It’s here! Release day for Romancing the Duke!

I’m so excited for Izzy and Ransom’s story to make its way into the world. Izzy is a heroine after my own heart, for so many reasons. As for wounded hero Ransom…well, he proved challenge enough for us both!

These two needed each other desperately, and I hope you’ll fall in love with them and their romance. Thanks for reading!… Read More »

After eight years of waiting for Piers Brandon, the wandering Marquess of Granville, to set a wedding date, Clio Whitmore has had enough. She’s inherited a castle, scraped together some pride, and made plans to break her engagement.

Not if Rafe Brandon can help it. A ruthless prizefighter and notorious rake, Rafe is determined that Clio will marry his brother—even if he has to plan the dratted wedding himself.

So how does a hardened fighter cure a reluctant bride’s cold feet?

• He starts with flowers. A wedding can’t have too many flowers. Or harps. Or cakes.
• He lets her know she’ll make a beautiful, desirable bride—and tries not to picture her as his.
• He doesn’t kiss her.
• If he kisses her, he definitely doesn’t kiss her again.
• When all else fails, he puts her in a stunning gown. And vows not to be nearby when the gown comes off.
• And no matter what—he doesn’t fall in disastrous, hopeless love with the one woman he can never call his own.

Less than a month now until the release of Romancing the Duke, first in my all-new Castles Ever After series! If you like:

• Intrepid, book-loving heroines
• Wounded, reclusive heroes in desperate need of love
• Mysterious, romantic castles
• Weasels (okay, just trust me on this one)

…pre-order today!  You can read the full first chapter here.

And for those of you who’ve enjoyed my dareling room videos, here’s a new one. (You may have to click the “Read More” link to see it.) I finally made good on my DABWAHA promise 🙂

… Read More »

This is an original holiday short story, written for a 2012 Christmas blog event on the theme “A wallflower makeover on Christmas Eve.” In the past, I’ve written a Christmas wallflower novella (Once Upon a Winter’s Eve) and greatly enjoyed writing a quiet, reserved heroine who comes into her own. But with this story, I thought it would be fun to give that well-loved trope a few twists. Enjoy!

“Now, Hugh. Do promise me you’ll try tonight.”

“Try?” he echoed. His tone was willfully obtuse. “I don’t understand. Try at what?”

Juliet sighed. Visibly. The December air took her frustrated breath and made it into a tiny thundercloud.

She jammed her hands deep in her toasty, fox-fur muff. “You know what I mean. Every year my family hosts this Christmas party, and every year you travel from godforsaken Cornwall to attend it. And then you spend the entire evening skulking in the shadows.”

His laugh was low but warm. “I am sorry to disappoint you, but I do not make the yearly journey all the way from Cornwall to Hertfordshire for a neighbor’s party. I come to visit my aunt.”

Juliet tried to hide the twist of her lips. Didn’t Hugh come to visit her, as well? He surely wasn’t out trudging the woods with his aunt. Not that Lady Hortense could trudge the woods, frail old thing.

Perhaps that’s all Juliet was to him now. Not a friend worth the journey to visit, but merely a … Read More »