Patrick Danvers, the Viscount Westover, was known by another name among the people of society: Devil Danvers. No young lady dared to be seen in public with this man whose startling good looks were overshadowed by his scandalous escapades. Caroline Ashley was a very respectable young lady, but with no one to protect her and no money to call her own. How could she resist Devil Danvers' offer to be the wife he needed to win a wager and claim a fortune that hung on his producing an heir?

Ellen Marling lives in terror of her wedding night to the beastly Baron Basil Brockhaven. Forced into the marriage by her father, a leap in the dark from the bedroom window seems more appealing than spending even one night with the loathsome lord. Until she discovers that her leap delivered her straight into the hands of the notorious Marquess of Trent, as handsome as he is hedonistic. Ellen has traded a monstrous husband for a masterly rake, and now faces the prospect of the greatest danger of all: falling in love.

After Lord Haverville forced Miss Kitty Gordon's dearest friend into a loveless marriage, she set her sights on the beastly Baron for revenge. Isolating his wife in rural solitude, Haverville continues to savor all the delights the city has to offer. Determined to force Haverville to give her friend back her freedom, Kitty hatches a plot to kidnap the Baron at gunpoint. But to her surprise, getting her hands on the handsome brute was actually the easy part - it's the temptation held in his arms that she never planned for.

Kidnapped by her callous cousin, Quentin Fordyce, beautiful Anne Morland has to fight off his amorous assault with all of her strength to avoid being stripped of her virtue and forced into a sham of a marriage. But when rescue comes in the form of Dominick Deveraux, Anne isn't sure that she's better off. As notorious for his skills with a sword as he is for his skills with the ladies, Anne fears Dominick has no more noble intentions for her than Quentin did.

Verena Howard's mother taught her some very good lessons, including never to fall for a darkly handsome man with something to hide. Now on a journey alone across the Texas frontier, Verena has had more than one run-in with ruffians intent on more than just her cash. Before she could get in over her head with the last run-in, a smooth-talking, darkly handsome gambler stepped in to come to her rescue, immediately putting Verena at risk of not listening to her mother's advice.

Captain William Hawksmoor of the Royal Navy never expected to inherit Kingscastle and is none too pleased when he does so. Especially when he learns that he must marry within a year or be forever dealing with trustees. As the new marquis of Athelney, the captain takes command of Kingscastle and discovers much to be done to set it in order. He must also contend with his aunt Lady Willoughby Hawksmoor, who is determined that her daughter will be his wife.

After her wealthy merchant father is accused of murder, Elise Rand goes to the only person she knows who can help: Patrick Hamilton, Regency London's most brilliant trial lawyer. But no amount of cash will convince Patrick to take on what appears to be a doomed case. So Elise is forced to put her reputation, her sanity, and her heart on the line when she offers a very different method of payment for his legal services: herself.

As a child, Devlin Ware thought his family stood for all that was right and good in the world. They were kind, gracious, and shared the beauty of Ravenwood, their grand country estate, by hosting lavish parties for the entire countryside. But at 22, he discovered his whole world was an elaborate illusion, and when Devlin publicly called his family to account for it, he was exiled as a traitor. So be it. He enlisted in the fight against Napoleon and didn't look back for six years. But now his father is dead, the Ware family is broken, and as the heir he is being called home.

Arabella of Byrum's stunning beauty is her blessing and her curse. It drew the brutal Elias of Woolford to make an irresistible offer for her hand in marriage, and it fueled the jealous rage that made Elias break that bond - leaving Arabella with an infant Elias refuses to acknowledge as his, and a shattered reputation. Despite the slanderous rumors about Arabella, William of Blackleith wants her when no other lord will.

Four amazing talents have come together to create one of the most unforgettable events of the year. The results are spectacular - each story is as unique as a lover's first kiss.