Kirjahaku

Mystery and Romance Standalone Regency novel, based on the Myth of Pygmalion and Galatea.Hebe Fenchurch's life has been turned upside down after her father became involved in a swindle and killed himself. Shunned by the ton and with her mother struggling to make ends meet, Hebe is forced to seek employment. Told she is unsuited for a governess and lacks the skills of a maid, Hebe finds work as an artist's model.Sculptor, Lewis, Viscount Chesterton has shut himself away, working on his sculptures after his wife, Laura, left him and was subsequently murdered. Some in Society believe he was behind her death. When Lewis begins a new work titled Aphrodite, Hebe Fenchurch comes to pose for him.Lewis prides himself on his professionalism. He never sleeps with his models although many in the ton believe he does. He finds himself drawn to Hebe, his work stalls, and he fears he won't finish the statue of Aphrodite. Must he dismiss Hebe and lose his best model?After another of Lewis' models suffers the same fate as his wife Laura, the mystery intensifies and gossip spreads. Hebe is drawn into the fray. Bow Street have had no success in finding the murderer. Will they strike again?As Hebe sits for him, Lewis' employs his skill as a sculptor to fashion the beautiful goddess from a block of marble. It is said that Aphrodite stands for love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation, and she can even mend a broken heart.Can the goddess' power be real? And will Lewis be able to keep the model he's fallen in love with from suffering the same fate as the others?

Sometimes the biggest risk we take is with our hearts.1821 LondonAt twenty-four, Lady Helen Kinsey has her future carefully mapped out. A life of gentle quietude in the country caring for her unmarried brothers and walking with her dog. It does not include marriage, a dream she banished after her first Season. But when a handsome earl enters Kinsey House in London on a mission to find out why their footman was poisoned, she finds herself drawn into solving the mystery. And despite resistance on her part worthy of an army maneuver, she is irresistibly drawn to the earl himself.After Whitehall receives a letter warning of a plot against the Crown, Jason, Captain Lord Peyton, is sent to investigate. Surely the famous explorer, Lord Lawrence Kinsey could not be behind it. He is engrossed in roaming ancient libraries and tombs in the East and bringing back their treasures for the museum. But after Peyton finds a fragment of a burned letter it appears that something dangerous lurks in Kinsey House, and Peyton becomes determined to keep the defenseless family safe, and one member particularly. Lady Helen has built a wall around herself and holds him at arm's length. But arm's length is not where Peyton wants to be.As the mystery unfolds it becomes imperative for Peyton and Lady Helen to work together, very closely indeed.

When a lady loses her memory, whom better to rescue her than a seductive duke. Viola, so named by her benefactor, Hugh, Duke of Vale, has lost her memory, along with her respectability, after being found unconscious near his estate dressed in a male servant's clothes. She is a mystery unto herself, with her knowledge of books and Latin, and her skill at the pianoforte. Thanks to the duke's kindness, Viola has found a temporary home with his nanny in a cottage on his estate, while danger lurks in the shadows and darkens her dreams. She must leave beautiful Vale Park before Hugh marries Lady Felicity Beresford, the neighbor's daughter; their marriage arranged when they were children. And before Viola and Hugh succumb to an impossible passion. As the announcement of Hugh's engagement draws near, he tries to accept the inevitable, he must marry a woman he doesn't love. He is intrigued by Viola. Who is she and what has driven her to such an act? As the Bow Street Runners work to find the answers, Hugh grows more deeply and dangerously drawn to the mysterious lady. Re-Edited as of April 29, 2017

She fled Ireland because her life was in danger, now her troubles are worse...To escape a murderous stalker, Caitlin Fitzgerald flees her home in Ireland and takes a governess job in the top end of Australia, determined to guard her heart against further hurt. In her chosen safe haven, she has poisonous snakes, wild boar and crocodiles to contend with. She learns to deal with those. But there are two men at Tall Trees cattle station who test her resolve. The very handsome and moody station owner, Jake Monterey, who has issues of his own, and Harry Phillips, the big, easy-going station hand. Jake has two adorable children, and Caitlin loves her job, but when danger follows, must she flee again?

Captain Nicholas Bonham of Wellington's Peninsular Regiment, the 52nd Light Infantry, returns from fighting the Napoleonic wars to see his brother laid to rest after a riding accident. A skilled rider, George's death remains a mystery, as does the parlous state of his finances. Debenham Park must be sold unless Nicholas can find a swift solution.George's former fianc e, Miss Caroline Mirrington, harbors a secret. She has trusted no man except her father and George and now considers her future to be a desolate one. When her father proposes an arranged marriage between Caroline and Nicholas, she is filled with dread. Nicholas, now the Earl of Debenham, is nothing like his amiable brother. She wonders how their lives together could possibly bring happiness. He would demand far more from her than she could give.The search for answers to George's death brings a dangerous foe out of hiding and forces Caroline to face her past.

