Improper Relations

Some wallflowers bloom at night...

A Spindle Cove Novella

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable... Love.

Warning: The heroine packs a pistol, the hero curses in multiple languages, and together they steam up a cold winter’s night.

A marriage in name only...

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart. Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his uncle’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right? Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans....

The day was as hot as the pond was inviting. Its not as if anyone in Little Huffington was going to happen upon a secluded vale on the Duke of Greycliffes lands. And Venus Collingswood didnt want to get her shift all wet. It was the perfect setting in which to plan her lovely bookworm of a sisters betrothal to the mysterious new duke arriving seven days hence. If only she had a suitable accomplice…

Andrew Valentine, Duke of Greycliffe, never thought arriving at his own household a week early would cause so much trouble. The housekeeper thinks hes his own cousin. Actually, the chance to not be the duke for a while is a pleasant opportunity indeed. It might even help him interrogate the delectable little nymph hes discovered swimming in his pondif he can manage to get a word in edgewise…

A single ladyin possession of a good fortunemust be in want of a suitor

Margaret de Lacey has accepted her unmarried statewith dignity, if not delight. She had no suitors when she wasyoung and starry-eyed, though regrettably poor,and it’s unlikely any man will court her now that she’s older,wiser, and still just as penniless. Until, that is,her brother unexpectedly inherits the dukedom of Durhamand settles an enormous dowry on her, making herthe most eligible heiress in town.

No gentleman in London is more in need of a wealthybride than Rhys Corwen, Earl of Dowling. He contrives anintroduction to Margaret because of her dowry, but sheswiftly sets him right: no fortune hunter will win her heart orher hand. Far from put off, Rhys is intrigued. Interested.Entranced. And soon the only thing he needsmore than Margaret’s fortune . . . is her love.

Sara Lawrence is happy to be a young widow, but her brothers insist on marrying her off again. The solution? Sara asks Nick Montrose, the notorious Earl of Bridgeton, to teach her how to ruin herself, thus rendering herself unmarriageable. Envisioning the day when the luscious Sara winds up in his bed, Nick is all too happy to oblige-but when he sees her "practicing" her lessons on other men, he′s inexplicably enraged. Then comes the day Sara′s brothers catch her and Nick in a compromising position-which leads to a speedy marriage neither wants. Can the love they don′t recognize find a way through their warring desires?

How can she dare to imagine he loves her . . . when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess?

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime . . . until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry.

Society was shocked by their wedding . . . and is scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his life, convincing Theo that he loves the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that, for a man with the soul of a pirate, All's Fair in Love-and War.