Top 1,000 Romance Novels of All Time, Numbers 200-299 Posted on April 4, 2012 by Myra 12345678910 Numbers 200-299 on our list of the Top 1,000 Romance Novels of All Time: NUMBER 200: Uncommon Vows, Mary Jo Putney, 1991 While cavorting in the medieval England’s Royal Forest, Norman lady Meriel de Vere is spotting by a hunting party headed by Adrian of Warfield — the Earl of Shropshire and the owner of the grounds. The country’s political unrest leaves Meriel unsure whether she state her real name, and she quickly decides to concoct a new identity: she’s a Welsh commoner. Wrong answer — for Adrian’s stuck by the lady’s angelic beauty, and he seizes her… NUMBER 201: Dark Prince, Christine Feehan, 1999 The shape-shifting Carpathian race is in grave danger of extinction. The earliest precursors to vampires, they appear human, and, indeed, feed off the blood of humans (although they wipe the memory of any human they feed from). Vulnerable only to sunlight and vicious injury, they can live as long as 1,000 years, but they must find their life mates first. For some unknown reason, the race has been able to produce female Carpathians for nearly 500 years. That’s a problem. If male Carpathians make it to middle age without finding their life mates, they begin to lose all emotion … and even the ability to see in color… NUMBER 202: An Offer from a Gentleman, Julia Quinn, 2001 The illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Penwood, Ms. Sophie Beckett was raised almost as an equal in the Earl’s family. Upon the Earl’s death, her loathsome stepmum demotes her to the rank of housemaid. But her life turns magical when her fellow servants join forces to send her to a masquerade. There, she meets and falls for Benedict Bridgerton — one of the ton’s most sought-after eligibles. He’s clearly piqued, too, after they share a kiss. But when the clock strikes midnight, Sophie dutifully returns to her post… NUMBER 203: To Sir Phillip, With Love, Julia Quinn, 2003 Letter-writer extraordinaire, Eloise Bridgerton, may have gotten herself in over her head when she started a secret correspondence with Sir Phillip Crane. They’ve never even met, and they’re already exchanging heated letters. When Sir Phillip offers her his hand in marriage, she’s stunned (and somewhat titillated). How could she marry a man she’s never seen? So, she hops in a midnight coach for a trial meeting with Mr. Letters… NUMBER 204: Winter Garden, Adele Ashworth, 2000 Two Victorian spies converge in the quaint English village of Winter Garden. There to bust up an alleged opium ring run by a man of very noble birth, the two couldn’t be more different. Madeleine DuMais is the illegitimate daughter of an Englishman. Raised in France, she’s well-known for her stunning beauty and scarlet frankness. No one would suspect she could be a spy who uses her powers of persuasion to evoke very secret confessions… NUMBER 205: When Dashing Met Danger, Shana Galen, 2005 A spy on leave of absence, Alexander Scarston, the Earl of Selbourne, has been ordered to lay low in England. Extraordinarily bored, he entertains himself at things like balls. It’s at a dance that he meets the stunning Lucia Dashing. It takes him a moment to realize that his own brother married her sister five years earlier. By now, Lucia’s grown into a spunky, swan-like woman, whom he can’t help but think naughty things about… NUMBER 206: Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand, Carla Kelly, 1994 When her vicar husband dies, Roxanna Drew can’t tolerate the sexual advances of late-hubbie’s brother. She packs up her bags and lets a weather-beaten cottage with her young daughters in tow. Perched on the expansive estate of Fletcher Rand, Marquess of Winn, she works hard to prepare the home for the coming winter. When it arrives, it brings snow and bitter cold … and with it, Lord Winn himself… NUMBER 207: My Dearest Enemy, Connie Brockway, 1998 Horatio Algernon Thorne could teach two lessons with one stone, he thought, by willing his estate to Lillian Bede. His niece by marriage had always thought she could do men’s work, so Horatio would let her … for five years. She would run Mill House, and if she turned it profitable, she’d get to keep it. Otherwise, it’d go to Horatio’s nephew, Avery — a young asthmatic man who also thought Mill House was his. Disgruntled by the terms of the will, Avery disappeared (eventually earning repute for his bold explorations)… NUMBER 208: The Last Enchantment, Mary Stewart, 1979 Through the eyes and ears of the aging wizard Merlin, we learn of Camelot’s earliest days. Arthur Pendragon struggles to expel the last of the Saxons, and unify his kingdom once and for all. But Merlin has seen visions of Arthur’s death, and he knows it involves Morgause — Arthur’s plotting half-sister who has led the king into an incestuous affair (on that soon bears Mordred). An ever-weakening Merlin follows Morgause in costume and disguise… NUMBER 209: The Accidental Duchess, Jessica Benson, 2003 A distraught Gwendolyn has accidentally married the wrong man. Intended since childhood for the convivial Bertie Milburn, she learns that Bertie isn’t Bertie while between the sheets on her wedding bed. She’s actually married his older brother and identical twin, Harry, the Earl of Cambourne (and soon to be Duke of Winfell). Complicating things further, everyone but her seems to know the reason for the ruse… NUMBER 210: Every Boy’s Got One, Meg Cabbot, 2005 In the Italian hamlet of Castelfidardo — the “capital of accordion builders” — two young lovers named Mark and Holly will elope. Jane Harris plays maid of honor to her best friend in her first trip to Europe. It’s be picture perfect if it weren’t for the annoying cocksure best man: Cal Langdon. An international, know-it-all journalist with a book deal (and a recent appearance on Charlie Rose), Jane’s shocked that he hasn’t even heard of her popular “Wonder Cat” comic strip. Psshaw… NUMBER 211: Truth or Dare, Lori Foster, 2006 Three of Lori Foster’s erotic short stories come together in Truth or Dare. When a trio of best friends decide to resurrect a childhood game, they focus on a newly opened porn