What begins as a simple house party… Lady Rowena Freeham is eager for the chance to experience life. That was why she’d made a pact with her friends to leave England for America – for the freedom. Not until an invitation arrives to attend a lavish house party held by the mysterious English spy who was recently honored by the Regency with a baronetcy does she realize that maybe what she’s been missing all this time – is love. Becomes so much more. Sir Pierce Rutherford was born a commoner. He had been employed as a groom for Rowena’s family where he’d vowed to win the fair lady’s heart. But knowing that an earl’s daughter would never marry a poor servant, he set out to gain his fortune. After years of toiling in the cotton mills and being no closer to his dreams than before, he finds his salvation working for his country. This house party is his chance to prove his affection. But will everything he’s worked for fall into place? Or will Rowena’s hand still be impossible to obtain?
The advertisement reads: Widows in search of rogues for temporary liaison In London, there is an exclusive ladies' club where widows can go for refuge. Mrs. Ada Givens had been feeling the sting of loneliness, so her friend, and fellow widow, convinces her to apply to Matron Manor. But Maggie isn’t there to make friendships. Instead, she’s set on mischief and when she places an ad in the paper, gentlemen come knocking—and Ada is forced to deal with the damage. The last thing she needs is another man. She lost the one love of her life to a devastating accident, and she is certain that lightning doesn't strike twice. Enter Mr. Brandt Clarke. He’s trying to deal with a new addition to his current circumstances, and seeks refuge one evening in the midst of a violent thunderstorm on his way back to the city. The moment he sets sights on Ada, he vows to make her his own. She's immediately set against any sort of affair with him, or anyone else, but there's something between them that can't be denied. One night of passion soon leads to more, but will Ada accept anything more permanent?
Get lost in the holiday season - or anytime during the year - with these enchanting novellas from multi-award winning author, Tabetha Waite! A Promise Beneath the Kissing Bough Cornell Reed is the bastard son of an earl, who was raised as a commoner by his mother, a maid who had been dismissed from service after it was discovered she was carrying an illegitimate child. Because of his modest upbringing, Cornell had never cared to be recognized by his father, Lord Haverton. He is content with his simple life as a cordwainer in London, a skill he’d learned during his years as a sea-faring naval captain. It isn’t until he advertises for an apprentice for the busy Christmas season, does Cornell realize what he’s been missing. Miss Pleasant Hill is a poor, Irish immigrant who moved to London after the death of her cobbler father in Ireland. When she isn’t trying to help raise her three, younger siblings, or toiling as a washerwoman, she assists her ailing stepmother as a seamstress. She always dreamed of something more, but soon realized it was pointless to wish upon stars. However, when she sees the sign in the shopkeeper’s window, she feels it’s the answer to her long-awaited prayers. Pleasant feels that this year, she can finally make a difference and give her family the holiday they had always been denied. But is a Christmas miracle even possible? Twelve Gifts by Christmas When Lady Philomena Wallace, the Countess of Lipscomb, receives a gift from a secret admirer, she has to imagine that it’s a lark. Why would a gentleman court a widow past the first blush of youth? It isn’t until a stranger from her past abruptly returns that she has to make a choice between a mysterious suitor - and a second chance at love. Julian Solomon never forgot Mena, the village girl from his younger days. He left for America to make his fortune, but now he’s back - only to find that he may just have a bit of competition for her affection. Determined to prove how much Mena means to him, Julian may just have to rely on a bit of Christmas spirit to not only win her hand – but her heart as well. Miss Pageant's Christmas Proposal Miss Emary Pageant is a diamond of the first water, one of the most popular debutantes of London society. She could have any man in England that she wanted, but only one appeals to her – the elusive bachelor that everyone is talking about. He would be her ultimate conquest, something to preen about for years to come. The only problem is that he thinks she’s just another empty-headed daughter of a viscount. And try as she might, she can’t convince him otherwise. Thankfully, she has always been quick witted, so she quickly conceives a plan. Donovan Wainwright, Duke of Windwood, is a physically and emotionally battle-scared war hero. He knows his duty to society the way he knew his duty to his country, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to fall prey to the first simpering lady who tries to gain his attention. While he might admit that Emary is appealing, she is far too vain for his tastes and he’s just not interested. It isn’t until Emary boldly offers him a proposal – which he foolishly accepts – that the tide abruptly turns. All at once, the woman Donovan wishes to avoid becomes the one he can’t live without.
