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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Romance > General
Beautiful Aurora Hartnell is returning home to Hadleigh Hall for Christmas. Looking forward to seeing her elderly father Lord Hartnell again, she ruefully acknowledges that life in the country is likely to seem rather dull after the elegance of her Finishing School in fashionable Paris. Resigned to a quieter pace of life, she is therefore filled with anticipation when she hears that an eligible bachelor, Lord Moreton, has moved into nearby Elton Hall. Dreaming of an attractive stranger who will sweep her off her feet, Aurora is delighted when her father invites the mysterious Lord for dinner on Christmas Eve. Swept up in a frenzy of excitement, and determined to look her absolute best, Aurora is so caught up in romantic dreams she hardly notices that her intimidating stepmother, Lady Harntell, is behaving oddly. Hypercritical and quickly irritated, it seems that the only time Lady Hartnell smiles is when planning the impending dinner, which she insists must be perfect for his Lordship. But Aurora's dreams are crushed like a daisy underfoot when she finally meets the man she has pinned all her hopes upon. A favourite of her father and stepmother's, Aurora knows instantly that Lord Moreton is not a man she can respect or give her heart to. Then the dashing Earl of Linford gallops into Aurora's life. Tall, handsome and with a twinkle in his dark eyes, she immediately knows that she must put a stop to any notions of a match between herself and Lord Moreton if she is ever to find happiness. But how can she extricate herself from Lord Moreton's increasingly cloying attentions, without disappointing her beloved father? And just why is her stepmother so keen that they marry immediately? As the pressure to accept this unwanted proposal increases, Aurora is caught in an unhappy trap that she struggles to see a way out of.
My stepsister is gone. The ones responsible called themselves family. By blood, and now by marriage. I want to destroy them for what they’ve done. Burn everything they have to the ground. But first I need to find her. Ryth. The pathetic, little mouse that scurried into our lives and made a home. I can’t forget her, can’t get her out of my head. She unleashed something dangerous in me. Something that drove me to ruin her. And ruined myself in the process. She was once a game to me… She still is…only this time it’s for keeps.
Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general―also known as her tough-as-talons mother―has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter―like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda―because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
There's only one thing standing in the way of Cat King saving Merry, Connecticut's Christmas festival: Grumpy town manager Noah Yates. Single dad Noah takes his responsibilities seriously. When a late season hurricane turns his town into a disaster, he's left scrambling to pick up the pieces of the town he loves. At least, until home renovation expert and reality TV star Catalina King arrives with a camera crew and a budget big enough to put the town back together again. But Noah doesn't want a celebrity diva capitalizing on their tragedy or filling his young daughter's head with visions of glitz and glam. Blonde bombshell Cat is used to being underestimated, but Noah has an uncanny knack for getting under her skin. They can't be in a room together without rubbing each other the wrong way…except that time in the dark alley where the rubbing was just right. Can these enemies work together to pull off a Christmas miracle or will their fighting leave them both on the naughty list? Author's Note: These enemies-to-lovers deliver the holiday feels with a dirty-talking hero, ballsy blonde who never backs down, steamy hot break-the-dining-room-table sexy times, and a small town that still believes in the magic of Christmas.
Jilted by her faithless fiancee and at risk of cruel gossip from the debutantes and dowagers of London Society, life is not going as expected for beautiful Anthea Preston. Eager to leave the scandal behind, Anthea is heartbroken afresh when her beloved Mama dies of a sudden illness. So she is delighted when her indulgent Papa offers to raise her spirits with a Grand Tour of Europe. Intelligent as well as extremely lovely to look at, Anthea is excited to see all the wonderful places that she has only ever read about. Unfortunately fate has more in store for her. Whilst Anthea is away she receives a telegram to say that her father has unexpectedly married again and she has a new stepmother. To make things even worse her stepmother seems intent on marrying her off to the first rich man who offers - regardless of her feelings. Thankfully, a chance meeting with the young and willful Lady Linette Hayworth brings Anthea the chance to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life. Torn between staying at home with the father she loves, despite her meddling stepmother, and onboard adventures as chaperone to Lintette, she quickly packs her bags and steals away into the night. However, her new employer - the handsome Earl of Hayworth - is not all that he appears. A man of principles and family honour, dark secrets lurk in his past that not even his daughter knows about. Looking deeply into his amber eyes as he entrusts Linette to her care, Anthea is fascinated and eager to know more. But a journey to Naples, and an advantageous business deal for the Earl, sets the wheels in motion for secrets to be revealed and dangerous liaisons made. As Linette and Anthea enjoy the Italian sun, both dreaming of true love, the darker side of business threatens to overshadow their joy. As the girls make happy plans for the future, the Earl prays that he can keep them safe from his business rivals and the dangers that stalk them all.
