Bücher von Alexa Aston

A man who cherishes his freedom at sea. A woman who fears she will never find her place in Polite Society. Two unlikely people who come together-and find love . . .As a boy, Seth Atwell falls in love with the sea. His uncle, Lord Hopewell, arranges for Seth to become a cabin boy, and over the years, Seth works his way up to the position of captain of a trading vessel. On a return trip home to England, he is shocked to learn that he is the new Viscount Hopewell-and must give up his seafaring ways.Lady Philippa Strong has a zest for life and is always in motion. Curious about everything, with a love of languages and geography, Pippa doesn't want to make her come-out with her twin. Though she adores Georgina, Pippa knows when the ton compares the two Strong twins, she will come up lacking.Seth retreats to Hopewood, his country estate, where he encounters his ducal neighbor's sister. Seth is drawn to Pippa's free spirit and inquisitive nature, and she agrees to give him riding lessons since he has never been atop a horse. The pair grow close, but friendship is not enough for this viscount. He wants to claim Pippa as his viscountess.Can Seth convince Pippa that friends can become lovers-and that love does not limit a woman's opportunities?*Each book in The Strongs of Shadowcrest is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.The Strongs of ShadowcrestBook #1: The Duke's Unexpected LoveBook #2: The Perks of Loving a ViscountBook #3: Falling for the MarquessBook #4: The Captain and the DuchessBook #5: Courtship at Shadowcrest (Regency Duet - includes Tempted by the Earl and The Viscount's Heart)Book #6: The Marquess' Quest for LoveBook #7: The Duke's Guide to Winning a Lady

A virgin widow running her own company. A man who returns home after years at sea. An oddly-matched couple-who may not be so incompatible after all . . .James Jones recalls little of his past, only remembering being taken as a young boy and growing up on the Seven Seas. Rising from cabin boy to captain of a ship, a chance encounter with a drunken stranger leads James back to his family, where he discovers he is the heir to the dying Duke of Seaton.Sophie Grant, daughter of a viscount, never made her come-out, thanks to her father's bad investments, which were paid off by Josiah Grant, owner of one of the leading shipping lines in Great Britain. As part of the arrangement, the shy Sophie is given to Josiah in marriage. Her new, much older husband helps Sophie to gain confidence in herself by teaching her all about how to run his shipping empire.James, a former captain for one of Grant's vessels, encounters the now-widowed Sophie and feels a connection with the efficient, intelligent woman. Rebelling against his new role as a leading member of the ton, he despises Polite Society and its expectation that he wed some titled gentleman's bird-witted daughter-because James is increasingly drawn to the gossiped-about, independent Sophie Grant.Will a newly-minted duke be able to win the heart of a woman who spurns the ton and has built a satisfying life for herself?Each book in The Strongs of Shadowcrest is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order. The Strongs of ShadowcrestBook #1: The Duke's Unexpected LoveBook #2: The Perks of Loving a ViscountBook #3: Falling for the MarquessBook #4: The Captain and the DuchessBook #5: Courtship at Shadowcrest (Regency Duet - includes Tempted by the Earl and The Viscount's Heart)Book #6: The Marquess' Quest for LoveBook #7: The Duke's Guide to Winning a Lady

A serious clergyman whose brothers die, leaving him an unexpected duke . . .A woman who is making her way as a Bow Street runner . . .An investigation that leads them to the truth-and each other . . .Jasper Lincoln is happy tending to his congregation when news arrives of his brother's death in battle. Jasper's father, ailing for several months, slips away, unable to bear the news. And on that same night, Jasper's brother, Lord Sutton, drunkenly falls down the stairs, dying instantly, making Jasper a sudden duke. He harbors lingering suspicions about these two deaths and seeks help at Bow Street.Orphan Shelby Slade grew up on the cruel streets of London, surviving as a pickpocket until being rescued by Mr. Franklin, head of the Bow Street runners. Shelby finds her purpose, becoming the only female agent at Bow Street. She is assigned to the Duke of Edgehaven's case and fights the growing attraction she feels for the solemn clergyman-turned-duke.As her inquiry proceeds, Shelby believes the previous duke was poisoned with arsenic and that the new duke's niece, who has suddenly turned mute, may have witnessed her own father's murder. Together, with Edgehaven's help, she searches for answers, wanting to uncover the truth regarding both deaths.Will Shelby's investigation lead to discovering the killer's identity-and will she live long enough to claim happiness with Jasper?Each book in the Suddenly a Duke series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Suddenly a Duke:Book 1 - Portrait of the DukeBook 2 - Music for the DukeBook 3 - Polishing the DukeBook 4 - Designs on the DukeBook 5 - Fashioning the DukeBook 6 - Love Blooms with the DukeBook 7 - Training the DukeBook 8 - Investigating the Duke

