Wedding Night with the Earl by Amelia Grey

Adam Greyhawke has spend the last two years in seclusion after the death of his wife and child. But when he inherits the earldom and a ward, he realizes that he must rejoin society to take up the reins of his new position. Even though everyone suspects that he is back in London to secure a new wife, that is the furthest thing on his mind. He never wants to go through that heartache again.
Miss Katharine Wright is use to man only wanting her for her dowry and the connect to her uncle, the duke. But when she meets Adam, the attraction between them is mutual and somewhat overpowering. 
Running into each other all over town, has them wondering if fate has taken over. Can Katherine convience Adam that love is worth taking a second chance at marriage?

The Unforgettable Hero by Valerie Bowman

Cecelia Harcourt is determined to decide her own future that doesn't include marrying her cousin. To do this, she must sell the novel that she has been working on for years. Unfortunately, after meeting with the publisher, she is hit by a coach, loses her memory and ends up thinking that she is the heroine of her novel.
Lieutenant Adam Hunt is the first to find Cecelia after the accident and takes her to his brother's home nearby where his SIL convinces him that he needs to follow along with what Cecelia believes to be true...which is that Adam is her fiancee, the Duke.
Will Cecelia get her memory back and if she does, what happens to the budding romance that has started between her and Adam?

The Hunter by Kerrigan Byrne

Christopher Argent is an assassin for hire. He has never had any trouble doing his job until he is assigned to kill Millie LeCour. His multiple attempts aways end before their completion because of his overwhelming attraction for her. He finally realizes that he will never be able to follow through with it and changes his mission to one of protecting Millie from the person that put the hit out on her.
Millie doesn't know what to make of Christopher. He is trying to kill her one minute and kissing her the next. She soon realizes that she does need Christopher to protect her as someone else has been given the orders to kill her.
Can this growing passion between Millie and Christopher lead to something permanent?

Susana and the Scot by Sabrina York

Having been banished from his home by his brother for a silly contest, Andrew Lochlannach is determined to do his duty and protect Dounreay Castle. Unfortunately, he finds a reason to get distracted in the form of one Susana, a feisty red-head. But he can't figure out why she is sabotaging his every efforts.
Susana can't believe that the man that broke her heart and that happens to be the father of her child is back in her life. And the worst part is that he doesn't even seem to remember that they had even met before. The the enemy threatens her daughter, Susana realizes that she needs Andrews help and reluctantly gives in. Unfortunately this puts her in a position of falling for him all over again.
Will Susana get her heart broken all aver again or will she finally get her HEA?

The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne

Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is not a man to be trifled with. Used to getting exactly what her wants, Dorian has decided that he wants Farah Leigh Mackenzie. Kidnapping and taking Farah to his castle, Dorian tells Farah that they are to be wed.
Farah agrees to the marriage, but only when Dorian lets her know that he will protect her from people that are trying to kill her and to restore her inheritance to her. But she soon finds herself having to fight the attraction she feels for her new husband.
Dorian is hiding things about his past that would affect Farah, what will she do when she learns the truth?

The Irresistible Rogue by Valerie Bowman

A year ago, Lady Daphne Swift married Captain Rafferty Cavendish. It was not a love match, but one that was done with practicality in mind. Daphne was helping Rafe with a mission for the crown and she was needed to translate. If they were found out, their marriage would save Daphne's reputation. Knowing that their marriage would never be a real one, Daphne is set on finding another to marry. But first she must get an annulment.
Rafe can't grant Daphne her annulment because he needs her for another mission. One that will hopefully find the person that murdered her brother. Rafe agrees to give Daphne the annulment after she helps him with the mission. But what she doesn't know, is that Rafe has no plans to end their marriage.
Can Rafe convenience Daphne to honor their vows and make it a marriage in truth?

