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The Reluctant Governess
by Anne MatherIt was to get away from a troublesome love affair that Victoria Monroe had taken on the job of governess to little Sophie von Reichstein in the Austrian alps-but she arrived at the schloss to find another challenging situation awaiting her. The child, it appeared, had already got rid of two previous governesses and was all set to do the same with the new on. But Victoria was determined that her small charge was not going to get the better of her. Or did she have some other reason for wishing to stay on at the schloss-such as the child's attractive, embittered father, Baron Horst von Reichstein? And if she did, wasn't it better first to find out just what was the mystery surrounding his wife?
The Reluctant Governess
by Maggie RobinsonFrom the author of In The Arms of the Heiress, a seductive romance about getting schooled in the ways of the heart--and desire... A secretary for the renowned Evensong Agency, Eliza Lawrence may have a pretty face, but she's much prouder of her mind and her morals. When she's pressed into temporary governess duty as a favor to her boss, she doesn't expect to bend one bit for the rakish Nicholas Raeburn. Not even when he opens the door to her half-dressed... Despite his bad reputation, Nicholas is a man of honor. To Nick's way of thinking, he doesn't need any help raising his daughter, Domenica. If only he weren't so drawn to the meddlesome woman's sparkling wit and uncommon beauty... But when an act of misplaced chivalry goes seriously awry, resulting in mayhem and almost murder, Eliza becomes the only woman he can depend upon. Nick will do anything to protect his family, but who will protect him from falling in love with his reluctant governess? Praise for the Ladies Unlaced Novels "Downton Abbey fans will fall in love...A must read!"--Tessa Dare, USA Today bestselling author "A fun, light and very sexy historical."--Smexy Books "Charming...Filled with action, love and secrets."--Fresh Fiction Maggie Robinson, author of the Ladies Unlaced series, including In the Arms of an Heiress and In the Heart of the Highlander, is a former teacher, library clerk, and mother of four who woke up in the middle of the night absolutely compelled to create the perfect man and use as many adverbs as possible doing so. A transplanted New Yorker, she lives with her not-quite-perfect husband in Maine, where the cold winters are ideal for staying inside and writing hot historical romances.
The Reluctant Groom: All Things Considered, and Almost Paradise
by Debbie MacomberAll Things Considered: Judd Matthiessen was married, and it didn't work out. He left his wife, Lanni, and their daughter, which seemed to prove what his father had always said-he was no good. But now the old man's illness brings Judd back to the family ranch. Despite all his bitterness, all his anger, Judd asks Lanni to join him. When she does, he finds that he still has strong feelings for her, and he has to wonder: Is there such a thing as a second chance? <P><P> Almost Paradise: Jeff Roarke has a strict no romance in the workplace policy. So what if the workplace happens to be a summer camp deep in the woods? He's the camp director and he's against anything that will distract the kids. . . or the counselors. And there's nothing more distracting than love! He discovers how true that is when he falls for counselor Sherry White. He's determined to resist her-and she's just as determined not to let him!
The Reluctant Groom
by Emma RichmondMission: marriage!Abby Hunter wasn't very experienced at the flirting game. She was probably the only twenty-eight-year-old virgin in the history of the planet! But she didn't want to be. Especially after she'd met sexy tycoon Sam Turner.He was a walking temptation-and he'd made her an offer she knew she should refuse. Sam Turner didn't believe in love or marriage; all he'd offered Abby was a temporary affair-no strings attached! Could she ever persuade this reluctant groom to take a chance on love?
The Reluctant Guardian
by Susanne DietzeUnder the Spy's Protection When Gemma Lyfeld inadvertently interrupts a dangerous smuggling operation in her English village, she's rescued by a mysterious Scottish spy. Now with criminals after her and her hopes for an expected marriage proposal recently dashed, she will make her society debut in London. But not without the man tasked with protecting her... Covert government agent Tavin Knox must keep Gemma safe from the criminals who think she can identify them-a mission he never wanted. But as he escorts her and her rascally nephews around London, the lovely English lass proves braver than he ever imagined. Suddenly, the spy who works alone has one Season to become the family man he never dreamed he'd be.
The Reluctant Guardian
by Jo ManningA classic Signet Regency Romance that "exudes the rich flavor of Regency England" (New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh) by beloved author Jo Manning. Available Digitally for the First Time Colonel Sir Isaac Rebow vowed never to be legshackled. But when his errant uncle abandons his two daughters, Isaac must step in as guardian, a situation not at all to his liking. And that's just the beginning of his problems. Because one of the daughters has caught his eye, even as the most beautiful and ruthless woman of the ton sets her own eye on Rebow...
