New Releases by Anne Stuart

Left broke and all but homeless by her shiftless husband, widow Margaret Jaffrey turns to his family in hope of a better life for her daughter . . . until she realizes the decaying family mansion in Louisiana comes complete with a domineering matriarch, a drunken uncle, and a madman locked in the attic. The madman in question is Peter Delacroix, and he doesn''t seem that crazy. In fact, Margaret is starting to find him irresistible. But if Peter isn''t really unstable, then why did he confess to a murder he didn''t commit? And which one of her new-found in-laws hides a lethal streak? Most of all, how will she keep her daughter safe when she''s falling in love with a very dangerous man? Author Bio: Anne Stuart recently celebrated over forty years as a published author. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the bestseller list of the NYTimes, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today, as well as being featured in Vogue, People Magazine, and Entertainment Tonight. Anne lives by a lake in the hills of Northern Vermont with her fabulous husband.

A strong, resilient woman who learned to survive in a world of betrayal. Emma Cadbury had been an innocent, a whore, a charity worker and a surgeon. She chose a life without love until she saved a dying soldier in a charity ward. A scarred soldier who fought to redeem himself from the horrors he’d committed. Brandon Rohan had lost himself to drugs and degradation, wanting to die, and only one person could save him. But she’d disappeared. A love neither of them wants, and a passion so strong it could burn down the world. Now they’ve come together again, but he doesn’t remember, and she doesn’t want to. But someone is trying to kill her, and Brandon is the one man who can save her. u200bu200bu200bu200bu200bu200bu200bEngland in 1840, where no one is what they seem.

Something''s coming. And it involves a man. New age shopkeeper Sybil Richardson loves Christmas - she just doesn''t like the impossibly sexy, incurably grumpy professor who''s come to the tiny town of Danbury, Vermont to debunk all her dearly held beliefs. She doesn''t like his suspicious nature, and she sure as hell doesn''t like the fact that he makes her dissolve into a puddle of lust no matter how much he annoys her. Nick Fitzsimmons thinks most new age beliefs are nonsense. He has no need to linger in a one-horse town with no cell service and unreliable wifi, but for some reason, he can''t make himself leave the ridiculously gullible woman who is trying so hard to get rid of him. Christmas is coming, and he knows what he wants under his tree. He just has to convince Sybil that she wants him, too. Anne Stuart recently celebrated her forty years as a published author. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the bestseller list of the NY Times, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today, as well as being featured in Vogue, People Magazine, and Entertainment Tonight. Anne lives by a lake in the hills of Northern Vermont with her fabulous husband.

Rita Award winning title "Desert Isle Keeper" - All About Romance Reviews Jessica Hansen''s success and icy calm hide painful secrets and a past that shapes her life. That is, until she meets Springer MacDowell, her best friend''s son. One decision sets off a series of cataclysmic events that rip apart her safe life. Retreating to an old summer house in Vermont, Jessica slowly learns to accept friendship, the past, and the new family she''s made. She''s building a hopeful future, until Springer comes back into her life, ready to shatter her new-found peace. Will these two survivors ever learn how to belong? Can they heal enough to make a family theirs? Anne Stuart recently celebrated her forty years as a published author. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the bestseller list of the NY Times, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today, as well as being featured in Vogue, People Magazine, and Entertainment Tonight. Anne lives by a lake in the hills of Northern Vermont with her fabulous husband.

This bundle contains : SHEIKH SURGEON CLAIMS HIS BRIDE,A DARK & STORMY NIGHT , and SALZANO''S CAPTIVE BRIDE. Aspiring doctor Emily returns to her hometown to spend time with her ailing grandmother, Beabea, her only family in the world. Beabea''s worsening illness means their time together is dwindling... With sadness in her heart, Emily takes her sorrows to the shore, where she spots a beautiful man, Zayed, drenched in the evening''s sunlight. She''s shocked to learn that he is a member of an elite foreign family, and none other than her new boss at the hospital! She finds herself drawn to him, despite his complicated past and the demons that plague his heart...

Ellie Johnson Lundquist survived the massacre that killed her parents and decimated the town of Morey’s Falls, Montana. Now, with the anniversary of that day putting everyone on edge, someone has walked into town, throwing everything off-balance. Fifteen years ago Tanner’s father took an arsenal to the town square. A lone wolf, Tanner has spent his life on the road, trying to escape that memory, but now he’s come back, ready to face his father’s past and his own. Strange things have been happening in town, and Tanner’s an easy target. His presence unsettles everyone, especially Ellie, who’s eager to get him out of her life for good. There’s no way she can be attracted to the son of a killer. No way he could want her. But as the anniversary of the massacre draws closer it’s starting to look as if history is going to repeat itself. Ellie and Tanner are thrown together in a race against time to find the new killer before history comes back to haunt them and destroy any chance of a future they might have together.

