As the daughter of a famed courtesan, Julianna de Lacy had seen more than her share of heartbreak. As a child, her own heart was broken the night her mother dragged her from the Marquess Devereaux’s mansion and forced her into a stranger’s carriage. It was not the fear of meeting her mother’s new lover that had Julianna sobbing, but the fact she was leaving Bennet Devereaux - the marquess’ young son and Julianna’s only friend. Their parting words became a mantra she recited every night before bed.

It took nothing more than her father’s death for Prudence Roxbury and her sisters to fall on hard times. The only flicker of hope in their bleak future is that their beautiful sister, Sarah, will marry and save them all from a life of destitution. But when Prudence hears that their father’s distant relation and heir has finally taken up residence in their old family home, Hagley Manor, she concocts a plan to rescue them from their miserable fate. After all, what lord wouldn’t want a beautiful wife on his arm?

Wedded and bedded, Lucy is devastated when she's abandoned by her new husband the very next day. Though it was a marriage of convenience, their heated wedding night gave her hope that it would turn into something more. But she refuses to be the demure bride left behind on a country estate while the stranger she married goes gallivanting about London - even if she has to create a scandal of her own.

Banished to Boston for causing the death of Lord Banbury, Lucas Dempsey vowed never to set foot on English soil again. But when his brother inherits the viscountcy and pleads for his return, the opportunity to show his contempt and loathing for the society who turned its back on him proves to be far too enticing to resist.

Having spent years living in the shadow of his brother’s scandalous reputation, Anthony Dempsey fought hard to regain the credibility of his family name. His unwavering sense of duty is renowned and admired. But then tragedy strikes. Threatened with ruination, he withdraws from society to hide his secret and protect all those close to him. How ironic that he should finally meet a woman who captures more than his interest. Indeed, Sarah Roxbury is a dazzling beauty who ignites the flame of passion in his heart, awakens a craving deep in his core.

Alexander Cole was a man ruled by his voracious appetite for carnal pleasures until a golden-haired devil in the guise of a goddess lures him into an encounter that costs him his humanity. With nothing left but bitterness in his heart, he locks himself away in his dilapidated Elizabethan mansion and chains the gates to all intruders....

Having spent two years abroad to avoid his father’s schemes to see him wed, Oliver Darby returns to England to claim his inheritance. As Earl of Stanton and a confirmed bachelor, he expects to settle into a comfortable life. But when he discovers his sister, Rose, is missing and has not been seen for six months, it’s evident his father is capable of manipulating events from beyond the grave.

Terrified by strange noises in the night, Rebecca Linwood, the headstrong owner of an Egyptian museum, believes she is suffering from an ancient curse. Out of desperation, she seeks the help of the only man with the knowledge to reverse the evil incantation, a man whose cold heart and sinful gaze pose such an enticing contradiction.

As a child, Devlin Ware thought his family stood for all that was right and good in the world. They were kind, gracious, and shared the beauty of Ravenwood, their grand country estate, by hosting lavish parties for the entire countryside. But at 22, he discovered his whole world was an elaborate illusion, and when Devlin publicly called his family to account for it, he was exiled as a traitor. So be it. He enlisted in the fight against Napoleon and didn't look back for six years. But now his father is dead, the Ware family is broken, and as the heir he is being called home.

Trevor Hunt, the Duke of Ridgely, has been called many things, most of which are true. Reviled by his family, hated by many, he's earned his reputation in the seedy streets of London and more than his fair share of bedchambers. But battling deadly foes and irate husbands failed to prepare the duke for the most troublesome role he's played yet: guardian to one maddening hoyden.

The widowed Duke of Averell is trying to be a better man...But when he spies a young woman, reading the Iliad beneath a tree, no less, Marcus forgets all his good intentions. Miss Weatherly is outspoken, intelligent, and enamored with the ancient Greeks. When she brazenly offers to show him the constellations later that night, Marcus readily agrees. Unfortunately, Miss Weatherly is not the woman Marcus has come to Halloway Park to offer for.

Jasper Sutton—London’s most dedicated scoundrel—needs a wife, and he needs one quickly. He needs one yesterday, in fact. His requirements are precise: she must be capable of mothering the wild twin daughters who have unexpectedly appeared in his life, and so must possess the patience of a saint and the understanding of an angel. Better still if she is plain and has no expectation of a true marriage. He is not about to reform his ways.

Lord Lysander Blackstone, the stern Duke of Montcroix, has only one interest: increasing his considerable fortune. After a series of betrayals, he keeps his emotions buried deep. Money, after all, can't break a man's heart—or make promises it can’t keep. But when his reputation for being heartless jeopardizes a new business deal, he finds himself seeking a most unusual—and alluring—solution.

A scandalous book by an anonymous author takes London by storm, and everyone is convinced its villainous “Lord K” is the greatly admired Earl of Knightly. Heartbroken that he left her at the altar, Miss Regina Leyland impulsively sought revenge by revealing the true Knightly to the world but never expected the uproar to bring enemies to her door. To keep her identity hidden, she must trust the one man with the power to destroy her.