Bella and the Beast by Olivia Drake

Bella Jones is determined to get the legacy her father told her about on his deathbed, but she is uncertain as to how to go about it until she gets a visit by the Countess of Milford. With the countess's help, Bella gets a job helping to catalogue artifacts for the Duke of Aylwin. She hopes that looking through the artifacts will uncover the map that her father left her.
Having become the Duke at a young age, Miles does everything in his power to make his dead father proud of him. Top on his list is getting the artifacts that the former duke got Egypt catalogued and organized. Not wanting another person his his life, he is intrigued enough with Bella upon meeting her that her hires her to help. It also helps that she is the daughter of his former mentor and he is also looking for answers.
What happens when Miles finds out the real reason that Bella is working for him? Do his feeling for her outway the lies she has told?

The Duke and Miss Christmas by Amelia Grey

When Miss Gwen Prim sees a gentleman forcing her sister onto his horse, she does the only thing she can think of. She hits him over the head with a baskets and tells her sister to run away and get help. What she doesn't know is that the man she just assaulted is a duke.
Crispin, the Duke of Hurst, is out on a ride when he comes across a young girl that is injured. While trying to get the girl situated on his horse, he is attacked by the girl's sister. He really should be mad, but all he can think about is that he has finally met his match.
Can Gwen get over her mortification of assaulting a duke long enough to see that he is her future?

Some Like It Scot by Suzanne Enoch

Munro "Bear" MacLawry lives up to his nickname. Always the big and brawny one in the family, he has always been protective of his family. But as each of his siblings marry, Bear finds himself more and more alone. They all have their own families now and Bear is definitely not ready to settle down no matter how hard his brother pushes him. When he finds Catriona MacColl hiding in the woods, he finds someone in need of his protection...or does she?
Catriona and her sister are hiding from an English Duke as well as their father's family each for their own reasons. Finding the abandoned building was a blessing as winter was approaching, that is until Bear show ups. Having been raised like a boy by her father, Catriona resents Bear's presence as she believes she can take care of her sister and herself just fine. But when Bear shows up every day and makes their life better by fixing up their temporary home, she is surprised to find herself looking forward to his visits.
Can two individuals who think they don't need a partner find the a love that they didn't know they wanted?

Good Earl Gone Bad by Manda Collins

Hermione Upperton is devastated when her father wagers her matched pair and loses them in a card game, but that doesn't even begin to compare to how she feels when she learns that he bet her hand in marriage and lost to the Earl of Mainwaring. The man is a infamous gambler just like her father and he has made his opinion very clear on how he feels about her driving and belonging to the Lords of Anarchy driving club.
Jasper Fawley knows how devastated Hermione will be when he witnesses her father losing her matched pair. He also knows that her father will soon have nothing else to bet but the hand of his daughter, so he approaches him with an offer and wins Hermione with a few turns of the card.
Can they make this marriage work when it starts out so poorly?

The Earl Claims a Bride by Amelia Grey

Harrison Thornwick never imagined that he would one day be the Earl, but when his father and brothers suddenly die he finds himself thrust into being the head of the family. Wanting to get the estate into order, he is surprised to get a visit from the King's man demanding that he marry a lady of his the King's choosing or go to prison for fighting a duel. With only one option, Harrison heads off to London to meet the woman he is to marry. He is attracted to her the moment he spies her across the ballroom, but she is in love with someone else.
Angelina Rule has been in love with her Captain for many years and is just waiting on his return. When she learns of her father's debt, she knows that she must do her duty and marry to save her father from going to debtor's prison. Even with her heart given to another man, Angelina finds herself attracted to Harrison and can't seem to keep from kissing him.
Will Angelina realize that what she thought she wanted is not what she really needs to get her HEA?

Hannah and the Highlander by Sabrina York

Hannah wants to find a husband that wants her for more than the land that will come with the marriage. She feels like she doesn't measure up to the beauty that her sisters possess and wonders if she will ever find someone that will catch her interest. When a stranger rescues her from an overzealous suitor, Hannah finds herself very intrigued by the man. 
Alexander Lochlannach, Laird of Dunnet, is smittened by Hannah the moment he lays eyes on her. Saving her from another, he quickly realizes that he wants her for his wife. But things from his past prevent Alexander from getting too close to Hannah.
Can Hannah break through the barriers that Alexander has up to find the happily ever after that she so desperately wants?

