Showing results by narrator "Heather Wilds" in All Categories

Until the mass hysteria of the seventeenth century, accusations of witchcraft in England were rare. However, four royal women, related in family and in court ties - Joan of Navarre, Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, and Elizabeth Woodville - were accused of practicing witchcraft in order to kill or influence the king. In Royal Witches, Gemma Hollman explores the lives and the cases of these so-called witches, placing them in the historical context of 15th-century England, a setting rife with political upheaval and war.

Cedric, Viscount Sheridan, is cursed. Once the ton's golden boy, the loss of his sight has left him a reclusive shell of man, his days of womanizing, horse racing, and pistol shooting lost forever. Offered the chance to recapture a small part of his old life, he can't refuse - even if it means accepting the shocking proposal of the infamous ice maiden Anne Chessley. Still reeling from her father's death, Anne's deepest wish is to avoid the hordes of fortune hunters who will soon be beating down her door.

Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn't marry. But that doesn't stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend's brother, notorious rake Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel's heartless - and heart-pounding - proposal comes, it's enough to make Dru's formidable resolve crumble...

Notorious rogue Lawrence Russell has no desire to marry - or, heaven forbid, fall in love. Although he enjoys his fair share of pleasure, Lawrence prefers to protect his heart. Yet when he comes to the rescue of a brave and passionate Persian princess, he discovers his heart may be at risk from the very thing he's always feared....

Sterling Nottingham, Duke of Hanover, didn't plan on kissing Rosemary Stanhope. It was a complete accident, spurred on by too much gin and a temporary loss of sanity. Unfortunately, now that he knows what she tastes like, kissing her again—this time on purpose—is all he can think about. Rosemary was as surprised as the Duke of Hanover when he kissed her. The sinfully handsome rakehell isn't exactly known for paying much attention to wallflowers. Yet for some reason, their paths keep crossing . . . and before long she finds herself falling for the one man who loves her for who she is.

For the sake of propriety, and her younger sisters' reputations, Iris Somerset has kept her rebellious streak locked away. But though she receives a proposal from Phineas Knight, Lord of Huntington, Iris can't marry a man she knows isn't truly enamored with her. In fact, Iris no longer wants to be chosen - she wants to choose. Under the clandestine tutelage of "wicked widow" Lady Annabel Tallant, she'll learn how to steer her own marriage prospects - and discover her secret appetites.

Evie Jenkins didn't know what she was thinking by agreeing to switch places with her American heiress cousin. After all, she's naught but a poor—and usually quite sensible—companion. All she has to do is spend six weeks among London society, pretending to be an heiress . . . and ensure that absolutely under no circumstances does she accept any proposals of marriage.

In 1814 London, England, a lady is defined as a demure, delicate flower. Miss Francine Annesley is not that lady. If men were like plants, she would have a garden of admirers to choose from instead of the thorn in her side since childhood, Julian Beckwith. But she would make an even worse nun than she does a lady, which will be her fate if she can't dig up a husband before the Season ends. However, Julian is not an option.

Targeted by the enemies of a friend, roguish Phillip Wilkes, the Earl of Kent, is nearly killed in a violent attack. Beaten and left for dead, he is rescued and nursed back to health by a beautiful angel that he's convinced exists only in his dreams. When he recovers and learns his heart was burning for none other than the sister of his closest friend, he knows she is forbidden to him. He runs away from the only woman who has ever shown him true kindness because who could ever learn to love a broken man?

Life in exile has taught the passionate Princess Amy to hate injustice, and on the enchanting English isle of Summerwind, she finds injustice personified in the powerful and wickedly handsome Jermyn Edmondson, marquess of Northcliff. Since he has stolen the islanders' livelihood, Amy decides to steal him. She kidnaps the arrogant nobleman, chains him with his own manacles, and holds him for ransom.

When Nancy discovers that the expensive jewelry her husband's been buying isn't for her, she decamps from the Scottish countryside to her best friend Carmen's posh Chelsea town house to sort things out. Nancy finds herself in a surprising new world, where rock stars are nicer than you thought, social workers are not necessarily to be trusted, and the filthy rich are folks with problems just like you.

