The Vicar And The Rake

Debut author Annabelle Greene brings us the brilliant first book in her Society of Beasts series, in which a quiet country vicar is unwillingly reunited with the duke who left him long ago… As a young man, Sir Gabriel Winters left behind his status as a gentleman, turning his back on his secret desires and taking a self-imposed vow of celibacy. Now a chaste hard-working vicar, his reputation is beyond reproach. But, try as he might, he’s never forgotten the man he once desired or the pain of being abandoned by his first love. Edward Stanhope, the Duke of Caddonfell, is a notorious rake, delighting in scandal no matter the consequence. With a price on his head, he flees to the countryside, forced to keep his presence a secret or risk assassination. When Edward finds Gabriel on his estate, burning with fever, he cannot leave him to die, but taking him in puts them both in jeopardy. With the help of a notorious blackmailer, a society of rich and famous gentlemen who prefer gentlemen, and a kitten named Buttons, they might just manage to save Edward’s life—but the greatest threat may be to their hearts. Society of Beasts: Book 1: The Vicar and the Rake Book 2: The Soldier and the Spy

"Matthews' tale hits all the high notes of a great romance novel...Cue the satisfied sighs of romance readers everywhere." -Kirkus Reviews A World-Weary Rake After years of unbridled debauchery, Tristan Sinclair, Viscount St. Ashton has hit proverbial rock bottom. Seeking to escape his melancholy, he takes refuge at one of Victorian society's most notorious house parties. As the Christmas season approaches, he prepares to settle in for a month of heavy drinking...until an unexpected encounter changes his plans--and threatens his heart. A Prim Vicar's Daughter Valentine March is not the drab little spinster she appears to be. When her new job as a lady's companion lands her smack in the middle of Yorkshire with England's most infamous rake, she resolves to keep her head down and her eyes fixed firmly on her future--a future which most definitely does not include a sinfully handsome viscount. A Match Made in Scandal A friendship is impossible. An affair out of the question. But when one reckless act binds them together, will two star-crossed souls discover there's more to each other than meets the eye? Or will revelations from the past end their fragile romance before it begins?

Caroline Cummings, a talented vicar’s daughter, is inadvertently compromised by Thomas Mannering, rake and second son of an earl. They are forced to marry, though Thomas is obsessed with a now-married London beauty. While Caroline works to understand her tormented husband and build a life with him, he struggles to maintain his honor and their social position in Regency society. Regency Romance by Allison Lane; originally published by Signet and winner of Romantic Times Best First Regency award for 1996.

Wild, Wild Rake, the next sweeping, emotional, witty, and sharp romance in the Cavensham Heiresses series from beloved author Janna MacGregor. Her first marriage was an epic fail. Lady Avalon Warwyk never did love her husband. Arrogant, selfish, and cruel, it’s a blessing when she’s widowed and left to raise her son all by herself. Finally, Avalon can live freely and do the work she loves: helping fallen women become businesswomen. She’s lived these past ten years with no desire to remarry—that is, until Mr. Devan Farris comes to town. Can he convince her to take another chance at happily ever after? Devan Farris—charming vicar, reputed rake, and the brother of Avalon’s son’s guardian—is reluctantly sent to town to keep tabs on Avalon and her son. Devan wishes he didn’t have to meddle in her affairs; he’s not one to trod on a woman’s independent nature and keen sense of convictions. But she’ll have nothing to do with a vicar with a wild reputation—even though he’s never given his heart and body to another. If only he could find a way to show Avalon who he really is on the inside—a good, true soul looking for its other half. But how can prove that he wants to love and care for her. . .until death do they part? Praise for the Cavensham Heiresses series “Full-bodied romance...with intelligence and heart.”—New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell “Sparkling...MacGregor brings England’s Regency era to life.” —Publishers Weekly

A beholden man finds himself falling for the war hero he’s destined to double-cross. Three hundred pounds for one night of protection. It’s a job offer, but it’s also a ruse. Captain Benjamin Frakes, war hero and de facto head of the Society of Beasts—a club for gentlemen who prefer gentlemen—is tempted to turn it down. But August Weatherby, the sexy, brazen stranger making the offer, has captivated him completely. August is hardly the flush flirt he claims to be, however. An indebted man, desperate to save his infirm sister, August makes an ideal pawn for a lord eager to bring down the Society of Beasts once and for all. But August’s charge to find evidence against Frakes is at odds with his own virgin desire to entice the captain into showing him the true meaning of pleasure. As August’s infiltration pushes him deeper into the beguiling world of delights behind the Society’s closed doors, he and Frakes discover new ways to push the boundaries of their own cravings. But with mounting pressure to complete his devious mission, August finds himself torn between the man his heart yearns for and the sister whose life depends on his betrayal. Society of Beasts Book 1: The Vicar and the Rake Book 2: The Soldier and the Spy

Being bad has never felt so good! The first time Miss Bryn Rutherford meets Captain Kitt Sherard, he scales her balcony and kisses her breathless! And after years of trying to behave, she can't help but think Kitt's piratical wildness is just what she needs. So when she must venture across the Caribbean seas, only one man will do… Daredevil Kitt agrees to help—as long as Bryn plays by his rules. And that means hands off! Except, trapped aboard, the chemistry between them hits fever pitch. Now it's only a question of who'll break the rules first! Rakes of the Caribbean Sun, Sand and Sizzling Seduction

A woman holds the key to one man’s destiny in this classic Regency romance from the legendary New York Times bestselling author. Disinherited and disgraced, Reginald Davenport’s prospects cried for a dire end. But fate has given him one last chance at redemption—by taking his rightful place as the heir of Strickland, his lost ancestral estate. Davenport knows his way around women, yet nothing prepares him for his shocking encounter with Lady Alys Weston. Masquerading as a man in order to obtain a position as estate manager of Strickland, Alys fled a world filled with mistrust and betrayal. She was finished with men—until Strickland’s restored owner awakens a passion she thought she would never feel. A passion that will doom or save them both . . . if only they can overcome their pasts . . . Praise for Mary Jo Putney “Putney’s endearing characters and warm-hearted stories never fail to inspire and delight.” —Sabrina Jeffries “A complex maze of a story twisted with passion, violence, and redemption. Miss Putney just gets better and better.” —Nora Roberts “A gifted writer with an intuitive understanding of what makes romance work.” —Amanda Quick “No one writes historical romance better.” —Cathy Maxwell “Dynamite!” —Laura Kinsale

SCANDALOUS DESIRES . . . Amy Hardwick has one last Season to shake off her wallflower image and make a love match. If she can't, she'll set aside her dreams of romance and return home to a suitor who can provide security-if little else. What she doesn't count on is the inappropriate-and irresistible-attention lavished on her in a darkened library by rake extraordinaire Will "The Devil" Darcett . . . DEVILISH DELIGHT When Will is caught in a tryst with the ton's shyest miss, he knows he must offer for her hand. Yet Amy is not the shrinking violet she seems to be. Passion lies beneath her prim exterior and Will is eager to release it. But winning Amy isn't simply a matter of seduction; first, Will must convince her that he's mended his wicked ways . . .