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Overview: New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens began writing romances as an escape from the dry world of professional science. Her hobby quickly became a career when her first novel was accepted for publication, and with entirely becoming alacrity, she gave up writing about facts in favor of writing fiction.
Laurens’s novels are set in the time period of the British Regency, and her settings range from Scotland to India. Laurens has published fifty works of historical romance, including 29 New York Times bestsellers. All her works are continuously available in print and digital formats in English worldwide, and have been translated into many other languages. An international bestseller, among other accolades Laurens has received the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA Award for Best Romance Novella 2008, for The Fall of Rogue Gerrard.
Her continuing novels featuring the Cynster family are widely regarded as classics of the genre. Other series include the Bastion Club Novels and the Black Cobra Quartet.
Genre: Romance
1. Devil’s Bride: When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire ton by offering his hand in marriage. No one had dreamed this scandalous rake would so tamely take a bride. As society’s mamas swooned at the loss of England’s most eligible bachelor, Devil’s infamous Cynster cousins began to place wagers on the wedding date.
But Honoria wasn’t about to bend to society’s demands and marry a man just because they’d been found together unchaperoned. No. She craved adventure. Solving the murder of a young Cynster cousin fit the bill for a while, but once the crime was solved, Honoria was set on seeing the world. But the scalding heat of her unsated desire for Devil soon had Honoria craving a very different sort of excitement. Could her passion for Devil cause her to embrace the enchanting peril of a lifelong adventure of the heart?
2. A Rake’s Vow: He vowed he’d never marry:
Vane Cynster always knew which way the wind was blowing, and it was headed in a marrying direction. The other Cynster men might not mind stepping up to the altar, but Vane never wanted to be leg-shackled to any woman, no matter how comely. Bellamy Hall seemed like the perfect place to temporarily hide from London’s husband hunters. But when he encountered irresistilbe Patience Debbington, Vane realized he’d met his match and soon he had more than seduction on his mind.
She vowed no man would catch her:
Patience wasn’t about to succumb to Vane’s sensuous propositions. Yes, his kisses left her dizzy; his caresses made her melt; but he was arrogant, presumptuous…and, despite his protests, bound to be unfaithful, just like every other man. Patience had promised herself that she’d never become vulnerable to a broken heart. But was this one vow that was meant to be broken?
3. Scandal’s Bride: "He will father your children…"
When Catriona Hennessy, honorable Scottish Lady of the Vale, received this prediction, she was exceedingly aghast. How could she unite with a rake like Richard Cynster–a masterful man with a scandalous reputation? More shocking still was her guardian’s will that decreed she and Richard be wed within a week! Though charmed by his commanding presence, and wooed by his heated kisses, she would not–could not–give up her independence.
So she formed a plan to get the heir she needed without taking wedding vows.Richard was just as stunned by the will’s command. Marriage had not previously been on his agenda, but lately he’d been feeling rather…restless. Perhaps taming the lady was just the challenge he needed. But can he have the rights of the marriage bed without making any revealing promises of love?
4. A Rogue’s Proposal: Demon Cynster has seen love bring his brethren to their knees, and he’s vowed that he will not share their fate…until he spies Felicity Parteger sneaking about his racing stable. Demon remembers Felicity as a mere chit of a girl, but now she stands before him – begging for his help – all lush curves, sparkling eyes…and so temptingly worthy of the love he’s vowed never to surrender to any woman.
Felicity knew Demon was one of the ton’s most eligible bachelors and a rogue of the worst sort, but he was the only one capable of getting her friend out of trouble. Her fascination with Demon had nothing to do with the power lurking just beneath his devil-may-care facade – or with the desire that flares when he takes her in his arms. Felicity knows Demon will never yield her the love she desperately seeks, but could a marriage of passion alone – even with a man like Demon – be enough?
5. A Secret Love: All of Regency London knows that no Cynster male would ever walk away from a lady in distress…but their protection can come at a tantalizingly high price. And now, Stephanie Laurens has created her boldest Cynster yet – Gabriel – a man who has known the pleasure of many women, but who has given his heart to no one.
