Entranced by a portrait, haunted by scandal, he would stop at nothing to learn the truth . . . even if it led to their utter ruin.

Playboy bachelor the Earl of Ashby had become fascinated by the beautiful actress Lysette Davide, agreeing to a wager with his friends to make her his mistress. But Lysette, in actual fact, was the highly respectable society lady Miss Camilla Knight, and she would be ruined if anyone discovered her scandalous secret! Courting the beautiful Camilla by day and trying to win his reckless wager by night, when would the earl realize that Camilla and Lysette were one and the same woman?

In Regency England, an actress finds herself suddenly playing on a whole new stage . . . Having risen from the squalor of London’s back alleys to be the darling of Drury Lane, Meg Fletcher was indeed the consummate actress. And it takes all her considerable skills to conceal her shock when she learns she was actually the legitimate daughter—and heir—of Sir Richard Carswell, an aging baronet . . . Determined to learn why her mother fled her husband in terror all those years ago, Meg journeys to Carswell Hall. There, in addition to the scandalized servants and a very surprised papa, she encounters the extremely unsettling Earl of Stanbrook, a deliciously handsome rake—who is not at all amused when the actress he’d been intended to seduce began putting on airs at Carswell Hall in the role of virtuous prodigal daughter. There was only one way a girl of her station could have come so far in the world. She might enjoy pretending she wasn’t to be won over with a few baubles, but he knew she was his for the taking. It would be trickier now that he knew she was of the Quality, but every gentleman understood there were ways to bend the rules when wooing a scandalous lady . . .

A comprehensive guide that defines the literature and the outlines the best-selling genre of all time: romance fiction. More than 2,000 romances are published annually, making it difficult for fans and the librarians who advise them to keep pace with new titles, emerging authors, and constant evolution of this dynamic genre. Fortunately, romance expert and librarian Kristin Ramsdell provides a definitive guide to this fiction genre that serves as an indispensible resource for those interested in it—including fans searching for reading material—as well as for library staff, scholars, and romance writers themselves. This title updates the last edition of Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre, published in 1999.While the emphasis is on newer titles, many of the important older classics are retained, keeping the focus of the book on the entire genre, instead of only those titles published during the last decade. Specific changes include new chapters on linked and continuing romances, a new section on "Chick Lit" in the Contemporary Romance chapter, an expansion of coverage on the alternative reality subset. This is THE romance genre guide to have.

Scarred by life… Until he finds her Stumbling upon Lady Melissa Aldercombe hiding away in his library during a ball, Sir Adam Lathbury expects to be greeted by her horror and revulsion at his disfigured appearance—not a fiery frisson of attraction that he thought he’d never encounter again. But after his betrothed rejected him, can Adam believe the connection is genuine? Especially when he discovers she’s harboring an explosive reputation-destroying secret! From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.

David Fleming, Hart Mackenzie's right-hand man, seeks refuge with his vicar friend in Shropshire, only to find that the vicar's beautiful niece, Sophie, is seeking refuge as well. Tongues are wagging all over London about Sophie, and she finds that the only gentleman sympathetic to her plight is the reprobate David. David and Sophie match wits as they help her uncle dig up the countryside searching for a villa from Roman Britain, and David decides to use his conniving ways to fix all Sophie's problems. It’s the least he can do for the woman who has woken him out of the stupor in which he’s been living.