The Number 1 Sunday Times-bestselling novel, from the author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and A Darker Shade of Magic. A darkly magical and thrilling tale of a young woman caught between the world and its shadows, who must embrace her legacy to stop the approaching darkness. The Secret Garden meets Crimson Peak, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black and Susan Cooper. Fourteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she's never met, her father's older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don't go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate's western edge. Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her blood...
Lively Leonora Cressy and her school friend, Isobel, have sworn never to fall in love. They prefer learning and books to men and scorn other girls whose heads are full of storybook romance. But Leonora is suddenly plucked from the safety of her all girls' school and thrown into an adventure that forces her to reconsider her childhood vows. Returning home to meet the new stepfather who has taken her beloved father's role as protector and provider, Leonora has two fateful encounters - one with an arrogant gentleman in a carriage, and one with a suave but appealing foreigner, Senor de Guarda. Excited and angered in equal parts, Leonora is shocked to discover that her sweet Mama has married a man that she cannot admire. Horrified when he announces that he has arranged her marriage to a wealthy but unknown man, Lord Merton, she swaps the comfort of home for a passage on a cargo ship headed for Brazil, and her friend Isobel. As the long voyage begins, Leonora congratulates herself on successfully evading Lord Merton and a loveless marriage. But upon meeting mysterious, but seemingly protective Mr Chandos, and faced with the passionate attentions of Senor de Guarda she is confused. Both men hold secrets that could ruin her reputation, but only one stirs her heart and soul. Alone apart from her faithful servant, Finny, and unsure of where to place her trust, Leonora realises that she has done the one thing that she swore never to do - fall in love. As Brazil grows ever nearer she has important decisions to make that will change her life, and those close to her, forever.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that will stop readers in their tracks... For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures. But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train. Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things, after all. Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a magical, sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.
_______________ Katie Fforde's brilliant new book, A SPRINGTIME AFFAIR, is now available in paperback She has only one chance to turn her life around... Allie is bored with her job and starting to wonder whether she even likes her boyfriend, Ryan. The high point in her day is passing a cafe on her walk home from work. It is the sort of place where she'd really like to work. Then one day she sees as advert on the door: assistant wanted. But before she can land her dream job, Allie knows she must achieve two things: 1. Learn to cook 2. End her relationship with Ryan, especially as through the window of the cafe, she spies a waiter who looks much more like her type of man. And when she learns that the cafe is in danger of closing, Allie knows she must do her very best to save the day ... _______________ This is a short story, not a full-length novel. _______________ 'Modern-day Austen. Great fun' Red 'Warm, brilliant and full of love' Heat 'Deliciously enjoyable' Woman and Home
What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales? When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius―his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse. Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn't always diplomatic.
In this sizzling dystopian romance, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and The Hunger Games, your secrets can be a death sentence, and there are rules to survival: TRUST NO ONE. LIE TO EVERYONE. AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T FALL FOR YOUR GREATEST ENEMY. Twenty-year-old Wren Darlington is not your ordinary Mod. She’s one of the most powerful in existence. But her world is divided. On the Continent, being a known Modified means certain death, as the Primes - those immune to the biotoxin that nearly wiped out the population 150 years ago - want nothing more than to eliminate those who were enhanced by the toxin and developed psychic powers. Wren has survived all these years by concealing her abilities and keeping a low profile while doing what she can to aid the rebel Uprising in fighting against the Primes’ oppressive rule. But one careless mistake places her in the crosshairs of the Continent’s military, and she is forced to join their most elite program: Silver Block. Unwittingly, her enemy has given her - and the Uprising - the perfect opportunity to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks. That is, if she can keep her powers hidden, survive training, and prove herself to Cross Redden, her cocky, maddeningly attractive commanding officer. Despite the explosive chemistry between them, Wren cannot let Cross get in the way of her mission. But as war rages between Mods like her and those who aim to destroy them, emotions run high and secrets are revealed, forcing Wren to decide how far she’s willing to go to protect herself . . . and how much of the Continent is worth saving.
