While others fear the meddling Duke of Danby, Lady Eleanor hopes he can find her a husband, since he does it so well. Four years ago, Lady Eleanor’s brother Archie found his love, Harriet, indirectly due to the Duke of Danby’s summons at Christmastime. Now Eleanor hopes Danby will do the same for her, but she’ll have to get over her shyness to meet anyone. Discovered by the handsome Marquess of Wickham while she hides away in the nursery, she agrees to pretend there’s an understanding between them so his uncle won’t try to force him to marry. Eleanor enjoys Wickham’s company, but how will she find a husband if the gentlemen all believe she’s already in love?
USA Today Bestselling author Christi Caldwell revisits the dark, gritty side of Regency England in her Brethren of the Lords series! Death was preferable… Since his wife was killed in an accident that stole his happiness and left him injured, William Helling, the Duke of Aubrey, is a broken man. Neither strong drink and loose women nor the power he wields as leader of the Brethren of Lords can free him from the nightmares that haunt him. He prefers to be left alone, and has no desire to heal the wound his life has become. Then one day Miss Elsie Allenby, rumored to be a skilled healer, enters his household. He should send her away and yet he’s enthralled by the mysterious stranger. Healing was her life… But not a day passes when Elsie Allenby doesn’t miss her father nor remind herself where the blame for his death lies: The Brethren of Lords. Since that betrayal, she’s made a life for herself on the fringe of society, caring for wounded animals. Her peaceful life is turned upside down when her help is requested by the Brethren, and she finds herself in the presence last person she ever thought she would aide: William Helling, the leader of the Brethren. With every exchange, passion grows between Elsie and William. Soon the protective walls they’ve built, begin to crumble. But when danger threatens them both, they’ll need to overcome the treachery around them. Will the past steal their passion or will love find a way? Brethren of the Lords Series Book 1: My Lady of Deception Book 2: Her Duke of Secrets
To protect herself, she’ll deny her powers. To save her, he’ll break every rule he’s vowed to live by. Lillianna de Burgh knows all about the legend surrounding the women in her family—that true love awakens the gift of sight within them. But given the horrific betrayals the power has brought her ancestors, she wants no part in true love or the supposed gift. Avoiding her fate seems simple enough since men have proven time and again that they wish to use her, not cherish her, even her own kin. Thankfully, when she flees England to escape her evil uncle, she finds herself in the company of a seemingly hard-hearted Highlander who thinks the legend nothing more than a myth. As they travel together, she comes to discover that behind his cold facade lies a fierce and honorable protector, whose mere touch ignites the passion within her. Yet, the more she tries to resist it, the more she seems to fall. Renowned Highland warrior Angus MacLorh lives by three principles: put country above self, protect family at all cost, and never become entangled with a lass—not again. So when his future king needs him to accompany the far-too-lovely Lillianna to safety, Angus agrees, confident he can keep her at a distance, as he does all women. Yet the gentle, fiercely determined lady intrigues and tempts him at every turn, and when his greatest enemy captures her, he finds himself breaking all his rules to save her. As the fight for the Scottish throne embroils Lillianna and Angus deep in danger, enemies near and far hunt them threatening their very lives. When the truth of the legend finally comes to light, can a lady determined to escape her destiny and a Highlander bent on facing his future alone overcome the barriers they’ve created and trust in their hearts to lay claim to the most glorious of love?
A deadly game of war entangles them. Deception endangers them. Only the impossible love found in each other’s arms can save them. Fierce Scottish warrior Robert the Bruce would do anything to release his country from English rule—and claim his rightful throne. As enemies on both sides surround him, Robert must dance a dangerous line between truth and duplicity. One misstep could topple his nation and cost him his life, yet one irresistible woman tempts him—and threatens his mission—as no other ever has. Bold beautiful Elizabeth de Burgh longs for freedom. So when she finds herself ordered by the King of England to seduce the leader of the Scottish rebellion and reveal his secrets, she yearns to fight back against their cruel plot. Except they’ve threatened to kill her beloved cousin, leaving her no choice but to comply. As she grows closer to the handsome noble Robert and the mask that hides the man who would be king is peeled away, she cannot imagine aiding in his destruction. Bound by duty and honor but ensnared by uncontainable passion, Robert and Elizabeth must determine if they are each other’s biggest threat or greatest source of strength and how much they are willing to sacrifice for the one thing neither ever imagine they’d find – extraordinary love.
Love touched them. Treachery divided them. One night of passion binds them. Betrayed by her father, Marsaili Campbell risks her life to recover what he has stolen from her. But when she’s kidnapped and wagered away, she has no one to help her escape other than the very man she’s spent the past three years trying to forget—Highland warrior Callum Grant. She once gave her heart and her innocence to the handsome Scot, only to regret her naive decisions. Still, with more enemies than she can battle alone, she needs an ally, even if she must hide the truth of her circumstances from him. Laird Callum Grant thrust his clan into war for the love of a woman, only to lose her forever. But when the woman he believed dead appears at his clan’s tourney in dire trouble, there’s no denying Marsaili has been alive all this time. With his clan weakened from the years of raids and battles, however, he cannot afford to do anything that would ruin the betrothal he’s made to secure his clan’s future. Yet he can’t turn away from the woman who once beguiled him body and soul. As Callum and Marsaili embark on a dangerous journey, each touch, each look, each clash of wills reignites their desire in an all-consuming inferno. But the secret Marsaili keeps and the duty that shackles Callum are threatening to destroy them. That is, unless they can learn that love, once truly given, is unbreakable.
