Showing results by author "Ava Stone" in All Categories

As the head of his family, Robert Beckford, the Earl of Masten, was accustomed to dealing with various problems his siblings had caused of one sort or another. However, he wasn't prepared when his cad of brother ruined and then abandoned a young lady. To right the wrong, Robert married the girl himself; but his chivalry only went so far. He didn't want a wife, and most certainly not a scandalous one. So, after repeating his vows, he sent her packing, off to a secluded estate and expected her to stay put.

Everyone knows Lady Felicity Pierce has been widowed the last three years, except she hasn't been. Lissy escaped the clutches of her dangerous husband but lost any chance for a happy-ever-after in the process. No one can ever know the secret she keeps hidden, the secret she wishes she could forget. Her harrowing escape would be for naught should anyone ever learn the truth. If only her husband had been the man she thought he was.

After years of abuse at the hands of her mother, Cordelia Avery knows the only way out is marriage to the perfect man. A man who will allow her all the freedom she has ever craved. And she has the perfect man picked out. The scandalous Marquess of Haversham might not be perfect to anyone else, but taking the man's black reputation under consideration, Cordie believes she'll enjoy all the freedom she's always wished for in his disreputable arms.

Handsome ladies’ man Lucas Beckford has agreed to help his friend, an impoverished baron, win the affections of an icy heiress. It should be a simple task, especially for a seducer of his reputation. However when Luke catches sight of the enchanting lady, he is captivated with her pretty brown eyes, quick wit, and sharp tongue; and his desire to see his friend marry the girl quickly evaporates. Now he just has to find a way to convince the penniless lord to turn his attentions elsewhere - leaving the Ice Princess to him.

Even the most ruthless of rogues live by their own code of honor, and for Alexander Everett, the wicked Duke of Kelfield, his includes not seducing the ward of his oldest and dearest friend. However for a man who is accustomed to getting what he wants, the lure of the forbidden fruit is enough to drive him wild. When he finds himself under the same roof as the enchanting Olivia Danbury at a summer house party, he discovers the temptation of the lady is more than he can resist.

Long ago, Marcus Gray, the Marquess of Haversham, left the home office with a blackened reputation and a determination to never look back. He skirted the edges of London society, caring for little other than himself, until he crossed paths with Caroline Staveley. When Marc discovers the recently widowed Caroline has returned to London and her late husband's actions have placed her in danger, he is quickly lured into the once familiar game of cat and mouse he thought he'd escaped.

When her longtime fiancé returns home from the victory at Waterloo, Amelia Pritchard suspects he's not the noble, upstanding gentleman she's always believed him to be. After breaking their betrothal, she flees to London with the hope of starting her life over and putting the past firmly behind her. Battle weary Major Philip Moore finds himself intrigued by the lovely Miss Pritchard. Though he's recovering from a broken heart of his own, more than just his honor urges him to protect the lady.

If Lady Arabella Winslett was left to her own devices, she would happily paint each day away and want for nothing else. Unfortunately, her grandfather has other plans for her future, plans that involve marrying her off to her horrid cousin and sending Bella far away. Only a quick betrothal to someone else will save her from that unhappy fate. But with time ticking by, it would take a miracle to bring anyone up to scratch...If only someone could be convinced to play the role of her intended for just a little while.

Chester Peyton, the Marquess of Astwick, has never forgotten his first love. Nor has he ever gotten over her. But now, thirteen years later, time has come for him to finally settle down and do his duty as far as both his title and his dragon of a mother are concerned. Everything would be so much easier if Chet's heart didn't still belong to the enchanting Scot he gave it to once upon a time.

When her longtime fiance returns home from the victory at Waterloo, Amelia Pritchard suspects he's not the noble, upstanding gentleman she's always believed him to be. After breaking their betrothal, she flees to London with the hope of starting her life over and putting the past firmly behind her. Battle weary Major Philip Moore finds himself intrigued by the lovely Miss Pritchard. Though he's recovering from a broken heart of his own, more than just his honor urges him to protect the lady when her nefarious ex-beau arrives in town with the most wicked of intentions.

Phoebe Greywood has waited quite a while for her betrothed to return home from the Peninsular Wars, but when he finally does, she's heartbroken to discover he's changed in more ways than one. Most alarmingly, he doesn't seem to care one whit about her anymore. But one man who hasn't changed a bit after his time on the continent is her betrothed's boorish brother. Lieutenant Tristan Avery would like to pound some sense, or perhaps honor, into his older brother. Why the cad treats Phoebe so callously, Tristan can't understand.

Lady Emma Whitton has decided it's time to take her future in her own hands. She has been in love with Viscount Heathfield since she was in leading strings. Unfortunately, it's been almost that long since she's laid eyes on her brother's old friend and vice versa. Tired of waiting for him to remember her, Emma pens a holiday invitation (in her brother's hand) to Heathfield and waits as patiently as she is able for her one true love to arrive.

This collection contains four Regency Seasons novellas: A Counterfeit Christmas Summons, By Any Other Name, My Lord Hercules, and A Bit of Mistletoe.

Miss Miranda Bartlett is on a mission to locate her missing friend. Determined hoyden that she is, she'll do whatever it takes to get the answers she seeks, too, even if that means dressing like a dandy, sneaking into a gaming hell, and surrounding herself with London's worst reprobates. However, she didn't plan on bumping into a Herculean gentleman along the way.

Lieutenant-Colonel Nathaniel Carrick, Viscount Healeyfield returned home from the battlefields with nothing but his honor, his excellent eye-sight, and a crumbling abbey to his name. As luck would have it however, his wealthy mentor has a daughter of marriageable age that he'd like to see wed before he dies. Almost instantly, Nathaniel is quite smitten with the girl. She's lovely, enchanting and the most unique female of his acquaintance.

After receiving what seems like an offer of employment from an English countess, orphan Bridget Kelly leaves her uncle's house in Dublin to make her own way in the world. But making her way in England is easier said than done, especially for an innocent Irish lass with no family or connections. In fact, she'll be lucky if she can make it to Derbyshire alive. Still smarting from his brother and former fiancee's betrayal, rakish Captain Russell Avery arrives at his sister's Derbyshire estate, looking for something or someone to help soothe his bruised ego.

Callie Eilbeck has always avoided Marisdun Castle; there's something about the place that has terrified her from even her youngest days. But after a chance encounter with the castle's new owner and falling rather fast for the handsome marquess, Callie vanishes without a trace just like the castle's former mistress. Is one of Bradenham's friends responsible for her disappearance? Or has the castle claimed another victim? And can the marquess find her before it's too late and she's lost forever?

Andrew Yeats, the prodigal and scandalous viscount Brookfield, never thought the delightful Miss Potts would take his suggestion about international adventure to heart, but she's done just that. Guilt and concern over her safety plague him, and Drew becomes just as determined to save the lady as she is for her escape.

Lady Patience Post is about to lose the one thing she really wants for Christmas - the sweetest kitten in all the world. But unless she can figure out a way to save the little ball of fluff, her brother will toss the cat unceremoniously out into the snow. Luckily, a summons from the Duke of Danby arrives at the perfect time for a feline reprieve. Now if only the little Angora can behave himself in Yorkshire over the holidays so she can devise the perfect plan to keep him.

For the last year, visions of the disappearing angel Lord Quentin Post danced with and kissed at his brother's Samhain masquerade have haunted his dreams and his plagued his waking thoughts. Convinced that hosting the masquerade once more is the only way to find the girl who got away and unmask her once and for all, Quentin enlists the help of his sisters and friends alike.