Leonard Fox, the Duke of Montrose-handsome as the very devil and a physician by profession was very content with his less than normal life. But then his best friend dies, leaving his four year old daughter under Leo's guardianship. Leo loves the girl, no doubt. But that didn't mean he knew how to raise her. So he ends up in London in search of a wife. Meanwhile, Lady Clara Fethuerington is busy flitting from one ball to another desperately looking for the right man and reluctant to put herself out there at the same time. Unbeknownst to anyone, Clara is a famous novelist and has made fun of almost every single obnoxious member of the ton. If her secret got out, she'd be ruined. Will any man in his right man want her as his wife? Clara has no idea of what's in store for her. Let's find out.. Completed. Cover by @00Athena00

**A Blue Beard retelling** Based on Charles Perrault's fairytale, this YA Historical Fantasy short story set in Victorian England mixes romance, magic and mystery. After agreeing to an arranged marriage to escape her greedy relatives, 18-year-old heiress Amelia moves into her husband's manor determined to start a new life. But the gothic mansion's forbidding surroundings, the servants' strange demeanour and her husband's mysterious past soon awaken her suspicions. If Amelia truly wants to become the lady of the house, she'll have to discover what secrets lie beyond closed doors and unravel the mystery of the old house's forbidden room. But sometimes secrets are kept for a good reason... HIGHEST RANKING IN HISTORICAL FICTION # 44 Copyright © 2017. All works posted here are the property of EM Castellan. Please do not use without permission. Any duplication or reproduction of all or part of the work without explicit permission by the author is illegal. Cover artist: @seventhstar

Erica York has lived her whole life in her small village with her family. Her parents work night and day to support their ever growing brood of children, but there never seems to be enough money. Desperate to keep their family alive Erica's father sells his daughter to an American man as a mail order bride. But what will happen when Erica meets her fiance and his family?

Note: The english and extended version. Veronica, the Duchess of Audovera, was renowned as the most breathtaking woman in the kingdom, but her beauty was matched only by her reputation for arrogance and indulgence. Her life had always been one of luxury and excess-until the day her husband, the Duke, left for war. It was then, amidst the emptiness of their grand estate, that something within her stirred. Memories of another life flooded her mind, revealing a shocking truth: she had reincarnated into the body of the villainess from a fantasy-romance novel she once read. The plot was clear, and her fate was sealed. Her husband, the Duke-the novel's male protagonist-would soon fall in love with the saintess he met during the war. Upon his return, he would demand a divorce, casting Veronica aside. But the story didn't stop there. Left to stew in her bitterness, the villainess would meet a tragic end at his hands. But this Veronica was different. Armed with knowledge of the story's events, she resolved to take a different path. She would play her role with grace, sign the divorce papers without a fight, and step out of the limelight. Peace, freedom, and a quiet life were her new goals. Three years passed. The war ended, and the Duke returned. Veronica, prepared for her fate, was ready with her pen poised over the divorce papers. Yet, to her growing confusion, the Duke didn't say a word about separation. His eyes, once cold and distant, now lingered on her with an intensity she didn't recognize. "Why hasn't he asked for a divorce?" she wondered, her perfectly laid plans beginning to crumble. As she grapples with her husband's inexplicable behavior, Veronica must navigate a new and unpredictable future. Can she successfully avoid the villainess's doomed path, or is she destined to play a different role altogether?

If you've been waiting for Garrett's and Frederica's story, here it is! Garrett has given up pining for his sister's best friend. He has political ambitions and wants a woman who will help him achieve it. The only condition is that this woman not demand his heart in return for her hand in marriage. Frederica has a son she needs to raise. She also has an absent father - who doesn't know she exists - that she needs to find to secure a good future for her son, far away from the prying eyes of the ton. He didn't expect to run into her. She didn't expect that he'd still care. He knows that she is the last person he should get involved with. She knows that they have no future together. Will they get their happy ending? *updated twice weekly*

(Complete) I backed against the door, and balled my hand into fists, to keep myself from panicking. "I..." Another step. We were now inches apart and he stood in front of me, his face in the shadows. "Who are you?", he asked, his voice sending shivers down my spine. I couldn't tell him! Or, should I? ~~~~~~~~ In which a princess must keep her cover in a Court hosting her kingdom's enemies, and struggles under the scrutiny of her allies' Crown prince. She finds her kingdom's secret to discover with his help, but will that be enough to secure her lineage to the throne? Or will her father's spineless enemy finally get his revenge? ~~~~~~~~ Highest rankings: #1 historicalfiction #1 kingsandqueens #1 secretidentity #1 annabelle #4 runaway #7 princess #71 story

A pair of fraternal twins are taken into a prestigious noble family to maintain good face in the snobbish aristocracy. When the brother is faced with a worsening illness, their new family is quick to reveal their true sinister nature forcing his sister to become their scapegoat in order for his treatment. Ridiculed and insulted, the rumours never ceasing, the young miss soon gains a completely tarnished and tainted reputation. Unfortunately it did not end there for she was soon forced into an arranged marriage with a Duke. A powerful man who has no intention of wanting the marriage, yet he too was forced. A horrible start to a horrible relationship and this is only the beginning... [Stand alone but contains spoilers to Erica as it takes place after the events of that story] |Not edited|

In the opulent world of nobility, Elara, the overlooked bastard child of a wealthy lord, finds solace in the shadows of insignificance. However, her fate takes an unexpected turn when her sister is chosen to be courted by the crown prince of the kingdom. This moment presents Elara with the chance to break free from her perceived worthlessness and carve her own destiny. As Elara embraces the picturesque life at court, the tranquility is violently shattered when the palace falls under a brutal attack. The notorious warlord Malachi, who has been relentlessly conquering the continent, now sets his sights on Elara's kingdom. Miraculously spared in the onslaught, Elara soon discovers Malachi's unexpected interest in her. His intentions are clear - he aims to make Elara his queen. Haunted by questions of why the ruthless Malachi is so entranced by her, Elara grapples with the complexities of love in the midst of captivity. As the proposal looms and her family's safety hangs in the balance, Elara must navigate the treacherous waters of her emotions and decide whether to submit to the warlord's desires or resist at the risk of everything she holds dear. "What exactly is it that you want from me, your highness?" "Let's drop titles between us, hmm darling?" "I have no title." "Perhaps we should change that."

Simon Humphrey has many responsibilities. He has a dukedom to oversee, a wife to find, and a rambunctious family to keep in line, not the least of whom is his youngest sister (and perhaps best friend) Phillipa, who cannot seem to keep a governess. When Mrs Fiona Green appears, references in one hand and her young son Nathaniel clutched in the other, he hopes that at least one of his prayers has been answered, and sets his mind to the important task of finding himself a respectable duchess to share his life. But something - or someone - seems determined to keep Simon from his goal. As inconvenience, danger, and outright sabotage abound, Simon struggles to keep those in his care safe... and to ignore the sparkling green eyes of the sweet, lovely, and married governess now living within his walls. After all, Simon Humphrey has many responsibilities. He's just not sure if that includes following his heart. ** Book 3 of the Humphrey Chronicles **

Sarah is in trouble, so she's willing to fall back on an old betrothal contract to save herself from a lecherous guardian out for her inheritance. One problem - her last hope is long dead and now it's his brother with the title and estate. The brother she always loved... and the one who never wanted her. Can she keep her secret long enough to outrun her guardian? Or will someone recognize her while she hides in plain sight?