Showing results by author "Laura A. Barnes" in All Categories

Every honorable act is driven by love. A lady threatened by the unknown. A gentleman wishing to be the lady’s knight in shining armor. Would they acknowledge their feelings before danger strikes? Sara Abbott had been sheltered throughout her life by those who loved her. Now, her innocence leaves her vulnerable to a villain's terror. When her employer proposed marriage to ensure her protection, Sara’s heart refused to deny the offer. She had longed for the duke’s kiss since he had comforted her in his warm embrace. Was Sara’s greatest wish to be part of a family within her grasp? Ian...

Once you overcome your sorrows and regrets the endless possibilities before you can be an unexpected surprise. A lady with secrets. A gentleman seeking redemption. Can forgiveness be sought for past betrayals? Flora Grant’s return to Scotland went unnoticed. Or so she thought. However, a gentleman from her past arrived, making it impossible for Flora to keep her secrets. She agreed to a truce with the infuriating Scottish barbarian who rattled her emotions more deeply than she cared to admit to. With each kiss he stole from her lips, Flora’s heartache melted away. Could she trust him ...

Sometimes one must spark the flame to ignite the hidden passion. A fiery spinster. An irritating gentleman. One scandalous night filled with indulging in their desires. Eden Worthington strode through the London ballrooms with the confidence of an independent lady. She didn’t believe in the foolish notion of soul mates, nor did she wish to fall victim to the Marriage Mart. Eden was perfectly content to live her life free from a husband’s demands and help her brother with his detective agency. She refused to allow the attraction of a certain infuriating gentleman to ruin her plans. No ...

Love at first sight can sweep you away into a … She lost her heart to him the first time they met. He kept falling harder for her whenever their paths crossed. After her uncle secures her engagement to another gentleman, can they find their way back to one another? Gemma Holbrooke had waited anxiously to enjoy a Season in London and to fall magically in love. When her uncle granted her wish, she dreamed of the beautiful gowns she would wear, the dances around the ballroom floors, and of all the handsome gentlemen who would court her. Before they traveled to London, her uncle hosted a ...

A love that must overcome deception… She tried everything to make a certain gentleman take notice. He only wanted the lady’s attention for financial gain. After a scandalous night and a swift ride to Gretna Green, can the couple admit to their true feelings of love for one another? Evelyn Holbrooke found herself married after a remarkable night spent in the earl’s bed. She fell in love with Reese Worthington after their first kiss. However, she used deception to make him fall for her charms. Now, trapped in a stormy marriage, Evelyn only hoped for his forgiveness. After getting caught...

She lives for revenge…until he makes her crave something far more dangerous. Raina LeClair survives behind masks and lies, her every breath driven by vengeance. Disguised within the glittering world of Regency society, she is closing in on the man who destroyed her family—until her carefully laid plans collide with the one man she should fear most. The spy she once betrayed. Charles Mallory has spent months chasing a ghost…only to find her standing before him, as captivating as she is treacherous. With a conspiracy against the Crown tightening its grip, he has no choice but to keep ...

Secrets have a way of coming to light… She never allowed her heart to love another. He had never forgotten her. Will their secrets keep them apart? Or would their love overcome them? Belle portrayed herself as two different women in London. To the lower class she was Rosie, a young widow who lost her husband too soon. A generous lady who befriended all, always helping those in need. To the peers of the realm, she was the notorious Madame Bellerose. Her establishment in Covent Garden was the most sought after to gain membership. Every gentleman attempted to bed the sultry Belle, but she ...

A fate already set in motion may hold unexpected surprises. A lady betrayed by her betrothed. A gentleman set out for destruction. Would his scandalous proposition entice her to surrender to the passion swirling around them? Noel Worthington’s happily ever after was only weeks away. She had finally secured herself a match with a divine earl who doted on her at every opportunity. However, Noel questioned if she should give her heart to him after he betrayed her with his deception. When her groom stays absent, she does what any lady in her position would do and confronts him, stating her ...

A wager on a young lady’s virtue leads to… She wanted to seek revenge against the gentlemen who ruined her father. He desired to earn her love. Can he strike a new wager to entice her into his arms forever? Devon Holdenburg cannot remember a time when he hadn’t been in love with Kathleen Beckwith. At his every attempt to court her, she waylaid him with her fiery exchanges. As he kisses the words from her lips, Devon strokes the flames of their passion higher. Can Devon convince Kathleen of his love? Ever since her family’s ruination, Lady Kathleen Beckwith had set out to expose ...

Time leads one along a soulful journey to find one’s true love. A spitfire debutante. A dashing imposter. One stolen kiss sets them on their path. Margaret Worthington was a lady who failed to escape the clutches of time. She was now forced to endure a dreadful season visiting the stifling ballrooms, wearing fancy dresses and false smiles. When she would rather ride her horse across the open fields in her comfortable breeches, enjoying the fresh air. Her penchant for trouble lands her in the arms of a lord who she had fantasized about all season. After they share a scandalous kiss, ...

