Still unwed at 21, an unconventional high-spirited woman finds her affections sought by a handsome, devilishly charming earl, who is nicknamed "The Ideal" by the ton—for his combination of wealth and looks. Though at first she fights his advances, slowly she forms a heated alliance with him. But sparring with words soon turns into a succumbing passion.

After the cold-blooded murder of her odious husband, Marisol Pendenning, a lovely but pregnant young widow, and Lord Kimbrough, the handsome aristocrat who had been the last to see the victim alive, are drawn into the search for a killer.

Viscount Aubrey "Stony" Wellstone is at the end of his rope - and the end of his family's once-great fortune. Desperate, he tries his luck at the gaming tables, where an offer to exchange his debts for a gentlemanly favor leads to a profitable new profession. The fiercely independent, flame-tressed Miss Ellianne Kane would normally have no use for an upper-class attendant - even one as striking as Stony - but she needs Aubrey's help.

Lovely Lisanne Neville had always found solace in the verdant beauty of Sevrin Woods. But now the woods were about to be destroyed in order to pay off the gambling debts of the Duke of St. Sevrin. Clearly, drastic measures were called for. So Lisanne proposed marriage to the duke. The deal: her fortune for his woods.

When the local magistrate jailed Jacelyn Trevaine's pet dog as a public nuisance, the country miss knew he meant to blackmail her into socializing with his nephew. High-spirited Jacelyn decided to free her dog by kidnapping the precious nephew, but unfortunately she abducted the wrong gentleman! Her captive was none other than handsome Lord Leigh Claibourne - returned war hero and rake extraordinaire. And four hours alone with the libertine Earl was tantamount to social ruin. Of course, she was already ruined.

Delirious with fever, Rosellen Lockharte summons all her strength to pen several letters from her attic deathbed. Soon all who set her willy-nilly on this path to perdition as a penmanship teacher will learn that in her final hour she forgave them. All except him. But why wait for Judgment Day to tell Viscount Stanford she thinks he is the most heinous of humans?

He's a master of disguises...but he can't mask true love. Spymaster Harry Harmon's new assignment is to spy on enemies at a country house party. To do that, he'll require a courtesan: learned, truthful, and beautiful.... Poor, sensible, smart Simone Ryland has come to Mrs. Burton's bawdy house in search of work. But instead, she finds Harmon in need of her special skills.

Aurora Halle McPhee, a girl of humble (some might say unconventional) background, cannot believe her luck when she is betrothed to the dashing, well-bred Harland Podell. Aurora soon learns, however, that the match is too good to be true when the nuptials are interrupted by the brother of the groom's wife! Kenyon Warriner, Earl of Windham, is determined to foil that bigamous bounder Podell before he disgraces another innocent female as he did Kenyon's own sister.

Robert Rothmore, Earl of Rockford, thinks Alissa Henning is simply delightful-exactly the kind of woman who'd make the perfect mother for his sons. But Alissa swore she'd spend the rest of her life scraping pennies together rather than wed the insufferable earl and become a glorified governess. Still, she couldn't very well let her own children starve - and there was no doubt that Rockford would give them all a good life. So, she reluctantly accepts his offer...but there's more to a good life than what's in one's pockets.

Where was Uncle Albert? The day of Lady Whilton's nuptials was fast approaching, and the spiteful old lout had disappeared. Daphne Whilton, the bride's daughter, knew what happened. She had found him dead in his chambers and vowed to keep it a secret, fearing the miser's legacy would destroy her mother's glorious wedding.

Give the gift of love this holiday season with five romantic, magical Christmas stories - and feel as if you've just been kissed beneath the mistletoe. Originally published in separate anthologies and out of print for many years, these Christmas-themed novellas by legendary Regency romance author Barbara Metzger are in one volume for the first time ever!

A war hero's widow, Graceanne, still has her adorable three year old twin boys to love, until she receives a letter from her late husband's demanding cousin, Leland Warrington, the Duke of Ware. It seems that the duke, 32 years old, twice widowed, and with no forseeable plans to marry again, is in desperate need of an heir. And seeing that Graceanne has two boys, she could easily spare one.

Though barely out of the schoolroom, Melody Ashton was determined to save her mother from scandal. Guardian of several "orphans" (in actuality the illegitimate children of the ton!) poor Mama was accused of pilfering contributions. To make matters worse, the infuriatingly handsome Lord Coe had accused them all of blackmailing his sister, whose child resided with them!

Celebrate the magic of the holiday season with a little Regency romance! Originally published in separate anthologies, and out-of-print for many years, these Christmas-themed novellas by legendary Regency romance author Barbara Metzger are in one volume for the first time ever! This collection includes the following stories: "Greetings of the Season", "The Proof Is in the Pudding", "Three Good Deeds", "Christmas Wish List", and "Little Miracles".

Spoiled and ungoverned, Fitz was not suitable companion for a lady of fashion....And certainly no proper chaperon. Fitz begged to disagree - after all, a dog was a true incomparable as far as friendship, loyalty, and protection - and soon lovely Miss Sonia was plucked by her rusticated roots and packed off, dog and all, to London. Perhaps there she would find a husband to tame her free-spirited ways - and keep her out of trouble.

Ace Endicott, the Earl of Carde, needs a woman who will give him an heir, but he never expects to be engaged to three different women, or to become the laughingstock of the gossip columnists. Escaping this London nightmare, he takes a chance and comes up with a winning hand in the game of love.

Is Number 67 Clarges Steet the unluckiest house in Mayfair? Every season the beau mondes of the Regency would hire a house in the heart of London’s fashionable West End at disproportionately high rent for often inferior accommodation and yet Number 67 Clarges Street, a town house complete with staff, remains vacant from year to year. Could it be that it is associated with ill luck and even death? Something must be done so that the servants of this house don’t lose their livelihood.