The Reluctant Guardian
by Alexis MorganAn abandoned child…He&’ll guard at all costs When screams next door wake Deputy Conner Dunne and his retired police dog, Mutt, he suspects domestic abuse. What he finds is Jody Kruse comforting her new foster child—a traumatized little girl who won&’t speak. Conner is determined to remain professional with his pretty neighbor. But when a break-in points to an attempted kidnapping, protecting this family may cost him his heart—and his life.
Reluctant Hearts: Two Novels in One
by Jamie HowardExperience the emotional and sexy standalone novels from Jamie Howard. Together for the first time!Until We BreakWhen Sloane Avery stops to help a stranded driver, she finds more than a broken-down car on the side of the road. Luke Evans is faster and sexier than her Maserati, but with her heart still on the mend, she's not interested in taking him for a test drive. Despite their initial disdain for each other, emotion and passion simmer, complicating their fragile friendship. But when a tragic loss and devastating betrayal send them spiraling, will their growing love be enough to save them? Until It's RightHaley Mitchell is tired of moping. Since she repaired her broken heart with a thick layer of duct tape, she’s ready to put her ex behind her and move on. After a chance encounter in a club, she’s convinced she’s met Mr. Perfect. But when he accidentally gives her the wrong number, the stranger on the other end of her texts becomes her confidant.Kyle Lawson has always had more luck with computers than women. So when the new temp, Haley, arrives, he has the misfortune of falling for her, only to land firmly in the friend zone. But when he learns the mysterious woman he’s been texting is actually Haley, he keeps the entire thing a secret. As things move straight from platonic to decidedly hot, Kyle must come clean about his secret texting identity and risk losing the woman he’s fallen in love with.
The Reluctant Heir: The Reluctant Heir (the Jameson Heirs) / Playing Mr. Right (switching Places) (The Jameson Heirs #3)
by HelenKay DimonOne person knows the truth that could ruin his family.And he’s just brought her home.Find Hanna Wilde. The order from Carter Jameson’s father will ensure Carter’s inheritance. Though reluctant to do the man’s bidding, Carter needs to see the girl he never forgot. But when Hanna returns to the estate where it all began, she wants answers as much as she wants Carter. And as their passion ignites, she’ll get them. No matter what.
The Reluctant Heiress
by Christine FlynnIt was quite the shock when popular family man Senator Kendrick recently announced he had an illegitimate daughter-and yours truly has tracked down this mystery woman, hoping for an exclusive! But small-town teacher Jillian Hadley insisted she wants nothing to do with the legendary Kendricks. But their sexy PR guru Ben Garrett has recently been seen whispering in Jillian's ear. I don't know what sweet words Ben used, but suddenly Jillian was whisked away to Ben's very own private getaway! If pictures of the two together are any indication, one must wonder if the sudden impulse to be with Ben has more to do with passion than power?
The Reluctant Heiress
by Eva IbbotsonIn 1920s Austria, no one in the Viennese opera company knows that their wardrobe mistress Tessa is really a princess. But when the dashing self-made millionaire Guy Farne arrives at the opera, Tessa realizes that there may be more to life -- and love -- than just music.
The Reluctant Heiress (Lone Star Legacy #2)
by Sara OrwigThe illegitimate daughter of a late Texas billionaire, Sophia Rivers stands to inherit a fortune. But the stubborn woman doesn't want a penny of it. As financial advisor to the wealthy Delaney family, Garrett Cantrell has to convince Sophia to accept her inheritance. If she doesn't, her half brothers will lose their billions. So he introduces himself as a local businessman and starts softening her up, talking to her about family, loyalty and love. But the proud beauty has no idea who he really is. And the truth may cost him his heart.
A Reluctant Hero
by Dara GirardThe baby of the family, Daniella Duvall has a passion for adventure in her blood. But the thrill-seeking travel writer gets more than she bargained for when the plane she's on spirals out of control in midair! The tall, dark stranger who comes to the rescue both intrigues and attracts her. When he disappears after their emergency landing, she's determined to find her vanished hero again.The man calling himself Richard Engleright is really former medic pilot Trenton Sheppard. He has his reasons for staying out of the spotlight, but then Daniella shows up on his doorstep. Caught between a dangerous secret and his desire for the elegant beauty, he gives in to temptation...only to thrust her into harm's way. With everything on the line, Trenton is forced from the shadows, and he will fight to keep his secret past from destroying the possibility of a future with Daniella....
