Guest authors

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Spotlight on Dared by a Lyon

By Anna St. Claire

When American-born Ashlyn March reluctantly agrees to swap places with her daring heiress cousin and attend a house party during the London Season, she anticipates some awkward social moments—but not a broken carriage, an injured coach driver who’s actually a fourteen-year-old boy, and a thunderstorm that leaves her stranded at the doorstep of the most charmingly handsome man she’s ever met.

Gabriel Dawson, the Earl of Ravensthorpe, is no stranger to the games played at Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s notorious den—but nothing could have prepared him for the mysterious beauty who appears at his estate, soaked through and full of secrets. She’s clever, capable…and utterly captivating. As a gentleman, he offers her shelter. As a man, he finds it hard to keep his heart guarded.

Caught together by the storm, Ashlyn and Gabriel can’t deny the blossoming attraction between them. Even his own shadows of grief seem to lighten in her presence.

Ashlyn has always been gifted at healing others. Whether it’s a bird with a broken wing, a silent child, or a man who has lost belief in love—she gives herself generously. But the one thing she can’t give Gabriel…is the truth. Not without risking everything.

In the world of the Lyon’s Den, every game has a price…and love might be the greatest gamble.

https://www.amazon.com/Dared-Lyon-Lyons-Connected-World-ebook/dp/B0GHRC481K

Excerpt from Dared by a Lyon

Gabriel did carry his own guilt for drinking heavily after the accident. But after the first year, he’d stopped drinking himself into a stupor every night. In fact, he rarely drank anymore except around the anniversary. But rather than explaining himself, he asked, “Did you read my missive? We have been invited to a house party sponsored by Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon.”

“I’m afraid you will have to attend alone. Caro needs me here,” she said. She turned to leave but then said, “I wish you’d stay with Caro and me, here.” Her voce had a thread of frustration. “Son, it was a horrible and tragic accident. But it wasn’t your fault.”

“It wasn’t? For the past three years, I have been haunted by their deaths…If I had been there…” He shook his head.

“Son, you can’t know if your presence in that carriage would have saved your sister and Max or Juliet. It was a horrible accident. But it wasn’t your fault,” she said. “There were several men there, including a doctor, and they couldn’t save them.”

He nodded––logically, he knew that, but it was hard to reconcile his mind with his heart. He blew out a breath. “I realize that you think I spend all my time at the Lyon’s Den when I’m in London. Maybe that was true the first year. I drank and gambled more than I should have. However, I’ve changed that. I did visit the Lyon’s Den on this trip to London, but not to drink. While there, I met with our solicitors on Caro’s behalf. I also met a group of investors and went with them to the Lyon’s Den, mostly to find out as much as I could about some unique investment opportunities. I am serious about making certain Max’s estate grows as much as it can for Caro. As her uncle and guardian, I do this because I love her and want to protect her.”

“I understand,” the countess said softly.

The heavy brass knocker sounded at the front door and echoed upstairs to the study. Gabriel and his mother were silent for a moment as they exchanged a look.

“It’s very late,” he said, checking his pocket watch. “Who could be out at this late hour? Are you expecting someone, Mother?”

She shook her head, her eyes reflecting the worry that he, too, was feeling, for it was almost three years ago on a similar night when a tragedy killed half his family.

Without speaking, they left the study and made their way downstairs.

They arrived in the foyer just as their butler, Higgins, opened the front door. But a heavy gust of wind suddenly caught it and slammed it against the wall. Higgins caught the door in his usual unflappable manner and held it open. Welcome to Ravenswood Manor. How may we be of help?”

Two young women stood in the doorway, both bedraggled and covered in mud.

“Thank goodness someone is at home.” The younger, dark-headed woman said in a melodious voice. “Kind sir, we are in dire need of assistance. Our carriage overturned in the storm and slid down a steep hill a few miles down the road. We managed to escape with the horses and make it here, but our driver requires medical attention.”

My God, it happened again, Gabriel thought. Well, this time, he would do everything in his power to help this young woman and her servants. “I am Lord Gabriel Dawson, the Earl of Ravensthorpe, and this is my mother, Lady Elsa Dawson, the Countess of Ravensthorpe,” he said, stepping forward. “Please, come in, and let us be of assistance.”

The young woman turned toward him, and his breath hitched as he beheld her face. Exquisite… Even completely drenched and covered in mud, she was a beauty. Those eyes… He’d never seen eyes that shade of blue. Nay, not blue…but violet. And they were mesmerizing. Gabriel felt an overwhelming urge to take her in his arms, to protect her.

