Showing results by author "Laura Beers" in All Categories

Mr. Evander Addington had his life carefully mapped out—a quiet, predictable future as a Fellow at Oxford. But everything changed when his older brother unexpectedly passed away, making Evander the reluctant heir to an earldom. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight of the ton, Evander finds himself in a world he never wanted to be a part of. The only decision still within his control? Whom he would marry. And for that, he chooses the one woman he’s always loved—Lady Olivia Kendall.

Dominic Stevens, Baron Warwicke, comes home bearing the physical and emotional scars of battle. Haunted by fragmented memories and burdened by duty, he’s stunned to learn he has a wife—a woman he does not remember marrying. Dorothea rejoices when Dominic comes to remove her from her brother’s abusive household. But the man who stands before her now is colder, harder...a shadow of the husband she once knew. Still, she is determined to reach the heart he has forgotten, believing the man she married is still there, merely buried beneath the pain.

Lord Jonathon Beckett's mission is simple: retrieve Lady Hannah and place her under the protection of the Crown. But he isn't prepared for the havoc she inflicts on his world, making him question whether his duty as an agent of the Crown should always come before his heart. Lady Hannah's father has uncovered evidence exposing a French traitor to the Crown. Willing to do anything to silence him, the traitor's primary target has become Lady Hannah. Keeping her safe means locking her away from Society, but she refuses to stand idly by, letting others put their lives on the line to protect her.

Miss Georgie Holbrooke is in the most dire of circumstances. Her brother has arranged for her to marry a vile man, and she has no doubt that he will punish her severely if she refuses. When an opportunity to work at an orphanage in the rookeries arises, she takes it, knowing it may be her only chance to escape.

Lady Madalene Ramsbury has been summoned home from Miss Bell’s Finishing School to some unfortunate news. In three weeks, she is to be married to a man she’s never met. Rather than face a life she does not want; she flees from her own engagement party and elicits help from a most unlikely source. Society’s golden boy, Everett, the Marquess of Northampton, was outraged when a young woman suddenly appeared in his curricle. Was she attempting to trap him into an unwanted marriage? It would be just like some overzealous mother to put her up to such a ploy.

Lady Eugenie Drayton is tired of being told what she can and cannot do. Bold, clever, and entirely too curious for Society’s liking, she decides to take matters into her own hands by sneaking into an Oxford lecture disguised as a man. But her plan is swiftly upended when she is discovered by none other than Charles Ellsworth, Earl of Bedford—a man far too proper, far too persistent, and far too memorable, especially after the kiss they once shared. Charles has spent the past few months trying to forget the infuriating and enchanting Lady Eugenie.

George Orwell devoted his career to exposing social injustice and political duplicity, urging his readers to face hard truths about Western society and politics. Now, the uncanny parallels between the interwar era and our own-rising inequality, censorship, and challenges to traditional social hierarchies—make his writing even more of the moment. In Orwell's Ghosts, historian Laura Beers considers Orwell's full body of work—his six novels, three nonfiction works, as well as his brilliant essays—to examine what "Orwellian" means and to take it out of the hands of political pundits.

Lord Winston Lockwood is haunted by his past and bound by social expectations. He remains at Brockhall Manor to ensure his aunt and her son remain safe from her abusive husband. Adding to his frustration, Miss Bawden's constant presence threatens to drive him mad.

Emmeline Lockhart is in an extraordinary position for a woman of her station. However, she has no desire to marry a duke who is old enough to be her grandfather. But what other options does she have? The only way out is to find someone who is willing to marry her...and quickly.

Lady Edwina Lockwood grapples with the loss of her father when her cousin extends an invitation to Lord Hilgrove to visit Brockhall Manor. She intends to avoid this houseguest, but he quickly becomes a constant presence, much to her annoyance. Despite her initial reluctance, Edwina discovers she can offer support to Lord Hilgrove as he copes with his own grief.

Mr. Alden Dandridge has received astonishing news: he is set to inherit a thriving horse farm in a quaint Scottish village. However, there's a formidable catch. He must be married by Twelfth Night. Undeterred, Alden journeys to Scotland, convinced that a marriage of convenience will solve all his problems.

After his father is laid to rest, Aaron Berkeley, Earl of Graylocke, sets out to void the marriage contract that his father had in place for him. To his dismay, he discovers that he has no choice but to marry Lady Beatrice or else lose a vital part of his inheritance. To make matters worse, the contract stipulates that they must marry by his thirtieth birthday, which is only two months away. He resigns himself to the marriage, finding solace in one’s cups.

Bennett Lockwood, Earl of Dunsby, should feel nothing but contentment in his life, yet an unfulfilled longing tug at his heart. Despite past heartbreak, he yearns for a love match. When he discovers an injured young woman in the woodlands, he finds himself drawn to her, especially as she struggles to recall her past.

Miss Dinah Ashmore has a problem: her sister has gone missing, and the constable isn’t taking it seriously. She decides to take matters into her own hands by hiring a Bow Street Runner, not understanding the danger she has put herself in. Nathaniel Calvert, Earl of Hawthorne, is an agent of the Crown. His assignment is to root out a radical group and bring them to justice. When Miss Ashmore mistakes him as a Bow Street Runner and explains her plight, he suspects that the missing sister might be connected to his case.

Hiding from the horrors of her past, Martha Haskett is content living her days serving as a lady's maid to her friend Eliza. But then her father, the new Earl of Waterford, shows up, with the shocking news that she is now a titled lady. Further turning her life upside down, he proposes a bargain. She will have a single Season in London, and if she does not marry by the end of the Season, she will be gifted with her dowry and a small estate. Despite her mistrust of her father, Martha accepts his offer, but can't seem to let go of the anger that has been festering inside of her.

Born with a perfect memory, Lady Elizabeth Beckett has become one of the world's most notorious spies, despite being the daughter of a duke. She is shielded only by her code name: Shadow. When young ladies of High Society begin disappearing from London, Eliza has no doubt who is orchestrating these crimes; a heinous man she has been investigating for years. Vowing to save them before they are sold to the highest bidder, she must risk everything to stop him.

Lord Morgan Easton is, first and foremost, an agent of the Crown. To achieve his purposes, he has become Society's golden boy, and a renowned rake. When it's discovered that notorious French spy, Genet, is attending a house party in a small seaside village, he is tasked to infiltrate the gathering and arrest the spy. But first, he must convince a certain woman to become his partner and pose as his wife. The challenge is that she would rather see him dead.

Lady Elsbeth Caldwell has long suspected that her stepfather is hiding something far more sinister behind his polished façade. Determined to uncover the truth, she embarks on an investigation that leads her to take desperate measures, including robbing a passing coach under the cover of night. Unfortunately, the coach belongs to Niles Drayton, Earl of Westcott—a man with a sharp tongue, a sharper wit, and a maddening ability to remain amused in even the most scandalous circumstances.

Richard Kendall, Marquess of Wilton, is a man on a mission. Determined to find the scoundrel who ruined his sister’s life, he tracks the elusive Mr. Smith to a quiet village—only to discover the man has vanished once again.

Freed from the clutches of her cruel, traitorous mother and impostor husband, Lady Camden wants to rebuild her fractured life. But the years of terror and pain she endured at their hands continue to grip her heart in an iron vice. Refusing to stray from the refuge of her country estate, Kate tentatively agrees to an unusual alliance with the new Lord Camden, being mindful to keep her trust, and her heart, firmly safeguarded.