Reluctant Brides Series by Marie Tremayne

She wants to escape her present...When Clara Mayfield helps her sister elope, she’s prepared for the scandal to seal her fate as a spinster. What she doesn't expect is to find herself engaged to the vile Baron Rutherford as a means of salvaging her family's reputation. Determined not to be chained to a man she loathes, Clara slips out of Essex and sheds her identity: she becomes Helen, maid at the Earl of Ashworth’s country estate... moreShe wants to escape her present...When Clara Mayfield helps her sister elope, she’s prepared for the scandal to seal her fate as a spinster. What she doesn't expect is to find herself engaged to the vile Baron Rutherford as a means of salvaging her family's reputation. Determined not to be chained to a man she loathes, Clara slips out of Essex and sheds her identity: she becomes Helen, maid at the Earl of Ashworth’s country estate. After all, below stairs is the last place anyone would think to look for an heiress...He wants to forget his past...William, Lord Ashworth, is attempting to rebuild his life after the devastating accident that claimed the lives of his entire family, save his beloved sister and niece. Haunted by memories of what was and determined to live up to the title he never expected to inherit, William doesn’t have time for love. What he needs is a noble and accomplished wife, one who can further the Ashworth line and keep the family name untarnished...Together, can they find the perfect future?From their first encounter, the attraction between them is undeniable. But Clara knows William is falling for Helen, a woman who doesn’t even exist. The question is, if she reveals the truth about her identity, can she trust the broken William to forgive her lie and stand by her side when scandal—and the baron—inevitably follow her to his door? less

Marie Tremayne returns to her Reluctant Brides series with an emotional tale of a young widow determined to find love and the devilish rake who has always wanted her...After five years away, Lady Eliza Cartwick isn't relishing returning to the whirl of the London season. But the young widow knows to ensure the best future for herself and her young daughter, Rosa, she must remarry... moreMarie Tremayne returns to her Reluctant Brides series with an emotional tale of a young widow determined to find love and the devilish rake who has always wanted her...After five years away, Lady Eliza Cartwick isn't relishing returning to the whirl of the London season. But the young widow knows to ensure the best future for herself and her young daughter, Rosa, she must remarry. If only Lord Evanston, the dashing rogue who has haunted her dreams since she was sixteen, didn't insist on distracting her with his searing looks and lingering touches at the most inconvenient times.Thomas, Lord Evanston, has wanted Eliza since her engagement ball all those years ago. His best friend's sister has constantly been out of reach...until now. The forbidden has always tempted him, but when Thomas realizes he wants the object of his fantasies for far more than a dalliance, he must convince her that he's not just a rake; he's a viscount who's worth the wait. less

Lady Caroline Rowe is determined never to marry. After the disastrous end to her last Season, she wants nothing more than to live quietly with her aunt in the country. But her resistance starts to slip when an exasperating new neighbor, The American, begins to invade not just her land, but her life. And, of course, he is the last man who should ever tempt her... Inheriting an estate across the Atlantic has proven more difficult than Jonathan Cartwick ever expected... moreLady Caroline Rowe is determined never to marry. After the disastrous end to her last Season, she wants nothing more than to live quietly with her aunt in the country. But her resistance starts to slip when an exasperating new neighbor, The American, begins to invade not just her land, but her life. And, of course, he is the last man who should ever tempt her... Inheriting an estate across the Atlantic has proven more difficult than Jonathan Cartwick ever expected. Avoiding his infuriating neighbor is tougher still, especially once he finds himself drawn to the ravishing beauty. Living a life he never wanted has been hard enough, but soon he fears losing his sanity, and his heart, to Lady Caroline... When Caroline's parents threaten to marry her off to the first lord who will take her, she is devastated. And against all odds, Jonathan finds himself wanting to prove to the troublesome minx that he might just be the man she has been waiting for. less