Nadya Anderson is arranged to be married to the man of her dreams. Handsome, debonair, effortlessly charismatic, and a son of the royal family of Al-Ahradi, Sheikh Salman Al-Hamar is everything Nadya could ever want. There’s just one problem: their arranged marriage isn’t going to happen…Nadya Anderson is arranged to be married to the man of her dreams. Handsome, debonair, effortlessly charismatic, and a son of the royal family of Al-Ahradi, Sheikh Salman Al-Hamar is everything Nadya could ever want. There’s just one problem: their arranged marriage isn’t going to happen…After a simple but colossal misunderstanding at the airport, Nadya is mistaken for a different Nadya; the up to now unseen princess Sheikh Salman has been arranged to marry. Greeted like a goddess, she goes along with the façade, intending to enjoy some luxury before making her escape. Spurning several opportunities to tell the truth, however, Nadya is soon in too deep, and with the date of their wedding looming, she has a decision to make: come clean to the man she loves, or run away from it all, never to look back…This is a standalone Sheikh romance novel from best-selling author Holly Rayner. It contains a guaranteed HEA, and a tale of romance that will capture your heart. As an added gift, it also contains the first few chapters of Holly Rayner\'s prior novel, The Sheikh’s Make-Believe Fiancée.

From the author of The Stars Look Down and The Citadel, and the creator of Dr Finlay's Casebook A J Cronin was commissioned by The American Weekly to write a Christmas story for the December 21st issue in 1958. His vision for the story is described in his letter of acceptance: “It came to me very strongly that to achieve the highest and most profoundly touching results I should go back to the first Christmas of all and create a vivid reconstruction of the effects of the birth of the Child upon certain characters, notably the wife of the innkeeper where no room was found for Mary and Joseph. The title of the story would be The Innkeper’s Wife, for she, as I imagine her, is the central human character—a good and tender-hearted woman, childless herself, and bullied by an assertive and miserly husband.” Here now is the alternative story of Christmas, narrated with great skill, by the author of The Citadel, Hatter’s Castle and The Stars Look Down**

A Proper Lord’s Wife (Properly Spanked Legacy, Book Two)

