New Releases by Stephanie Laurens

They meet in a clash of swords, drenched in the moonlight of Britain’s rugged eastern coast: Captain Jack, his handsome features etched in silver and shadow, his powerful physique compelling “Kit” Cranmer to surrender. He is her dream lover come vividly alive, and his command of the smuggling gang is absolute. His all-knowing gaze penetrates her disguise as the “lad” leader of a rival gang with frightening ease and his “punishment” with kisses leaves her maidenly modesty in tatters. Suddenly Kit finds she’s only too delighted to explore with Jack the pleasures conventionally reserved for married ladies . . . little knowing what dangerous forces she’s unleashing. For even as Kit revels in midnight gallops and cottage rendezvous, Captain Jack is laying a gentle trap that will curtail her freedom . . . and bind her to him with a ring, a promise . . . and ties of devotion and desire.

He vowed he''d never marry. To Vane Cynster, Bellamy Hall seems like the perfect place to temporarily hide from London''s husband hunters. But when he encounters irresistible Patience Debbington, Vane realises he''s met his match ... She vowed no man would catch her. Patience isn''t about to succumb to Vane''s sensuous propositions. Yes, his kisses leave her dizzy and his caresses made her melt; but Patience has promised herself she''ll never become vulnerable to a broken heart. Is this one vow that was meant to be broken?

What would you do if you were kissed by the most handsome stranger you''d ever seen? And what if that man was a Cynster? Every girl—even convent-educated ones—dreams of forbidden kisses. So when a man literally falls at Helena''s feet as she''s walking through the courtyard one moonlit Christmas Eve, the pretty, young comtesse d''Lisle knows he''s up to no good. He''s clearly a bit dangerous... and obviously caught in the middle of a clandestine rendezvous. Why else would he have risked his neck and jumped out of a window into the snow? It''s wrong, it''s outlandish . . . and it''s the most utterly romantic gesture she''s ever seen. So when the good sisters rush up, demanding to know ifshe has seen a man on the grounds, Helena ignores the years of strict upbringing that insist she reveal his presence. To lie would be a sin, but ''no one can be good all the time. As a reward for her silence, the stranger takes her in his arms and enticingly, unforgettably kisses her—and then departs, leaving a lingering if unspoken promise of all that might be, should fate decree that they meet again. Although Helena doesn''t know it, her wild Englishman is Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives, a nobleman who will prove to be her destiny. Seven years later, Helena has been transformed from a pretty schoolgirl to an aristocratic beauty. Her sparkling wit has made her sought after by London''s hostesses; her considerable dowry has made winning her hand the aim of many a gentleman . . . but she is deadeningly aware of how boring so many ofthese gentlemen are. Her manipulative guardian has unexpectedly allowed her to find a husband of her own choosing, and she has no intention of marrying any man who tries to tame her. There must be someone perfect for her . . . someone who can live up to the promise ofthat long-ago kiss. Then, at a ball, fate strikes. Once again, it is the Christmas season, and across the crowded room Helena stands transfixed . . . for there is the man whose kiss she has never forgotten, the man of her memory whom no other has ever been able to supplant. Her wild, mysterious Englishman, Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives. One look, and he''s determined to reclaim her . . . .

In the special edition of #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens'' The Edge of Desire, receive a free bonus excerpt from her new book, The Lady Risks All, available wherever books are sold September 25th! In The Edge of Desire, they proved their bravery fighting for His Majesty''s Secret Service and were rewarded with brides of great beauty and breeding. But one member of the Bastion Club has remained a bachelor . . . until now. "Christian, I need your help. There is no one else I can turn to . . . L." When Christian Allardyce, 6th Marquess of Dearne, reads those words, his world turns upside down. Lady Letitia Randall is a woman like no other, and the day he left her behind to fight for king and country was the most difficult of his life. He never forgot the feel of her lips against his, but never expects to see her again. Yet now she seeks his help, and Christian knows he will not resist her plea. Letitia believes that Christian abandoned her when she needed him most, and she hates to call on his aid. But to clear her brother''s name, she has sworn to use every weapon at her command, even if it means seducing her ex-lover. Yet all the while, Christian is waging a war of his own—a campaign of pure pleasure and sweet revenge that will take them both beyond The Edge of Desire.

It Happened One Night . . . and nothing was ever the same again! Once upon a time, four superstar storytellers—New York Times bestselling authors Stephanie Laurens and Mary Balogh, along with Jacquie D''Alessandro and Candice Hern—came up with a delicious idea. What if they each wrote a story about a proper young lady stranded at a remote inn away from society''s constraints? What would happen? And how long would it take for her to give in to desire? In these four amazing tales, four heroines will come face-to-face with the men who got away . . . only to discover that, instead of anger, there is still a passionate connection that cannot be denied. And while each of their lives is quite different, and their pasts utterly unique, they will all make a common discovery—that one night can change everything . . . forever.

