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.

Henrietta Redford wishes she were a boy—after all, boys are masters of their own fate. Casting her dolls aside, she climbs trees, plays at swordfighting, and indulges in practical jokes. Once she's had her come-out, Henrietta has promised her father that she'll settle down and marry. Any eligible man might do, but it certainly won't be Giles Thorpe—the older boy from the estate next door, whose arrogant disdain of her tomboyish ways only increased as he grew into a man.

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.

Alex Cross, the Duke of "Ice" has earned the nickname given him by the ton. Having lost his family in a tragic accident a few years before, he is now cynical, blasé, and arrogant. The duke no longer expects happiness, but will not reject sensual pleasure if it is offered. After all, a man has needs . . . . . . none of which will be met, unfortunately, at this particular house party. For most of his fellow guests are elderly gossips and the entertainments thus far have been something of a snooze, really. He'll make his excuses and depart early.

Bane should have been king . . . But he was born four minutes too late. Though it was Bane who'd led armies to victory against the scourge of the undying, now he must watch as his undeserving twin claims yet another throne through marriage to a princess of a neighboring kingdom. A kingdom that Bane had saved. That throne should be his. So he'll take it. All Bane must do is deceive his twin's innocent bride.

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.

The first kiss occurred in a dimly lit hallway on the upper floor of Elwin Hastings's grand house. Louisa Bryce never saw it coming. Of course, handsome, wealthy Anthony Stalbridge couldn't possibly have had romantic intentions. The kiss was merely meant to distract the armed guard about to catch the two unlikely sleuths. After all, the only thing these two interlopers have in common is a passionate interest in uncovering the dastardly secrets of Mr. Hastings—a prominent member of society whom they suspect of murder.

Step into a world of secret appetites, carnal longing, and dark cravings with this erotic collection set in the Victorian era. From achingly tender to utterly taboo, these ten historical stories will stir and entice every desire . . .

When a prideful queen comes to his prison cell with an unbelievable proposal of marriage, Warrick of the Dead Lands is quick to accept. Because he recognizes the powerful jewels the queen wears—jewels pilfered from the temple of a goddess, who unleashed her wrath upon a kingdom. His plan? Pretend to go along with Queen Elina until he can steal the jewels back, then use them to lift the goddess's curse.

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.

Nicholas Delmore, the earl of Hawksley, was not expecting a snowstorm-sieged London evening to end with a dagger held to his throat. Nor did he anticipate his spirited attacker to have glossy black tresses and lush red lips that might invite a lesser gentleman to steal a kiss. But before he can demand his beautiful assailant to identify herself, she faints dead away in his arms.

Miss Frances Cherrington has long been criticized as independent and prickly. And she's fine with it. Truth be told, she'd prefer to be a spinster—damn her family's desires. But it's a conversation with the devilishly handsome yet highly infuriating Earl of Winthrop that inspires the perfect escape from her nuptial troubles. Frances could ensure that no one will marry her—by happily ruining her own reputation.

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.

Across an empty laneway in Paris, through my hotel window, he saw me first. I stopped undressing . . . but only for a moment. The next night, he was waiting for me. He sat there in his expensive suit and watched. No participation. My only acknowledgement was the look of lust in his eyes. It continued until the night before I left, when I found a card under my door. No words. Just a number. So, I texted him. I'd never done anything like it before. It felt so dirty and wrong, but at the same time, I felt alive.

WHO WAS SHE? In Regency London, a woman escapes from a burning warehouse only to realize she doesn't know her own identity. Although the locket around her neck bears the name Miranda, she has no recollection of her past. Nor does she know why two very different men want her—the devilishly...

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...

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.

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.

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.

A vivid tales of medieval England in all its glory. Beautiful heiress Briar Rose longs to find a man whom she can love. Then she meets the dashing but disgraced Lord Gareth Hawke, who has fallen on hard times. But there are those who seek to do anything they can to thwart such a union...