Showing results by narrator "Ashford Macnab" in All Categories

Kept on a tight rein by her guardian ever since a failed elopement, Lady Beatrice Thorpe has no intention of falling in love again—until she meets a widower with kind eyes and a gentle touch. Augustus, the Earl of Hardwick, was widowed when his unfaithful wife died giving birth to her lover's child. On his return from exile abroad, he re-enters London society in search of the perfect, biddable bride. Beatrice catches his eye with her air of innocence, and her sorrowful gaze touches his heart.

Eleanor Howard has never fit in. Constantly outshone by her younger sister, and continually criticized by her ambitious mother, Eleanor yearns to be loved for herself. Her secret infatuation with the Duke of Whitcombe—who'd never deign to notice, much less court her—would, if revealed, make her the laughingstock of the ton. Until he strides across a crowded ballroom and offers his hand.

Born on the wrong side of the blanket, matchmaker Sophie Reynard understands the consequences of unbridled desire all too well. Despite the many highborn friends she has matched, falling in love with an aristocrat without a pedigree of her own would be an act of futility. But that doesn't stop her from succumbing to one evening of anonymous passion.

Debutante Juliette Howard's attempt to ruin her sister out of envy and spite ended badly—with Juliette herself ruined, disgraced, and pregnant. Consumed by regret, and reviled by Society, Juliette fled her family's disappointment to hide in obscurity in a remote seaside village. As an outsider, she's viewed with suspicion by all except the vicar with the gentle voice and kind eyes.

Lady Arabella Ponsford has it all: wealth, beauty, a title—and the vilest temper in England. She takes pleasure from punishing anyone who offends her—including the arrogant gardener whose impertinent gaze sets her pulse racing. When he threatens to penetrate her façade to reveal the unhappy woman beneath, she destroys his belongings then evicts him without payment.

As guardian to her two young siblings after her parents' death, Daphne Beaumont struggles to keep the family together. But when Daphne's brother suddenly inherits a sizable estate from a distant relative, they are able to leave London behind for a prosperous new life in Cornwall. Devoted to her charges, Daphne doesn't believe marriage is in her future, despite her newfound wealth and striking beauty - until she meets the intriguing Charles Weston...

New York Times bestselling author Shirlee Busbee sweeps you into a breathtaking romance where a bold lady and a mysterious heir put their wits-and lives-to passion's ultimate test…An irresistible danger. To save her village and what's left of her family fortune from her wastrel cousin, gently bred Emily Townsend secretly leads a ring of smugglers. With the king's forces and deadly rivals closing in, she has but one last dangerous shipment to acquire.

To save her family from a tyrant king, Mara of Aremond must win a tournament—and she won't let anyone stop her from claiming the prize. Especially not Strax, the barbarian warrior who has tormented her every step of the way. But when a sorcerer's trap binds them together, Mara must decide whether Strax is her greatest enemy, or if everything she seeks can only be found in the barbarian's arms . . .

At twenty-six, aspiring novelist Avis Copley intends to wear spinsterhood as a badge of honour. But when she discovers a volume of erotica that ignites a searing fire within her, Avis realizes just how much she doesn't know about the actual pleasures of the flesh. Determined to learn more, she devises a daring plan...Avis chooses Emory Billingsworth, a fellow novelist - not to mention a beautiful specimen of manhood - to instruct her in carnal pleasure.

It's been five years since Lady Jennette Selby's fiancé died. Each courting season since has been filled with suitors eager to win her affection. But Jennette's guilt has prompted her to swear off marriage. For her secrets are as dark as she is beautiful, and the accidental death of her fiancé was tainted by a forbidden attraction.

For ten years, Anthony Westfield, Viscount Somerton, hasn't been able to forget the woman with whom he spent one scandalous night. When their paths cross again, he's shocked to discover Victoria Seaton is an accomplished pickpocket. But Somerton leads a double life of his own. Working on an undercover assignment, he makes Victoria a proposition: pretend to be his mistress or risk ruin. Yet soon he's tempted to turn their charade into reality - and surrender to an explosive passion.

Raised as the youngest daughter of the Duke of Kendal, Elizabeth learns a devastating truth on his deathbed: he wasn't her father at all. And because the Duke had no sons, his title and fortune must go to his only male heir: a distant cousin who left England for America long ago. Anticipating the man's imminent occupation of her home, Elizabeth anxiously searches for her mother's diary, and the secret of her paternity.

Wanton. . .Leo Roberts is next in line for an earldom and the power and fortune that come with it, but he is uncultured, unrefined - and completely untamed. . .until governess Ella Finch arrives upon the scene. Can so young and inexperienced a woman tutor him in the manners and mores of his class? Leo's mysterious past has rendered him an outsider, too wild for polite society. But he finds her innocence most intriguing. . .

Mimi La Fleur has survived heartbreak and destitution. The girl she once was is long gone and she never wants to be owned by a man again. She uses her body to earn a living, but her heart, and her pleasure, are not for sale. When she saves the life of a drunken duke, she's reminded of a world long forgotten. He makes her an offer she can't refuse—enough money to set her free, provided she agrees to be his mistress for six months.

Colin Fitch cannot deny he's drawn to Beatrice - but lust is all he could possibly feel for the sharp-tongued minx. Still, if there's a chance she can help him stop the madman he pursues, he must withstand her obvious disapproval. Yet withstanding the longing he feels for her is growing more troublesome by the second. And Colin has never been terribly good at staying out of trouble.

Lady Asherton is proper, lovely, and . . . lost. Widowed and just turned thirty—her recent engagement promises an unexpected chance to become a mother at last. The Marquess of Rockingham is gorgeous, exciting, and loyal to his family. He's never met a woman he can't have and the world is at his feet. He is young—too young. She's engaged—to his uncle. Two unlikely lovers are faced with a choice. Risk everything and embrace the passion of a lifetime or give in to society's expectations and endure the ashes of regret?

Rose is a lady's maid–albeit an educated, opinionated, hard headed, and impetuous one. Roman Spencer stands to become one of England's most powerful earls. Sober and responsible, Viscount Darlington holds honor and duty above all else. Stumbling upon one another at a Christmas house party, the mismatched couple struggles to douse the smoldering attraction threatening to ignite between them. Will they succumb to society's dictates or give in to the power of an everlasting love?

She can't make a baby without a husband! Or can she? After witnessing the miracle of birth, self-determined spinster Miss Penelope Crone is having second thoughts about swearing off marriage. She wants—no, she needs—to experience the blessed event herself. Dear God, she's practically thirty!...

After losing everything to a curse that struck the kingdom of Galoth, Sarya just wants the world to leave her alone. Yet when a demon begins hunting the people in the forest near her village, staying hidden isn't an option. Neither is avoiding the warrior who helped saved all of Galoth. Bannin the Blowhard has never said a serious word in his life . . . and yet the warrior claims that he intends to marry Sarya. Now she's about to discover how serious Bannin can be when her happiness is at stake—and how completely devoted to her pleasure . . .

As keeper of a sacred oath, Aruk allows nothing to tempt him away from his duty. Not gold, not women, not power. So when the barbarian warrior is marooned in the middle of the ocean, his only thought is of escaping the island paradise and continuing his quest. Until a pretty princess washes up onto the beach. Spoiled and disobedient, Jalisa should have been easy to resist. But when Aruk discovers the secrets concealed by her beautiful smile, he'll have to decide between his duty and his heart . . .