S.L. Prater

The fae Duke of Night doesn't believe in love—but he'll claim his mate nonetheless. Mating is a matter of politics for Night, not the heart. To prevent a forced union that will plunge the Lunar Court into war, he must find and bond his true mate. When he lays eyes on Rain, he knows the shy forest witch is the bond mate he's been searching for. Unprepared for the intensity of his attraction, Night makes an offer that would keep his priorities straight and his court safe: a marriage of convenience. Any eligible woman—mortal and immortal alike—would leap at the chance to become the powerful duke's bride. But Rain isn't interested. She's lived outside of society too long to ever fit into Night's world of shapeshifting tricksters and back-stabbing politicians. And Rain demands more than the trappings of marriage. She wants a match with heart. Night doesn't have the luxury of time to change his mate's mind. War looms closer and the Lunar Court is caught in the middle. Out of options, the fae duke sees only one choice. Kidnap his bride.

“I can’t tell if you’re about to kiss me or arrest me …” Sheriff Nottingham should not be enjoying his pursuit of the witch Robin Hood. It’s supposed to be a job: catch the thief, bring her to justice, pursue the next criminal. But the longer their game of cat and mouse goes on, the more he never wants it to end. Nottingham senses Robin is luring him into a political dispute between the king and an ambitious prince—a battle that threatens to destitute the poor in Sherwood. But the sheriff can’t risk getting involved. He’s already overwhelmed raising his little sister Marian and keeping the people of Sherwood safe, and Prince John isn’t an enemy he can afford to make. Robin’s alluring use of illusion magic has Nottingham at his weakest. The closer he comes to capturing the witch outlaw, the closer she gets to stealing his trousers again … and his heart.

Mischievous magic, cruel demonic bargains, and forbidden love combine in this romantic fantasy series starter. Marnie is a gifted witch, but magic has a mind of its own. Left unchecked it will always misbehave. Now a demonic curse threatens Lord Bran, a man Marnie has cherished since their childhood. She uses her abilities to save him, rekindling a heart-stopping affection she’s tired of resisting. On the island city of Loreley, the evolving romance between a lord and a witch will trigger a dangerous political war, one they may not survive.

She thought she could trust him. Then he forced her to marry him—and he won’t even tell her why… Ana didn’t want any part of the long-standing tradition of priests marrying untamed witches. David, a provost at the legendary University of Kriegspiel, was supposed to be her unlikely ally. Her friend. Then for reasons he concealed, he trapped her at the altar. Shrouded in mystery, their arranged marriage will pull Ana down a dark path of discovery. Now enemies, Ana must gain David’s permission to become the first witch student at the esteemed university. David makes efforts to win his wife’s affection, but Ana has a few surprises of her own. Can enemies become lovers, or are the secrets that separate them too great? Content Warning: This book is naughty. The steam is plentiful and consensual. True to life, some foul language is used. Secret Witch is written as a standalone fantasy romance set in a magical Gaslamp/Victorian setting, featuring forced proximity, arranged marriage, mature characters, and a grumpy/sunshine trope. It shares a universe with the Street Witch Series and can be read in any order.

The Wild Witch … Hrafn is one of the Winged Ones—a warrior witch of old—and the last of her clan. Duty-bound to watch over the sacred resting place of her kin, her honor is challenged when a fae lord’s magical shadows chase her from her home. The Mad Marquess . . . Descended from the old god of legend, Malcolm Rauor possesses the ability to steal one’s sanity. The marquess views his power and the eerie shadows that serve him as an affliction, one dooming him to a lonely immortal existence. Everything changes after a disastrous chance encounter with a wild witch on the outskirts of his estate. The woman is the mate he’d long ago lost all hope of ever finding. Malcolm’s love language is death threats and violence. When Hrafn appears to be fluent in both, he kidnaps his mate. Accidentally. Now what’s he to do?

For a desperate duchess, an Unseelie duke could be the perfect fake fiancé. A fae woman named Tomorrow is set to inherit a wealthy duchy. The one she must marry a man of gentle breeding. To make it to the altar, she’ll have to survive her family first. The next in line will stop at nothing to keep her from collecting. When she’s introduced to the Unseelie Duke of the Dead, she’s certain he’s the partner she’s looking for. He’s dragon-strong and just as big and frightening as he is handsome. Most importantly, he appears to be as down on his luck as she is. The Duke of the Dead … Darko lost everything to war and a tyrannical father. When Tomorrow approaches him with a promised fortune and an offer to act as her pretend lover, he's intrigued. As they work together to thwart her enemies, a mate bond begins to bud between them, but Tomorrow has secrets she’s not yet ready to share. She warns Darko against forming an attachment, but what happens when the duke is done playing pretend?

