Kings of Cardenas Series by Elise Marion

Prince Damien, the spoiled youngest son of the king of Cardenas, finds that his world will never quite be the same again when a fiery Gypsy girl, Esmeralda, comes dancing into his privileged life. Rake. Rogue. Scoundrel. Each of these words has been used to describe Damien Largess, youngest prince of Cardenas, most frequently by his ridiculously somber eldest brother... morePrince Damien, the spoiled youngest son of the king of Cardenas, finds that his world will never quite be the same again when a fiery Gypsy girl, Esmeralda, comes dancing into his privileged life. Rake. Rogue. Scoundrel. Each of these words has been used to describe Damien Largess, youngest prince of Cardenas, most frequently by his ridiculously somber eldest brother. Damien is perfectly content to spend his days drinking at the card tables, and his nights in the bed of his scheming mistress, especially since doing these things seems to vex his high-handed brother to no end. But when he steps into a glittering ballroom on the night of his twenty-fifth birthday, the roguish young prince’s life will be forever changed. Beautiful. Graceful. Sensual. When Esmeralda steps into the center of the King’s ballroom to perform for his youngest son’s birthday, every eye in the room is glued to the tall, lithe Gypsy dancer. One pair of eyes seems to burn straight through her, and though she has worked endlessly to shield her heart, she finds her defenses slowly slipping away in the presence of the handsome prince. She cannot resist his devastating charm, nor is she immune to the earth shattering desire in his kiss. As she falls rapidly under his spell, Esmeralda dares to hope for a future she would never have thought possible. With a deadly plot against the royal family surrounding him in danger and intrigue, Damien will face a decision he never thought he would have to make. Would he step up to claim a responsibility that should never have fallen to the third son? Or will he abandon it to risk all for love? less

He has always loved her. She is still reeling from the lost of her first love. Can a marriage of convenience give birth to true love? Can the second son of a king prove his worth? Will a pampered princess stand beside her husband to save her country and her people?

“Unlike the delicate hothouse rose, the Gypsy rose is riddled with thorns. Few men are brave enough to take one in their grasp.” Tatiana Angelo always dreamed of a life of opulence and glamour. When her cousin became the wife of the King of Cardenas, she was swept away by the intrigue and decadence of palace life and became the jewel of the royal court... more“Unlike the delicate hothouse rose, the Gypsy rose is riddled with thorns. Few men are brave enough to take one in their grasp.” Tatiana Angelo always dreamed of a life of opulence and glamour. When her cousin became the wife of the King of Cardenas, she was swept away by the intrigue and decadence of palace life and became the jewel of the royal court. Catching the eye of a rich and titled lord seemed like a dream come true, but a few months after their whirlwind elopement, Tatiana found herself abandoned by the man she once thought loved her. Now, all she wishes to do is return to her previous life, one of simplicity and freedom. When Adrian Wilshire enters her life, Tatiana is certain she’s found in him the freedom and passion she desires. Despite the scars left on her heart by her past love, she throws caution to the wind and opens herself to the possibility of a future with him. But when the truth of his identity comes to light, the pain of his betrayal is too much to bear. Yet, despite her anger and sadness, she finds that turning her back on him will be harder than she could have ever imagined. A few months ago, Adrian Wilshire was nothing more than the illegitimate son of a courtesan and titled lord. After years of hard work, he’s finally saved enough to begin the modest but quiet life he’s always craved, hoping that in doing so he will finally leave the ghosts of his tormented past behind. When he sets eyes on the vivacious Gypsy dancing under the moonlight, Adrian knows that he has finally found the woman that could make his dream of a happy life complete. But the strains of a responsibility he never wanted weigh heavily on him, as the demands of an estate left to him by his father press in on him from all sides. Can he live his life trapped in a gilded cage he despises and still keep the heart of a woman who desires freedom above all else? With his vengeful half-brother bent on destroying everything Adrian has inherited, as well as his life and love, Adrian will find keeping the balance between duty and desire even more complicated. Can Adrian fight the dangers of the present and the ghosts of the past while claiming the fickle heart of the Gypsy Rose? Can two broken hearts find comfort in each other and lasting love? Elise Marion's Kings of Cardenas saga continues with a story of heartbreak, passion, deception, and love. less