She captured her enemy… only to lose herself to the one man she was never meant to love. When Skye MacKinnon seizes the man she believes is working with her sworn enemy, she is certain fate has finally delivered justice into her hands, vengeance has never felt sweeter. Hidden away in her remote Scottish castle, Zane Maxwell becomes her prisoner, her leverage, and the key to destroying the ruthless enemy stalking both Scotland and England. But Zane is no helpless captive. Beneath his polished title lies a dangerously skilled spy—a man of secrets, seduction, and irresistible charm. Every ...

He left her behind once… now fate has delivered her back into his arms—and into his bed of dangerous promises. Captain Thornhill never forgot Ivy. Not her kiss, not her sweetness, and certainly not the way she has always felt like his one true home. Finding her again—alone, vulnerable, and in grave danger—awakens both his protective instincts and a hunger he has long denied. Forced into close quarters, every stolen glance and heated touch rekindles a passion that burns hotter than before. Seven years ago, Ivy Mallory surrendered her heart to Marcus Thornhill—only to watch him sail...

Some temptations are impossible to resist. He was an irritating tyrant she couldn’t stand. She was an annoying thorn who distracted him. Sterling Harrison was an impossible force—unyielding, demanding, and dangerously magnetic. Addison Mitchell was determined to resist him, guarding her heart with every ounce of strength she had. But Sterling didn’t play by the rules. Behind his arrogant smirk hid a passion that threatened to shatter every wall she’d built to protect her heart. For Sterling, Addison was more than just a complication—she was an obsession. She challenged him at ...

How many wishes must one make for a dream to come true? A lady who dreamt of the impossible. A gentleman tempted by fate’s calling. Would destiny show this couple the love they hold for one another? Grace Penrose fled to Scotland to avoid the vicious rumors circulating about her in London. Though they were false, they forced her to accept a position with an insufferable Scottish lord. When he wasn’t questioning Grace about her governess skills, he filled her thoughts with fanciful dreams of him, declaring his unrequited love. She thought he didn’t share her feelings until one rainy ...

A fallen lady must rise above her disgrace. A lady with limited options. A gentleman left without a choice. Could two souls forced together find it in their hearts to forgive one another? Vivian Wescott was once a debutante who won the affection of the most sought-after bachelor in London. However, her family’s fall from grace forced her into a life of servitude. With what remained of her pride, Vivian eagerly arrived in Scotland to begin her position as a governess. Only to discover her new employer was her ex-betrothed. A gentleman who had thrown her over, yet still held her heart ...

A love that sneaks upon you unaware … All she had to do was to pretend an interest in the gentlemen invited to the house party. He only came to the house party to amuse himself. After they are thrown together for the entertainments, will they realize the depths of their desire for one another? Charlotte Holbrooke enjoyed her simple life at her uncle’s estate. She filled her days by spending time with her family and her favorite passion, horses. When her uncle announces a chance for a London season, Charlotte feels the pressure of her freedom drifting away. To prepare for the season, her...

When one believes in love, they will embrace … She wanted to keep her independence. He wanted her to accept his marriage proposal. After her uncle withdrew his support of their union, will they discover they only need each other’s acceptance for a happily ever after? Jacqueline Holbrooke refused to become the latest match in her uncle’s mad matchmaking scheme. She watched her sisters and cousins fall victim to his madness. Yet, if she were honest with herself, they weren’t victims, but just as mad as their uncle. Madly in love. An emotion Jacqueline fought to keep from embracing. ...

Tired of watching her friends become ruined by the scoundrels of the ton, Sidney Hartridge devises an experiment to reveal their antics. Her plan is to lure three gentlemen to kiss her and see how they would protect her honor. When her research leads her into her own inappropriate scandal, her father agrees to a wedding offer from one of her subjects. As her fiancé blackmails her into a marriage she doesn’t desire, her research becomes exposed. Can Sidney avoid her own scandal with the one she most desires to kiss?

To deny fate is to deny the love you hold in your heart. A gentleman smitten with a mysterious lady. A lady in search of a knight to rescue her. Graham Worthington had spent most of his career searching for a notorious villainess. Now, with her capture near, he becomes distracted by a lady who was just as elusive. While trying to avoid his family’s matchmaking attempt, he meets his mystery lady by chance in a moonlit garden. After sharing a few kisses, his heart declares the lady his soul mate. They share stolen moments, exploring the passion that drew them together. However, he must ...

When fate opens a door, one must … She was destined to become a Duchess. He wanted to claim her for himself. Before the wedding vows are spoken, can they explore the depths of their attraction? Selina Pemberton’s father arranged for her to marry a duke’s son when she was a young girl still in the nursery. Their marriage would unite two dukedoms and lay the foundation for a powerful dynasty. However, he wasn’t the gentleman who starred in her fantasies. No. The honor went to the groom’s cousin. A most maddening Scotsman. He irritated her with his teasing and the nickname Duchess he...