"In the aftermath of their fiery clash, an uneasy truce forged between Sophia’s Hunters and the Dwellers of Rome allowed life to resume its relatively untroubled rhythm... almost…
… but history warns, it is never a good idea to become complacent.
To the north, a new nightmare materialises. Supported by a band of vindictive acolytes, Carlyle Worthington, the self-proclaimed Pope of Bologna, is determined bring the disparate territories of Italy under his authority and has no hesitation in neutralising anyone who dare thwart his ambition.
As the winds of destruction gain momentum, is the fragile accord strong enough to unite the erstwhile enemies against a common foe, or will the Pope divide and conquer?
Can the fledgling alliance crush the insidious advance, and expose Worthington’s fearmongering as little more than smoke and mirrors before evil prevails?"
"This is a pair of Christmas novellas, Heart Rescued and Catch a Snowflake.
Heart Rescued (originally published in the Tales for the Season Anthology)
Four years since Jasper lost the woman he was hoping to marry. Four years since he closed his heart, and withdrew from Society. He has no idea his reclusive existence is about to be shattered. Enter his sister's best friend, Harriet, a flame haired beauty, who needs his help. Reluctantly he agrees and as they spend time together, it is clear their feelings run deep. Although Harriet affects Jasper in a way no woman ever has, he believes her to be out of his league ~ but it's Christmas and she might just be the one to melt his frozen heart
Catch a Snowflake
Romance often blossoms in the most unlikely of places - but in a ward full of wounded soldiers - surely not? When Lucas Withers comes face to face with Jemima Parsons - a young woman who blames him for her brother's injury - falling in love is the last thing on their minds. What neither of them anticipated, was the magic of snowflakes."
"After ridding the world of her tormentor, and finding the love of her life, Sela Helsdatter could be forgiven for thinking she deserves a little peace.
No such luck!
Marriage to the God of Mischief is a walk in the park compared with the terror about to be unleashed from Valhalla. A diabolical edict from Odin himself sees the nine months pregnant, Sela fleeing from the entire Norse pantheon — with no clue why.
A price on her head and a target on her belly, the only person she can trust is her husband, who is keeping her in the dark. Does her unborn child hold the key to this Conceived Chaos?"
"What happens in Helheim never stays in Helheim.Sela Helsdatter wishes it would. Punished for allowing her quest for power to rule her actions, she has endured eons of torment.
The flip of a coin seems to offer some hope of redemption but, tasked with ridding the world of her erstwhile captor and lover, escape does not mean freedom.No problem for a warrior queen? right? Wrong! Sela is no longer in ninth century Norðvegr, but twenty-first century New York with all its challenges, and where slightest misstep could spell her doom.
Aided by the most unlikely hero, Sela scours the city for her adversary, who delights in taunting her, determined to drag her back to Hell. Will she prevail, or will A Flip of the Coin catapult her back to the abyss?"
"If we are part of a universe where moonbeams and mistletoe exist, nothing is insurmountable for, otherwise, what is the point?
To Emily Livingston, spinster - this deceptively frivolous phrase was all she had left of her betrothed.
To Henry Bartholomew, widower - the sentiment, while naïve, also serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of hours, light can be found... it was simply a matter of perspective.
When four-year-old twins run into Emily - literally - she has no idea where their unexpected encounter will lead. Determined to ensure his children are not being schooled into something nefarious, Henry resolves to meet this mysterious lady who has enthralled the duo with her stories.
One dull and otherwise ordinary autumnal morning, two disparate souls are brought together, and long-forgotten emotions are stirred.
The question is whether Henry and Emily have the courage to follow their hearts or be forever trapped in the sadness of the past. Can moonbeams and mistletoe persuade them, the answer was there all along?"
