Avon romance

Faron Whitelaw had some nerve calling Belinda Prescott a princess. A nearly bankrupt ranch was hardly a castle, and Faron, an ill-tempered cowboy who'd inherited half her kingdom, was certainly no prince. The man was lucky she didn't make him sleep in the barn! Faron had been spitting mad when Belinda had to inform him, because of his inheritance, about the truth of his parentage. Suddenly, he wasn't one of the Whitelaws of Texas, and he was taking his anger out on Belinda. He wanted to believe she was nothing more than a gold digger, but all she seemed to want was him ...and that was the one thing he couldn't give her. HAWK'S WAY Where the Whitelaws of Texas run free... till passion brands their hearts.

Running a lifestyle business doesn't leave much time for Claire Willoughby to have a lifestyle of her own. But, hey, you've got to give up a little if you want to be revered as the Nigella Lawson of the simplicity set! However, Claire's gotten herself a number-one fan, and this number-one fan has willed everything to Claire.including one Anabel Sage, aged 13 months.

The Perfect Gift Love Me, Still by Maya Banks Beloved mate to two wolves, Heather lived an idyllic life until hunters destroyed their peaceful existence. Her mates believe she betrayed them. When the truth is revealed, can they find forgiveness and ask Heather to "Love Me, Still"? Home for Christmas by Kate Davies This Christmas Sophia leaves everything familiar behind, but love finds her anyway. Even on a cruise ship far from home, she discovers with love, she is still "Home for Christmas." Second Chance Christmas by Mackenzie McKade Four years ago, Lori and Dean lost so much that it drove them apart. Can they find it in their hearts to forgive each other, and themselves? Will they have a "Second Chance Christmas"? Look What Santa Brought by Annmarie McKenna Scott already knows what he wants for Christmas and its Tara, a woman seeking refuge from an ex. Now he just has to convince her to "Look What Santa Brought." him. Miracle at Midnight by Stacia Wolf Amara is cursed by Saint Nicholas, protector of children. She must answer a simple question to be free, but cannot do it on her own. Will handsome doctor, Nick, and his young daughter help Amara find her "Miracle at Midnight"?

Dear Friend, You were right: desperation is a dangerous state of mind. It was desperation that drove me to London to salvage my family's reputation and finances in the first place. And it is desperation—and perhaps a little desire—that has gotten me into the situation I find myself in now. You see, I've become ensnared in the investigation of a traitor by Lord Dewhurst—the most insufferable, sinfully handsome man I've ever met. I know it is shocking, but in order to catch this spy and clear my name, I've no choice but to play the agent's bride. Now I'm desperate again to avoid his seductive words and searing looks. I pray that I can resist him, but I can make no promises. Oh, my dear friend, I know he and I are merely pretending to be wed, but the blush he can send all the way to my petticoats feels far too real! Yours truly, Charlotte

Anne Sinclair has been haunted by visions of a handsome black-haired warrior all her life. His face invades her dreams and fills her nights with passionate longing. So the beautiful laird's daughter leaves her remote Scottish castle, telling no one, to search for the man called Stephen--a man she does not know but who fights in war-torn England, a place she has never seen. Stephen Harrington, Earl of Langlinais, never expected to rescue this unexplained beauty from the hands of his enemy. And yet, when their eyes first meet, he feels from the depths of his soul that he should know her...that he needs to touch her, and keep her by his side forever. For unknown to both of them, they are in the center of a centuries-old love...a love that is about to surpass their wildest dreams.

Contemporary voice Blake ("Whisper Falls") returns to Destiny, Ohio, with another sizzling and emotional story of a longtime friendship that turns into something oh-so-much more. Original.

Her childhood devastated by the political treachery of Henry VIII's reign, Brie found safety with English nuns. Yet by seventeen, she had grown into a fiery, flame-haired beauty who yearned for the romance and adventure lacking within the convent walls...until Tyler Wyndham swept into her life and fulfilled all her dreams. Desperately battling to regain a stolen inheritance, the dashing aristocrat had come to obtain proof of his birthright. From Yorkshire to London, to Rome, Brie followed him on his endless quest---risking her life in deadly confrontation with secrets from her own mysterious past. With danger and truth equal enemies, they triumphed at last, in the glory of their exquisite passion...in the power of their undying love.