“Thank you, my lord, my lady’” she said breathlessly with a curtsy. “My name is Miss Elizabeth Vickers, and this is Alice, my maid. We were on our way to a house party being given my Mrs. Dove-Lyon near Bath when our horses were spooked by the storm, causing our driver to lose his hold on the reins.”

Gabriel could tell be her accent that she was not English, but American. “Higgins, please see to the driver and send one of your men to fetch Dr. Baker.”

“Yes, my lord,” the butler said, turning to the two footmen who were standing at the ready and giving them instructions.

“Miss Vickers, will you and your maid come warm yourself by the fire?” Gabriel’s mother said with a kind smile, gesturing to the drawing room down the hall.

“Thank you, my lady,” Miss Vickers said in that soft, melodious voice. She glanced at Gabriel and seemed to hesitate. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip, and he once again felt the overwhelming urge to sweep her up in his arms. “Except I should not leave our driver,” she added, “for he is but a child of fourteen.”

“Your driver is fourteen?” Gabriel said.

Miss Vickers blushed, her expression one of distress. “I promise, we had no idea when we departed. His father was supposed to drive us…” Her voice faded, and she looked as though she were about to burst into tears. “Please, can you help him, my lord?”

“Of course we will help him,” he said just as the footmen carried the boy inside. “Please do not worry––we’ll see to everything.”

“Thank you, my lord,” she breathed, and he wished he could carry her into the drawing room himself and set her in front of the fire…

“My lady, shall I go with them?” Alice asked.

Just as Miss Vickers was about to reply, Mrs. Flinters, their housekeeper, bustled up to them. “My lord, my lady,” she said.

“Mrs. Flinters, this is Miss Elizabeth Vickers and her maid, Alice. Can you have the blue room readied? Miss Vickers, her maid, and their driver have been in a carriage accident and will be staying with us for a while,” the countess said.

“Of course, my lady.” The housekeeper smiled and directed the maid to follow her. “Come with me, child.”

Alice looked at Miss Vickers, who gave her an encouraging nod to go with Mrs. Flinters.

Gabriel knew that between Higgins and Flinters, they would do what needed to be done with their usual efficiency and kindness.

“Please, Miss Vickers, come warm yourself by the fire, and we’ll see you to your room soon,” his mother said in a gentle voice, taking the young woman by the hand and drawing her along.

Miss Vickers glanced at him over her shoulder, as though looking to him for guidance.

Something shifted inside his chest. Something he’d never felt before. “We’ll take care of everything, Miss Vickers. Please do not worry. You are safe.”

She nodded, and her lips curved into a grateful smile. She regarded him a moment more with those luminous violet eyes. “Thank you, my lord,” she whispered, then turned to go with his mother.

He blew out a deep breath, as though he’d been holding it. Perhaps he had.

 

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Spotlight on “Duke and Destiny” in Dukes in Spring

When Cassandra Richards, a lady’s companion of questionable birth, meets a man and his horse on a stormy afternoon, two love stories unfold. One will reveal her past and show her how to escape the attentions of a not-so-gentlemanly gentleman. The other… Well, let’s just say you’ll be hearing it from the horse’s mouth.

Excerpt from “Duke and Destiny”:

The rainstorm had arrived, unannounced. Duke was drenched. The sporadic clouds had been whipped together by a strong wind, which had also appeared with no warning. Rain poured from the heavens onto Duke’s back, running down in rivulets along the hairs of his legs. It was the same for his man, who sat huddled upon the wagon, his great coat shut tight against the weather, his hat drooping under the onslaught of so much water upon it.

But onward they must. They had promised a delivery to Chadwick Hall, and Master Reid took his role as farmer very seriously. Besides, it was barely a mile to go now. They were already soaked. It couldn’t get any worse.

As if the storm would say otherwise, a bolt of lightning tore through the darkened sky, splitting and arcing in two fierce spears, one cracking a branch free from a nearby tree, the other triggering a scream a short distance behind them.

Duke would perhaps have let out a cry in shock too, but the sight of a mare tearing past them at great speed startled him doubly, so that he came to a complete stop to gather himself in silence.

From out of the moody purple air came a call.

“Help!”

It wasn’t very loud. Certainly, it struggled to be heard against the backdrop of the thunder and downpour that dominated the scene.

“Help!” came the call again. A little closer this time.

Duke’s man jumped from his seat, crying, “Whoa!”, which Duke thought rather unnecessary, as he hadn’t moved a muscle since they had stopped.

