Anne Gracie

A phony engagement turns into real passion in this delightful Regency romance from award-winning author Anne Gracie. Fate has lavished beauty on the Merridew sisters—that is, all save the eldest. But plain Prudence bears no grudge; she loves her four beautiful sisters infinitely. So when their abusive grandfather is laid up with an injury, she seizes the opportunity to concoct an ingenious plan that will allow all five of them to escape the clutches of their legal guardian. All it will take is a little matrimonial deception... A renowned rake, Gideon, Lord Carradice, has a way of making ladies swoon. But when Prudence arrives at his doorstep and mistakes him for his cousin, the Duke, it is Gideon who’s infatuated. The delightful spitfire claims she and the Duke are engaged—although a taller tale was never told. In spite of the lies, Gideon is so taken with charming Prudence that he’s eager to join her game, especially if it will award him a stolen kiss or two. Now, Prudence’s plot is about to go terribly, albeit deliciously, awry...

Society rogue Sebastian Reyne's search for a practical wife comes to a crashing halt when he dances with the effervescent Hopoe Merridew-and is seduced into a delicious intrigue of sensuality and desire. Contains mature themes.

Anne Gracie is “always terrific,”* and now the award-winning author delivers a brand-new series about four young women on the verge of destitution—until a daring act changes their fortune and transforms each of them into a glowing bride… Governess Abigail Chantry will do anything to save her sister and two dearest friends from destitution, even if it means breaking into an empty mansion in the hope of finding something to sell. Instead of treasures, though, she finds the owner, Lady Beatrice Davenham, bedridden and neglected. Appalled, Abby rousts Lady Beatrice's predatory servants and—with Lady Beatrice's eager cooperation—the four young ladies become her “nieces,” neatly eliminating the threat of disaster for all concerned! It's the perfect situation, until Lady Beatrice’s dashing and arrogant nephew, Max, Lord Davenham, returns from the Orient—and discovers an impostor running his household… A romantic entanglement was never the plan for these stubborn, passionate opponents—but falling in love may be as inevitable as the falling of autumn leaves...    *Mary Jo Putney

They vow to love, honor, cherish... With her signature spirit, Faith Merridew has left everything she's ever known for the man she thought was the love of her life. Instead he leaves her name—and dreams—in the dust. That is, until she crosses paths with Nicholas Blacklock, a Waterloo veteran, who offers to save her reputation with a marriage of convenience. ...And then get to know one another. A hardened soldier, Nick hides a deadly secret—and tries to keep Faith at arm's length. But even though Nick can command legions of men with a word, his orders go sweetly ignored by his convenient bride. And as they come to know one another more deeply, she brings out in him things he thought dead: gentleness, laughter...and love.

From the award-winning author of The Summer Bride comes the first in a charming new historical romance series where marriages of convenience turn into true love matches.Major Calbourne Rutherford returns to England on the trail of an assassin, only to find he’s become Lord Ashendon, with the responsibility for vast estates and dependent relatives. Cal can command the toughest of men, but his wild half-sisters are quite another matter. They might just be his undoing.When he discovers that Miss Emmaline Westwood, the girls’ former teacher, guides them with ease, Cal offers her a marriage of convenience. But strong-minded and independent Emm is neither as compliant nor as proper as he expected, and Cal finds himself most inconveniently seduced by his convenient wife.Emm knows they didn’t marry for love, yet beneath her husband’s austere facade, she catches glimpses of a man who takes her breath away. As pride, duty and passion clash, will these two stubborn hearts find more than they ever dreamed of?

A shy heiress and a well-known rake face a scandal-forced marriage that might be true love in the latest irresistible romance from the national bestselling author of Marry in Haste. Shy young heiress, Lady Lily Rutherford, is in no hurry to marry. She dreams of true love and a real courtship. But when disaster strikes, she finds herself facing a scandal-forced marriage to her rescuer, Edward Galbraith, a well known rake. Despite his reputation Lily is drawn to the handsome Galbraith. In the gamble of her life, she agrees to marry him, hoping to turn a convenient marriage into a love match. As heir to a title, Galbraith knows he must wed, so a convenient marriage suits him perfectly. But there is a darkness in his past, and secrets he refuses to share with his tender-hearted young bride. All Lily's efforts to get close to him fall on stony ground, and in desperation she retreats to his childhood home—the place he's avoided for nearly a decade. Must Lily reconcile herself to a marriage without love? Or will Galbraith realize that this warm-hearted, loving girl is the key to healing the wounds of his past—and his heart?

