The Sisters of the Aristocracy Series by Linda Rae Sande

What will you discover when you read between the lines? Jeffrey Althorpe is in need of more income for the struggling Sommers barony. As a peer of the realm, he’s not allowed to work, but if he’s able to earn money from a book he’s written – anonymously, of course - no one will be the wiser. A dowry would be easier, but then he would have to find a woman willing to marry a baron... moreWhat will you discover when you read between the lines? Jeffrey Althorpe is in need of more income for the struggling Sommers barony. As a peer of the realm, he’s not allowed to work, but if he’s able to earn money from a book he’s written – anonymously, of course - no one will be the wiser. A dowry would be easier, but then he would have to find a woman willing to marry a baron. While her brother, the Earl of Everly, is away on one of his lengthy expeditions, Lady Evangeline is left behind in London to spend her days creating exquisite embroideries and reading books. She's about to buy 'The Story of a Baron' at The Temple of Muses when Lord Sommers suddenly appears. He’s intent on buying the very same book, but there's only the one copy. Desperate to discover what changes his publisher might have made to his story – without letting on he’s the author – Jeffrey suggests they read it together. Evangeline's sterling reputation could use a bit of scandal, she decides, and so she agrees to Lord Sommer's proposal. As the two read 'The Story a Baron', Evangeline realizes some of the characters and settings are just a bit too familiar. And a bit too close to home. Was she the inspiration for the baron’s secret love, a bold, brash woman whose reputation is in tatters? With her own reputation suddenly in question, Evangeline finds her life imitating art. How can the book have a happy ending when she wishes she’d never purchased 'The Story of a Baron'? less

They say you learn from your mistakes ... but what if they're not your own? After four Seasons and no prospects, Lady Samantha is resigned to life as a spinster. Her aunt, Caroline Fitzsimmons, Viscountess Chamberlain, has another option in mind—she insists they set sail to Italy for a tour she hopes might allow her charge to meet and marry a European aristocrat... moreThey say you learn from your mistakes ... but what if they're not your own? After four Seasons and no prospects, Lady Samantha is resigned to life as a spinster. Her aunt, Caroline Fitzsimmons, Viscountess Chamberlain, has another option in mind—she insists they set sail to Italy for a tour she hopes might allow her charge to meet and marry a European aristocrat. His coal mines having suffered a multitude of disasters, Ethan Range, Marquess of Plymouth, is determined to secure a recent invention from an Italian count to alleviate the danger of fires. He's none too happy to discover Lady Caroline traveling on the same ship as he is to Rome. He knows her secret and is rather incensed she's been able to hide Samantha's true past from the ton. While taking a late-night stroll on deck, Samantha is confronted by the scowling marquess. Incensed by his assertion that Caroline is really her mother, Samantha barely has time to slap the man before a sudden storm sends a wave of water onto the ship, washing them both overboard. Forced to save each other, the two end up as castaways on a deserted island in the Mediterranean. Although they face perils a plenty during the week they're stranded, they have far more to fear from one another than from hunger, weather, and pirates. Can the two overcome their circumstances and realize the mistakes of the past are not their own? Or will their week on the island lead to more turbulence? The heart may be the best life preserver in "The Passion of a Marquess." less

What I cannot imagine is a life without Lily, for I do not believe it would be a life worth living. As the illegitimate daughter of an earl, Lily Harkins spent her early years toiling as a scullery maid and later as a lady's maid. When her brother, Gabriel Wellingham, paid a call to claim her as his sister, Lily was surprised and a bit overwhelmed... moreWhat I cannot imagine is a life without Lily, for I do not believe it would be a life worth living. As the illegitimate daughter of an earl, Lily Harkins spent her early years toiling as a scullery maid and later as a lady's maid. When her brother, Gabriel Wellingham, paid a call to claim her as his sister, Lily was surprised and a bit overwhelmed. With recognition as the Earl of Trenton's half-sister came the responsibility to learn the ways of the ton as well as the promise of a substantial dowry—an irresistible draw for many a man who might require the income to pay off gambling debts or shore up flagging bank accounts. William Overby may have started his life as a street urchin in the Seven Dials, but he worked his way from being Thomas Wellingham's caddie to clerking at the man's business. Having outfitted his bachelor quarters with excess inventory from Wellingham Imports and rather satisfied with his lot in life, William has no need to wonder what's next. That is, until he meets the comely blonde chit who's paying a visit to her cousin, Thomas. The idea of courting—the idea of taking a wife—are suddenly all William can think about. Thanks to patient tutoring, Lily had a successful come-out—too successful. Having read the stories in the gossip sheets from London suggesting his sister is being courted by no fewer than four aristocrats, Gabriel sends for her. He’s determined to hear her side of the stories before deciding which man is worthy enough to be her husband. Having suffered a good deal of embarrassment in her encounters with gentlemen claiming they wished to court her, Lily wonders if any of her suitors are sincere. And just who is the young man who works for her cousin Thomas? Is he a suitable suitor? Or just another fortune hunter after her dowry? While on her way to meet her brother in Staffordshire, Lily decides she may have to spin a few tales of her own to get her way in "The Desire of a Lady". less