Members’ Regency Fiction Releases for June 2023

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Can a marriage arranged in childhood survive the earl’s infamous reputation?

The Honorable Miss Evangeline Rigsby has been engaged from the age of five to a man about whom she has only heard improper tales. On her twenty-sixth birthday, she is sent to the wild Cornish coast to wed her reclusive betrothed, sight unseen, and with no choice in the matter, for he holds her father’s vowels and the mortgage to his townhouse in London. Beyond annoyed, she is more than ready for a challenge of thwarting the wicked earl at every turn.

Sebastian Hamilton, unrepentantly corrupted Earl of Reddingham, has been rejected from the London ton for a myriad of reasons. As duties and responsibilities press in, he’s compelled to put his life in order, and since he has been engaged from a young man of fifteen, it’s time to make the sacrifice. The one saving grace of being leg-shackled is introducing his innocent bride to forbidden carnal pleasures. Perhaps she might help him regain his rightful place in society and respectability.

Following a rather tempestuous nuptial ceremony, the earl sets out to initiate Evangeline into the world of scandal and sin. As each sensual night passes, confidences are exchanged that provide a closeness physical intimacy doesn’t. Shared emotions surprise them both, enhanced by mutual heat and attraction, but as an unexpected romance grows, fears creep in to stall their union. When a vicious squall blows in on the coast, they’ll need to decide that vulnerability and wanting love isn’t as horrid as they previously thought.

But will three wicked nights be enough…

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She needs to ferret out his secrets. He’s doing his level best to keep them.

Miss Honor Winslow wants revenge. Her father has been missing since the war with Napoleon ended. Then a week ago, a letter arrived from him asking for help, but it wasn’t signed, and no address had been included. Needing answers, she enlists the help of one of her friends, who has connections to the Home Office. If the old, pompous windbags there won’t listen, she will do the job herself, despite her physical difficulties following a minor apoplexy.

All Mr. Gideon McGarrett wants out of life is peace, and nearly forty, it’s finally within reach. Ready to close his last mission, the only thing he needs to do is extract a man of high military rank from where he’s hiding after being wounded. The one thing that stands in the way of a spotless career is the damned interference of a clever and vulnerable woman who insists on joining his mission.

As Honor and Gideon bicker during the journey north, heated awareness springs from forced proximity, and all too soon that desire becomes distracting, especially when a faux engagement is offered out of necessity. Once in the Lake District, when they locate her father, the woman who wants him dead has also arrived. It will take some smart negotiating and perhaps a fight to unravel the mess. Only then can the pair make a go at a life together—if they can stop hiding their emotions and let down their guards to enjoy the ride.

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Misfortune is an excellent teacher.
When Phillip Tavernash, Ninth Duke of Glenmoor, discovers his title is held fraudulently, he embarks on a journey to North America determined to succeed on his own. It doesn’t go well. He has no idea what a fish out of water he will be.
Nan Archer had to summon enough backbone to stand up to her father and older brother, who moved their family across the frontier every time civilization reached any clearing in which they’d made a stake. She has landed on the banks of the Mississippi and built something of her own, the tavern Archers’ Roost. She will go no further.
When Nan’s brother dumps a pathetic traveler, robbed, beaten, and wounded on her tavern floor, she takes him in as she would any wounded duck. That he called himself duke is cause for hilarity.
Attraction blooms easily, but can Phillip look past his life of privilege to find what he’s looking for deep inside himself? Can he convince her she’s the answer to his search?
Is he a duke or a bastard? Does it matter in the end?

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London 1794

Tess Murray, once a maid in a fashionable London townhouse, traded her apron for a pair of breeches to become a spy—a decision that cost her the man she loved. Determined to become a spymaster and command her own team, Tess is hunting a traitor smuggling muskets to France.

Sebastian Moore, Duke of Northfield, spent ten years fighting to save his family’s reputation. When he finds Tess in his warehouse—and muskets hidden among the goods ready to be shipped—he realizes everything he has worked for is at stake.

He might be a suspect, and she might be a spy, but passion has no rules.

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Drawn together to break a code, will Hope and Anthony fight for their forbidden love?

His family name sullied after his father was branded a traitor, Anthony, Lord Whitehall, is fed up with all of the ton. His only allegiance is to his small group of daredevil friends, which is why he agrees to help break a code that is discovered as the next clue in their treasure hunt. The code he didn’t realize he would have to break? One in the form of an angelic blond woman who sees the world in sunlight.