Sano Ichiro, the Shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People, has his doubts about the partnership that he and his spirited new wife, Reiko, have forged: While he can't help recognizing that her help on his cases can be invaluable, he sometimes longs for a more traditional wife. Still, when a botched case and the resulting loss of face send Sano to the Imperial city to find a killer whose methods are as terrifying as they are elusive, Sano needs the talents of his wife more than ever to inflitrate the emperor's inner circle. Rowland's series "positively smokes with historical atmospherics" (Publishers Weekly), and THE SAMURAI'S WIFE is her most intricate and compelling novel to date.Amazon.com ReviewSano Ichiro, the Shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People, is back in action in Laura Joh Rowland's latest, The Samurai's Wife. After a heated dispute with his colleague and archrival, Honorable Chamberlain Yanigasawa, Sano finds himself in Miyako, Japan's imperial capital, investigating the mysterious death of Minister Konoe Bokuden. Apparently a victim of murder by kiai, a martial arts technique in which a burst of pure mental energy is concentrated in the voice of the killer, Konoe had been plotting an overthrow of samurai rule. Sano must determine whether his death is a personal or political matter, all the while tiptoeing around the delicate sensibilities and violent tempers of the Emperor and his Imperial Court. His roster of suspects ranges from the Emperor himself to Kozeri, Konoe's former wife, a Buddhist nun whose habit barely conceals a powerful and disturbing sensuality.Rowland has obviously done her homework; her zest for historical detail complements, rather than overwhelms, the story, giving the reader a glimpse into the ceremoniality of 17th-century imperial Japanese culture: "In the southern sector of the imperial enclosure stood the Purple Dragon Hall.... The austere half-timbered building faced a courtyard bounded with covered corridors supported by vermilion posts. The ground was covered with white sand to reflect the light of the sun and moon onto the hall. A cherry tree and a citrus tree flanked the entrance, representing the guardian archers and horsemen of ancient tradition. Leading up to the door, eighteen steps, framed by red balustrades, symbolized the number of noble ranks in the court hierarchy. Sano and Hoshina slowly approached the bottom of the steps, where a line of courtiers waited."Unfortunately, Rowland seems sometimes to sacrifice accuracy for the sake of action, creating a bond between Sano and his spirited wife Reiko so modern that one feels that even the most liberated Genroku woman would have been far more circumscribed by ritual and expectations. On the level of plot, rather than philosophy or politics, Sano's deductions have less to do with dogged investigation than with divine inspiration. Laura Joh Rowland's previous Sano mysteries include The Concubine's Tattoo and The Way of the Traitor. Mystery fans intrigued by the notion of a Japanese mise en scène may be interested in Dale Furutani's Death at the Crossroads and Jade Palace Vendetta, also set in 17th-century Japan. --Kelly FlynnFrom Publishers WeeklyWith her fifth mystery set in 17th-century Japan, Rowland (The Concubine's Tattoo, Bundori, etc.) offers a rich historical that is equal parts police procedural and political thriller. The shogun sends his Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations and People, Sano Ichiro, to the ancient court city of Miyako to investigate the murder of imperial minister Konoe Bokuden. Normally such a crime wouldn't concern the shogun, but the victim was a spy who reported on activities among nobles of dubious loyalty. Sano has to solve the murder and diffuse any resulting political tensions, a job that requires delicacy and etiquette--and vigilance. Felled by a rare martial art that can vanquish the most skilled samurai, Bokuden had discovered a secret plot against the shogun involving members of the court, feudal lords, gangsters and ronin. To find the killer and avert civil war, Sano must step on imperial toes and risk both censure from the shogun and the displeasure of Reiko, Sano's spirited young wife. Rowland delineates the class distinctions of her characters with subtlety and pulls together the strands of her multifaceted plot with enviable grace. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A return to Woodicombe House...Kate Channer thought married life was going to be a grand adventure. But when Luke ships off for war before the echoes of their vows have ended, she's left behind, desperate to do something to make a difference and help bring him home. Yet life in Devon and London spent as ladies-maid to her half-sister, Naomi, brings battles of its own. Facing hardship and heartbreak they never imagined, Kate and Naomi must now find the strength to keep the home fires burning through the long uncertain months of a wife's war.The Woodicombe House SagasThe Housekeeper's DaughterA Wife's War

There's nothing sexier than a forbidden playboy... Only from USA TODAY bestselling author Robin Covington!A wife is the last thing he wants...And the one thing he needs.Justin Ling knows a steamy Vegas tryst with his best friend's little sister is reckless. And an impromptu wedding? Disastrous! Luckily, the tech entrepreneur knows how to pivot. Being married to Sarina Redhawk is just what he needs to convince his family and corporate investors his notorious playboy days are behind him. But will his arrangement with the strong-willed beauty backfire?From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.When these siblings find each other again, no one can stop them in Redhawk Reunion:Book 1: Taking on the BillionaireBook 2: Seducing His Secret Wife

