Singular Sensation Series by Sandra Sookoo

A proper gentleman. A desperate lady. One little indiscretion that will change their lives.Carew Harcourt Fitzwilliam—Duke of Edenthorpe—is dreadfully dissatisfied with his life. Engaged since childhood to a woman unsuited to him, he feels trapped and hopeless. What he needs is a distraction, which comes in the form of a possible jewelry heist. Too bad it has arrived with his best friend’s sister, now a beauty he can’t banish from his mind... moreA proper gentleman. A desperate lady. One little indiscretion that will change their lives.Carew Harcourt Fitzwilliam—Duke of Edenthorpe—is dreadfully dissatisfied with his life. Engaged since childhood to a woman unsuited to him, he feels trapped and hopeless. What he needs is a distraction, which comes in the form of a possible jewelry heist. Too bad it has arrived with his best friend’s sister, now a beauty he can’t banish from his mind.Miss Leah Haddington, only daughter of Baron Langley, can square with being overlooked by men in the ton due to her auburn hair and freckles, but being left penniless by her father’s gambling is beyond the pale. There’s only one man who can help retrieve a stolen bauble—her deceased brother’s best friend. It matters not that a forbidden attraction is brewing between them. He’s engaged to another, so where is the harm in a partnership?As they plot and plan their way through ton ballrooms and a practice theft in a bid to snag a missing tiara, that desire ignites. A heated, passionate mistake, to be sure, for he’s to wed someone else in mere days, but the need to belong was too strong to ignore. When the theft goes awry and danger is brought to bear, they must both decide what they want more from life—staid security based in expectation and tradition or unpredictable scandal born out of unexpected love. less

A stolen jewel. An inappropriate attraction. One secret wish that complicates everything.Leopold Bollinger, 11th Earl of St. Vincent, is suffering from ennui. On the verge of turning forty-two, he’s bored. Ten years retired from the spy life, the responsibilities his title demands are not enough to hold his attention. Unfortunately, neither do the ladies within the beau monde... moreA stolen jewel. An inappropriate attraction. One secret wish that complicates everything.Leopold Bollinger, 11th Earl of St. Vincent, is suffering from ennui. On the verge of turning forty-two, he’s bored. Ten years retired from the spy life, the responsibilities his title demands are not enough to hold his attention. Unfortunately, neither do the ladies within the beau monde. All that changes when the widow of one of his best friends attends the same society event he does, and damn if she’s not more attractive than she’s ever been, which reignites the torch he’s carried for years.Rachel Balfour—Lady Cavanagh—has been without purpose since her husband’s death. Though she wants to hide from wagging tongues, keeping her dead husband’s secret is of paramount importance. Upon a scandalous meeting with his best friend at a ball, her spirits change as does her mindset when he puts forth a completely madcap plan to reclaim an expensive jewel. Despite the fact his devilish grin tipped her acquiescence, being courted by his rival might sour a second chance at romance.While the unlikely pair scheme through summertime London, forced proximity turns the simmering passion between them into an inferno. As the bauble they chase eventually falls into the hands of a dangerous enemy of the earl’s past, life quickly turns complicated, and sacrifices are made. Time counts down, and more than the treasure will be lost if they don’t fight for the love they both need so desperately. less

When a scandalous rumor sweeps society, what’s a girl to do except behave even more improperly to match her tattered reputation?Edward Marlowe, 5th Duke of Lockwood, has struggled to put his time in the war behind him... moreWhen a scandalous rumor sweeps society, what’s a girl to do except behave even more improperly to match her tattered reputation?Edward Marlowe, 5th Duke of Lockwood, has struggled to put his time in the war behind him. Tired of hiding within the halls of the Rogue’s Arcade club, when he attends a society event with the intention of perhaps charming a lady into his bed, he’s caught off guard as a petite beauty in a hurry, plows into him, tumbling them both to the floor, seconds before she begs for his help.When Miss Juliet Gillingham finds a diamond brooch the size of a pigeon’s egg in a hollowed-out book at her father’s book shop, she’s curious. Though her mind spins a few tales about its origin, three days later, she’s branded as a brazen jewel thief in the papers. She didn’t commit the crime, and she certainly won’t pay the penalty, especially if she can enlist the assistance of a handsome war hero who happens to be a duke… and a former thief himself.They attempt to discover the rightful owner of the bauble while dodging the mysterious party who wants it—and them dead. With desire simmering between them, they’re forced to keep to the shadows throughout London in order to evade detection and danger. Only by taunting the original thief by bringing the diamond into the open will they have a chance at removing themselves from scandal, but by then, even love might not be able to save them. less

What happens in London after midnight doesn't always remain a secret.Baldwin Benedict Loverly, Duke of Broadmoor, wants nothing to do with society in general or women specifically. His stint in the military during the war broke him in mind and spirit. Now he can barely leave his townhouse without suffering from crushing bouts of fear and anxiety, but when he meets an unconventional woman who planned his aging aunt’s birthday celebration, he might strive to overcome his challenges... moreWhat happens in London after midnight doesn't always remain a secret.Baldwin Benedict Loverly, Duke of Broadmoor, wants nothing to do with society in general or women specifically. His stint in the military during the war broke him in mind and spirit. Now he can barely leave his townhouse without suffering from crushing bouts of fear and anxiety, but when he meets an unconventional woman who planned his aging aunt’s birthday celebration, he might strive to overcome his challenges.Outgoing and sunny Miss Georgianna Abernathy, step-daughter of the Earl of Dirkenstead knows how people want to celebrate. When a pair of valuable emerald and diamond earbobs, directly off the ears of one of the beau monde’s popular duchesses, is found inside a cake she ordered, she panics. With scandal looming, she barely hides the jewelry in her skirts before the handsome duke comes upon her and makes her yearn for dreams she’d let go.Once he temporarily subdues the alleged thief, the situation forces him to forget about his woes. Though he makes it his mission to prove her innocence, something about the story niggles at him. Discovered in a compromising situation, he puts forth the story of their engagement to lend her protection, and Georgianna objects—strenuously—which deepens the mystery surrounding her, but as they give into passion during the investigation, life grows more complicated. Unless they can find the real thief, both of them might be arrested with no chance for the romance neither of them expected to find. less