"What happens when two people whose elusive hearts fight an indefinable attraction, neither looked for nor desired, dare to dream?When her fiancé and sister abscond to Gretna Green on her wedding day, Sapphira Beresford longs to escape, to avoid the gossipmongers gloating over her misfortune. Disillusioned, she is determined not to be burnt again, swearing off romance and marriage.
A fortuitous invitation sees her embarking on a journey to Pompeii where she meets Leofwin Colleville, reclusive marquis, amateur antiquarian, and her host for the duration. Although enamoured of the ruins gradually being unearthed and ecstatic to have the opportunity to assist, Sapphira is troubled by her host's attitude, which blows hot and cold. A confirmed bachelor, Leofwin Colleville is happiest surrounded by ancient ruins, and would prefer to brave the whole of Napoleon's armies alone, than face a lady on the hunt for a husband.
The arrival of an unexpected guest throws his unencumbered existence into turmoil, but the harder he strives to maintain his distance, the more she gets under his skin. Sparks fly and, as Leofwin's truculence undermines Sapphira's already battered confidence, her adventure of a lifetime seems doomed to disaster. Until the day she runs afoul of greedy treasure hunters.
In the aftermath what was scorned becomes the one thing they crave above all else, but when it comes to the heart, nothing is ever simple."
"Twenty years after a global plague, the remnants of civilisation struggle to eke out an existence in a world where humanity is secondary to survival.
On the outskirts of a once vibrant Rome, Gabriel tends his vineyard. From dawn to dusk, he strives to carve out a living, while caring for Bianca, his heavily pregnant wife.
Life might be tough, but at least he had an income, meagre though it was. Trouble seemed a distant memory, until the day he notices their neighbours are not at work in the adjacent fields.
A gruesome discovery sparks a chain of events to rival the conflicts Rome witnessed at the height of its power. Gabriel and Bianca must pit their wits and their lives against a formidable opponent, in an attempt prevent an atrocity none could have predicted.
A bond, forged in a snowy field and strengthened in a city under siege, is put to the ultimate test.
In a world of echoes and illusions, is their love strong enough to surmount the odds, or will it crumble to dust like the empire their enemies are striving to replicate?"
"Ged Mowbray will do anything to avoid being married off to the suitable prospects his parents insist on parading in front of him.
Melissa Bouchard is under no illusion her sizeable dowry is the attraction to suitors, not her.
An overheard conversation leads to an offer too good to refuse, but what happens when a lady's wager, becomes a gamble on the happily ever after, you did not even realise you wanted?"
"Randolph Craythorpe — Earl, covert operative, and occasional highwayman — believed his dalliance with Lady Felicity Hartwich would lead to marriage. It did, but not to him! The fortuitous arrival of an unwelcome guest provides the perfect opportunity to indulge in a little retaliation.
Emma Newbury accompanies her cousin, Lady Charity Anscombe, to London for the Christmas Season. Once there, she comes face to face with the three men who witnessed the humiliating aftermath of her father's disgrace — one of whom, to her irritation, has taken up residence in her dreams.
Their infrequent encounters only serve to confuse, but while winter tightens its grip on the city, what was inconceivable becomes the one thing for which they both yearn, yet bound by Society's rules, cannot admit.
As the snow falls, Randolph begins to understand that to win Emma, he will have to surrender."
"Tired of being ignored by her husband, Roana Dumont, Countess of Brooketon does the one thing guaranteed to get his attention. She runs away… to Venice, leaving behind a set of riddles for him to solve… if he feels their marriage is worth saving.
Gideon Dumont, 6th Earl of Brooketon is flabbergasted when he discovers his wife has apparently vanished off the face of the earth. A series of puzzles, the only clue as to her whereabouts.
The question is… will he unravel them?"
"Following an horrific car accident, Daisy Forrester travels to Italy - hoping she might begin to heal. Archaeologist, and single father, Adam Willoughby is too busy looking after his young daughter to give romance a thought. Neither expects a chance encounter in an ancient ruin to be anything more, but sometimes, that's all it takes."
