New Releases by Mary Balogh

''One of the best!'' Julia Quinn, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series Sometimes, just one person can pull a whole family apart. And sometimes, it just takes one person to pull it back together. For fans of Bridgerton, New York Times bestselling Regency Romance author Mary Balogh shows how love truly conquers all in this new Westcott family novel. As a young man, Justin Wiley was banished by his father for mysterious reasons, but now his father is dead, and Justin has been Earl of Brandon for six years. A dark, dour man, he nonetheless takes it as his responsibility to care for his half-sister Maria when her mother dies. He travels to her home to fetch her back to the family seat at Everleigh Park. Although she adored him once, Maria now loathes Justin, and her friend Lady Estelle Lamarr can see immediately how his very name upsets her. When Justin arrives and invites Estelle and her brother to accompany Maria to Everleigh Park to help with her distress, she begrudgingly agrees for Maria''s sake. As family secrets unravel in Maria''s homecoming, Justin, too, uncovers his desire for a countess. And, while he may believe he''s found an obvious candidate in the beautiful 25-year-old Lady Estelle, she is most certain that they could never make a match . . . This is the next sparkling novel in the Regency romance Westcott series by New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh - perfect for fans of Grace Burrowes and Stephanie Laurens. The Westcott Series: Someone to Love Someone to Hold Someone to Wed Someone to Care Someone to Trust Someone to Honour Someone to Remember Someone to Romance Someone to Cherish Praise for Mary Balogh ''A grand mistress of the genre'' Romantic Times ''Balogh is the queen of spicy Regency-era romance, creating memorable characters in unforgettable stories'' Booklist ''Mary Balogh sets the gold standard in historical romance'' New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz ''A romance writer of mesmerising intensity, Mary Balogh has the gift of making a relationship seem utterly real and utterly compelling'' Mary Jo Putney

Is love worth the loss of one''s freedom and independence? This is what Mrs. Tavernor must decide in the new novel in the Westcott series from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh. When Harry Westcott lost the title Earl of Riverdale after the discovery of his father''s bigamy, he shipped off to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, where he was near-fatally wounded. After a harrowing recovery, the once cheery, light-hearted boy has become a reclusive, somber man. Though Harry insists he enjoys the solitude, he does wonder sometimes if he is lonely. Lydia Tavernor, recently widowed, dreams of taking a lover. Her marriage to Reverend Isaiah Tavernor was one of service and obedience, and she has secretly enjoyed her freedom since his death. She doesn''t want to shackle herself to another man in marriage, but sometimes, she wonders if she is lonely. Both are unwilling to face the truth until they find themselves alone together one night, and Lydia surprises even herself with a simple question: "Are you ever lonely?" Harry''s answer leads them down a path neither could ever have imagined...

Alexander Stewart, Viscount Merrick, is honor-bound to marry Anne Parrish after a snowstorm strands them alone together overnight. But nothing is going to force him into living with her when he believes she deliberately ensnared him. He settles her on his country estate and does not see her again until his grandmother, determined to bring them back together, invites Anne to join the whole family at a house party in honor of her Golden Wedding anniversary. Alexander finds Anne much changed, and he discovers that his feelings toward her are changing too. But will his angry, newly confident wife allow herself to be wooed?

''One of the best!'' Julia Quinn, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series First appearances deceive in this charming Regency romance from beloved New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh . . . Abigail Westcott''s dreams for her future were lost when her father died and she discovered her parents were not legally married. But now, six years later, she enjoys the independence a life without expectation provides a wealthy single woman. Indeed, she''s grown confident enough to scold the careless servant chopping wood outside without his shirt on in the proximity of ladies. But the man is not a servant. He is Gilbert Bennington, the lieutenant colonel and superior officer who has escorted her wounded brother Harry home from the wars with Napoleon. He''s come to help his friend and junior officer recover, and he doesn''t take lightly to being condescended to - secretly because of his own humble beginnings. If at first these two seem to embody what the other most despises, they will soon discover how wrong first impressions can be. For behind the appearance of the once grand lady and once humble man are two people who share an understanding of what true honour means, and how only with it can one find love. This is the sparkling sixth novel in the Regency romance Westcott series by New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh - perfect for fans of Grace Burrowes and Stephanie Laurens The Westcott Series: Someone to Love Someone to Hold Someone to Wed Someone to Care Someone to Trust Someone to Honour Someone to Remember Someone to Romance Someone to Cherish Praise for Mary Balogh ''Today''s superstar heir to the marvellous legacy of Georgette Heyer'' Susan Elizabeth Phillips ''A grand mistress of the genre'' Romantic Times ''Balogh is the queen of spicy Regency-era romance, creating memorable characters in unforgettable stories'' Booklist ''Mary Balogh sets the gold standard in historical romance'' New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz ''A romance writer of mesmerising intensity, Mary Balogh has the gift of making a relationship seem utterly real and utterly compelling'' Mary Jo Putney