The sound of Master Reid’s running feet splashing through muddy puddles was largely ignored by Duke. He merely waited patiently, despite the rain’s attempt to soak him beyond his already saturated state. Duke was a very steady sort of fellow. He worked hard. He ate well. He enjoyed the company of others. It was a simple life. Which was why he barely shifted his weight while Master Reid charged off back down the road.

It wasn’t long before his man returned with company. Duke did not even have to turn his head to know from the perfume that the new human person was of the mare persuasion. Yet even in the rain, he could smell another, more familiar scent. The huge muscles in his shoulders flexed as he bent his neck to the side, breathed more deeply, and concentrated.

Willow. The scent was unmistakable. It was imprinted upon him. He raised his chin and neighed into the distance, as if Willow—for it must have been she who had bolted past them a minute ago—could hear him.

“Steady on there,” said Master Reid kindly, misunderstanding his call. “We’ll get you to shelter soon.”

With the young, dark-haired woman now seated next to Duke’s man, they set off again, Master Reid talking in low, reassuring tones to her as he would to Duke if he had had a fright.

They had barely covered a hundred yards when a horse came racing down the road toward them with some fellow on his back. At the sight of the young woman on the wagon, the man pulled at the reins, the smell of relief rolling off him in dense waves.

“Miss Richards!” the man shouted over the noise of the storm. “You’re safe! When I saw your horse come back alone, I was so worried!”

“You’re the groom from Chadwick Hall, aren’t you?” asked Master Reid. When the man nodded, Master Reid did the same, adding, “I’ll bring Miss Richards to the house. Got a delivery to make there, anyway. Tell a maid to ready a warm blanket and a bowl of hot water for the young lady’s feet.”

“I’m sorry for the trouble, Shelton,” said the young woman. “Willow surprised me with her enthusiasm to be off. It was not my intention to leave you behind. I had barely gained control of her when the storm broke. Then she was just as eager to be home again. Unfortunately, a lightning strike deepened her enthusiasm to return, and I was promptly unseated. Only a bit of a bruise on my rump to show for it, though.”

Duke liked her voice. She did not fight against the elements by shouting as the groom had done. She spoke clearly and her words carried well enough to those who were right beside her. The worst of her misadventure behind her, she was calming already, her heartbeat slowing.

“Glad to hear it, miss,” said the groom. He hesitated. He looked at Master Reid and the young lady.

Humans were so complicated. They always worried that pairs of them would get up to natural activities if they were left alone. As if that were such a bad thing. Well, they weren’t alone. Duke was there, after all. Besides, it wasn’t as if Master Reid would have his way with the young woman in the storm. Even horses knew better than to risk being struck by lightning for a bit of play.

Meet Elizabeth Donne

Elizabeth Donne’s writing is a natural outpouring of a lifelong love affair with English literature. Although she has spent most of her life in Cape Town, South Africa, she now lives in the American Midwest, where she enthusiastically introduces her visitors to the joys of drinking rooibos tea. With a biscuit, of course.

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Spotlight on Her Beast in Brighton

What if the beast you are running from is your prince charming?

When Lady Calliope Turner opens a candle shop in Brighton, all she wants is to escape her wicked stepmother, two vile stepsisters, and a plot to marry her off. She never dreamed she would witness a crime one night on her way to meet her merchant. What’s a woman to do? Run away, of course! And pray she never gets caught. Only, in her haste, she not only draws notice, but she loses a very damning slipper.

Maxen Fury, one of the seven bastard sons of the Duke of Crane, also known as the ruthless beast of Brighton’s underworld, rules his territories with an iron fist. His only goal is simple: to build an empire with his brothers so powerful that they never have to beg, bargain, or bleed again. But when a secret meeting goes awry and his newest tenant proves to be bright, defiant, and far more dangerous than she appears, Maxen finds himself facing the most inconvenient complication of his life.

As suspicion ignites into fascination and danger closes in, Calliope must decide whether she can trust the very man who hunts her . . . and Maxen must confront the one thing he never planned for—a woman who dares to see the man beneath the monster.

Can a man forged in darkness learn to protect the light he wants to claim? Or will his world devour her first?

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Her-Beast-Brighton-Historical-Bastards-ebook/dp/B0GRX8NSL1

Meet Tanya Wilde

Award-Winning and Bestselling author Tanya Wilde developed a passion for reading when she had nothing better to do than lurk in the library during her lunch breaks. Her love affair with pen and paper soon followed after she devoured all of their historical romance books!

When she’s not meddling in the lives of her characters or pondering names for her imaginary big, white greyhound, she’s off on adventures with her partner in crime.

Wilde lives in a town at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, South Africa.

