and then his kisses? Well they make her wonder if rakes aren’t worth the trouble after all.He never intended to marry…Thomas Mayweather is a successful wool merchant which means he’s met his fair share of beautiful ladies. Many of which have wished to share his bed and then wash off the stench of the merchant class. He’s no appetite for another affair with a woman who’s set to be the wife of an earl. But one accidental kiss and he’s smitten. He had no desire to marry but he can’t deny that the innocent Fiona might be the most tempting woman of them all.

    Can he protect her from himself?Holly is living a lie. Forced to masquerade as a widow to keep herself and her sisters safe, she earns a living helping those being undeservedly blackmailed by using her lock-picking skills to expose the villains behind the schemes. Attending a ball, her clandestine work is interrupted by Lord Blackthorn, a man who is as vexing as he is sinfully handsome. A man who she’s always had feelings for, which she understands are futile. Because everyone knows you can’t give your heart to a rake… or can you?But Michael has his own secrets, ones serious enough that could threaten any chance they have of a future together. After all, lies and deception. have a dangerous habit of unravelling when one least expects it…Previously published in the Once Upon a Christmas Wedding anthology

    At the same time, Naval veteran and retired spy Adam Hardacre learns he has an adult son he never knew existed. Thrown together one Christmas, by circumstances beyond their control, father and son must find mutual ground on which to come to terms with the past. Life is too short to hold on to regret, and a greater regret awaits if the two men cannot work together to save a life. Love comes in many forms... and none more strongly than the love from father to son.

    Despite his reservations, however, he begins to recognize in Cassie a kindred spirit.A Christmas Courting by Chalon LintonWhen obligations keep her in London, Keturah Hensley sadly anticipates missing the festivity of Christmas at her family's country home and the company of her best friend, Christopher Shepherd. When she learns that Christopher will be joining her family in London for Christmas, she is delighted--but her elation is short-lived. Christopher is coming to Town to court the woman of his dreams, and Keturah fears she may have lost the chance to win his love.Mistletoe Memories by Jen Geigle JohnsonFrom childhood, Patrick, Duke of Montrose, knew he'd found his perfect match in Lady Alice Tarrington. When he's sent on a grand tour, Patrick is confident he'll marry his sweetheart upon his return. But when he receives word that Alice is to marry another, will he be too late to claim her heart?Second-Chance Christmas by Heidi KimballFrancie and Gerard have been friends since childhood, but their friendship ended when she declined his heartfelt proposal of marriage. However, when her interactions with Gerard's holiday houseguests provoke in Francie unexpected jealousy, she realizes she must fight for Gerard's affections or risk losing him forever.

    In this, the seventh Regency Collection, you will find some wonderful stories, each of which is the heartwarming tale of a Duke finding love at Christmas. Settle in for a Christmas immersed in love! If you love Christmas stories, and you love Regency Romance, then this is the collection for you! The stories included are Kissing the Duke of Hearts - by Arietta Richmond A Duke renowned for breaking hearts and wild ways, who despises the lower classes, an innocent young woman, born to the merchant class, a chance meeting at a Masquerade Ball, a carriage accident, a snowbound Christmas, an irresistible love. The Duke’s Christmas Bride - by Isabella Thorne A Duke, the sister of his friend, a secret, a misunderstanding, heartbreak averted, a love fulfilled. The Duke’s Secret - by Kelly Anne Bruce A death that leads to the unveiling of secrets, rumours and gossip, love long denied brought to light, misinterpreted intentions, and admission of love, a Christmas wedding. A Counterfeit Governess for the Duke - by Regina Darcy A family destroyed, a Lady bent on revenge, a Duke misrepresented, a governess who is not what she seems, a last-minute rescue, true love found. The Duke Who Hated Christmas - by Gemma Blackwood A Duke driven by the pain of the past, his new wife, determined to bring joy to the present, a Christmas season that changes everything, an enduring love and happiness discovered. The Duke’s Holiday Homecoming - by Alyce Healey A reunion of long parted relatives, a secret hidden for a generation, a love torn apart by pride, a Christmas chance to change, a love once lost renewed. Love at the Christmas Fayre - by Eleanor St Clair A Duke, an innkeeper’s daughter, an accidental meeting which causes injury, an unexpected companionship, an antagonism foiled, a love despite the odds. The Duke and the Christmas Ball - by Grace Austen A young lady out of place in society, a Duke who seeks solace in being ordinary, conversation that leads to love – and misunderstandings, the truth revealed, a proposal accepted. A Duke for Christmas - by Katherine Keats A Duke touched by scandal and rumour, a gentleman’s daughter, a snowstorm, a shared fight for survival, a connection that defies expectations, a love that overcomes all obstacles. An Agreement with the Duke - by Lenora Levon A Duke with an orphaned niece, a lady of good birth fallen on hard times, a Ball, an agreement, a growing attraction, a Christmas change of circumstance, a love that transcends status. The Duke’s Christmas Joy - by Sophia Ansley A jilted lady, a Duke who would be more than a friend, a Lord’s bad behaviour, rumours and discourtesy, a final choice, a Christmas proposal accepted.