The men of the Bastion Club proved their bravery secretly fighting for their country. Now their leader faces that most dangerous mission of all: finding a bride. As the mysterious leader of the Bastion Club known as "Dalziel," Royce Varisey, tenth Duke of Wolverstone, served his country for decades, facing dangers untold. But as the holder of one of England''s most august noble titles, he must now take on that gravest duty of all: marriage. Yet the young ladies the grand dames would have him consider are predictably boring. Far more tempting is his castle''s willful and determinedly aloof chatelaine, Minerva Chesterton. Beneath her serene façade lies a woman of smoldering sensuality, one who will fill his days with comfort and his nights with sheer pleasure. Determined to claim her, he embarks on a seduction to prove his mastery over every inch of her body . . . and every piece of her heart.

When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire town by offering his hand in marriage. No one dreamed this scandalous rake would ever take a bride. And as society mamas swooned at the loss of England′s most eligible bachelor, Devil′s infamous Cynster cousins began to place wagers on the wedding date. But Honoria wasn′t about to bend society′s demands and marry a man "just" because they′d been found together virtually unchaperoned. No, she craved adventure, and while solving the murder of a young Cynster cousin fit the bill for a while, she decided that once the crime was solved she′d go off to see the world. But the scalding heat of her unsated desire for Devil soon had Honoria craving a very different sort of excitement. Could her passion for Devil cause her to embrace the enchanting peril of a lifelong adventure of the heart?

New York Times bestselling Australian author Stephanie Laurens delivers the latest tale in the immensely popular Cynster series. When Chillingworth is elected an ''honorary Cynster'' at the end of All About Love, he knows he needs a wife, and an heir. His goal; a simple marriage without romance. He agrees to marry a woman he believes to be pliant and quiet. Unfortunately for him, the woman he thinks is Francesca Rawling is really her cousin, Franni. Francesca herself is proud, passionate and opinionated in short, the perfect bride for a Cynster...

Amelia Cynster is stunned to hear these words from Lucien Ashford—the enigmatic sixth Viscount Calverton and the man she has always loved—just before the handsome rogue passes out at her feet. Dawn is breaking and she''s already risked scandal by lying in wait for him just outside his London home. And though torn between indignant affront and astonished relief, she''s nevertheless thrilled that Luc has agreed to her outrageous marriage proposal. However, rather than submitting to a hasty wedding as Amelia had planned, the exasperating lord insists on wooing her properly…in public and in private. She longs for their time alone, when she can learn all about seduction from a master, yet frustratingly, they all too often find themselves beneath the stifling gaze of the ton. But there is method behind the viscount''s madness—he has a secret reason for wooing Amelia. And like all desirable things, his passion has a price.

Demon Cynster has seen love bring his brethren to their knees, and he′s vowed that he will not share their fate ... until he spies Felicity Parteger sneaking about his racing stable. Demon remembers Felicity as a mere chit of a girl, but now she stands before him, all lush curves and sparkling eyes... Felicity knows Demon was one of the town′s most eligible bachelors and a rogue of the worst sort, but he was the only one capable of getting her friend out of trouble. She knows Demon will never yield her the love she desperately seeks, but could a marriage of passion alone be enough?

How can an honourable lady like Lady Catriona Hennessy unite with a rake like Richard Cynster? Though charmed by his commanding presence, she cannot give up her independence. Marriage had not previously been on Richard′s agenda, but perhaps taming the lady was just the challenge he needs - if he can have the rights of the marriage bed without making any revealing promises of love?

A land of legend and wild beauty - of clans, lairds, honour, and passion - Scotland forever stirs the soul of romance. Now, in one incomparable volume, four of Avon Romance′s bestselling authors present stirring tales of hearts won and weddings to be, featuring a quartet of unforgettable heroines about to discover the rapture of love in a world as untamed as the men they will one day marry

Three spectacular stories all set on New Year′s Eve. First, Stephanie Laurens enthralls us with a New Year′s scandal, when a rake awakens in the bed of the temptress who seduced him years before. Then, Victoria Alexander enchants with her tale of a love promised, then foiled and then rekindled on another midnight. And Rachel Gibson delights with the reunion of two estranged friends and the passionate sparks that fly when the clock strikes twelve.

In this latest tale featuring the bold and daring Cynster family, a gentleman who is restless and bored with the careless pleasures of London society seeks out a new diversion. And if that diversion is a beautiful woman, so much the better.