Major Calborne 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.

Andrew Carrington, Earl of Bellingham, believes in being a gentleman, whether it's fishing a soggy stranger out of the Thames or assisting a fetching lady into his bed. If the stranger becomes a friend and the lady a mistress, all the better. He certainly welcomes the opportunity to help Laura Davenport, a dazzling young widow with a rebellious stepson. Her gratitude, he hopes, will take an amorous form. But from the moment he sets foot in her drawing room, he gets far more than he bargained for.

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!

The arrogant Duke of Trent intends to marry a well-bred Englishwoman. The last woman he would ever consider marrying is the adventuresome Merry Pelford - an American heiress who has infamously jilted two fiancés. But after one provocative encounter with the captivating Merry, Trent desires her more than any woman he has ever met. He is determined to have her as his wife, no matter what it takes. And Trent is a man who always gets what he wants.

Virginia Henley pens sumptuous historical romances eagerly devoured by fans. In The Irish Duke, Henley delivers an enthralling tale about a woman determined not to fall in love. Lord Abercorn of Ireland fell madly for Louisa when they were children. But she refused him then, as she still refuses every man, adamant she will never marry. Yet when scandal rocks her family, Louisa must accept Lord Abercorn as her husband.

In Vicky Dreiling’s enchanting Regency romance debut, Tristan - the rakish duke of Shelbourne - wants to marry and sire an heir. To help him choose among the dizzying array of wealthy but witless candidates, he secures the services of prim and proper matchmaker Miss Tessa Mansfield. But as Tessa seeks the perfect mate, the duke finds himself distracted by Tessa’s considerable charms.

When her vile brother's wicked scheming ruins her reputation, Eleanor Chivenham is forced into a marriage of convenience. Yet there is much more to her new husband than meets the eye, and soon her heart is filled with unexpected desires.

Self-made civil engineer Geoffrey Brookhouse has unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Greenwood. But he has a secret that could ruin his family. Hoping to save his timid sister from that fate, he seeks to marry her off to a respectable, protective gentleman. With the London Season imminent, Geoffrey hires Elegant Occasions to orchestrate her debut. Yet Lady Diana Harper, spirited fashion expert, proves more than he bargained for. Suddenly, Geoffrey’s sister is emerging from her shell, and he is beleaguered with social invitations and gossip!

In this collection of six short stories, the people of Pride and Prejudice move on, grow up, and explore paths not taken. Time leads these beloved characters down roads of self-discovery, courage, and heartbreak. And sometimes the journey takes them to surprising places.

Hugh Philemon Ancaster, seventh Duke of Ripley, will never win prizes for virtue. But even he draws the line at running off with his best friend's bride. All he's trying to do is recapture the slightly inebriated Lady Olympia Hightower and return her to her intended bridegroom. For reasons that elude her, bookish, bespectacled Olympia is supposed to marry a gorgeous rake of a duke. The ton is flabbergasted. Her family's ecstatic. And Olympia? She's climbing out of a window, bent on a getaway.

He's inherited a title, but not a penny to speak of, so the Earl of Rochdale knows he must find a wife - preferably one tolerably pretty and good-tempered but definitely wealthy, and who will exchange her fortune for his family name. His choice: Leonie Charnock, one of the season's "Spinster Heiresses". Years before, the earl had saved the dark-eyed beauty's reputation, and she is still breathtakingly lovely, leading Rochdale to hope that their marriage will be more than in name only.

When Lady Tremaine petitions her husband for an end to their civil but loveless marriage, Lord Camden agrees on one scandalous condition - she must give him an heir within a year. Their early attempts to fulfill this delicate arrangement are marred by cold detachment, but soon sparks of passion and long-forgotten lust begin to be kindled anew.

Renowned actress Ruby Chadwick, the Darling of Drury Lane, has long planned and prepared for her final performance. With exceptional beauty comes the unwanted attention of men, and after years of fending off odious suitors, Ruby is ready to leave it all behind in favor of a quiet life. The first step is to reclaim a piece of her past: her true identity as Lavinia Fernley.

Viscount Aubrey "Stony" Wellstone is at the end of his rope - and the end of his family's once-great fortune. Desperate, he tries his luck at the gaming tables, where an offer to exchange his debts for a gentlemanly favor leads to a profitable new profession. The fiercely independent, flame-tressed Miss Ellianne Kane would normally have no use for an upper-class attendant - even one as striking as Stony - but she needs Aubrey's help.

Lovely Lisanne Neville had always found solace in the verdant beauty of Sevrin Woods. But now the woods were about to be destroyed in order to pay off the gambling debts of the Duke of St. Sevrin. Clearly, drastic measures were called for. So Lisanne proposed marriage to the duke. The deal: her fortune for his woods.

Annalise Avery would rather run away than marry the despicable man her stepfather has chosen for her. All he wants is her fortune anyway. Escaping with two servants, Annalise takes employment at Lord Gardiner's town house, disguised as a housekeeper. No one suspects that the new housekeeper for his wild lordship's London pied-à-tierre is a diamond of the first water and a famous horsewoman.

Where was Uncle Albert? The day of Lady Whilton's nuptials was fast approaching, and the spiteful old lout had disappeared. Daphne Whilton, the bride's daughter, knew what happened. She had found him dead in his chambers and vowed to keep it a secret, fearing the miser's legacy would destroy her mother's glorious wedding.

Still unwed at 21, an unconventional high-spirited woman finds her affections sought by a handsome, devilishly charming earl, who is nicknamed "The Ideal" by the ton—for his combination of wealth and looks. Though at first she fights his advances, slowly she forms a heated alliance with him. But sparring with words soon turns into a succumbing passion.