Bøger af Bethany Sefchick

Being a pirate is all Emmaline Descoteaux has ever known. However, if she wishes to avoid the noose, she must find another path in life. One night, Queenie, Emme's most trusted advisor, makes a bold prediction that sends Emme out into the streets of New Orleans in search of information. American spy turned diplomat, Alexander Pickering is in New Orleans attempting to obtain information about the future of the city. Now that he has that information, Alex is anxious to pass it on to the people who need it the most. Before he can, however, he's attacked in a dark alley by men looking to kill him. After Emme rescues Alex from certain death, they must go on the run together aboard her ship until help can arrive, even though trouble still follows them as they sail across the Gulf of Mexico. Can Emme trust the crew she has known for years or are they, too, determined to see her hang, and can Alex convince her that he, above all others, can be trusted to guard not just her life but her heart as well?

Eight years ago, Lord Colin Thorne rescued a young woman from a convent at the direction of the Home Office. Now, after unexpectedly inheriting his brother's title, Colin is expected to give up his life's work with Thera and settle down. For the last six years, Teresa Barrington has done her duty to Crown and country by Colin's side and never regretted a moment of it, even when doing so cost her more than she anticipated. Now it's time for Colin to begin a new life, but this time without her by his side. She is about to embark upon a new life as well, when she is introduced to Society as the long-lost granddaughter of a duke. However, parting ways is something that both Colin and Thera are finding easier said than done. Can they both somehow make peace with their proposed new futures, or will they give in to temptation and the magic of the holiday season as it winds its way around them at a Christmastide house party?

Newly returned from India, Miss Cecilia Worth needs a husband. Or rather, her guardian believes she absolutely requires one. Cecy, however, strongly disagrees. Still, she is willing to humor her guardian and venture to London to participate in the Marriage Mart - so long as she is able to choose the man she will eventually marry. The last thing Lord Trenton Pike wants is to be called home from the Continent to play chaperone to his uncle's ward, Miss Worth. Unfortunately, he also doesn't have a choice in the matter. Escorting Cecy about London, Trent would be only too happy to foist her off upon the first man who would take her. As Trent trails Cecy around London he comes to see that she is not the walking disaster he assumed she was. They just don't bother to look closely. Can Trent find Cecy a husband by the end of the Season? And more importantly, can he keep her out of his bed until that mystery man finally appears to sweep her away to wedded bliss?

Sneaking off to attend a scandalous weekly masquerade Lady Dorothea "Dory" Tillsbury has done one of the worst things imaginable for a proper young lady. She's falling in love with the masquerade's host, a gentleman who is completely unsuitable. The so-called "Lord Raven of Dionysus," Lord Jeremy Dunn has known Lady Dory's identity from the moment she walked into his club dressed like a harlot. He's also been completely enchanted by her and wants nothing more than to coax her into his bed, no matter how bad of an idea that might be. One night, Jeremy makes Dory an offer she can't refuse - become his temporary mistress before she is forced to settle down into a loveless marriage with a man who ignores her. Will Dory make the proper decision or will she follow her heart straight into Jeremy's bed? More importantly, can these two star-crossed lovers be together outside the mysterious midnight world of the masquerade or is their affair doomed to end in the harsh light of day?

After a year of ?almost? courting a particular lady, Bow Street Runner Harry Greer has found his attentions wandering as of late. In the meantime, Harry still has a job to perform and is currently keeping track of Lady Penelope Marshwood. New to London, Miss Marshwood is suddenly everywhere about Town and ardently pursing the Duke of Fullbridge.Sent to London by her uncle in order to trap the duke into marriage, Penny has no real desire to ruin the duke or her own life in the process. At present, the only man she can find is Harry Greer and while he might make her toes curl, he has also made it clear he doesn?t trust her. Still, if she fails, Penny?s young cousin Josie will pay the price, being forced to take Penny?s place in the plot to trap Fullbridge.As Harry tracks Penny through the ballrooms of London, both of them begin to wonder if the other is playing some sort of elaborately wicked game? Because so far, the only man who has captured Lady Penny?s attention is Harry!

Wealthy, beautiful and still unwed, Lady Katherine Sedgewick is the most sought-after woman on Barbados. Six years after the death of her best friend Daniel at the hands of blood-thirsty pirates, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice. She can return to England or remain on the island and hope she does not fall victim to Lord Wilds who desires Katherine for his mistress.One of the most feared pirates in the West Indies, Midnight Jack is not the sort of man anyone wishes to defy. He's clever, cunning, and when he sees something he desires, he refuses to allow anything to stand in his way. Now, he has set his sights on Katherine, but he's not the only one. There are others who would have the beauty for themselves.After kidnapping Katherine, Jack brings her aboard his ship, though he has no idea what he's going to do with her. He simply wants her. Can he convince her that it's possible to desire more than one man in a lifetime?