 

Author Website

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Spotlight on Temptress and the Lyon

A woman on the brink of ruin. A man risen from the grave. A marriage neither of them planned, but both may die for.

Twelve years ago, Alyssia Prudence Whitcombe lost the man she was promised to marry since birth and learned how swiftly hearts can be broken. Now, with scandal snapping at her heels and her family’s future at risk, she makes a desperate choice: She will find a stranger to wed at the most dangerous gaming hell in London. A marriage of necessity. A contract. Nothing more.

She never expects that stranger to be Giles Bishop, the boy she once loved, the heir thought dead, the man who vanished without a trace.

Theodore Giles Bishop has spent years in the shadows, waiting for the moment he can reclaim the life that was stolen from him. Hardened by exile and secrecy, he means to bide his time, until he spies Alyssia standing in the Lyon’s Den, wagering her future with breathtaking courage. He makes a reckless choice: He will win her hand or die trying.

But some choices open old wounds.

Can love reclaimed be stronger than love lost? Or will the shadows that once tore them apart claim them both again?

 

Meet Tanya Wilde

Award-Winning and International Bestselling author Tanya Wilde developed a passion for reading when she had nothing better to do than lurk in the library during her lunch breaks. Her love affair with pen and paper soon followed after she devoured all of their historical romance books!

When she’s not meddling in the lives of her characters or pondering names for her imaginary big, white greyhound, she’s off on adventures with her partner in crime.

Wilde lives in a town at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, South Africa.

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Spotlight on Irene’s Fall

By Elizabeth Donne

Pride comes before her fall. Love helps her stand again.

Irene Sangford has willingly cast herself as the villain of her own story. After all, her family has taught her that arrogance and manipulation are suitable qualities in a lady if she’s seeking a husband with a title. Especially when there are so few such men to be had, and she is competing with her own sister to snap one of them up.

Nathaniel Macrae not only has no title, he has immersed himself in low society in his role as a secret investigator. Miss Sangford would never have given him a second glance, but when an attempted murder leads his inquiries right to her door, and a shocking secret from her past threatens to unravel her entire life, Irene discovers that Mr. Macrae is more compelling than any man she has ever met.

As Irene’s world falls apart, and she questions everything she has ever known, Nathaniel becomes her anchor in life’s greatest storm. Except this storm threatens to destroy them both. They will have to challenge everything they know and trust each other if they are to survive and find the love that has eluded them.

Tropes You’ll Love:

  • Fake Rake
  • Mystery
  • Secret Life
  • Secrets Galore
  • Forbidden Love
  • Hero Investigates Crime
  • Female Redemption Arc
  • Meet “by Accident”

Ladies of Munro (complete series)

Sophia’s Letter
Ellena’s Secret
Verity’s Choice
Jillian’s Wild Heart
Irene’s Fall

Below is an extract from Irene’s Fall for you to enjoy.

Go to https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1VMJKS9  to access a much longer sample.

***

The two men had barely removed themselves from earshot when Olivia leaned forward and said with great glee, “You like him! You should have seen your face when he carried you out to this bench. You can’t be in love with him, Irene. He’s a scoundrel!”

“I am not in love with him,” Irene replied hotly. “Your imagination has run wild.”

“I saw it too,” Mary chimed in. “You were definitely all doe-eyed.”

Irene glared at her friends.

“Don’t misunderstand me,” continued Mary. “The gentleman is as dreamy as they come. But you have never allowed that to lead where your future cannot follow. You wouldn’t want Mr. Macrae to think you can be toyed with. You are much too good for him.”

Am I? Irene was not convinced. Nothing in her character gave her the right to claim superiority over him. More importantly, would she want to? What if she wished for a man who was good for her, someone her parents would never approve of? With her prospects looking slim indeed, could she… dared she choose someone who might love her, just a little?

Meet Elizabeth Donne

Elizabeth Donne’s writing is a natural outpouring of a lifelong love affair with English literature. Although she has spent most of her life in Cape Town, South Africa, she now lives in the American Midwest, where she enthusiastically introduces her visitors to the joys of drinking rooibos tea. With a biscuit, of course.

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Spotlight on Jillian’s Wild Heart

When worlds collide, can love survive?

Lewis Bradford is the spare to the heir. Every aspect of his life has been a reminder that he is second best. Fortunately, being largely ignored by his baron father has given him a measure of freedom in choosing his wife. And who better to lift him from his bitter sense of neglect than a wild, golden-haired nymph who adores him?

