Best Romance Books of 2005

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Best Romance Books of 2005 includes The Sunflower, Hot Ice, Knockin' Boots, The Contestant, To Tame a Wolf, Her Last Temptation, The Disobedient Virgin.

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The Sunflower

The Sunflower
“It has been said, 'Seek not your destiny for it is seeking you.'” So begins this new and powerful novel from Richard Paul Evans, #1 bestselling author of The Christmas Box, The Walk series, and more.

In the wake of personal tragedy, two people meet on a humanitarian mission in Peru. Christine is a shy, unadventurous woman whose fiancé broke off the engagement only a week before the wedding, and Paul is a former emergency room doctor whose glamorous lifestyle, stellar reputation, and beautiful fiancée are cruelly snatched from him one fateful, snowy Christmas Eve. Deep in the Amazon jungle, against a backdrop of poverty and heartbreak, they must confront their deepest fears and, together, learn to trust and love again.

Hot Ice

Hot Ice
Award-winning author Cherry Adair broke thrilling new ground with On Thin Ice–her stunning romantic suspense hardcover debut. Now Cherry's turning up the temperature, amping up the action, and raising the degree of danger and desire to irresistibly hot new heights.

Diamonds–jewels of every kind, in fact–are Taylor Kincaid's best friends. The only thing she enjoys more is the challenge of stealing them, at which she excels like few others in the world. And specializing in plundering precious stones from wealthy international criminals just makes it all the more satisfying . . . and dangerously exciting. So for Taylor, there's no resisting the double allure of snatching the elusive Blue Star diamonds–a prize she has pursued across three continents–from the South American stronghold of the murderous Morales terrorist organization.

The heist goes down without a hitch. Until Taylor discovers she has made off with more than she bargained for, namely the secret security-system codes that provide access to a South African diamond mine–packed with enough gems to sink a battleship. Suddenly, Taylor's no longer just an ultrachic freelance jewel thief, but a reluctant player in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game against elite global trouble-shooters and bloodthirsty terrorists.

There's nothing reluctant, however, about Huntington St. John, the top T-FLAC operative who's hot on Taylor's trail. And in Taylor's opinion, just plain hot. The feeling, emotional and otherwise, is very mutual. Though they're on opposite sides of the law, Hunt and Taylor swiftly come to appreciate each other's well-honed skills. But since ecstasy is fleeting, and diamonds are forever, Taylor soon slips from the sheets and hits the streets . . . to reclaim the jewels she stashed overseas. And true to his name, Hunt is close behind–but this time, he's after more than the codes. With the clock ticking, and two groups of terrorists closing fast, they'll have to mix pleasure with some very risky business. If they can survive danger at every turn, outwit the ultimate high-tech security system, and somehow conquer each other . . . they just might get everything they desire.


From the Hardcover edition.

Knockin' Boots

Knockin' Boots
Bestselling author Tracy Price-Thompson returns with another steamy novel, packed with wife swapping, down-low desires, racial self-hatred, and sexual swinging. . . .

Kevin Lawson has a secret. This hard-charging army sergeant is drawn to seedy sex dens, adult bookstores, and kinky encounters with multiple partners. To hide his cravings, Kevin uses his wife to solicit bedroom playmates and to indulge his ever-growing fantasies.

A preacher's daughter, college graduate, and ex-stripper, “Freak Nasty” Fancy Lawson has done it all and loved every moment of it. But now Fancy must face the truth of her husband's sexual addiction or risk losing the one constant in her ever-changing world.
Emile Pinchback is a dark-skinned brotha with issues, especially when it comes to his bootylicious, ghetto-fabulous nubian sistahs. He worships at the feet of the slender, blond-haired Becky Ann. But once he looks past her milky skin and into her heart, his racial stereotypes are blown wide open.

Sexy and full of Brooklyn spice, Sparkle Henderson loves on the black-hand side or not at all. Just a whiff of jungle fever can send her flying into a rage, but when she's caught in a web of sexual trickery, she finds love in a strange place and is forced to reexamine her beliefs.

With a fresh look at love and lust in uniform, Tracy Price-Thompson's sensual characters come alive in this erotically-charged page-turner of urban life.

The Contestant

The Contestant
How far would her competition go to win a million dollars? Lying? Cheating? Murder? That's what former Olympic diver Talia Mooney feared when the body washed up on the site of the Ultimate Endurance reality TV show. Now she was stranded on a tropical island with her fellow contestants and their nervous host. One of them had to be the killer. Was it the wannabe starlet, the underweight geek, the man having a midlife crisis? Could it be her strongest competition, the sexy smart-ass ex-cop? Talia had counted on her honed body and ferocious desire to win to pull her through. Now she must decide whom to trust--and how to beat the killer at his own game...

