The grand opening of the Manchester Ship Canal is set to be a day of unfettered festivity for Ruby and her younger sister and brother. Even Queen Victoria will be in attendance.But the glories of the ceremony fade into insignificance when their dying mother delivers them to the imposing oak doors of Ignatius House. Abandoned in the not-so-tender care of the nuns, the siblings are soon separated.So when the Board of Guardians force Ruby into a marriage that sends her to a new home upon the Salford waterways, she makes only one vow: to reunite her family whatever the cost. This is an enthralling story of romance and rebellion perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court. Praise for Ruby McBride ‘An inspiring novel about accepting change and bravely facing the future’ Bangor Chronicle‘Compelling and heart-wrenching’ Hull Daily Mail‘The kind of character-driven saga that delights the Catherine Cookson and Josephine Cox audience’ Peterborough Evening Telegraph‘This book deals with gritty, real-life situations and shows how the heroine’s strength of character triumphs through adversity’ 5* Reader review

    What awaits her is her Aunt Margaret, a tittering woman with an earnest responsibility to find Marta a match, against her wishes. While the blue-eyed beauty desperately tries to escape from her future misery, a very dashing man shows up in her life, but, to her misfortune, he is not the one her Aunt has chosen for her. But when her Aunt insists so much on a particular engagement with a Duke, should she just give up to the tantalizing stranger she just met or should she fight to satisfy the burning passion she holds for him?Baldwin Terrence is a successful businessman and the future heir to his ducal estate. When his best friend's cousin comes unexpectedly to visit, he finds himself surprisingly stricken by her stunning eyes, and the connection between them is electrifying. Her beauty is irresistible and tests his willpower at every turn. She's everything Baldwin is not: a spitfire, compassionate, apt to dream and gossip and live loudly and grandly. Of course, she catches the eye of nearly every important member of society, including the dastardly Duke, Lewis Remington. The only thing he knows is that he is determined to possess her, at any cost. Will he convince her that the haven she's longed for all her life may be lying in his arms?Thus begins a tale of lust and heartache, full of passionate moments. But soon their burning promises are all they have left. Caught between her past and her future, Marta must decide whether she's willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she would find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make? Torn between her Aunt's will and what she desires, she has to choose between the man who sets her heart on fire and the one she despises. But can this undeniable desire between them really be buried? Will their love prove strong enough to shatter every obstacle in their way?

    But yet, she wants more... For Miss Isabel Chenieux, the thought of attending London Season is nearly too much to bear. Ward of the Duke of Ventury after the tragic loss of her parents, she is torn between apprehension and a forbidden yearning for his affection.The passing of his parents leaves David Thorough not only with the title of Duke but also a ward. And, as he quickly finds out, she gains a dangerously bewitching hold of him.But the night is the time for shadows and Isabel's unknown past is rife with them.A note delivered by a stranger is followed by Isabel's disappearance. And David has but a single old letter to help him find Isabel and guide him on the right trail. A trail that leads to a conspiracy twenty years in the making...

    

    However, she is far more fascinated by reading than attending balls, while holding a book club meeting to discuss the latest in English literature makes her the happiest. Even though her passion for books had always been embraced by her parents in the past, her father is now fed up with her churlish refusals to settle down and decides to take matters into his own hands. Could her one chance at true love be among the sea of men her father invites to win her hand?Henry Beckham has never been the one to seek the attention of ladies. He is content with living his life the way he pleases and a wife would only get in the way. His parents have different expectations, though, that include him producing an heir to carry on the family legacy. Henry is inevitably introduced with the terrifying ultimatum of marrying by the end of the year or forfeiting his title and fortune to his younger brother. All seems to be lost for him, until he receives an intriguing invitation from Lord Bolingbroke to attend a book club meeting in order to win his daughter's hand. Could this unknown woman secure his fortune and capture his lonely heart?They have both expected a completely different life, one without love and romance. Now that every one of their dull expectations has given place to the profound revelation of true love, they are in awe of what they had been missing all along. Regardless of how undeniable their connection is, it is also tainted by dark secrets and contrasting priorities. Will Henry manage to break down Helena's walls and win her heart? Will the powerful light of their romance dissipate the threats that lurk around?"The Key to a Lord's Heart" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    There is nothing he wouldn’t do to secure her services at first, but later he will settle for nothing less than her heart…Nearly 7 years ago, Susan Langdon was well aware that her actions would ruin her marriage prospects. Now she is content with being a governess and taking care of her twin charges, even if there’s a void in her heart that will never be filled…When her employer’s brother, the widowed Duke of Kent, arrives in the manor, Susan will get the feeling that he isn’t there just for a social visit. And she is absolutely right!Eldridge Johnson is in dire need of a governess and his brother seems to have the perfect candidate for the job! And with the twins departing for Eton soon, she should be ripe for the picking!But what the Duke will find upon meeting Susan is that her qualities are far more precious than those of a mere governess, and though the course of action is clear in their heads, the unexpected obstacles brought on by a family member will perplex things quite a bit…

    The man is boastful, rude and devilishly handsome. Worst of all, he has stolen a kiss that causes Mary to desire more.Lord Anthony Greyson knows the rumors concerning him and his rakish ways and cares not. He has spirited many women to his bed, and his eye is now on Mary. Wooing the innocent woman with a kiss, he has no doubt he will soon add her to his list of conquests, and he is certain she will not have the strength to resist.Upon learning of several unsavory rumors, Mary is tasked to spy on Anthony, and she readily agrees. Doing so will prove she is more than a pretty thing for others to admire. More importantly, she will be able to prove to herself she can resist the rake’s charms.Anthony soon becomes enchanted with the secretive woman and desires to know more about her and what she is hiding…And for Mary, she begins to wonder if Anthony is the cruel man about whom the ton whispers. Or is he the gentleman she secretly wishes him to be?