Jillian Kinsey may be only a groundskeeper’s daughter, but she also happens to be best friends since childhood with Munro’s new viscountess. Protected by powerful friends, Jillian is able to always be her vivacious, rule-breaking self without fear of rejection. When Mr. Bradford begins to show an interest in her, she does not question whether or not such a match is realistic. She only knows he wants the same thing she does: a life of self-determination.

Ready to disregard all the pretentions of the ton and throw off the shackles of societal expectations, Lewis and Jillian seem destined to be the heroes of their own fairy tale. Until family tragedy strikes, and everything they have taken for granted is turned on its head.

Will they abandon the dreams they shared or can they weather the storm? Only time will tell.

Tropes you’ll love:

  • Different Worlds
  • Fish Out of Water
  • You’ve Changed
  • Emotional Scars
  • Opposites Attract
  • Unexpected Heir
  • Lively Heroine
  • Sensible Hero

Purchase link for book 4, Jillian’s Wild Heart: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNBVJ31Z

The Amazon link above includes three free chapters to sample Jillian’s Wild Heart

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade’s Sweet Dreams line, so this is a sweet, wholesome Historical Romance where passion beyond the bedroom door is left to the reader’s imagination.

Ladies of Munro
Sophia’s Letter
Ellena’s Secret
Verity’s Choice
Jillian’s Wild Heart
Irene’s Fall (due for release in December)

 

Meet Elizabeth Donne

Elizabeth Donne writes award-winning sweet Regency romance, a natural outpouring of a lifelong love affair with English literature.

She has spent most of her life in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2015, Elizabeth moved to Iowa with her husband, their two children, two cats, and their African bush dog.

When she’s not writing, or discovering the secret wonders of the Midwest, she is enthusiastically introducing her visitors to the joys of drinking rooibos tea. With a biscuit, of course.

Free newsletter subscription: https://www.elizabethdonnebooks.com/#subscribe

Website: https://www.elizabethdonnebooks.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093280712789

Follow me on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/elizabethdonne

Follow me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/35270040.Elizabeth_Donne

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethdonnebooks?igsh=dW4wdmt6Y2g1d2xx

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Spotlight on The Lady

The Lady, by Ava Bond

Lady Flora met Doctor Caton at seventeen. She fell in love with him. However his overheard comment about her youth and naivety has ruined her affection for him, and she vows revenge. Ten years later Doctor Philip Caton desires to wed and who better to ask that the beautiful, clever Lady Flora?

An excerpt: from The couples’ meet cute in the opening chapter:

“Excuse me, miss.” A low voice broke into Flora’s contented thoughts, unsettling her in her front row seat and causing her to look up. Her gaze fixed on the young man who had just walked down the aisle to come and stand before her.

And this new world which Flora was happily settling into, shifted entirely, and was sent utterly spinning.

A warm reddening blush started at the base of her neck, creeping higher as she stared up at him.

He was a god.

For a good, long moment she froze as she gazed wide eyed up at the man. He looked remarkably similar to one of the bridegrooms—to the rakish earl in fact. He might have been Langley’s twin with just a few subtle differences, and yet there was something more sincere and earnest about his expression, about the intensity of his gaze, around his chin, face, and build—a physical strength of purpose which marked him out as somewhat different from the earl.

The young man saw her quick glance and gave barely a nod of acknowledgement, but his face relaxed into something warmer when Flora shifted, so he could sit down next to her. Bravery flooded through her as the voices continued to flicker on behind them. It could not just be the ton’s interest in a duke and rake’s wedding—it had to be directed towards this new man. She had heard whispers about the earl’s baseborn brother, and here he was in the flesh. Sat next to her.

He was a matter of great interest to the beau monde. But Flora was fascinated to note this young man did not seem to mind, perhaps he was simply used to everyone watching him.

“I thought,” Flora whispered as the young man sank into his seat, “it is not normally acceptable to be late to a wedding.”

The man smiled as he looked sideways at Flora, “I was seeing a patient. My brother will forgive me, and hopefully, my future sister-in-law will as well.”

He was a doctor. Memories from when Elsie had been sick and had been treated by Langley’s doctor came rushing back to her. It had to be this young doctor. The man had been recommended by the earl. Flora, though, had been too busy, delighted with her recent arrival into Town. The Season was going on, and so she had not been remotely interested in meeting a doctor, who she assumed was probably portly, four times her age, with grey hair…

A swell of regret plummeted through her.

This man was better described as an angel. With gleaming, dark-gold hair bronzed light brown at the curled edges, it needed a slight trim to be truly fashionable, but Flora rather liked his bucking of these trends. Flora judged him to be around twenty-six or seven, but she was not certain. He was certainly older than her, but she rather liked this too.

