Showing results by author "S.M. LaViolette" in All Categories

Lady Elinor wants nothing to do with love. Her arranged marriage—and one glorious but ill-fated kiss with a handsome footman—cured her of any romantic notions she'd ever entertained. Now a widow, all Elinor plans to do is rebuild her life—without a man in it. She has no intention of falling for the charming and entirely too tempting American who seems so determined to win her favor. Stephen Worth is no longer the impoverished footman who lost everything because of the impulsive actions of a reckless young lady. Having reinvented himself long ago, his sole focus now is revenge.

Melissa Griffin is quite literally sick and tired. She's the owner of one of London's most exclusive brothels, but her failing health is telling her she can't continue to keep working at her current pace. A relaxing stay in the country is exactly what she needs. Falling for the small town's gorgeous young vicar—a virgin, no less—was never part of her plan. Their love is scandalous, forbidden . . . and everything Melissa never knew she wanted. Denying her feelings is unthinkable. Avoiding devastation when her past inevitably drives them apart? Impossible.

Investigating London's most infamous rogue for a seedy newspaper is hardly Lorelei Fontenot's dream job. But if that's what it takes to break into publishing, so be it. She'll uncover the sexy nobleman's deepest, darkest secrets. It's just her misfortune that she'll have to peek into his bedroom windows—at his brothel, no less—to do it.

Gerrit van Draak, the fifth Duke of Dulverton, might not love his orderly, boring life, but at least it is one he can manage. And then she comes along. Lady Kathryn Bellamy not only tears down the walls Gerrit has spent decades carefully constructing, she also shatters the bedrock of his existence in the process.

Lady Winifred, the young Dowager Countess of Sedgewick, has already had one husband. She doesn't want another. And if Freddie ever did change her mind on the matter, she most certainly would not marry a ruthless, dominating, and heartless block of ice like the Duke of Plimpton. The Duke of Plimpton has already had one wife who did not love, or even like, him. Unfortunately, it seems he will have to take another. Because there is only one real candidate when it comes to Plimpton's next duchess, and that is Lady Winifred Sedgewick.

John Fielding is not a gentleman. His brutal past has left him scarred, mind and body. But the scars are a valuable reminder of what's truly important. Revenge. And John will have his vengeance on the man who abandoned him when he was just a child. In fact, he'll make the entire bloodline pay for the sins of his father. No one can stop him. Except maybe Cordelia . . . She's everything John is not-kind and generous. She deserves so much better than living in the shadow of her cruel sister. And she certainly deserves better than a beast like him. But that doesn't stop John from wanting her.

After two loveless marriages to older men, lonely, widowed countess Alicia Selwood is ready to find a competent, passionate lover. But her late night . . . adventures will require her to take on a bodyguard with a proven track record of professionalism and discretion. Joss Gormley is perfect for the job. Imagine her surprise when she discovers Joss's other qualifications—naughty qualifications that might make him the ideal man to satisfy ALL her needs . . .

Annis Bowman lost everything when she trusted the wrong man. Now, she needs money, and she needs it fast. Finding a wealthy husband is her only viable option. It's just her wretched misfortune that the only man who truly interests her is poor as a church mouse. Henry Singleton, the new Earl of Rotherhithe, is ready for desperate measures. He's tired of not knowing if women are interested in him—or his wealth. Switching identities with one of his employees is the perfect solution.

It's Christmastime at the Bellamy ancestral home and all the Bellamy sisters have gathered to celebrate. But it isn't just the Bellamy siblings who've made the journey to Wych House with their spouses and families. Andrew Derrick, the Marquess of Shelton, would rather spend Christmas anywhere else but in the home of the woman he once abducted. But if he's ever going to mend his scandalous reputation and build a life for himself, then he'll need to face up to the actions that have defined his past.