After the passing of her beloved grandfather and infant son, Lady Lucy Woodfield is being sent to Montserrat to become an elderly plantation owner?s mistress. Before she can reach her destination, however, her ship is attacked by pirates, and she is taken captive.?Bloody? Harry Blackburn is a pirate captain in desperate need of a woman ? a very specific type of woman. Harry needs a lady of Quality who can give him a son so that he may claim a portion of an aristocratic English title for his own. Fortunately for him, Lucy just happens to be the sort of lady he?s seeking. Unfortunately, there?s a price on Harry?s head, and he?s being hunted by one of the most fearsome pirates in the West Indies ? all over a simple misunderstanding about some gold.Can Lucy be what Harry desires, or will her past prevent her from understanding that Harry needs more than just a warm body in his bed? Will Harry ever realize that Lucy is far more than just a delicate English lady?

Faced with a choice between becoming a mistress or a lifetime locked away in Bedlam, Lady Arabella Whitmore decides to run away instead. Except that as the winter turns harsh and cold, she discovers that surviving on her own is much more difficult than she expected.An outcast from proper English society, Dr. Michael Longford barely survived the war against Napoleon during his time as a field surgeon. Known as ÒSatanÕs Physician,Ó Michael is both physically and emotionally scarred. After all, what woman would desire a man like him in her bed?When a dying Aria is discovered hiding in his stables, Michael must use every medical trick he knows in order to save her life. Then, he must decide what to do with her. However, as Christmas closes in, what once seemed like an easy decision is no longer quite so clear. Will Michael make the right choice? And can Aria help free Michael from the demons that lurk inside of him before itÕs too late?

Lady Grace Rowe, the dowager Countess of Colbourne, is ready to indulge in an affair. Still in the late blush of youth and after a loveless marriage to a man old enough to be her grandfather, she believes that is the least she deserves. She also believes that the dowager Duchess of Winterset's "Night of a Thousand Stars" ball at Highburn Castle during the Christmas season is the place to conduct such an affair.Lord Marcel Blanchard, Count Aris, is half French, half English and not the sort of man given to brief affairs. Lonely, Marc isn't certain that he wants a wife, but he does know he desires something more permanent than one night in a lady's bed.When Grace and Marc meet in a shadow hallway with Highburn Castle, sparks fly between then. She wants an affair. He doesn't know what he wants. The only thing they are both certain of is that they want each other. Is there a future for them outside of the magical Christmas castle or is one night together all they will ever have?

Lady Violet Denton has been all but forgotten by her wastrel brother at a boarding school for nearly two years! She has been stuck there for so long that she has been forced to take employment as the school's new French instructor. Out of all of the Bloody Duke's men searching for the missing Miss Denton, of course it should be Lord Alexander Huffton, the Marquess of Buxton, that stumbles upon her in a remote section of Hertfordshire. A known rake and an avowed libertine, the marquess is more comfortable in a courtesan's bed than in the company of an innocent young woman. However now that he has found her, Alex is duty-bound to return her, not to mention somehow break the news to her that her brother isn't really her brother at all.As Alex and Violet travel toward London - and her brother - the desire growing between them flares until one night, it can no longer be denied. Is Alex willing to release Violet from his arms when the time comes? Or will he do what is necessary to claim her as his?

Hoping for a fresh start after her messy divorce, Maddie Stewart has returned to her hometown of Penn's Hollow to run her family's historic bed and breakfast and is in no way ready to date again. That is until she meets Noah, the jinn she accidentally releases from his bottle.Condemned to life as a jinn back in 1955, former farm boy and ex-Air Force pilot Noah Foster has served quite a few masters over the decades. However, he's never had a mistress quite like Maddie. Not only is she smart, sexy, and beautiful, she's also not afraid of him. Maddie is also thoroughly modern and has some very strong opinions about what jinns and mistresses should and shouldn't do together.As Maddie struggles to decide upon her three wishes, Noah must pretend he's a travel writer and attempt to live outside of his bottle without anyone discovering his secret. Can Noah find a way to be with Maddie or will his love end up costing him more than he could have ever imagined?