Welcome to my first love – Regency tales brimming with adventure and heart! It is my pleasure to bring you four romantic stories in a lovely, keepsake collection! “The Scot’s Bairn” One blissful night has certain consequences that just might lead to love. Damaris Honeywell suffers from an unwanted betrothal. Her solution? Ruin her reputation. But one night with a handsome Scotsman leads to certain…complications that can’t be ignored. When Callum Murray, Laird O’Donogue encounters her again, he intends to show her that they are meant to be. “A Lady’s Guide to Marriage” She’s never stopped loving him… Lady Albina Baine, Viscountess Beauley, has lived the past five years in London penning a successful advice column for newly married ladies, when she starts to reflect on her own marriage. She’s never stopped loving her husband, even when he abruptly walked out of her life. But can a union that has withstood so much already, survive the test of time? He’s never stopped loving her… Michael Baine, Viscount Beauley, retired to his country estate, thinking that it was best for his wife. As the years passed, something had waned in their relationship. He’d never been able to properly relay how he’d felt, but the love he still harbored was as strong as ever. But is love enough? “Lord Castleford’s Fortunate Folly” Sometimes fate needs the hand of fortune… Lord Jonathan Castleford wasn’t looking for romance on the road to Cornwall. But a chance encounter with a fortune teller by the name of Madame Zeta would change all that. She tells him about The Path of Life, never knowing that his journey would lead him to a certain woman… And destiny requires a little help. Miss Fanny Grouseman knows that she might never find love in her small village, but she is content. When she meets the infuriating guest of the village squire, everything changes. Not only is she prevailed upon to make sure Lord Castleford doesn’t learn of the town’s rather secret dealings on the coast, but she has to suffer dance lessons with him as her tutor! BONUS Short story - “Four Calling Cards” Edward Castleford, Viscount Rundell, was on the bride hunt. While he has never spurned romance, he has yet to find someone who fills his life with happiness. It isn’t until his father gives him an ultimatum - take a wife or get cut off without a cent – does he have to make a difficult, and rather quick, decision. Miss Sabrina Everhart is the companion of the Countess of Warably, but she feels like more of a servant. When she suddenly starts to receive the attentions of Viscount Rundell, she has to wonder what a plain, penniless lady possibly offer such a handsome bachelor?
Fallon O’Malley is hoping to make a fresh start in Southampton following the recent death of her grandmother. She’s never had any love for the British, but when she has the chance to make a fresh start in England and reconnect with estranged family, she decides to leave her beloved homeland of Ireland. It isn’t until she arrives that she realizes that she might have just made a grave mistake. In a desperate attempt to return where things are familiar, she seeks out the assistance of a known rapscallion… Atticus Clare is a wealthy merchant by day, but by night he dons the guise of the Raven, an Irish sympathizer who assists the rebellion against England. Everything is working for his favor until he meets Fallon. He’s instantly drawn to her, even though he knows it would be dangerous in the extreme to form an attachment. But when unforeseen circumstances draw them closer, he realizes how foolish he’d been to think he could ever resist her allure. As things culminate, Atticus has to make a difficult choice, but nothing he does might save him from certain demise if all his secrets are revealed. Can his love for Fallon truly conquer the forces against them?
Davien Elswood, the Duke of Blackburn, isn’t an ordinary man. Twenty years ago he was cursed with the powers of an aswang, and now he’s forced to fight the beast within. But is it only metaphorical, or in truth? He is a member of the Order of the Friars of St. Francis, a cult where men of high standing perform any number of rituals. Because of these scandalous proceedings, they must protect the truth at all costs – even if it means sacrificing one of their own. Cosette du Bouir is a poor, French orphan who spends her nights toiling as a seamstress in London while calling a dilapidated workhouse home. The only key to her past is a plain, silver locket with the cryptic inscription – To Mine…Be Mine. One fateful evening she meets the duke. He’s fearsome and intimidating, and she prays that she never sees him again. However, this encounter sparks the return of her mysterious blackouts, where a phantom voice calls out to her. Thrown together in the midst of magic and secrets, their paths intersect amid desire and chaos, until it all comes to a dramatic end. But who will be crowned the victor of this miserable fate?