A sexy Georgian Romance as only bestselling author Maggi Andersen can deliver A country-bred girl, Kate Bancroft always intended to marry for love, like her parents. She wanted a husband who adored her, who would be her knight in shining armor. But her plans don't go as she had hoped - suddenly, she finds herself married to a marquess, and her new husband an aloof stranger determined to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself. It is the unfortunate truth that she and Lord St. Malin have been forced by circumstances to marry, and Kate is painfully aware that she is not the woman he would have chosen given a choice. Robert makes it plain that marriage is merely for the procreation of an heir, and once that is achieved, he intends to continue in London living the life he enjoyed before he met her. Kate suspects Robert plans to tuck her away in the country, while he pursues his own interests, and she becomes determined not to let him have it all his own way. A quiet battle ensues. Kate is left to wander the echoing corridors of St. Malin House, when she isn't thrown into the midst of the mocking and clever Haute Ton. She's not at all sure she likes them, as they live by their own rules, which seem rather shocking. She's not at all sure she likes her new husband either, except for his brilliant blue eyes, the panther-like way he walks, and the smoldering expression in his eyes when he looks at her. He is a rake and does not deserve her love, but neither can she resist his searing touch.Robert appears quite willing to do his duty, but Kate demands love and affection, and nothing less will do. Can people from two worlds, and two ideals, find their happily ever after?Publisher's Note: This work was previously published, as a novella, under the title The Reluctant Marquess. The current work, as presented, has been significantly changed and edited, with substantial new material added.

Book One in the exciting Dangerous Lords series from Maggi Andersen. Read for free in Kindle Unlimited London 1816Guy Fortescue comes to England to claim his inheritance, Rosecroft Hall, abandoned over thirty years ago when his father fled to France after killing a man in a duel. But England proves to be a dangerous place - someone wants Guy dead. As Guy seeks to discover who lies behind the attacks on his life, he arranges a faux betrothal with Miss Horatia Cavendish. Unfortunately, things don't go according to plan. An aspiring poet, Hetty proves to have a mind of her own but in spite of that, Guy finds her far too alluring.Dangerous....Headstrong and lovely, Hetty agrees to the betrothal because it allows her to go to London where she can attend literary societies with her aunt. While her affection for Guy grows deeper, she must not forget the betrothal isn't real. Guy will choose a bride from the beau monde - it will not be a colonel's daughter from Digswell. But Hetty is soon drawn in to Guy's life, more and more, and not entirely against her will. He is handsome and brave, and the attraction between them is undeniable. Soon, she can no longer resist her desire for him and the fact that someone is out to kill him only feeds her innate protectiveness of the man she is betrothed to. As attempts are made on Guy's life, Hetty and his sister, Genevieve, work together to keep him alive, and a love that has been denied finally comes to fruition in the exciting conclusion.Publisher's Note: This book was previous released in the UK under the title A Dangerous Deception, but new content has been added and the story edited to produce a quality, new tale. Enjoy

Tate faces a nefarious criminal in the fight for his love and his estate.A duke fighting to keep his estate. A lady intent on discovering what the man she loves hides from her. In disguise, beneath the very noses of the curious ton, His Grace Tarleton Fanshawe, Duke of Lindsey, works to solve a mystery and get the better of a villain intent on stealing all that he holds dear.At the death of his father, His Grace Tarleton Fanshawe, Duke of Lindsey's safe world, turns upside down. His historic estate, Cloudhill, is soon to be snatched away. Tate must go undercover to discover why his father, who never gambled, lost the family fortune, and he has little time to do it. And worse, he must face the possibility the woman he loves will marry another man before the spring Season has ended. But when Tate's carriage stops in a village on the way to London, he meets a man with a remarkable likeness to him, and an idea is formed.Lady Ianthe Granville has loved Tate since she was in the schoolroom, and believed they would someday marry. She is shocked when he not only fails to propose, he seems to accept he will lose her to another. Her come-out is a bitter disappointment, and as her father is intent on marrying her to a man she does not love, Ianthe takes it upon herself to discover just what it is that has caused this change in Tate, and why he has adopted an extraordinary disguise.Improper LordsBook 1 - The Duke's MasqueradeBook 2 - The Marquess Takes a MisstepBook 3 - The Earl's Brazen Bargain

