Ruthless


Anne Stuart - 2010
    And among this secret society, where exiled Georgian aristocrats gather to indulge their carnal desires, fewer still can match the insatiable appetite of their chief provocateur, the mysterious Viscount Rohan.Pursuit of physical pleasure is both his preferred pastime and his most pressing urge, until he encounters the fascination of a woman who won't be swayed. And while his dark seduction appalls the pure and impoverished Elinor Harriman, she finds herself intrigued...and secretly drawn to the man behind the desire.

Storm and Silence


Robert Thier - 2016
    Not marriage, not a brood of squalling brats, and certainly not love, thank you very much!But freedom is a rare commodity in 19th-century London, where girls are expected to spend their lives sitting at home, fully occupied with looking pretty. Lilly is at her wits’ end—until a chance encounter with a dark, dangerous and powerful stranger changes her life forever...Enter the world of Mr Rikkard Ambrose, where the only rule is: Knowledge is power is time is money!

To Catch a Pirate


Jade Parker - 2007
    When he moves to take her necklace, she begs him not to, as it is all she has left of her mother. He accepts a kiss in exchange for the necklace. “A fair trade, m’lady,” he tells her afterward, before disappearing.A year later, with a forged letter of marque, Annalisa is intent on hunting down the wretched James Sterling and reclaiming her father’s treasure from him. But now she’s in danger of him stealing something far more vulnerable this time: her heart.

Heartless


Mary Balogh - 1995
    Betrayed by his elder brother, rejected by his fiancée, banished by his father, and shunned by his mother, Luke fled to Paris, where he became the most sought-after bachelor in fashionable society.Ten years later, fate has brought him back home to England as head of the family who rejected him. Unwilling as he is to be involved with them, he must assume responsibility for his younger siblings, the family estate he once loved—and the succession. He faces the prospect of marrying with the greatest reluctance—until he sees beguiling Lady Anna Marlowe across a ballroom one night.Anna, far from being the bright-eyed innocent Luke takes her for, is no more a stranger to the shadows of a painful past than he is. But for her, marriage cannot so easily solve what is wrong in her life—not when a tormentor stalks her to the very doors of Bowden Abbey, where Luke and Anna must learn to trust in each other or risk any chance they may have for a happy future.

Heathens


Amanda Richardson
    Her weekly visit to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is supposed to be a way to help her move forward, even though she’s far from the praying type. She catches the eye of Salem Tempest, a seminary student at Notre Dame.When an unlikely friendship forms between them—followed by a white hot attraction they desperately try to ignore—a revelation shakes them both to their core. Lily and Salem soon find themselves connected in powerful and unexpected ways.Turns out, Lily isn’t the only heathen, and Salem is just the right person to stoke the fire within her, despite his sacred vow of celibacy...HEATHENS is book one of the HEATHENS series. It is highly recommended that all books be read in order to understand the overarching plot of the series. All books have a HEA and don't end in cliffhangers.

Silver Storm


Cynthia Wright - 1979
    The irresistible Captain Raveneau agrees to take her to Virginia to find her childhood sweetheart, but fate has other plans. Through intrigue, misunderstandings, and swashbuckling sea battles, Devon and Andre are swept away by a love that won’t be denied.

Escape with a Scoundrel


Shelly Thacker - 1996
    Nicholas Brogan is an ex-pirate with years of sin branded on his soul. Captured by His Majesty's marshals, the two are on their way to the gallows until they stage a daring escape and run for their lives—shackled together by an iron chain that quickly proves unbreakable. Lost in a remote forest in Staffordshire, the pair of outlaws are forced to work together to survive and quickly find themselves locked in a battle of fierce wills…and fiery passions.“4 stars (highest rating). This could be the romance that takes Shelly Thacker to the big time: the hardcover contract, the fan club… Thacker always spins a good story, but this is her best ever. There’s a new depth of soul to go with all that heart.” –The Detroit Free Press“Thacker skillfully entangles a notorious ex-pirate with a high-born lady turned thief… Offers an exciting and innovative plot…and many steamy love scenes.” –Publishers Weekly"A thrilling romantic adventure, exciting and sensual. Shelly Thacker has a unique and dazzling talent!" -Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling authorAn earlier edition of this novel was published by Avon Books under the title Run Wild. This new Author’s Preferred Edition has been revised by the author.The Escape with a Scoundrel SeriesThese sexy bad boys are on the wrong side of the law—and willing to break all the rules to protect the women they love. Each book is a stand-alone steamy historical romance:Book 1: ESCAPE WITH A SCOUNDREL (Nicholas and Samantha)Book 2: HER SCOUNDREL EARL (Marcus and Elizabeth)Book 3: ONE NIGHT WITH A SCOUNDREL (Saxon and Ashiana)Book 4: A SCOUNDREL’S KISS (Max and Marie)

For My Lady's Heart


Laura Kinsale - 1993
    Reissue.

Crimes Of The Brothers


D.L. Carter - 2013
    caring... supportive... protective. Catherine Walman's brother, however, is not. He has maligned her reputation until no honorable man will seek her company, wasted her dowry and endangered her home with his gambling and now his new wife has made it clear Catherine is no longer welcome. The hand of fortune intervenes when a letter arrives advising Catherine that a stranger has bequeathed to her "a home and money to keep it." Catherine seizes upon this chance, hoping that it might be enough for her to be independent, to be free - only to discover this stranger also had a brother, or two, or three.

