Having sailed with Sir Francis Drake, swashbuckling privateer Rodney Hawkhurst yearns for a galleon of his own with which to plunder the Spanish Main in the name of Queen Elizabeth. Seeking investment from Sir Harry Gillingham, he has a fleeting encounter with an elfin, tomboyish golden-red-haired beauty ? Sir Harry's youngest daughter Lizbeth ? and is bewitched by her limpid green eyes. Yet it is fair and golden-haired elder sister Phillida with whom he first falls in love... Granted his finances on the condition that Sir Harry's weak, possibly even traitorous son sails with him in the hope that the mission will make him a man, Rodney embarks on a voyage of blood, honour and glory in which he gains great riches but loses his heart, not once, but twice. The risks are great but so are the rewards: wealth beyond compare and, as Rodney finally discovers, a greater, deeper, more passionate love than he ever imagined possible.

Imperious, handsome and gallant in battle, the Duke of Kingswood has stolen the hearts of many society Belles - but he is 'a block of ice which nobody can melt', determined never to marry. To continue the family line, he is counting on his cousin and heir presumptive Richard to marry well and produce a son. To the Duke's horror, Richard's heart is bewitched by society siren and acclaimed beauty Lady Delyth Maulden - and disaster turns to tragedy when Richard finds his beloved in the arms of another, shoots him and turns his gun on himself. With Richard at death's door, the Duke is determined that he shall find a more suitable young beauty to mend his broken heart; to marry him and thwart Lady Delyth's scheming ways. Like manna from heaven, a beautiful young grey-eyed waif calls to him for help for her ailing father as he rides through his estate. Could this modest, unassuming beauty be the ideal bride he seeks for Richard?

Have you ever been so desperate that you would do literally anything for money? This is the tragic situation Giselda finds herself in, with no money for an operation her younger brother desperately needs to save his life, and no one to turn to. Ground down by poverty she plucks up her courage to offer the only thing she has of value - her purity. Choking back her pride and knowing that she is about to forfeit his respect, she approaches her wealthy employer, the handsome Earl of Lyndhurst, who is recovering from his injuries sustained in the Battle of Waterloo. Appalled that this frail and innocent young girl should be faced with such a terrible decision, he vows to find a way to help her without offending her dignity. He knows she would never accept his charity, and she refuses to confide in him the reasons for her family's poverty. Intrigued by the air of mystery about a girl of obvious quality reduced to the role of maidservant, the Earl decides to discover why a beautiful young woman of strong principles has been reduced to such extreme measures. Discovering her to have gentle hands and wonderful nursing skills he employs her as his private nurse and turns his sharp mind to uncovering her secrets - and learns his own lessons in love in the process.

A swoony small-town romance that will set your heart racing.

Since the moment our lives fell apart, the only thing that mattered was making a good life for my seven-year-old son. A life where he was happy and safe.

I just never expected to find safety with a hockey player known for his brutal dominance on the ice and recklessness off it.

But Cope Colson is so much more than his public persona.

And when my life falls apart again, he’s the one picking up the pieces. Until we’re living in his house, eating his chef-worthy meals, and I’m falling for him. Hard.

But Cope has secrets, and so do I.

Forces from our pasts soon emerge from the shadows, and it seems they’ll stop at nothing to end our happiness. Once and for all. . .

In order to find their happy ending, they had to go back to their beginning.

Natalie Butler is confronted with hard truths when she uncovers her father's decades-hidden secret in the local newspaper archives: thirty years ago, he was the other half of a scandalous love affair. Reading through the series of buried emails, Natalie searches for answers, and along the journey, stumbles into a fateful love story of her own.

Easton Crowne slowly becomes the centre of Natalie's world, their mutual love of music forging an unbreakable bond and setting the pace of their passionate romance. However, it soon becomes clear that Easton and Natalie's relationship was doomed from the start, and their star-crossed romance is the key to revealing the secrets behind their parents' messy history.

But what will the truth cost them?