Lady Hope Newfield believes love is worth waiting for — it just hasn’t found her yet. Then a surly viscount takes up residence at her family’s country home. She cannot help the irresistible pull to him as he attempts to solve the code, despite the fact that her father has strictly forbid any connection between the viscount and his daughters.

As the hunt to break the code intensifies, so does the danger that follows them, Anthony’s own search into the past, and the irresistible attraction between Hope and Anthony. Will they listen to her father and the voices of reason in their heads, or give in to all of their desires?

The second book of the Reckless Rogues series is a grumpy vs. sunshine, forbidden love, one-bed-only steamy regency romance featuring a beautiful, cheerful heroine, and a surly viscount who needs to move on from his past.

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Brooding Duke. Notorious rake. Driven by grief. Forcing his enemy’s daughter into marriage for revenge. About to lose his heart.

Vengeance. Preston Seaton, the Duke of Grandhampton will bring down the man who killed his brother through any means necessary. So when Lord Neville Beckett auctions off his daughter’s hand in marriage to pay his debts, Preston makes a bid Beckett can’t refuse—evidence of murder.

Dreaming of a career as an artist, Penelope welcomes her future as a spinster. So when her father accepts the proposal of a man who despises her, she longs to flee. But she cannot abandon her poor, old father to his destruction. Moving into the powerful duke’s huge mansion, she wonders if she will ever escape this cold, dark prison.

Convinced Penelope played his brother for a fool and got him killed, Preston has no intention of losing his heart. But the sunny artist is soon filling his home with light and joy. Could a forced marriage forged from hatred ever lead to true happiness? And can Preston forgive himself for desiring the only woman his brother ever loved?

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Years ago, Frances Templestone left her husband and ran away to France with a lover. Now she’s back, widowed and more mature, but mostly unrepentant. A social pariah, she stays out of sight while her daughter Julia has her first London season…
Until Julia, who is as impetuous as her mother, sneaks out to a masquerade with an unsuitable man. Frances hastens to the rescue, and when she sees Julia about to get into a coach with a handsome stranger, she accuses him—very publicly—of being a rake who ruins innocent girls.

Soon she learns that Jasper, Lord Canterwell, is a respectable man. He wasn’t at the masquerade seeking an easy conquest. On the contrary—his daughter is missing, and he is searching for her everywhere. Aghast, Frances offers to help him. Rudely, he spurns her.

But Frances is determined and Jasper is desperate. Might a scandalous lady with a warm heart and a lively mind be just what a respectable gentleman needs?

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There’s no such thing as luck …

Once a lady, reduced to a governess, Emilia Greene is desperate. The child in her care has been left orphaned and penniless, and Emilia will do anything to protect her—even track down the girl’s only relation. That man would be the next Viscount Sydenham, and surely he’ll be gentleman enough to take care of his cousin.

Or scruples …

Unfortunately, that man is Nicholas Dashwood, the dangerously attractive owner of the notorious Vega Club. He’s no gentleman, and he doesn’t want a title. What Nick needs … is a governess, for his younger sister.

When your heart is at stake

Their precarious bargain throws them together in unsettling proximity, until neither can deny their attraction to each other. But Nick has enemies, and Emilia has secrets, and taking a gamble on happily-ever-after could cost them everything.

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Lady Rosamund Fielding hides a secret so terrible it could ruin her, her family, and Major General Lord Rhys Lansdowne, the man she loves. Rose and Rhys were inseparable in childhood—their friendship the one shining light in Rose’s dark upbringing.
Yet when Rhys proposes, Rose refuses, for he can never know her shameful truth.
Returned from the Napoleonic wars and now the Marquess of Ravenscroft, Rhys is determined to uncover the reason behind Rose’s rejection and win her hand and heart once and for all.
Meanwhile, Rose’s father, Earl Fielding, demands Rose accept Brigadier Viscount Pennworth’s marriage proposal, threatening dire consequences if she does not obey.
Time is of the essence as Rose faces this difficult crossroads, where she is forced to confront past demons and choose a path.
Should she marry Rhys, deceiving him, and forever be branded a liar in his eyes? She cannot.
Wed Pennworth? Never.
Or flee? Away from Rhys, away from her father, and away from all she holds dear.
Rose has faced many dangerous choices in her life. Will this final one destroy her?