Lady Araminta Bevelstroke only wanted one thing from society, and that was to be recognized as an independent woman. Together with her three sisters, following the death of their father, the Duke of Marlington, she embarks on a journey to London to prove just that. Marriage certainly hadn’t been on her mind, but when a handsome earl begins to pay court to her, she has to wonder if this could be the true venture she might wish to embark on. Greyson Hartfield, the Earl of Somers, wasn’t sure what made Araminta different from all the other women he’d known, but when he made up his mind that she was going to be his future wife the instant he’d spied her at the theatre, nothing could shake it loose—even if the lady was particularly resistant to the idea. However, he wasn’t a rake for no reason and as the Christmas season steadily draws closer, he is determined to gain her as his holiday bride. But can he win her heart without risking everything?
Lady Calliope is the most carefree and spirited of all the Bevelstroke sisters. With her fiery, copper locks and adventurous nature, she is determined to make a name for herself. In an effort to pursue her dream of independence, she sets out for the coast of Lyme Regis to search for rare fossils. The problem is a particular viscount who is always in her way… Sebastian Ford, Viscount Blakely, has a certain weakness when it comes to redheads and finds Calliope’s flirtatious personality quite irresistible. His sights are set on her, but she thwarts him at every turn, knowing him to be a complete scoundrel. When he arrives at the seaside town under the pretense that his curmudgeon of a grandfather wishes to take the waters for his health, the lady is furious, but it doesn’t take much persuasion for her to succumb to his charms… Unfortunately, their growing happiness is threatened by the Marquess of Abersheem. He doesn’t believe that Calliope is a good match for his grandson, and devises a plan to tempt Sebastian away. Is the passionate relationship Calliope and Sebastian have built strong enough to persevere? Or will they crumble under the first test of adversity?
Lady Isadora Bevelstroke has always been the most solemn and straitlaced of all of her sisters. But as the eldest member of the family, and with a particular head for business, from an early age she has learned not to distract herself with nonsensical behavior. She is determined to succeed as a woman of independent means, and no one doubts her ability to do so. She is quickly making a name for herself, and with the funds to help ease her entrée into a man's world, she is confident that nothing can stand in her way. There is one man, however, who causes the strangest sensations to course through her… Remington Fletcher, the Marquess of Osgood, has always respected the dark-haired beauty. She is intelligent, mature, and doesn't bother with flirtatious glances to get her way. She is direct and he finds her bold manner quite refreshing. The problem is that he can't seem to charm her into more than a friendly acquaintance. Deciding that he must content himself with a passing fancy, when fate continues to thrust them into each other's path, he realizes that there is quite a bit more to the lady than she wants to let on. She has given up everything at the expense of her own happiness, and he wants to show her that allowing someone to lean on isn't always a bad thing.
It’s a battle of matrimony, but who will win in wedlock? Miss Dulcenia Hargrove is a bespectacled wallflower, who never thought that she would be fortunate enough to find a prospective husband. However, when she is approached by a celebrated matchmaker, she decides that it wouldn’t hurt to take her advice. When they travel to a house party to meet the suitor the lady has in mind, sparks immediately fly. But is his regard in truth? Lord Carew Fernvine, Marquess of Dalhousie, is a rake. He decided to attend a ridiculous house party to humor an older lady for his own amusement. He has no intention of marrying anyone, particularly a mousy woman that is known for being dull. However, he soon finds that Lady Dulcenia has much more to recommend her than he originally believed. It isn’t until his resolve is tested by a newcomer vying for the lady’s hand, that he has to decide if he’s as against marriage as he once thought.