Malvina is young, beautiful - but most of all very rich. She dreams of marrying a man that loves her, and whom she in turn can love forever. Unfortunately her father has other ideas. Only too aware of the fortune hunters that prey on vulnerable young heiresses, he is determined she should marry the boy next door, Charles Arram, the son of the Marquis of Arramford. But Malvina has other ideas. Feisty and independent, she is horrified at the idea of marriage to a stranger, even a stranger that will unite their great families and ensure that their family estate becomes one of the most prestigious in England. Learning that the man her father intends for her is living a life of gaiety amongst the most beautiful women of the Beau Monde in Paris, Malvina becomes even more disillusioned. How can she possibly compete with the famous courtesans and actresses? More importantly does she want to even try? As her father leaves for Scotland, Malvina decides she will snatch the chance to travel incognito to Paris, where she will be able to see Charles Arram without him knowing he is being spied on. Taking her old Nanny along as a chaperone, she is sure that this will give her the opportunity to find out if this is a man she can love. Astounded at the decadence of Paris Society, a million miles away from her austere French Convent School, Malvina is soon learning a different kind of education amongst the wealthy men and famous cocottes. Are the salons of Paris really the place for an innocent abroad? Risking her fathers certain disapproval, and befriended by the Duc de Lavisse, the brother of her old school friend, Malvina will stop at nothing to discover the secrets of true love as she plunges headlong into the steamy world of the Beau Monde. If you like Downton Abbey you will love Barbara Cartland
An unexpected letter from an old friend, His Royal Highness Prince Kraus of Oldessa, to the Duke of Norlington contains a surprise that could change the lives of the young Duke and his ravishing sister, Lady Latasha, forever. Happily living on the Norlington family estate, quietly content amongst the lovely gardens and beauty of the English countryside, both siblings are astonished to learn that the Prince is seeking the Duke's consent for his brother, Prince Stefan, to ask for Latasha's hand in marriage. Appalled at the thought of marrying a man she has never met, Latasha quickly realises that this is a political alliance that would benefit Prince Kraus, regardless of her feelings. Beautiful and intelligent, Latasha understands her main charm for him is her blood link to the Royal family, and the British protection such a marriage would afford his small principality from a Russian takeover. Whilst appreciating the severity of the situation in the Balkans, Latasha quickly makes it clear that she intends only to marry for love. Defiant and headstrong, she is horrified when she realises that Queen Victoria is happy to give the match her blessing. But can she really sacrifice her own future happiness to secure the safety of others? Torn between patriotic duty and her wish for romance, Latasha reluctantly agrees to visit Oldessa in disguise to find out what Prince Stephan can offer in return for her freedom. Accompanied only by her elderly Nanny, and with the dark forces of the Russian army threatening all those living in 'The Kingdom of Flowers', Latasha's dreams are tested to the limits as she battles to save a principality -- and find true love.
Twenty-seven-year-old screenwriter, Elle, has the chance of a lifetime
to write a big-budget movie set in New York City. The only problem?
She's had writer's block for months, and her screenplay is due by the
end of the summer.
