Sandra Sookoo

When destiny calls, you can run, or stand and fight for what you've always wanted. Either way you'll have no choice but to change.Mrs. Ava Southerly, apothecary assistant and widow, lives in fear. She's become an expert at hiding to keep second sight visions at bay. In the year 1885, such things as witches surely don't exist anymore, regardless of her ancestry. If she doesn't emotionally engage her heart, those otherworldly powers will stay dormant and the people she cares for won't be hurt, but she longs for acceptance and romance. Douglas Wallace, an American doctor and descendant of a Scottish witch hunter, is in London to deliver a series of lectures on new medical advancements and techniques. As he meets the passing glance of a blonde beauty in a restaurant window, he's compelled to follow her, as if their lives are linked on a supernatural level. Though he believes in logic and the evidence of his own eyes, spending time in Ava's company shows him how wrong his thinking is.When a three-hundred-year-old evil spirit possesses Douglas in an effort to kill Ava due to her witch status, she and the doctor must find a way to thwart the threat from beyond the grave despite personal peril. As their relationship evolves into something deep and abiding, they'll discover just how powerful a force love truly is.

Will the bonds of love prove stronger than a man back from the dead and bent on revenge? Miles Lawrence Hawkins, the fifth Earl of Archewyne, is determined to retire from life as a king's man. Working clandestine cases for the Crown might be in his blood, but keeping his family safe is a more paramount concern. When he and his wife are kidnapped, the chances of escaping slip away, especially when the man behind the insane plan is his brother, Nigel, who has been assumed dead for years. A mysterious note arrives following the unexpected death of her father blaming her husband for that event, and the Countess of Archewyne wonders what game is afoot. Doubts and fears add to growing ennui when Emmaline lands in a world of pain and confusion. A masked captor makes hideous demands unless she and the earl provide classified information. Through it all, she clings to her love for her husband while biding her time. Physical and emotional torture continues until the reason is finally revealed-to lure the Duke of Rathesborne into the web to answer for his alleged crimes against Nigel. As their world tilts on the whim of a mad man, they both battle to survive. Nothing short of a miracle can put their lives back together again or repair the damage gained in captivity, but fighting for the future is well worth any cost.

Andrea Peterchef never thought her job would include a nine-year-old Piper and vomit. Then she meets Max, a workaholic stockbroker with a voice like melted chocolate and she vows to help her charge and him reconnect as a family.Maxwell Gildenthall is haunted by the 9/11 deaths of his girlfriend and his cousin-Piper's dad. Deadlines and data define his life-not baby dolls and dress-up. When Andrea cajoles him into playing the part of dad, the benefits of spending time with the plus-size au pair are a bonus, but he can't ditch the guilt.It'll take more than a spoonful of sugar and a dose of Christmas magic to mend the broken family. It'll take the power of love.

Bad stuff happens. Love makes it bearable.All Morgan Davidson wants is a chance to reconnect with her fifteen-year-old niece - sans digital dependency. She books a cabin for Christmas week in rural southern Indiana, but contracting a case of the warm fuzzies for a handsome ranger isn't part of the plan.Carter Poole, single dad and park ranger, has simple tastes. He's not on Facebook, doesn't let his five-year-old son play video games and spends a lot of time outdoors. When he's sent out to investigate mysterious tracks, he meets Morgan and a spark ignites between them. He invites her to share the holiday with him and his son.Between teenage angst, emotional drama and second-guessing, Morgan and Carter manage to steal a few moments alone. When his son goes missing on Christmas Eve, the world narrows and they realize what matters most-family. The more mismatched the better.

Sometimes the sweetest things in life don't have anything to do with dessert.Gwynn Flannigan wants respect from her father and freedom from her big, loud family. The icing on her cake would be to win a decorating competition hosted by her favorite food magazine writer. Cole Marshall's one outlet from the stress of business life is writing his Cooking in the Buff feature. Who cares if he never has time for fun?The answer for them both lies in the deep freeze at Sweet Endings, the struggling ice cream shop Gwynn manages and the one property Cole needs to secure a big promotion. He's stuck in Madrigal, Indiana to unravel a knot of family drama that drives him crazy.Things heat between Gwynn and Cole on the competition floor when Cole's alter ego is revealed. Cake and accusations fly while dreams and goals are left crumbling. In order to balance family, business, and love, Gwynn and Cole will need to work together and become partners-in more ways than one.