Having survived the 1871 siege of Paris with her mother the Queen of Dabrozka, Princess Ilona is summoned back to the war-ravaged kingdom of her father, a tyrannical monarch whose unjust rule has divided the nation into two factions: her own Radak people and the Saros. Worse still, Russia threatens to march on Dabrozka to impose their iron-clad style of order. Only Ilona can save her country from this fate - by making a terrible sacrifice. At the Prime Minister's request, she must marry the Prince of Saros, their union bringing together the people. This she will do; this she must do - but what her pride will not allow her is to love the aloof, indifferent Prince. Humiliated by the Prince's evident disregard, and beaten by her own father on the eve of her wedding, it seems that love will never fill her heart - but as warclouds gather over Dabrozka, both the Prince and the Proud Princes are about to share a dramatic change of heart

When the Marquis of Sherwood declines her invitation to a Society occasion with the scathing comment that he has no wish to spend his time with d?butantes, whom he believes are ?half-witted, gauche, stupid and not well-educated?, Lady Katherine Wick is incensed. Even more so when she discovers that he apparently prefers the company of the Gaiety Girls, the femmes fatales of the theatrical set. So she resolves to teach him a lesson by enlisting dear friend Lavina Vernon and her most beautiful, talented and witty friends to pose as Gaiety Girls at an unchaperoned party at the Marquis? country mansion ? there to prove that Society girls are intelligent as well as glamorous. Kind, demure country parson's daughter Lavina is uncomfortable with this deceit ? all the more so as she comes to realise that her heart belongs utterly to the Marquis. The question, once the pretence has been exposed, is whether he will treasure it... Or break it.

The Earl of Wentworth has a fiery and unpredictable temper and is about to fight a duel in Hyde Park with a Frenchman who has insulted him, when he is restrained by his friend, Sir Thomas Babbington, and a helpful Policeman. At the same time the beautiful Temia Brandon is returning home from her Finishing School in France and is longing to see her horse, Lightning, again. Temia discovers that her father has been hiding a dark secret for many years and is now being blackmailed by the odious Lord Alphonse who threatens to reveal the secret and ruin the family's reputation. Lord Alphonse next proposes to Temia with her father's approval and she has no alternative but to run away from her home in Northamptonshire to the bright lights of London. Through a strange set of coincidences Temia's and the Earl of Wentworth's paths cross and then Sir Thomas Babbington unexpectedly falls in love with her. Temia's strong character and resolve are tested to the extreme and she is buffeted from pillar to post. How Temia helps defeat Lord Alphonse and despite endless dramas eventually find happiness with the one man she really loves and who loves her is told in this intriguing and fast-moving tale by BARBARA CARTLAND.

The beautiful Elissa Valentine has no idea what lies in store for her after the death of her beloved Papa, who was a talented artist. She travels to Yorkshire to start a new life at Fellbrook Towers as a companion to her fearsome grandmother, Lady Hartwell. She soon discovers that the luxurious lifestyle at The Towers is under threat from the wild gambling of her handsome and impetuous cousin, Falcon. When Elissa saves the day by predicting the winning horse in a big race, Falcon showers her with gifts and proposes marriage. But she cannot accept his offer as the struggling artist Richard Stanfield has stolen her heart and she cannot forget him. Will Richard's love for Elissa survive Lady Hartwell's attempts to deter him and the violent threats of her cousin? And will Elissa stand firm in her love for Richard, even when she finds him in the arms of the glamorous Latin American beauty, Mercedes de Rosario? Find out all in this the dazzling and intriguing romance by BARBARA CARTLAND.

Lord Waincliffe breaks his horse's bridle out riding one day and calls at the nearest house for help so that he can ride home safely. It belongs to Terence Stourton, a Professor of Literature, and he meets his daughter, Rosetta, who repairs the bridle for him. Not only does he think that Rosetta is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, but he feels there is something unusual about her. Only when he returns home does he realise that she bears an extraordinary resemblance to his sister, Dolina. Lord Waincliffe and his brother, Henry, are finding it very difficult to afford their house and estate and they have the idea that the Marquis of Millbrook, who lives nearby and is very rich, could help them build a Racecourse on both their estates that would solve all their financial woes. So they invite the Marquis, who is known for his love of beautiful women, and they expect their lovely sister to help them persuade him, but Dolina insists on going to London for a ball instead. They enlist Rosetta to impersonate Dolina for the evening and the Marquis is so deeply impressed by her and her beauty that he agrees to fund the Racecourse. Then the problems for Rosetta really begin and when all seems impossible and her heart is forever broken, everything is resolved in this fascinating and intriguing tale by BARBARA CARTLAND.

The hits just keep coming for Troy Barrett. Traded to the worst team in the league would be bad enough, but coming on the heels of a messy breakup and a recent scandal… Troy just wants to play hockey and be left alone. He definitely doesn’t want to “work on his online presence” with the team’s peppy social media manager.