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Love does not advertise. Love counts no wrongs.
But when a young woman needs to escape, she’ll take an ad to find a man she can adore.
Verity Carr wants a new life in a new town far from her old home—and the vile threat to her body and soul. She comes from a fine family, has a good education and a bold ambition to become a portrait artist. She’s ready to live her life with a man who will value her. A husband she can can respect—and in time, hopefully love. Yet valiant though she is, she questions if she can escape her past and one who will not let her go.

Can a gentleman to whom great wrong was done, build a new life with a true wife and leave the past behind?
Miles St.John Armstrong never should have wed his first wife. He vows to select a new one with logic and careful investigation—via advertisement. The young lady he selects is Verity Carr who is no ordinary woman. She has charm, wit and a beauty that sears his soul. No wonder theirs is a relationship built quickly on admiration and trust. No wonder their marriage becomes one built of mutual mad passion.
But devoted as they are, their past comes to call.
And it asks of them the ultimate question: Can their love withstand the tempest and survive the terror?

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Always the rogue and never the gentleman, Kerrigan Northam doesn’t worry about anything beyond his own pleasures. But lately, his noble friends have been considering marriage—specifically, the charms (and generous fortune) of the refreshingly pert Lady Olivia Liberty Chalford. Now they want Kerr to keep her from considering any other eligible suitors…by courting her himself!

Libby is averse to the very idea of marriage. Why be auctioned off when she has a far more enticing—if scandalously modern—plan for her future? So when she’s rescued by a wickedly dashing gentleman who claims to be something of a scoundrel, Libby thinks she’s found the perfect partner in crime…

It’s the perfect ruse. Libby gets a secret accomplice and Kerr’s in the uniquely coveted position of being able to kiss the comely, spirited Libby as thoroughly—and as often—as possible. But as their courting charade continues, Kerr’s gone from wondering how long until she discovers his secret…to how long until he’s madly in love with her.

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Rivals to their uncle’s fortune, Harwood and DeFrose have seven days to meet the stipulations of Uncle Edgar’s will or face disgrace, financial ruin, and death instead of a lifestyle of position and comfort. Harwood must marry, DeFrose must prevent it. Soon, the cousins are rivals not only for the money, but also for Rebecca – Harwood’s chosen bride. However, they do not know that another, lurking in the shadows, stands to gain if they both fail. What will happen by the time the dust clears and the inheritance is resolved at midnight on the last day?

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A twin back from war, his brother dying in his arms. A woman who has traveled the world and learned from those travels. Two people who don’t fit into the constricting rules of London’s Polite Society . . .

Major Elijah Young never met his father, the Duke of Bradford, who believed his young wife betrayed him and gave birth to twin sired by another man. Now, two deaths have changed the trajectory of Elijah’s life—and he is the new duke. Elijah vows never to wed and father children, wanting the ducal line to end with him.

Miss Abigail Trent lost both her parents and spent a decade with her guardian, journeying to exotic countries around the world. Abby takes her experiences and begins Trent Furnishings, sketching furniture influenced by her travels and having craftsmen bring her visions to life. The ton is who can afford her designs, and so she enters Polite Society to bring notice to her business.

Neither Elijah nor Abby want marriage—and love is out of the question—yet their attraction grows as she accepts his commission to furnish his entire London townhouse.

Will this unlikely pair admit their feelings for one another—or will their lack of communication prevent them from finding lasting happiness?

Find the answer in Alexa Aston’s Designs on the Duke, Book 4 in Suddenly a Duke.

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Lady Juliet Dalton is not a romantic. She needs to escape her tyrannical father’s clutches, and marriage to a charming, conveniently rich duke will suffice. But, when she overhears an argument between her father and a mysterious stranger, she learns the horrifying truth. Her father wagered and lost their entire fortune, her dowry included.

Juliet is furious at her father and terrified of the fiancé willing to marry her penniless. She knows the future holds more of the same, cruelty and drudgery. But when that stranger, Michael Wayland, crashes into her life and refuses to leave, her days become anything but dreary. The handsome, enigmatic owner of a notorious gaming-hell, Michael owns her father’s debts. And, to Juliet’s astonishment, is winning her heart as well.

Unable to stay away, Juliet must decide whether the love she never expected is worth the wrath of her father and the contempt of the ton. When the temptation of Juliet’s bright eyes and alluring smile proves too much, Michael must make his own choice whether to bet on love.

Courting Scandal is a captivating and heartwarming debut novel by Ally Hudson. If you like Regency romances with witty, jaded rakes, and self-reliant heroines, then you’ll love this sweet and steamy story of found family, healing, and unexpected love.