palace in middle America. Each will have to enter the shop alone, find a man who’s ogling a toy she’s fanaticized about, then take Random Guy home and put it to use. Without realizing it, though, the plan’s been overheard… NUMBER 212: Wild at Heart, Patricia Gaffney, 1997 On a rafting expedition in the Canadian wilderness, a horrible accident kills Michael MacNeil’s aunt and uncle. Over the next 18 years the boy grows into a man surrounded by animals and thick damp forest. Along the way, he forgets all the trapping of civilization … and even how to speak. “Discovered” in the late 1800s — he’s just in time to be a display model in the Chicago World’s Fair. The humiliation and anger he feels but cannot express further alienates him… NUMBER 213: Loyalty in Death, J.D. Robb, 1999 In the year 2059, terrorists are still rubbing their hands together thinking of evil ways to destroy New York City. Fortunately, the Big Apple’s got the indomitable Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, to watch over it. Things start off grisly and keep getting worse. First, Eve and her assistant, Delia, are called to the home J. Clarence Branson — by all accounts, a well-liked millionaire and owner of Branson Toys and Tools — where it seems someone’s used a drill to pierce his heart… NUMBER 214: The Guardian, Nicholas Sparks, 2003 On Christmas Eve, when Julie Barenson was 25, she opened the door to find a puppy on her porch. It was the last gift she would receive from her late husband, Jim. Purchased in the event of his death, her husband’s brain tumor had grown too large … As Julie’s best friend, he knew she’d need the company. Now, it’s four years later. “Singer,” the great dane is Julie’s constant companion. At age 30, the hair stylist thinks that she’s ready, perhaps, to start dating… NUMBER 215: Mackenzie’s Pleasure (Defending His Own), Linda Howard, 1996 Dispatched to save an ambassador’s daughter in Libya, the Navy SEAL, Zane Mackenzie, realizes it’s not wise to fall in love. But the girl is Barrie Lovejoy, and she urges him to sleep with her. A virgin, she’s convinced her captors will find her and take her by force. The tryst between Zane and Barrie quickly grows from passion to love, but when Zane’s injured during their escape, they’re forced apart… NUMBER 216: In Your Wildest Dreams, Toni Blake, 2005 When Stephanie Grant’s sister, Tina, goes missing, the straight-laced big sis is determined to find her little … no matter what dark paths she must travel. That’s how Stephanie finds herself dolled up and posing as a high-class prostitutes. All fingers seem to point at the private bar, Chez Sophia — a New Orleans stomping ground for playboys and their very expensive playtoys. While Stephanie can’t believe Tina’s turned to prostitution, she’s determined to find out the truth… NUMBER 217: Gone Too Far, Suzanne Brockman, 2003 Hunkish Sam Starrett is a Navy SEAL and accomplished ladykiller. That makes him a bad candidate for marriage. Indeed, he’s in the process of divorcing his wife Mary Lou, when he visits her house and finds himself in the middle of a crime scene. A woman’s been murdered, and Sam’s wife has disappeared … along with his daughter, Haley. Things get complicated when one of Sam’s old flames, Alyssa Locke, gets assigned to the homicide… NUMBER 218: True Bliss, Stella Cameron, 2002 Long ago in a school cafeteria, the nervous daughter of a senator found herself talking to a rather disreputable, long-haired senior. She was Bliss Winters and he was Sebastian Plato. She was shy and ashamed of her family’s wealth. He was poor and rumored to deal in things like drugs and guns. If that were true, though, why would Bliss be interested in him? And, perhaps more to the point, why would he be interested in her… NUMBER 219: Pants on Fire, Meg Cabot, 2007 Things are going quite well for Gull ‘n Gulp waitress, Katie Ellison. It’s the summer before her senior year. She’s dating the boy with the “most sought-after tongue in all of Eastport” — footballer Seth Turner. And, well, she’s even got a little cutie on the downlow: Eric Flutely, star of the high school musical. Things get complicated when Tommy Sullivan moves back to Eastport. It’s the same Tommy she betrayed when she spray-painted his name (and the words “is a freak”)… NUMBER 220: Surrender (The Mackenzies Old Florida Series, Book No. 3), Heather Graham, 1998 The headstrong, well-heeled daughter of a Union general had no place in the wild Everglades surrounding Florida’s Biscayne Bay. But Risa Magee has to warn her friend, Alaina, that she’s been betrayed — and even the Civil War will not stop her. She’s so fearless, in fact, that she tumbles into the hands of Confederate sea captain and burly raider, Jerome McKenzie… NUMBER 221: Swept Away, Toni Blake, 2006 Five days before her wedding, Katrina Spencer retreats alone to her family’s private island. She left so quickly she forgot her cell phone charger. But, that’s not really the issue. She’s there to get some thinking done. She knows that in five days she’s going to be burying the fun-loving, party girl she used to be so that she can become someone different … someone, perhaps, who wears pastels. It’s a change she’s not quite ready for no matter how good it is for the family fortune… NUMBER 222: His Every Kiss, Laura Lee Guhrke, 2004 Dylan struggles with tinnitus — a disorder that’s stolen his ability to make music and almost driven him to suicide in the very theatre where his first piece debuted. Wandering now in a hashish-filled haze of women, laudanum and bittersweet memories, he’s startled to find an 8-year-old girl standing on his porch. The result of an ill-fated affair many years ago, Isabel turns out to be not just his daughter but also a quite talented pianist… NUMBER 223: Whirlwind Wedding, Jacquie D’Alessandro, 2000 Inside his hall, more than 200 people have gathered for a ball, and Austin Randolph Jamison, the Duke of Bradford, finds himself among his sprawling gardens, seeking air and quiet. He’s disgruntled when he sees an American woman stumble through the bushes, and tumble, face-down upon the ground. It’s his first meeting with the bluestocking Elizabeth