Lord Salwicke is a very rich but worried man. His beautiful daughter, Tasia, is already twenty years of age, which has dampened his hopes of her taking London by storm. Though not quite an old maid, he fears she may have missed her chance for wedded bliss. So he decides to take matters into his own hands and finds her a suitable husband. But Tasia is not a young lady who likes being told what to do. Headstrong and stubborn she envisages marriage to a man who loves her, not a union of convenience to a man she hasn't met. Determined to show her father the error of his ways, Tasia masquerades as a tutor and manages to obtain employment as teacher to the Earl of Linsdale's two young sons, Peter and Simon. The boys have already frightened off previous learned tutors by their bad behaviour and flat refusal to take part in lessons. Entering the Earl's home, Tasia soon learns that due to an unhappy early marriage, the Earl has set his face against all women, seeing them as untrustworthy and inferior in every way to a man. Believing that she can win the trust of the two boys, and spark an interest in learning before the return of the Earl, she sets to work with the help of her beloved cocker spaniel, Jimbo. But two dark clouds hang over the schoolroom threatening Tasia and the happiness she finds with her young charges. Firstly the fear of being found by her father and forced home to get married, and secondly worry that the Earl might return home unexpectedly and demand to know why his wishes regarding the education of his sons have been ignored. A loving but strict father, the Earl has his own ideas about the way two young men should be educated -- and they could not be further away from the new regime that Tasia has installed since her arrival. Will Tasia be able to hide out until she has proved a point to her father? Will her success as a tutor challenge the Earl's opinions of women? As the clouds loom ever closer Tasia faces the biggest decisions of her life - to conform or stand up for her beliefs and hold out for true love.
Wealthy businessman John Gardner counts his wife, the widowed Countess Napier, as his finest possession. Beautiful, refined and a devoted mother, the Countess has the one thing that all his money cannot buy -- a place in Society. When she dies still grieving for her first husband, the volatile Mr Gardener decides that his stepdaughter, Lady Selina, should become his passport into the titled classes. Eager to fit into a world that values birthright over cash, he decides to marry her off to the highest bidder. But he hasn't bargained for his vivacious stepdaughter's willful defiance. Determined to marry only for love, Selina flees the harsh discipline of Gardener Manor and takes her chances on the open road. Rescued from peril by the Marquis of Castleton, a serious and thoughtful man committed to doing his best for the people of his estate, Selina finds in him an unlikely ally. Equally appalled at plans for his own arranged marriage, the pair join forces against those intent on pushing them up the aisle. Pitched into an exciting adventure that sees them chased across Europe, Selina and the Marquis soon discover that despite their age difference they are both romantics searching for true love. But will they find it, or will their sense of duty see them both married to the wrong person? Trickery, deception and a tangled web of emotions will see their good intentions pushed to the limits, before the final explosive showdown where the Marquis finally proves himself a man of shrewd wit -- and passion.
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER The bestselling author of The Simple Wild and Keep Her Safe and "master of steamy romance" (Kirkus Reviews) delivers a sizzling novel about an ambitious and high-powered executive who reconnects with her first love: the boy who broke her heart. Life is a mixed bag for Piper Calloway. On the one hand, she's a twenty-nine-year-old VP at her dad's multibillion-dollar real estate development firm, and living the high single life with her two best friends in a swanky downtown penthouse. On the other hand, she's considered a pair of sexy legs in a male-dominated world and constantly has to prove her worth. Plus she's stuck seeing her narcissistic ex-fiance--a fellow VP--on the other side of her glass office wall every day. Things get exponentially more complicated for Piper when she runs into Kyle Miller--the handsome new security guard at Calloway Group, and coincidentally the first love of her life. The guy she hasn't seen or heard from since they were summer camp counselors together. The guy from the wrong side of the tracks. The guy who apparently doesn't even remember her name. Piper may be a high-powered businesswoman now, but she soon realizes that her schoolgirl crush is still alive and strong, and crippling her concentration. What's more, despite Kyle's distant attitude, she's convinced their reunion isn't at all coincidental, and that his feelings for her still run deep. And she's determined to make him admit to them, no matter the consequences.
Kapteins Griessel en Cupido wil van meet af aan nie dié docket hê nie. Die een van Johnson Johnson, oud-poliesman, sy lyk gekry langs die treinspoor anderkant Drie Susters. Want die saak is weke oud. Yskoud. Opgeneuk deur die SAPD, afgedwing op die Valke. Twee passasiers op die wêreld se luuksste trein – waaruit Johnson klaarblyklik gespring het – is spoke. En die arrogante beamptes by die BBP-Beskermingseenheid lieg soos tannetrekkers. Oor kardinale inligting. Negeduisend kilometer noord leef Daniel Darret sy nuwe, eenvoudige lewe in Bordeaux. Tot Ronnie May opdaag, en hom vra om nog een keer te jag. Sy prooi is die staatsgekaapte president van sy tuisland. Want dít is wat Daniel in die ou dae gedoen het, toe hy ’n laksman vir die Stasi en KGB was. Kan die Valke die gemors betyds ontrafel om die sluipmoord te keer? Kan Daniel die meedoënlose Russiese agente ontglip wat hom tot elke prys wil elimineer? En gaan Bennie dit alles oorleef om eindelik vir Alexa Barnard te vra om te trou?
