Flame & The Flower, Petals On The River - Kathleen Woodiwiss

A proud and spirited woman whose life was stolen from her. . .

A man of secrets accused of a terrible crime. . .

In a place of new beginnings their destinies are joined--in a gloriously romantic new work from the incomparable storyteller. The fiery and outspoken adopted daughter of one of England's most formidable women, Shemaine O'Hearn has made powerful enemies. And now her adversaries have found a way to remove the hot-blooded beauty from her life of privilege: by falsely convicting Shemaine of thievery and sending her in shackles to America, where she is to be sold in indentured servitude to the highest bidder.

In a bustling port city in the colony of Virginia, she becomes the servant of Gage Thornton--a shipbuilder with a young child in need of a nanny. And despite whispered rumors condemning the handsome widower for the untimely death of his wife, Shemaine cannot ignore her desire for this caring, generous and enigmatic stranger who silently aches with his growing need for her--even as grave peril reaches out from across a vast ocean to threaten their flowering love.



The Flower...

Doomed to a life of unending toil, Heather Simmons fears for her innocence--until a shocking, desperate act forces her to flee. . . and to seek refuge in the arms of a virile and dangerous stranger.

The Flame....

A lusty adventurer married to the sea, Captain Brandon Birmingham courts scorn and peril when he abducts the beautiful fugitive from the tumultuous London dockside.

But no power on Earth can compel him to relinquish his exquisite prize. For he is determined to make the sapphire-eyed lovely his woman. . .and to carry her off to far, uncharted realms of sensuous, passionate love.

It was such a joy to take these books off my shelf and spend some time with them again.

After The Kiss - Suzanne Enoch

A Notorious Gentleman . . .

Sullivan Waring wants only two things: his rightful inheritance, and revenge against the man who stole it from him. By day, Sullivan is the most respected horse breeder in England; by night, he plunders the ton's most opulent homes to reclaim his late mother's beautiful paintings. His quest is going swimmingly . . . until the night he's discovered by Lady Isabel Chalsey. Clad only in a revealing nightdress, she's an entrancingly different kind of plunder, and how can a thief resist stealing a kiss?

A Curious Lady . . .

Surprised by a masked man in her own home, Isabel should be quaking with fear. Instead the sight of the sinfully handsome Sullivan makes her tremble with excitement. Who is this man, and why is he so set on this reckless pursuit? Lady Isabel loves a challenge, and she'll dare anything to uncover Sullivan's secret - but she may instead convince him that she is the greatest prize of all.

Return to Me - Rosemary Rogers

A fragile peace has come to the country in the aftermath of the Civil War, but tensions remain strong in the hearts and souls of those who fought for their land . . . and for love.

For the beautiful, strong-willed Cameron Campbell, the war had one shining spot: dashing Captain Jackson Logan. Though separated by duty for nearly four years, Jackson has come home at last. Cameron, however, has a few plans of her own. This headstrong young woman - who's unwilling to do any man's bidding - is determined to return to Elmwood, her family's Mississippi plantation, and reclaim her heritage, stolen by the ravages of war.

A Union spy and decorated war hero, Jackson's legendary air of command served him well as a leader of men. But now he is forced to reckon with a wife as stubborn and willful as he - and the unexpected return of a woman from his past who has come to claim his love. While his passion is fierce for his beautiful wife, a dark menace forces him into a last crucial mission for his country, and Jackson knows he must also make a final stand for the woman he loves.

The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks

From the inside cover...

THE NOTEBOOK
. . . is an achingly tender story about the enduring power of love, a story of miracles that will stay with you forever. Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946, THE NOTEBOOK begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner returned home from World War II. Noah, thirty-one, is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories. . . until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again.

Allie Nelson, twenty-nine, is now engaged to another man, but realizes that the original passion she felt for Noah has not dimmed with the passage of time. Still, the obstacles that once ended their previous relationship remain, and the gulf between their worlds is too vast to ignore. With her impending marriage only weeks away, Allie is forced to confront her hopes and dreams for the future, a future that only she can shape.

Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments, and fundamental changes that affect us all. Shining with a beauty that is rarely found in current literature, THE NOTEBOOK establishes Nicholas Sparks as a classic storyteller with a unique insight into the only emotion that really matters.

An Honorable Man - Rosemary Rogers

Beautiful, headstrong Cameron Campbell knows her privileged life as a Mississippi senator's daughter is about to be shattered. Her fine Southern family has its share of secrets and scandal, and as her father decides to stand with the Union, long-held family rivalries lead to cold-blooded murder. But amidst the devastation, one honorable man is about to show her the meaning of love....

Six years ago Cameron offered Captain Jackson Logan her heart -- and he walked away from her. She vowed then never to let another man hurt her that way. But now, as war assumes its deadly course, Cameron will be forced to find an ally in this man she loves to hate...and hates to love. A man whose strength and courage will mirror her own as she stakes a defiant stand against slavery. A man who will face unimaginable danger by her side and show her the magic of a rapturous love that comes but once in a lifetime.

Scandal's Bride - Stephanie Laurens

When Catriona Hennessy, honorable Scottish Lady of the Vale, received this prediction, she was exceedingly aghast. How could she unite with a rake like Richard Cynster--a masterful man with a scandalous reputation? More shocking still was her guardian's will that decreed she and Richard be wed within a week! Though charmed by his commanding presence, and wooed by his heated kisses, she would not--could not--give up her independence.

So she formed a plan to get the heir she needed without taking wedding vows.Richard was just as stunned by the will's command. Marriage had not previously been on his agenda, but lately he'd been feeling rather...restless. Perhaps taming the lady was just the challenge he needed. But can he have the rights of the marriage bed without making any revealing promises of love?

A Dangerous Man - Rosemary Rogers

Victoria Ryan tasted sweet freedom - and love - in Boston, far from the cast-iron code of behavior that shackles woman in Alta California. Now she has come home to find nothing has changed - that she is to be married against her wishes by her father's decree. And she will share a hidden fortune with anyone who helps her escape.

Rugged and rough, Nick Kincade carefully guards his secrets as he lives by his own law. Yet the cold-as-steel ex-Texas Ranger is willing to escort the bewitching, headstrong lady back East. For the past has already linked Victoria's destiny with his. And anything can happen on the hard, twisted trail - especially for two strong courageous hearts who searing, white-hot flame of perilous desire.

Tall, Dark, & Texan - Jodi Thomas

Teagen McMurray would ride to hell and back to protect his land. He’d certainly never felt that way about a woman. Not, at least, until Jessie Barton showed up with her three little girls, desperate for a place to stay. Suddenly he found himself proposing marriage, telling himself it was only to protect her and her children.

Texas Princess - Jodi Thomas

Ever since he defended the Whispering Mountain Ranch as a boy, Tobin McMurray vowed to steer clear of outsiders. But something about Liberty Mayfield has made it impossible to keep his distance. Every minute spent with the vulnerable beauty has left him hungering for something he swore he'd never have-a wife and a family. Unfortunately, the woman who's ignited his desire is about to marry another man.

A Rake's Vow - Stephanie Laurens

He vowed he'd never marry:

Vane Cynster always knew which way the wind was blowing, and it was headed in a marrying direction. The other Cynster men might not mind stepping up to the altar, but Vane never wanted to be leg-shackled to any woman, no matter how comely. Bellamy Hall seemed like the perfect place to temporarily hide from London's husband hunters. But when he encountered irresistilbe Patience Debbington, Vane realized he'd met his match and soon he had more than seduction on his mind.

She vowed no man would catch her:

Patience wasn't about to succumb to Vane's sensuous propositions. Yes, his kisses left her dizzy; his caresses made her melt; but he was arrogant, presumptuous...and, despite his protests, bound to be unfaithful, just like every other man. Patience had promised herself that she'd never become vulnerable to a broken heart. But was this one vow that was meant to be broken?