Matthews, and he quickly finds her to be enchanting… NUMBER 224: One Good Turn, Carla Kelly, 2001 Firmly ensconced in the upper crust, Benedict Nesbitt, the Duke of Knareborough, should have his pick of London’s glittering ton. He’s even more crushed then when the woman he loves chooses his best friend over him. Rejected in romance and long-scarred from Peninsular Wars, he’s determined to retreat to his country estate, with his days with his young niece. When he realizes she’s contracted chicken pox on the way, he starts having second thoughts… NUMBER 225: Till the Stars Fall, Kathleen Gilles Seidel, 1994 Certain that he’s destined for much more than his small Minnesota town can offer, Danny French convinces his sister, Krissa, that they should aim much higher. Born to a miner, they manage through sheer grit to elbow their way into the Ivy League in the 1970s. Quickly, they meet the well-heeled Quinn Hunter, a young man who happens to share Danny French’s love for music. The two form Dodd Hall, a folk rock band that will soon grow much larger than they could have hoped… NUMBER 226: Beauty and the Spy (The Holt Sisters Trilogy, Book No. 1), Julie Anne Long, 2006 Book No. 1 focuses on Susannah Makepeace, the beautiful but slightly-spoiled daughter of Richard Lockwood. When he father (a spy) was murdered, she was left in the care of yet another spy (Mr. James Makepeace). She thoroughly enjoys cavorting with the ton until Mr. Makepeace, too, is laid to rest at the hands of an unnamed killer. Shocked to find out she’s now penniless, her fiance jumps ship, and she finds herself in the overly-sleepy town of Barnstable. Things get interesting when she spots a nude man… NUMBER 227: One Night with a Prince (The Royal Brotherhood, Book No. 3), Sabrina Jeffries, 2005 Only desperation could lead Christabel, the Machioness of Haversham, to enlist the aid of Gavin Byrne in her quest to retrieve some damnable letters. Gavin is, after all, the owner of the disreputable Blue Swan Men’s Club — and the very man Christabel nearly shot a year earlier when he arrived at her door to collect a debt. Gavin was after money owed to him by Christabel’s now-late husband. And that husband gambled away more than money. He gambled away the letters that could send her father to the gallows… NUMBER 228: Reckless, Shannon Drake, 2005 The feisty, green-eyed redhead, Katherine Adair, has her sights set on the one man who won’t notice her, Egyptologist (and Lord) David Turnberry. When David tumbles into the Thames from the deck of his ship, Inner Sanctum, onlookers stare on in fright. It’s Katherine who leaps in to save him. Unfortunately, she proves too weak for the task … and another man’s got to save them both. Enter the rakish (and muscled) Lord Hunter MacDonald… NUMBER 229: Prince of Dreams (Stokehursts, Book No. 2), Lisa Kleypas, 1995 Among Lisa Kleypas’ most difficult books, Prince of Dreams centers around the dark and fabulously wealthy Russian Prince Nikolas Angelovsky. Exiled from his family and country, he’s been given charge of the headstrong nymphet and healer, Emma Stokehurst. Under strict orders to raise her until she reaches suitable marriage age, he uses deception to win her hand in marriage. And his behavior only gets worse. At every moment one looks for signs of his upcoming redemption … and Nikki seems to push them further away… NUMBER 230: Infinity (Eternity Series, Book No. 2), Maggie Shayne, 1999 In the shadows of Stonehenge, a witch and a warlock declare their love. He is the Immortal High Witch Nicodimus Lachlan, and she is Arianna Sinclair — the golden-haired girl he’s watched for years. Surrounded by falling snow, they’re unaware that they’ll soon be separated when their enemies destroy their village. When his heart is stolen, Nicodimus is suspended in eternal darkness, convinced that it was his love his betrayed. It’s five hundred years later now… NUMBER 231: Heaven and Earth (The Three Sisters Island Series, Book No. 2), Nora Roberts, 2001 After a tragic childhood experience with magic, witch-turned-police officer, Ripley Todd, has spent her life turning off the supernatural powers she feels inside. She’s one of two deputies on the quaint Three Sisters Island off the coast of Massachusetts, and she’s quite content with her glass-half-empty attitude. But things threaten to change when paranormal researcher Dr. MacAllister Booke — a self-proclaimed “rich geek” with an Adonis-like body… NUMBER 232: Out of Control (Troubleshooters Inc. Series, Book No. 4), Suzanne Brockman, 2002 Savannah von Hopf isn’t above using her looks to get a favor now and then. So, she seeks out college acquaintance-turned-Navy SEAL, Ken “Wildcard” Karmody, when her uncle’s kidnapped by terrorists in Indonesia. She wasn’t expecting Ken to have turned into Mr. Incredible, though. By the time he’s changed her tire and cooked her dinner, she’s drunk on his charm and kind of accidentally sleeps with him. Ken’s crushed and bitter when he finds out the real reason why she’s there… NUMBER 233: The Lady in Question, Victoria Alexander, 2003 Things hadn’t been going well for the dashing Delia Effinton. After a scandalous incident with secret spy Charles Wilton, she quickly joined him in marriage. Days later, Mr. Wilton was dead, and Delia was exiled to the Lake District. It took six months for the gossip to die down, and now, she’s back in London. Friendship comes in the form of her awkward elderly butler, Tony St. Stephens. It turns out there’s far more to Tony than meets the eye… NUMBER 234: Pearl Cove (The Donovan Series, Book No. 3), Elizabeth Lowell, 1999 The delectable, fabulously-wealthy pearl mogul, Archer Donovan, has kind of had a crush on his half-brother’s wife, Hannah McGarry, for a decade. And Hannah’s relationship with his brother, Len, is anything but perfect. So when Archer gets a desperate call from Hannah saying Len’s been killed, he’s immediately on his way to Australia. It turns out his wheel-bound brother (also a pearl mogul) was found with an oyster protruding from his chest… NUMBER 235: Midnight Warrior, Iris Johansen, 1994 Amid the forests of Wales in the time of William the Conqueror, there