Rake's Ruin

He's not the marrying kind… The Duke of Rathmore is not the sort of man to indulge in a happily ever after. Chase gave up on love, and even affection, a long time ago. He spends his days managing his dukedom and his nights in far less wholesome pleasures. Which is why he can't believe his luck when a spring storm lands him on the doorstep of the Moorish family. The Honorable Thomas Moorish has five stunning daughters, each more delectable than the last. And most beautiful of all, the eldest, Miss Ophelia. She's certain love is the answer… After the death of her mother, Ophelia has spent much of her youth helping to raise her four younger sisters. At nearly two and twenty, she's yet to have a season or even any romance of her own. But what she's lacked in real life excitement, Ophelia's imagined through the pages of all her favorite books. And when a handsome duke lands on her door, she's certain this is her chance for a real-life fairytale. Except after their magical first kiss, everything goes wrong. She knows the plot and he isn't following it. Instead of asking for her hand, Rathmore gives her a polite but cold, thank you. And rather than professing his love, he announces he'll leave first thing the next morning. The man's not her prince at all but a complete rogue. Ophelia's tempted to give up romancing this rake. But he hints at a past filled with so much hurt, she's certain if she broke through that hard heart, she'd find a man in desperate need of her affection. Is it possible he is the one who needs to be saved?

He's a rake of the first order… Miss Adrianna Moorish knows a rake when she meets one and the Earl of Crestwood is the worst sort. Yes, he looks charming and handsome and sure, every word is perfectly chosen to compliment, but that shiny veneer holds a lecherous heart. She'll protect her sisters from his false advances and make certain none of them fall under his spell. The only problem, who is going to protect her? She's too smart for her own good… Luke is a man who loves a challenge and Adrianna is certainly that. With her sharp tongue and her quick wit, she sets herself up as his adversary from the first. Every attempt he makes to charm one of her sisters she deftly blocks. Of course, she's beautiful, smart, and alluring beyond compare, but he doesn't allow such women into his life. His past taught him these relationships only promise pain and suffering. Still, Adrianna needs a lesson on humility and he's happy to deliver. All is fair and love and war. Now he just has to decide which this is…

They say he's too dangerous… The Baron of Craven is tall, dark and brooding. He hardly ever speaks and when spoken to, he mostly just glowers. Which is why Bianca Moorish can't be believe that she gets stuck searching for her sister's cat with such a rogue. Worse still, she ends up stuck in a tree with no one to help her but…him. How does she always manage to get herself caught in these sort of dilemmas? But the situation only gets worse. Because once he wraps a strong arm around her waist to rescue her, well, why does her heart beat so fast? And how can she slow her racing pulse? And why did she never notice that his dark eyes are actually the color of warm chocolate? She's too innocent for the likes of him… Miss Bianca Moorish isn't the sort of woman for him. To be fair, no woman is. If Chris's father taught him one thing, it was that happily ever afters are not meant for the Craven clan. And if he were to marry, it would not be to a woman like Bianca. In addition to being a beauty beyond compare, she's far too sweet, too innocent, and altogether too nice for a depraved and scarred man like himself. Still, every time her lovely blue gaze meets his, he can't help but wonder…what if…

He's no woman's fool… The Marquess of Hartwell will not be taken in by the Moorish clan and especially not the ridiculous Juliet Moorish. She's got her head in the clouds which makes her a danger to everyone around her as she sets about hatching little schemes. So what if her auburn hair is so lush and lovely, and he's begun daydreaming about running his fingers thought the locks? And the pretty pink of her lips, that's not making his heart beat any faster. No. He'll ignore her charms and focus on keeping her from destroying his cousin's life. The only problem, her sweet kisses might just ruin his own. She'll not let one annoying marquess get in her way… Juliet has plans. The first is getting her eldest sister, Ophelia, to the alter with a duke. Which shouldn't be difficult, the two are madly in love. The second is to find her own Prince Charming. She's picked out the prefect candidate, a viscount no less. Now if she can just keep one meddling Marquess from ruining all her plans, she'll be set. The only issue is that said marquess keeps popping up at the most unwelcome times. Just when she's about to tell him how absolutely dreadful he is, he kisses her. And well… it's quite delightful really. And wrong. She's already in love…isn't she? Does she hate him or love him? Is he all wrong or perfectly right? Because this comedy of romantic errors, it's enough to make a girl scream in frustration. Or sigh in satisfaction. Perhaps she'll need to kiss him again to know for certain…

He's the worst sort of man… Wrapped in the most handsome package. The Viscount of Dashlane is the picture of masculine beauty with his flashing blue eyes and his ready smile. And every word he utters is perfectly timed to make a woman fall in love. There's only one problem. He's used his charm on one too many Moorish sisters and Cordelia Moorish isn't fooled at all. In fact, it's time this rake learned a lesson… She's a bluestocking and a wallflower… Lord Jacob Dashlane can't believe he's been stuck in a wholesome village in nowhere England for nearly a week. And worse still, the Honorable Thomas Moorish seems set on matching him with one of his ridiculously beautiful daughters. Another man might be glad but not Jake. He'll be tied to no woman's apron. That is until Cordelia Moorish falls into his lap. Quite literally. She smiles and blushes and then, just when he thinks he might steal a kiss, she slaps him dead in his face. So that's how it's going to be? If it's a game of matching wits, and seduction is the prize, he's in. But what he fails to consider are the stakes. Marriage? Love? Quite possibly, it's both.

He's every marriage minded mama's nightmare… Lady Charlotte Summerset, known only as Charlie to everyone who loves her, knows when to leave a man alone. She had plans for a husband and family but the Baron of Balstead is not the man for such dreams even if his darkly handsome looks make her heart race in her chest. But when he arrives at the very house party she's attending, he's difficult to avoid. And when he finds her alone in the garden on a beautiful summer's eve, can she even remember why she was trying? She's the most sought after debutante in England… Since the first moment he laid eyes on Lady Charlotte Summerset, she's haunted his dreams. Which is why he's stayed as far from her as possible. The last thing he needs is to get caught up in feelings. He's a first-class rogue and proud of it. But when he needs to help a friend, he finds himself face to face with the woman he's been trying to avoid. Worse still, she's so much better in the flesh. And when he finds her, standing alone in the garden, bathed in moonlight, he forgets all his promises. That's what rakes do after all, they steal kisses and compromise rules. The problem? One touch of her velvety soft lips and he's hooked. He should have known that one kiss would never be enough. Kissing Charlie was playing with fire… And everything he thought he knew about life and love is going up in flames.

He's far too dark and dangerous… The Duke of Danesbury is not a man to be trifled with. Dark and wickedly handsome, the man's reputation precedes him and Lady Cassandra Winterset knows when to leave a man alone. She's a widow after all, and versed in the harsh realities of the world. What she needs is a husband who will secure her future not a man who will only provide a temporary escape from her reality. But that doesn't mean she isn't tempted…. Still, she's smart enough to know when to stay and when to flee. And this duke is a man a woman should run from. If he chases… well, that's another game entirely. She's the beauty he needs to possess… From the first moment he lays eyes on her, Damian knows he has to have her. But the harder he tries to seduce her, the more elusive she becomes. He'd like to yell in frustration or applaud her amazingly dexterous skill. But if she wants to evade him, he'll play along. He's always been a hunter and she is excellent sport. Until he actually catches her. And the moment he finally gets the kiss he's been craving…well, everything changes. Because one kiss isn't nearly enough. And as he tries for another and another he begins to wonder who is the hunter and who is being hunted…