Seven years ago, Christopher Atwell, newly and happily married to Lady Elizabeth Ward, was framed for several misdemeanors. When no one, even his wife, would believe his protestations of innocence, he fled to Canada, while Elizabeth''s powerful father arranged for a divorce. But now Christopher has inherited an earldom upon the death of his own father and has returned to England to take up his responsibilities—and prove his innocence. The first thing he learns upon his arrival in London, however, is that Elizabeth is to marry another man the next day in a grand ton wedding. Christopher has no reason to care about the woman who had so little faith in him seven years ago. He can ignore the impending event and proceed on his way home to his estate. Or...he can do something to stop the wedding. But what? And why?

Abigail Westcott must contend with the infuriating charms of Gilbert Bennington, the officer who has escorted her wounded brother, Harry, home from the Napoleonic wars.

The fifth novel novel in the Regency romance Westcott series by New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh. Humphrey Wescott, Earl of Riverdale, has died, leaving behind a fortune and a scandalous secret that will forever alter the lives of his family ...

Kate Mannering, a lady’s companion, is mistaken for the lady herself and kidnapped by a dashing masked highwayman. When she hears his story, however, before being released, she decides to help him recover his stolen birthright and soon gets herself embroiled in danger from smugglers and a would-be seducer. Meanwhile, an annoying, indolent guest at the home of her employer insults her at every opportunity but rescues her from every danger, even when she does not need or appreciate his help. She is alarmed to find herself falling quite inappropriately for both the highwayman and the guest.

**Instant New York Times Bestseller** Once the Countess of Riverdale, Viola Kingsley throws all caution to the wind when adventure calls in the form of a handsome aristocrat. . . . Two years after the death of the Earl of Riverdale, his family has overcome the shame of being stripped of their titles and fortune--except for his onetime countess, Viola. With her children grown and herself no longer part of the social whirl of the ton, she is uncertain where to look for happiness--until quite by accident her path crosses once again with that of the Marquess of Dorchester, Marcel Lamarr. Marcel Lamarr has been a notorious womanizer since the death of his wife nearly twenty years earlier. Viola caught his eye when she herself was a young mother, but she evaded his seduction at the time. A prize that eluded him before, she is all the more irresistible to him now although he is surprised to discover that she is as eager now for the excitement he offers as he is himself. When the two defy convention and run away together, they discover that the ties of respectability are not so easily severed, and pleasure can ensnare you when you least expect it. . . .

Rebecca Shaw was heartbroken when Christopher Sinclair, whom she had loved passionately and who had sworn that he loved her in return her, left her without explanation to marry a far wealthier woman. Rebecca has since found consolation and peace as the fiancée of the local vicar, whose worthy work and dreams she shares. But Christopher, now widowed, is back and Rebecca has to keep reminding herself that he once betrayed her and must never be trusted again. Her heart, however, tells her otherwise.

A ROGUE''S DOWNFALL The Anniversary After the Earl of Reardon, one of London''s most notorious rakes, ruined the virtue and reputation of a young lady at a masquerade ball on Valentine''s Day, he did the honorable thing and married her before settling her at his country estate and abandoning her there. Now, one year later, he has returned home to his wife and young son, wondering if it is too late to woo her properly and make amends for a year of shameful neglect. The Wrong Door During a dull evening at a particularly tedious house party Viscount Lyndon, a notorious rake, makes an assignation to spend the night with a willing widow. In the darkness, however, he opens the wrong door and enters the wrong room. He soon finds himself honor-bound to offer for the young lady who was the unfortunate victim of his error. She, however, does not react with predictable meekness. Instead, she sets out to bring him to his knees. Precious Rogue Miss Peabody and her mother are ecstatic when Mr. Bancroft, London''s most elusive bachelor, accepts an invitation to a house party at their country estate. They boast that he is about to offer marriage. However, it is upon Patricia Mangan, the quiet, unremarkable, impoverished niece Mrs. Peabody treats more as a servant than a relative, that Mr. Bancroft finds himself turning his attentions, surprising himself as much as he surprises her and everyone else.