She was desperate for his help…
When a mysterious lady, her face hidden by a black veil, begs Gabriel Cynster for his help, he cannot refuse her plea. For despite her disguise, Gabriel finds the woman alluring and he is powerless to deny her. But he exacts payment as only a Cynster would demand: with each piece of information he uncovers, she must pay him – in the form of a kiss.
He was powerless to resist…
Lady Alathea Morwellan knows Gabriel is intrigued, but despite the sparks that fly between them, they have never passed a civil moment together. Yet as the stakes get higher, so does Gabriel’s desire for payment. And with each overpowering kiss, each passionate embrace, Alathea knows that she will not be able to resist his ultimate seduction…but what will happen when she reveals the truth?
6. All about Love: Six notorious cousins, known to the ton as the Bar Cynster, have cut a swath through the ballrooms of London. Yet one by one, each has fallen in love and married the women of their hearts, until only one of them is left unclaimed…the most rakish of Stephanie Laurens’ captivating clan…and he’s not about to go easily.
Alasdair Cynster, known to his intimates as Lucifer, decides to rusticate in the country before the matchmaking skills of London’s mamas become firmly focused on him, the last unwed member of the Bar Cynster. But an escape to Devon leads him straight to his destiny in the irresistible form of Phyllida Tallent, a willful, independent beauty of means who brings all his masterful Cynster instincts rioting to the fore. Lucifer tries to deny the desire Phyllida evokes–acting on it will land him in parson’s mousetrap, one place he’s sworn never to go. But destiny intervenes, leaving him to face the greatest Cynster challenge–wooing a reluctant bride.
Phyllida has had a bevy of suitors–her charm and wit are well known throughout the countryside–but none of them has tempted her the way Lucifer does. His offer to teach her all about the ways of love is almost too tantalizing to resist. And although she’s not yet completely surrendered, she knows only a fool stands against a Cynster…and Phyllida is no one’s fool.
7. All about Passion: "If one is not marrying for love, one may as well marry for something else. My future countess has to be sufficiently docile and endowed with at least passable grace of form, deportment and address."
Fate has made Gyles Rawlings a man determined to control his destiny. He has decided to wed a well-bred lady who will dutifully bear him sons, yet turn a blind eye while he takes his pleasure elsewhere. By all good accounts, Francesca will fit his bill. As for the "elsewhere," he’s recently encountered a beautiful, brazen siren who will make a fine mistress, one with a fiery nature to match his own.
But at the altar, Gyles discovers his bride is the bold enchantress who has inspired his deepest fantasies. Finding passion and love in the same woman has long been a secret fear. But as his world is rocked on its axis, Gyles becomes obsessed with possessing the one thing he’d thought he would never want… his wife’s heart.
8. On a Wild Night: "Where are all the exciting men in London?"
After spending years in the glittering ballrooms of the ton, Amanda Cynster is utterly bored by the current crop of colorless suitors. Determined to take matters into her own hands, one night she shockingly goes where respectable unmarried ladies never should, but where many an intriguing gentleman might be found.
But titillating excitement quickly turns to panic when she discovers she’s quite out of her depth. Desperate, she looks around for help – and is unexpectedly rescued… by Martin Fulbridge, the elusive Earl of Dexter.Lazy, sensuous and mysterious, he has delayed his re-entry into society, clearly preferring a more interesting existence on its fringes.
He’s the epitome of the boldly passionate gentleman Amanda has been searching for, but although his very touch makes it clear he’s willing to educate her in the arts of love, Amanda has to wonder if such a masterful, lionized rake can be sufficiently tamed into the ways of marriage.
9. The Promise in Kiss: Sheltered in a French convent school, Helena has little knowledge of men. But that changes one snowy Christmas Eve when she unexpectedly meets a mesmerizing Englishman who leaves her with a powerful kiss.
Grown into a stunning beauty, Helena cannot forget that forbidden kiss. Now, though, she must put aside her dreams and marry, an obligation that takes her to London.
There she is determined to meet Society’s most eligible bachelor, Sebastian, Duke of St. Ives, a man sworn never to wed. But when they are introduced, Helena is shocked…for Sebastian is none other than her wild Englishman.