Harris Drover can tell standoffish Troy isn’t happy about the trade, but Harris doesn’t give up on people easily. Even when he’s developing a crush he’s sure is one-sided. And when he sees Troy’s smile finally crack through his grumpy exterior… That’s a man Harris couldn’t turn his back on if he wanted to.

Suddenly, Troy’s move to the new team feels like an opportunity—for Troy to embrace his true self, and for both men to explore their growing attraction. But being together behind closed doors is one thing, and for Troy, being in a public relationship with Harris will mean facing off with his fears, once and for all.

Helsa, the exceptionally beautiful daughter of the Reverend Alfred Irvin, is thrilled when she learns that Irvin Hall, their vast ancestral home, has been rented for a large sum by a certain Lady Basset. Her Ladyship wishes to host a grand house party and has invited a number of distinguished guests including the handsome Duke of Mervinston. Helsa's friend, Mary, agrees to play the vital role of lady's maid to Lady Basset. But at the last minute Mary cannot do it as she has to visit her ill grandmother. So Helsa has to step into her shoes and be the lady's maid. To everyone's surprise Lady Basset organises a steeplechase and the Duke is the favourite to win on his stallion Masterpiece. However Helsa uncovers a dastardly plot on the day of the steeplechase to lure the Duke into marrying against his will. How Helsa saves the Duke and unexpectedly finds the love of her life is all told in this exciting romance by BARBARA CARTLAND.

The beautiful Flavia Linwood had been living in the country until she was nearly nineteen. She should have been a debutante in London the previous year, but she was in deep mourning for her mother who had died suddenly. Now at last she travels to London for her Season. Her father, Lord Linwood, and his friend Lord Carlsby are courtiers in attendance on Her Majesty Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and they are very proud of their position at Court. Quite by chance Flavia secretly learns that they are increasingly concerned that the Queen is becoming too interested in the handsome Earl of Haugton and heeds his advice rather than theirs. They therefore concoct plan to get him out of their way by marrying Flavia off to him. She is completely horrified at the idea She has long ago made up her mind that she will only marry someone she loves and who loves her. How she tries to avoid the Earl, but finally meets him face to face and then finds that he feels exactly as she does and learns that, although he is nearly twenty-eight, he has no intention of marrying anyone, not even to have an heir to his title and fortune. How Flavia and the Earl plan to circumvent the ingenious scheme of Lord Linwood and Lord Carlsby. And, how by a strange and frightening drama at Windsor Castle, they finally find what they are both seeking is all told in this unusal romance by BARBARA CARTLAND.

Weston Gallagher is falling hard for the wrong woman. One night of passion has haunted him for years. Now he s got a second chance to get the girl of his dreams but there s just one problem: She hates him. Eight years after he stormed out of Wildwood, California, West has returned to his hometown as a firefighter. His friends and family are thrilled he s back with the exception of Harper Hill. His sister s best friend is all grown up and in all the right ways. He knows she s going to do everything she can to protect her heart and keep him at arm s length, but West has other ideas. He will win the girl that got away. No matter what it takes An Avon Romance"

Wenda has struggled alone to keep the family's crumbling ancestral home, Creswell Court, going. Her brother, Robbie, now Lord Creswell, is spending his time in London where he is a great success in Society and with the Prince of Wales and the beautiful ladies who surround him. The Prince has suffered from not being allowed by Queen Victoria to take any part in ruling the country and in compensation he goes from one attractive woman to another. He especially enjoys secret weekend house parties at his friends' country houses - usually a party of ten and each gentleman brings with him a lady of his choice. To Robbie's consternation the Prince of Wales suggests he should visit Creswell Court where he had heard the pictures are outstanding. Robbie is horrified, but he cannot refuse and so he rushes home to tell Wenda that the Prince is to be their guest for a Royal house party. Wenda asks the obvious question as to how they can afford it and to her alarm Robbie takes down two valuable pictures, which are entailed, telling her he has found an artist to copy them so cleverly that the Trustees will not realise the originals are missing. Wenda manages to clean up the house while Robbie unexpectedly meets a beautiful young woman who says she is married. Robbie offers to help her and is instantly attracted to her. How Wenda is rewarded for making the house habitable and comfortable for the Prince of Wales and how he finds the house party is even more amusing than he anticipated. And how the secret weekend provides love in a very special and delightful way for both Robbie and Wenda, is all told in this romantic tale by BARBARA CARTLAND.