Welcome to the new world from USA Today bestselling author Alexa Aston-Sugar Springs-a small town in East Texas where love has a way of turning up when you least expect it!A chef digging her way out of debt. A doctor making a huge career move. Two dedicated professionals who think they are too busy for love . . . .Viviana Romano leaves her small East Texas town after high school graduation and lives with relatives in Tuscany for three years, learning to cook the food of her ancestors. When she comes home from her years abroad, she lands a job at a steakhouse in Dallas, falling for a moody chef who winds up sinking Vivi into massive debt. Four years later-and finally debt-free-Vivi returns to her hometown and takes over Romano's, her parents' pizza parlor, with ambitious plans for the restaurant.As a boy, emergency room physician Ford Carpenter spent summers in Sugar Springs with his aunt and uncle, who were childless and always treated Ford as if he were their son. Facing burnout from eighteen-hours days managing a busy Houston ER, he agrees to go into practice with his uncle, eager to practice a different kind of medicine.While reclaiming his life and settling into Sugar Springs and a slower pace of life, Ford begins a romance with a reluctant Vivi, who is drawn to the handsome doctor and yet hesitant to commit to a relationship after being burned in the past.Will Vivi be able to risk her heart and find a future with Ford-or will the demons of her past doom their relationship from the start?Find the answer in Recipe for Love, Book 5 in Sugar Springs.

A fourth son instantly propelled into a dukedom . . .A beautiful woman trying to support herself as a governess . . .Two people who want to be accepted-and who long for love . . .Xander Hughes, London's biggest rake, suddenly finds himself in over his head, becoming the Duke of Brockbank and guardian to two nieces he has never met. He decides he must turn over a new leaf and become a sober, responsible duke and starts by hiring a governess for the girls. But Miss Fennimore is a most unique governess with her odd methods of education-and soon Xander wonders if she might make for an even better duchess.Willa Fennimore's parents were the toast of London's theatre world until Theodosia Fennimore murdered her playwright husband and then leaped to her death. Not wishing to become an actress like her mother, Willa supports herself as a companion and governess for a decade, finding her latest post is to instruct a duke's two unruly nieces.As Willa falls in love with the orphaned girls, she finds herself also tumbling into love with the Duke of Brockbank. She's been warned that the duke was a wild rogue before he inherited his title, but Willa only knows the caring man who meets his duties head on and spends an inordinate amount of time with his nieces, who aren't so terrible after all.After Brockbank offers marriage to Willa, she dreams of a new life filled with love and happiness. The only thing standing in her way is the secret of her past. If Willa shares her background, she fears she might lose Xander forever.Will Xander reject Willa when he learns of the scandal involving her parents-or will this rule-breaking duke flout the rules of Polite Society yet again and make a most inappropriate woman his duchess?Each book in the Suddenly a Duke series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Suddenly a Duke:Book 1 - Portrait of the DukeBook 2 - Music for the DukeBook 3 - Polishing the DukeBook 4 - Designs on the DukeBook 5 - Fashioning the DukeBook 6 - Love Blooms with the DukeBook 7 - Training the DukeBook 8 - Investigating the Duke

Welcome to the new world from USA Today bestselling author Alexa Aston-Sugar Springs-a small town in East Texas where love has a way of turning up when you least expect it!A woman ready to make a fresh start in life after a double tragedy. A man returning to his hometown, eager to serve his community. Two people not looking for a relationship-much less love-and finding life is better when it's shared . . .Deb Busby's life implodes when a stalker causes her to be fired from her job-and when she lets him know she has no interest in him-he murders her parents. Seeking to escape her past and her enormous grief and guilt, Deb changes her name to Hope Keller and moves to the small town of Sugar Springs, purchasing the practice of the local veterinarian.Gideon Ross had hopes for playing in the NFL until a knee injury changed his career trajectory. Becoming a detective in Dallas, Gideon is eventually given the opportunity to return to his hometown and take over as its chief of police. Divorced for a decade, he has no plans for dating, much less marriage-until he meets Dr. Hope Keller.But Gideon's police instincts cause him to look into Hope's background. As his relationship with Hope heats up, he hesitates to tell her he knows about her past because he worries that it might impact their future.Can Hope find peace in a new place and heal emotionally-and is Gideon Ross the man for her?Find the answer in A Fresh Start, Book 4 in Sugar Springs.

