Smitten by Books

Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare
Release Date: December 30

Your presence is requested at romantic Twill Castle for the wedding of Miss Clio Whitmore and … and …?

After eight years of waiting for Piers Brandon, the wandering Marquess of Granville, to set a wedding date, Clio Whitmore has had enough. She’s inherited a castle, scraped together some pride, and made plans to break her engagement.

Not if Rafe Brandon can help it. A ruthless prizefighter and notorious rake, Rafe is determined that Clio will marry his brother–even if he has to plan the dratted wedding himself.

So how does a hardened fighter cure a reluctant bride’s cold feet?

• He starts with flowers. A wedding can’t have too many flowers. Or harps. Or cakes.
• He lets her know she’ll make a beautiful, desirable bride–and tries not to picture her as his.
• He doesn’t kiss her.
• If he kisses her, he definitely doesn’t kiss her again.
• When all else fails, he puts her in a stunning gown. And vows not to be nearby when the gown comes off.
• And no matter what–he doesn’t fall in disastrous, hopeless love with the one woman he can never call his own.

First book in the Castles Ever After series:

Silver Deceptions by Sabrina Jeffries
Release Date: December 30

In New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries’s classic, revised novel, originally written as Deborah Martin, London Theater’s newest actress is determined to find out secrets about her past.

Arriving in a cloak of mystery, London Theater’s newest actress, Annabelle Taylor, quickly became known as “The Silver Swan.” While she loved performing for her adoring audiences every night, Annabelle secretly longed to draw out the aristocratic father who abandoned her and her mother years ago.

Sent to unmask her identity, Colin Jeffreys, Marquis of Hampden, had only his dashing good looks and desirable kisses to use as bait. Sparring with wit and half-truths, Colin and Annabelle soon realized what they truly wanted was a night of passion. But when Annabelle’s vengeful quest traps her in a nest of deceit and treachery, she realizes she must place her faith in Colin—a man she doesn’t trust, but can’t resist.

The Duke in My Bed by Amelia Grey
Release Date: December 30

First book in the Heirs’ Club series.

From bestselling author Amelia Grey comes The Duke in My Bed, a wickedly romantic tale of one reckless bachelor, five unwed sisters, and a wildly unconventional game of love…

HERE COMES THE GROOM

As a notorious member of the Heirs’ Club, Bray Drakestone can’t resist a challenge from one of his well-heeled colleagues—especially when it involves money and horses. But the friendly wager takes an unexpected and deadly turn. Bray is forced to agree to marry one of his challenger’s five sisters—sight unseen. Now gamblers all over London are placing bets on whether Bray will actually go through with it…

THERE GOES THE BRIDE

Miss Louisa Prim, the eldest sister, doesn’t care a whit what the reckless rogue at the Heirs’ Club promised her brother—she has no intention of marrying the future Duke of Drakestone. Bray, however, sees her rejection as another challenge. He bets that the fiery Miss Prim will not only agree to marry him, she will propose to him! With four sisters behind her, Louisa knows she can’t lose. But why does her opponent have to be a divinely handsome scoundrel? And so sweetly, irresistibly seductive…

The Duke of Dark Desires by Miranda Neville
Release Date: December 30

Fourth book in Wild Quartet series

Wanted: Governess able to keep all hours . . .

Rebellious Julian Fortescue never expected to inherit a dukedom, nor to find himself guardian to three young half-sisters. Now in the market for a governess, he lays eyes on Jane Grey and knows immediately she is qualified—to become his mistress. Yet the alluring woman appears impervious to him. Somehow Julian must find a way to make her succumb to temptation . . . without losing his heart and revealing the haunting mistakes of his past.

Desired: Duke skilled in the seductive art of conversation . . .

Lady Jeanne de Falleron didn’t seek a position as a governess simply to fall into bed with the Duke of Denford. Under the alias of Jane Grey, she must learn which of the duke’s relatives is responsible for the death of her family—and take her revenge. She certainly can’t afford the distraction of her darkly irresistible employer, or the smoldering desire he ignites within her .