The Reluctant Hero
by Lorraine HeathWhat She Needs . . . Texas in the 1880s is a wild and lawless land, where a woman fending for herself is a rare breed. Andrea Jackson is just that. A woman who went against the grain by writing bestselling novels instead of marrying and staying at home. But with her muse, and her money dried up, she's in desperate need of a hero. And Sheriff Matthew Knight has just the right material.Only He Can Give . . . Matthew doesn't know what to make of the sassy, bright-eyed, temptress who insists on following him around. He's nobody's hero, and he doesn't believe in fairy tales. What he is, is a man. With a man's needs. And there's something about the feisty, determined, vixen, he just can't seem to shake . . .Previously published in My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reluctant Hero
by Debra Webb Regan BlackThe news they're after isn't fake-it's deadly For top security expert Parker Lawton, the anonymous threat is explosive. Return the gold stolen during his intelligence unit's last Iraq mission-or they'll each be hunted down. And when one of his men is killed just before meeting investigative reporter Rebecca Wallace, he must take her under his "protection." But her persistence in getting the real story is even more dangerous-and irresistible. For a dashing war hero, Parker is the most guilty-acting innocent man Becca has ever seen. Still, working with him is the only way to stay ahead of a ruthless enemy. And as her instincts and Parker's skills hone in on the truth, trusting the desire simmering between them could be their only chance-or the last move they'll ever make.
The Reluctant Hero
by Lenora WorthJUST WHEN SHE NEEDED A HERO...Reporter Stephanie Maguire had found herself in a dangerous situation, when rugged Derek Kane rushed in to the rescue. But no sooner had he brought her to safety than he fled the scene, leaving the lovely reporter's nose twitching for information about her hero.Derek wanted to keep Stephanie safe-from him and his past. He was nobody's hero. The time he spent doing good deeds for others was to pay for his mistakes. But little did Derek know that his steady faith and warm heart had already hooked Stephanie, and she wasn't about to give up on his story-or his love....
The Reluctant Highlander: A Highland Romance (The Highland Nights Series #1)
by Amanda ScottAn uncertain bride looks for love with a man as wild and mysterious as his Highland home in this new Scottish romance from a USA Today–bestselling author. Ordinarily, Lady Fiona Ormiston wouldn’t think of forming an alliance with an ungroomed, barbaric Highlander, despite the protection he offers. But now, by request of the king, Sir Adham MacFinlagh, a brazen stranger and outsider unlike anyone she has met before, is to be her husband. Torn from solitude and the comfort of her family to make a home with the rugged knight, Fiona surrenders to Adham’s powerfully passionate—and shockingly tender—touch, only to discover her new husband’s family ties may lie with an enemy of the king. A sense of duty may have brought Adham to the marriage bed, but it’s his powerful feelings for his beautiful, willful wife that will be his undoing. Ultimately, the bold knight will have to decide: Does his allegiance lie with his blood ties to the man who hopes to bring down the king or with the bride who has stolen his heart? From the author “frequently credited with creating the subgenre” of Scottish romance with her Lairds of the Loch and Secret Clan series, The Reluctant Highlander is a rich historical tale of intrigue and desire.
Reluctant Hometown Hero (Wildfire Ridge)
by Heatherly Bell“9-1-1. What is your emergency?”Former army officer Ryan Davis doesn’t relish the high-profile role of town sheriff, but when duty calls, he responds. Even if it means helping animal rescuer Zoey Castillo find her missing dog. When Ryan asks her out, Zoey is wary of a relationship in the spotlight—especially given her past. If the sheriff wants to date her, he’ll have to prove that he’s as good a bet as man’s best friend.
Reluctant Hostage
by Margaret Mayo"Perhaps I ought to warn you that I make a formidable enemy." Not that Libby needed warning! It hadn't taken her long to realize that Warwick Hunter wasn't the sort of man who was easily crossed. He believed that Libby's sister had stolen a large sum of money from him. And that was why he seemed determined to turn Libby's dream holiday in Tenerife into a nightmare from which there seemed to be no escape....