Billy The Kid's Wife is a time travel romance short by bestselling novelist R. Barri Flowers. Modern day romance writer finds love with Old West onetime outlaw known as Billy the Kid.BILLY THE KID’S WIFE is a time travel romance short by bestselling novelist R. Barri Flowers. When a modern day historical romance writer rents a cabin in Sky Creek, Colorado to complete her next novel, a strange dog shows up, along with a handsome man and young boy. She soon comes to realize that the man is the onetime outlaw known as Billy the Kid, and that the corridors of time have merged, offering her two very different lives. She has an important decision to make in following her destiny.Also includes an excerpt from the relationship novel, Forever Sweethearts: A Love Story by R. Barri Flowers.PRAISE FOR MYSTERY AND THRILLER FICTION BY R. BARRI FLOWERS“A heart-thumping thriller, this is that rare novel that is downright scary. Pick it up at your peril, because you won't put it down until you've read the last word." -- John Lutz, Edgar Winner and bestselling author of Twist on BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN“A masterful thriller set in the dark underbelly of Maui, with lots of fine action, down and dirty characters, and the vivid details of police procedure one would expect from an author who is also a top criminologist. A terrific read!" -- Douglas Preston, co-creator of the bestselling Pendergast series of novels on MURDER IN MAUI"An exquisitely rich and masterfully constructed mystery.... A savvy, smooth, and sumptuous read that's as hot as Waikiki beach sand." -- Jon Land, bestselling author of Strong Vengeance on MURDER IN HONOLULU"It gets no better than this! R. Barri Flowers has written another thriller guaranteed to hold onto its readers! -- Huntress Reviews on DARK STREETS OF WHITECHAPEL“A gripping and tightly woven tale you won't want to put down. Author Flowers neatly contrasts the natural beauty of a tropical paradise with the ugliness of murder and its aftermath." -- John Lutz, Edgar Winner and bestselling author of Pulse on MURDER IN MAUI"R. Barri Flowers writes with the passion and knowledge of someone who truly knows his craft. A steamy, non-stop thrill-ride through the seamy underbelly of Hawaii." -- Allison Leotta, former federal prosecutor and author of Discretion on MURDER IN MAUI“Flowers once again has written a page-turner legal thriller that begins with a bang and rapidly moves along to its final page.” -- Midwest Book Review on STATE’S EVIDENCE“A model of crime fiction .... Flowers may be a new voice in modern mystery writing, but he is already one of its best voices.”-- Statesman Journal on JUSTICE SERVED"An excellent look at the jurisprudence system...will appeal to fans of John Grisham and Linda Fairstein." -- Harriet Klausner on PERSUASIVE VIDENCE

Revised VersionRosa Lee Almaida lived a sheltered and carefree life growing up until she and her mother experienced a horrific ordeal on the seas and in the middle of Africa when she was four years old. The only joy came after she met her adoptive father, a man honored by all sailors on sea and land for his bravery and unconditional love.Growing up sheltered, Rosa Lee Almaida lived a carefree life after both she and her mother experienced a horrific ordeal on the seas, and in the middle of Africa, when she was only four years. Meeting her adoptive father was the only joyful and good experience as a result thereof; the man honored by all sailors on land and sea for his bravery and unconditional love. He was her hero, and a model for her future husband-to-be. Now, twenty years later, she is forced to return to the seas that claimed the lives of many, including her birth father.Abducted from her parents’ castle in Portugal, Rosa Lee became the Falcon’s ransom―a brutal pirate king on the island of Madagascar―in exchange for her younger brother Pedro’s life. It was here she met the Falcon’s son, Roberto de Ville, a man equally fierce, albeit with a hidden agenda. Reliving her past during the voyage, she found herself admiring the pirate for his leadership and skills, but would she be able to look past his exterior to see the man for who he really was? Through the inscriptions her parents left in their diaries, she made a choice to save her life. But in an unexpected turn of events, she had to trust him unconditionally, believing that her life would be spared when she gave herself over to the love and intimacy for the man she craved.Taking Rosa Lee from Portugal, Roberto takes her to the Falcon on the Isle of St. Mary. From stories recounted by her brother, he came to one conclusion; she would be his. Throughout their time together, he came to admire Rosa Lee for her bravery during a daring escape, which reinforced his belief that she was the woman he’d waited for all his life. Roberto was more than willing to set his life as a pirate aside, but first a plan had to be set in motion―one that would change his live forever. However, he could trust only one man, Pierre, his second in command, to assist him in seeing his plan to the end.Ultimately, the end result shocked Rosa Lee, and an important lesson was learned: Never judge a book by its cover.Author’s note: A Pirate’s Wife contains love scenes and foul language, due to its portrayal of both real events and people. Parental guidance of 16 is advised.

