When the arrogant stranger Bess is forced to marry unexpectedly becomes a duke, she'll find herself at odds with her growing feelings as he hunts for a killer. ***** Sharp-tongued Elizabeth 'Bess' Jones is perfectly content living on her lonesome in a tiny village south of Derbyshire. She works as a nurse, owns a small home, and finds the label of 'spinster' an agreeable trade for her independence. But when her entire life is uprooted in an instant, she only has one person to blame: her new husband, Emmett Wilde, who was caught in a compromising situation with her. And now, despite his promise to fake a death certificate after their wedding--to free her of any duty to him or their marriage bed--he sends for her in the dead of night with startling news: his father has been murdered, and he is now the Duke of Ascot with a wife he can no longer deny... [[Word Count: 60,000-70,000 words]] [[Cover designed by Ren Tachibana]]

Jane Alcott was raised on a farm and is more at home milking cows and birthing foals then she is dancing with London's most eligible bachelors. She had her first season when she was nineteen and was humiliated with her clumsiness and crassness. Now at twenty - three her mother has decided that it is time for her to be married so she sends her to have another season, staying with her brother, the Earl of Ethridge and his wife, Emilia. While Jane doesn't plan on making any connections, little does she know that she's attracted the brooding Daniel Winchester, a man with secrets and a painful past. A man who swore he would never love again.

Kitty Alcott has a reputation for being a tease. Many have tried to secure her hand but she will not relent. She loves dancing until dawn and being the object of all men's desires. But the rebuttal of a young naval captain confuses her. She doesn't know whether to be insulted or intrigued by Captain William Aubrey who isn't affected by her charm or beauty. She is faced with the dilemma of reflecting on her own behaviour and the possibility that she has to change...

Sabine Winchester has always had a too sensible head on her shoulders. Her unsuccessful seasons in London result in her being called things like 'boring' and 'dull'. Her limited interests stem to her beloved horse, Puissant. But in arriving home, she encounters the new Scottish stable hand, Connor McKenzie, who is everything she's not - relaxed, spontaneous, outgoing and humorous. Batting heads with the new stable boy causes a lot of friction for Sabine, but the man who is so different to her, might just save her from herself.

Being clever in a time where women were taught to sit on their hands has always plagued Jane 'Little J' Alcott. She has always been laughed at and has learned to accept that she will never reach her full potential ... until now. When her brother thinks up a brilliant plan, Little J begins to stretch her legs in the world of academia, a world only privy to men. And one man in particular, has caught her eye.

James Alcott has always had a talent for charming women right into his bed, a talent that he has enjoyed, along with his status of being heir to the Earldom of Ethridge. A chance encounter, however, with a woman who does not see worth in wealth of status will change his life forever. Alice Devereaux has been hiding for three years. She fought and survived the 1832 French Revolution and is hiding in England under a pseudonym. Her family and friends all died as criminals and if she ever returned to her native Paris then she would be slaughtered too. Her family's hatred of aristocracy has been instilled in her and she carries around the burden of both her and her people's failure to create equality. And then, as if God is testing her, she meets a man who holds all the qualities she was born to hate - wealth, status and arrogance. But that man is determined to succeed in winning her. So what is she to do? Succumb to his charms? Or hold true to the beliefs of her French comrades?