His eyes were bright, a clear green colour that reminded her of lime, or something fresher, that made her stomach tighten. There was a depth and wisdom wrapped in them too. At least, that was what she told herself. He was a touch shorter than the earl but a little more muscular, which Flora suddenly decided she very much liked.

“I am called Philip Caton,” the doctor said, offering his hand to her with a formality that was again uncommon amongst the ton. Flora was used to bowing and kissed knuckles, but Caton did not look remotely interested in such gestures.

“Flora,” She found her voice as she took his hand. He was warm, and she wished to lean into the touch. “Lady Flora Fitzsimmons,” she corrected, forgetting for a moment her title.

“My lady.”

Meet Ava Bond

Ava has been a lover of regency romance novels since the age of ten, and she started writing whilst at university. She is the author of The Oxford Set and The Daughters of Dishonour series. In 2026 she will be publishing with Dragonblade, her next series The Lyme Ladies. She lives in Scotland, with her family and her cat, Gwen.
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Spotlight on Tempting a Lonely Lord

Book 6 in The Rakes of Mayhem

A determined viscount…

William Dudley never expected to inherit the title of Viscount—or the neglected estate in Kent that came with it. But duty is something he has never shied away from. Now responsible for his spirited young brother, William is juggling guardianship, estate matters, and his ongoing secret work for the Crown. Though he has officially resigned as an agent, he still deciphers coded messages and remains relentless in his pursuit of a criminal smuggling ring wreaking havoc along the coast. Marriage is the last thing on his mind—until fate quite literally drops into his arms.

A fateful fall…

Lady Bella Conolly’s search for her mischievous dog, Lacey, leads her to the newly inhabited neighboring estate. But when her chase ends with a misstep down an embankment, she finds herself swept into the arms of a stranger. A golden-haired Adonis with striking blue eyes, a devilish grin, and the kind of effortless charm that could make any woman weak in the knees.

Yet beneath his easy smile and godlike beauty, there’s something else—something elusive. A quiet intensity that speaks of secrets carefully guarded. Bella should know better than to be drawn in by mystery and charm alone, yet she cannot deny the pull of curiosity… or attraction.

A dangerous dilemma…

Yet Bella’s troubles are far from over. Her uncle is determined to marry her off to a ruthless earl with sinister motives and a chilling hold over her family. As danger tightens its grip, Bella must decide whether she can trust the debonair and dashing viscount who has unexpectedly entered her world. Together, they must navigate secrets, schemes, and the undeniable pull of a love neither of them expected.

Can William unravel the web of deceit before it’s too late? Or will Bella be lost to the shadows of a perilous plot?

The Rakes of Mayhem
The Earl of Excess
The Marquess of Mischief
The Duke of Disorder
The Baron’s Return
To Win a Viscount’s Heart
Tempting a Lonely Lord

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade’s Sweet Dreams line, so this is a sweet, wholesome Historical Romance where passion beyond the bedroom door is left to the reader’s imagination.

Excerpt from Tempting a Lonely Lord

A few moments later she heard his voice from somewhere below her, which only confused her more. “I want you to trust me—what’s your name?”

“B-Bella.”

“Bella, I’m William. I’m standing below you and just to your right.”

“H-how can you be…?”

“There’s a ledge beneath you—about ten feet below your feet. I found a path to take me down here.”

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t see the ledge.”

“That’s all right, Bella. I’m going to catch you. But you must promise to do exactly as I say.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“Good girl, Bella. When I say let go, I want you to let go and just let yourself drop.” He must have noticed her stiffen at his instruction because he added, “This ledge is wide enough and sturdy enough to hold us both.”

“Are you certain?”

“I’m certain, Bella,” he said in a deep, calm voice.

Lacey barked wildly as if she were telling Bella to trust him.

“I do, girl,” she said, her voice faint. “But I can’t hold on much longer.”

“You don’t need to. I’m here,” the soothing male voice said below her. “I’m going to catch you.”

Bella’s heart pounded as she clung to the ledge, too terrified to look down. “You promise to catch me?”

“Yes, I promise. Trust me. I’m right here. Just let go,” he murmured, voice steady and sure.

Her fingers ached, frozen stiff, and unresponsive, as if they no longer belonged to her. She squeezed her eyes shut, whispered a desperate prayer, and released her grip.

For an instant, she was weightless. The wind roared past her, pulling her downward. The jagged rocks below seemed to reach up, hungry and waiting. A scream tore from her throat, sharp and involuntary—

But then she stopped falling.