Devon Ravenel, London's most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities...and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl's three innocent sisters are still occupying the house - along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon's own.

Lady Amelia Plume has many admirers – it’s too bad they’re all fortune hunters and fops who can’t provide the exotic adventures she seeks. But the ballrooms of Mayfair have become much more appealing since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter, an American with a dark past and a dangerous air. Lucas is brash, arrogant – and scandalously tempting. Every thrilling kiss sparks hotter desire, yet Amelia suspects Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her. And she intends to discover it, by any means necessary.

Madeline de Lacy, the duchess of Magnus, prides herself on being one of the most sensible young women in England, which is why she can’t believe that, in a turn of the cards, her noble father has lost his entire estate – and her! – to a stranger.

Oliver Sharpe, the Marquess of Stoneville, has been London's most notorious rake for years. Fed up with his behavior, his grandmother threatens to disinherit him if he doesn't tame his wild ways and wed within the year. Outraged, Oliver decides to hire a woman from a brothel to pose as his fiancée to prove that he can't be forced into marriage.

Lady Cassandra Howard has frequented gambling hells as her father's lucky charm since childhood - but luck ran out along the way. Now, her brother intends to sell her into marriage with a wealthy, dissolute rake. Cass has done many things for her family, but this won't be one of them. Her neighbor, “Saint” Wyatt Mannering, Earl of Merrick, has chosen a bride - one as proper and virtuous as he. But when lovely Cass attempts to trick him into marriage with seduction, he's almost tempted - except she's much too nave to be a seductress and his conscience won't let him.

Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, will not rest until he gets vengeance on the man who destroyed his family. Just one more piece needs to fall into place for Alex to succeed: he needs to convince the man's fiancée, the tragically beautiful Lady Claire Cavensham, to marry him instead. Lady Claire's "curse" has left her one step away from social ruin: her past three engagements have gone awry, and now her fourth one is headed the same way.

A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only 10 members - yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing "Duke of Midnight." Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke - until Lady Amelia d'Orsay tries her luck.

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.

At 16, Phoebe Layton had imagined that Gabriel Banner was a brave and valiant knight, a noble-hearted hero born to rescue ladies in distress. Which was why, eight years later, when she desperately needed help to carry out a vital quest, she could think of no one more suited to the job than Gabriel. But when she lures her shining knight to a lonely midnight rendezvous, Phoebe finds herself sparring with a dangerously desirable man who is nothing like the hero of her dreams.

With the scandalous nature of her birth to live down, Isabella Fairmont dreams of a proper marriage—even if a passionless one. She saves her deepest desires for the novel she dares to pen, wherein a handsome lord with dark powers seduces her. But then her courtship with an appropriate suitor is threatened by the sudden attentions of the reclusive Earl of Black… whose pale blue eyes and brooding sensuality are exactly as she described in her book.

Four amazing talents have come together to create one of the most unforgettable events of the year. The results are spectacular - each story is as unique as a lover's first kiss.

Forced to resort to a life of crime in order to support his siblings, Asher Cordell is now ready to walk the straight and narrow path. But when an old rival, the Marquis of Ormsby, infuriates him with his insipid arrogance, Asher cannot resist stealing his famous diamond. However, he's shocked to discover his beautiful neighbour, Juliana Greeley, is already lurking in Ormsby's library. Asher has known Juliana since childhood and always harboured a secret affection for her.

Considered unmarriageable by many due to her questionable parentage, May has let her hopes for true love fade and devoted herself to a life caring for her ailing aunt. But when May is unable to pay rent on the humble cottage in which she and her aunt reside, she must plead her case to the imposing viscount willing to toss two helpless women in the gutter. A wounded hero of the Peninsula campaign,Viscount Radford Evers is known for his harsh bearing, stubborn pride, and skillful avoidance of wedding vows.

At birth, Mick Trewlove, the illegitimate son of a duke, was handed over to a commoner. Despite his lowly upbringing, Mick has become a successful businessman, but all his wealth hasn’t satisfied his need for revenge against the man who still won’t acknowledge him. What else can Mick do but destroy the duke’s legitimate son - and woo the heir’s betrothed into his own unloving arms.... Orphaned and sheltered, Lady Aslyn Hastings longs for a bit of adventure. With her intended often preoccupied, Aslyn finds herself drawn to a handsome man who seems to understand her so well.

Lady Marian Lawrence is in London to snare a rich husband to save her family from ruin - a difficult task given her biting wit and lack of beauty. Hiding her true self, Marian is about to win the wealthy and amiable Lord Darley - until the detestable Reginald Montague blocks their path to the altar. Reginald Montague has vowed to never marry and is determined to keep his bestfriend Darley from being snared by a fortune hunter.

Eleanor Hawke loves a good scandal. And readers of her successful gossip rag live for the exploits of her favorite subject: Daniel Balfour, the notorious earl of Ashford. So when the earl himself marches into her office and invites her to experience his illicit pursuits firsthand, Eleanor is stunned. Gambling hells, phaeton races, masquerades... What more could a scandal writer want than a secret look into the life of this devilishly handsome rake?