She craved his touch-and they had yet to kiss.A widowed duchess at loose ends, longing for love. A colonel with no family who unexpectedly becomes an earl. Two stubborn individuals who are drawn together by passion-and also find friendship . . .Dalinda Baker wed the Duke of Gilford after one brief meeting, escaping a cruel, unloving father before he could betroth her to a stranger. The much older duke gives her confidence, stability, and two sons before he dies of a heart attack a dozen years into their marriage. With her young boys away at school, Dalinda is at loose ends and visits her brother, where she meets a sinfully handsome stranger.Rhys Armistead toils as a working-class groom when he is plucked from obscurity by the Earl of Sheffington, whose sickly son might never live to succeed him. Rhys' mother is a distant cousin to the earl and Rhys is next in line to become Lord Sheffington if the heir apparent passes. Treating Rhys as a second son, the earl purchases a commission in the army for Rhys, who spends a dozen years fighting on the Continent until he receives word that he has inherited the earldom.Turning to Dez, his closest friend from the war who recently returned to England when he unexpectedly became an earl, Rhys visits the new Lord Torrington-and is taken with Dez's twin sister, Dalinda, a vivacious widow. The couple spends one magical night together but Rhys realizes the duchess is far superior to him socially and offers her friendship instead of marriage.Can Dalinda convince Rhys that they are a perfect match-or will his stubbornness keep them apart forever?Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston's fifth book of Soldiers and Soulmates, To Win a Widow. Each book in Soldiers and Soulmates is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Soldiers & Soulmates:Book #1: To Heal an EarlBook #2: To Tame a RogueBook #3: To Trust a DukeBook #4: To Save a LoveBook #5: To Win a Widow

A spy with a guilty conscience. A war widow who works for the government. Both united to bring down a ring of traitors...To prevent her father from marrying her off to an elderly suitor, Lady Gemma Barton begs her childhood friend to marry her, devising a way for them to be found in a compromising position. Gemma weds Rob, who then departs to serve on Wellesley's staff in the war against Bonaparte. Gemma's new father-in-law soon has her working for the British government, deciphering enemy codes.Burke Nicholson serves in the Peninsular War as a soldier and spy, using his charisma and charm to gather intelligence. After he's rescued from being captured and tortured, Burke lives with survivor's guilt, believing he did something to compromise his latest mission which got his partner killed. He returns to London to continue his spy work, where he is partnered with Gemma and tasked to find a group of traitors within the War Office. The trouble is that Gemma is the widow of Burke's former partner. Not only did he get her husband killed, but Burke fears their dangerous assignment might also end Gemma's life.The pair fight their growing attraction to one another as they draw closer to finding the rebels trying to topple the British government.Will Gemma ever be able to forgive Burke for his role in her husband's death, and will Burke ever be able to forgive himself?Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston's second book of Soldiers and Soulmates, To Tame a Rogue.Each book in Soldiers and Soulmates is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Soldiers and SoulmatesBook #1: To Heal an EarlBook #2: To Tame a RogueBook #3: To Trust a DukeBook #4: To Save a LoveBook #5: To Win a Widow

Both wronged by their fathers . . . two damaged souls longing for love and salvation . . .Childhood sweethearts Desmond Bretton and Anna Browning defy their powerful fathers and elope to Gretna Green when Anna is told she will marry a viscount old enough to be her grandfather. Caught before they cross the Scottish border, Dez is shipped off to the army, where he learns of Anna's suicide. Though a dozen years pass, Dez still loves the girl who always held his heart.Though everyone is told Anna died, her father places his daughter in a madhouse to punish her for her rebellious behavior. Anna retreats inside herself to a world of her own making in order to cling to her sanity. Dez, her lost love, is a huge part of that perfect world.When Dez becomes the Earl of Torrington, he discovers Anna is still alive and with her cousin's help, they free her from Gollingham Asylum. Dez knows the girl he loves still lingers within Anna and is determined to liberate her, as well as other women imprisoned at the madhouse.Can Dez save the sanity of the woman he loves-or will Anna be lost to him forever?Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston's fourth book of Soldiers and Soulmates, To Save a Love.Each book in Soldiers and Soulmates is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Soldiers and SoulmatesBook #1: To Heal an EarlBook #2: To Tame a RogueBook #3: To Trust a DukeBook #4: To Save a LoveBook #5: To Win a Widow