Jonathan Banshire, Viscount Trewellain, has become a bitter, sarcastic lord and against anything remotely smacking of romance. Though engaged to a woman whose hand he'd won in a game of cards years ago, he hasn't thought of her in years. But he's also a king's agent, and as his duty to the Crown, he's being sent to Spain to track down a missing peer. He goes to escape his personal life. Miss Sophia Wickham is tired of men deciding her future. She's on a mission to live her life on her terms, but can't due to an ambiguous engagement to the Viscount Trewellain. Determined to gain her freedom, she sneaks onboard the ship intent to have Jonathan release her from that old promise. When he refuses in a fit of pique, she's stuck as a stowaway, bound to the one man she can't stand. In Madrid, they search for not only the missing lord, but also stolen Spanish crown jewels and an ancient relic. Through crashing a glittering ball to hunting down clues to exploring the hidden catacombs and caves beneath Barcelona, the unlikely pair comes to an understanding. Vulnerable and trapped, truths are revealed as well as the fragile state of their hearts. But machinations of a madman bent on revenge could destroy a budding romance, and when the specter of death makes an appearance, Jonathan must finally decide what it is he desires the most.

When old flames don't die, sparks will fly. Mr. Jasper Winslow, the once meek and mild second son of a viscount, is a chocolatier who specializes in fine French chocolates, which helped him put the pain of his lost love behind him. He'd made peace with his life... until a chance meeting with the woman he would have wed reminds him that his heart hasn't forgotten. Strong-willed and independent, Miss Evangeline Bradenwilde wants to be seen in Victorian-era ton society as more than the connections she can make through marriage. Though the trade she works selling underpinnings isn't exactly the pinnacle of success she'd wished, she still has dreams... until those are shattered when she unexpectedly encounters the man she ran from on the eve of her engagement. Thrown together by a fierce rainstorm, Jasper and Evangeline are forced to confront their past and mend a broken relationship if they want to move forward. Exploring the people they've become is key, understanding hidden desires is paramount... and a little hanky panky involving chocolate and corsets won't hurt either.

Jewels and treasures hold no worth when held against the lives of loved ones. Though thrilled to adventure again, the Countess of Archewyne worries their unexpected trip to India will delay her first official mission as a new king's agent. But when Emmaline is told she and her husband will trade a priceless diamond for the kidnapped daughter of a marquess, she's willing to make the sacrifice. Too bad no one knows exactly where the sought-after jewel is. Miles Lawrence Hawkins, the fifth Earl of Archewyne, is looking forward to being out in the field again and away from the ton. Defending England's interests from nefarious blackhearts is one of his favorite ways to spend time. But when he and his beloved wife embark on a fool's mission to steal the Third Eye of Shiva and they stumble upon troubling clues from his past during their arduous journey across the world, he can't help but think there should be a limit on men who wish his country ill. As Emmaline and Miles are introduced to the exotic life behind an Indian prince's palace walls, things aren't what they seem. A bid for power reveals who truly controls the area while an insidious lie puts them both in danger. As peril dogs their steps and desperation fuels their actions, they must use every wile and skill they have in order to survive. For the sake of their little family and their own romance, they will give it their all. What else besides king, country and love is worth the fight?

Holidays are best spent with the ones you love, especially when adventure is in the offing. It's the Christmastide season, and the Hawkins family is at their country estate in Kent. Emmaline, the Countess of Archewyne, is excited, for it's her first Christmas with her little family as well as one of the few she's spent in England. Passing his leisure time with his loved ones gives Miles Lawrence Hawkins, the fifth Earl of Archewyne, great pleasure, as does anticipating their faces when they open his gifts. And he's found the most splendid thing for his wife-a fresh archeological dig of ancient Roman origin on his property. When plans for Christmas Eve preparations go awry and Miles is taken hostage at gunpoint, Emmaline is at her wit's end. Heartsick and worried, only a clue from some overly affectionate geese will be able to save her beloved's life. If she can reach him in time, they'll both find themselves beguiled on a Christmas morning.

It's the year 1776 and Captain Caleb Haslet has come home to Portsmouth, Rhode Island after two years at sea chasing pirates and keeping British ships from the fledgling American nation. He wants nothing more than to settle into domestic life and finally claim the new bride duty had forced him to leave behind. Though she now has her own life defending her property from British soldiers, as well as doing charity work which provides prisoners with basic creature comforts, Abigail Haslet is both excited and anxious that Caleb thinks to take up where they left off. But, how can she give her heart to a man who'll leave again when his country calls? A marriage of convenience is no longer an option and neither is it practical. When plying Abigail with kisses and spending time with her fails, Caleb decides to take advantage of her being captured by the British to make her see the truth-he's in love with her-and he'll waste no time in claiming his wife to show her he chooses her this time around.