But as Jane discovers more clues about the villain she seeks, she’s faced with a possibility more disturbing than her growing feelings for Julian: What will she do if the man she loves is also the man she’s sworn to kill?

Other books in the Wild Quartet series:

A Family For Maddie by Sara Luck
Release Date: December 30

After Case Williams is left at the altar—as it turns out, his bride-to-be was in love with his best friend—he decides to move to Montana and set his mind on work. There he meets Roy Pemberton, an agent sent to keep the peace between Native Americans and settlers, and the two start working together to build a wagon freight company. After a while, Roy invites Case home to meet his wife and two single daughters.

Roy knows what kind of man Case is, so he pushes his eldest, Diana, into a courtship with him. But things don’t go quite so smoothly. As Case realizes his lack of romantic feelings for one daughter, he finds he is attracted to the other, Diana’s younger sister, Maddie—who harbors her own passion for the handsome stranger. Will they give in to their forbidden love or be forced to keep their feelings secret?

Knight in Highland Armor by Amy Jarecki
Release Date: January 1

Grieving from the death of his wife, Lord Colin Campbell listens to the cries of his newborn son whilst penning a missive to the king. With no marriage prospects, Colin petitions his majesty for help in finding a stepmother. Never again will he fall in love—the death of a woman brings more pain than losing a whole contingent of men on the battlefield.

Feisty, quick tongued and smart, Margaret Robinson is delighted when her father receives a messenger from the king…until she discovers what news he brings. In a sennight, she will wed the notorious Black Knight—her life is about to end.

Tension builds during the wedding and deteriorates from there…until an accident draws them together. Just when their love begins to blossom, a dire request arrives from the Pope. Colin must join the Crusades at once.

Their fragile love is forced to withstand the seductions of hell—Margaret tempted by a scoundrel laird—Colin courted by Satan himself. Aye, the war for Christendom could very well ruin their dreams forever.

Playing the Rake’s Game by Bronwyn Scott
Release Date: January 1

Ren Dryden has a spark she can’t risk igniting… 

Emma Ward is in trouble. The devilishly handsome part-owner of her beloved Caribbean sugar plantation has arrived, and clearly he doesn’t trust her. But his eyes promise pleasures she can only imagine. Maybe there’s a way to get him onside… 

Ren Dryden may be fresh off the boat from London, but he knows when a woman is playing him—and when she’s as intriguing as the alluring Emma, he’s more than happy to play back! But several sultry nights and secrets shared later, Ren realizes just how high the stakes are in this game of seduction! 

Mad About Ivy by Margo Maguire
Release Date: January 3

First book in the Berkshire Brides series

At a house party in Berkshire . . .

Miss Ivy Barnett was warmly welcomed into society as the American niece of Lord Kendal, but she quickly discovered that the Englishmen she met were no more interesting than their American counterparts. At least, not until she met the straitlaced Earl of Claymere, the most unattainable bachelor in all of England who made it known to one and all that he would not marry for at least another decade.

No one could have predicted . . .

Claymere had never met anyone like the bold and beautiful Miss Barnett, and her effect upon his senses was dizzying. One passionate embrace led to another, and suddenly, Claymere could not imagine a life without her. He proposed, and she rejected his proposal. A year ago, he would have felt relieved. But not now.

Eleanor and the Duke by Margo Maguire
Release Date: January 3

Second book in the Berkshire Brides series

Over a year has passed . . .

And Eleanor Easton has not forgiven her former fiancé for breaking her heart. She should have known the Duke of Beckworth was just like her father, a womanizing liar. But she’d trusted Beck. She’d loved him desperately. And now her father has done the unforgivable. He has died after making Beckworth the trustee of Eleanor’s annuity. Now she must beg the duke for money whenever she is in need of funds.

Beckworth intends to win her back . . .