Overbooking In A Restuarant Opens the Doors To A Swinging Adventure! Mitch and Deidre were keen to find ways to spice up their love life. The married couple had held an open mind from the moment they tied the knot, foraying into voyeurism, BDSM, and webcamming. But the adventurous husband and beautiful wife were hungry to push the boundaries even further. The married couple finds a quiet night in a restaurant turns into an opportunity as their table is overbooked and they find themselves seated with two married couples. Sparks fly and the chemistry quickly builds as Mitch and Deidre make acquaintances with their new friends. It soon becomes clear to them just what their next adventure needs to be........... .....a dip in the exclusive world of swinging! This 20,000 word scorching hot novel features an adventurous couple looking to...

When Maggie's beloved husband, Luke, is diagnosed with cancer, she uses empathy and humor to navigate her fear and sorrow and help him survive.Luke's cancer diagnosis is a twist that video producer Maggie never saw coming. As the married couple navigate a maze of long hospital stays, tests, and a life completely interrupted, Luke holds true to his stoic nature while Maggie struggles to embrace her new starring role as a cancer caregiver. With a cast of characters—including their German shepherd, Westy—spanning supportive to downright despicable, Luke and Maggie learn that sometimes treatment for an illness is only half the battle. How do you fight the turmoil? Why, with humor of course!

A chilling psychological thriller about a marriage, a way of life, and how far one woman will go to keep what is rightfully hersJodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake, including the affluent life they lead in their beautiful waterfront condo in Chicago, as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose. Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife is about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can’t be made, and promises that won’t be kept. Expertly plotted and reminiscent of Gone Girl and These Things Hidden, The Silent Wife ensnares the reader from page one and does not let go.

This is book one of a three part novel. Book 2 will be released on February 27, 2015 and Book 3 on March 27, 2015.Rumor has it the water on Clan McPherson lands is magical….Clan McPherson has known peace amongst their neighboring clans for more than one hundred years. That peace is threatened when Fiona McPherson is made chief after the death of her husband. Known more for her fighting skills than her beauty, Fiona refuses the multiple proposals of marriage that begin to seemingly arise from nowhere. She may be the chief of her clan, but she’s still a woman. It isn’t Fiona they want, but her land and she’s willing to fight to the death to keep it.Rumor has it Caelen McDunnah has lost his mind…Caelen McDunnah, the chief of Clan McDunnah, has no desire to remarry. He’s perfectly content to still mourn the loss of his first wife and babe, even if it has been sixteen years. Until he meets the beautiful and feisty Fiona McPherson. Known to start a fight out of sheer boredom or madness — no one is ever truly sure which — Caelen suddenly finds himself in the middle of battles he has no desire to fight, but fight them he will if it means he can have Fiona McPherson as his own.There is always a wee bit of truth in every rumor.

When Georgia Phillips decides to propose to Stu Zeppalt the day before Christmas, her friends in the Enemy Club are concerned. Is it true love, or just the season getting to her? Luckily, someone is watching over Georgia. Someone whom no one expected even existed.

Lily Dale is no lady. In fact, she's spent the past five years in Yuma Women's Prison for aiding and abetting a holdup. Men have been her downfall her whole life, and when she's unexpectedly paroled from prison her only goal is to return to Missouri and to her 6-year-old daughter. But someone has pulled the strings to get Lily released from jail, and that someone wants a favor in return, namely her cooperation in impersonating another woman for the next seven months. The woman a politician named Kazinsky wants her to impersonate is none other than Marian Westin, the missing wife of Colorado candidate-for-Governor, Quinn Westin. Stunned, Lily refuses but quickly learns that Quinn won't take no for an answer. Compelled to cooperate by both the threat of returning to jail and the promise of a new life for her and her daughter in Europe, Lily reluctantly agrees and begins intensive lessons acting out the role of the mysterious Mrs. Westin. Lily is quickly drawn to Quinn with an overwhelming attraction that is returned by the influential man. Despite the knowledge that Lily must disappear in seven months while Quinn goes on to govern Colorado, the two find themselves giving in to their growing love.

The word is out about Felicia and Anton's marriage, and Felicia's feelings are becoming complicated. Can she get close to the husband she doesn't even know when his entire life is a wall around his past--and his heart? Does she want to? This 7,500 word short story is the fifth installment in The Billionaire's Wife series.

