The Pemberton Series by Olivia Elliott

Bridgerton meets Jane Eyre in this touching and sensual open-door Regency romance.John Thornton’s past has left him a damaged man—both inside and out. After John inherits his father’s estate, he finds himself gifted an opportunity for redemption through the care and protection of his young half-sister Molly and her very stubborn governess Miss Serafina Edgemont... moreBridgerton meets Jane Eyre in this touching and sensual open-door Regency romance.John Thornton’s past has left him a damaged man—both inside and out. After John inherits his father’s estate, he finds himself gifted an opportunity for redemption through the care and protection of his young half-sister Molly and her very stubborn governess Miss Serafina Edgemont. When confronted with her new employer—a gentleman who wears a mask over half of his damaged face—Serafina must concede that despite his irregular and sometimes rude manner, there is something about him that drives her to distraction.John, for his part, finds Serafina to be a most defiant and protective governess, but his irritation with her begins to melt away as she demonstrates an openness and honesty with him he has never known before. Faced with the temptation she presents, John only hopes that he can control both his mind and his body so that he does not betray her trust. When rumours threaten to destroy the friendship and the home that they have built, Serafina must decide whether she can truly trust John with her life. less

He is a stern and brooding soldier who is used to giving orders.She is a passionate artist who rarely does as she’s told.His haunted past and secret shame stand like a wall between them in this hot and spicy Regency romance.The SoldierLord Richard Winter has returned from the continent a war hero. A former Major in His Majesty’s army, the death of his infamously disreputable father has left him the new viscount... moreHe is a stern and brooding soldier who is used to giving orders.She is a passionate artist who rarely does as she’s told.His haunted past and secret shame stand like a wall between them in this hot and spicy Regency romance.The SoldierLord Richard Winter has returned from the continent a war hero. A former Major in His Majesty’s army, the death of his infamously disreputable father has left him the new viscount. While his physical wounds of war have all but healed, his emotional wounds continue to fester. Richard stands like a mountain of muscle and strength, but he is a guarded man who takes comfort in adhering to his own set of rules.It seems there is nothing that can break down his defences until a rather brazen young lady chooses to give him a dressing down in public. The full-figured, curvaceous young lady who confronts Richard provokes an altogether unwelcome feeling within him. She is beautiful, and she is infuriating, and he knows he should keep his distance.The ArtistAt the age of twenty-seven, and without even one proposal of marriage to her name, Patience Pemberton is quite fed up with the social scene and with trying to be what she is not—agreeable and winsome and pleasant. Her natural inclination is to laugh too loudly and to speak without thinking. She pours all of her energy into her artwork as a portrait painter, and so it is with some excitement that she looks forward to making her mark at the Royal Academy by painting the dowager viscountess Lady Winter. Unfortunately, her mouth has run off with itself again, and she finds herself yelling into the face of a rather large and forbidding stranger who just so happens to be Lady Winter’s son!While Patience herself is initially enraged by the viscount, she finds his face most extraordinary. As a portrait artist, she is accustomed to looking closely at a person’s face, and what she sees in Richard Winter’s intrigues her: he is haunted, he is furious, and he has a death wish. less

He is the uptight son of a baron.She is the banished daughter of . . . a pirate?Each guards their own terrible truth that threatens the blossoming intimacy between them in this emotional—and steamy—Regency romance.The Baron’s SonGeorge Pemberton lives his life by a tightly drawn schedule of tidiness and efficiency. Everything in his world is lined up in orderly rows or tucked away into neat little boxes. He also keeps a secret—one that has its tendrils coiled around him, squeezing him tight... moreHe is the uptight son of a baron.She is the banished daughter of . . . a pirate?Each guards their own terrible truth that threatens the blossoming intimacy between them in this emotional—and steamy—Regency romance.The Baron’s SonGeorge Pemberton lives his life by a tightly drawn schedule of tidiness and efficiency. Everything in his world is lined up in orderly rows or tucked away into neat little boxes. He also keeps a secret—one that has its tendrils coiled around him, squeezing him tight. Occasionally—just occasionally—he breaks free for a moment. He picks a fight, he slams a fist, and in the aftermath, he finds a welcome yet temporary reprieve.The Pirate’s DaughterSophie does not know how long her father will keep her in Cornwall away from prying eyes and wagging tongues. In a way, it doesn’t matter. Her future is not her own, so she may as well make the most of the present. Her father’s hired man Duncan has allowed her out to the tavern at night where she has found some solace in friendly conversation and the occasional game of dice or cards. Sophie finds joy where she can, even as the storm clouds roll in overhead.Together . . .When George encounters Sophie milling about with women of ill repute and working men in a Cornish tavern, he is intrigued as much by her air of playfulness as by the halo of sorrow that rests over her. Being a perceptive man, he recognises that there is something about her that seems injured.One night, Sophie encounters Mr. Pemberton stripped to the waist and covered in blood after a fight. Unfortunately, she does not find the sight unappealing, and she does not know what to do when her thoughts of Mr. Pemberton begin to take a rather wicked turn.Can one person truly come to know another? And can love find a way to inhabit the dark and secret places that live inside the heart?Content Warning: This book includes vague references to an off-page sexual assault as well as on-page psychological fallout from this assault. Please read with care. less