One hasty decision on a summer evening will change the course of their lives forever.Augustus Michael Notley—Baron Twinsfield—has reformed from scandalous activity—mostly. Though he’s still fond of gambling, drinking, and taking beautiful ladies to bed, he has grown bored with his lifestyle... moreOne hasty decision on a summer evening will change the course of their lives forever.Augustus Michael Notley—Baron Twinsfield—has reformed from scandalous activity—mostly. Though he’s still fond of gambling, drinking, and taking beautiful ladies to bed, he has grown bored with his lifestyle. Since the war ended years ago, there simply isn’t any more excitement left, until he agrees to steal a valuable diamond necklace on a dare for a duke… and runs into a woman who captivates his imagination, for she is everything he is not.Miss Diana Fortescue is more than just an unwanted spinster. She’s been dispatched by her brother at the Home Office to slip a rope of diamonds from the neck of a visiting heiress, for that same piece is slated to be sold to fund distasteful shipping ventures in Kent. In memory of her younger brother, she won’t fail this mission like her last… except being tempted into scandal with a dashing stranger might prove too much of a distraction.After that one summer night of pleasure in a garden, the baron and Diana are pitted against each other on opposite sides of a much larger issue than ownership of a diamond necklace. But the longer the pair skulk about in the hopes of stealing the gemstones, the greater the risk of detection grows, and once the man who orchestrated the theft is apprised of the delay, Augustus and Diana are in his sights. If the two enemies to lovers can’t manage to work together toward a common goal, they might be forced to forfeit the most valuable discovery of all—a love they never knew they needed. less

When unexpected adventures are in the offing, it’s best to jump in despite potential heartbreak.Michael Ashworth, Viscount of Winteringham, has been a widower and a father for nearly eight years. Living with grief and uncertainty as well as the after-affects from the war leave him drained, but he must be strong for the sake of his son... moreWhen unexpected adventures are in the offing, it’s best to jump in despite potential heartbreak.Michael Ashworth, Viscount of Winteringham, has been a widower and a father for nearly eight years. Living with grief and uncertainty as well as the after-affects from the war leave him drained, but he must be strong for the sake of his son. When he accidentally overhears a faint, whispered plea in the Reading Room at the British Museum in a feminine tone, it practically demands that he come up to the mark and help.Miss Charity Maitland is the daughter of an antiquities dealer, and she is quite alone in life. Though she’s not a stranger to relics and secrets due to her father’s pawn broker shop, it is that knowledge which has led her into trouble. When she’s kidnapped by a strange man who wants information her father had regarding a specific tiara once belonging to the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh—though she’s never seen the piece—her life is in jeopardy from her captor.Which leads to a marriage of convenience, for Charity requires protection. When an unexpected kiss between the nuptial pair ignites mutual unwanted attraction, they ignore it to hunt for the tiara. Staying one step ahead of the criminal network who wishes to gain the piece proves difficult, especially when Winteringham encounters a villainess who despises the Rogue’s Arcade men. Working together and allowing fate to have at them might mean stumbling upon something more valuable than the tiara—love, family, and belonging—unless they don’t survive the madwoman’s machinations… less

Missing pearls, maudlin memories, and unexpected new perspectives will make this Christmastide a holiday no one will forget.Mr. Benjamin Dashwood—Lord Timelbury—is a widower and a former military man who has lost the magic Christmastide used to possess. When a priceless pearl and diamond bracelet he procured as a gift for his aunt goes missing, the number one suspect is a woman who dropped by for donations... moreMissing pearls, maudlin memories, and unexpected new perspectives will make this Christmastide a holiday no one will forget.Mr. Benjamin Dashwood—Lord Timelbury—is a widower and a former military man who has lost the magic Christmastide used to possess. When a priceless pearl and diamond bracelet he procured as a gift for his aunt goes missing, the number one suspect is a woman who dropped by for donations. Tracking down the potential criminal might provide a distraction from the memories that plague him, and help him avoid the holiday.Miss Samantha Marchington is a woman at her wit’s end, trying to make the Christmastide holidays special for her father, as well as the poor families she looks after in one of London’s most notorious slums. It’s her favorite time of the year, but she’s been run ragged and needs a break. When a handsome man with a commanding presence demands she return a stolen bracelet, she loses her temper, which puts everything into jeopardy.That first meeting pitted them as enemies, and as Lord Timelbury refused to let her out of his sight until the jewelry is found, they are forced to spend the days leading up to Christmastide together. Heated attraction crackles between them and brings with it feelings of romance, but when the pair discovers the bracelet has been put into a donation basket that was distributed to one of the needy families, tempers flare anew and threaten everything they are building. Perhaps a sprinkling of mistletoe magic can usher in a love they both secretly wish for. less