When his sexy, refined and faithful wife comes home from a night out with the girls, she has a younger man in tow. Like most couples, they have fantasies, but never really intend to live them out. Not this time. His wife liked that last one a bit too much.

Kevin does not have he expected reaction when his wife, Sydney, tells him her old office crush, Nick, made a pass at her during a company Christmas party. Instead of storming off to deck his nemesis, Kevin instead tells Sydney that the thought of her in Nick's arms, kissing Nick, turns him on. Sydney is confused, and aroused herself, but she can't believe her ears when her husband suggests that if Nick should hit on her again, perhaps she should not push the younger man away. When Sydney disappears from the party with Nick again, Kevin can't just sit back and wait. He needs to know what's happening, and when he peeks through a bedroom window he is astonished by what he sees. His proper wife is a sex goddess in Nick's arms, giving herself to the younger man fully. Can Kevin ever erase Sydney's Sin from his mind?

A ranch, a genie and a very wary ex-wife.When a genie buys a ranch, what’s the worst that could happen? A lot when his not-so-cowgirl, ex-wife shows up with a dead body in her wake and a piss poor explanation for it. It kind of makes for a bad day, and it sure as crap wasn’t how Fazil imagined their reunion going.The last thing Rosa needed was to come groveling to the alpha jack hole she married nearly a century ago. But she’s desperate and he’s a genie, so she’s only got one option. Once she gets rid of her little corpse problem, she won’t have to see Fazil ever again. Assuming, of course, she can keep her mind off his lamp and her heart in hand.

Harlequin® Historical brings you three new titles for one great price, available now! This Harlequin® Historical bundle includes The Major's Wife by Lauri Robinson, To Tempt a Viking by Michelle Willingham and Mistress Masquerade by Juliet Landon.Look for six compelling new stories every month from Harlequin® Historical!

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Spellbound Falls novels comes a delightful new romance set on the coast of Maine...Jesse Sinclair and his two brothers spent years dodging the women his grandfather threw in their path. But then the matchmaking old wolf died, and his brothers did the unthinkable: they ran off to Maine to get married.Now Jesse wants to join them. Convinced the Pine Tree State must have another eligible woman to spare, he buys a small island just off Castle Cove to build a home for his future family. But as he discovers, finding the woman of your dreams isn't as easy as his brothers made it seem. First of all, the only woman capable of filling those wedding shoes is Cadi Glace—and unfortunately, she's already engaged...So imagine Jesse's surprise when he finds the aforementioned Miss Glace hiding out in his camper, charmingly, adorably drunk. And apparently single....From the Paperback edition.

Army Captain Walker Larson is shocked when a captivating young woman walks into his office-claiming to be his wife. Unfortunately for Lacy, the handsome Texan didn't know his father bought him a woman in a "wife lottery," and he's not interested in settling down. Crushed, the broken beauty leaves her dreams behind and returns home to Cedar Point. Three years later, it's Lacy who's stunned when Walker shows up on her doorstep. Trading one tour of duty for another, he's been ordered to protect Lacy from an enemy out for revenge. Wanting nothing to do with her errant husband, Lacy is powerless to resist his protection-and passionate kisses. With a flicker of hope, can she forgive the seductive soldier who once drove her away?but now holds the key to her heart?

Despite her family's threat to disown her, Idil, a young Somali woman, rejects her high Bliss status to marry Sidow, a poor Boon man. Her decision transforms her life, forcing her to face harsh and sometimes even deadly consequences for her defiance of a strict tribal hierarchy. Set in the fifteen-year period before Somalia's 1991 Civil War, Idil's journey is almost too hard to bear at times. Her determination to follow her heart and to pursue love over family and convention is a story that has been told across time and across cultures.