HTML: Enter the unforgettable world of New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens, creator of the phenomenal Cynster family. This amazing clan -- and their friends -- is a bold, powerful group of men who let nothing stand in their way when it comes to matters of the heart. And in this, Stephanie Laurens''s newest novel, a passionate man and a daring woman confront the ultimate question. . . . What Price Love? There is nothing more fascinating than a darkly handsome rake, especially one as controlled and elusive as Dillon Caxton, protégé of Demon Cynster. Despite his dangerous air, Dillon is a man of sterling reputation, but it wasn''t always so. Years ago, an illicit scheme turned into a nefarious swindle, and only the help of his cousin, Felicity, and her husband, Demon, saved Dillon from ruin. Now impeccably honest, he guards his hard-won reputation and is the Keeper of the Register of all racing horses in England. His standing and aloofness make Dillon undeniably desirable to young ladies, but despite all the lures thrown his way, he remains uninterested -- his attention unfixed. Until "Miss Priscilla Dalling" erupts into his life. A stunning beauty, she affects Dillon as no other ever has, but what fascinates him even more is that this tempting young lady is clearly desperate, and equally clearly lying about wanting to see the Register to fulfill the whim of an eccentric aunt. Lady Priscilla Dalloway will do anything to see what''s in the Register -- even lie! Her twin brother, Russell, who had fought with their father and left the family home to work with the finest racehorses, has disappeared. Pris knows that clues to his whereabouts can be found in the tome Dillon Caxton refuses to let her see. She unleashes her feminine wiles on Dillon -- to no avail. But Dillon is now determined to learn the truth behind her quest. Exploiting the powerful attraction that flares between them, he succeeds in convincing Pris to tell him all, to trust him with her twin''s life. Together, Dillon and Pris locate Rus, only to discover that his life is being threatened by the perpetrators of a massive betting swindle. The time is ripe for Dillon to repay old debts by helping another as he himself was helped. Assisted by Demon, Felicity, and Barnaby Adair, Dillon and Pris embark on a journey riddled with danger -- and undeniable passion -- as they seek to overturn the swindle and expose Rus''s deadly enemies. And along the way they discover the answer to that age-old question: What price love? .

"They''re battle-hardened, sinfully wealthy, completely unstoppable--and all male: Four officers of the Crown, fighting against a deadly foe known only as the Black Cobra. He is a man who has faced peril without flinching, determined to fight for king and country. She is a bold, beautiful woman with a scandalous past, destined to become an untamed bride. Together they must vanquish the ruthless enemy, while confronting the dangers of the heart..."--p. [4] of cover.

The gentlemen of the Bastion Club have proven their courage while fighting England''s enemies, but nothing has prepared them for dealing with that most formidable of challenges: the opposite sex. Deverell, Viscount Paignton, needs a wife and believes he''s discovered her—not swanning about like a typical debutante, but in the library with her nose buried in a book! Phoebe Malleson is tempted to distraction by Deverell, yet marrying him isn''t part of her plan. But telling him to go away doesn''t work . . . and he quickly learns of the secret she''s been trying to hide. Someone powerful has her pet cause targeted for destruction—and now she must accept Deverell''s help . . . though the cost to them both might be dear—and deadly.

Meet the gentlemen of the Bastion Club. The Earl of Crowhurst recklessly swears he''ll marry the next woman to cross his path, never expecting he''d have to fulfill this pledge.

The passion is endless and it''s only just begun in these four scintillating tales of brides-to-be by four of today''s hottest romance authors... My Scandalous Bride Christina Dodd, "The Lady and the Tiger" Laura Haver will stop at nothing to find out who killed her brother-even if it means posing as the wife of notorious rogue Keefe Leighton, the Earl of Hamilton. But things go too far when Keefe engages Laura in an artful game of seduction-a game that can have only one winner... Stephanie Laurens, "Melting Ice" Once, Dyan St. Laurent Dare, Duke of Darke, dreamed of making Lady Fiona his bride. Now they''re together again-at a scandalous dinner party where debauchery is the menu''s main course. But will wedding bells ring after the guests get their just desserts? Celeste Bradley, "Wedding Knight" Alfred Knight will do anything to avoid a scandal-even marry a woman he barely knows. But his bride has a most titillating secret...one she''ll share as soon as she conquers her temptation for the man she was never supposed to marry! Leslie LaFoy, "The Proposition" Rennick St. James, the Earl of Parnell, has four days to seduce London''s most popular widow into becoming his wife-or else she''ll marry another man. It won''t be easy...but Rennick has been lusting after the beguiling Julia Hamilton far too long to let her go now... Look Inside for an Excerpt to Christina Dodd''s brand new contemporary romance

The Season has yet to begin, and the second member of the Bastion Club, tall, handsome Anthony Blake, Viscount Torrington, is already a target for every matchmaking mama in London. None of their flighty daughters can fix his interest, but a certain lady does... Alicia is living a deception. Desperation has caused the determined but penniless lady to boldly launch her ravishing younger sister into the ton and have her make a spectacular match. By masquerading as the widowed "Mrs. Carrington" Alicia can act as the perfect chaperone…but fashionable ladies are not accused of murder... When Tony Blake discovers Alicia standing over a dead body in his godmother’s garden, every instinct tells him she is innocent. His connections allow him to take control of the investigation, his social prominence provides her public support, but it is more than honor that compels him to protect her and to do everything in his seductive power to make her his.

The Cynster twins, Amanda and Amelia, have been chafing under their male relatives intense scrutiny for far too long now. They can''t find husbands - the Cynster males keep chasing all candidates away. So Amanda decides to take matters into her own hands in this outrageously sensuous love story.