A Duke But No Gentleman by Alexandra Hawkins

The Duke of Blackbern and the Marquess Norgrave are the best of friends. They spents their days and nights drinking, gambling and making bets against each other. This time the bet is over who can win the affections of Lady Imogen Sunter.
Imogen soon makes her preferences known for Blackbern, which upsets Norgrave. He doesn't like to lose. Will the love of two change the lives of all three of them?

The Unlikely Lady by Valerie Bowman

Determined never to marry, Miss Jane Lowndes, does everything in her power to keep her parents at bay including a fictitious chaperone. Attending the wedding party masquerade of dear friends, Jane finds herself kissing an unknown male which turns out to be her verbal sparring partner Lord Garrett Upton.
Garrett is just as determined as Jane to never marry, but when he finds he can't forget the kiss he had with her, it turns his world upside down. Can the people least likely to make a pair find the everlasting love that neither of them thought they wanted?

A Good Rake is Hard to Find by Manda Collins

After the recent death of her brother, Miss Leonora Craven is determined to find out the truth about how he died. The only way she knows how to get information is to get help from Lord Frederick Lisle, one of her brother's closest friends. He also happens to be her ex-fiance.
Frederick, Freddy, and his friends are determined to find out how Jonathan Craven died. When Leonora comes to him for help, he proposes that they have a sham engagement as a way to get into the infamous Lords of Anarchy club which they believe had a hand in Jonathan's death.
But what happens when Freddy wants to make their engagement real? Can Leonora let her heart win over what she thought was the right decision years ago?

Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid by Suzanne Enoch

Rowena MacLawry has been in love with Lachlan MacTier since she was a child. But after three months in London and a lifetime of rejection from the man, she has finally made the decision to give up her dream of marrying him.  She is moving on with her life and hopes to make a decision on a husband during her brother's wedding celebration.
Lachlan has always thought of Rowena as his best friend's little sister. Having been a part of the MacLawry family for so many years and not wanting to jeopardizing that, he always downplays Rowena's romantic gestures toward him. But when she comes back from London, Lachlan can no longer deny the woman she has become.
Just when Lachlan realizes he feels more than friendship for Rowena she finally makes her break from him. When the hunted becomes the hunter, anything can happen!

The Duke in my Bed by Amelia Grey

Bray Drakestone has never backed away from a challenge, so when a friend challenges him to a race he is all in. Tragedy soon ensues and Bray makes a promise to marry the dying man's sister. Having no desire to marry, Bray puts off his meeting of his intended.
Miss Louisa Prim has no desire to marry Bray and when he finally makes his proposal, she turns him down. Seeing Louisa's rejection as a challenge, Bray tells her that they will get married but not until SHE proposes to HIM!
Can Bray convince Louisa that he is just what she needs in her life?

The Accidental Countess by Valerie Bowman

Lady Cassandra Monroe has been in love with Captain Julian Swift for years. Although he is engaged to her cousin, Cassandra still eagerly awaits his return from the war after having written him many letters while he was away. When Julian does return and doesn't recognize Cassandra, her friend Lucy introduces her as Patience Bunbury, a fictitious friend that Cassandra's cousin made up to get out of doing things she didn't want to do.

Julian is trying to locate his betrothed to end things with her. Having been told that she is attending a house party, he agrees to attend as a means to finally talk to her. He never expected to be entranced by a woman that his betrothed mentioned in letters to him. 
What happens when he finds out that the woman that has so enchanted him is the same girl that has been sending him letters that got him through the war?

Once Upon a Christmas Kiss by Manda Collins

Miss Winifred Nightingale's employers have given her time off to visit with her sister during the holidays. She never imagined that they would be invited to the local lord's house party to celebrate.  
Sir Lucien Blackmore has finally agreed to visit his cousin's for the holidays, but only because the woman that he has grown to care for will be out of town during that time. He never expected to see her at his cousin's home.
When Winifred has some mysterious things happen to her, she goes to Lucien as her only male friend and asks for his help. She thinks that if he acts as her betrothed, that these things will stop happening. Lucien agrees with the condition she think about making the betrothal real when they find the culprit. 
What is a woman to do when the man of her dreams gives her everything she wants and didn't think she could have for Christmas?