Strong arms wrapped around her, solid and unyielding.

“I’ve got you, Bella. I’ve got you,” he rasped, his voice rough with exertion.

The impact of her fall must have jolted him, and for a harrowing moment, his footing slipped. Her panic surged, and she let out a frantic yelp, flailing against him.

Then there was a thud—a hard, jolting stop.

Bella lay still, gasping for breath, her senses spinning. Was she alive? The air felt too rich, too vibrant to belong to Heaven. A warm, grounding presence surrounded her—sandalwood, citrus, and leather mingled with the sea’s salt.

She stirred, feeling the solid heat of his body beneath her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and the world came into focus: not the endless blue of sky or water, but the deepest, most mesmerizing blue she’d ever seen. Her rescuer’s eyes.

He lay beneath her, chest heaving, his arms still holding her securely.

“You’re safe,” he murmured, his breath brushing her cheek.

For the first time since the fall, she believed him.

Meet Anna St Claire

USA Bestselling Author, Anna St. Claire, is a big believer that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. She sprinkles her stories with laughter, romance, mystery, and lots of possibilities, adhering to the belief that goodness and love will win the day.

Anna is both an avid reader and author of American and British historical romance. She and her husband live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their two dogs and often, their two beautiful granddaughters, who live nearby. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, and Mimi—all life roles that Anna St. Claire relishes and feels blessed to still enjoy. And she loves her pets – dogs and cats alike, and often weaves them into her books as secondary characters. And she loves chocolate and popcorn, a definite nod to her need for sweet followed by salty…but not together—a tasty weakness!

Anna relocated from New York to the Carolinas as a child. Her mother, a retired English and History teacher, encouraged Anna’s interest in writing after discovering short stories Anna would write in her spare time.

As a child, she loved mysteries and checked out every Encyclopedia Brown story that came into the school library. Before too long, her fascination with history and reading led her to her first historical romance—Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind, now a treasured, but weathered book from being read multiple times. The day she discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss,’ books, Shanna and Ashes In The Wind, Anna became hooked.

Today, her focus is primarily the Regency and Civil War eras, although Anna enjoys any period in American and British history.

 

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Spotlight on The Knight Falls First

The Knight Falls First is volume 7 in the Ladies Least Likely, a series of romances set in Georgian Britain featuring ambitious, determined women and the heroes who win their hearts. Knight is the sequel to the first book in the series, Viscount Overboard, and continues where that book ends.

The Knight Falls First

Anne Sutton has the beauty and breeding to make a gentleman’s wife, but not the dowry. When her parents offer her to the vile Calvin Vaughn, Anne does something a gentleman’s daughter would never do: she decides to ruin herself. And the best means at hand is Calvin’s prodigal older brother, Hew, lately returned from war.

Hewitt Vaughn is either the hero of Acre or under a cloud of disgrace—he’s yet to find out which. He’s home to recover from his wounds and take charge of the family estates; stealing his brother’s fiancée is decidedly not a way to redeem himself. But when the lovely, desperate Anne entreats Hew’s help, how can he, as a man of honor, deny her?

When Anne’s plan spectacularly backfires, the only solution is a forced marriage—to each other. But as she makes a home in Newport, Anne wonders if Hewitt Vaughn is the smartest mistake she ever made. And Anne might be the future he never dreamed he could have, but to win her, Hew has to persuade her he would have chosen her anyway—and he’ll have to defeat the dangerous enemy who wants to take everything from them, including one another.

Excerpt from The Knight Falls First:

The newcomer drew in a breath as the surge of voices rose to an excited babble. His gaze went to the hall leading to the refectory. “It’s time for the reckoning,” he said.

This ought to prove interesting. Anne wanted to see the impression this stranger made. More than that, she wanted to watch him a bit longer. He grew more prepossessing the more one looked at him, more discoveries to acknowledge and appreciate. There was something not quite right in the way he moved, though she couldn’t define what it was, and at any rate, as she turned toward the refectory, he was behind her. Hair prickled all over her scalp.

Why should she be so very conscious of his eyes on her, perceiving the cut of her gown, the drape of her shawl over her arms? She put a deliberate sway in her hips, a delicate, ladylike glide she’d been taught in endless grueling lessons in the Vine Court drawing room. Let him look. She wanted him looking.

The noise had resulted from the long, heavy refectory tables, there since the reign of Henry II, being moved aside to make room for dancing. Everyone in the room was on their feet, circulating excitedly, while musicians set up in one corner. Someone brought in Gwen’s traveling harp—Anne remembered her having it at Vine Court. She felt an imposter, an imposer on these revelries, watching from the outside but not part of the merriment.