Perilously close to losing his inheritance, he turns his back on everything that matters to him to save her.When about to choose his bride in London, Hartley Montford, newly minted Marquess of Pembury, learns his neighbor's niece, Lady Madeline Howard, has gone missing, Hart drops everything to go in search of her. Despite Maddie being an annoyingly frank-speaking and independent young woman who he would never add to his list of possible brides.Hart's estate, Pembury, is badly in need of funds. As he and his father were at odds and the estate holds bad memories for him, he prefers his bachelor's lifestyle in London. But he suddenly finds himself in urgent need of a wife. His Uncle William, the Montford second son, has stipulated in his will that Hart must cease his rakish lifestyle, settle down, marry and deal with his obligations, by a certain date. Or he'll be cut out of the will.When consulted, Maddie's groom fears foul play. Suddenly, despite the pile of unpaid bills, the renovations needed for the estate, and the clock ticking to fulfil his obligations, Hart simply cannot give up until he finds her. But in London, the popularity he once enjoyed seems to have frayed around the edges as word spreads about his treatment of Vivian Spencer, the lady he was considering for a wife.When Maddie's parents died, her father made her Uncle Arthur Wakeham, a cold, indifferent man who rules her with an iron hand, her guardian. When he takes up with some questionable fellows, for nebulous reasons, Maddie grows afraid for her safety. She flees with her maid to her aunt's house in Bath.When Maddie and Hart meet, while endeavoring to save her from her scurrilous uncle, Hart asks Maddie to marry him. But did he take a grave misstep?How can he convince Maddie his reason for marrying her was more than that of convenience?Improper LordsBook 1 - The Duke's MasqueradeBook 2 - The Marquess Takes a MisstepBook 3 - The Earl's Brazen Bargain

He could ruin her in the eyes of the ton.She could save him from a life of solitude.Back on the London marriage mart at almost twenty-six and with no dowry, Laura Peyton holds little hope that a gentleman will want her for herself, when most seek affairs or youthful wives. When her brother makes a financial agreement with the Earl of Debnam to save his estate, Laura's reputation may be ruined once and for all. She finds herself staying at the estate of the rake the ton call "the Phantom Earl," where she is expected to fulfill his wishes for a month-long affair.But she begins to suspect Lord Debnam is not simply the outrageous rake who danced with her in London. The mystery surrounding the elusive earl makes her determined to stay long enough to discover why he is the way he is. The more the attraction between them grows to fever pitch, the greater her need to get close to his true self.Because of a family tragedy, Brendan Cowper, Earl of Debnam, is determined never to marry. In London, he indulges in unfulfilling short-lived affairs, but deep down, he longs for a woman's softness and her understanding. Is love always to remain beyond his reach?Brendan wants Laura Peyton in his bed but now regrets placing Laura, whose natural charm and honesty have maneuvered a way into his reluctant heart, in danger of far more than scandal.The taint of murder hangs over Beechley Park. But sending her away-even to protect her-is far harder than he ever thought possible.Improper LordsBook 1 - The Duke's MasqueradeBook 2 - The Marquess Takes a MisstepBook 3 - The Earl's Brazen Bargain

Lady Diana plans to take a lover and has found the perfect, albeit reluctant, gentleman. She needs him to assist her in a perilous quest. He sees the road ahead fraught with danger but finds her difficult to resist.When Lady Diana Stafford saves the Earl of Ballantine from highwaymen's attack on his coach, a chance meeting leads to a diverting friendship with the earl the following London Season. However, this Season, Diana faces a deadline. Her father considers his fiery daughter troublesome and plans to marry Diana to the man of his choice.Diana has other ideas. Take a lover, and she could have lovely memories of romance before a dull marriage. Those plans become secondary, though, when she hears that her dearest friend has been kidnapped. Everyone believes that the marquess's daughter has been killed-except Diana. But she requires a gentleman to help her search for her friend. Who better than Lord Ballantine? There's more to the gentleman than meets the eye-and Diana is certain he desires her.Damian Beaufort, Earl of Ballantine, works for the Crown. He wishes to continue his dangerous missions, which makes having a wife and family impossible. In pursuit of a spy loose in London who has stolen documents meant for English forces in Spain, Damian could find his life in danger. He must resist the lady he wants very much.But, frustratingly, Lady Diana is far too beguiling. He considers finding her friend an impossible quest and spending time with the lovely Lady Diana is risky in and of itself. He cannot have an affair with a duke's daughter. He should walk away. But somehow, he finds himself becoming her protector and enjoying it far too much.The risks are undeniable. Can he control his desire for her while alone with her for the nights and days ahead?Note: This series is part of Dragonblade's Flame line, so this is a scorching-hot read with open-door steam.Improper LadiesBook 1 - The Mysterious Lord BallantineBook 2 - Falling for the EarlBook 3 - Ravished by the Rake

