Christmas Wallflowers Books

At times, believing is more important than seeing in matters of love and snowflakes. It’s Christmastide 1817 and Miss Christiana Smythe, daughter of a squire, is not looking forward to the social obligations of the season. Wanting nothing more than to care for the area’s sick and ailing animal population, doing the rounds in glittering ballrooms festooned with holiday finery makes her lightheaded. Yet it’s a necessity to realizing the dream of love. Evan Tennant, Earl of Stanton’s priorities are to avoid dancing with women he doesn’t know as well as to avoid match-making mamas. He’d much rather spend his time charting the stars in the hopes of catching a meteor shower, yet he has responsibilities to his title and his mother insists he find an eligible lady soon. Except he doesn’t believe in romance or the magic of Christmastide. Though she’s a confirmed wallflower, Christiana’s knack for helping animals throws her into the earl’s path when his beloved beagle falls ill. Attraction as hot and bright as a comet’s tail takes them both by surprise. Through a series of odd events, they’re thrown together, and when kisses and dances edge them closer to love, they’ll both need a little push before they believe what fate knew all along.

Matilda starts a war with a brooding Lord Castleton when she throws a snowball at his head... Becoming the Earl of Castleton wasn’t something Arthur Brynnwood wanted. But after he learned of his great-uncle’s passing, the responsibility of running such a vast estate was thrust on Arthur’s shoulders. When he arrives at the estate and sees the mismanagement of the properties he loses his temper and raises the rent on the tenants of a small cottage on his land. Feisty Matilda Matthews comes to him the next day, pleading for leniency for herself and her ailing aunt who live in the cottage for free. Too used to the wiles of women, Arthur remains unmoved by her words and won’t reconsider. The next thing he knows, he’s choking on a snowball thrown at his face and Matilda is marching away, back straight and head held proudly high. Once again, his temper explodes. He grabs her and wrestles the shrieking, kicking woman to a bedchamber and locks her in until he decides what to do with her. He’s intrigued and reluctantly impressed by Matilda’s show of spirit. She’s not the usual, simpering, coy type of women who all but worship at his feet in London. And her beauty . . . he feels an unexpected lust when he imagines her long, russet hair and a gaze that begs for him to kiss her. Deciding it’s been too long since he’s had a mistress, he knows exactly how to solve the problem of Matilda: he’ll allow her free use of the cottage she lives in for the rest of her life in exchange for being his mistress this Christmas season…

Miss Agatha Cartwright isn't certain she believes in love. Her father blamed her for her mother's death and treated her terribly. Her life changed upon his death and the Duke of Wharton became her guardian. Suddenly she has a family, and with that a plethora of opportunities. It aslo makes her question everything...including the possibility of love. Roarke James, the Marquess of Huntington doesn’t believe in love or happy-ever-after. He never expected to meet a woman that would challenge that belief. During a Christmastide house party, and with the magic of mistletoe, one wallflower makes him question everything, and perhaps consider love isn’t so far-fetched after all. From the moment Agatha met Roarke she became drawn to him, but she's not sure what she truly wants. The marquess or the freedom to make her own choices. One kiss between them brings everything crashing down and they both have to make the biggest decision of their lives. Love or the freedom they both think they want.

Raised like a country mouse on the vast Montcliffe Abbey estate, Lady Wilhelmina Rumsford had never set foot in London until her father, Viscount Rumsford, decided she simply had to have a Season. It matters little to him that everyone in the ton knows his beloved daughter is the natural child of his footman. Left-handed Mina doesn’t know for certain the kindly footman who taught her how to lace up her boots is her real father. She can’t admit a truth that would hurt that much. And besides, she has her hands full with the Duke of Montfort’s attempts to keep her “out of trouble.” Julian Jameson, Duke of Montfort, grew up best of friends with Mina's older brothers. They went to school together, caroused together, and tried to keep Mina out of trouble. That is, Julian tried to keep Mina out of trouble. A difficult task once she went to London where he had to make her understand which suitors to welcome and which ones to push away. Unfortunately, his list of "no's" far outweighed the "yes's," so she rejected all the marriage offers that came her way during her first and only Season. Despite Julian's best laid plans, his rakish friend, the Earl of Westfalia, becomes infatuated with Mina during a fateful snowbound sojourn at a country inn on their way to a Christmas House Party. Julian must keep her away from this most definite of “no’s”. The handsome earl’s attentions make Mina long for a love that sees beyond the circumstances of her parentage. However, she finally has to admit the real reason she rejected all those marriage offers. Her own heart was waiting for the offer she hoped would come, but never did. Now, it’s up to the guardian angels below stairs to make certain Mina gets her happily ever after...