Christmas Brides Anthology

One Hot Scot by Suzanne Enoch This is book 0.5 in her Scandalous Highlanders series.

Julia Prentiss is wandering the woods trying to get away from the man that kidnapped her from her aunt's wedding. She comes across a man emerging from a lake and he is NAKED! She can't believe what she is seeing. She doesn't know whether to hide and ask the man for help.

Duncan Lenox feels obligated to help when he comes across the stranded lady. He has been out trying to find when is killing his animals and staying at his cabin. Duncan takes Julia back to the cabin where they proceed to get to know each other.

The kidnapper shows up at Duncan's cabin, but he puts them off. He later takes her to his home and proceeds to marry her.

I am a HUGE Suzanne Enoch fan and have read almost all her books, but I really couldn't get into this book. I know that with a novella the action needs to go quickly, but to meet the man, jump into bed with him and then marry him within 24 hours is just a bit unbelievable.   

After writing this review last November, I did read the books that came after this (The Devil Wears Kilts and Rogue with a Brogue) and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Once Upon a Christmas Scandal by Alexandra Hawkins

Lady Ellen can't believe that her father has increased her dowry so that there will be more men for her to choose from when she finally decides to take a husband. Her father is dying and he wants to see her settled before he does.  Knowing that every fortune hunter that hears about it will be at her door, Ellen is not looking forward to the holiday parties her mother is throwing.

Lord Derek Swainsbury wants to catch the killer of his sister. What better way than to act like he is courting the newest heiress as he knows the killer will go after her next? But what happens when he falls under her spell? Will she believe that he doesn't want her money?

This is a very quick read.  Hawkins did a good job of telling the story in such a short amount of words. I didn't feel like the love story was rushed or unbelievable. The connection between Ellen and Derek was almost instantaneous and fairly leapt off the page.

This novella is a part of the Lords of Vice series featuring the sister of Lord Vanwright. I've not read any of those stories, but after reading this novella I will definitely be getting them to read in the future.  

The Scandal Before Christmas by Elizabeth Essex

This was book 3.5 in her Reckless Brides series.

Lieutenant Ian Worth needs a bride and he will take just about anyone. In a rash moment, he told his father he was already married and now he needs to make it true. Ian runs into a shipmate and tells him what he is looking for in a wife - shy, undemanding and someone who will not mind his going off to sea. This shipmate just happens to have an unmarried daughter that fits Ian's needs. They arrange for Ian's perspective bride to come for a visit.

When Anne Lesley arrives, Ian hardly even notices her. Later in the day, Anne overhears Ian talking about her (let's just say it wasn't nice) and decides to go for a walk. Ian joins her and they begin to get to know each other. Anne quickly gets over her shyness and Ian sees the potential that she has as a bride.

Ian's father arrives and they must hide the fact that they are not married yet. They quickly fall in love and rush to get married with a special license.

This is the first book I have read by Elizabeth Essex. I did like her style of writing and found myself laughing at some of the antics in the story (which is always good), but I really didn't care for the story itself. Anne was way too forgiving of Ian and the things she overheard him say. It would have taken a lot longer for him to worm his way into my heart! I've looked at the other books in the series and they look like they have promise. 

I will probably see if my library has copies of them to give this author a second chance. I probably would have given this book 2 stars, but I really enjoyed the character of Pinky! He saved the book in my opinion. 

Since reviewing this novella in July, I have read another book in the series.  A Scandal to Remember was thoroughly enjoyable and I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the series. I think Essex is definitely better at writing full length novels rather than short stories.

It Happened Under the Mistletoe by Valerie Bowman.

Running from a marriage minded miss, Oliver Townsende dashes into the silver closet only to find another person hiding.  Miss Cerian Blake is hiding from men seeking her hand only for the dowry she brings.  The two of them concoct a plan to thwart their admirers, they act like they are interested in each other. What happens when their acting becomes all too real?

I thoroughly enjoyed Bowman's short story.  She got me to believe that these two could have fallen in love in such a short amount of time.  

This story is book 3.5 of the Secret Brides series and after reading this novella, I want to go read the rest of the series!!

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