The Earl of Beaconswood wanted his beloved step-granddaughter to be married and settled happily before he died, but when he realized it was not going to happen, he amended his will. He left his home to Julia on condition she accepted an offer from one of her five step-cousins within a month. They all court her and offer her marriage—all, that is, except Daniel, the new earl, who has always disapproved of Julia''s wild ways just as she had always despised his stuffiness. Will he offer before the month is over? More to the point, will she accept if he does?

The Wood Nymph is the digital reissue of a previously published and long out-of-print novel by New York Times Bestselling author Mary Balogh. Lady Helen Wade is not interested in living the proper life of a proper young lady. She prefers to slip away to her own place in the woods, where she can wear comfortable clothes and let her hair down and go barefoot while she dreams and paints and communes with nature. There she meets the rich and handsome William Mainwaring, newly arrived owner of the property upon which the woods stand. William, nursing a broken heart, is enchanted by the simple country girl whom he knows only as Nell, and returns a number of times in the hope of seeing her again. A brief, passionate affair ensues before guilt sends William abruptly away so that he can avoid further temptation to ruin her. When they meet again, Helen and William are both in London, and he knows her for who she is. How can he persuade her that he is not the heartless cad she believes him to be when he knows he behaved badly? And how can he persuade her that he loves both Nell and Helen—and that somehow he is worthy of her love?

A Chance Encounter is the digital reissue of a previously published and long out-of-print novel by New York Times Bestselling author Mary Balogh. Elizabeth Rossiter is forever finished with love – after a disastrous episode that left her with a broken heart and a reputation that would be ruined should her scandalous secret be revealed. She sought safety by fleeing her proper station in society to take a position as companion to the daughter of a wealthy family, far from London, where Elizabeth''s beauty and wit had once shone so brightly. But now her hope of a safe haven is shattered. To her horror, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again has appeared in this rural retreat. Robert Denning, the handsome, faithless Marquis of Hetherington, made a mockery of her dreams once before – and now he is working his old magic and mischief in her life once more.

A Masked Deception is the digital reissue of a previously published and long out-of-print novel by New York Times Bestselling author Mary Balogh. Margaret Wells has been deeply, hopelessly in love with the handsome, dashing Richard Adair, Earl of Brampton, since she met him at a masquerade ball six years ago. Passion had flared between them then, but she had fled before the time for unmasking. Now Richard merely needs a wife to give him an heir, and the quiet, demure Miss Wells seems as suitable as anyone else. Margaret, longing to ignite some sort of passion in her dull marriage, wonders what would happen if she were to become that masked enchantress once more and met her husband by chance in some secluded, romantic setting. Little does Margaret suspect that Richard has never forgotten the nameless charmer for whom he had searched in vain for weeks and months after the masquerade ball. And little does she suspect that he is falling in love with his wife.

New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh returns to Regency England in the second novel of her Horsemen Trilogy, a tale of unforgiven sins and unforgettable passion... Moira Hayes hadn’t seen Kenneth Woodfall in nearly eight years. Nor did she want to see this man who stirred such feelings of anger in her. After all, their families had been rivals since their great-grandfathers’ day. And he was the reason—though indirectly—for her own brother’s death. But Kenneth has returned from war and is home for good. And he isn’t willing to forget the past—a time he shared with his first and only love, Miss Moira Hayes. The moment he sees her again, he knows his future. Because Kenneth is more than willing to forgive. If only Moira can too...

From the legendary New York Times bestselling author of Only a Kiss and Only a Promise comes the final book in the rapturous Survivors Club seriesas the future of one man lies within the heart of a lost but never-forgotten love..

Piers Westhaven and Alice Penhallow have always been close friends, even during their marriages to other partners. Now they are both widowed, and Piers, who needs an heir, has asked his friend to help him choose a new bride. Alice has always been in love with him herself, but hiding her feelings has become second nature to her. As a boy, he dearly loved her too until his best friend announced his intention of courting and marrying her. Soon their mutual passion begins to break through the careful bonds each has imposed upon it just as Piers is being trapped into offering marriage to someone else. Will honor permit them to speak the heart''s truth before it is too late? Or is it already too late for them--again?

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh comes the first novel in the Horsemen trilogy, a scandalous romance of yearning passion and dangerous desires... In the country visiting his twin brother, Viscount Rawleigh longs for a little diversion and beautiful young widow Catherine Winters seems like easy prey. But Rex’s target is a lady of virtue, and when she roundly rejects his improper proposal to become his mistress, Rex finds himself faced with a delectable challenge. Catherine knows she must fight the indecent feelings the Viscount arouses within her—feelings that bring to life a past she had sought to escape—even as the handsome lord refuses to relent in his amorous attentions. But even though she knows one kiss could bring her to ruin, temptation proves an insurmountable foe—and Catherine can not ignore the beating of her treacherous heart....