Desperate to wed the man she loves, Lady Charlotte Cleary has done just about everything she can think of to push the man of her dreams to the altar, including tempting him in ways no decent lady should! However nothing she does garners a proposal and her time is running out, for if her father has his way, she will be wed to an ancient duke before the Season ends.Lord Francis Deaver, Viscount Underhill, wants nothing more than to make Charlotte his wife. However there is one very large complication standing in his way - since he can't remember his past, he doesn't know if he is already married or not.When Charlotte's father sends her off to a house party to catch the eye of Lord Snowly, the ancient duke's much younger heir and nephew, Francis has no choice but to follow her. Francis must convince Charlotte to wait until he can locate the mysterious woman from his past who might have the answers he seeks while somehow keeping Charlotte out of Snowly's bed at the same time.

Lord Daniel Weston, the new Marquess of Lansdale is something of a curiosity. Born in England before being whisked off to America by his mother when he was a child, Daniel is a mix of both the land of his birth and his adopted homeland. However his golden boy looks and suave ways forgive many a sin. Except that beneath this illusion of perfection lurks a man that no one truly knows. The recipient of one of the highest honors a London debutante can aspire to, Lady Anna Davenport is thoroughly enjoying being celebrated by Society. However her good fortune only lasts for the length of the Season, so she must select a husband - and soon. However the man her head knows she should marry is in love with another, and the man that makes her heart race is the one she should avoid at all costs. Can Daniel prove that he has conquered his demons and is worthy of a woman's love? Will Anna choose with her head or her heart? And will their decisions be ones they can live with for the rest of their lives?

Better known as Oberon, King of the Fairies, Julian Wexford is in big trouble. His royal court is in an uproar, his entire kingdom is trying to marry him off, and he's running for his life across the globe to escape the bounty hunters hired by his stepmother so she can gain control of the Fairy Kingdom. A country girl at heart, Kelly Harcourt is a failed sculptor with men issues. Living alone and running an antique store isn't exactly the life she dreamed of as a little girl, but it's the only thing left for her now. Or it is until Julian crashes into her life and she's forced to save him from a determined bounty hunter hot on his trail. Forced to remain with Kelly until he can safely return to the Fairy Kingdom, Julian finds that life among the humans isn't as easy as it appears. Can the two of them live together peacefully until it's safe for him to return to his kingdom? Or will sparks ignite between the two of them as the long, hot summer grows hotter by the minute?

Lady Aurelia Tillsbury is infatuated with Lord Hugh Hunt and has been for over a year. However, so much stands between them and marriage. Still, she believes those obstacles can be overcome. That is until her mother, in a fit of madness, demands that Aurelia either wed the man of her motherÕs choosing or face the consequences.For Lord Hugh Hunt, the future Marquess of Strattfield, it was love at first sight the night he encountered Lady Aurelia, the youngest sister of one of his best friends. Hugh desires her for his wife, except that as a spy for the Crown, HughÕs work is too valuable to allow him to simply walk away from his duties, no matter what he desires.When Aurelia is sent away from London and from him, Hugh knows that he must act quickly or lose her forever. However secrets from his past threaten both his happiness and her life. Can Hugh somehow make Aurelia his forever? Or will others come between them, costing them everything?

Facing a dire lack of funds, Lord William Davenport, the Earl of Blackthorne, is about to do the unthinkable for a man of his station. He is about to sell his body to one of the wealthiest married Society matrons in all of England. The idea of becoming some bored, rich woman's plaything is abhorrent to him, but he has no other choice. Born with a lame leg, Lady Miriam Bexley has no desire to marry. In fact, she doesn't much care for people at all. All of her life she has been pointed at and whispered about due to her infirmity, particularly by the gentlemen of London. She is better off with her stars and her telescopes for they, at least, are always in perfect order. The moment Miri accidentally overhears someone make Will a scandalously indecent proposition, however, she suddenly sees an opportunity she might be able to use to her advantage. If she has enough coin, perhaps she can pay Will to court her. It seems like the best decision she has ever made. Or quite possibly the worst.

Lord Beaufort McCandless, the Marquess of Kingsford, has lived much of his life kept away from proper Society. Born with mismatched eyes, Beau's parents thought him the product of a gypsy curse. Hidden away at his family's ancestral home along the Suffolk coast, Beau has grown up nearly alone. Beautiful but penniless, Lady Dinah Crestfield is on her way to become governess to the unruly children of a duke in the wilds of Norfolk. The daughter of a baron, she was once pampered and celebrated for miles around until her father died in debtor's prison over unpaid gambling debts. When her carriage overturns near the entrance to the notoriously reclusive Marquess of Kingsford's home, Dinah is forced to either seek shelter with the so-called "cursed marquess" or freeze to death. Can she swallow her fear long enough to spend a few nights beneath the man's roof and is she brave enough to see what lies beneath the man's appearance?