10. On a Wicked Dawn: "Marrying you will be entirely my pleasure."
Amelia Cynster hears these words from handsome, enigmatic Lucien Ashford, 6th Viscount Calverton, and is stunned. It’s near dawn and she’s risked scandal by lying in wait for him just outside his London house. But he agrees to her outrageous marriage proposal – just prior to falling unconscious at her feet. Amelia is torn between astounded relief and indignant affront, then decides she doesn’t care. She has always loved him – no other man will do for her – and she’s tired of waiting.
Sometimes a young lady needs to take matters into her own hands.
But matters of the heart are never that simple. The first hitch in Amelia’s plans comes when Luc refuses to agree to a hasty wedding, but insists on properly wooing her…in public and in private. Soon she longs for those moments away from the watchful gaze of the ton in which she can learn all about seduction from a master. But unknown to Amelia, Luc has a very good reason for wooing her. Every wicked gentleman has his price.
11. The Perfect Lover: Never let it be said that a Cynster male can’t face up to the one unassailable truth: that a successful marriage gives life its fullest meaning. To all of English society, Simon Frederick Cynster has a perfect life – one of enormous wealth and impeccable social status. His lean handsomeness turns the heads of naïve debutantes, while his sensual allure ensures he never lacks for more sophisticated partners for a night, or more, of pleasure. Yet despite all of this, Simon knows that there is something – or rather someone – missing in his life.
To achieve true contentment, Simon accepts that he must find a lady accomplished enough to be his wife. Someone who will spend her days as a member of one of England’s most influential families…and her nights pursuing duties of a more private – and personal – nature.
But Simon knows what to expect if he reveals his intention to choose a bride; nothing could be more tiresome than having every blushing miss on the marriage mart thrust upon him. So he discreetly begins his search at a house party at Glossup Hall…and is astonished that the lady who immediately captures his interest is Portia Ashford.
Simon has never considered Portia as a potential wife. He’s known the raven-haired beauty since childhood; she’s willfully independent and has always claimed to be uninterested in marriage. But an unexpectedly heated kiss abruptly alters the rules of their decade-long interaction. Soon they begin to long for the moments they can spend in each other’s arms.
But all is not as it seems at Glossup Hall. As Simon and Portia begin to explore the depths of their mutual passion, a shocking murder is committed…and it appears that the next victim will be Portia herself. And even more shocking than the fact that a murderer secretly walks among them is the realization that all of Simon’s considerable strength and influence may not be enough to protect Portia – his once and always perfect lover.
12. The Ideal Bride: Michael Anstruther-Wetherby is a rising member of Parliament – a man destined for power. Aristocratic, elegant, and effortlessly charming, he is just arrogant enough to captivate the interest of the ladies of the ton. And with his connections to the wealthy and influential Cynster family – his sister is married to Devil Cynster, the Duke of St. Ives – his future appears assured.
Except that Michael lacks the single most important element of success, a wife.
Political pressure sends him searching for his ideal bride, a gently bred, malleable young lady, preferably with a political background. Michael discovers such a paragon but finds a formidable obstacle in his path – the young lady’s beautiful, strong-minded aunt, Caroline Sutcliffe.
One of London’s foremost diplomatic hostesses, Caro has style and status but, having lived through an unhappy political marriage, wants nothing of the sort for her niece, who has already lost her heart to another.
So Caro and the younger woman hatch a plot – Caro will demonstrate why an inexperienced young lady is not the bride for Michael. She succeeds in convincing him that what he really needs is a lady of experience by his side.
And the perfect candidate right under his nose – Caro herself. Then it is Michael’s turn to be persuasive, a task that requires every ounce of his seductive charm as he tempts and tantalizes Caro, seeking to convince her that becoming his bride will bring her all her heart desires… and more.
But then a series of mysterious, and dangerous, accidents befall Caro – an assailant has stepped in with their own idea for Caro’s future – one that could involve murder. Before Caro can become Michael’s ideal bride, they must race to uncover the unknown’s identity before all hope of what they long for, and wish for, is destroyed.
13. The truth about love: Gerrard Debbington is one of the chosen few – the gentlemen who’ve learned their social and amorous skills at the feet of the masters. Handsome and wealthy, protégé and brother-in-law of Vane Cynster, Gerrard is part of the charmed Cynster family circle. One of the most eligible gentlemen in the ton, Gerrard is besieged by offers from London’s most sought-after beauties, but as the ton’s foremost artistic lion, there’s only one offer he wants to accept – the chance to paint the fantastical but seldom-seen gardens of reclusive Lord Tregonning’s Hellebore Hall.