Archer Le Veq owes his life to the woman who rescued him from certain death at the height of the Civil War...a woman known only as "the Butterfly." Now, in the dark, waning days of Reconstruction, he needs the courageous and beautiful former spy...in more ways than before!Zahra Lafayette thinks her days of intrigue are far behind her, until she is asked to go on one more mission. Posing as an infamous madam in New Orleans, Zahra must gather information to ensure the safety of the South's freedmen. The last thing she expected was to see Archer Le Veq again. He is as arrogant as he is handsome, but there is something about this dusky and debonair hotelier that sends her senses singing. Zahra knows she will need to guard her secrets, but no peril awaiting her compares with the treachery of Zahra's own heart - for, Lord help her, she burns to taste the man and to lose herself in his powerful embrace.

Heiress Lucinda Hollander decides to get engaged -- to a man who thrusts a rock on her finger and promptly disappears -- leaving Lucinda to take the rap for a crime she didn't commit. Lucinda goes on the lam, and even though she's never held -- or used -- a dust mop she goes "underground" as a housekeeper on a large estate. After all, she knows her way around big houses, and making floors sparkle is a whole lot better than making license plates. She quickly figures there's something suspicious going on in the servants' quarters -- especially with Max Hogan, "the car guy." He's strong, sexy -- and sure knows how to work with his hands. But he's more than a little silent about his past, which makes Lucinda wonder what he's up to ... and what will happen when "her secret comes out. Still, she hopes they can have a future together ... If only she could get that darn ring off her finger.

"We asked readers what story they would most like to see from four bestselling authors. They responded-- A handsome hero returns from war, battle-scarred and world-weary. But family duty calls and he must find a bride. A young lady facing yet another season without a suitor never expects to find herself the object of his affections."--P. of cover.

(Batistas #1) National bestselling author Katherine Sutcliffe spins a tale of love and deceit, where the perils of war reflect the bitter storms of the heart.A Southern maiden named Angelique DuHon and an angry, dark Texan named Alejandro Bastitas must face overwhelming odds that threaten their passions. But no matter what obstacles stand in the way, love will conquer all...

Hannah Frost is used to being surrounded by cute, sweet, troublemakers. After all, she's the principle of Indiana's upper class private elementary school, a popular repository for kids who "don't fit in" at public school. But even though she's been single since dinosaurs roamed the earth, what is interesting Hannah these days isn't her worst student - it's his father, What she can put her fingers on? Michael Sawyer, aka Raptor, former FBI computer specialist, has a few good ideas. Trouble is, he's too busy trying to save the world––or at least the world's internet connections––from certain doom at the hands of an old enemy, and trying to get his imaginative son back on course at school. But there's always time for a gorgeous, oh–so–prim, slightly mysterious headmistress, isn't there? Michael plans to make time, and do whatever it takes to convince Hannah to do the same.

Chinooks Hockey Team, #6 WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS . . . DOESN'T ALWAYS STAY THERE. Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots--not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam LeClaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her run. And she did--right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality, and before she could say "pass the coffee," Sam was gone. Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn't clapped eyes on the heart-breaking hockey superstar for over two years... until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a BIG play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?

Kali Wallace is spellbound by the breathtaking land that spreads out before her -- and by a proud Blackfeet brave who calls it home. Though she never plans to marry, dedicating her life instead to her career as a photographer, she cannot still the rapid pounding of her heart when Soaring Eagle is near. And when the handsome warrior enters her dream -- one more passionate and intense than any she has ever experienced -- Kali awakens to find that her world has been changed forever. Soaring Eagle trusts no white man -- or woman -- and was hoping the beautiful stranger would leave the reservation once his tribe refused her request to photograph them. Now the spirits have spoken, wedding him in a powerful night vision to this stiff-willed enchantress with moonlight dancing off her golden-red hair, uniting them for all eternity. But their fiery, foretold love goes against all they each believe in -- and it is doomed to end in heartbreak…unless their two worlds can somehow become one.