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Sorrow and Regrets…
Lady Helen was a young, naïve girl when she gave up everything for a charismatic Irishman and eloped. Finding herself a widow after a few short years, she is disillusioned with love and raising a three-year-old daughter alone. Her homecoming will be bittersweet as she faces her family, asking forgiveness for the lies and the worry she has caused. But her first encounter in England isn’t a family member. Helen’s brother has sent a handsome Welshman to fetch her, and he soon charms both her and her daughter.

An unexpected ray of sunshine…
Conway, Earl of Griffith assumed his title and Welsh estate at birth. His world is gray, full of responsibility, and lonely. Griffith agrees to help a friend, escorting his sister from Bristol to London. At first sight, Lady Helen illuminates his dull world, and her daughter adds laughter to his life. But he senses the woman’s haunted eyes are not only from grief and wonders what secrets she holds close to her heart. As his affection turns to love, Griff must find a way to convince the beautiful widow that love is worth another chance.

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Will secrets destroy them or ignite the love of a lifetime?

Lionel Carrington-Bowles, wealthy gentleman with a reputation for scandalous behavior and even more scandalous friends, is on every ton hostess’s invitation list. He is devilishly handsome, delightfully charming, and the sort of man who dances with all of the ladies, even the wallflowers. When the journal in which he and his friends have entered their erotic exploits since their days at Cambridge disappears, he has far more reason than his three friends to track down his pages and destroy them. Should Society discover his preference in bed partners his life would move from scandalous to dangerous. When he discovers a cook at one of London’s most exclusive private clubs has his pages, he is determined to do whatever he must to retrieve them.

Nathaniel Charpentier arrived in London at sixteen with a bit of money, a small dog, a letter of recommendation, and some quite unique kitchen skills. Ten years later he is the chef de cuisine for Club Ambrosios, one of London’s most exclusive private clubs. His talents have made the club a huge success and has secured his future for the first time in his life. He derives his latest inspiration from the purchase of an erotic journal from London’s leading pornographer. His own amorous adventures, however, have taken a sinister turn with the arrival of a series of threatening notes. He fears his past has come to London to find him.

The spark between Lionel and Nathaniel is a roaring fire from the moment they meet and gives both good reason to keep their secrets for fear of ending the consuming passion between them. Once revealed, their secrets may destroy them or may be the very reason to take a chance on the love of a lifetime.

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While walking down a London street, Miss Georgiana Beresford nearly has apoplexy when she catches a glimpse of a woman she thought was dead. She whips around—which results in her falling into the muddy street and injuring herself. To her mortification, an exceedingly handsome man whisks her into his arms and insists on carrying her home.

Charles, Viscount Churston, had not been able to remove his eyes from the beautiful woman he was only too happy to assist. He delivers her home and learns she’s a Beresford, the sister of an Eton friend. When he calls to check on her the next day, Charles learns that his misguided act of chivalry has ruined her name. A malicious attack upon her has appeared in that morning’s London Gazette. There’s only one honorable thing to do. He must offer her marriage. Georgiana cannot deny her attraction to the handsome Lord Churston but laments that he’s only offering for her out of his sense of honor.

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Ian McDonough, Chieftain of Clan McDonough, and Scottish Duke of Sunbridge, has grown tired of the hassles of the London season, and his mother’s insistence that he find and marry an English bride was wearing thin. Of course, there was a time when he enjoyed all the frivolities the London season had to offer, but the responsibilities of his clan were waiting for him back at McDonough Castle in the Highlands of Scotland, and he determined it was time for him to take those responsibilities more seriously.
But thoughts of returning to Scotland fled his mind when he caught sight of a flash of blue silk at Redfield’s ball. He watched as the precocious lady skirted along the edge of the ballroom and he was instantly intrigued.
The lady, Emma Presley, niece of Viscount Yelverton, was visiting London with her uncle and aunt. Upon meeting Miss Presley, Ian was instantly drawn to her, but Emma was not going to make things easy for him.
Emma had never been to London before and knew because of her circumstances, it was unlikely that she would ever visit again. So, she was determined to make the most of the season.
The woman was as exasperating, impulsive, headstrong, and beautiful. But regardless of the trouble she caused, Ian knew that she belonged to him, and he would do anything to keep her and take her back to Scotland as his duchess. No matter who objected, even Emma.