Showing results by author "Daphne Pierce" in All Categories

Upon her father’s death, Clara Whitcombe’s prospects have narrowed to a single thin thread. Her only lifeline now being a governess position, she arrives at Windmere Hall with a small trunk, a worn locket, and nowhere else left to turn. Against all odds, can Clara shush her heart‘s pounding for the cold-hearted master of the house? Edward Ashcombe, the Duke of Blackmoor, is still aggrieved by his estranged sister’s passing. Left with the care of her two orphaned children, he resolves to employ a governess, but nothing prepares him for what is to come. Will he allow his heart and ...

When her father loses her hand in a game of cards, Lady Isolde Fairchild’s life changes forever. Desperate at first, relief washes over her as her new fiancé suggests their engagement can be a ruse through which she can find a man she truly loves. Could the love she thought impossible be the one right under her eyes? Upon his father’s passing, Lord Thaddeus Harrow, the Marquess of Hartington, is burdened with the responsibility of duty. Yet, when he stumbles upon a card game where a childhood friend’s future hangs in the balance, he cannot help but join in. Can his plan to rescue the...

Lady Charlotte Pembroke’s sharply defiant nature makes her the talk of the ton when it comes to putting suitors in their place. When her father announces that she is to marry an earl she had never even heard of, she is shaken to the core. Can she ever find love in the face of a handsome stranger? For Lord William Armitage, the Earl of Ashford, love is a shadow that has long haunted his family. Tormented by the ghosts of his parents' marriage and his uncle’s death, he has vowed never to enter matrimony. Yet, when his ill father wishes that William marry the fiery Charlotte, he is left ...

Lady Amelia Whitcombe’s time is running out. With her third Season nearing its end and her mother’s pressure mounting, Amelia is overshadowed by her beautiful, vain sister and haunted by the memory of a love long lost. Could Lord Redford be the answer to her yearning for more than polite conversation and strategic matches? Lord Nathaniel Redford is a duke left with a crumbling estate. Burdened by duty, he must marry a wealthy woman to secure the Redfords’ future. When his aunt’s designs bring him into Amelia’s path, he sees in the wallflower much more than what he sees in her ...

From darling of the ton and soon-to-be betrothed, Lady Dorothea Blackwood’s life changes overnight when she runs into a burning house to save her sister. Dorothea is scarred forever, and now her only prospect is a shady businessman. A marriage of convenience seems to be the only way to escape him, but what if this arrangement of necessity ends up being her chance at real love? Lord Frederick Hartley, the virtuous Earl of Westhaven, has his father on his deathbed, with only one wish: to see his son wed. When he stumbles upon an alluring lady at the opera, he looks past her scars, wondering...

Miss Isabella Fairchild has been an outcast since childhood, mute from a tragedy she cannot forget. Now considered one of England’s best painters, she travels the country with her aunt, painting commissions and restoring artwork for wealthy patrons. At Blackwood Castle, she meets the reclusive, deaf Duke. Captivated by his resilience, she yearns to break through the silence that separates them. Nathaniel Hawke, Duke of Blackwood, is alone with the ghosts of everything he’s lost; his troops on the battlefield, his father and older brother, and his hearing. When Isabella arrives to ...

Charlotte Winfield’s first season was meant to be her happily ever after. With a talent for botanical sketches and dreams of being published, she found solace in the world of plants. Yet, love proved fleeting. Heartbroken by the Duke of Blackmoor, she fled society. Now, she returns, vowing to follow her passions… and avoid Julian. Julian Ashbourn, Duke of Blackmoor, carries his title with quiet duty, finding refuge in garden design. Charlotte had been a rare joy, a love that felt inevitable. Then she vanished without a word, leaving him with unanswered questions. When pressured to court...

Once the cherished daughter of a prosperous family, Ophelia Lockwood now faces a harsh reality. Stripped of her family's fortune by her ruthless uncle, she and her loved ones struggle to survive in a modest cottage in Kent. Desperate to secure a future for her family, Ophelia becomes the nanny for the enigmatic Earl of Sommers. As she steps into his world, she hopes for a lifeline but fears that her growing feelings for the Earl might be another cruel twist of fate. Can she navigate this new role without losing herself—or her heart? Edward Cavendish, tormented by the recent death of his ...

Lady Amelia Talbot, revels in the simplicity of her life, content in the company of her brother and her beloved dogs. Marriage has never been her desire, especially since the only man who ever stirred her heart, the Duke of Pembroke, departed for London years ago, never to return. Amelia has convinced herself that her unrequited feelings are a thing of the past. However, when fate orchestrates their reunion, she is once again ensnared by his presence. Summoning all her courage, she approaches him, only to be hurt and disappointed again. Can Amelia uncover the truth behind the Duke's ...

Clara Ashford's life has been a series of losses, from her mother's death to her father's vices. With no family to rely on, she seizes an opportunity as a governess for the Duke of Westcliffe's orphaned nieces. Little does she know this position will change everything... for better or worse. Gabriel Montgomery, Duke of Westcliffe, is haunted by guilt over his estranged sister's death. Caring for her rebellious twin daughters has tested him beyond measure. When Clara arrives, her unconventional methods intrigue him, but a growing attraction to her threatens everything he holds dear. Clara ...