Megan Carey was ready to embark on a trip to Europe, finally taking time to do something purely for herself, but when she finds her father on the brink of suicide, her plans go out the window. Her father is being blackmailed by a reclusive genius who’s demanded TK Carey show up to answer for his crimes. Panicked, Megan volunteers to go in his place. Ethan Winslowe is a brilliant, eccentric architect with a grudge. In his odd, rambling mansion, he waits for Megan’s father to enact his revenge, but when Megan comes in his stead, Ethan has a new prisoner to answer for the crimes. At first, Megan is afraid of the strange, dark man who tormented her father with threats of public ruin. Ethan is mysterious and deeply secretive, refusing to allow himself to be seen in the light of day. But soon, Megan’s fear is replaced by curiosity and a desire to see the man who haunts her dreams, and even as she’s kept prisoner she’s drawn to him, obsessed by him, on the edge of falling in love with a phantom. Is there any way she can learn to trust a creature of darkness before the outside forces of evil destroy them both?

What if Jack the Ripper never died? As the skies turn red over Los Angeles, Jack the Ripper roams once more. Saucy Jack is back, and women are dying. Caught up in the case, artist Lizzie Stride is haunted by dreams of the crimes. And even more disturbing? Her name is identical to a victim from 1888. J.R. Damien, a newspaper reporter, is likewise haunted by violent dreams as well, dreams vivid with details only the Ripper could know. Details that later prove true. When he meets Lizzie, he knows something else only the real Ripper would know--she''s the next victim. Or will be if he doesn''t stop Jack, even if that means stopping himself. Does reincarnation really exist? Are Lizzie and Damien doomed to play out the same hideous dance of death from more than a century ago in the streets of London? And why is he unable to resist Lizzie? Why is she helplessly drawn to him? In a struggle between love and death, which will prevail? Anne Stuart recently celebrated her forty years as a published author. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the bestseller list of the NY Times, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today, as well as being featured in Vogue, People Magazine, and Entertainment Tonight. Anne lives by a lake in the hills of Northern Vermont with her fabulous husband.

Her power-hungry husband takes pleasure in her pain, but she''s done playing the victim. Three years ago, ex-operative Sophie Jordan made the mistake of falling in love--and marrying--her target. Now she''s paying for it tenfold. Her husband might be one of the sexiest men alive, but he''s also a psychopath. She''s been a virtual prisoner, and the time has come for retribution--and escape. Undercover agent Malcolm Gunnison has his orders: get intel from Sophie''s arms-dealer husband, then kill him. He plans to get rid of her, too, if she gets in his way, but he''s unprepared when she gets under his skin instead. Whose side is she on? And what is she hiding behind those mesmerizing eyes? Sophie vowed to never fall for another man again, but this sexy undercover agent is different. With danger mounting, can Malcolm and Sophie trust each other--and their growing passion--enough to get out of this operation alive?

The Soldier Tough, gorgeous soldier of fortune Reilly (Whatever his other name is) promised his best friend he’d take care of his wife and baby, bringing them out of the war-torn South American country they were stuck in. He was expecting a spoiled, glamorous socialite, not a quiet, stubborn girl devoted to the tiny infant. The Nun Carlie Forrest had been waiting a long time to take her final vows, but caring for the new-born baby of a dead woman was more important, leaving her stuck in the abandoned convent. She wasn’t going to just hand the baby over to a man who looked like he’d never changed a diaper in his life, and she didn’t mind pretending to be the dead socialite in order to keep the child safe. The Baby Everyone wants him – the rebels, the dead dictator’s army, the rich American grandparents, and Carlie. Can she let him go when the safest place was cold and heartless? The Problem He’s all business – he has no intention of falling for his best friend’s widow. She’s all business – she doesn’t want to fall in love with this big, tough, gorgeous man. But love and trouble don’t listen to good intentions, not when you’re thrown together with your unexpected and inconvenient soul mate.