To Tame a Wolf

To Tame a Wolf
Her innocence destroyed, young widow Tally Bernard swore that she would never trust a man again. But when her brother disappears, she has little choice but to make a pact with the devil.

Though he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on a ranch of his own, Simeon Kavanaugh can't escape the legacy of his werewolf father. The animal instincts that keep him from being fully human also make him a brilliant tracker, forced to survive on the desperation of people in need.

The attraction between these two wounded souls is immediate, primal -- and dangerous. And if Simeon has any hope of saving Tally, he must do what he has always resisted and merge both man and beast within him. But if she cannot accept what he becomes, his choice may cost Simeon the only thing worth having -- Tally's love . . .

Her Last Temptation

Her Last Temptation
From the back cover:

She could resist anything but Temptation…

Cat Sheehan is the wild child of the Sheehan family. But when her family bar closes, she decides it's time to straighten up. She's going to reform—and she's going to start by hooking up with a nice guy. But her resolution goes down the drain when bad boy musician Dylan Spencer walks in. Because he's a temptation no woman could resist….

Dylan has a secret. Not only is he not a bad boy…he's not a stranger, either. Though Cat doesn't recognize him, Dylan's been in love with her since high school. And for a chance to have Cat where he wants her- in his life, in his bed—he's willing to be whatever kind of man she wants...

"Leslie Kelly's books are the perfect blend of sass and class. Her cheeky style makes her one of the strongest voices in romance today." New York Times Best-selling author Vicki Lewis Thompson

The Disobedient Virgin

The Disobedient Virgin
Catarina Mendes is young, innocent and rich. Jake Ramirez is handsome, worldly, rich... and now he's Cat's guardian. He's supposed to protect her from unscrupulous men and find her a good, solid Brazilian husband. Once Jake does that, Cat will inherit the fortune her parents left her... and Jake will finally learn the identity of his two half-brothers. There's only one problem. Cat's a virgin, and Jake wants her. Can he resist taking what the innocent Cat offers before he finds her a suitable husband?

John Doe on Her Doorstep

John Doe on Her Doorstep

Dr. Dani Archer's orderly life had become complete chaos. First, her father mysteriously died, then a sexy stranger--with no memory--appeared on her doorstep.... Complicating matters, someone was trying to kill her.

Like an avenging angel, the John Doe became her very own personal protector, displaying instincts and performing feats almost superhuman. And now, the key to her safety lay in unraveling the long-buried secrets of the past to solve her father's death.

Only, suddenly it seemed the greatest danger of all was surrendering to an all-consuming desire...

The Smoke Thief

The Smoke Thief
For centuries they've lived in secret among northern England's green and misted hills. Creatures of extraordinary beauty, power, and sensuality, they possess the ability to shape-shift from human to dragon and back again. Now their secret–and their survival–is threatened by a temptation that will break every boundary....

Dubbed the Smoke Thief, a daring jewel thief is confounding the London police. His wealthy victims claim the master burglar can walk through walls and vanish into thin air. But Christoff, the charismatic Marquess of Langford, knows the truth: the thief is no ordinary human but a “runner” who's fled Darkfrith without permission. As Alpha leader of the dra´kon, it's Kit's duty to capture the fugitive before the secrets of the tribe are revealed to mortals. But not even Kit suspects that the Smoke Thief could be a woman.

Clarissa Rue Hawthorne knew her dangerous exploits would attract the attention of the dra´kon. But she didn't expect Christoff himself to come to London, dangling the tribe's most valuable jewel–the Langford Diamond–as bait. For as long as she could remember, Rue had lived the life of a halfling–half dra´kon, half mortal–and an outcast in both worlds. She'd always loved the handsome and willful Kit from the only place it was safe: from afar. But now she was no longer the shy, timid girl she'd once been. She was the first woman capable of making the Turn in four generations. So why did she still feel the same dizzying sense of vulnerability whenever he was near?

From the moment he saw her, Kit knew that the alluring and powerful beauty was every bit his Alpha equal and destined to be his bride. And by the harsh laws of the dra´kon, Rue knew that she was the property of the marquess. But they will risk banishment and worse for a chance at something greater. For now Rue is his prisoner, the diamond has disappeared, and she's made the kind of dangerous proposition a man like Kit cannot resist....In this bewitching novel, Shana Abé transports us into a world of exhilarating romance and magic.