In the hunt for relics of infinite value, perhaps the greatest treasure of all is family. Three months after the birth of his son, Miles Lawrence Hawkins, the fifth Earl of Archewyne, is attempting to acclimate to fatherhood, but he longs for adventure. Someone is masquerading as the heir to a powerful and ancient ducal title with the anonymous backing of other members of the ton, and Miles is asked to investigate. It would mean leaving his wife and child, yet he refuses to return to London without them. Emmaline Hawkins, the new Countess of Archewyne, is torn between wanting to be a good mother and wishing to recapture the excitement digging up relics and hunting treasures brings. Just as she thinks her adventuring days are over, she meets a young pawn broker questing after the legendary Lancelot Stone. Determined to retain the thrill of the chase, she stumbles upon solid proof the relic is in Paris, and convinces her husband they should investigate. As Miles and Emmaline chase shadows and investigate macabre sites, their steps are dogged by unsavory characters. The closer they move toward unmasking the duke's imposter heir as well as finding the fabled relic, the bolder a killer grows in attempts on their lives. As an unbelievable plot unfolds, their only recourse is to fight, side by side, and hope that leaving staid domesticity behind was the right choice.

Busting up a wedding has never been so personally satisfying. Nora "Can't Say No" Lenhart's life is way past complicated. To add stress to everything, she's just been appointed maid of honor for the upcoming wedding of the World's Worst Boss and her ex is the best man. Looks like she'll need to buy stock in an antacid company as she tries to ditch the green-eyed monster of wedding envy. Camden Webber is an FBI agent with a massive chip on his shoulder-namely not being able to forget the woman whose usual inability to say no didn't keep her from shooting down his proposal five years before. Though he has jaded views on weddings and marriage, Cam agrees to stand at his best friend's side. After all, train wrecks are interesting, right? When Nora and Camden are thrown together at an engagement dinner, despite their tumultuous romantic history, they devise a plan to break up the ill-suited bride and groom. As the big day nears, emotions hit a breaking point, proving that wedding planning is more suited to a reality show and while happy endings are optional, they exist amidst the rubble, if the couple looks hard enough.

When the quest for power threatens to put an end to adventuring, only belief in each other can save them. Two weeks after nearly losing her scandalous earl to a fire, Lady Emmaline Darling is finally marrying him. Almost six months pregnant, all she wants is to enjoy London with her soon-to-be husband and their growing family. Yet this morning isn't just the dawn of a new adventure in wedded bliss, Miles has pledged to be a second in a duel, which might compromise the new union. Bad timing, perhaps, but the fifth Earl of Archewyne, Miles Lawrence Hawkins has always been an honorable man, so when his best friend, Viscount Trewellain asked him to stand up as his second after the powerful Duke of Litton challenged him to a duel, how could he refuse? Threats made in the Hyde Park fog chills his blood, especially since an old foe deliberately names his soon-to-be-wife as a target. Emmaline and Miles are able to say their vows, but dire events overshadow their joy. A woman with ties to Litton comes to them with a clever plan to finally close the murder of Lord Leventhorpe and enact revenge on those previously untouchable. When secrets threaten to destroy the earl and his new countess, the little band of thieves must put aside their differences and fight to survive the vile plot at play within the ton... but death might be the only option.

When duty and honor call, the heart must decide if love is stronger. Three months have passed since Lady Emmaline Darling left her lover and fellow adventurer, Miles. Not certain she's in love with him, they're bonded in a miraculous way-she's enceinte. Yet, despite his promises to write and make plans, there's been nothing but silence. When she discovers he's lied and has been out of pocket on a secret mission for the Crown, she's convinced she can go it alone despite the scandal-and he can't be trusted enough to know her secret hope. Watching Emmaline slip from his life with his daughter broke his heart, but as fifth Earl of Archewyne, Miles Lawrence Hawkins' responsibility to England called louder than his heartstrings, as does the lingering hope to bring Lord Leventhorpe's killer to light. While chasing a faction of Bonaparte sympathizers intent on starting war anew using an obscure relic of great power, his fate crosses Emmaline's-and she's as volatile as the earthquake that puts them both in peril. They strike a tentative peace, for the opportunity to adventure-and to survive-together is stronger than their hurt feelings. Mutual need collides in the course of duty, but before the state of their hearts can be realized, fate, with danger as a companion, intervenes. With betrayal, insidious peril and a killer lurking, finding their happy ending will be a harrowing prospect indeed, but adventure-and love-doesn't come without risk.