Four young women face a life of destitution—until a daring act changes their fortune and turns them each into a beautiful bride. In The Winter Bride, a compromising situation leads to an unexpected wedding and delicious temptation.... Damaris Chance’s unhappy past has turned her off the idea of marriage forever. But her guardian, Lady Beatrice Davenham, convinces her to make her coming out anyway—and have a season of carefree, uncomplicated fun. When Damaris finds herself trapped in a compromising situation with the handsome rake Freddy Monkton-Coombes, she has no choice but to agree to wed him—as long as it’s in name only. Her new husband seems to accept her terms, but Freddy has a plan of his own: to seduce his reluctant winter bride. Will Damaris’s secrets destroy her chance at true happiness? Or can Freddy help her cast off the shackles of the past, and yield to delicious temptation?

When two strangers meet under false pretenses during an idyllic week in the French countryside, they’ll each need to face the truth to find one other again, in a dazzling new Regency romance from the national bestselling author of The Heiress’s Daughter.Orphaned Zoë Benoît has spent the last three years in Paris learning how to be a lady. But Zoë is torn—as an independent spirit and a talented artist, she cannot help but want more than the tightly controlled life of a society lady.On an impulsive visit to the château where her mother lived, Zoë, disguised as a maidservant named Vita, meets a handsome wandering artist, known simply as Reynard. One blissful week with the charming Reynard convinces Zoë that this is the man and the life for her—until she discovers what he’s been hiding from her, and she flees, heartbroken.Longing for the chance to redeem himself, Reynard searches far and wide for the woman he knows as Vita, to no avail. Disheartened, he returns to England to reluctantly resume his role as Julian Fox, the Earl of Foxton. However, when he sees one of Zoë’s paintings, he realizes she’s in London, and becomes desperate to find her before it’s too late. But even if they reunite, can he convince Zoë he’s worthy of her trust and prove to her that, with him, she can be a free-spirited artist and a countess?

An earl is forced to play matchmaker for the daughters of a rake in a smart and witty new Regency romance from the national bestselling author of The Scoundrel’s Daughter. Recently returned to England, Leo, the new Earl of Salcott, discovers he's been thrust into the role of guardian to an heiress, the daughter of a notorious rake. Even worse, his wealthy ward has brought her half-sister, the beautiful but penniless Isobel, with her. Leo must introduce Clarissa to London society and find her a suitable husband, but her illegitimate half sister, Izzy, is quite another matter. Her lowly birth makes her quite unacceptable in aristocratic circles. However, the girls are determined to enter society together. They’re devoted to each other and despite the risk of scandal and ruin if Izzy’s parentage is discovered, they refuse to be separated. Much to Leo’s frustration, nothing he says or does will convince them otherwise. To further complicate matters, sparks fly every time Leo and Izzy interact. Called away for a quick visit to his country estate, Leo instructs the young ladies to stay quietly at home and consider their position. But when he returns, he's infuriated to discover that Clarissa and Izzy have launched themselves into society—and with tremendous success! There's no going back. Now Leo must enter society himself, protect Clarissa from fortune hunters, and try not to be driven mad by the sharp-witted, rebellious Izzy, and the rich, unworthy men drawn to her beauty.

A rugged and ruined naval officer comes to claim his bride in an unforgettable tale of love, revenge and redemption from the national bestselling author of Marry in Scandal.  Lady Rose Rutherford—rebel, heiress, and exasperated target of the town's hungry bachelors—has a plan to gain the freedom she so desperately she will enter into a marriage of convenience with the biggest prize on the London marriage mart. There's just one the fierce-looking man who crashes her wedding to the Duke of Everingham — Thomas Beresford, the young naval officer she fell in love with and secretly married when she was still a schoolgirl. Thought to have died four years ago he's returned, a cold, hard stranger with one driving purpose—revenge.   Embittered by betrayal and hungry for vengeance, Thomas will stop at nothing to reclaim his rightful place, even if that means using Rose—and her fortune—to do it. But Rose never did follow the rules, and as she takes matters into her own unpredictable hands, Thomas finds himself in an unexpected and infuriating he's falling in love with his wife....