The Duke's Fallen Angel


Amy Jarecki - 2018
     The Duke of Ravenscar intended to debut the most acclaimed ballerina in the civilized world to open his London theater. But when the ship arrives with an understudy, Drake is convinced the fortune he has invested will be forfeit. Until he sees the woman dance. Britannia LeClair arrives in London excited to be performing the lead in La Sylphide. A foundling, she has had to work harder and with more determination than anyone in the corps. At last, her debut in London proves her worth despite her lowly birth. Until she meets the smoldering gaze of the Duke of Ravenscar. Determined not to become anyone’s mistress, Britannia keeps the duke at arms-length while she sets to uncovering the mystery of her parentage. With only a miniature painting and a monogrammed handkerchief, her inquiries lead to a series of escalating accidents and threats. When Drake realizes Britannia is in danger, he will move heaven and hell to protect her…if the strong-headed ballerina will let him. As they traverse through the mire of skullduggery and hidden shame, events unravel to endanger them both. Will the truth prove worth uncovering, or will it sever the deep love that has come to bond their very souls?

A Heart of Blood and Ashes


Milla Vane - 2020
    Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil--until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents' murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king's daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones--because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own...

Seducing the Bride


Michelle McMaster - 2000
    They come across a beautiful young woman—clad only in a nightdress—laying unconscious in a rubbish heap. Worried for her safety and famous for his habit of taking in strays, Beckett takes the mysterious girl home and puts her to bed, intent on calling a doctor the next day. But his good intentions go awry when his mother and solicitor make an unplanned visit the next morning, and all hell breaks loose.When the impoverished viscount learns he is now heir to a wealthy earldom, Beckett must quickly take a bride. Having been jilted by his former fiancée, he no longer believes in love… but Beckett does believe in the heated desire this “mysterious angel” stirs within him. He vows to make the voluptuous beauty his wife.Isobel Hampton is on the run from a villainous nobleman who will stop at nothing until he possesses both her and her family estate. The strong-minded miss makes a break for freedom and disappears into the night, but Sir Harry Lennox vows to find her. When she awakens in the bed of a handsome viscount, Isobel demands to know how she got there. But something in Lord Thornby’s eyes makes her want to trust the handsome lord. When he proposes a marriage of convenience, it could be the solution to all of Isobel’s problems… or just the beginning of them.For though Beckett and Isobel have sworn to a marriage in name only, the flame of passion burns hot between them. As they engage in a dangerous dance of seduction, the last place they expect to find true love is in each other’s arms.Originally published as The Marriage Bargain in 2000 - Seducing The Bride is a newly revised and updated edition.

The Royal Companion


Tanya Bird - 2017
    He is the prince she is forbidden to love.Companions are the kingdom’s most beautiful and educated women — possessions of Syrasan’s royal men.Aldara is sixteen when she is sold to the obnoxious crown prince as a gift for his brother. Forced to leave the only life she has ever known, Aldara is sent to Archdale Castle, where she is mentored to become Prince Tyron’s perfect Companion. But no amount of lessons can prepare her for the troubled man marked by war. He sees straight through the polished exterior presented to him. He sees her.Prince Tyron has just returned from war. All he wants is privacy to grieve the men who died at the border. So when his brother gifts him a Companion upon his return, he is forced to embrace a tradition he has so far managed to avoid. Except Aldara is not like the others. She walks with her face to the sun and arms swinging. Her laughter makes him forget the lie. But if they ignore the rules that safeguard them, there will be consequences…This is book one in The Companion series. If you enjoy dark medieval romance, then this epic tale of love against all odds is for you. Please note: This is part one of Tyron and Aldara's story. Their story continues in books two and three.Trigger warning: This book contains sexual violence, death and dark themes.

Seducing the Marquess


Callie Hutton - 2016
    His wife of five months, Lady Eugenia Devon, thought she was, too, until she found the book. Their marriage is one of respect and affection, with no messy entanglements such as love. Devon’s upbringing impressed upon him that gentlemen slake their baser needs on a mistress, not their gently bred wives. However, once married, he was no longer comfortable bedding a woman other Eugenia. When she stumbles onto a naughty book, she begins a campaign to change the rules. Lady Eugenia wants her very proper husband to fall in love with her. But her much changed and undeniably wicked behavior might inadvertently drive her confused husband to ponder the unthinkable—his perfect Lady has taken a lover. But the only man Eugenia only wants is her husband. The book can bring sizzling desire to the marriage or it might cause an explosion.

The Sheik and the Slave


Nicola Italia - 2014
    But when she rebuffs an older man’s insulting proposition of becoming his mistress the man decides to exact a most frightening revenge. Katharine is kidnapped from her comfortable home and family in England and taken to Arabia where she is sold to a powerful sheik. Sheik Mohammed Aksam Al Sabid is captivated by Katharine from the first moment she is brought into his audience chambers by two Arab pirates. He pays an outrageous sum for her and intends the white woman to join his harem. But Katharine demands to return home. When the sheik denies this request - a clash of wills begins. While each struggle with their emotions, Katharine falls under the Arab's spell in a world of sand and heat. Mohammed is equally bewitched and decides that he will have no other woman but Katharine and ultimately disbands his harem to start a new life with her. But there is someone within the sheik’s palace who does not want Katharine as Mohammed’s wife and will stop at nothing to tear the two apart.