Disheartened but not defeated, Gavin MacBride temporarily abandon’s plans for restoring the family coffers to escort his sister-in-law’s long-lost relative to Yorkshire for a reunion. Gavin might have failed to secure funds to ensure his family’s future prosperity, but surely, he can deliver a young woman to Danby Castle in one piece. Heiress Victoria Eastland isn’t making his job easy, though, especially when she sets off for Yorkshire alone. With no carriages for hire at the local coaching inn, Gavin is resigned to give chase on horseback in inclement weather, but a Good Samaritan takes pity on Gavin and invites him to share his coach. Soon, the newfound friends are led on a merry chase that ends with a bold rescue and an unexpected discovery. The outspoken, foolishly brave Miss Eastland has been under Gavin's nose the whole time—and a little too close when one is unprepared to lose his heart.
Lady Emmaline Radcliffe always knew she never wanted to marry a man who embraced the rules of Society. But when her mother threatens to secure a suitable match for Emma if she cannot make one on her own, Emma sets out to determine if her girlhood infatuation is the love she’s been looking for. Nathaniel did save her life once, after all. But when she finds herself in the arms of the gentleman’s brother—the serious and proper Duke of Blackbourne—she begins to question all she ever thought she desired. Lucian, the Duke of Blackbourne, is tired of playing keeper to his irresponsible brother. He vows to quit, but when his brother resolves to seduce the impetuous Lady Emmaline, Lucian knows he must save his foolish brother and the innocent debutante from themselves. Yet his plan to intercede goes awry when he finds himself drawn to the woman who is everything he was positive he didn’t want in a wife. But his brother won’t give up so easily, and soon Lucian’s well-intentioned plans are revealed. Now to keep Lady Emmaline’s heart he must prove that he’s truly not the stuffy, sneaky duke he seems to be. *Previously published in Thwarting the Duke (When the Duke Comes to Town, Book 2)*
Will the truth of the past destroy the hope of their future? How far will he go for vengeance? Brus Stone remembers nothing of his life before he was rescued at the age of five summers and brought to live as part of the Northern Watch. Having been told his mother abandoned him, he’s about as willing to give his trust to a woman as he is to hand his sword to his enemy during battle. So when he’s tasked with accompanying a group of highlanders through the treacherous lands he helps patrol and he encounters a bonny lass who proves to be as brave as any warrior he’s ever met, he’s surprised by his pull to the lass and more than wary because of it. He steels himself against lowering his guard, but her open nature bemuses him, and her caring heart entices him. Each time he touches her he finds himself further drawn to the warmth she exudes and the possibility that believing in her will not result in betrayal. But a shocking revelation about his past obliterates everything he holds true and leaves him with a choice—give unwavering faith to the daughter of the enemy he didn’t know he had or raise his guard once more and secure the ultimate revenge. How much will she lose for love? Grace MacDonald is starting to wonder whether she’ll ever meet a man who sees her as an equal and not simply a potential wife to do as he bids. To complicate matters, her father wishes her to wed her childhood friend and fortify an important alliance between their clans. Though she wants to please her beloved father, her friend does not stir her heart or her desire, so she’s reluctant to accept his offer of marriage. When the party she’s travelling with is attacked and a Scottish warrior rescues her, she’s immediately drawn to the powerfully compelling man. Not only does he display a gentle caring side, but he also listens to what she says and seems to value her opinions. His every look, touch, and kiss ignite her in the way she’s been waiting for all her life. But Brus will not completely let her in. He has erected a barrier between them, and the harder she tries to breach it, the more withdrawn he becomes. She’s determined to prove to him that he can count on her, so they can grasp the glorious love she’s sure awaits them. Yet when a devastating secret comes to light, she must decide whether her loyalty remains with the father she’s always trusted or whether it belongs with the man she’s certain is her destiny.
A rogue hires a lady to turn him into a gentleman, but he finds he cannot resist giving her lessons on love and desire. A year and a half after her husband’s tragic death, all Lady Julianna Barrows wants is to be left alone and forget that most of her heart went with him when he passed. Instead, she finds herself the subject of many a matchmaking scheme and lurid offer to ease her widowhood, as well as save her fading fortune. Desperate to avoid an arranged marriage, she takes on a position as a tutor, only to discover that the man she’s helping unexpectedly stirs her heart and passion. Nash Wolverton boxed his way out of the London slums and into immense wealth, but he couldn’t care less about Society’s approval. Except he has his by-blow daughter’s future to consider. To ensure her acceptance into Society, he’ll endure anything―including procuring a tutor to transform him into a gentleman so he can secure a suitable, boring wife. Yet what he wants changes the moment he hires the widow Julianna. She may be a lady, but she’s far from tedious. Bold and compassionate, she is nothing like the women of the ton. Suddenly, she’s elicited a simmering desire in him, and even a longing to love and be loved that he always thought out of his reach. Knowing what he planned to settle for can now never be enough, he vows to win her love. But as the walls she’s built begin to crumble and a second chance for Julianna seems possible, her fears threaten to destroy all and she alone must decide if protecting her heart trumps breaking Nash’s. The Whisper of Scandal series includes: Bargaining with a Rake Conspiring with a Rogue Dancing with a Devil After Forever The Dangerous Duke of Dinnisfree