Reporter Suzanna Molloy is looking for the story that will change her world, and she’s pretty sure that story is Dr. Daniel Crompton, a gorgeous, grumpy genius, obsessively working in his lab on something secret. Suzanna loves secrets, and she’s not averse to gorgeous geniuses, either, so a trip to Compton Labs is a moral imperative. Daniel Compton is working on a project he knows will change the world. Instead, a lab explosion changes him, giving him fantastic powers. But with great powers come great enemies, and now he’s on the run with Susanna, stuck with a power that’s hard to control and a woman who’s hard to resist.

The Spinster: As a maiden aunt, Gillian Redfern lives as an unpaid servant to her demanding family. Little wonder she finds the attentions of a rake distracting, and even less wonder that her usual good sense begins to unravel when Lord Marlow takes her in his arms. The Rake: Ronan Patrick Blakely, Lord Marlow, is a man of great charm and little moral character, a gambler, a womanizer, and handsome as sin to boot. He has no qualms about placing a wager on the virtue of one small, shy spinster. But Lord Marlow is about to discover that Miss Redfern is more siren than spinster. She amuses him, arouses him, and, much to his dismay, makes him a better man. Gillian will discover, in turn, that Lord Marlow possesses the power to turn her into a very wicked woman. The rake and the spinster are poised to find a love that neither could have imagined. If only someone weren''t out to destroy them both . . . Anne Stuart recently celebrated her forty years as a published author. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the bestseller list of the New York Times, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today, as well as being featured in Vogue, People Magazine, and Entertainment Tonight. Anne lives by a lake in the hills of Northern Vermont with her fabulous husband.

This book is a classic romance, originally published in 1983. After escaping from an abusive relationship, Cathy Whiteheart has sworn off men. She has no desire to date, and she’s not looking for love. When her meddling sister, drags Cathy on to Sinclair MacDonald’s yacht, neither the handsome man nor his considerable charm is going to change Cathy’s mind. At least not at first. But Sinclair is handsome and kind and when the two are thrown together time and time again, he starts to make Cathy long for the kind of love she’s always dreamed of.

A beloved romance that offers a distinctive—and distinctly entertaining—take on Valentine’s Day. The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre was supposed to be the end for Al Capone’s rivals. Instead, it turned out to be a second chance. For James Sheridan Rafferty, it’s turning out to be an eternity of second chances, one year after another. Assistant prosecutor Helen Emerson is plagued by a bad dream she can never quite remember, a nightmare that seems to be part of someone else’s life. Then a man who calls himself Rafferty comes knocking on her door… Just like he’s had every Valentine’s Day since 1929, Rafferty has fortyeight hours in which to fall in love and redeem himself. This former gangster thinks that Helen might just be the gal for him, but he has to find out who’s trying to kill her if either one of them is going to have any kind of chance at all. Previously published.

Pro bono lawyer Jenny Parker is the only true innocent in her family. The daughter of a New Orleans crime lord, she''s tried for years to make her own way, but family ties always manage to pull her back in line. When her youngest brother gets involved in human trafficking, Jenny wants to believe him innocent and tries to protect him, even though it means covering for his crimes. Matthew Ryder knows Jenny is hiding something, and he couldn''t care less about her motives. As a member of the Committee, a covert anticrime agency, he''s dealt with the worst the world has to offer. To him, Jenny is just another criminal. But when she asks for help, things turn dangerous quickly, and though he can''t trust her, he can''t turn her away. Now, Jenny and Ryder must head to South America to stop the trafficking ring. To find the truth, they''ll have to survive untamed jungles, hostile rebels, crushing betrayals, and--perhaps most dangerous--the fire of their undeniable attraction.

Is he a spy who could break her heart? Michael Fraser was so handsome, it was positively criminal. His cold blue eyes made Elizabeth''s heart skip at their very first meeting. No doubt about it, the gossip was right: this tough soldier was a traitor, a spy, a scurrilous French agent. Yet her hapless cousin had invited him to their home for the weekend. What trouble might this untrustable man cause during the course of a three-day house party filled with distinguished guests? Soon Elizabeth hears that this stealthy spy has been querying the servants about her. Her brother is off on a secret mission against Bonaparte--that must be the reason for Michael''s sly attentions. If only his gaze weren''t so irresistible, his voice so hypnotic, his kiss so treasonously sweet. She never imagined a French agent could be this dangerous. Anne Stuart is currently celebrating forty-five years as a published novelist. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the NYT Bestseller List, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today. Anne Stuart currently lives in northern Vermont.