The Bargainer … Just like the fae of legend, Jonas Moen makes advantageous deals no desperate soul can turn away. A talented trickster, he’s amassed such great wealth he’s rumored to have more gold than the king himself. But there’s one thing he’s yet to acquire: a fae lord’s title. Born a commoner, he continues to be denied entry to the best the Lunar Court has to offer. If he can secure the hand of a titled woman, he’ll finally have it all. But first, he’ll need to find a lady desperate enough to ignore his humble parentage and his wicked character. The Wanton Witch … Years ago, Lady Frances Aaberg sacrificed her reputation for a man she thought she loved, only to lose it all, including a piece of her soul. Now a desperate witch, she’ll do what’s needed to save her family from financial ruin, even if that means entertaining the offer of a marriage of convenience from the wicked Bargainer himself. Jonas Moen is distractingly handsome and his penchant for dry sarcasm is admittedly amusing, but Frances makes it clear that anything more than a business arrangement between partners is not an option. She entertains his offer of matrimony but resists when a mate bond begins to blossom between them. The last time a man promised her the world, she lost everything. Only a fool would trust the wicked Bargainer with their heart … This cozy kissing book can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Rain clings to life by her fingertips. She's lost too much blood. The assassin circles her, waiting for her to succumb, but Rain made a vow to her mate, the Duke of Night. She promised him the head of his enemies, and she longs to seat him on the empty throne. Night only offered her a marriage of convenience. Now she's determined to win his heart and keep hers beating. Succumbing just isn't in the cards. The looming war between Seelie and Unseelie threatens to overwhelm all that she holds dear, but Rain has a will unmatched by death. When knocked down, she always gets back up again. She'll search through the mysteries of her past to recruit every available ally. She'll face each adversary who threatens her new unconventional family with her dagger in hand and her demon familiar at her side. The duke doesn't believe in love, but Rain just might trust in it enough for the both of them . . . Contains mature themes. ©2023 S. L. Prater (P)2023 Tantor Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

"Before the summer ends, I’m going to ask you to marry me,” the beast said. “And you won’t say no …" Fiona is ready to spend her holiday having fun, but her father has other plans. Worried that his witch daughter has become too reckless after suffering a loss, he bargains her off to serve as assistant to Dr. Elias Van Doorn. Cursed by a demon to take on the form of a beast, the famous doctor works in seclusion. Fiona should be frightened by his horns and his size. She shouldn’t find his aggravation so delightful or the swish of his tail so captivating or his arrogant mouth so alluring. An irresistible bond begins to form between them, but as she surrenders to her primal desire, she resists giving up her heart. Grief, it seems, is the greater curse. In just one summer can the clever beast tame this beauty and claim his fated mate? Of Roses and Rituals is a Gaslamp romance that shares a universe with previous books, but it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Trapped in a haunted castle with my immortal enemy. The Duke of the Damned is dead. When my coven is blamed for his murder, I’m desperate to clear their name before my sisters are arrested and I lose the only family I’ve ever known. But I only have one week to find the culprit, and the new heir to the duchy is none other than Detective Liam Rorick, my enigmatic ex-partner and archenemy. It doesn’t matter if Rorick is a competent investigator. He’s the most cantankerous vampire I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing. There’s a reason I swore I’d never work with him again. And yet that’s exactly what I have to do. Now we’re trapped together in the malevolent castle he’s just inherited, trading insults and fighting magical monsters to survive. I want nothing more than to go back to pretending he doesn’t exist . . . but Rorick protects me like I’m precious and keeps looking at me like he regrets our past. With each close call and each revealed clue, it becomes harder to fight our undeniable connection. But even the castle’s hungriest creatures aren't as frightening as opening my heart to the one man capable of devouring it whole.

Her heart will never belong to anyone else. Finley Twenty years ago, Rynn abandoned me to an abyss without her. Her betrayal haunts me more than any ghost at my manor ever could. Years of grief and suffering have even changed my face. But now I’ve found her. She’s hiding in a den of iniquity, working as a courtesan under a false name. She won't recognize me or the scars that her actions caused—not until it’s too late. My cage is ready for her inside my haunted estate. Rynn’s heart is mine, and I intend to break it. Rynn I found a man hiding out in my room. I should have known better than to trust him, but there was a beautiful darkness to him that captivated me. He had the saddest eyes I’d ever seen. He was just a pretty devil in disguise. If Finley thinks he can trap me for long inside a cage, even a gilded one, he will rue the day. I always give as good as I get. He can have my heart if he wants it so badly. The organ is nothing but a nuisance. This Haunted Heart features a morally gray hero facing off against a morally gray heroine set during the Gilded Age with a paranormal twist. It contains mature themes, an intense trauma bond, and banter that never quits. Perfect for readers craving a touch of gothic in their historical romance.