That chance is dangled before Gerrard, but to grasp it he must fulfill Lord Tregonning’s demand that he also create an open and honest portrait of the man’s daughter. Gerrard loathes the idea of wasting his time and talents on some simpering miss, but with no alternative, he agrees…
Only to discover that Jacqueline Tregonning inspires him as no other lady has. Certainly Jacqueline is beautiful, but Gerrard is stunned by the deep emotions she stirs and captivated by her passionate nature and innate goodness. She understands him as no other woman ever has, and Gerrard is soon convinced that Jacqueline is the soulmate he needs as his wife.
But something is horribly wrong at Hellebore Hall. Evil lurks in the beautiful gardens and along the rambling pathways. And that evil reaches out to ensnare Jacqueline, trapping her in a web of insidious whispers – whispers that paint her as a double murderess.
The rumors are false, but someone is actively spreading them. Convinced that Jacqueline is innocent of all wrongdoing, Gerrard is confident his portrait will open others’ eyes to the truth he sees, but then a long-dead body is discovered in the gardens, the campaign to blame Jacqueline escalates – Gerrard and she are running out of time. The days they spend together lead to nights of sweeping passion – and Gerrard vows to move heaven and earth to protect the woman who, for him, personifies the truth about love.
14. What Price Love?: There is nothing more fascinating than a darkly handsome rake, especially one as controlled and elusive as Dillon Caxton, protégé of Demon Cynster. Despite his dangerous air, Dillon is now a man of sterling reputation, but it wasn’t always so. Years ago, an illicit scheme turned into a nefarious swindle, and only the help of his cousin, Felicity, and her husband, Demon, saved Dillon from ruin. Now impeccably honest, his hard-won reputation zealously guarded, he’s the Keeper of the Register of all racing horses in England. His standing and aloofness makes Dillon undeniably desirable to young ladies, but despite all the lures thrown his way, he remains uninterested, his attention unfixed.
Until Miss Priscilla Dalling erupts into his life. A stunning beauty, she affects Dillon as no other ever has, but what fascinates him even more is that this tempting young lady is clearly desperate, and equally clearly lying about wanting to see the Register to fulfill the whim of an eccentric aunt.
Lady Priscilla Dalloway will do anything to see what’s in the Register. Her twin brother, Russell, who had quarrelled with their father and quit the family home to work with the finest racehorses, has disappeared from Newmarket. Pris knows clues to his plight can be found in the tome Dillon Caxton protects so assiduously.
In its pursuit, she unleashes her feminine wiles on Dillon – to no avail. But Dillon is now determined to learn the truth behind her quest. Exploiting the powerful attraction that flares between them, he succeeds in convincing Pris to tell him all, to trust him with her twin’s life. Together, Dillon and Pris locate Rus, only to discover that his life is threatened by the perpetrators of a massive betting swindle, from whom he’s escaped.
The time is ripe for Dillon to repay old debts by helping another as he himself was helped. Assisted by Demon, Felicity, and Barnaby Adair, Dillon and Pris embark on a journey riddled with danger – and undeniable passion – as they seek to overturn the swindle and expose the deadly perpetrators. And along the way they discover the answer to that age old question: What price love?
15. The Taste of Innocence: For no gentleman is this more true than for Charles Morwellan, the 8th Earl of Meredith. Although he’s seen the many successful unions of his Cynster connections, he has also watched his father’s obsessions nearly destroy his family and fortune, a mistake Charles will not repeat. But as Lord Meredith he must marry, so he offers for Sarah, daughter of his neighbors, Lord and Lady Conningham. She’s intelligent enough to run his social life, beautiful enough to grace his arm, and old enough to know the value of his offer.
For most young ladies of the ton, the right marriage is the culmination of years of training, perfect deportment and intricate plans and statagems that would impress a general. But as a lady of independent means with a life of her own, Sarah is unwilling to surrender her independence unless it be for unbounded love.