When Judith Daniels’ friend calls her in the middle of the night and says that someone is trying to kill her, Judith assumes it’s more of Lacey’s usual drama. After a full day of work at her small-town newspaper and several nights with very little sleep, Judith doesn’t have time for Lacey’s wild imagination, but when she wakes up to discover that her best friend is dead, she realizes that while the police may be calling the death an accident, she owes it to her friend to discover if something more sinister has taken place. Lacey had been working at The Puppet Factory for world famous puppeteer, Ryan Smith. Ryan is rich, gorgeous, famous and reclusive. And he might be the last person who saw Lacey alive. Ryan realizes what Judith is up to almost as soon as she walks through the door to interview for a position that she’s far too qualified for. He recognizes the nosey reporter from pictures Lacey had shown him, but he also knows that kicking her out will only make her think he has something to hide. He’s sure that Lacey’s death was nothing more than a tragic accident, and he assumes the best way to prove that to Judith is to let her stay at The Puppet Factory and do a little investigating of her own. The fact that he is attracted to her has nothing to do with it. The only flaw with Ryan’s plan is that Lacey’s death was no accident. And the closer Ryan gets to Judith the closer the killer gets to her.

Angela Hogan is a pilot. A good pilot, and one of the few female flying aces of the 1930s. Struggling to make a living while the Great Depression rages, Angela has no problem running a small business and competing with men who believe a woman’s place is in the home. She has a plan to bring in business. All she needs to do is break the record for flying from Newfoundland to Havana, and that’s exactly what she plans to do. But when a competing air freight company threatens her livelihood, Angela has no choice but to hire a hotshot pilot with a reputation for setting records in the air and being a lady’s man on the ground. Jack Clancy doesn’t like bossy women. He prefers blondes with more beauty than brains, but he takes the job at Hogan Air Freight in order to save enough money to ship his own plane back to the States and get it the repairs it needs. He tries to tell himself that’s the only reason, even as he is drawn inexplicably to Angela Hogan. The female pilot and her determined attitude bother Jack, but that doesn’t stop him from fantasizing about what lies beneath that prim and proper exterior, even as she squares off to fight him at every turn. Soon Jack and Angela’s shared passion for flying turns into a passion for one another. But Jack has no intention of becoming tied to a woman like Angela and having his wings clipped. And Angela has no intention of leaving the flying to the men so she can become a homemaker. She intends to finish what she started and break the record for the flight she had planned, even when it turns out that the record she’s breaking belongs to Jack Clancy.

Jane Dexter is in need of a criminal. After her brother is killed in a car accident, the secret formula that had been his life’s work is about to be auctioned to the highest bidder, a fact that Jane knows would make her brother roll over in his grave. With no legal recourse, Jane has decided that her only option is to burn down the lab where her brother worked and destroy the formula in the process, so she approaches long-time criminal, Jimmy (the Stoolie) Calvin and asks him to help her commit arson. At least she thinks she does. Thanks to a typo in the newspaper, the man Jane believes is Jimmy the Stoolie is actually his high-powered attorney, Alexander Caldicott. Alexander (Sandy) Caldicott is bored. Everything about his life is predictable until Jane Dexter appears at his door asking him to commit arson. Sandy goes along with her plan, telling himself that pretending to be the seasoned criminal is the only way to prevent Jane from committing a felony. Together the unlikely partners work to discover a way to keep the formula from falling into the wrong hands, all the while trying to stay one step ahead from a dangerous man who may be willing to kill to get the formula for himself. With danger lurking around every corner, Jane and Sandy have no where to turn but to each other.

Anne Kirkland is in love...with a home. The 200-year-old stone mansion has been in her family for generations and nothing is more important to her. A renaissance woman, who doesn''t realize how gifted she is, Anne has poured her blood, sweat and tears, along with every penny she has, into restoring the house that she owns along with her father and siblings. But the ravages of time and nature have taken a toll, and despite her best efforts, Anne is losing the war. Noah Grant comes to the Kirkland house under false pretenses. Pretending to be one of Anne''s sister''s flings, Noah has really come to check out the house for his former father-in-law. Noah represents a group of interested buyers. With the rest of Anne''s family on board, the sale of the house is imminent, and only Anne''s stubborn determination is standing in the way. Anne and Noah are instantly drawn to each other, despite the obstacles standing in their way, but can Anne ever forgive him once she learns the truth?

