Fearing a forced betrothal with a man known for his cruelty, Heloise Bergeron throws herself on the mercy of Charles Fawley, Earl of Walton. He believes himself attracted to her younger, beautiful sister, so what is he doing entertaining thoughts of marriage to the plain, quiet Heloise? But marry her he does. Returning to England with a convenient wife, who inspires a very inconvenient desire, Charles is about to discover just how untouched his French bride really is….
Lord Davenport and Lord Pennella have just made a bet for the hand of Miss Regina Giles. The gentleman she chooses wins the loser’s estate. It’s the most daring wager at White’s, and quite possibly the most foolish. Toby York, the Earl of Davenport, knew it was a mistake to make the wager when Lord Pennella stormed into White’s bragging that he could get any lady he wished. Toby really should have kept his mouth shut. But he didn’t. And now there are only three things he can do to protect Miss Giles. One, he must get her to choose him instead of Pennella. Two, he must make sure she never finds out about the wager. And three, he must quietly break off the engagement so that she is free to marry a gentleman worthy of her. As long as he doesn’t fall in love with her, there should be no problems. Too bad things never work out the way they’re planned.
An avid romance fan discovers her favorite author isn’t the woman she imagined but a mysterious man with secrets to protect. Phylis Carpenter, a die-hard romance reader, arrives at the Unexpected Paradise resort, eager to meet her cherished author and online confidante, Maxine Foster. Dreaming of sunny days and deep discussions about passionate heroes and enticing plot twists, she’s in for a shock. Max Donovan, the man behind Maxine Foster’s tales, isn’t just any man—he’s the embodiment of the alpha heroes he pens. Preferring to remain in the shadows, he disguises his identity, letting his ex-lover, Joanna Jenkins, bask in the limelight of his success. Sparks fly and chemistry ignites when Max and Phylis are inexplicably drawn by their shared love of story and intrigue. Max reminds Phylis of every romance hero she loves, and Phylis’s enthusiasm and infectious charm is irresistible for both the author and the man. From thrilling scavenger hunts to unraveling a ghost’s ill-fated love story, their bond grows stronger over shared tales, furtive kisses, and stolen moments. But as Phylis draws Max towards the allure of romance, his hidden identity becomes a looming threat to their unfolding love. Joanna, desperate to hold on to her position as the face of Maxine Foster, schemes to keep them apart. The island, with its enchanting locales and spirited inhabitants, tries to play matchmaker, but the impending masquerade ball threatens to shatter the illusion. As Phylis inches closer to unmasking Max’s true self, she grapples with a heart-wrenching question: Is Max the genuine article or just another fictional hero? Dive into this sweet contemporary romance, where love stories aren’t just written but lived.
London, 1819. Four years ago, Darius, the Earl of Redgrave fled London two weeks before his wedding to Lady Mary’s sister and married another woman. Now a widower, he has returned to seek a new wife. At first, Lady Mary doesn’t recognize the handsome lord as the cad who ran out on her sister. After giving him the cut direct in a London ballroom, she finds herself running into him everywhere she goes, and fighting a forbidden attraction. Not only has Mary sworn off men, Redgrave is so very wrong for her. Yet she cannot stop thinking of his kisses. Redgrave means to stay away from Mary, but she proves impossible to resist. And they’ll discover that passion—when it blazes between two people who can never be together—is a dangerous game... The Marriage Mart Mayhem series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Book #1 The Elusive Wife Book #2 The Duke's Quandary Book #3 The Lady's Disgrace Book #4 The Baron's Betrayal Book #5 The Highlander's Choice Book #6 The Highlander's Accidental Marriage Book #7 The Earl's Return
Willow Knudson just inherited an English estate that she intends to sell. There are two problems. One, she’s unable to sign the contract, and two, she can’t even leave the property. She’s not superstitious by nature, but common sense tells her something strange is going on. In 1817, Julian Azazel, the Earl of Blackwell, went to his country estate to tend to his father’s funeral. That evening a missive came from a stranger warning him that when the clock struck midnight, he was going to be cursed to relive the same day. He laughed it off and threw the missive in the fire. Two centuries later, he’s no longer laughing. The curse is real. From before they were born, Willow and Julian were destined to meet on June 17, 1817. Willow had assumed wealthy and titled gentlemen would be snobs, but Julian turns out to be the kindest person she’s ever met. And even better, he’s more attractive in person than he was in his portrait. It’s enough of a temptation to convince her to stay in the past forever. At long last, the aching loneliness that has plagued Julian’s life for centuries is at an end. Not only is there someone who understands what he has been going through, but she’s far lovelier than he recalls any of the ladies in London being. But isn’t it selfish to ask a lady from another time to give up everything to live under a curse with him? The path to happy endings can get complicated, especially when magic is involved. This fairytale romance features a dark villain, a curse, fairies, a hero who is an earl from the Regency era, and a heroine from modern times. People who enjoy Grimm’s fairy tales and romance will enjoy this tale of true love conquering the darkest of curses. Please note: This is a standalone book. It is not part of a series.