But Charles always gets what he wants. He convinces Sarah to give him two weeks to win her, after which-if he succeeds-they will marry immediately. And so begins an intense courtship. By day, Charles and Sarah are models of decorum indulging in innocuous walks, polite conversation, sedate waltzes. But each night they steal away to the lush, moonlit gardens where sensual embraces turn to searing kisses, which soon become much more. Both are swept away on a tide of passion and feeling neither can resist.
But after the wedding, despite nights of insatiable passion, by day Charles maintains an aloof distance as if the near-sinful sweetness of their nights exists only in a dream. Sarah battles to prove that true love is a force that can’t be contained, a gift worth fighting for, but it’s only when she’s engulfed in a web of increasingly dangerous incidents that Charles discovers how much he’s willing to surrender to protect…the taste of innocence.
16. Temptation and Surrender: Handsome, wealthy, and well-born, Jonas Tallent has everything a gentleman needs to enjoy London society to the fullest – and he has. He’s played cards until dawn, flirted with eligible young ladies, and made love to some ineligible ones.
But now he’s restless, bored with the mindless frivolity and careless pleasure, so its with a sense of relief that he takes up the reins of his family’s estate in rural Devon. His most pressing need is to hire a new manager for the inn–the center of village life. Such a small task, yet he discovers few decent applicants are willing to live in a quiet country backwater.
Then genteel but impoverished Miss Emily Beauregard applies for the position. Jonas’s initial response is an emphatic "no!" Ladies, especially one as attractive as Emily, belong in the ballroom or the bedroom, not running an inn. But with no alternatives, he grudgingly allows Emily to try, and she rapidly proves herself worthy, resurrecting the inn with tact and skill.
But Em has a secret. Its not only the need to provide for herself and her orphaned siblings that has brought her to Devon. She’s surreptitiously searching for a family treasure hidden in the village, the only clues to its location a cryptic rhyme handed down through the generations. Emily is determined to solve the puzzle, find the treasure and reinstate her family to its rightful place in society.
Yet Em hasn’t bargained on Jonas. His experience is temptation, his attentions irresistible, and he’s determined to aid her in her quest. He eventually persuades her to trust him, and together they unravel the clues . But someone else is watching, waiting, and once the family legacy is unearthed, the villain strikes, threatening Em, her family, and the love she and Jonas have discovered in each others’ arms.
*extra:
16. Where the Heart Leads: Penelope Ashford, Portia Cynster’s younger sister, has grown up with every advantage – wealth, position, and beauty. Yet Penelope is anything but a typical ton miss – forceful, willful and blunt to a fault, she has for years devoted her considerable energy and intelligence to directing an institution caring for the forgotten orphans of London’s streets.
But now her charges are mysteriously disappearing. Desperate, Penelope turns to the one man she knows who might help her – Barnaby Adair.
Handsome scion of a noble house, Adair has made a name for himself in political and judicial circles. His powers of deduction and observation combined with his pedigree has seen him solve several serious crimes within the ton. Although he makes her irritatingly uncomfortable, Penelope throws caution to the wind and appears on his bachelor doorstep late one night, determined to recruit him to her cause.
Barnaby is intrigued-both by her story, and her. Her bold beauty and undeniable brains make a striking contrast to the usual insipid ton misses. And as he’s in dire need of an excuse to avoid said insipid misses, he accepts her challenge, never dreaming she and it will consume his every waking hour.
Enlisting the aid of Inspector Basil Stokes of the fledgling Scotland Yard, they infiltrate the streets of London’s notorious East End. But as they unravel the mystery of the missing boys, they uncover the trail of a criminal embedded in the very organization recently created to protect all Londoners. And that criminal knows of them and their efforts, and is only too ready to threaten all they hold dear, including their new-found knowledge of the intrigues of the human heart.
And then She Fell: Famously known in London society as "The Matchbreaker," Henrietta Cynster’s uncanny skill lies in preventing ill-fated nuptials – not in falling victim to Cupid’s spell.
But then she disrupts one match too many and feels honor-bound to assist dashing James Glossup in finding a suitable bride for a marriage of convenience.
A task infernally complicated by the undeniable, unquenchable attraction that flares between James and Henrietta, who continues to believe she will never fall…
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