And beside her this stranger, tall, lean, and alert, was an outsider, too.

“Oh, someone dropped a pin.” Anne spotted the small stick of bronze on the floor, about to roll between two flagged stones, and picked it up.

“The pin!” Prunella shrieked. “Anne found the pin!”

“The pin!” The cry spread, leaping from mouth to mouth like the sweep of wildfire. “The pin has been found!”

Anne stood bewildered. Pins were dear, yes, especially a bronze pin like this, but such an uproar. It must belong to someone important. Her heart took up its rabbit beat once again. Perhaps Lydia, the dowager Dowager Viscountess. Perhaps she would notice Anne at last and make a pet of her. Take her to London. Introduce her to men who were as handsome as this stranger, but less alarming in their manner. Perhaps she could marry someone proper and he would pay to keep her parents in their home.

Dovey clapped her hands. “Bodes a wedding!” she said with a smile. “Another wedding for St. Sefin’s.”

Gwen slung her way through the crowd toward them. “You found my pin!” she exclaimed. “That’s the custom, it is. You’re next to be married, Anne. Who’s the young man to be, then?” She turned to the newcomer with a frank, curious grin that faltered once she got a look at him.

A storm of wind shook through Anne’s head. Calvin Vaughn, back inside, pushed toward them like a fat pike swimming upstream. The smirk on his face was as smug and condescending as could be. He meant for Anne to marry him, and now this blasted pin was his opportunity to claim her.

Calvin marked the man standing beside Anne, and the smile dropped off his face.

The most curious silence followed the pin clamor. It spread swift and somber, like the ripples in a pond when something precious had been dropped and lost in it. The hush reached the edges of the room, including the head table, where Lord Penrydd stood, his eyes widening.

Beside him the Earl of St. Vincent shot to his feet, disbelief overtaking his placid features.

“You,” he exclaimed.

“Me,” the stranger agreed.

Lady Vaughn gave a scream like her soul had been torn from her body. Her eyes rolled back in her head and her limbs collapsed like a marionette clipped of its strings. Mr. Evans, Dovey’s new husband, caught her ladyship with his one good arm before she hit the floor.

Anne turned to regard the stranger. He started forward in a halting fashion, his eyes on Lady Vaughn, every line in his body as tight and pained as a rigged sail fighting the wind. The fragments of suspicion rushed together with a snap, and she knew him.

Calvin’s older brother, Lady Vaughn’s revered hero, Greenfield’s prodigal son and heir. Hewitt Vaughn.

Back from the dead.

Meet Misty Urban

Misty Urban is a medieval scholar, freelance editor, and college professor who writes stories about misbehaving women who find adventure and romance. Her Ladies Least Likely series of historical romances, set in Georgian Britain and beyond, feature headstrong heroines who set out to carve themselves a place in the world and find soul-searing love along the way. Misty lived for several years inside assorted books and academic institutions, and now lives in the Midwest in a little town on a big river. She loves to hear from readers and give away free stories through her newsletter and on her website, http://www.mistyurban.com

 

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Spotlight on My Christmas Knight

For fans of Elizabeth Hoyt and Sherry Thomas comes a Christmas novella about how a mistaken identity forces two strangers to realize that love can bloom` from a marriage of inconvenience and social ruin.

Sir Dennis Fairplace, knighted war hero of Crimea, has had enough of England and family. Overwhelmed by Christmas Day celebrations, he flees his family’s home to board a train northward, but a run-in with brawlers interrupts his plans.

Blanche Badnarrow, cloistered ward of her uncle, the cruel Bishop Badnarrow, secretly plans to elope with her lover to Scotland. But at the last minute, he abandons her at the station. That leaves the bishop determined to make someone—anyone—wed his “ruined” niece.

Enter Dennis, who stumbles into the bishop’s private rail car while trying to avoid a brawl, and finds himself a captive bridegroom.

Blanche and Dennis must escape their prison before her uncle grows tired of their reluctance to wed and throws Dennis from the moving train. As they plot their getaway, the couple begin to wonder—would marriage to one another be so bad after all?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGFGQTSZ

Anne Knight has been writing stories since she was three years old. Before she could read or write, she followed her parents and babysitter around, begging them to dictate her words. Eventually she learned the alphabet and began writing herself. She sneaked her first romance novel when she was thirteen, but did not become an avid reader or writer of the genre until after college.

Anne lives in Arkansas with her real-life swoony hero, four children, and two cats. The cats are named Cyrano and Ivanhoe.