A soldier returning from war. A war widow who's created a new life for herself. An attraction that brings them together . . . Forced to marry a stranger after one chaste kiss, Lady Ashlyn Clarke spends a single night with her new husband before his regiment ships off to war. She gives birth to a son and loses the boy four years later in a tragic accident, only to learn she's also a war widow. Ashlyn invests her settlement and what's left of her shattered heart in Dunwood Academy, a school for troubled boys. When a devastatingly handsome duke begs her to take on his wayward half-brothers as pupils, Ashlyn is up for the challenge-but finds herself fighting her attraction to the arrogant nobleman. Colonel Reid Baker arrives home from the Peninsular War and finds himself the Duke of Gilford, assuming his new responsibilities and placing his rebellious half-brothers at a local academy. Knowing he'll need an heir, he sets his sights on the headstrong, confident Lady Dunwood, who claims she'll never wed again. Convincing the dowager countess to marry him becomes Reid's mission, as he jumps every hurdle Ashlyn places in his way-and along that way, the cool-headed former army officer loses his heart to the intelligent beauty. Will Reid break through the walls Ashlyn has erected around her and teach her to live-and love?¿¿Soldiers and Soulmates Book #1: To Heal an Earl Book #2: To Tame a Rogue Book #3: To Trust a Duke Book #4: To Save a Love Book #5: To Win a Widow

Both wronged by their families . . . two souls alone in the world . . .Instead of making her come-out during the upcoming London Season, Lady Charlotte Nott finds herself tossed from her home after her father's untimely death by a vengeful half-brother. Penniless, she makes her way in a world new to her, first serving as a companion and then governess to the three children of Lord Crampton. When the earl dies moments after hiring her, Charlotte takes on the running of Gray Manor's household and estate until the children's new guardian arrives. Guilt weighs heavily on Major Danforth Grayson, having lost too many men under his command over the years. When he receives word of the death of the brother who wronged him, Gray returns home, bitter with the hand life has dealt him. He intends to hire competent people to manage the estate and care for his nephew and nieces and retreat to a solitary life in London-until he meets the inimitable Miss Nott.Charlotte is drawn to Gray but knows she is no longer of his world. When he suddenly becomes the new Lord Crampton, she knows it's time to leave her charges behind-for what woman would care to watch the man she loves wed another and start a family as she suffers in silence? Yet Charlotte knows Gray is a broken man and her leaving might shatter him forever.Can Charlotte walk away from a flawed man who desperately needs her, or will she leave before she loses her own soul?Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston's first book of Soldiers and Soulmates, To Heal an Earl. Each book in Soldiers and Soulmates is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Soldiers and SoulmatesBook #1: To Heal an EarlBook #2: To Tame a RogueBook #3: To Trust a DukeBook #4: To Save a LoveBook #5: To Win a Widow

Eight titled peers who never expected to become dukes do just that-and are attracted to females whom Polite Society does not believe worthy of the title duchess, due to their desires to be more than typical ladies of the ton.But these sudden dukes choose to forge their own paths with the remarkable women who are already doing just that-and the resulting love proves that trusting one's heart is always the right choice.A career army officer who never has known love . . .The bastard daughter of an earl who owns a millinery shop . . .A growing passion that could turn Polite Society on its ear . . .Major-General Nigel Foxwell has spent his entire adult life at war. When he receives word that his much older half-brother has died, Fox inherits not only the title Duke of Abington-but he becomes the guardian to his two nieces who are on the verge of making their come-outs.Miss Delaney Colebourne lost her beloved father and suffers the wrath of his heir. The new Lord Kinnison tells members of the ton if they frequent Delaney's Designs, he and Lady Kinnison will give them the cut direct. His edict causes Delaney's business to evaporate overnight.A chance meeting at a solicitor's office has Fox pleading with Delaney to help him manage his nieces' come-outs. She agrees to design the young ladies' wardrobes and has her former employees help her in making up gowns for the pair. An attraction grows-and Fox and Delaney act upon-but she refuses to marry him.Will this newly-minted duke convince Delaney that she can maintain her independence and still love him-or will her mistrust of Polite Society prevent her from a lifetime of love?Find the answer in Alexa Aston's Fashioning the Duke, Book 5 in Suddenly a Duke.¿¿¿¿Suddenly a DukeBook 1 - Portrait of the DukeBook 2 - Music for the DukeBook 3 - Polishing the DukeBook 4 - Designs on the DukeBook 5 - Fashioning the DukeBook 6 - Love Blooms with the DukeBook 7 - Training the DukeBook 8 - Investigating the Duke

