Hiatt Regency Classics
6 primary works
Book 1
He lost a wager . . . but won a treasure.
Due to a lost wager, the Duke of Ravenham is obliged to bring a pretty little nobody from the country into fashion among the high-sticklers of London Society. Ravenham would never refuse a debt of honor, no matter how unorthodox, so he overlooks Miss Gordon's vulgar relations to do what is necessary, escorting the unsophisticated chit to balls, etc. But what he expects to be an irksome duty turns out to be something quite different as he falls under the spell of his protege's innocent charm. When he lost that wager, he definitely never counted on losing his heart as well!
First impressions can be deceiving.
Miss Gabriella Gordon only came to London at her mother's and sister's insistence, for she'd much rather assist in running her father's veterinary practice than attempt to fit into fashionable society. No sooner has she arrived in London than the exalted (and exceedingly handsome) Duke of Ravenham comes to call. The reason is less than flattering, however: due to a lost wager, the Duke is forced to bring Gabriella into fashion, a "favor" she would certainly refuse if her family would let her. But the more time she spends in the dashing Duke's company, the more conflicted she feels— particularly when she discovers they have more in common than she ever dared dream.
Book 2
A divided heart
Though ostensibly in London for her debut, Miss Deirdre Wheaton is far more interested in meeting celebrated poets than eligible bachelors. In fact, her deepest, most secret desire is to have her own poetry published someday . . . until she meets the Marquis of Wrotham. Once Cupid's arrow strikes, Deirdre can think of nothing but the handsome nobleman. Determined to give the poets' most exalted emotion, love, a fair try, she goes about transforming herself from the "ugly duckling" of the family into an elegant woman of fashion in order to catch Lord Wrotham's eye. But no sooner does she succeed in attracting his notice than she learns that her intended apparently has an aversion to her first love—poetry!
A prize worth pursuing
Though long averse to matrimony, the Marquis of Wrotham is now in a position where he must, after all, choose a bride for the succession. In Miss Deirdre Wheaton, Lord Wrotham believes he has finally found a woman who unites beauty, breeding, humor and intellect. When she suddenly grows cool toward him, he is at a loss to explain it. Can he convince the lovely Miss Wheaton that he is her perfect mate after all?
Originally published as The Ugly Duckling
Book 3
Venus, make her fair . . .
Though not a superstitious man, Lord Dearborn humors his mother by going to her fortuneteller, who informs him that he will meet his Destiny —a beautiful blonde —this very Season. He scoffs, until he meets Miss Rosalind Winston-Fitts, an absolute vision of blonde loveliness. Entranced, he believes the fortuneteller may have been right after all and pursues the new beauty with an eye to making her his wife. To be sure, Miss Rosalind is not as witty or lively as her small, dark cousin, Miss Elinor O'Day, but Dearborn's tastes have always run to statuesque blondes. Besides, who is he to question Destiny?
Perfect, but unattainable
Ellie O'Day lives on sufferance in her aunt and uncle's household, but she is truly fond of her cousin Rosalind. So surely it is the height of disloyalty to find herself so strongly attracted to Lord Dearborn, Rosalind's most eligible suitor! Still, Ellie cannot deny the thrill she feels when she dances with the Earl . . . nor when she trades quips with him and bests him at cards. Since her life would be a misery were she to stay on as Rosalind's companion after her inevitable marriage to Lord Dearborn, Ellie would be much better off to instead immure herself in Ireland, on her grandfather's estate. If only the call of love were not so insistent . . .
Book 4
He won a wife in a game of cards!
Dashing Major Gavin Alexander, recently elevated to sixth Earl of Seabrooke, needs a fortune—fast! His new title came with a mountain of debt, and it is only a matter of time before he's denied entrance to the clubs where he's eking out a living by gaming. When Sir Thomas Chesterton cannot pay his losses at the table and offers his sister—and her inheritance—instead, Gavin jumps at the seemingly perfect solution to his troubles and agrees to wed Miss Chesterton sight unseen.
No biddable spinster
Frederica Chesterton is appalled to learn what her brother has done without her consent. Determined to undo the bargain, she wrests a promise from Sir Thomas that if she can find proof Lord Seabrook is a rogue, he will release her from the betrothal. Without her brother's knowledge, Frederica infiltrates Lord Seabrooke's household as a servant to ferret out the man's secrets—and finds more of them than she bargained for! But even as she gathers her evidence against the handsome Earl, she finds herself perilously close to losing her heart. Will revealing her true identity lead to disaster, or to a happy ending neither she nor Lord Seabrooke ever expected?
Book 5
A whirlwind courtship, a Christmas wedding
Holly’s life seems full of promise until her attempt to become a heroine in her own right ends in a terrible conflict of loyalties that could wreck her marriage!
To save her marriage, must she risk her brother’s life?
All of her life, Holly has dreamed of adventure and heroics. Indeed, she would far rather be a spy for the British against Napoleon, like her twin brother, Noel, than make her London debut. That is, until she meets Hunt, the handsome Marquess of Vandover. After a whirlwind courtship, they are married on Christmas Eve–Holly’s (and Noel’s) birthday. Holly is deeply in love, and her new husband’s career in the Foreign Office allows her to rub shoulders with diplomats and ambassadors, feeding her love of adventure. The future seems full of promise until her inept attempts to assist her husband in his career–and become a heroine in her own right–leads her to trust the wrong person. Suddenly Holly is plunged into a terrible conflict of loyalties, where she must choose between saving her nearly-broken marriage–and her beloved brother’s life!
Book 6
'Tis better to have loved and lost . . . or is it?
To safeguard her future, orphaned Azalea's grandfather arranges her marriage—in name only, of course, as she is not yet of age—to the son of his oldest friend, Lord Glaedon. Azalea, however, falls head over heels in love with her handsome new husband with all the impetuousness and romanticism of her youth before he sails back to England mere days after the wedding. When she learns of his death at sea, she is devastated.
Six years later, Azalea honors her grandfather's dying wish by sailing for England herself to recover her inheritance. Once there, she is stunned to discover that Christian, the beloved husband she has believed dead all this time, is quite definitely alive . . . but seems to have no memory whatsoever of their marriage, or of her! Even worse, he is betrothed . . . to her cousin. Can Azalea possibly force Christian—now the illustrious Earl of Glaedon—to remember the truth? Or must she somehow win him away from her dazzlingly beautiful cousin to prevent him from committing bigamy—and breaking her heart again?
(Note: Readers who prefer their Regencies squeaky clean should be aware that this story is a bit spicier than the other books in the Hiatt Regency Classics collection.)