lives a healer named Brynn of Falkhaar. Enslaved to the cruel and ruthless Saxon, Richard of Redfern, she’s gifted to the hunky Norman warrior (and bastard son of the King of Norway), Gage Dumont. Sent to heal Gage’s injured heathen friend, she gains the warrior’s allegiance (and that of his heathen friend) when she proves her abilities… NUMBER 236: As You Desire, Connie Brockway, 1997 A child prodigy-turned-translator-of-dead languages, Desdemona Carlisle (aka Dizzy) leaves London for Egypt after the death of her parents. Just 17, she takes up residence with her scholarly and absent-minded grandfather — a man who loves her dearly, but leaves her to her own devices. When she’s captured by an Arab, she drowns her sorrows in fermented milk — awaiting, as she is, her imminent sale at the auction block. Enter, the adventurer Harry Braxton… NUMBER 237: The Husband List, Victoria Alexander, 2000 The widowed owner of an English art salon, Lady Gillian Marley has just learned she has to get married before she can claim an inheritance from her American uncle. With just two months to go, she turns in desperation to her closest male friends. Unfortunately, the viscount and lord both want her to pick one of them, so they scribble out a list of barely-acceptable, rather grotesque men (with one possible match sprinkled in for good measure). His name is Richard Shelton, Earl of Shelbrooke — an ex-rake turned father figure… NUMBER 238: Wild Swan (The Wild Swan Trilogy, Book No. 1), Celeste De Blasis, 1984 A reckless and neglected teen, Alexandra Carrington Falconer is sent to live with distant relatives on the Devon coast. It’s there that she meets her cousin, Rane, a man who falls in love with her, and will be there, in the shadows, for decades to come. When Alexandra’s sister falls ill in childbirth, she’s called back to London, only to find that her sister died while giving birth to twins. Distraught and unwilling to abandon her sister’s widower, St. John, Alexandria realizes she must marry him… NUMBER 239: Seduced by Moonlight (The Meredith Gentry Series, Book No. 3), Laurell K. Hamilton, 2004 A dark and disturbing look at the Kingdom of Fairie, Laurell K. Hamilton’s Meredith Gentry series is not for the prim. The mysterious (and sexually ravenous) half-mortal Meredith is as uncertain as the Sidhe’s why she’s brimming with magical powers. She only has to dream about the ancient “cauldron” and it appears beside her on her pillow. When Meredith’s aunt, the Queen of Air and Darkness, pits her against her male cousin, the two must race to conceive an heir… NUMBER 240: Till Dawn Tames the Night, Meagan McKinney, 1991 The virginal Aurora Dayne has known only one home in her life, that of a small orphanage where she’s grown into a woman. Serving as teacher to a new generation of orphans, she expects to live out her days there, until the arrival of a mysterious letter. Invited to serve as a lady’s companion for a stranger in Jamaica, she impetuously decides to go, taking with her the only thing she owns: a small, golden lizard bearing a cryptic rhyme. Things go awry aboard her ship… NUMBER 241: Nobody’s Angel, Karen Robards, 1992 The prim and plain-faced Susannah Redmond has long played mother to her three younger (and more beautiful sisters). The daughter of a Methodist minister in the Carolinas when they were still colonies, Susannah decides she’ll buy an indentured servant to help with the heavier farm chores. She nurses the decrepit prisoner, Ian, back to health, and discovers — to her horror — that soap and a razor has turned him into an incredibly attractive man… NUMBER 242: Miss Chartley’s Guided Tour, Carla Kelly, 1989 Once engaged to the stunning Viscount Matthew Bering, Miss Omega Chartley’s luck would soon take a precipitous tumble. First Matthew left her alone on the altar, then her father parted ways with the family money. Free then to do as she pleased, Omega landed a spot as an instructor at an academy for girls. When a new post opens up half-way across England, she’s thrilled at the chance to tour her country. But shortly after departing, she witnesses a little boy named James getting harassed by a Bow Street Runner… NUMBER 243: The Charmer (The Liars Club Series, Book No. 4), Celeste Bradley, 2004 In a training program for the infamous Liars Club — a society of spies in service to the Crown — two students stand far above the rest: former housemaid Rose Lacey and the arrogant, well-bred Collis Treymayne (heir to Lord Ethridge). Their fierce independence and the rivalry it’s spawned worries the higher-ups, so they’re soon handed a faux mission — one in which they must work together or fail. When Rose breaks into the wrong house, though, she discovers a mystery… NUMBER 244: For My Lady’s Heart (The Medieval Hearts Series, Book No. 1), Laura Kinsale, 1993 Already a vicious and respected knight at the age of 17, Ruck of Wolfscar has had less luck in the bedroom than on the battlefield. His wife, Isabelle, has been plagued by all-consuming religious visions, and she implores Ruck to take her to Avignon where she will join a convent. Ruck reluctantly agrees, but when he stands before the archbishop and vows to remain celibate in the absence of his wife, another woman steps forward. That’s not possible, the woman says… NUMBER 245: A Place to Call Home, Deborah Smith, 1998 Irish roots run deep in Dunderry, Georgia. And the well-liked Maloney family can trace their lineage (and their strange rituals) all the way back to the Emerald Isle. Red-headed Claire is the only daughter in the family, and she’s five when she strikes up a friendship with the 10-year-old from the other side of the tracks, Roan Sullivan — the son of an abusive, alcoholic father. When Roan’s accused of theft at a St. Paddy’s Day celebration, Claire’s the only one willing to stand up for him… NUMBER 246: All Through the Night, Connie Brockway, 1997 There exists a letter placed inside a protected, bejeweled box. When it’s stolen by a thief dubbed “Wrexhall’s Wraith,” King George III takes a very personal interest in getting it back. The letter, he knows, has contents distressing enough to get him dethroned, hung