Lord Evan Haddington, the new Marquess of Berkshire, has only recently inherited his title from his deceased uncle. With the title comes many things, including Cassandra, the not-exactly-young ward of his late uncle. Saddled with a woman that he must protect or risk losing his claim upon the marquisate, Evan is also faced with the rather pressing need to take a wife. Miss Cassandra Grove has been called to London to claim her inheritance from her late aunt, the Marchioness of Berkshire. Instead of finding a solicitor at the door, however, she is met by the obstinate new marquess who refuses to turn over a business that is rightfully Cassandra's by law. However his upcoming wife hunt now threatens to upset the precarious peace the household enjoys. When another man hopes to use Cassandra to strip Evan of his title, both of them come to the conclusion that they must prevent such a thing at all costs - even if it means they both must make sacrifices - including an unwanted marriage to each other.

Not yet wed, Lady Sophia Reynolds is still utterly and completely ruined. Abducted by the man she thought was her one true love and forced to suffer at his hands, she knows that she will be shamed by Society if the truth is discovered. The best way to keep her secret? Find a husband. The only problem is, how can she ever trust a man, any man, again? Lord Lewis Blackmore is currently in the employ of Bow Street and no woman's hero. He simply happened to be at the right place at the right time to save Lady Sophia from a lifetime in exile in Scotland. However, he never imagined that he would see her again until his job forces him to her family's doorstep. When he is spotted departing Reynolds House, tongues across London begin to wag. Can Sophia turn the gossip surrounding her and Lewis to her advantage? Moreover will Sophia be able to resist his charms? Or is there more between them than a shared secret from a dark night several months before?

There was a time when the Duke of Hathaway was a title to be respected. However that was before current duke, Lord Adam Reynolds, made an utter mess of his life by throwing over his betrothed, dallying with unsuitable women, and generally behaving like the rogue he now believes himself to be. However, Adam has one final chance to redeem his reputation by attending the Devil Duke of Enwright's annual summer house party. Miss Abigail Northrup is the daughter of a wealthy merchant who is tired of being pursued for nothing more than her dowry and fortune. Her final social event will be her friend's grand house party before she officially declares herself a spinster. However when she encounters Lord Hathaway - in a rather questionable state of undress, no less - the morning after her arrival, she quickly discovers that he is far from a disreputable rogue. Is there more to this "Dastardly Duke" than Society sees? Or is Abigail risking everything for a man who is not quite as he appears?

Consummate rake, Lord Robert Tillsbury, is bored out of his mind and the Season is not yet at an end. So when Frost's good friend the Duke of Candlewood sends him on a mission deep within London's newest brothel to uncover the truth about a woman known only as Ianthe, he can hardly resist the temptation. Except that there is far more to Ianthe than meets the eye and she becomes a puzzle that Frost is almost desperate to solve. Miss Lavinia Tremont, otherwise known as Ianthe, is living her version of hell on earth. The granddaughter of a duke, she has lost her place in Society and though is still chaste, knows that her place in life is now that of a fallen woman. Or is it? For when Frost frees Lavinia from Lycosura and installs her in his home as a long-lost relative, her world changes dramatically. More importantly, she fears that she is falling in love with a man that she can never have. Especially once he discovers who she really is.

Lord Brook Bexley is known by many names, but to the women of London Society, he is known as the Earl of Heartbreak. However, there is one woman who also refers to him as nothing more than a friend. Unfortunately, she is also the only woman he has ever desired, even though she is most decidedly off-limits to a man like him. Lady Sarah Tillsbury has known Rayne nearly all of her life - and believed him to be out of her reach for just as long. Even if Rayne was not more family to her than potential husband, he is also known for the trail of broken hearts he has left littered across much of polite society. However when a misguided letter sends Rayne chasing Sarah across the English countryside to her family's country estate, neither of them can continue to deny what has been brewing between them for so long. Will Rayne finally come to terms with the fact that he gave away his heart long ago and will Sarah be brave enough to claim the love she has desired for so long?