Reluctant Housemates
by Linda BarrettYou can go home again...Rachel Goodman never thought she'd return to Pilgrim Cove. Too many unpleasant childhood memories. But she's no longer an awkward, defenseless kid, so when the one person who'd been kind to her needs her, she gets ready to face the past.What she's not ready for is the challenge of working with Jack Levine. The man doesn't follow rules or take advice. Which makes being his boss very difficult. And being his housemate downright impossible.Until the stormy night Jack and his boat go missing, and Rachel realizes how much she needs him. Her home-- Sea View House--
The Reluctant Hunk
by Lorna Michaels"I Want That Man." And Ariel wanted scientist Jeff McBride for just one thing-to do a series on hurricanes for her TV station. She knew every woman in Corpus Christi would tune in to watch the drop-dead-gorgeous man.Convincing Jeff to work for her was going to be hard. He despised reporters and didn't intend on becoming a "TV Twinkie." Convincing herself that she didn't care what he thought of her was going to be a lot harder. Especially once she realized that she wanted the reluctant hunk for herself.
The Reluctant Husband
by Madeleine ConwayWill A Sham Marriage. . . Young Cecilia Marchmont is appalled at her father's announcement that he's gambled away her hand in marriage to the son of a wealthy friend. Nonetheless, she agrees to the union--with the caveat that upon her groom's return from his upcoming European tour, an annulment may be arranged. Cecilia is smitten by her fiancé's dark good looks, but shattered when she overhears the sullen aristocrat express utter contempt for her. Outraged, she vows to become an attractive and charming woman--the kind who can seduce her own "husband" and teach him a lesson he won't soon forget. . . . . . Reveal A True Love? Ormiston Ducre was furious at his father for forcing him to wed Marchmont's chubby daughter. It was a clear case of blackmail: marry Cecilia, or forfeit his trip to Europe. Who could blame him for harboring resentment against all involved--including the girl? Now, five years later, he's a man of the world, ready to return to England and put the whole sorry mess behind him. But at a masked ball in Paris, he meets the most enchanting and mysterious woman he's ever known. This is a lady with whom he could spend his life. But first, he must learn her true identity. . .
The Reluctant Husband
by Madeleine ConwayWill A Sham Marriage. . . Young Cecilia Marchmont is appalled at her father's announcement that he's gambled away her hand in marriage to the son of a wealthy friend. Nonetheless, she agrees to the union--with the caveat that upon her groom's return from his upcoming European tour, an annulment may be arranged. Cecilia is smitten by her fiancé's dark good looks, but shattered when she overhears the sullen aristocrat express utter contempt for her. Outraged, she vows to become an attractive and charming woman--the kind who can seduce her own "husband" and teach him a lesson he won't soon forget. . . . . .Reveal A True Love? Ormiston Ducre was furious at his father for forcing him to wed Marchmont's chubby daughter. It was a clear case of blackmail: marry Cecilia, or forfeit his trip to Europe. Who could blame him for harboring resentment against all involved--including the girl? Now, five years later, he's a man of the world, ready to return to England and put the whole sorry mess behind him. But at a masked ball in Paris, he meets the most enchanting and mysterious woman he's ever known. This is a lady with whom he could spend his life. But first, he must learn her true identity. . .
The Reluctant Husband
by Lynne GrahamShe was still his wife!Frankie thought she'd seen the last of her husband, Santino Vitale - until he breezed back on the scene with some earth shattering news. Their marriage wasn't annulled, and he intended to claim the wedding night they'd never had!He had it all worked out. Within three weeks Frankie would have paid her dues and be free to leave Sardinia and file for divorce. But Santino hadn't reckoned on falling for Frankie all over again - or that now she could be expecting his baby.
The Reluctant Landlady
by Bernadette StrachanA wonderfully engaging and romantic comedy about Evie Crump and the residents of 18 Kemp Street...When struggling actress Evie Crump inherits a sprawling Victorian pile from an old family friend in Camden, it would seem to be a dream ticket for Evie and best-friend Bing to escape from the leaky-flat-from-hell. Except it comes with a proviso: she may not evict the existing tenants under any circumstances. There's Bernard, a recluse, who doesn't know how to boil an egg; unforthcoming single-mum Caroline; and the mysterious A P Warne of whom there is no sight. And try as she might to focus on reviving her acting career and her love life (without falling for the charms of her leading man), Evie simply can't resist getting involved in the lives of her new family...