A hot-headed vow to marry the first woman he sees, a meeting in a muddy bog, a hasty marriage between strangers, and a bride who demands to be courted — after the wedding, In order to take his place as laird before his trustee uncle bankrupts the clan buying fripperies, Cameron Fraser vows to marry the first woman he meets — and he always keeps his vows. So even though the first woman he meets seems totally unsuitable, he marries her anyway. In the gamble of her life, shepherdess Jeannie McLeay agrees to marry this grim-faced, handsome stranger. She comes to her marriage with nothing but dreams and a heart full of hope. But there's more to Jeannie than meets the eye, and Cameron soon learns that the young woman he married so impulsively is no pushover. Confident as he might be about women, Cameron still has a lot to learn. With a marriage made for purely financial reasons, can these two very different strangers ever find love? the first third of this book appeared in The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance as a short story. It's now three times as long and, I hope, a more satisfying read.

A marriage born of passion and scandal turns into something more from the bestselling author of Marry in Secret. When a duke denied... The proud and arrogant Duke of Everingham is determined to secure a marriage of convenience with heiress Lady Georgiana Rutherford. He's the biggest prize on the London marriage mart, pursued by young unmarried ladies and their match-making mamas, as well as married women with a wandering eye. He can have any woman he wants. Or so he thinks... ...Hunts an independent lady... Lady Georgiana Rutherford—irreverent and unconventional—has no plans to marry. Having grown up poor, Lady George has no intention of giving up her fortune to become dependent on the dubious and unreliable goodwill of a man. Especially a man as insufferable as the Duke of Everingham, whose kisses stirs unwelcome and unsettling emotions... ...Sparks are sure to fly The more she defies him, the more the duke wants her, until an argument at a ball spirals into a passionate embrace. Caught in a compromising position, the duke announces their betrothal. George is furious, and when gossip claims she deliberately entrapped the duke—when she was the one who was trapped—she marches down the aisle in a scarlet wedding dress. But the unlikely bride and groom may have found love in the most improbable of places—a marriage of convenience.

A dog in need of rescue brings together a young debutante and a mysterious stranger in this regency charmer from the beloved Anne Gracie. For fans of Mary Balogh and Madeline Hunter.On the eve of the London Season, Jane Chance is about to make her entrance into high society. And after a childhood riddled with poverty and hardship, Jane intends to make a good, safe, sensible marriage. All goes according to plan until a dark, dangerous vagabond helps her rescue a dog.Zachary Black is all kinds of unsuitable—a former spy, now in disguise, he’s wanted for murder. His to lie low until his name is cleared. But Zach has never followed the rules, and he wants Jane Chance for his own.If that means blazing his way into London society, in whatever guise suits him, that’s what he’ll do. Jane knows she shouldn’t fall in love with this unreliable, if devastatingly attractive, rogue. But Zach is determined—and he‘s a man accustomed to getting what he wants.

From the award-winning author of The Spring Bride comes the conclusion to the quartet about four sisters, four weddings, and a bride for every season...Fiercely independent Daisy Chance has a dream—and it doesn’t involve marriage or babies (or being under any man’s thumb). Raised in poverty, she has a passion—and a talent—for making beautiful clothes. Daisy aims to become the finest dressmaker in London.   Dashing Irishman Patrick Flynn is wealthy and ambitious, and has entered society to find an aristocratic bride. Instead, he finds himself growing increasingly attracted to the headstrong, clever and outspoken Daisy. She’s wrong in every way—except the way she sets his heart racing.   However, when Flynn proposes marriage, Daisy refuses. She won't give up her hard-won independence. Besides, she doesn't want to join the fine ladies of society—she wants to dress them. She might, however, consider becoming Flynn's secret mistress. . .   But Flynn wants a wife, not a mistress, and when Flynn sets his heart on something, nothing can stand in his way. . .

Before she sets out to see the world, Grace Merridew must first help her timid friend, who is being forced to marry Dominic Wolfe, boorish heir to a huge estate. To that end, Grace disguises herself as a plain and mousy chaperone. But when they arrive at the estate, Grace finds herself being pursued by a big bad Wolfe.