Eleanor Easton is the love of Beckworth’s life. And now that she is back in England, he will do whatever it takes to make her his bride, exactly as they’d planned a year ago. But Eleanor still believes the lies Lord Weatherby told about him, and she despises him for what she believes he did. Beckworth knows it’s going to take some creative wooing and a bit of intrigue to win Eleanor back and expose Weatherby for the scoundrel he is. But Beck is definitely up to the task.

First book in the Berkshire Brides series:

Freedom to Love by Susanna Fraser
Release Date: January 5

Louisiana, 1815

Thérèse Bondurant trusted her parents to provide for her and her young half-sister, though they never wed due to laws against mixed-race marriage. But when both die of a fever, Thérèse learns her only inheritance is debt—and her father’s promise that somewhere on his plantation lies a buried treasure. To save her own life—as well as that of her sister—she’ll need to find it before her white cousins take possession of the land.

British officer Henry Farlow, dazed from a wound received in battle outside New Orleans, stumbles onto Thérèse’s property out of necessity. But he stays because he’s become captivated by her intelligence and beauty. It’s thanks to Thérèse’s tender care that he regains his strength just in time to fend off her cousin, inadvertently killing the would-be rapist in the process.

Though he risks being labeled a deserter, it’s much more than a sense of duty that compels Henry to see the sisters to safety—far away from the scene of the crime. And Thérèse realizes she has come to rely on Henry for so much more than protection. On their journey to freedom in England, they must navigate a territory that’s just as foreign to them both—love.

90,000 words

What a Woman Desires by Rachel Brimble
Release Date: January 5

From country girl to actress of the stage, one woman dares to live her dreams—but is she brave enough to open her heart…?

Monica Danes always wanted more than the village of Biddlestone had to offer. After a failed courtship to a man of her parents’ choosing, she fled for the city of Bath and never looked back. Today, Monica is the undisputed queen of the theater—a wealthy, independent woman. But when she is called home in the wake of tragedy, Monica returns—intending to leave again as soon as possible.

Thomas Ashby has been a groom at the Danes estate since he was a boy—and has been enamored with Monica for almost as long. He knows he isn’t a suitable match for his master’s daughter, despite the special bond he and Monica have always shared—and their undeniable attraction. But now that she’s returned, Thomas has one last chance to prove himself worthy—and to show Monica a life, and a love, she won’t want to give up…

90,000 Words

Stages of Desire by Julia Tagan
Release Date: January 5

To be or not to be—in love…

As a ward of the Duchess of Dorset, Harriet can hardly expect more from a match than the ringing endorsement of “from what I’ve heard, the man is financially secure and his teeth are quite regular.” After all, she’s only the lowly daughter of traveling actors, not the actual daughter of the duchess.

William Talbot, Earl of Abingdon is set to marry the duchess’s daughter. After his elder brother’s scandalous death, his family’s reputation is paramount, and he’ll allow nothing to damage it again. But when Harriet disappears to save her father from debtor’s prison, the scandal threatens William and his intended’s family. The simple task of fetching the duchess’s runaway ward turns complicated when Harriet insists on traveling with her father’s acting company. William’s forced to tag along, and finds himself entranced. The stage transforms Harriet into a free-spirited, captivating beauty. But, someone’s been sabotaging the theater company, and instead of facing scandal, William and Harriet discover a threat not only to their growing passion, but to their lives…

74,897 Words

Viscount of Vice by Shana Galen
Release Date: January 6

This sparkling novella introduces award-winning author Shana Galen’s brand new series, Covent Garden Cubs. Galen mixes London’s glittering ballrooms with the gritty underworld in her exciting new Regency romance series.

Whispers and secrets are no match for love…

Henry Flynn, the new Lord Chesham, still blames himself for the disappearance of his younger brother when they were children. That incident destroyed his family, and now he’s on a path of self-destruction that no one can interrupt…

Lady Emma Talbot can’t stand watching the man she secretly loves destroy himself little by little. She’s determined to show him that no one holds him culpable, before it’s too late. But Emma doesn’t know what really happened to Flynn on that fateful day long ago, so what chance does she have of saving him from himself?