Stella Leon's bartending gig was going fine until gorgeous ex-Marine Beau Junger decked her mob-connected boss, spirited her out of the city, and claimed that Stella's half-sister, the one with the perfect life, sent him. Now Stella has no choice but to go along for the ride. The Marine Corps was Beau's escape from his old man's legacy of naval heroism and serial philandering, but no amount of training could prepare him for the day he looked in the mirror and saw his father staring back. The answer: swear off meaningless sex. Oh, and find a way to make Stella Leon quit being so damn hot.

A beautiful Southern belle meets her match in a handsome Yankee cardshark Aimee Fortune LaMotte hated Nick Drummond, and with good reason. The rogue gambier had swindled her father out of everything he owned. And then the handsome Yankee had demanded a passionate night with Aimee to pay off her own gambling debts, leaving her with an illegitimate child in the bargain. Years later, an officer in the despised Union army, Nick reentered Aimee's life as the South lay in flames. And though the beautiful belle's heart cried out for revenge, she was undone by the unexpected gentleness and nobility of the man who had wronged her five years before. She could not deny the irresistible desire that drew her into the powerful, loving arms of her enemy, and forced her to...Surrender to the Fury

What is Clare Wingate doing? One minute she's suffering in a pretty-in-pink gown she'll never wear again, and the next thing she knows it's morning . . . and she has the nastiest hangover of her life.To make matters worse, she's wearing nothing but a spritz of Escada and lying next to Sebastian Vaughan . . . her girlhood crush turned sexy, globe-hopping journalist. Somewhere between the toast and the toss of the bouquet she'd gotten herself into a whole lot of trouble.Clare had the right to go wild—after all, she'd been knocked off her dyed-to-match shoes after finding her own fiance in a compromising position with the washing machine repairman. Clearly her society wedding is off.But Sebastian pushed all the wrong buttons—and some of the right ones, too. Clare is in no mood for love—not even for lust—and wants to forget about Sebastian and his six-pack abs ASAP. But he isn't in the mood to go away, and his kiss is impossible to forget.

After playing an incredibly important -- and often scantily clad -- role in the four previous Desperate Duchesses books, it is finally time for Jemma to get her own story.Scandalous Jemma Beaumont and proper polititian Elijah Beaumont were always like oil and water. It came as no surprise to anyone when Jemma left to thrill all of France with her antics shortly after their wedding. But no one expected her return home ready to play the part of “dutiful” wife... least of all her husband.

Dear Reader:Night Fire, the first of the Night Trilogy, was first published in early 1989. I haven't rewritten it, just cleaned it up a bit and Avon books has given it a wonderful new cover. Arielle Leslie is a sixteen-year-old girl forced to wed Paisley Cochrane, a sadistic old man who abuses her. When he dies, she believes herself free. But she's not. Burke Drummond, Earl of Ravensworth -- a young man she'd worshipped three years before -- is home from the wars, and he wants her. When he catches her, he's in for an appalling surprise. I hope Burke and Arielle are two people who will touch you as deeply as they touched me. They face problems and obstacles never spoken of in Regency times.If you haven't yet read Night Fire, do give it a try. -- Catherine Coulter

A lady in waiting Phillipa Carstairs is absolutely lovely - so everyone has said since the hour she entered the world. Any gentleman would thrill to make her his bride, yet Pippa is all alone, waiting for a fiance who disappeared many months ago. She's long forgotten why she loved him, and she's nearly given up hope. A man of action At first glance, Maxwell, Lord Montrose, is nothing but a dandy - albeit a well-chiseled, irresistibly handsome one! But his foppish demeanor hides a keen mind and a steely resolve. A spy for the Crown who knows absolutely everyone, he's the only one who can help Pippa find her missing fiance. An irresistible desire Crossing England on the trail of the elusive husband-to-be, Maxwell and Pippa have the best of intentions. But a simmering attraction builds in close quarters . . . with a sinful passion that will be impossible to deny.

Two delightful holiday stories from the New York Times bestselling author in one glorious e-book edition.A Season of AngelsWhen three willing but wacky angels -- Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy -- are given a Christmas prayer to answer, there’s just one catch: each angel must teach her charge a memorable lesson before the wish can be granted.Touched by AngelsNew York City is always in need of miracles, and this Christmas is no exception. Thank heavens the divinely inspired, if slightly dizzy trio -- Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy -- have winged in to answer three Christmas wishes and teach a few lessons along the way. As usual, they’ve come up with three deserving souls who are about to discover that with this crew, when you wish upon a star, you get a lot more than a pretty song.