Read Book One in Maggi Andersen's newest Regency series - Once A Wallflower. Rakes are intent on something a young debutante must never give them... their virtue Armed with this advice from her aunt, Letitia Bromley embarks on her first Season in London. Fresh from the country, she is intent on a romantic adventure after reading the diaries of her great-great Aunt Lydia, who sailed the high seas with a pirate. But when Letty's kind patroness begs for her help to right a wrong done to her dead husband, Letty can only respond to the lady's distress. Can it be true that the rakish Brandon Cartwright spies for the French? Danger lurks, and Letty becomes unsure whom to trust. Her head urges her to be sensible, to go home to the man everyone in her village expects her to marry, but her heart says otherwise. Declared the family's black sheep by his father after a tragedy, Brandon is drawn into the spying business. He has had little regard for his life, taking on dangerous assignments, until circumstances change when he becomes involved with a stubborn young lady who is determined to help her chaperone. Brandon can't help but admire Letty for her bravery and compassion, but while he's intent on keeping her safe, he has no intention of drawing her into his disreputable life. Once he sees her safely on her way back to Cumbria, he can pick up the threads of the life he lived before she came into it... or will he follow his heart - and her? READ IN KINDLE UNLIMITED Once a Wallflower SeriesPresenting Miss LetitiaIntroducing Miss JoannaAnnouncing Miss Theodosia

Read Book Three in the Dangerous Lords series - spies and danger make strange, but passionate, bedfellows When a widow must fight for herself... and her love.A widow in dire circumstances, Lady Althea Brookwood fights to hang on to the one thing left to her, Owltree Cottage. When faced with a ruthless enemy, she must turn to a man for help. But her former life with her cruel husband has made her distrust men. When a gentleman she seeks assistance from is murdered, Althea finds herself caught up in a conspiracy. Unfortunately, she must turn to the last man on earth she would trust with her virtue....Leaving behind his sad past in Ireland, Keiran Flynn, Viscount Montsimon, has become a renowned diplomat and close confidant of King George IV. A handsome rake many women of the ton wish to take to their beds, Flynn treats women lightly until he meets a lady who resists his charm. When the king sends Flynn on a secret mission, he finds that this lady, Lady Brookwood, is in some way involved. It is a puzzling situation as well as a dangerous one. He is determined to protect her even though the stubborn lady resists him at every turn.Althea and Flynn find themselves thrust into the midst of a hazardous intrigue while fighting an attraction which could cause them to lose focus and possibly their lives.Books in the Dangerous Lords series: The Marquess Meets His MatchThe Baron's BetrothalSeducing the EarlThe Viscount's Widowed LadyRead for FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Get Book Two in the exciting Dangerous Lords series - spies, passion, and mystery await John Haldane, Earl of Stathairn, first met Lady Sibella Winborne before he left to fight Bonaparte on the Peninsular. He intended to pursue her upon his return, but his war experiences ruined that plan. Instead, disturbed by nightmares, he chooses to associate with tavern wenches and gambles his time away while he continues to spy for the Crown. But the lady remains on his mind. He can't quite let Lady Sibella go. Amazed that she has not yet married, John keeps her close as a friend, seeking her out at balls and riding with her in the park. But any thoughts he might have harbored about marrying the beautiful and smart Lady Sibella vanish after his friend and fellow spy is slain. The game changes. Determined to find his friend's murderer, Strathairn faces a new mission - has the treasonous Frenchman, Count Forney, returned to wreak havoc? It is believed he drowned escaping England years ago. Or, worse... is there a new plot afoot to drive the people to revolution? Lady Sibella Winborne has remained single well past her first season, despite several offers of marriage. Her many siblings have always aided her to deter unwanted suitors, but the family now believes it's time she wed. Her elder brother, Chaloner, Marquess of Brandreth, insists on it. He has found the perfect suitor, Lord Coombe, but Sibella doesn't warm to him. Is it because she harbors a strong affection for a blond-haired gentleman? Strathairn makes every other man seem ordinary. While she wants to set up her own household and have children, she can't give up on Strathairn. When they're together, the air sizzles. But does he look at every woman the way he looks at her? Join John and Sibella on their unforgettable journey to their happily ever after Other books in the Dangerous Lords series: The Marquess Meets His MatchThe Baron's BetrothalSeducing the EarlThe Viscount's Widowed Lady