    However, when a charming man asks for her hand in marriage, she is hesitant to turn a new page in her life. Having heard the whispers about the man's missing fiancée, she can't help but wonder whether she could ever be anything but second best for him. Once they finally meet, the desire that sparks between them is undeniable, but there will soon be clouds on the horizon... Will Alice be able to finally satisfy the burning passion she holds for him, or will this romance be doomed forever?The last thing Silas Wilmington expected after the unforeseen disappearance of his fiancée, was another tempting woman by his side. Tired of being haunted by his tormented past, he chooses to accept his inevitable fate with a heavy heart. But little did he know that the beautiful and seductive Alice was about to start a fire inside him... After having mourned his great love for a long time, he could have never imagined that romance could be on the cards for him again. Will Silas eventually let his wounds heal and surrender to Alice's charm?Just when they start unfolding their growing feelings, someone who holds the key to Sila's broken heart appears and everything is about to crash down. Will their newly fledged passion endure a quick death, as the wounds from the past are still bleeding? Or will they survive to meet the passionate future they could have together?"Everything a Lady Craves" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    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

    Until her first husband, Richard Banfield, shows up on her wedding day, very much alive.Edward Templeton, the Marquess of Frampton, is crushed when his dreams of marrying Emily are shattered. Haunted by the possibility of losing her forever, he must do everything in his power to keep her by his side.But Richard is here to stay. With law and church on his side, he has every right to claim her for himself. Stuck in the middle between the two men she loves, Emily unwillingly starts a war. Secrets and scandal are hiding behind every corner, so how can she be sure of who to really trust?

    Giles, she cursed the day she let a man dictate her life...Amelia Knight was given the chance to start anew in Scotland to live with her wealthy grandmother but not without a price. She must never reveal her past to anyone and must marry for a title to have access to her very large inheritance. To secure a husband, she heads to the glamourous Regency London with a plan to ensure her independence and risks everything she vowed never to do: fall in love.Born to privilege, he is forced back to London to remedy the family debt and shame and to fulfill a deathbed promise to his beloved brother...Emotionally scarred and devastatingly handsome, Richard, the Earl Blackthorn, saw the horrors of a broken marriage first-hand. He has no plan to marry or remain in London. When an heiress devises a plan that will ensure their freedom from marriage in two years and pay off his inherited debt, he agrees to marry. Until an unknown threat forces him to face the one question he isn’t willing to consider and open his heart to new possibilities.

    Complete with a case ready to go. Adelaide’s come up with an idea. Masquerading as a madame and a lady of the night. Sadie’s the one who has the gumption to pull off the ruse, so it’s settled. She and Adelaide will go to a mining town to solve the mystery Uncle Gabriel left behind.Larson Donaldson’s not a lawman anymore, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t need to eat. Of course, he does, so he gets himself a job as private security for a madame and her sportin’ woman. He’s never had a job quite like this one. Then again, he’s never met a woman quite like Sadie Salinger.Things seem fine until an attempt is made on their lives. That’s when he determines he needs to know the truth. He can’t protect the women when he doesn’t know what in creation’s name they're actually doing in this mining town.

    Too bad for him, clever and impossibly desirable Julia Sudbury shows up in his bedroom.Like a shadow, Julia slips from Mayfair's ballrooms into the nobility's private chambers where nothing is more appealing than a spare piece of jewelry. Earrings, necklaces, and cravat pins, oh my!With Julia's bad behavior tarnishing his reputation in ways he'd never imagined, Jasper goes on the run to escape the brutal gossips shredding his family name.It's enough to make a cocky rake wish he were safely married! Who will tame whom?

    Young, widowed Clare Byrne, is escaping the famine in Ireland. On the coffin ship from Dublin, in the final hours of the journey to England, Clare goes into labour. Weakened and alone, the young, beleaguered mother gives birth near the quayside. Unable to look after the newborn, the child is bought for a single shilling by a curious gentleman, the industrialist Samuel Hudson. What will happen to the young girl? What plans does Mr Hudson have for her? Will the child thrive, or merely survive? Also by Emma Hardwick ----------------------------------- The Urchin of Walton Hall

    That is until one day tragedy strikes and she loses everything. In the hope of a better life, she answers an advertisement from a Sheriff in Oklahoma. After a series of romantic letters which culminate in a marriage proposal, she leaves to find him and start all over again. But on the way to him a train accident sends her to a hospital diagnosed with amnesia. Will she remember the reason she was travelling?Sheriff Garrett Hughes deals with his own dark past with loneliness and isolation. Until his friend writes an advertisement for him to request a mail-order bride, he never expected love could warm up his heart. But when his bride doesn't show up and news of a train crash reach him, he is terrified he has lost his only chance to find happiness. He rushes to the hospital where victims are being taken care of and an even more shocking surprise awaits him. Will he be able to find her in this impossible situation?They both have been hurt in the past but love has the power to solve everything. Can they hold on to the love they built through letters until they find each other? Will they help each other face their past traumas and find the happiness they both deserve?"A Love She Would Never Forget" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.