Chinooks Hockey Team, #2 THIS IS JANE A little subdued. A little stubborn. A little tired of going out on blind dates with men who drive vans with sofas in the back, Jane Alcott is living the Single Girl existence in the big city. She is also leading a double life. By day, she's a reporter covering the raucous Seattle Chinooks hockey team—especially their notorious goalie Luc Martineau. By night, she's a writer, secretly creating the scandalous adventures of "Honey Pie"...the magazine series that has all the men talking. SEE JANE SPAR Luc has made his feelings about parasite reporters—and Jane—perfectly clear. But if he thinks he's going to make her life a misery, he'd better think again. SEE JANE ATTRACT For as long as he can remember, Luc has been single minded about his career. The last thing he needs is a smart mouthed, pain in the backside, reporter digging into his past and getting in his way. But once the little reporter shed her black and gray clothes in favor of a sexy red dress, Luc sees that there is more to Jane than originally meets the eye. Maybe it's time to take a risk. Maybe it's time to live out fantasies. Maybe it's time to.... SEE JANE SCORE!

No Man Could Tame HerJessi Rose Clayton would do anything to keep the family ranch from falling into the wrong hands-even agree to take on a rough-and-tumble outlaw as her protector. With his rugged, handsome face and muscular bronze body, Griffin Blake can draw a sigh from a lady's lips almost as fast as his strong, sculpted arm can draw a gun from its holster. But Jessi Rose has no intentions of falling for his charms. No, her relationship with him is strictly business.Until He Came AlongRobbing the railroad is Griffin Blake's game, but he has no choice. Either he agrees to help Jessi Rose or he gets sent back to jail-so he arrives at the ranch ready to help the ornery female protect her land. But underneath Jessi's all-business exterior is a femininity she's kept hidden for far too long-making Griffin think it might be time to tame this wild Texas rose.

Succumbing to sin . . .Bethany Munro was once madly in love with the dashing Ian Rockwell. Then Ian left on a mission for the Crown, and Bethany was forced to put her heart aside. . . until one glittering night when she spies him across a crowded ballroom, and the feelings she once felt come rushing back. But she has her secrets. . . . . . and so does he. Sir Ian Rockwell has led a dangerous life and is now a suspect in a crime he did not commit. He never imagined the naive girl he knew so long ago could be the beauty standing before him now, or that she would be the one who could help him prove his innocence. But in a world of glamour and intrigue, where nothing is as it seems, their perilous game of seduction soon turns into a night of sin, a night where they both discover the only thing more dangerous than passion is falling in love.

Morgan's topaz eyes flashed fury, and the flush on her lovely young face was face...not the passion Francis chose to believe he had inspired. But despite Morgan's denial, a flame had been ignited. Swept up in the intrigues of the royal court of Henry VIII, Morgan is denied her own desires when she is forced to marry Francis' brother. But despite the raging conflicts that sweep the land and leave her life in turmoil, Morgan never relinquishes her romantic dreams...or the memory of the forbidden ecstasy that had taken her innocent and awakened the tormented longings of a woman born to love.

After all, this year brought Hannah Davis nothing but the memory of her wandering fiance marrying someone else behind her back. Now, sitting alone at a bar in Coronado, California, on December 31, she decides to do something radical . . . and lets a brooding good-looker take her to bed. But when a hysterical woman bursts into their room much too early on New Year's Day, Hannah realizes this guy's more complicated than she thought . . .Ex-Secret Service Agent Tanner Hart screwed up, big-time! Hoping to temporarily boot some of the ghosts from his life, he hooked up with this sexy stranger for a hot one-night stand—only to discover she's the woman he's agreed to protect . . . from men just like him!But a new year is a time for fresh beginnings. Despite the danger, the hoopla, and the hangovers, if Hannah's brave enough to risk her heart again—and Tanner's wise enough to realize he deserves it—maybe this one will be different.