How to Plan a Wedding for a Royal Spy by Vanessa Kelly
Release Date: January 6

Whether as spies or lovers, the Renegade Royals—illegitimate sons of England’s Royal Princes—are bold, skillful, and a force to be reckoned with…

A war hero returned from Waterloo should be able to indulge in a bit of bad behavior. Instead, Captain William Endicott is summoned by his father, the Duke of York, to investigate an assassination plot. The unlikely suspect: William’s former sweetheart. Will can’t believe that innocent Evie Whitney could be mixed up in anything so nefarious. Then again, almost everything about Evie has changed—except for his body’s instinctive response to hers…

Just as Evie’s life is finally coming together, Will saunters back into it. Should she slap him—or seduce him? Even as she tries to decide, scandal pushes her toward marriage with a man she can neither trust nor resist—and into the heart of a deadly conspiracy…

Other books in the Renegade Royal series:

Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress by Theresa Romain
Release Date: January 6

One good proposition deserves another…

Heiress Augusta Meredith can’t help herself-she stirs up gossip wherever she goes. A stranger to Bath society, she pretends to be a charming young widow, until sardonic, darkly handsome Joss Everett arrives from London and uncovers her charade.

Augusta persuades Joss to keep her secret in exchange for a secret of his own. Weaving their way through the treacherous pitfalls of a polite world only too eager to expose and condemn them, they begin to see that being true to themselves is not so bad…as long as they’re true to each other…

Other books in the Matchmaker Trilogy:

The Earl I Adore by Erin Knightley
Release Date: January 6

Sophie Wembley is about to discover two hard truths: When planning a rushed betrothal, one must not be picky; and when the perfect earl happens by, one must not be shy.…

After receiving word that her sister has eloped, even ever-optimistic Sophie has trouble staying positive. She needs to secure her future before the scandal destroys her prospects, although she doesn’t relish the idea of a hasty marriage. But her longtime crush has just shown up for the summer festival in Bath. He may be the key to avoiding disgrace and getting a happily ever after…if she can bring herself to pursue him.

John “Evan” Fairfax, Earl of Evansleigh, is one of the most popular bachelors in the ton. However, his easygoing ways hide a dark past he’s determined to keep secret. Evan has always kept acquaintances at arm’s length for self-preservation, but there’s something irresistible about Sophie…and her seductive charms may well sway the confirmed bachelor to seize a chance at love.

Other books in the Prelude to a Kiss series:

Texas Mail Order Bride by Linda Broday
Release Date: January 6

Rancher Cooper Thorne thinks his life is finally on an even keel-until Delta Dandridge steps off the stagecoach and claims she’s his mail order bride. Brash and quick-witted, the meddling Southern Belle is everything Cooper thought he never wanted…and everything his heart is telling him he needs.

But Cooper swore long ago that he’d never marry, and he aims to keep his word, especially now that the demons from his past have returned to threaten everything-and everyone-he holds dear…

The Other Duke by Jess Michaels
Release Date: January 13

First book in the Notorious Flynns series

For years Serafina McPhee has been engaged to marry the heir to the Duke of Hartholm and for almost as long, she has been struggling to find a way out of that engagement. When he suddenly dies, she does not mourn but thrills at the idea that she will be free. Unfortunately, best laid plans go awry when the next in line for the title, her intended’s cousin, Raphael “Rafe” Flynn is forced to take over the engagement. But Serafina knows Rafe’s reputation as a libertine and wants nothing to do with him, either, even if he is devastatingly handsome.

She proposes an arrangement: she will agree to the marriage and provide Rafe with his heir and spare. Once she has done her duty, he will let her go. Rafe is intrigued both by her beauty and by her utter disgust with the idea of being his bride. Women normally fall at his feet, not cringe away from him. However, since their arranged marriage is not something he can escape, he agrees to her terms.

But when he finds out on their wedding night the truth about her torture at the hands of his predecessor, he finds himself driven not just to fulfill his bargain with his new bride, but to introduce her to desire. While they move closer together, surrendering to wicked pleasures, dangerous emotions may violate every agreement they’ve made.

 

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