After an accident, a dashing rogue awakens in a country cottage, where he is being nursed back to health by one innocent beauty and five not-so-innocent orphaned children... When Nash Renfrew wakes in the bed of lovely Maddy Woodford, he thinks he's dreaming. Then he learns of his accident and the loss of his memory. But when it returns, Nash has no desire to leave Maddy's side and he pretends he still has amnesia. With each passing day, Nash's attraction to Maddy grows. But he's a diplomat and she's just a country girl. How can he even entertain thoughts of seducing her? With five orphaned half siblings in her charge, Maddy needs the money Nash offers and accepts it even though she, knows his stay will stir gossip. She can't deny his presence makes her feel safe. Nor can she deny the passion promised with each soft caress. But their love is also igniting a danger neither of them realizes -- and a threat to a newfound love. neither Maddy nor Nash can live without...

It was the perfect excuse to delay a dreaded marriage of convenience?head off on an exotic journey to track down a young lady missing in Egypt for six years. Rafe Ramsey, son of the Earl of Axebridge, is utterly besotted when he finally locates the beautiful and spirited Ayisha, who has taken a new name. But a mysterious past has made it impossible for her to return to England, and she is on the run from something far more serious than an unwanted betrothal.

From Anne Gracie come the Devil Riders—four soldiers back from war and forced to adapt to a new world. Here, meet Gabriel Renfrew, who rescues a runaway princess—and falls head over heels in love. The estranged younger son of an earl, Gabriel Renfrew earned glory and honor on the battlefield, but now, without purpose, he finds himself deliberately courting danger at every turn. Then one night he races his horse along a dangerous moonlit cliff—and stumbles upon a beautiful woman obviously in need of saving. A princess on the run, Callie has disguised herself and her son, the crown prince, as commoners, hoping to protect him from those intent on stealing the throne. She has no choice but to trust the handsome ex-officer who's come to her rescue, even when he insists that only a marriage of convenience will provide her the ultimate protection. But while her new husband may keep Callie and her son safe from assassins, what will he do to her heart?

A chance meeting on a dark highway, a wounded heroine, a hero-in-waiting and Christmas... When Blake Ashton reluctantly returns to England for a business meeting—his first visit in ten years—he learns his partners are getting ready for a big family Christmas in the country. Ash wants none of that. He has just one plan in mind—to show his face, then immediately return to his free and easy life in the Far East. Making his way to Devon on a freezing dark night, he's accosted on the road by a footpad. Shots are exchanged, and to Ash's horror, he discovers he's accidentally wounded a girl. Ash can't leave her bleeding in the road, so he stays and tends her. Charlotte Underwood, in hiding from an unscrupulous guardian, is battling to support herself and her little brother. Wounded, and helpless in the hands of this handsome stranger, Charley soon realizes her heart is in danger from him too. Swept into a family Christmas with Max and Abby Davenham and Abby's 'sisters of the heart'—not to mention their imperious aunt, Lady Beatrice—Charley finds the friendship and support her lonely heart craves. And as his feelings for Charley grow, Ash is forced to face up to his own past and the reason he left England in the first place.

Eight years ago, Lieutentant Luke Ripton made a hasty wartime marriage-in-name-only to protect a young girl from a forced union and left her protected in a remote mountain convent. Now, Luke is Lord Ripton, but he has been unable to obtain an annullment. Which leaves him no choice but to claim a wife he doesn't want. For nearly a decade, Isabella has waited like a princess locked in a tower, dreaming of her handsome, dark-haired prince. Her dreams are shattered when Luke reveals himself not as a prince, but an autocratic soldier, expecting her unquestioning obedience, which is something Isabella's fiercely independent nature will not tolerate. And while Luke and Isabella's fiery personalities clash at every turn, they remain bound to their vows, never expecting that the passionate fury they share could become passion of a different kind...

Na de dood van haar vader staat Kate Farleigh er alleen voor. Omdat ze liefdadigheid verafschuwt, besluit ze als dienstmeid te gaan werken. Dat gaat Lady Cahill, de peettante van haar moeder, te ver. Kordaat ontvoert ze Kate om haar in Londen een welgestelde echtgenoot te bezorgen. Als ze overnachten op het landgoed van haar kleinzoon Jack, ziet Kate hoe verwaarloosd het is, daarom stelt ze voor als huishoudster voor hem te gaan werken. De baan blijkt veel moeilijker dan verwacht. De norse, supermannelijke Jack roept gevoelens in haar op die ze niet kan bedwingen; volkomen ongepaste, schaamteloze gevoelens! Waar mogelijk zal ze hem uit de weg moeten gaan. Helaas wordt dat voornemen ernstig ondermijnd - door Jack Carstairs zelf!