"Blackheart is pure Stuart Bad Boy, so sexy he will knock your socks off." --The Best Reviews "Stuart proves it takes a thief to steal your heart!" --The Best Reviews It takes a thief to steal her heart. Catspaw 1 A reformed cat burglar. Can he be trusted? Self-made socialite Francesca "Ferris" Byrd is too sharp to be fooled by even the smartest--and sexiest--man, even when he''s notorious ex-thief Patrick Blackheart, now one of San Francisco''s most eligible bachelors. Blackheart runs a respectable security business these days, and seems like the perfect man to protect the fabulous Von Emmerling emeralds. All he has to do is make certain the jewels get back to their owner after an elite charity ball. And all Ferris has to do is make sure he isn''t tempted to keep them. The problem is, temptation is Blackheart''s specialty, and from the moment they meet it''s clear that he''d love to steal Ferris away from her stodgy life. When the emeralds disappear, Blackheart is a top suspect. His reputation--and Ferris''s hard-won social standing--are at stake. What''s a woman to do when she''s got to kick off her high heels and follow her heart? Catspaw 2 He won her love. But is it enough to keep him out of trouble? Being engaged to sexy-hot reformed cat burglar Patrick Blackheart, now a legit security expert, is thrilling, but a challenge. Ferris Byrd has loosened up, but she''s still a law-abiding socialite, and Blackheart promised to steer clear of his old habits. If he doesn''t, the wedding is off. When a string of jewel heists in Europe matches Blackheart''s recent travel itinerary, Ferris fears he''s succumbed to his old ways. Why was he secretive about his whereabouts? She wants to believe that someone''s setting him up, but . . . An exhibit of Faberge eggs at the San Francisco Museum is the ultimate catnip for a jewel thief, and Ferris is in charge of them. She''ll be ready and waiting to unmask this cat burglar. She desperately hopes he''s not Blackheart. Anne Stuart is currently celebrating forty-five years as a published novelist. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the NYT Bestseller List, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today. Anne Stuart currently lives in northern Vermont.

Francey Neeley''s life has been torn to pieces. Her handsome and charming Irish boyfriend turned out to be a terrorist who was only after her fortune and planned to kill her once he got it. His \"sister\" forced Francey to help her attempt a rescue when his cover was blown during a mission to assassinate a world leader. Francey barely escaped with her life in the shoot-out. Now Francey''s secluded herself amidst the beautiful, healing atmosphere of Belle Reste, her cousin''s resort on a Jamaican island. She''s emotionally shattered and remains under a cloud of suspicion even after being interrogated by every major law enforcement agency. Warning bells go off from the moment British school teacher Michael Dowd arrives to recuperate from a car accident. Though he''s obviously recovering from serious injuries, she sees glimpses of a coldly efficient predator that make her wary of her intense attraction to him. She made one horrible mistake already . . . Michael Dowd is there to find out the truth about her involvement; he''ll seduce her if that''s what it takes. And if he learns she was one of the terrorists, he''ll kill her. But someone on the island is trying to kill them both. How will Francey know who to trust when Michael disappears and reappears as a perfect stranger? Who is the villain, and who is the savior? The wrong answer means death. Anne Stuart is currently celebrating forty years as a published novelist. She has won every major award in the romance field and appeared on the NYT Bestseller List, Publisher''s Weekly, and USA Today. Anne Stuart currently lives in northern Vermont.

Evangeline Morrissey remembers the last time she saw her husband: it was during their honeymoon, right before he stole her elderly aunt''s earrings and abandoned her. Now, five years later, the enigmatic man who''d broken her heart and destroyed her trust is back. But she''s not the same naive young woman who fell for him so easily. Marrying Evangeline and letting her think he was nothing but a common thief had been James Bishop''s plan all along. As an assassin for the Committee, a covert agency dedicated to stamping out international crime, he had no business even thinking about marriage. But it was the only way to protect Evangeline after she''d unwittingly wandered into his operation against a group of human traffickers, placing herself in grave danger. And now that James''s vigilant watch over Evangeline''s life has revealed to his enemies that she''s his one true weakness, he must set out to have, to hold, and--above all--to protect his bride.

The man had secrets… Blindsided by a hurricane, Katie Flynn was seeking shelter from the storm—but all she found was a moody, broody recluse named O''Neal. Trapped with him in his house on a windswept cliff overlooking the wildly tossed sea, Katie tried to fight the feelings O''Neal awakened in her—both of sensuality and fear. She began to suspect that something haunted the tall, gray-eyed man''s domain, something more than the wicked servants or family ghosts… something strange that only O''Neal himself could reveal.