CHRISTMAS GIFTS brings together three previously published and long out-of-print novellas, each on the theme of Christmas gifts that will last forever because the gift, in essence, is love. In "The Best Christmas Ever" a boisterous house party is in progress and all the children when asked are eager to tell what they want for Christmas. But one man feels sad, for his young child has not spoken since her mother died and he does not know if the gifts he has bought her will be what she really wants. Unknown to him her one fervent wish is for the new mother for Christmas, and when she sees one of the guests she knows who that will be. But the lady concerned has an unhappy history with the child''s father. In "The Porcelain Madonna" a gentleman becomes involved with helping an impoverished lady, who thinks of everyone''s happiness but her own. However, he has seen her gaze with longing at a porcelain madonna well beyond her means displayed in a shop window. In "The Surprise Party" a man and woman who are antagonistic to each other find themselves landed with the care over Christmas of children who are related to each of them. They quarrel over which of them should undertake the task. It is not a happy situation until the children teach them the true meaning of Christmas and of love and they discover that they can do it together.

From the legendary New York Times bestselling author of Heartless comes an exquisite Georgian romance of a transcendent love, “without doubt, one of the most romantic novels ever written.”* Lady Emily Marlowe is beautiful, independent, and unspoiled. Deaf since childhood, she appreciates her family’s efforts to nurture her spirit, but the man they’ve chosen for her betrothal can never fulfill her. The only one Emily has ever desired is bold and reckless Lord Ashley Kendrick. Her childhood amour inspired her fantasies and vowed never to forget her—even as he left her for a new life in India and a new love. Seven years and countless dreams later, Ashley has returned a desolate widower to Bowden Abbey and, true to his promise, to Emily. Yet his heedless proposal of marriage has left her unexpectedly conflicted. Though the heat of passion still burns, Emily fears that it’s only a sense of duty—not love—that has brought him to bended knee. And what is she to make of those seven lost years clouded in secrets too dark for Ashley to share? For Emily, her greatest and only love now becomes one worth fighting for, one of startling revelations and second chances, and one, like a melody, too beautiful for words....

The new Survivor’s Club novel from the New York Times bestselling author. The Survivors’ Club: Six men and one woman, all wounded in the Napoleonic Wars, their friendship forged during their recovery at Penderris Hall in Cornwall. Now, for one of them, striking a most unusual bargain will change his life forever.… Ralph Stockwood prides himself on being a leader, but when he convinced his friends to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, he never envisioned being the sole survivor. Racked with guilt over their deaths, Ralph must move on...and find a wife so as to secure an heir to his family’s title and fortune. Since her Seasons in London ended in disaster, Chloe Muirhead is resigned to spinsterhood. Driven by the need to escape her family, she takes refuge at the home of her mother’s godmother, where she meets Ralph. He needs a wife. She wants a husband. So Chloe makes an outrageous suggestion: Strike a bargain and get married. One condition: Ralph has to promise that he will never take her back to London. But circumstances change. And to Ralph, it was only a promise.

From New York Times bestselling legend and author of the Survivors'' Club series comes a cherished novel about the risks and the compromises that come with falling in love.… Governess and mistress—he wanted her as both.… The illegitimate daughter of an English lord, Sian Jones abandoned her heritage to live in a stalwart coal mining community in South Wales. Empowered by their cause, she’s engaged to be married to the leader of a revolutionary movement that is bracing itself against the tyranny of English mine owners. But Sian’s principles are unexpectedly shaken when she accepts a job as governess under Alexander Hyatt, the mysterious Marquess of Craille, the oppressive symbol of everything she has come to resist. She never expected Alexander to upend all her expectations. He is sympathetic to her cause. He is a loving father. A man of wealth and position, he is fatally attractive. And he is offering his heart to the independent woman who has illuminated his life. Now, caught between two worlds, and between the promises and desires of two men, Sian must make a choice that will define her future—one that can only be made in the name of love.…