No one can resist the Devil four war heroes in search of one good woman.Harry Morant's tough exterior hides a badly scarred heart. The natural son of an earl, high-born ladies have only one use for him-in the bedchamber. Now, after eight years at war, Harry is breeding racehorses and planning a practical, unemotional marriage. But when he buys a new estate, his careful plans are threatened by an unexpected passion for- of all things-an earl's daughter.

When Miss Kit Singleton's arrival in London coincided with a spate of robberies from members of the ton, Hugo Devenish couldn't explain why he suspected the innocent-looking beauty. But when the clues added up, Hugo knew his instincts had been right all along. Kit had to cease this dangerous game immediately! Only for Kit, it wasn't a game; she'd made a sacred promise to avenge her papa's honour. Surely Hugo could understand that she mustn't break her word - even to please the man she was falling in love with.

Kidnapped by an elderly member of the peerage! Kate Farleigh was absolutely stunned when her refusal to accept Lady Cahill's offer of "charity" resulted in her being swept away in her sumptuous carriage. But the real reason behind the older woman's antics became stunningly clear upon meeting Lady Cahill's enigmatic grandson, Jack Carstairs. Wounded in the Peninsular War, disowned by his father and dumped by his fiancee, Jack had shut himself up in his country estate, but Kate had no patience with such behavior. Suddenly, Jack found himself with a purpose, trying to steer clear of Miss Farleigh's attempts to interfere with his chosen lifestyle. Why, if he wasn't careful, Kate just might succeed in her attempts to make him want to rejoin the human race!

When Lady Charlton is forced into becoming London's most reluctant matchmaker, sparks fly and romance ensues, from the national bestselling author of Marry in Scarlet. Alice, Lady Charlton, is finally free of her dominating husband, but on the verge of her new life, she is trapped when a blackmailer threatens to publish letters that could ruin her. To protect the secrets of her past Alice must find a lord for his daughter, Lucy, to marry. Alice reluctantly agrees to find the girl a noble husband but when Lucy arrives, she's difficult and uncooperative and has no interest in her father's scheme. A lord, she says, will only look down his nose at her—and she's having none of that! Desperate to retrieve the letters, Alice enlists the aid of her handsome young nephew, Gerald, who in turn seeks the help of his former commanding officer, James, Lord Tarrant. James is soon beguiled by the marriage-averse widow and sets out to change her mind. And each time they meet, Gerald and Lucy strike sparks off each other. To find happiness, Alice and Lucy will have to be brave and trust in each other and the men who are attempting to win their hearts.

A dashing rake must prove he has changed his scandalous ways to win his one true love from the arms of another, in a witty new Regency romance from the national bestselling author of The Rake's Daughter.   Heiress Clarissa Studley yearns to be loved for more than her fortune. Warmhearted, but plain and shy, she wishes to marry, but has two firm rules: no rakes and no fortune-hunters — her father was both, and she’ll never forget the misery he caused. So, when Race, Lord Randall, starts to pay Clarissa attention, she knows she must keep him at a distance. Attractive and charming he might be, Race’s reputation precedes him and she’s observed first hand his flirtatious ways with London society beauties. But Race sees a beauty in Clarissa that others cannot, and for the first time in his life, he is truly in love. And when a rival for Clarissa's affections appears — a handsome, wounded war hero, heir to his great-aunt’s fortune — Race becomes desperate as Clarissa seems tempted to make a safer, tamer choice. Can Race convince Clarissa that his love is true and that she can trust him with her heart? And can Clarissa put aside her unhappy past, and follow her heart, despite the risk of loving a rake?

Magnus has decided to select a bride! Miss Thalia Robinson, a destitute orphan, was fortunate that she had been allowed to look after her cousin Laetitia's three adorable children. Tallie usually spent her quiet life lost in daydreams, but the arrival of a house party to aid Magnus, Earl of d'Arenville, to find a wife, turned her world upside down. Magnus's cold facade had been pierced by a delightful small girl, and now he'd decided he wanted children of his own. For that, he needed a wife. But things didn't go according to Laetitia's plan, for he ignored all the debutantes that were presented to him, and, taken with Tallie's loving treatment of the children in her charge, decided that she was the one he would marry...