Welcome to the new world from USA Today bestselling author Alexa Aston-Sugar Springs-a small town in East Texas where love has a way of turning up when you least expect it!A woman betrayed and cast adrift. A man ready to prove himself professionally. Opposites who don't match up on paper-and yet they find they are a perfect match . . .Nova Turner was tossed out by her fundamentalist parents when she turned up pregnant at fifteen. Taken in by her bohemian artist aunt, Nova gives birth to Leo, who becomes the light of her life. Hit by a double whammy-her live-in lover betrays her and her beloved Aunt Rain dies in a car accident-Nova finds herself inheriting Rain's house in Sugar Springs, Texas.Cole Johnson's storied football career as a Texas Longhorn came to an end when he tore up a knee. He shifts his focus from playing to coaching. After a decade as an assistant, he's offered the chance to become the head coach and athletic director at Sugar Springs High School.Sparks fly when Nova meets the handsome coach, the man her son is itching to play football for. Cole teaches Nova about the game of football-and things heat up between them.Can an unconventional artist and single parent find happiness with a workaholic coach who's always played by the rules?Find the answer in A Perfect Match, Book 3 in Sugar Springs.

A haberdashery owner who suddenly discovers he's a duke . . .A woman of the ton stained by scandal . . .A deathbed request which brings this pair together . . .Haberdasher Pierce Selkirk always knew he was the son of an earl. Much to his surprise, he learns he is not illegitimate as he had been led to believe. With his father's death, he becomes the Duke of Stoneham and must take up responsibilities beyond his comprehension.Lady Nalyssa Shelbourne was the darling of the ton until her gambling father went bankrupt and committed suicide. The suicide cast a shadow upon Nalyssa, and she now earns her living preparing men who have unexpectedly come into a title, training them to take their places in Polite Society.Nalyssa travels to Stonecrest, where she meets her next client, a man she is wildly attracted to. The new duke also desires Nalyssa, and she does her best to hold him at arms' length as she trains him in the idiosyncrasies and unwritten rules of the ton. Nalyssa knows Stoneham must make a brilliant marriage, if only to help his sister and help her find her footing in Polite Society.Will this duke create an even greater scandal by pursuing-and wedding-a woman barely tolerated by the ton?Find the answer in Alexa Aston's Polishing the Duke, Book 3 in Suddenly a Duke.Each book in the Suddenly a Duke series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Suddenly a DukeBook 1 - Portrait of the DukeBook 2 - Music for the DukeBook 3 - Polishing the DukeBook 4 - Designs on the DukeBook 5 - Fashioning the DukeBook 6 - Love Blooms with the DukeBook 7 - Training the DukeBook 8 - Investigating the Duke

A rule-following viscount who becomes a sudden duke . . .A young woman who loses her parents and turns to music for solace . . .Two people who want very different things from life . . .Lord Henry Vaughn witnesses the deaths of his father and grandfather and becomes the new Duke of Linberry. A decent, kind, and responsible man, Henry knows after this double tragedy that it is important he take a wife and provide a ducal heir since death can come calling unexpectedly.Lady Sophia Sawyer loses both her parents closely together and mourns them the requisite year. When her cousin, the new Lord Parkhurst, calls her to London, she believes it is so she might make her delayed come-out. Instead, Fia is banished to live in the attic like a servant, while Parkhurst schedules her to give music lessons to children of the ton, keeping the fees for himself.The couple meets through mutual friends and the duke is drawn to the quiet, golden-haired beauty. When Fia shares she wants to play and compose her own music, however, Henry is torn, worried what Polite Society would think of a duchess who is anything but conventional.Will the duke learn to bend-and even let go of the ton's rigid, unwritten rules-and instead choose to follow his heart?Each book in the Suddenly a Duke series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Suddenly a DukeBook 1 - Portrait of the DukeBook 2 - Music for the DukeBook 3 - Polishing the DukeBook 4 - Designs on the DukeBook 5 - Fashioning the DukeBook 6 - Love Blooms with the DukeBook 7 - Training the DukeBook 8 - Investigating the Duke