Who needs a SWAT team to escape from their own wedding? Me. My Momzilla turned us into hostages at our own ceremony, so Declan and I are getting married the good old-fashioned way, just like everybody else. By calling in his private security team, stealing away before the ceremony by helicopter, connecting to his corporate jet and heading for Las Vegas. The Boston wedding of the year is about to become a trashy Elvis drive-thru ceremony. Until the best man spills the beans and Mom, Dad, my sisters, his brothers, my maid of honor, my friend Josh, and even my cat, Chuckles, all come along for the ride. I can’t win, can I? Oh. Yeah. I already did. Love conquers all. Even my crazy family. Shopping for a Billionaire's Wife is the 8th book in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Shopping for a Billionaire series. After Declan convinces Shannon to escape from their own wedding minutes before the ceremony begins, the madcap adventures are just getting started. When the mother of the bride pries their location out of the tortured best man, the whole crazy crew follows the bride and groom to Las Vegas in this romantic comedy from Julia Kent.**

As Alainn and Killian O'Brien begin their married life together, Alainn encounters many new and unexpected challenges. Stricken by the disturbing, reoccurring vision of Killian's death, she desperately seeks a way to prevent it from happening. In hope of providing a normal life for their unborn child Alainn turns from her own magical abilities, but soon realizes that doing so may endanger everyone she cares for. Set in 16th century Ireland, A Chieftain's Wife continues the captivating story of Alainn and Killian's passionate love. Past indiscretions, deep jealousy, a vindictive witch, and tragic hardships all threaten to disrupt Killian and Alainn's happiness and future together.

Mel is living the pampered lifestyle of a banker's wife, but she is far from content. Are her children normal? Is her husband having an affair? What enormous creature did the cat dismember all over the kitchen floor? It's not until the banking crisis hits and her husband's world implodes that reality dawns...The Meltdown of a Banker's Wife is a comic novel with a difference, ideal for anyone who enjoys an ironic chuckle at the dark side of the banking world.Gill Davy-Bowker studied English and History at the University of Northumbria and went on to train as a nurse at Swansea University. She wrote for student newspapers in both places and also writes satirical sketches. A chronic health problem forced her to leave nursing and concentrate on her writing. Gill lives with her family in Dorchester.

Read this classic romance A SUDDEN ENGAGEMENT by New York Times bestselling author Penny Jordan, now available for the first time in e-book! Kristy was an ambitious young actress until her career was nearly wrecked by one blistering review from arrogant critic Drew Chalmers. Furious, Kristy vowed she'd take her revenge on him. But instead Drew turns the tables on her…and Kristy is forced to pretend to be engaged to him! Originally published in 1983 And re-discover THE SICILIAN'S SURPRISE WIFE by Harlequin Presents author Tara Pammi Stefan Bianco is a man with one thing on his mind. Revenge. And the only person that can help him achieve it is stunning Clio Norwood, the only woman to ever resist his seduction. She'll assist him in his quest for vengeance...but first he must agree to her shocking proposal! Originally published in 2015

Tiana is a single mother of newborn twins Pride and Joy. She's trying to hold everything down while her baby daddy serves a ten year bid for drug trafficking. The last thing she's looking for is love. Between working and taking care of her daughters she's stretched thin. One night by chance she meets Jaeshawn, a thug in his own right. Jaeshawn aka Larry Bird runs everything from New York to Virginia and everything in between. All he wants is a woman to call his own, but that woman isn't his baby mother, Kaysha, who wants to make her family work. Kaysha and Jaeshawn have a one year old son, Keyshawn who Kaysha uses as a pawn against Jaeshawn. Maddie is in a hateful relationship with her man, Jared. Jared is mentally and physical abusive, and has a terrible jealousy problem. He forbids Maddie to hang with her best friend, Tiara, and keeps tabs on everything she does. When Tiara introduces Maddie to John, an Arabic God , who is also Jaeshawn's right hand, she doesn't think it will go far, but boy is she wrong. Jared, Dyron and Jamal are all friends and have one thing in common: Dread. Dread runs Queens and has an beef with Larry Bird. But when Jared , Dyron and Jamal start landing in trouble, and Dread is the common denominator, things go haywire. When Tiara enters Jaeshawn's world one cold winter night, his entire worlds changes. He sees her right to take the throne beside him as the trap king's wife.