From the Hardcover edition.

Gardens of Delight

Gardens of Delight
A gorgeous, heart-warming tale set among the gardens of Italy
 
The Gardens of Delight brochure promises the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful gardens in the Lake Como area of Italy. For Lucy, the chance to go to Italy offers more than just gardens, as Lake Como is where her father lives and the last time she saw him was when she was just a teenager. Recently married Helen and her wealthy husband have just moved into the Old Rectory. With her husband spending so much time away from home, Helen throws herself into caring for the garden. But Helen needs help—and friends—and so she decides to take the plunge and join the local Garden Club. Conrad isn't the least bit interested in gardening. Widowed for five years, his life revolves around work and humoring Mac, his elderly uncle who lives with him, and who has expressed a desire to go on the Gardens of Delight tour. Reluctantly, Conrad agrees to accompany him. "Anything for a peaceful life," he concedes—but a peaceful life is the last thing any of them are in for.

It's In His Kiss (Bridgertons)

It's In His Kiss (Bridgertons)

Meet Our Hero . . .
Gareth St. Clair is in a bind. His father, who detests him, is determined to beggar the St. Clair estates and ruin his inheritance. Gareth's sole bequest is an old family diary, which may or may not contain the secrets of his past . . . and the key to his future. The problem is—it's written in Italian, of which Gareth speaks not a word.

Meet Our Heroine . . .
All the ton agreed: there was no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton. She's fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken, and according to Gareth, probably best in small doses. But there's something about her—something charming and vexing—that grabs him and won't quite let go . . .

Meet Poor Mr. Mozart . . .
Or don't. But rest assured, he's spinning in his grave when Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual—and annually discordant—Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth's every word seems a dare, and she offers to translate his diary, even though her Italian is slightly less than perfect. But as they delve into the mysterious text, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the diary, but in each other . . . and that there is nothing as simple—or as complicated—as a single, perfect kiss.

When Horses Fly

When Horses Fly
Cantankerous Lord Wintercroft has taken in Cora, a poor relation and nurse, to live in his decrepit stone castle, and, eventually, to wed. But the nurse herself is lovesick for Wintercroft's son, Alexander.

Poison Study

Poison Study
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace- and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dusté and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.
As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear—.

Grave Sight

Grave Sight
Harper Connelly has what you might call a strange job: she finds dead people. She can sense the final location of a person who's passed, and share their very last moment. The way Harper sees it, she's providing a service to the dead while bringing some closure to the living - but she's used to most people treating her like a blood-sucking leech. Traveling with her step-brother Tolliver as manager and sometime-bodyguard, she's become an expert at getting in, getting paid, and getting out fast. Because for the living it's always urgent - even if the dead can wait forever.

To Pleasure a Prince

To Pleasure a Prince
Bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries pens the sizzling story of one of three half-noble half brothers, who makes a most unwelcome entrance into society...
and a most unexpected match.

Beautiful Lady Regina Tremaine has turned down so many suitors that she's called La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The truth: she won't marry because she carries a dark secret. She sees no good reason, however, why her brother shouldn't court the lovely Louisa North -- even if the girl's brother, the notorious "Dragon Viscount," objects.
Marcus North, Viscount Draker -- bastard son of the Prince of Wales -- is rumored to be a monster who holds women captive in his dark castle to have his way with them. He has been exiled from polite society for years. But when Lady Regina makes a plea on her brother's behalf, Marcus proposes an outrageous deal: her brother can court Louisa so long as Marcus can court Regina. Can the beauty and the beast survive a proper courtship when the devastatingly improper passion between them threatens to cause the scandal of the century?

Back Where He Started

Back Where He Started

“A gorgeous celebration of love and family, a vivid re-imagining of what it means to be a parent, an anthem of endurance through faith, a hard-won comedy of healing and balm.”—Paul Russell, author of War Against the Animals and The Coming Storm

As he embraces the patchwork of his new life, a middle-aged gay man living in a North Carolina beach town comes to terms with the sudden departure of his lover and earns a new appreciation of his role as heart of the home to his grown children.

Jay Quinn is the founding editor and executive editor of The Haworth Press' Southern Tier Editions. He is the author of Metes and Bounds and The Mentor and has edited Rebel Yell: Stories of Contemporary Southern Gay Men.

A Quick Bite

A Quick Bite

That hot guy tied to Lissianna Argeneau's bed? He's not dessert—he's the main course!

Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. But there's another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sight of blood . . . an especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Of course it doesn't hurt that this man has a delicious-looking neck. What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that?

Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger's bedroom pretty quickly—once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor to find true love with a vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal? That's a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into . . . if he can just get Lissianna to bite.

Something Borrowed

Something Borrowed
Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship.

But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.

The smash-hit debut novel for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship.

Twilight

Twilight
The #1 New York Times bestseller is available with a striking movie tie-in cover.

Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour the paperback edition Eclipse, the third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob --- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

My Surrender

My Surrender
CONNIE BROCKWAY
sweeps readers into the ballrooms and boudoirs of Regency-era London and on to the Scottish Highlands in a sizzling tale of scandal, deception, and breathtaking passion.

Charlotte Nash is the most impulsive of the Nash sisters. Using her position as one of London's most popular and naughty debutantes, she assists English spies in conveying messages that will help them infiltrate Napoleon's inner circle -- and fulfill the mission her father died trying to achieve. But only as a courtesan can she infiltrate London's most notorious gatherings and retrieve a crucial document. Is she ready to take part in a deception that will leave her reputation in shreds? And when Highlander Dand Ross -- a dangerous, disreputable blackguard -- reappears in her life and offers his aid, dare she accept it? The exquisite pleasure she finds in his arms might be worth the price of her surrender, but is the dark Highlander who loves her so passionately really just luring her toward the ultimate betrayal?

His Dark Desires

His Dark Desires
Though the Civil War had ended years ago, Juliet Boucheron still battles for survival in 1874 New Orleans. She'd been shunned by her family and friends when her husband was labeled a traitor after disappearing with a shipment of gold during the Civil War.
 
By turning her ancestral home into a boarding house, despite the whispers of scandal, Juliet has been providing for her younger sisters and raising her young son. The safe world she thought she had built becomes threatened and she and her family are thrust into danger when the secrets from the past surface.
 
She doesn't know who to trust and even more disturbing than the warning note she receives is the handsome, seductive stranger who enters her household. Stephen Trevelyan is a tortured man with secrets. A man with blood on his hands. Wealthy, compelling, and deadly handsome, he awakens her senses like no other man before and fills her nights with passion. He also fills her mind with suspicion. Strange things begin to happen when Stephen appears in her life. Can she really trust this irresistible stranger?
 
Someone is lurking in the shadows. Someone is stalking the halls of her home after midnight. And someone is willing to kill to get what they want. Juliet is forced to face the nightmares and ghosts in her past in order to catch the murderer hiding in her life, but by then it may be too late to save those she loves from death.

The Perfect Waltz

The Perfect Waltz
Society rogue Sebastian Reyne's search for a practical wife comes to a crashing halt when he dances with the effervescent Hope Merridew--and is seduced into a delicious intrigue of sensuality and desire.

 

The Courtesan

The Courtesan
Skilled in passion, artful in deception, and driven by betrayal, she is the glittering center of the royal court–but the most desired woman of Renaissance France will draw the wrath of a dangerous adversary.

Paris, 1575. The consort of some of Europe's most influential men, Gabrielle Cheney is determined to secure her future by winning the heart of Henry, the Huguenot king of Navarre. As his mistress, Gabrielle hopes she might one day become the power behind the French throne. But her plans are jeopardized by Captain Nicolas Rémy, a devoted warrior whose love Gabrielle desires–and fears–above all. She will also incur the malevolence of the Dark Queen, Catherine de' Medici, whose spies and witch-hunters are legion, and who will summon the black arts to maintain her authority. With the lives of those she loves in peril, Gabrielle must rebel against her queen to fulfill a glorious destiny she has sacrificed everything to gain.

Alive with vivid period detail and characters as vibrant as they are memorable, The Courtesan is a sweeping historical tale of dangerous intrigues, deep treachery, and one woman's unshakable resolve to honor her heart.

The Dark Queen

The Dark Queen
From Brittany's misty shores to the decadent splendor of Paris's royal court, one woman must fulfill her destiny–while facing the treacherous designs of Catherine de Medici, the dark queen.

She is Ariane, the Lady of Faire Isle, one of the Cheney sisters, renowned for their mystical skills and for keeping the isle secure and prosperous. But this is a time when women of ability are deemed sorceresses, when Renaissance France is torn by ruthless political intrigues, and all are held in thrall to the sinister ambitions of Queen Catherine de Medici. Then a wounded stranger arrives on Faire Isle, bearing a secret the Dark Queen will do everything in her power to possess. The only person Ariane can turn to is the comte de Renard, a nobleman with fiery determination and a past as mysterious as his own unusual gifts.