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Survivor’s Club novels comes “an epic love story” (Publishers Weekly) of intrigue and deception and the promises that can break a heart.… “I will love you all my life and even beyond that.” Even at fifteen, Jeanne, the privileged daughter of a royalist émigré, knew what she liked: Englishman Robert Blake, bastard son of a marquess. Yet his questionable birth rendered him forbidden. Forced to part, they were still young enough to believe in tomorrow. But as time passed, that brief ephemeral flirtation at Haddington Hall faded into memory. Eleven years later in Portugal, during the Peninsular Wars, they meet again, both of them spies, and destined to be working on opposing sides. He is now a captain with the British army. She is the widowed Marquesa das Minas—sometimes going by the name Joana da Fonte. However for only one of them does the flicker of recognition still burn. Amid the fury of war and in the shadow of secrets, passion flares once again. But for Joana and Robert, each entrusted to a dangerous mission that demands deception, falling in love could be the most dangerous risk of all.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this poignant novel of longing and salvation, a hopeful widow and a resilient war hero discover the promise of love’s magic and new beginnings. After surviving the Napoleonic Wars, Sir Benedict Harper is struggling to move on, his body and spirit in need of a healing touch. Never does Ben imagine that hope will come in the form of a beautiful woman who has seen her own share of suffering. After the lingering death of her husband, Samantha McKay is at the mercy of her oppressive in-laws—until she plots an escape to distant Wales to claim a house she has inherited. Being a gentleman, Ben insists that he escort her on the fateful journey. Ben wants Samantha as much as she wants him, but he is cautious. What can a wounded soul offer any woman? Samantha is ready to go where fate takes her, to leave behind polite society and even propriety in her desire for this handsome, honorable soldier. But dare she offer her bruised heart as well as her body? The answers to both their questions may be found in an unlikely place: in each other’s arms. Includes Mary Balogh’s charming short story, “The Suitor.” Praise for The Escape “Bestseller [Mary] Balogh delivers an outstanding third installment of her Survivors’ Club series. . . . This exquisitely written Regency will appeal to Balogh’s legions of fans.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A heroine who has never felt valued and a hero in search of a new purpose learn to take life as it comes and live each moment to the fullest. This tender, deeply insightful, and beautifully plotted romance shimmers with hope, possibility, and love.”—Library Journal (starred review) “Regency romance star Balogh continues her poignant Survivors’ Club series with a quietly intense love story that speaks to open-heartedness, courage and faith in new beginnings.”—Kirkus Reviews “A beautifully rendered love story of two wounded and lost souls who find each other and together discover strength and love. Tender, touching and mature, Balogh’s story slowly unfolds, reaching deep into the characters’ emotions demonstrating how love empowers, heals and redeems. Everything about this story is lovely and near perfect.”—RT Book Reviews (4-1/2 stars, Top Pick) “The Escape is such an apt title—two people escape from unhappy pasts, finding love in their mutual journey. Their capacity for happiness astonishes and delights them and the reader, as they both so deserve their hard-won happily-ever-after.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers “The Escape is full of excitement, adventure, and enchanting romance. The main characters are so well-developed, and Mary Balogh does such a wonderful job giving the reader a window into their thoughts, that by the end of the book you feel as though you know them intimately.”—Fresh Fiction

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A mesmerizing story of passionate awakening and redemption, Mary Balogh’s new novel unites a war hero consigned to darkness with a remarkable woman who finds her own salvation by showing him the light of love. Desperate to escape his mother’s matchmaking, Vincent Hunt, Viscount Darleigh, flees to a remote country village. But even there, another marital trap is sprung. So when Miss Sophia Fry’s intervention on his behalf finds her unceremoniously booted from her guardian’s home, Vincent is compelled to act. He may have been blinded in battle, but he can see a solution to both their problems: marriage. At first, quiet, unassuming Sophia rejects Vincent’s proposal. But when such a gloriously handsome man persuades her that he needs a wife of his own choosing as much as she needs protection from destitution, she agrees. Her alternative is too dreadful to contemplate. But how can an all-consuming fire burn from such a cold arrangement? As friendship and camaraderie lead to sweet seduction and sensual pleasure, dare they believe a bargain born of desperation might lead them both to a love destined to be? Praise for The Arrangement “Balogh understands not only the era, with all its nuances, but [also] knows her characters so thoroughly that readers are swept into her stories. There’s a natural reserve—a calmness and quiet in her prose—that allows the tenderness of the romance to tug at the reader’s heart. This is a beautifully rendered marriage-of-convenience love story that will win a place on keeper shelves.”—RT Book Reviews (4-1/2 stars) “This sexy, touching book revisits the marriage-of-convenience plot, joining two heroic, conflicted characters who are navigating their own versions of darkness and delivering them to the redemptive power of love. Regency best-seller Balogh once again takes a standard romance trope and imbues it with heart, emotional intelligence and flawless authenticity.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “This touching, totally enthralling story overflows with subtle humor, brilliant dialog, breathtaking sensuality, and supporting characters you want to know better.”—Library Journal (starred review) “Balogh can always be depended on to deliver a beautifully written Regency romance with appealing, unusual characters, and the second in her new Survivors’ Club series (after The Proposal) is no exception. . . . Future series installments promise more compellingly tormented heroes.”—Publishers Weekly “[A] poignant and thoughtful romance.”—Booklist “A compassionate love story with a unique hero and heroine . . . The dialogue is snappy, and the climax . . . is exciting and helps bring about the blissful ending. . . . The Arrangement [is] a must read.”—Fresh Fiction