Two best friends. One unexpected summer holiday. A plot twist they didn't see coming. . .

Bookseller Thea never thought she'd meet her best friend through her ex-husband. But that's exactly how she ended up with Alex - a world renown chef and single dad who charms everyone he meets. They vowed that romance would never ruin their friendship, and two years later, they are inseparable.

So much so, that when their exes invite them both on a "family" holiday - Alex's daughter and Thea's dog in tow - they reluctantly agree.

Theirs didn't start as a love story. But as blistering beach days melt into slow golden evenings, Thea and Alex find themselves confronting feelings that might just lead them to the last place they ever expected: a happy ending.

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.

Zoe, Al, Rachel, Rob, Yas and Indie. Six friends who were inseparable at university, who have all had their secret or not so secret passions for each other, their hopes and fears.

Over the years, they have gone their separate ways. Rob is a history teacher, with a string of broken relationships behind him. Yas is a surgeon and very much her own woman. Indie is married and a successful coffee entrepreneur. Rachel is a stay at home mum with two children. Al, widowed young, is about to take over his father's funeral business.

When Rob's engagement party throws the gang together once more, some passions are reignited, old connections and resentments resurface. Over the next twelve months, there will, among the friends, be a birth, a marriage, and a death – but whose?

BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES is an era-spanning, globe-trotting novel about love, friendship, and how to stay at least relatively sane in an ever crazier world. It’s about a group of friends growing older, the possibility of second chances, about kindness and joy. It’s about births, deaths, marriages... and everything in between.

He lost everything. Then he found himself . . .

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright is at a loose end: his parents are dead, his older brother has disowned him, and he’s been fired from his job. Looking for a sense of direction, he returns to his family’s summer cabin in Oregon.

The cabin should be empty – but it’s not. Inside is a man named Alex, and an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. There’s far more to Art than meets the eye. But as Alex and Nate bond over just how special she truly is, they discover that powerful forces are closing in – forces that want nothing more than to control her.

As danger draws near, Nate decide whether to drown in the memories of his past, or fight for Art and a future he never thought possible.

The Marquis of Milverton strides into White's Club in a high state of irritation as he is being pestered by his family to take a 'suitable' girl for his wife. He is not surprised to find that his aristocratic friends are suffering the same pressure and they gather together to complain about their plight. They are all having affaires-de-coeurs with seductive married ladies and the Marquis himself is very much involved with a glamorous Countess. However they all recognise that they will have to marry eventually to carry on their ancestral titles and family legacy. Listening to their grumbling is the Duke of Sandelford and he challenges them to go out into the countryside in disguise and find a beautiful girl to be their dream wife. If after three months, they failed they were to admit failure and accept their family's suggestions. He also offers a one thousand pounds prize to those who succeed. He left them feeling it was at least a sporting chance and the Marquis was the first to accept the Duke's challenge. Disguising himself as John Milton he sets out alone on his horse and has a number of unlikely adventures with people he would normally have never encountered. He helps some of them to happiness, then becomes bored and decides to return home, but will give one more village a last chance. How the Marquis becomes involved with a ruthless gang of horse thieves and then unexpectedly finds all he is seeking and can claim the Duke's prize is told in this exciting and different tale by BARBARA CARTLAND.

At The Battle of Worcester in 1651, Prince Charles with thirteen thousand troops, both English and Scottish, is heavily defeated by Oliver Cromwell and flees to France. Clive More escapes the battlefield to a friendly house and is saved from Cromwell's men by the Nanny of Alissa aged nine. Nanny disguises him as a girl and hides him in her bedroom. After the Prince is restored to the throne as Charles II in 1660, Alissa, her father the Earl of Dalwaynnie, her stepmother and her stepsister Nancy, move to London. The King, grateful for the Earl's support, gives them Apartments at the Royal Palace of Whitehall. Clive More, who is now the Marquis of Morelanton, comes down from the North. He and the King are the same age and spent a great deal of time together, including playing tennis at which they both excel. The Countess, the new wife of the Earl of Dalwaynnie, is determined that her daughter Nancy should marry Clive now he is a Marquis and contrives to keep him away from Alissa, who has grown in the nine years since they last met into an outstanding beauty. How the Countess intrigues with a strange man called Lord Pronett to remove Alissa from the Court and away from Clive. How Nancy helps Clive save her. And how they find love and happiness is all told in this exciting historical romance by BARBARA CARTLAND.

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.