perhaps, so he looses his most cunning spy, the “Whitehall Hound,” Colonel Jack Seward to return it. Seward, like the thief, exists on the fringes of respectable society, moving in and out of circles like a shadow… NUMBER 247: Stranger in My Arms, Lisa Kleypas, 1998 When Lady Lara Hawksworth saw her soldier husband, Hunter, off to Indian seas, she couldn’t have known that it’d be the last time she saw him. But the news that he was killed off the south Indian coast wasn’t entirely a surprise — and she wasn’t entirely devastated. Everything about their marriage had felt wrong and painful (even their lovemaking). In the wake of Hunter’s death, uncle Arthur claims the earldom, and along with his pesky wife, Janet, forces Lady Lara into a miniature gatekeeper’s cottage… NUMBER 248: Born in Sin (The MacAllisters Series, Book No. 3), Kinley MacGregor, 2003 He was perhaps the only living man who’d held a knife to the throat of King Henry II. Sin MacAllister had spared the king, and the king had granted him freedom (gaining Sin’s loyalty forever). But now Henry implored him for a favor: return to the Highlands — the place Sin despised above all others — and marry Caledonia MacNeely. It was a way to bring peace to two troubled borders, to snuff out political brushfires, to produce, perhaps, an heir for a storied knight. When Sin dutifully agrees, he has no way of knowing that the very core of his being will change… NUMBER 249: A Well Favored Gentleman (The Well Pleasured Series, Book No. 2), Christina Dodd, 1998 There was only one good thing in the despicable childhood of Ian Fairchild: his home at the enchanted Fionnaway Manor. With the fast-approaching death of his father, Leslie, he’s certain he’ll inherit it … until the appearance of Lady Alanna MacLeod. Left in Leslie’s care, Alanna ran away long ago — hiding in plain sight as a witch with a faux hump and matted gray hair. Now, on the cusp of her 21st birthday, she stands to become the rightful heir of Fionnaway. She’ll fight Ian for it if she has, too … or so she thinks… NUMBER 250: Once Upon a Wedding Night, Sophie Jordan, 2006 Upon the death of Lady Meredith Brookshire frigid hubbie, she’s left with few options but to move her small family to Oak Run. With her: a spinstery aunt and her dementia-addled father. Penniless and desperate, she soon finds herself pitted against Nicholas Caulfield, her dead husband’s mysterious half-brother (a man whom everyone thought was dead). He’s the rightful heir to Oak Run, he says … if, indeed, he is Nicholas Caulfield. Out of options, Meredith’s forced to play her only trump: she’ll say she’s pregnant… NUMBER 251: A Bend in the Road, Nicholas Sparks Second-grade teacher Sarah Andrews has tried hard to reconstruct her life. After her politician/ex-husband dumped her because she couldn’t get pregnant, Sarah fled to New Bern, N.C., where she can focus on teaching and her love of children. She meets deputy sheriff Miles Ryan at a teacher-parent conference, and the two sense immediately… NUMBER 252: Twilight, Stephanie Meyer The first book in Twilight series, Stephanie Meyer claims the idea came to her in a dream. She dreamed of a vampire in love with a mortal girl. Of course, that vampire would became Edward and the girl became Bella. Modern-day star-crossed lovers, the two are thrust together by danger after Edward pulls her into his world. Throughout their journey’s Edward’s torn between his love for Bella and his desire to take her… NUMBER 253: Lady Be Good, Susan Elizabeth Phillips Lady Emma Wells- Finch had something on her mind other than being a good lady. Her trip to America would provide the much needed refuge from her arrogant British boyfriend who was insists on her hand in marriage or he will close the school for which she is headmistress. Kenny Traveler is a pro golfer currently on suspension for his “bad boy” ways and as a favor to a friend who just so happens to be the wife of the PGA Commissioner, has agreed to be Emma’s driver about town… NUMBER 254: Heaven, Texas, Susan Elizabeth Phillips Gracie had never been mistaken for a stripper before. Her average looks and shy personality had never garnered the attention of others, until she met Bobby Tom. A former NFL start with a career cut short due to injury, Bobby Tom was used to getting what he wanted and what he wanted right now was to avoid his trip to Texas. Hoping to keep his mind off not being able to play football, Bobby Tom had signed a contract to star in an action movie… NUMBER 255: Beneath a Blood Red Moon, Shannon Drake Sean Canady is a seasoned police office set on catching a killer wreaking havoc in the city of New Orleans, a biller who is copying the antics of Jack the Ripper. The latest killing, the decapitation of a common thief leads Sean to the specialty boutique of Maggie Montgomery. Sean feels an instant attraction to Maggie that he cannot explain. Maggie, who is automatically drawn to Sean, shies away from their attraction in an attempt to hide her past… NUMBER 256: The Prince of Midnight, Laura Kinsale Leigh is out for revenge. Set on avenging the death of her family, she travels the countryside alone hoping to find the only man who can help, the Prince of Midnight. S.T. Maitland hasn’t heard that name, Prince of Midnight, for numerous years, perhaps because he has become a recluse and prefers the company of his pet wolf, Nemo… NUMBER 257: Heart of Fire, Linda Howard Jill Sherwood wanted to clear her father’s name and gain respect in her own right at the same time. An archaeologist just like her father, Jill was devastated to learn she was not chosen for a prestigious dig in Africa, and to add insult to injury, it was because the archaeology department did not want to take the chance that Jill harbored the same wild theories about a lost “gem” city as her father… NUMBER 258: The Maze, Catherine Coulter Lacey is determined to find her stepsister’s killer. So determined, in fact, that she walks away from her music career as a concert pianist and joins the FBI. While trying to pass the physical and mental demands of FBI training, she meets Dillon, head of a cyber unit developed to track criminals through