“This is Mary Balogh at her riveting best.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy. Content in a quiet life with friends and family, the young widow has no desire to marry again. But when Hugo, Lord Trentham, scoops her up in his arms after a fall, she feels a sensation that both shocks and emboldens her. Hugo is a gentleman in name only: a war hero whose bravery earned him a title, a merchant’s son who inherited his wealth. He is happiest when working the land, but duty and title now demand that he finds a wife. Hugo doesn’t wish to court Gwen, yet he cannot resist her guileless manner, infectious laugh, and lovely face. He wants her, but will she have him? The dour ex-military officer who so gallantly carried Gwen to safety is a man who needs a lesson in winning a woman’s heart. But through courtship and seduction, Gwen soon finds that with each kiss, and with every caress, Hugo captivates her more—with his desire, with his love, and with the promise of forever. “[Mary Balogh] writes with wit and wisdom. . . . The Proposal is both moving and entertaining and the beginning of what promises to be an outstanding series.”—Romance Reviews Today “A historical romance of unusual thoughtfulness and depth.”—Publishers Weekly Includes a preview of Mary Balogh’s The Arrangement.

In two classic tales of Regency-era romance from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh, the vagaries of love have a way of challenging the most convenient arrangements. THE TEMPORARY WIFE Miss Charity Duncan has no illusions about Lord Anthony Earheart’s proposal. The arrogant aristocrat has made it painfully clear what he wants: a wife who will enrage the father he despises and then disappear from his life. In exchange, Charity’s family will receive the money they desperately need. But after Charity agrees to this mockery of matrimony, she soon discovers a startling fact: She has fallen for Anthony, and breaking their marriage vows may also break her heart. A PROMISE OF SPRING Grace Howard has every reason to be devoted to Sir Peregrine Lampman. After all, the gallant gentleman rescued her from poverty by making her his bride. Even more nobly, he did not withdraw his affection after she confessed to a youthful folly that had compromised her virtue. But Grace did not tell the whole truth about the handsome lord who betrayed her—and now the one thing she’s kept from Perry threatens to destroy her last chance at true love.

Now a Bride is what fans of New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh’s Mistress series have been clamoring for: more passion and more drama featuring the Dudley siblings. In anticipation of the enticing third book in the Mistress trilogy, The Secret Mistress, here are never-before-published scenes from More than a Mistress and No Man’s Mistress—plus Mary Balogh’s new epilogue for the series. • JOCELYN AND JANE: Three new scenes—“The Proposal,” “The Wedding,” and “Return to Acton Park”—spark more fiery passion from charmingly arrogant Jocelyn and spirited Jane. • FERDINAND AND VIOLA: Two unpublished scenes—“The Wedding” and “Home to Pinewood Manor”—prove once again that this unlikely but perfect couple is made for each other. • THE REUNION: FIVE YEARS LATER: Enjoy a brand-new chapter that reunites readers with all three Dudley couples and their children and answers every fan’s biggest question: What happened after the last page was turned? NEW: The enchanting prequel to the Mistress series! Readers got to know madcap Angeline and straitlaced Edward through the romantic adventures of the Dudley brothers. But Angeline and Edward have their own story of passion to tell in The Secret Mistress. BONUS: This eBook includes an excerpt from Mary Balogh''s The Secret Mistress.

We asked our readers what story they would most like to see from four bestselling authors. They responded . . . A handsome hero returns from war, battle-scarred and world-weary. But family duty calls and he must find a bride. A young lady facing yet another season without a suitor never expects to find herself the object of his affections. It Happened One Season Four amazing talents Stephanie Laurens Mary Balogh Jacquie D''Alessandro and Candice Hern have come together to create one of the most unforgettable events of the year. The results are spectacular—each story is as unique as a lover''s first kiss.