The first book in Valerie Bowman's sexy Secret Brides trilogy, Secrets of a Wedding Night HOW TO STOP A WEDDING Young, widowed, and penniless, Lily Andrews, the Countess of Merrill, has strong opinions on marriage. When she spots a certain engagement announcement in The Times, she decides to take action. She will not allow another hapless girl to fall prey to a man—particularly the scoundrel who broke her heart five years ago. Anonymously she writes and distributes a pamphlet entitled "Secrets of a Wedding Night," knowing it will find its way into his intended's innocent hands... HOW TO SEDUCE A WIDOW Devon Morgan, the Marquis of Colton, desires a good wife and mother to his son—someone completely unlike Lily Andrews, the heartless beauty who led him on a merry chase five years ago only to reject him. When Devon's new fiancée cries off after reading a certain scandalous pamphlet, he vows to track down the author and make her pay. But when he learns it's his former fiancée Lily, he issues a challenge: write a retraction or prepare to be seduced—to find out how wonderful a wedding night can be...
Eloisa James returns with another fabulous romance in her New York Times bestselling Desperate Duchesses series! As a young girl, Emilia Gwendolyn Carrington told the annoying future Duke of Pindar that she would marry any man in the world before him—so years later she is horrified to realize that she has nowhere else to turn. Evander Septimus Brody has his own reasons for agreeing to Mia's audacious proposal, but there's one thing he won't give his inconvenient wife: himself. Instead, he offers Mia a devil's bargain . . . he will spend four nights a year with her. Four nights, and nothing more. And those only when she begs for them. Which Mia will never do. Now Vander faces the most crucial challenge of his life: he must seduce his own wife in order to win her heart—and no matter what it takes, this is the one battle he can't afford to lose.
Vergilius, Viscount Summerton, has watched his wife of ten years grow more and more distant, and he's determined that this year the marriage will start moving in a better direction. Penelope, Lady Summerton, is also determined that this year will be different. She slips off to a seaside cottage, intending that to be her first step toward a new life free of marital difficulties. Gill ends up at the same seaside inn, where he hopes to plot a wooing no wife can resist.He's determined to reconcile; she's determined to pack his bags, but then the magic of the Siren's Retreat begins to steal over them both... (ISprt)
Algernon Wright, the Earl of Draconhawthshire, takes great care to avoid bad luck. Over the years, he’s learned to sway good luck in his favor, and because of that, he’s managed to avoid many unlucky incidents. The only thing he can’t change, however, is the curse that hovers over his life. On his twenty-fifth birthday, Algernon is doomed to die. That leaves him only one year to get married so he can pass on his title to an heir. Ideally, the lady he marries will be a spinster who isn’t all that interested in marriage but will be happy to be a mother. Then, when he dies early, neither one of them will miss each other. Instead of the old spinster he hopes to find, however, he comes across Miss Reina Livingstone. She is vibrant and full of life. She gives him the one thing he lost over the years: hope. Reina knows Algernon believes he’s cursed, but she doesn’t. The poor gentleman has lived under the heaviness of sorrow for so long that he hasn’t really learned to enjoy life. He deserves a love match. And she’s going to make it her mission to marry him, regardless of whether it brings good or bad luck.
Miss Kitty Farrow is under no illusion that her guardian cares anything about her, but when she finds out he wagered her in a gentleman’s bet, she’s in a state of complete shock. Not only has her choice in picking her own husband been taken away from her, but the earl her guardian is going to have her marry hates the very idea of having a wife at all. Aaron Henry, Earl of Northton, doesn’t trust ladies. Any of them. From a young age, his mother taught him that all a lady is good for is an heir. If they’re sweet, it’s only to trick the gentleman into doing what they want, and once they get it, they’re on to the next gentleman. So when he discovers the money he expected to win in a wager turns out to be the dowry of his future bride, he wants nothing to do with her. But whether Kitty or Aaron want the marriage or not, it’s going to happen. And heaven help anyone who tries to make the marriage a love match.