Four years ago, Gabriel Preston, Duke of Beckhampton prepared to ask for the hand of his love, Lady Eliza Clayton. Then she vanished. Rumors ran rampant through Polite Society, each one suggestion a different theory, yet all resulted in the same conclusion: Lady Eliza didn’t love him. Vowing never to bare his soul to a woman again, Beck locked himself away on his estate. After protesting, cajoling, and crying daily for four years, Lady Eliza has finally convinced her mother to allow them to return to England from Boston, where they’d been “visiting” family. She knew the true reason for their voyage, despite Mama’s denials. Her parents refused to allow her to marry the Duke of Beckhampton. Yet after all this time apart, Eliza still loved him. Beck is shocked when Eliza appears in Society once more, and even more surprised to discover he desires her after all the pain she caused him. He's feeling the spirit of the Christmas season for the first time in years. Falling under her spell, he plans to profess his love when she vanishes yet again.

Jane Darington has dipped her toe into the marriage mart once before and has no plans to do so again. Not after she was humiliated so badly. Not when she had watched from the sidelines as her younger sister got her happy ending instead. She’s planted herself firmly on the shelf with no plans to move from it. But a chance encounter with a dashing stranger leaves her wondering if maybe the life of a wallflower isn’t for her after all.

Lady Gaia Evans and Lord Zachariah Radburn, Marquess Lydell first met last Christmas Eve after finding shelter from a blizzard within a brothel. Conversation into the night led to the first buds of friendship as not only their hearts, but also their souls took notice. With the promise of a dance when the Season began, the two went their separate ways. Except, Lady Gaia never saw Lydell again. As she found much to be desired in London, Gaia slowly withdrew from the throng until she found her place among the wallflowers. Lord Lydell did attempt to attend the Season with the one hope of courting Lady Gaia. However, the American with a suspect family history was not made welcome. Therefore, Lydell withdrew from Society and put dreams, hopes, and desires for Lady Gaia away. That is, until they encounter the other once again at Christmastime. Will their hearts and souls take notice again or will a past keep them apart?

Miss Dove Meriwether is the daughter of a vicar. Prim, proper, and devoted in her faith, she isn’t prepared for the way her heart flutters when a viscount suddenly appears at the church asking for absolution. He’s entirely too handsome—and rakish—for her own good. She doesn’t have time to entertain him when she has other duties to her father’s congregation. After the vicar falls ill, Dove is thrust into a role she never imagined she might play. But when it comes to matters of the heart, are the stakes too high? Lord Cain Wyndham, Viscount Markel, feels that the only way he can get his sordid life back on track is to ask for divine intervention. But when an enchanting woman walks out of the church instead of the vicar he had been expecting, he forgets why he wants to change his wicked ways. As the holiday season draws near and he fights against his urges to claim Dove as his own, he realizes that redemption isn’t the only thing he needs in his life. Can he convince her his love is genuine?

Miss Evangeline Payne has not lived the charmed life she would have liked. Her father is mean and neglectful at best. He sends her to stay with her aunt who plans to marry her off to an old man. Sebastian, the Earl of Somerset has been pretending to be unintelligent most of his life. The subterfuge has aided his spying activities. Bas has one mission left and he can then do as he wishes. Eva and Bas cross paths at a house party. He has his mission, and she has hers. If luck and love have their way those two things will collide for both of them.

He’s not the usual wallflower. She’s no one’s idea of an angel. Returning home after years at war, one expects to make some adjustments. Lieutenant Lord Clyve Melton, Viscount Turville, was prepared to deal with the loss of his leg. But no man, not even a seasoned cavalry officer, could hope to prepare for the determined campaign of a mother and two sisters determined to find him a wife. To avoid complete surrender, Clyve agrees to a devil’s bargain. He will attend one final Christmas season’s entertainments, after which he will be allowed to flee to Melton Grange and life as a miserable hermit. After all, a mere country viscount with only one leg was in no danger of attracting any matrimonial prospects no matter how many holiday balls he attended. Lady Delphine Hart had enjoyed every moment of her five years as the Season’s Diamond. She’d been courted by and tossed aside suitor after suitor simply because she could. Only to be jilted by her ducal fiancé in a spectacular fashion in front of the entire ton . In the two years since, Delphine has done her utmost to become the most scandalous lady in London. A mission she fully intends to continue in spite of her brother’s insistence she attend the flurry of Christmas balls this holiday season in order to finally catch a respectable husband. After all, no Society gentleman, respectable or not, would dare dance with the scandalous Queen of Harts, let alone take a chance on courting her. He’s taciturn, arrogant, and in possession of a cutting wit. She’s outrageous, irreverent, and too damned beautiful by half. Never were two people less suited to each other. Then again…’tis the Season!