HUSBAND Jake Chastain-- handsome, rich, sinfully seductive. Perfect husband material ...and in his absence, Meg Lindley was hired to act as his wife. Jake was never supposed to know .... LOVER But suddenly he was there--kissing his "wife" with passion that seared straight to Meg's heart. Sweeping her away into hiding-and demanding answers she didn't have. STRANGER Meg was a double, a last-minute substitute for a woman who had vanished. Even as she fell in love with Jake, she suspected someone was trying to kill him. Meg had to tell Jake the truth-and convince him to trust a stranger ....

From The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII *comes a powerful and moving novel about Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII, who married him only days after the execution of Anne Boleyn and ultimately lost her own life in giving him the son he badly needed to guarantee the Tudor succession*Born into an ambitious noble family, young Jane Seymour is sent to Court as a Maid of Honor to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s aging queen. She is devoted to her mistress and watches with empathy as the calculating Anne Boleyn contrives to supplant her as queen. Anne’s single-minded intriguing threatens all who stand in her way; she does not hesitate to arrange the murder of a woman who knows a secret so dark that, if revealed, would make it impossible for the king to marry Anne.  Once Anne becomes queen, no one at court is safe, and Jane herself becomes the victim of Anne’s venomous rage when she suspects Jane has become the object of the king’s lust. Henry, fearing that Anne’s inability to give him a son is a sign of divine wrath, asks Jane to become his next queen. Deeply reluctant to embark on such a dangerous course, Jane must choose between her heart and her loyalty to the king.Acclaimed biographer and bestselling novelist Carolly Erickson weaves another of her irresistible historical entertainments about the queen who finally gave Henry VIII his longed for heir, set against the excitement and danger of the Tudor Court.ReviewPraise for THE FAVORED QUEEN“A delectable serving of Tudor dish.”—Kirkus ReviewsPraise for Carolly Erickson’s Historical Fiction“Suspenseful and detailed, the novel captures a dramatic moment in history and will sear you with sorrow for this doomed daughter of the last tsar.” —People magazine on The Tsarina’s Daughter“I read The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette in two days, and when I finished it, I re-read the final pages, as hungry for more as a child scraping the last crumbs of chocolate cake off her plate with her fingers.” —New York Times Book Review on The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette“Entertaining.” —USA Today on The Last Wife of Henry VIII“Steer Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory fans immediately to this satisfying read-alike . . . [an] historical tour de force.” —Booklist on The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots“An exquisitely realistic portrait of Tudor England. . . . compelling reading. . . . Historical fiction fans can’t get enough of the Tudors; this engaging story is a worthy addition to the genre.” —Library Journal on Rival to the Queen“A top-notch narrative . . . romantic and gripping.” —Publishers Weekly on The Tsarina’s Daughter“A fast-paced, lavishly detailed narrative.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots“Fascinating . . . highly recommended.” —Library Journal (starred review) on The Hidden Diary of Marie AntionetteAbout the AuthorDistinguished historian Carolly Erickson is the author of Rival to the Queen, The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots, The First Elizabeth, The Hidden Life of Josephine, The Last Wife of Henry VIII, and many other prize-winning works of fiction and nonfiction. Her novel The Tsarina’s Daughter won the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction. She lives in Hawaii.

The miraculous story of the Maccabees told through the eyes of a woman who learns that love requires both courage and sacrifice. Seeking safety after a hard childhood, Leah marries a strong and gentle man of the nation of Judah. But when the ruler of the land issues a life-altering decree, her newfound peace—and the entire Jewish heritage—is put in jeopardy.

The final instalment in Viveka Portman's sexy, sinful Regency Diaries sees an unhappy wife desperately seeking love—and her taciturn husband who doesn't know how to reach her. My husband, though I do not doubt his goodness, does not love nor want me. He married me for pure convenience. He needed a bride and I was the one offered to him. Thus I find my pleasures where I may...Mrs Maria Reeves has been married for six years. Six long, lonely years. She craves love and affection, but married to a handsome but pious vicar she receives little in the way of earthly pleasures. The Reverend Vicar Frederick Reeves is a man of principle and morals, and is more likely to provide his wife with suggested Bible readings than carnal knowledge. If her husband will not please her, then she will find a man who will.But infidelity doesn't come naturally to the vicar's wife. Though Maria finds herself getting the sexual pleasure she desires,...