Riveting, vibrant, and breathtaking, The Dark Queen follows Ariane and Renard as they risk everything to prevent the fulfillment of a dreadful prophecy–even if they must tempt fate and their own passions.

The Givenchy Code

The Givenchy Code
A mind-bending code spawned from the mind of a madman...or maybe just a jealous ex.

A desperate race through the cathedrals and hotels of New York City...with a teeny bit of time for shopping, it's true.

An astonishing truth concealed for years, unveiled at last...with more than a little help from a supercute new guy.

As if a recent breakup, scrounging for rent money, and lusting after designer shoes weren't enough, Melanie Prescott starts receiving obscure codes and clues from a menacing stranger. She attempts to solve the mysteries -- enlisting the help of a tall, dark, and handsome new friend -- with high hopes for the multimillion-dollar reward guaranteed at the end (handbags, sunglasses, and shoes, oh my!). That is, if she can survive the deadly game.

The Perfect Rake

The Perfect Rake
To escape her brutal grandfather, Prudence stages a plan involving a phony engagement—and the man she approaches is so taken with Pru that he willingly joins her game.

Killing Time

Killing Time
Returning to the entrancing supernatural territory of her popular novels Dream Man and Son of the Morning, New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard has written a sizzling new novel that is her most daring, exciting, and original yet.

In 1985, with much fanfare, a time capsule was buried under the front lawn of a small-town county courthouse, to be reopened in 2085. But just twenty years later, in the dead of night, the capsule is dug up, its contents stolen. That same night, one of the contributors to the capsule is brutally slain in his home–with no sign of forced entry or indication of a struggle. One by one, others who had placed items in the time capsule are murdered.

Besides his suspicions about the sudden, mysterious appearance of Nikita Stover, the chief investigator, Knox Davis, has absolutely no leads. And while Nikita's no murderer, she seems to be hiding plenty of secrets. With more at stake than anyone else realizes, the smart-talking Nikita is determined to catch this cunning killer–while at the same time battling her own deepening feelings for a man and for a world in which she doesn't belong.

When readers crave a seductive novel of unrelenting suspense with a paranormal twist, Linda Howard delivers time and again . . . make that Killing Time–a captivating, character-rich story that races along on a breathless plot full of action and intimacy, romance and danger, thrills and intrigue.


From the Hardcover edition.

It Happened One Autumn

It Happened One Autumn

Headstrong American heiress Lillian Bowman has come to England to find an aristocratic husband. Unfortunately, no man is strong enough to tame the stubborn beauty's fierce will. Except, perhaps, the powerful and arrogant Earl of Westcliff—a man Lillian despises more than anyone she's ever met.

Marcus, Lord Westcliff, is famous for his icy English reserve and his supreme self-control. But something about the audacious Lillian drives him mad. Whenever they're in the same room, they can't stop themselves from battling furiously to gain the upper hand.

Then one afternoon, a stunningly sensuous encounter changes everything . . . and Lillian discovers that beneath the earl's reserved façade, he is the passionate and tender lover of her dreams. What neither Westcliff nor Lillian suspect, however, is that a sinister conspiracy threatens to destroy any chance of happiness. After a shocking betrayal endangers Lillian's safety—and possibly her life—will Marcus be able to save her before it's too late?

Till Next We Meet

Till Next We Meet

In a departure from her nationally bestselling Highland Lord series, Karen Ranney brings us another emotionally intense and passionate story that will speak to her fans.

When Adam Moncrief, Colonel of the Highland Scots Fusiliers, agrees to write a letter to Catherine Dunnan, one of his officers' wives, a forbidden correspondence develops and he soon becomes fascinated with her even though Catherine thinks the letters come from her husband, Harry Dunnan. Although Adam stops writing after Harry is killed, a year after his last letter he still can't forget her.Then when he unexpectedly inherits the title of the Duke of Lymond, Adam decides the timing is perfect to pay a visit to the now single and available Catherine.What he finds, however, is not the charming, spunky woman he knew from her letters, but a woman stricken by grief, drugged by laudanum and in fear for her life. In order to protect her, Adam marries Catherine, hoping that despite her seemingly fragile state, he will once again discover the woman he fell in love with.

by:
Eleven-year-old Benjamiah Creek's rational beliefs are challenged when he receives a magical knitted doll that leads him into the perilous world of the Wreathenwold, where he joins forces with Elizabella to uncover a mysterious conspiracy and find her missing brother.
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