patterns of behavior. Dillon is so impressed with Lacey’s determination… NUMBER 259: Bet Me, Jennifer Cruise How was Min going to find a date in just three weeks before her sister’s wedding when she had just been dumped by her boyfriend, David? Simple, agree to a date with Cal, whom she had just overheard accept a bet from her ex that he couldn’t get her into bed. Dating Cal shouldn’t be too hard and if she plays her cards right, by the time he gives up on the bet and admits defeat, she’ll have a hot date… NUMBER 260: Walking After Midnight, Karen Robards When the rest of her cleaning crew decides not to show up for work, Summer is forced to clean the Harmon Brother’s Funeral Home by herself. As her biggest client, she needed to do a good job and keep them happy, even though it was quite unnerving to be in a funeral parlor alone. When what she believes is a dead body suddenly grabs her by the arm, she soon realizes she is not alone and within minutes she is kidnapped… NUMBER 261: Silver Lining, Maggie Osborne Louise Down, aka Low Down, has been alone most of her life. Orphaned at a young age, she ran away from her foster parents to live life on her own and she’s managed just fine until now. Living the life of a miner and being considered one of the guys was as close to family as Low came. When a small pox outbreak hits the town she is the only one left to care for the afflicted men… NUMBER 262: Jude’s Law, Lori Foster Jude was used to living life in the fast lane so when events that still haunt him brought him to the sleepy town of Stillbrook Ohio, he decided to relax and enjoy a peaceful life. Peaceful until he met May, the local art gallery owner who rebuffs his advances which makes him more determined to have her. Careful to spare Jude the craziness surrounding her family… NUMBER 263: Gypsy Lord, Kat Martin Dominic is a man born of two fates, one of gypsy living and the other of English royalty. Having spent most of his youth with his gypsy mother, he is summoned by his father to his estate as heir to his father’s fortune. Returning every once in a while to visit the gypsy people his mother endeared him to, he is torn between the life he is enamored with and the one chosen for him to lead… NUMBER 264: Slightly Married, Mary Balough Aidan is a man of honor both on the battlefield and off. As such, he grants a dying man his wish, to protect the captain’s sister no matter what it takes. When Aidan arrives to tell Eve the news of her brother’s passing, he finds that she and her family are about to become homeless. Remembering his promise, Aidan offers to marry Eve as a matter of convenience… NUMBER 265: A Pirate of Her Own, Kinley MacGregor Serenity James wasn’t like other women. Instead of knitting, sewing and tending to children, Serenity works for her father’s newspaper. Often crumpling the stories and shouting that she has no place in a man’s business, her father laments that she has yet to marry but publishes her stories anyway. The latest story about a pirate named Sea Wolf, seemed to touch a nerve with Morgan Drake. Morgan Drake IS the Sea Wolf… NUMBER 266: The Perfect Wife, Lynsay Sands Avelyn wanted to look perfect for the husband she was about to meet. But no matter how hard tried and how long she took, the dress was not going to fit. She would have to wear the red dress; the one her cousins said made her look like a fat cherry. She only hoped her husband to be liked cherries. Paen was getting impatient waiting to meet his betrothed. The anticipation was killing him and the longer he waited… NUMBER 267: The Deed, Lynsay Sands Lady Emma requested an audience with the king and during their meeting begged the king to order her husband to consummate their marriage. She was beyond embarrassment as her begging and pleading to Lord Fulk, her husband of two years had gone unanswered. On his way home to perform “the deed” Lord Fulk dies, leaving Emma a virgin widow… NUMBER 268: Together Alone, Barbara Delinsky Emily’s husband Doug travels a lot for business and her daughter Jill was leaving for college, soon leaving Emily all alone. While she would miss her daughter terribly, even though she was only three hours away, she doesn’t mind Doug being gone too much. Doug is elusive and rarely shows affection to Emily, still punishing her for letting their son, Daniel, get abducted from her car while she was in the post office running an errand… NUMBER 269: The Prince Kidnaps a Bride, Christina Dodd In fear of her life, Princess Sorcha has been hiding in a convent for the last ten years. Learning that her assassins have tracked her down, she leaves the convent to protect the nuns and sets out on a journey home to assume her royal duties. Along the way home, she meets a fisherman eager to help her on her journey. While a young man, Prince Rainger was at one time betrothed to Sorcha but circumstances beyond his control left him beaten and jailed… NUMBER 270: Princess, Gaelen Foley Serafina has loved Darius for as long as she can remember. But as a princess, she must go along with her father’s wishes and be married to another man. The arranged marriage will strengthen her father’s army and help protect their kingdom. Darius has been Serafina’s protector since he was saved from slavery by the King at age fourteen and in turn saved the King’s life. The son of a gypsy woman, Darius feels… NUMBER 271: Hummingbird, LaVryle Spencer Abigail isn’t getting any younger and the prospects for finding a husband in the small town of Stuart Junction are very slim. But soon, she has not one, but two men boarding in her house from which to choose. Of course, one of them tried to rob a train coming through her town and the other stopped him. Jesse and David are as different as night and day. David, the one responsible for stopping the robbery, is well respected… NUMBER 272: A Lady’s Pleasure, Rene Bernard Merriam is tired of being considered “mousy”, a nickname given to her by her father that stuck with her into adulthood. Her husband often dismissed her as if she were a pest he wasn’t to be bothered with, but she had outlasted him and now as a widow, was in search of something she had yet to