Eliza Marlowe, once the epitome of elegance, now shunned after a scandal, resigns to a life of spinsterhood. Yet, fate has other plans when her father brokers a union with Lord Harrington—an aging man with a soul marred by scars, destined to lead her into a future more perilous than ruin itself. Unbeknownst to Eliza, the scorching heat of desire is rekindled within her when the enigmatic Ethan, a duke with a magnetic presence and secrets steps into her world, igniting a firestorm of passion that threatens to consume them both... Will she choose the safety of conformity or risk ...

One dark winter’s night a tragedy results in Olivia Sherwyn losing her family, fiancé, and fortune. Devastated, she is left living with dreadful scars and chooses to hide away in seclusion. But everything changes when she encounters a mysterious stranger in a forest glade, an encounter that fuels her writing. When she finally returns for a London season Olivia is stunned to catch a glimpse of the handsome stranger across a ballroom… Who is this enigmatic man, and why does he keep appearing in her dreams? Marcus, Earl of Hatfield, is called back to England from his idyllic life in Italy...

Alaina, a humble maid in the household of an Earl, finds solace in her friendship with Lady Caroline, their bond akin to that of sisters despite their difference in status. When Lady Caroline is forced into an unwanted betrothal with the Duke of Peddleton, Alaina's world is shaken. With Lady Caroline's audacious suggestion to switch places, Alaina finds herself thrust into a perilous charade at the Duke's estate. However, soon she is struck by the enigmatic Duke, stirring feelings she's never known before… Will Alaina be able to guard her heart as she delves deeper into this deceitful ...

Lady Elizabeth Waverly vows to guard her heart fiercely, determined to never have it broken again, and certainly not by the scorching touch of a notorious rake. As the Season dawns, she enters the fray with steely resolve, her gaze unyielding. Armed with a meticulously crafted list, she sets out on a quest to find a husband. Yet, amidst her unwavering determination, a force emerges, a tempest of desire that threatens to unravel her carefully constructed defenses... Can she keep to the list, or will she give into the desire that threatens to take over? Lord Jonathan Harrington's obsession ...

Lady Emmaline Moreau, daughter of the Earl of Monrith, is a prim and proper lady in public, but behind closed doors, she's a shrewd businesswoman. When her first big investment goes awry, risking her family's financial ruin, Emmaline feels the weight of guilt pressing down on her. Desperate to save her family from the pauper's house, she must navigate the world of London's elite. When she strikes a deal with the devil himself, will it cost her everything she holds dear? Lord Alexander Black, Duke of Westmarch, is burdened by his family's legacy of debt and violence. Haunted by a tragic past...

Olivia Marston never imagined delivering a lost love letter would change her life. Traveling to Hampshire to fulfill her aunt’s dying wish, she’s determined to avoid romance, until Elliot Carrington challenges everything she thought she knew about love… Elliot Carrington, the Earl of Hinton’s son, is a man bound by duty and rank. He sees Olivia as a fortune-seeker, and her bold independence only stirs his rigid principles. But as they clash, he begins to question his beliefs, and the connection between them grows undeniable History threatens to repeat itself as cruel schemes and ...

Gemma Castwell has always believed she was meant to live life on her own terms—independent, sharp-witted, and without the burden of marriage. Attending endless social gatherings to please her mother was nothing more than a tedious chore, especially when she knew no man would ever look at her twice. But that had never bothered her… So why does the constant rejection sting? Lothar Howard, a man of quiet strength and unwavering loyalty, has spent years convinced his heart was already spoken for by another woman –a woman he'd loved since his youth. Yet, a brief encounter at the ...

Evelyn never imagined marrying her sister’s former fiancé, but a family scandal forces her into a marriage of convenience with Lord Nathaniel Hartley. Once overshadowed by her sister, she now faces the challenge of finding her place as a wife of duty, not love. Nathaniel, still haunted by his past love, marries Evelyn out of necessity. Yet, as he begins to see her strength, he wonders if he can move on and embrace the unexpected bond forming between them… Together, they must confront their pasts and decide if their fragile union can become something more. Can they turn their marriage ...

Jacqueline Winterbourne's world is turned upside down when a hidden family secret forces her into the home of a duke who once humiliated her. Bound by duty to protect her family, she must confront a man she has every reason to fear. Can she survive his coldness and trust him with her heart? After a life-altering accident, Philip Churchill became a reclusive duke, hiding behind a mask and retreating from society. When the woman he loved abandoned him, he lost all purpose in life... until he offered a lady an impossible deal that could transform their lives forever. With only three months to ...

Miss Catherine Thompson refuses to be defined by scandal as creditors strip her family of everything they hold dear. In the midst of her struggle to hold her broken family together, Lord Richard Landry, the scion of the man who seized their belongings, unexpectedly arrives, casting a flicker of hope into Catherine's darkest hour. Yet, Catherine's initial resistance to his charm softens as she discovers his genuine intentions to assist, though she remains wary of his true motives… Will he be the light in her shadowed world or merely another shadow from her troubled past? Lord Richard ...