Popularly known throughout England as "The Bloody Duke," Lord Nicholas Rosemont is not a spy. No matter what anyone thinks. He is just simply terrifying. Even though he is not truly that bad. Really, he's not. Lady Eliza Deaver, daughter of the Marquess of Framingham, has known Lord Candlewood for years. Eliza's brother Stephen was one of Nicholas' best friends. That was, until Stephen walked away from his duties and his family to join the army and never returned. Now a man has appeared claiming to be Stephen, but is he really? Neither Eliza nor Nicholas think so. Still, bringing this man back into the Framingham family is a risk, one Eliza is not willing to take without some little bit of confirmation that the man is truly her brother. Can Nicholas use his vast resources to determine if this man really is his long-lost friend? More importantly, can he resist the sweet charms of the suddenly very delectable Lady Eliza?

Ghosts, Inc. - where the paranormal is normal! Paranormal researcher Tesla Dane has never known her father. She doesn't even know who he is! The only connection she's ever had to him is a huge, gold gilt mirror he once owned where shadows seem to move deep within its silvery surface in the dark of night. So she's more than a little surprised when, one night, a sinfully handsome man emerges from those very shadows - a man who has the power to turn Tesla's world upside down. Inventor Alexander Hartfield had been working for Tesla's father in a parallel universe since the early 1900s. But now, The Inventor, as her father is affectionately known, has gone missing. Alex hopes that by bringing the beautiful Tesla to Avalon, she can coax her father out of hiding - especially since the man has never met the daughter who bears his name. He also hopes that he can keep his hands off of Tesla. Because she's the boss' daughter. And Alex isn't quite who he claims to be.

Can Julia finally catch the duke of her dreams? Lady Julia Rosemont should be enjoying her first season among London's elite. However she's not quite the blushing debutant most people expect, especially with her scars. Finding it difficult to navigate the ballrooms of London, she calls upon her best friend Benjamin, to offer her guidance. Benjamin Sinclair, the Duke of Radcliffe, has known Julia since they were children and there is nothing he wouldn't do to protect her, even if it means exposing his darkest secrets. He just has to make certain that his heart doesn't become involved, because if it does, he can't be held responsible for his actions where Julia is concerned!

Lady Diana Saintwood is fed up - with the men of London, a man who refuses to marry her, and her interfering mother. As she faces what might very well be her last season in London, she is determined to live life to the fullest. All she truly desires is a few moments of fun for herself before the ever-proper Duke of Hathaway proposes. If he ever gets around to the actual proposal, that is. Laird Lachlan McKenna, the newly named Marquess of Hallstone, is in London for more than one reason. Lachlan is on a quest to right the wrongs his father has committed before the disagreeable old man passes on and leaves his only son and heir nothing more than a bad reputation. If Lachlan should find a woman that captures his attention in the process, one who might make a suitable wife, so much the better. When he encounters Lady Diana Saintwood, however, Lachlan learns two things rather quickly. One, she is far from suitable wife material, and two, she has completely captured his heart with one witty conversation.

Paranormal investigator Penny Hawthorne has a very big problem - and his name is Simon White. From the moment they met, Penny has been drawn to Simon as if by magic, unable to stop herself from fantasizing about the handsome, Australian-born Confessor. However after the death of her abusive ex-boyfriend, the last thing Penny wants is another all-consuming romance. It doesn't matter how much Simon says he cares for Penny. She's simply not ready to risk her heart again. Thrown together on an investigation, Penny has no choice but to work closely with Simon in order to track down The White Lady, the spellcaster who has made Houtzdale, Pennsylvania's, Sher-Kel Theater a haven for ghosts and ghouls of all types. Will Penny be able to locate the mysterious woman? And will she finally be able to move on from the ghosts of her own past and find love again with Simon?

Lord Marcus Cheltenham has returned to London at the height of the social season. Marcus has long been a favorite target of match-making mamas and their title-grasping daughters. However, that was before the fevers that ravaged his body. Now the worst gossip in town has pronounced Marcus the "catch of the season," despite his physical flaws and seems determined to find him a bride. Lady Caroline Turner was Marcus' best friend for years and had high hopes of eventually settling into marriage with him. Now, Marcus has returned, but he's not the same man who departed London. Caroline, under her guise as gossip columnist Lady X, is determined to make Marcus the most sought after bachelor of the season. However, Caroline quickly realizes how painful it is to watch women pursue Marcus. Unfortunately she's also afraid that the secrets of own her past may return to ruin them both. Can Marcus and Caroline overcome their secrets and fears, and finally find their happily ever after?