In the scintillating new novel by the author of "The Seduction of His Wife," a young woman longs for the one man she shouldn't--only to find out that the feeling is scandalously mutual. Original.
New governess Grace Bertram will do anything to get to know her young daughter Clara. Even if it means working for Clara's guardian, the reclusive and scarred Nathaniel, Marquess of Ravenwell! Nathaniel believes no woman could love him, until Grace sees past his scars. But when he discovers Grace is Clara's mother, Nathaniel questions his place in this torn–apart family. Is there a Christmas happy–ever–after for this beauty and the beast?
In the shadows of Thornfield Hall, secrets have a way of unraveling even the most carefully crafted disguises... Lady Alexandra has perfected the art of invisibility, forced to trade her glittering world of privilege for a life in the shadows. Now serving as a governess under an assumed name, she never expected to find refuge in the home of the notorious Duke of Ravencroft - a darkly handsome widower whose penetrating gaze threatens to see through her carefully constructed facade. As she bonds with his three grief-stricken children, Alexandra discovers that Thornfield Hall harbors dangerous mysteries of its own. Each midnight encounter with the brooding Duke brings her closer to surrendering to their forbidden attraction, even as mysterious threats begin to circle ever closer. But when her past and his collide in a web of dangerous deceptions, Alexandra must choose: keep running from the darkness of her past, or stand and fight for a love that could either save or destroy them both. Set against the sumptuous backdrop of Victorian high society, "A Governess’s Secret" is a masterfully crafted tale of passion, intrigue, and redemption that will hold readers spellbound until the very last page. If you’re a fan of books by Lisa Kleypas, Sarah MacLean, and Evie Dunmore, this deliciously seductive tale of disguised identity and dangerous romance will leave you breathless for more.
Praise for Julie Klassen "A remarkable tale with many unpredictable twists and turns."--CBA Retailers+Resources "A treat for [readers] who want their historical romances served up with a generous dash of mystery."--Booklist "[Klassen's] work appeals to all who seek a riveting Regency romance."--RT Book Reviews Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry, and the one man she thought might marry her seems to have fallen for her younger, prettier sister. Facing financial ruin, Abigail and her father search for more affordable lodgings, until a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play... The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem acquainted with the manor's past, the only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by rumors that Pembrooke Park contains a secret room filled with treasure. This catches Abigail's attention. Hoping to restore her family's finances--and her dowry--Abigail looks for this supposed treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn't the only one secretly searching the house. Then Abigail begins receiving anonymous letters, containing clues about the hidden room and startling discoveries about the past. As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?
"When you're done binge-watching The Crown, pick up this multifaceted wartime thriller." —Kirkus Reviews As London endures nightly German bombings, Britain’s secret service whisks the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret from England, seeking safety for the young royals on an old estate in Ireland. Ahead of the German Blitz during World War II, English parents from every social class sent their children to the countryside for safety, displacing more than three million young offspring. In The Secret Guests, the British royal family takes this evacuation a step further, secretly moving the princesses to the estate of the Duke of Edenmore in “neutral” Ireland. A female English secret agent, Miss Celia Nashe, and a young Irish detective, Garda Strafford, are assigned to watch over “Ellen” and “Mary” at Clonmillis Hall. But the Irish stable hand, the housemaid, the formidable housekeeper, the Duke himself, and other Irish townspeople, some of whom lost family to English gunshots during the War of Independence, go freely about their business in and around the great house. Soon suspicions about the guests’ true identities percolate, a dangerous boredom sets in for the princesses, and, within and without Clonmillis acreage, passions as well as stakes rise. Benjamin Black, who has good information that the princesses were indeed in Ireland for a time during the Blitz, draws readers into a novel as fascinating as the nascent career of Miss Nashe, as tender as the homesickness of the sisters, as intriguing as Irish-English relations during WWII, and as suspenseful and ultimately action-packed as war itself.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Mary Balogh's The Secret Mistress. Mary Balogh has no equal when it comes to capturing the complex, irresistible passions between men and women. Her classic novel, The Secret Pearl, is one of the New York Times bestselling author’s finest–a tale of temptation and seduction, of guarded hearts and raw emotion…and of a love so powerful it will take your breath away…. He first spies her in the shadows outside a London theatre, a ravishing creature forced to barter her body to survive. To the woman known simply as Fleur, the well-dressed gentleman with the mesmerizing eyes is an unlikely savior. And when she takes the stranger to her bed, she never expects to see him again. But then Fleur accepts a position as governess to a young girl…and is stunned to discover that her midnight lover is a powerful nobleman. As two wary hearts ignite–and the threat of scandal hovers over them–one question remains: will she be mistress or wife?
Prim and professional But with a forbidden yearningFor governess Viola Yelverton, the only man who’s stirred in her a passionate desire is her rakish employer, Sir Harry Marbeck! Maintaining a cool detachment is easy in the schoolroom—but when one of his wards gets sick, a bedside vigil reveals a warmer side to Harry. With the passion now blazing, has Viola just taken the biggest gamble of her life—one where she could lose her secret love and her livelihood? From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past. The Yelverton Marriages Book 1: Marrying for Love or Money? Book 2: Unsuitable Bride for a Viscount Book 3: The Governess’s Secret Longing
A sensual Victorian gothic romance set in Scotland She’s running from the past… Am I the key to her future? As a private investigator to the rich, it’s my job to be impartial, but returning to moody Edinburgh—the city where I made my name—to locate Marianne Crawford unsettles me. And when I meet the beguiling governess in question, I’m inexplicably drawn to her… Marianne Crawford is a survivor. She’s lived through experiences designed to destroy her. But I’m here to reveal her true identity, not to fall under her spell. I’ve never been afraid of secrets, but once I uncover this one, I’m afraid I won’t be able to walk away… From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
The beauty who tamed the beast… New governess Grace Bertram will do anything to get to know her young daughter, Clara. Even if it means working for Clara’s guardian, the reclusive and scarred Nathaniel, Marquess of Ravenwell! Nathaniel believes no woman could ever love a monster like him, until Grace seems to look past his scars to the man beneath… But when he discovers Grace is Clara’s mother, Nathaniel questions his place in this torn-apart family. Could there be a Christmas happy-ever-after for this beauty and the beast?