The Stratford Family Series by Kelsey Swanson

Wedding planning is torturous for most men, let alone when that man has knowingly trapped himself into assisting with the wedding of the woman he loves...to another man. Jeremy Balfour, the new Baron Shefford, has known Lady Lily Stratford her entire life and loved her just as long. But several truths were evident to him from the very beginning:*As his best friend's younger sister, she was completely off-limits.*Revealing his feelings would do no good.*Lily was not meant for him... moreWedding planning is torturous for most men, let alone when that man has knowingly trapped himself into assisting with the wedding of the woman he loves...to another man. Jeremy Balfour, the new Baron Shefford, has known Lady Lily Stratford her entire life and loved her just as long. But several truths were evident to him from the very beginning:*As his best friend's younger sister, she was completely off-limits.*Revealing his feelings would do no good.*Lily was not meant for him. As the daughter of an earl, she was destined to marry a great lord and bring her family an advantageous connection.When the inevitable happens and Lily is betrothed to another man, Jeremy must make the decision to risk destroying both of their lives by revealing his feelings, or do the honorable thing and relinquish her forever. Either through blind stupidity or desperation, he offers to stand in for the absent bridegroom during the planning process; telling himself that he will take solace in Lily's temporary nearness, imprint her smile upon his memory, and hold those recollections close as he vows to step aside and never interfere again. When he discovers her fiancé's true nature, however, Jeremy's choice becomes clear: He must save Lily from the marriage...at any cost.Brimming with angst and longing, electric passion and an explosive conclusion, The Baron's Folly is a spectacular introduction to the world of "The Stratford Family" series; part of an interwoven, multilayered set of books with overlapping characters and plots. Welcome to Kelsey Swanson's world of Regency Romance. less

He is broken in both body and soul...George Stratford, Viscount Sommerfeld, is accustomed to being a man envied. As the eldest son of the Earl of Aldborough, he stands to inherit numerous properties and wealth along with a powerful title. He is well-liked among the ton and widely considered a man with a jovial disposition, winning smile, and sharp wit. Unfortunately for George, a tragic, violent injury lays him low and cripples his body as well as his future... moreHe is broken in both body and soul...George Stratford, Viscount Sommerfeld, is accustomed to being a man envied. As the eldest son of the Earl of Aldborough, he stands to inherit numerous properties and wealth along with a powerful title. He is well-liked among the ton and widely considered a man with a jovial disposition, winning smile, and sharp wit. Unfortunately for George, a tragic, violent injury lays him low and cripples his body as well as his future. His lack of improvement knocks his life from its seemingly unwavering course and plunges him into a dark hole simmering with anger and bitterness. Gone is the affable man, and in his place is a wounded lion who'd rather hold everyone at bay with claws and vicious, biting words than reveal to the world the true depth of his pain.She has nowhere to call home...Meredith Pryce has spent her life on the outside. An unwanted daughter of a lord who'd resented his Scottish wife, she'd been foisted off on her mother's relatives and found solace in books and the the unconventional comfort of her uncle's medical practice before being married off to a man decades her senior. Her husband's death leaves her as the Dowager Baroness Gallwell, but her stepson, the new baron, makes it clear she's no longer safe or welcome in her home. What follows is a life of deprivation as she bounces from one home to the next, forever without security or the warmth of a family. When she's generously invited to stay at Rosehall, she hardly expects to be confronted with an embittered viscount with a permanent scowl. Nor does she expect that her past will play a vital role in saving them both.Can she show him life is still worth living? And can he teach her what love an acceptance are? Follow the eldest Stratford sibling as he overcomes his shattered sense of self and teaches a lost woman the true meaning of family.Witty banter, fiery passion, and steamy desire flow throughout this second book in "The Stratford Family" series; part of an interwoven, multilayered set of books with overlapping characters and plots. Fall in love with Kelsey Swanson's world of Regency Romance. less

Though born into privilege as the youngest child of the Earl of Aldborough, much of Simon Stratford's life has been spent as an outcast. He never experienced the same desire to feign another personality or affect mannerisms for the sake of acceptance; always more concerned with his intellectual pursuits than the opinions of others. He exists in a space of orderly numbers where equations make infinitely more sense to him than the veiled barbs and cutting words of his peers... moreThough born into privilege as the youngest child of the Earl of Aldborough, much of Simon Stratford's life has been spent as an outcast. He never experienced the same desire to feign another personality or affect mannerisms for the sake of acceptance; always more concerned with his intellectual pursuits than the opinions of others. He exists in a space of orderly numbers where equations make infinitely more sense to him than the veiled barbs and cutting words of his peers. His work is his life and his haven in a world where he is, at best, misunderstood. Resigned to a life of solitude as a social pariah, he never counted on meeting a woman who makes him rethink all his priorities and wonder if there might be more to life than books or journals.Odette Leroy, the illegitimate daughter of a renowned French actress, suffers from a similar sensation of imposter syndrome. She is too introverted and sheltered to fit in well at the theater, and her parentage too dubious to be easily accepted in polite society. A chance encounter with the curious Mister Stratford has irrevocably altered her and given her hope for the future. There is something endearing and charming about the quiet, intensely intelligent man who asks her to dance and calls upon her as if she were the most proper and respected of ladies.Unfortunately for them, Odette's mother is more calculating than most... One orchestrated compromising situation and they find themselves rushed into a marriage of propriety, effectively elevating Odette's status and setting Simon's orderly, regulated world on its ear. While Odette struggles to find her place in the world, Simon must understand he can be more to his wife than a burden, dragging her down before she has a chance to fly. Aching desire and steamy passion abound in this third book in "The Stratford Family" series; part of an interwoven, multilayered set of books with overlapping characters and plots. Fall in love with Kelsey Swanson's world of Regency Romance. less