In the early years of the 18th century, a band of French scientists set off on a daring, decade-long expedition to South America in a race to measure the precise shape of the earth. Like Lewis and Clark's exploration of the American West, their incredible mission revealed the mysteries of a little-known continent to a world hungry for discovery. Scaling 16,000foot mountains in the Peruvian Andes, and braving jaguars, pumas, insects, and vampire bats in the jungle, the scientists barely completed their mission. One was murdered, another perished from fever, and a third-Jean Godin-nearly died of heartbreak. At the expedition's end, Jean and his Peruvian wife, Isabel Gramesón, became stranded at opposite ends of the Amazon, victims of a tangled web of international politics. Isabel's solo journey to reunite with Jean after their calamitous twenty-year separation was so dramatic that it left all of 18th-century Europe spellbound. Her survival-unprecedented in the annals of Amazon exploration-was a testament to human endurance, female resourcefulness, and the power of devotion.Drawing on the original writings of the French mapmakers, as well as his own experience retracing Isabel's journey, acclaimed writer Robert Whitaker weaves a riveting tale rich in adventure, intrigue, and scientific achievement. Never before told, The Mapmaker's Wife is an epic love story that unfolds against the backdrop of "the greatest expedition the world has ever known."From Publishers WeeklyAs was customary for girls from elite families in 18th-century colonial Peru, Isabel Gramesón was barely a teenager when she married Jean Godin, a Frenchman visiting the territory as an assistant on a scientific expedition. Planning to bring his wife back to France, Godin trekked across South America to check in with the French colonial authorities, but was refused permission to return up the Amazon back into Spanish territory to retrieve Isabel. So they remained a continent apart for 20 years until 1769, when Isabel started making her way east. Her party ran aground on the Bobonaza River (which feeds into the Amazon), and though almost everyone perished, she managed to survive alone in the rainforest for weeks. Although science journalist Whitaker doesn't directly refer to his own modern trek following Isabel's route down the Bobonaza, his descriptions of the conditions she would have encountered convey his familiarity with the territory, often quite viscerally, ("There are giant stinging ants, ants that bite, and ants that both bite and sting"). His account of the French expedition that brought Godin to Peru and then separated him from his new wife is equally vivid, with exhilarating discoveries and petty squabbles-and richly illustrated with contemporary drawings. Though an early, long digression tracing the history of attempts to measure the size of the earth may establish the context a little too solidly, making some readers impatient, they'll certainly be hooked once the story really begins. Isabel and Jean's adventures are riveting enough on their own, and colonial South America's largely unfamiliar history adds another compelling layer to this well-crafted yarn. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Library JournalAdult/High School–Whitaker merges a gripping account of scientific exploration with an amazing story of survival in the wilderness. For those who think of the Enlightenment only in terms of sedate Paris salons, this book will alter that image forever. The best minds of Europe in the 1730s knew that the Earth was not perfectly round, but the exact size and shape were in hot debate. Someone figured out that to nail down the answer certain data was needed, and that the best place to get that data was at the equator. Given the technological and political realities of the time, that meant one place: Peru. A scientific expedition was organized in Paris and sent to the New World in 1735. After 10 years of incredible hardships and setbacks, it accomplished its mission (and a host of other enlightenments along the way). As captivating as this story proved to be, another developed: a young member of the party met, fell in love with, and married an upper-class, 13-year-old Peruvian girl. Due to a tangled swirl of unfortunate events, this couple became separated for 20 years (beginning just before the birth of their only child). Finally, in 1769, Isabel Gramesón set off on a trek through the most inhospitable of jungles to rejoin her husband in French Guiana. The author's depiction of that harrowing journey is the crowning jewel of this outstanding volume.–Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.