Welcome to Suddenly a Duke-the new Regency romance world from USA Today bestselling author Alexa Aston.Eight titled peers who never expected to become dukes do just that-and are attracted to females whom Polite Society does not believe worthy of the title duchess, due to their desires to be more than typical ladies of the ton.But these sudden dukes choose to forge their own paths with the remarkable women who are already doing just that-and the resulting love proves that trusting one's heart is always the right choice.A fun-loving man who has become a staid duke . . .An independent lady who wishes to pursue her artistic bent . . .A long-ago meeting which left a lasting impression on them both . . .Daniel Judson, the Duke of Westfield, changed from a carefree young rogue into a sober duke once faced with a mountain of responsibilities after he assumed his grandfather's title. After seeing both his sisters wed, Daniel knows it is finally time for him to take a wife in order to provide the necessary ducal heir.Lady Margaret Townsend's come-out was delayed by the ill health and subsequent deaths of her parents. Now an ancient four and twenty, she makes her debut into Polite Society-not to find a husband-but to secure important social connections within the ton in order to acquire commissions to paint their portraits, a dream she has long held.Sparks surfaced during their initial encounter ten years ago. Their second introduction at the inaugural ball of the Season leaves Daniel certain he has found his duchess, while Margaret is confused by the never-known feelings stirring within her.Will the duke convince this lady she can have both marriage and her art-or will her stubbornness to follow a chosen path have her miss out on love?Find the answer in Alexa Aston's Portrait of the Duke, Book 1 in Suddenly a Duke.Each book in the Suddenly a Duke series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Suddenly a DukeBook 1 - Portrait of the DukeBook 2 - Music for the DukeBook 3 - Polishing the DukeBook 4 - Designs on the DukeBook 5 - Fashioning the DukeBook 6 - Love Blooms with the DukeBook 7 - Training the DukeBook 8 - Investigating the Duke

A woman spurned by the ton . . .A duke harboring an appalling secret . . .Life radically changes for Arabella Jennings, the daughter of an Oxford don, when her father becomes the Earl of Barrington. She''s an intellectual who would rather be discussing Shakespeare''s works but now finds herself navigating the vicious waters of Polite Society.Jonathan Sutton''s twin dies, making him the new Duke of Blackmore. Pledging to live for both himself and Arch, Jon becomes one of London''s leading rakes, breaking rules and bedding women as his brother would have done had he lived.Jon meets Arabella the first night of the Season and decides this woman, so different from every conquest he''s made, might help him from the abyss he''s sunk into.Can a bluestocking with a quick wit tame the disreputable Duke of Arrogance-and save his soul?Find the answer in The Duke of Arrogance, Book 4 in the Dukes of Distinction.Each book in Dukes of Distinction is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.Dukes of DistinctionDuke of RenownDuke of CharmDuke of DisreputeDuke of ArroganceDuke of Honor

Who doesn''t love a duke? How about five of them?Welcome to bestselling author Alexa Aston''s new Regency romance series, the Dukes of Distinction! These five aristocrats all come with nicknames Polite Society has bestowed upon them. Renown. Charm. Disrepute. Arrogance. Honor.A woman with a broken heart . . .A soldier who never dreamed he''d become a duke . . .Phoebe Smythe, Countess of Borwick, suffers a tragic miscarriage when she learns her husband and young son have been killed in a carriage accident. The grieving widow retreats to an isolated cottage on the coast of Cornwall, where she finds a smuggler who''s washed ashore, blood leaking from a bullet wound.Captain Andrew Graham returns home from the Napoleonic Wars after the death of his older brother, finding his father on his deathbed. Soon he becomes the Duke of Windham and must deal not only with numerous responsibilities but his wayward half-brother, who has amassed a mountain of debt and then shoots Andrew so he can become the new duke.Andrew awakens to an angel of mercy, Mrs. Smith, a middle-class widow who nurses him back to health. She thinks he''s a criminal, which amuses him, but he soon falls in love with her beauty and spirit. On the day he decides to ask for her hand in marriage, she disappears and he has no way to find her-until he spies her across a London ballroom.Though her heart belongs to the Cornish smuggler she left behind, Phoebe places herself once more on the Marriage Mart. She yearns to be a mother again-which means finding a husband.What will Phoebe do when she learns that her Mr. Andrew is none other than the famous Duke of Renown?