Ida and Louise Cook are two ordinary Englishwomen, seemingly destined never to stray from their quiet London suburb and comfortable jobs—Ida as a budding romance novelist and Louise as a civil service typist. But in 1923, a chance hearing of an aria from Madame Butterfly sparked a passion for opera in the sisters that led to the formation of friendships with some of Europe's leading singers and their network, many of them Jewish. As the Nazis rose to power, Ida and Louise began working with the opera world's insiders to save members of the community from persecution and death.

Audrey Sheridan is London's sweetheart, a position that allows her access to the ton and all its secrets. As the enigmatic writer, Lady Society, she is wild, reckless, and speaks her mind. She matchmakes wicked rogues with their perfect wives. But there's one thing she's failed to find since her debut. A husband for herself. And there's only one man she's ever wanted. There's just one problem: He doesn't want her. What's a lady to do to mend her broken heart? Run off to become a spy.

Lirael lost one of her hands in the binding of Orannis, but now she has a new hand, one of gilded steel and Charter Magic. On a dangerous journey, Lirael returns to her childhood home, the Clayr's Glacier, where she was once a Second Assistant Librarian. There a young woman from the distant North brings her a message from her long-dead mother, Arielle. It is a warning about the Witch with No Face. But who is the Witch, and what is she planning?

Evelyn Thorncroft wants to marry a duke, but she'll settle for an earl. The Earl of Hawkridge, to be precise. The only problem? Weston cannot stand the sight of her. At least, that's what he says. Their passionate kisses, however, tell a very different story. From the first moment he sees Evie across a crowded ballroom, Weston desires her. The dark-haired American is beautiful, intelligent, and charming. The only problem? She's a money-grubbing hoyden after his family's fortune. At least, that's what Weston tells himself. His heart, however, tells a very different story.

January 1832. After enjoying a delightful few weeks with her family, expectant mother Kiera and Sebastian Gage have been invited to the Duchess of Bowmont's Twelfth Night party in Traquair, Scotland. Though she normally avoids such fashionable, rambunctious events, Kiera is ready to join in the festive merrymaking. But upon their arrival at the opulent estate, it becomes obvious that all is not merry in their hostess's home. The family appears to be under a great strain, and someone seems determined to cause mayhem among the guests with a series of forged notes.

Kensington Palace is now most famous as the former home of Diana, Princess of Wales, but the palace's glory days came between 1714 and 1760, during the reigns of George I and II. In the eighteenth century, this palace was a world of skulduggery, intrigue, politicking, etiquette, wigs, and beauty spots, where fans whistled open like switchblades and unusual people were kept as curiosities.

At the close of World War II, London is in ruins and Rose Daniel isn’t at peace. Eight years ago, her brother disappeared while fighting alongside Gypsy partisans in Spain. From his letters, Rose has just two clues to his whereabouts - his descriptions of the spectacular south slopes of the Sierra Nevada and his love for a woman who was carrying his child. In Spain, it has been eight years since Lola Aragon’s family was massacred. Eight years since she rescued a newborn girl from the arms of her dying mother and ran for her life.

Anthony Hamilton cannot help it. The way he looks, the way he lives, his past-it all conspires to make him a man men fear, women desire. His name fills gossip circles in a seemingly endless, lurid drama. But he's never forgotten the only woman he's ever truly wanted. Celia Reece knew Anthony well before he forged his scandalous reputation. The young man she remembers spoke kindly to her, made her laugh, and his devilish good looks always quickened her pulse. But Celia's mother had other designs - designs that didn't include marriage to Anthony. Now, Celia is widowed.

Letty Fordyce knows three things about her future husband: Lord Morrey is a dangerous man. He frightens her. She desires him. Adam Beaumont, the Earl of Morrey, is full of dark secrets. His brooding and mysterious allure draws women to him like moths to a flame. But he fears he can never marry, not when his secret life is full of constant dangers. Letty Fordyce doesn't want to be like other women, she wants a life for herself and a happy marriage to a respectable man, not someone with secrets and a life full of danger like Lord Morrey.