The quest to break a mummy's curse turns dangerous when a peer ends up dead. Miles Lawrence Hawkins, fifth Earl of Archewyne, is alone and the last of his line, save for a young daughter, and he's made peace with that...Yet unexpectedly finding an attractive female thief in his library gives him doubts. Drawn into the lady's insane plot to retrieve various stolen mummies from around London-including the British Museum-he accompanies her merely to see what will happen next. Being captivated by her quest and intrigued by her talent for skirting the law is a much needed distraction from the stress of his own life's misfortunes. Lady Emmaline Darling, skilled thief and only child to the Earl of St. Ives, is under a mummy's curse. Believing herself damned due to her father's penchant for removing antiquities from Egypt, she's vowed to return a pair of mummies to their eternal resting place in order to save his life and her own. Being caught by Miles wasn't in her plan, and neither was falling for his charm, but she'll do anything to see he's free of the curse as well, for their histories are too intricately connected for his ills to just be bad luck. When a peer with ties to them both ends up dead and Emmaline's jewelry is found at the scene, Miles is honor bound to offer for her and lend her his protection. Despite her refusal, desire pulls at them and scandal surrounds them, and when Miles is summoned to once more embark upon a secret mission for the Crown, he must shed everything that will become a liability, but keeping Emmaline out of trouble-and out of his mind-is easier said than done.

The heart wants who it wants, and sometimes that means sharing the love despite the scandal. Caroline Montmorency, ten years an assumed widow, is on the verge of having her sea-faring husband declared legally dead. While the country is embroiled in a maritime war with England, all she wants is to wed her longtime friend, Paul Douglas, and begin life anew. But those plans are broken when her husband unexpectedly returns. Captain Adam Montmorency is an adventurer, privateer and general ne'er-do-well-at least, he was. He's come back to Maine with his memories of how he treated his wife missing. After guarding his emotions during endless days of British torture, he'd like to repair relations with Caroline and gain acceptance for the man he is now-reformed and ready for domestication. Paul has loved Caroline for years but waited to declare himself out of deference to Adam's memory. She's promised him her hand, but he's faced with the loss of his lady to Adam, so he does whatever it takes to win-even if it means betraying his best friend to the British. While Caroline has mixed feelings about having Adam back in her life and bed, she won't give up Paul. Before any of them can grasp a happy ending, they'll have to survive a fight with the British and muddle through the aftermath of Paul's deception.

Maybe falling in love is the greatest con of all. Julia Spencer may be new at her journalist's job, but that doesn't mean she can't spot a rat when she sees one. When she investigates a con-artist's lies, her own terrible past resurfaces. Despite the acute desire she feels for him, she has to decide if he's trustworthy or if he intends to ruin her life. Tyler Browning needs money-quick. He's a first-rate fraud who has charm and charisma on his side. After making a hasty promise to a dying friend, hawking a bogus tonic seems the easiest way to meet the financial dilemma. All goes well until a chance meeting with a pretty but far too conscientious reporter sends his plans and passion into a tailspin. As their unlikely relationship deepens and they give into mutual need, Tyler begins to reap what he's sowed, while kidnap and extortion schemes push Julia back into her dark past. Together she and Tyler will have to learn to trust each other in order to overcome the obstacles, before they do something they might regret.

Trust can be a stumbling block, but it can also be freeing in the right circumstance. With only her reprobate, now-dead husband to judge by, Marjorie Attler doesn't trust men. The crumbling manor house by the sea is a fresh start, but when a privateer appears in her bed-while she's sleeping-he introduces her to a passion she'd only dreamed. Then he challenges her legal claim to the property and her justified distrust intensifies. After being at sea for five years, Clinton Montmorency, captain of the Storm Tossed Rogue, has come home for a spell. He wants peace and quiet, and perhaps a woman to warm his bed. Imagine his delight when he finds one beside him his first night home. She might do for a midnight companion, but he doesn't need another managing female in his bachelor life. Ownership of the house aside, they have bigger matters to square with. Marjorie's disgraced cousin is about to give birth, while Clinton's ward is making designs on his fortune. Throw in a smuggler, a sordid plot for the Rogue, as well a troublesome fever and it's an adventure, complicated by the fact that Marjorie is as elusive and alluring as the sea while Clinton is just as hard to tame.

When a bridal contract is struck, either parental outrage will void the arrangement or the love of a child will sweeten the deal. Oliver Darrington-Viscount Tralsburg-wants nothing more than to hide out at the family property in Brighton until he can secure a sea-worthy ship and return to adventuring the world. However, being handed his former mistress' child isn't part of that plan. Neither is the sudden longing for his pretty Italian neighbor. Eloisa Hawthorne is in dire straits. Her older brother has gambled away her sister's hand to a horrible man. In order to save her sister's virtue and her future, Eloisa needs a fast fortune-or someone who can immediately cover the debt. When her handsome neighbor offers a temporary engagement contract, she accepts with alacrity. Too bad she fell in love with his dark-haired offspring. How scandalous When the two attend his mother's London dinner party, Oliver wishes the union wasn't merely a lark. Eloisa fears for the adorable child's upbringing in heathen locales, but what can she do? The contract is only for a month, and love was never an option. Something must be done to throw over convention before the moment is lost and matters of the heart are sacrificed.