Romance isn't for the plain, shy, and awkward—a painful truth that Hyacinth knows better than anyone. But Hy refuses to let anything or anyone stop her from living life on her own terms. Independence—and the opportunity to secure her family's future—is finally within her grasp. But then Hy crosses paths with a meddling duke and everything changes.

Lady Selina Bellamy is much more than a pretty face. And it's about time everyone realized it. Being the sweet, biddable, pretty sister isn't as easy as one might think. Selina knows this all too well. Love? That was never a possibility for her. Not when she was expected to marry a wealthy man and save her entire family from financial ruin.

Lord Roland Crewe wants nothing to do with love or romance. He's already proven he's a terrible husband-twice!-and has no interest in doing it again. But for some reason, he struggles to remember that when he's with Aurelia. He knows a scarred, hardened man like him has nothing to offer a beautiful young idealist like her. So, why can't he stay away?

The Bellamy family has four months before they'll lose the roof over their heads. While Phoebe's older sisters venture out into the world to earn the necessary funds, Phoebe herself stays home to care for her younger siblings and parents. But then she meets Viscount Needham, a wealthy new peer, and everything changes.

Lady Io Hale has no time for men. And certainly no time for her older brother's stuffy, grumpy, and oh-so-proper best friend, Corbin Masterson, who believes he is so morally superior to everyone else, especially her. Io might have been wrenched from her home in New York, dragged to London, and forced to attend ton parties and balls, but she is drawing the line at tolerating Masterson's snooty, judgmental, and accusatory looks for one second longer.

Duchess Benedicta de Montfort stands to inherit a fortune . . . if her guardian doesn't kill her first. The only way to avoid whatever the unscrupulous man has planned is to hide until Benna comes of age. With the help of a family retainer, Benna becomes Ben Piddock, a postilion seeking employment. Benna knows horses and she's been mistaken for a tall, skinny boy all her life—so how hard can it be? Very hard, it turns out—especially when she falls in love with her handsome employer, Jago Venable, the new Earl of Trebolton.

Finding out that her husband was a bigamist didn't devastate Portia Stefani; she held her head high when she forced him out of her life. But losing her beloved music school as a result of the traitorous bastard's gambling debts almost destroyed her. The only way she'll be able to make ends meet is to accept a lucrative tutoring position in remote Cornwall. What Portia hasn't anticipated is the life-altering impact that her mesmerizing new employer has on her.

Honoria Keyes isn't the gawky, impressionable fifteen year old girl she was when she first met Simon Fairchild. Twelve years have passed, and she's a successful artist, enjoying her independence to the fullest. Simon has changed, too. Gone is the beautiful, gentle boy of Honoria's dreams. In his place is a dangerous, damaged man intent on avoiding human contact—and emotions. It would be unthinkable to fall for this difficult, wounded recluse. But then again, Honoria has never been one to do things the easy way . . .

Mary Barnett has never dreamed of marriage and family. Scarred and wary, she's done everything she can to avoid men. Operating her family's vast business is the only future she has ever wanted. Mary had no way of knowing that her father would place conditions on her inheritance. Namely, she will only retain control of her father's empire if she marries. And not just to any man, but a peer of the realm . . .

Balthazar and his siblings are living the good life in the utopian community of Canoga, New York, where they have a degree of sexual and intellectual freedom few men—and even fewer women—have ever known. But sadly, all good things must come to an end. When their father dies, the Hale siblings discover two disheartening truths. First, they have an older brother none of them knew existed. Second, this stranger is not only the heir to an English dukedom, he's also their new legal guardian.

Hugo Buckingham was perfectly happy with the life he'd built for himself. With his steady clientele and co-ownership stake in the most exclusive brothel in London, he had everything he needed. But that was before. Before he was falsely convicted of a crime and tossed onto a ship to New South Wales. Before the ship went down and stranded him on the tiny island of Stroma. Before her. Miss Martha Pringle is everything he's not. She deserves so much better than the likes of him. But that doesn't stop him from wanting her, needing her, with an urgency that borders on terrifying.