Caught dancing barefoot in the moonlit woods, dressed only in her shift, Elizabeth Penshurst is considered by decent folk to be notorious and disgraced. Sent by her father, a reverend, to serve penance with a cousin in Hernewood, Lizzie sets her thoughts on becoming the perfectly demure and reserved young woman any suitor would want. But evil haunts the woods of Hernewood Abbey. As the Druid festival of Beltane approaches, a sinister cult seeks a virgin sacrifice. Their intended victim: Lizzie. Her only defender--and the man likely to relieve her of her dangerous maidenhood--is the mysterious Gabriel, the Dark Man, a fellow outcast and scholar of Druidism. The forest calls to them both. Their irresistible attraction, both mystical and bawdy, may be the only force more powerful than the cult''s dark purpose.

Seduction and murder. Adam Traywick may be capable of both. In this celebrated gothic romance, will Miranda be the next victim of Barrett''s Hill? When her father''s will sends strong-willed, irreverent Miranda to the New England estate of nearby Barrett''s Hill to live under the guardianship of her elder cousin--the sour Reverend Smathers--and his scheming family, trouble quickly brews. Two decades earlier a murder took place on Barrett''s Hill, and the suspects are few. Miranda''s spirited investigation raises the fear of public scandal among her hypocritical relatives--the Reverend''s alcoholic wife and viciously manipulative daughter--especially since the suspects are the Reverend, his toadying assistant Fathimore, Miranda''s own father, and the darkly irresistible Adam Traywick. Adam turns his masterful charms on Miranda, and she falls in love. Yet as it becomes clear she''s provoked the killer''s survival instincts, with herself his target, she can''t help wondering if Adam is seducing her or planning her murder.

Is he a half-mad court jester or a brilliant spy for the king? Lady Julianna knows this much for certain: He is no fool when it comes to the art of seduction. Nicholas Strangefellow is a scoundrel prized by King Henry himself--a court jester. Now sent to the wedding of the Earl of Fordham to entertain, but secretly under orders from the King to bring back a legendary chalice, Nicholas is a man on a mission that could easily be bollixed. Suddenly the chances of bollixing increase merrily when he meets irresistible Julianna, the widowed daughter of the bride-to-be. After a loveless arranged marriage, Julianna plans to join a convent. Yet she finds herself in wickedly provocative conversation with, of all men, the king''s mocking, ribald \"wedding present\" to the Earl. Nicholas--the jester, the fool, and a mere commoner, who immediately decides to seduce her while procuring the chalice for King Henry. What follows is a rollicking comedy, an intrigue spiced with villains and danger, but most of all, a tender and sexy romance. Nicholas is hardly the husband a noblewoman should choose, and when he''s faced with a choice between desire and betrayal, or loyalty to King and a comfortable life, he''ll have to confront the shocking truth. That he''s become a fool for love.

Victim. Lover. Both? His dark game is seducing her-- just as it was when they were young. How can he still have that power over her? Eighteen years ago, she saw him die. Wealthy, selfish, and greedy, the McDowell family raised Carolyn McDowell--a foster child--like a modern Cinderella. Neglected and ignored, good-hearted Carolyn adored scion Alexander despite it all, though even he tormented her. When Alex ran away one night, Carolyn followed and witnessed his murder, though she never told anyone. Her beloved Alex died when he was seventeen. There was no doubt. Eighteen years later, Carolyn returns to the decadent milieu of the McDowell clan to care for her dying foster mother, Sally. As greedy relatives gather to claim their inheritances, a stunning stranger arrives, claiming to be Alexander. To Carolyn''s utter shock, Sally greets her \"son\" without question, and no one but Carolyn believes he''s a fraud. As she delves into the mysteries of both the past and present, Carolyn quickly realizes that the resurrected Alex is a dangerous combination of seduction and power. Is this stranger after the McDowell fortune, or is he really, somehow, the Alex of old, come back to claim her? How can he be an imposter and yet know family secrets only the real Alex would remember? Was someone helping him? What would you do if the boy you loved returned almost twenty years later, and you fell in love with him all over again--even if you were sure it couldn''t be him?

This is my fate . . . to die for unspeakable crimes. All I ask is that a stranger give herself to me and to my secrets.

Bryony Russell and her two sisters are left destitute by the disgrace and unexpected death of their father, a wealthy shipping magnate. He left a cryptic note, and Bryony is determined to find the real villain and clear her father''s name. In disguise as a servant, Bryony infiltrates the home of her father''s business partner to find proof of his guilt ... or innocence.