A swoony small-town romance that will set your heart racing.
When you are the sole heir of an English Lord who has made his fortune after striking oil in Texas, it is hard to know if the young men hotly pursuing you are in love with your beauty or your money. Declaring herself to be only interested in marrying a man who loves her for herself, Henrietta Radford is forced to flee Texas and return to England to escape the grasping hands of penniless fortune hunter, Prince Vasily. Beautiful, intelligent and brave, Henrietta chaperoned by her aging nanny, boards The Boston Queen bound for Liverpool under the assumed name of Harrietta Reed. Reveling in the freedom afforded by shrugging off the mantel of heiress, Henrietta quickly forms friendships with the unlikeliest of characters - and just as swiftly makes an enemy, in the shape of Lady Butterclere, a powerful society hostess intent on bettering herself and her protege Miss Romany Foss. Entering into a pact with a talented but ruthless musician who will stop at nothing, including blackmail, to achieve his ambition to play for the Prince of Wales, Henrietta soon realises that she stands to lose her reputation and position in polite society forever if she is unmasked. Gazing towards the shores of England, Henrietta is overcome with the feeling that she is sailing towards her destiny and true love, shaped by a handsome stranger that haunts her dreams. But it is a destiny more fraught with danger than she could ever imagine, and Henrietta soon finds that her loyalties are tested to the limits as she struggles to keep her identity secret and her honour intact. Stalked by a dark figure from the past, her chances of future happiness threatened, Henrietta is faced with a choice that could cost her, and those she loves, dearly. If you like Downton Abbey you will love Barbara Cartland
*** If you read The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul and enjoyed The Beekeeper of Aleppo, you will love The Stationery Shop of Tehran *** 1953, Tehran. In a small shop in a country on the brink of unrest, two people meet for the very first time. Roya loves nothing better than to while away the hours in the stationery shop run by Mr Fakhri. The store, stocked with fountain pens, shiny ink bottles, and thick wads of writing paper, also carries translations of literature from all over the world. Bahman, with his burning passion for justice, is like no one else she has ever met. But all around them, as their relationship blossoms, life in Tehran is changing. Suddenly, shockingly, violence erupts: a coup d'etat that forever changes their country's future, as well as their own. Marjan Kamali's beautiful novel explores themes of love and loss, and delivers an unforgettable ending. 'An enchanting romance' MY WEEKLY 'Simultaneously briskly paced and deeply moving, this will appeal to fans of Khaled Hosseini and should find a wide audience' BOOKLIST 'Evocative, devastating, and hauntingly beautiful... This book broke my heart again and again' Whitney Scharer, author of THE AGE OF LIGHT 'What a pleasure - a novel that is all at once masterfully plotted, beautifully written, and populated by characters who are arresting, lovable and so real' Elinor Lipman, author of TURPENTINE LANE 'A beautiful and sensitive novel that I loved from the first page' Alyson Richman, international bestselling author of THE LOST WIFE 'A beautifully immersive tale ... brings to life a lost and complex world and the captivating characters who once called it home' Jasmin Darznik, New York Times bestselling author of THE GOOD DAUGHTER and SONG OF A CAPTIVE BIRD 'A sweeping romantic tale of thwarted love' KIRKUS REVIEWS 'The unfurling stories... will stun readers... For those who enjoy getting caught up in romance while discovering unfamiliar history of another country' LIBRARY JOURNAL 'Grab your tissues' BOSTON MAGAZINE 'A tender story of enduring love.' MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE 'I! Am! Obsessed! With! This! Book!' COSMOPOLITAN.COM
Wiltonbury is the story of love and hate, of pain and laughter. It is set in a village in the heart of England, a village with its own ways, peculiarities and traditions. Some of the people are good people, some are naturally bad and some are just plain misguided.
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