find, blinding hot passion. Her plan was to seduce Julian Clay… NUMBER 273: Nightfall, Anne Stuart Cassidy will do anything to win her father’s approval and her father, award-winning novelist Sean O’Rourke, will do anything to have another one of his novels hit the bestseller list. Sean asks Cassidy to help edit his latest work, the true crime novel about Richard Tiernan, convicted of killing his wife and two missing children. Richard, who has never uttered a word about what happened to his family, agrees to let Sean write his story on one condition… NUMBER 274: Kiss of Darkness, Heather Graham Jessica hates conferences and has an uneasy feeling about the one she is supposed to attend in Romania. During her stay in Romania, she can’t help but feel she is being watched by someone and fears that her secret will be revealed. Bryan, a professor also attending a conference meets Jessica and feels an instant attraction, like they’ve know each other for a long time. Jessica feels the instant attraction as well, but is too preoccupied… NUMBER 275: Just One Touch, Debra Mullins Caroline’s father has arranged a marriage for his daughter, against her will. It is not until she learns that her father is being poisoned and that the marriage is the only way her father can protect her that she agrees; however, the demons she carries will not make it an easy marriage for either her or her husband-to-be. Rogan is returning home from war to rebuild his family estate and agrees to this marriage of convenience in order to… NUMBER 276: Lord Carew’s Bride, Mary Balough During Samantha’s trip to visit friends in the countryside she meets and befriends Hartley, a sweet man with plain looks and a disability. Meeting several times throughout her stay, Samantha feels safe with Hartley and confides that a past love, Lionel, has broken her heart and she doesn’t know if or when it will mend. Soon Samantha has to return to London, and Hartley who has already fallen in love with her, lets her leave without telling her… NUMBER 277: Legacy of Shadows, Virginia Brown Here’s a magical, myth-shrouded Celtic story from Memphis-based romance novel author, Virginia Brown (who, by the way, has written more than 50 romance novels). In Legacy of shadows, we follow the stormy relationship between a gorgeous green-eyed Celtic girl and her golden-haired Viking hero. Their love is forbidden. The Viking has, after all, attacked her village. But when he falls wounded, she can’t just watch him die… NUMBER 278: Master of Seduction, Kinley MacGregor Lorelei has always been able to bat her eyes and manipulate the men around her. So when her fiancé, Justin, wants her to help him capture Black Jack Rhys, the pirate some call the “master of seduction” she agrees to be used as bait, sure that this pirate will fall under her spell like all others. However, the plan goes awry and Lorelei is kidnapped by Black Jack and taken captive aboard his ship… NUMBER 279: With This Ring, Carla Kelly Lydia has always taken a back seat to her younger, prettier sister, Kitty. The only reason she is allowed to participate in London’s social season is to attend to her sister’s needs like a maid. During one of the social outings, Lydia accompanies Kitty to visit a makeshift hospital for wounded soldiers where Kitty hopes to meet and attract the affections of an officer. Lydia is so touched by wounded soldiers’ plight that, against her mother’s wishes, she offers to volunteer… NUMBER 280: When Darkness Falls, Shannon Drake Jade MacGregor’s vacation in Scotland turned into a nightmare when she and her tour group were attacked. The survivors escaped only with the assistance of a handsome stranger, who disappeared without revealing his identity. A year later, she’s back home in New Orleans, and her life is finally going right. She’s got a best-selling book, a wonderful boyfriend, and is surrounded by family and friends. Then the dreams start… NUMBER 281: Frontier Woman (book 1 in the Sisters of the Lone Star Trilogy) by Joan Johnson Creighton “Cricket” Stewart is the youngest of three daughters, scions of a wealthy Texan cotton plantation owner. Her father trained his daughters well in the skills of survival needed to thrive in the wild frontier that they called home, and Cricket took well to his teachings, taming wolves for pets, and scorning the notion that she needed a husband. Overconfidence proves her undoing, as she manages to offend the local Comanche tribe… NUMBER 282: Forbidden, by Elizabeth Lowell The beautiful young Amber is tutored in the healing arts, able to discern truth at a touch, and has herself been touched at birth by prophecy. Her truth-sense is both a gift and a curse, as it causes her great pain whenever she touches another. The prophecy bids her to be “untouched by man, not touching. Forbidden…” NUMBER 283: Truly Madly Yours, by Rachel Gibson Delaney Shaw returns to Truly, Idaho after ten years, for the reading of her stepfather’s will. She had long ago determined that freedom was worth more to her than her stepfather’s fortune. Once there, she discovers that her stepfather had a secret, a bastard son he had never before acknowledged. Nick Allegrezza had his own issues with his father, and was alternately resentful of and fascinated by… NUMBER 284: To Have and To Hold, by Patricia Gaffney Recently released from a Dartmoor prison, Rachel Wade must find employment, or be found guilty of vagrancy. Her history is against her, though. Who would be willing to risk hiring a murderess? Sebastian Verlain, the jaded Viscount D’Aubrey, has recently inherited a title and a rather shabby estate in the village of Wyckerley. He takes on this new experience out of sheer boredom… NUMBER 285: The Charm School, by Susan Wiggs Isadora Peabody wishes only to be left in peace with her beloved books. Her one dream is to marry a handsome scion of one of Boston’s most prominent families. She doesn’t delude herself about this being possible, though. She lacks beauty, style, and grace, and routinely proves this under the most embarrassingly public circumstances. After a particularly humiliating party… NUMBER 286: Lover Awakened, by J.R. Ward Third in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Lover Awakened continues the story of six brothers who are warrior vampires, defenders of their race. They battle against the Omega, and its minions, vampires who have given up their souls in return for near immortality. Zsadist, their leader, is the most dangerous of them all… NUMBER 287: Voices of the Night, by Lydia Joyce Maggie Knight was a child of the slums of London, and learned early the dangers of her environment. She therefore was highly suspicious of a proposition from one Lord Charles Crossham. He had informed his sister that any girl could be a lady, and placed a bet to prove it, choosing Maggie as his unlikely candidate. She wants no part of this, but cannot resist his offer… NUMBER 288: Silk and Steel, by Kat Martin Lady Kathryn Grayson is torn from a life of privilege by the greed of her uncle, who accuses her of attempted murder, and commits her to an asylum in order to claim her inheritance. At the first opportunity, she escapes her captors, stowing away in the luggage boot of a nearby carriage, hoping to escape the city. The carriage belongs to Lucien Montaine, Marguess of Litchfield, who offers her his protection… NUMBER 289: On Thin Ice, by Cherry Adair Lily Munroe married Sean thinking that he was an honorable man. This illusion did not survive their honeymoon, when she discovered that him using the trip to search for another woman. Sean avoided divorce by revealing his terminal illness, and Lily stayed to tend him. The one person that makes the situation tolerable is Derek Wright… NUMBER 290: Sizzle, by Jennifer Crusie This installment from Harlequin’s Stolen Moments series brings us Emily Tate, a sharp businesswoman who knows what she wants, and it does not involve a man overshadowing her achievements, personally or at work. Richard Parker is a man used to getting his way, and is not interested in backing down for anyone. Together, they are assigned a marketing campaign for a new perfume… NUMBER 291: Tell Me Lies, by Jennifer Crusie Maddie Faraday, while cleaning her husband’s Cadillac, finds evidence that he is seeing another woman. As if this isn’t bad enough, she’s trying to hide the evidence from a nosy neighbor, and needing to keep her daughter Emily from realizing what is wrong. In the middle of trying to soothe her outrage with chocolate, she answers the door and finds C. L. Sturgis, a high school fling she hasn’t seen in 20 years… NUMBER 292: Angel in a Red Dress, by Judith Ivory Christina Bower is the daughter of a barrister. She is fully aware that an earl is far above her social position, but that didn’t stop her from being totally fascinated by Adrien Hunt’s charm. His scandalous reputation further fueled her fathers’ resistance, so she weds the eldest son of a baron. Three years later, Christina is involved in scandal herself, her husband is suing her for divorce, for not yet producing an heir… NUMBER 293: Beast, by Judith Ivory Louise Vandermeer is the heir to great wealth, and possessed of incredible beauty. Bored and feeling trapped by her life and family, she agrees to marry the sophisticated Charles Harcourt sight unseen, simply because she wants the freedom it will grant her. Charles, wishing to meet his future wife, arranges passage on the cruise that is carrying her to her new life. Unknown to Louise, Charles suffers from several defects of appearance… NUMBER 294: A Kingdom of Dreams, by Judith McNaught Royce Westmorland, Duke of Claymore, was dubbed “The Wolf” by his king before he was fully grown, and is feared by many. Jennifer Merrick is a clan chief’s daughter, confined to a convent through the machinations of her stepbrothers, who know her marriage would threaten their chance to lead the clan. She gains release from the nunnery when her father uses her to cement an alliance… NUMBER 295: Nine Coaches Waiting, by Mary Stewart Linda Martin spent her early childhood in France, until her parent’s death triggered her return to England, where she endured a loveless childhood confined to an orphanage. She is overjoyed to be offered a position as governess to the young Compte Philippe de Valmy. The child compte’s uncle Leon has rules Chateau Valmy since before his nephew’s birth, his paralysis hindering him not at all… NUMBER 296: The Price of Innocence, by Susan Sizemore Sherrie Hamilton is a respectable American widow escorting her cousins on a husband-hunting jaunt amongst the aristocracy of England. Imagine her surprise when she meets Earl Jack PenMartyn, whom she recognizes as the pirate who long ago saved her from consignment to an eastern harem. She still remembers the bargain they struck for her freedom, and how she never regretted surrendering to the disreputable pirate captain… NUMBER 297: An Unwilling Bride, by Jo Beverly Lucien, heir to the Duchy of Belcraven, is shocked to discover that he is not the true offspring of his father. His supposed parents both had indiscretions in their pasts, both resulting in children. The old Duke was determined that his bloodline must be preserved and plans that his daughter should wed his wife’s son, presenting this plan to them without the option of refusal. Lucien is shocked… NUMBER 298: Night Play, by Sherilyn Kenyon Vane Katalakis is an Arcadian/Katagarian crossbreed. Born in wolf form, he has the ability to shift to human appearance, but is more comfortable as a wolf. Tragedy fills his life, both parents wish him dead, his sister has been murdered, and his brother Fang lies in a coma after a vicious attack on the two of them. His only good memory is of a brief glimpse of Bride McTierney. Her life is also nothing to envy… NUMBER 299: Fantasy Lover, by Sherilyn Kenyon Grace Alexander is a twenty nine year old sex therapist who is herself celibate, recovering form an abusive relationship. Her friend Selena has the perfect solution, an ancient book which holds captive a magnificent male, bound to serve one month as a love slave to his summoner. Grace, familiar with Selena’s past attempts at magic, humors her friend, and is deeply surprised when this scheme actually works… 12345678910
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