Search results for ""Author Christi Caldwell""

Two damaged hearts learn there’s a fine line between love and hate in a Wicked Wallflowers novel from USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell. Gertrude, the eldest Killoran sister, has spent a lifetime being underestimated—especially by her own family. She may seem as vulnerable as a kitten, but given the chance, she can be as fierce as a tiger. Her adopted brother, Stephen, has just been snatched back by his true father, and she’ll be damned if she relinquishes the boy to the man reviled throughout London as the Mad Marquess. Still haunted by a deadly tragedy that left him publicly despised, Lord Edwin holds only hatred for the Killorans—the people he believes kidnapped his son. And not one of them will ever see the boy again. But when Gertrude forces her way into the household and stubbornly insists that she remain as Stephen’s governess, Edwin believes he may have found someone madder than himself. With every moment he shares with the tenderhearted Gertrude, Edwin’s anger softens into admiration…and more. Is it possible that the woman he loathed may be the only person who can heal his broken soul?

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Rivalry, romance, and scandal run hot in this Wicked Wallflowers novel from USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell. Regina (Reggie) Spark has loved Broderick Killoran, the resourceful and protective proprietor of the Devil’s Den, ever since he saved her from the streets and made her his right hand at the notorious gaming hell. For just as long, Reggie has never admitted her true feelings for him. Nor has she revealed her spirited ambitions—to buck convention and expectations and open a music hall. While Broderick built his gaming empire with ruthless cunning, his loyalty to his employees is boundless. So when he learns of Reggie’s plan to leave his side and take charge of her own future, the betrayal cuts Broderick to the core. He responds as he would to any business rival…with swift retribution. Instead of wilting, the savvy Reggie rebounds with a fury that shocks Broderick and stirs a desire he’s been holding in reserve for only ladies of nobility. But as their seductive battle of wills ignites under the harsh spotlight of the London Season, secrets are exposed as well—ones that could be ruinous in decent society but invaluable for the heart.

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USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell pits a fiercely independent beauty against a devilish investigator. Set apart by her ethereal beauty and fearless demeanor, Ophelia Killoran has always been a mystery to those around her—and a woman they underestimated. No one would guess that she spends her nights protecting the street urchins of St. Giles. Ophelia knows what horrors these children face. As a young girl, she faced those horrors herself, and she would have died…if not for the orphan boy who saved her life. A notorious investigator, Connor Steele never expected to encounter Ophelia Killoran on his latest case. It has been years since he sacrificed himself for her. Now, she hires orphans from the street to work in her brother’s gaming hell. But where does she find the children…and what are her intentions? Ophelia and Connor are at odds. After all, Connor now serves the nobility, and that is a class of people Ophelia knows firsthand not to trust. But if they can set aside their misgivings and work together, they may discover that their purposes—and their hearts—are perfectly aligned.

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“Sizzling, Witty, Passionate…Perfect!” —Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author Christi Caldwell, USA TODAY bestselling author of the Wicked Wallflowers series, combs London’s underground and finds romance and danger for a missing lord and the lady who loves him. To solve a mystery that’s become the talk of the ton, no clues run too deep for willful reporter Verity Lovelace. Not even in the sewers of London. That’s precisely where she finds happily self-sufficient scavenger Malcom North, lost heir to the Earl of Maxwell. Now that Verity’s made him front-page news, what will he make of her? Kidnapped as a child, with no memories of his well-heeled past, Malcom prefers the grimy spoils of the culverts to the gilded riches of society. Damn the feisty beauty who exposed the contented tosher to a parade of fortune-hunting matchmakers. How to keep them at bay? Verity must pretend to be his wife. She owes him. The intimacy of this necessary arrangement—Verity and Malcom thrust together in close quarters—soon sparks an irresistible heat. But when the charade ends, the danger begins. Will love be enough to protect them from a treacherous plot devised to ruin them?

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A lady of reserve and a fierce street fighter find common ground in the second Lost Lords of London novel by USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell. Eight years ago, Lady Lila March retreated to the safe shadows of her family’s estate after a devastating tragedy. Weary of being a whisper of her former self, she is determined to brave the dangers of the outside world again. No man is better equipped to train her in the art of defense than the Savage Gentleman, East London’s undefeated street fighter. Hugh Savage reigns as king—of the underworld. Physically invulnerable, emotionally battered, he has his reasons for bare-knuckle brawling. Though Hugh longs to break free of the ring and leave behind the brutal world of violence, he’s intrigued by the challenge Lady Lila poses. A mysterious lady of the peerage willfully descending into the dangerous rookeries? That bespeaks a woman with secrets of her own. As their unconventional pact progresses, Hugh comes to admire the resolve in Lila’s heart. And beneath his hard surface, she sees a tenderness that touches her to the quick. They’ll soon discover how much they need each other—to face their pasts together, and to fight for a future they deserve.

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For a heartbroken woman and a daring thief, the most tempting proposal comes after marriage in the unforgettable final Lost Lords of London novel by USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell. Long ago, Dare Grey disappeared from privilege to help the downtrodden. Abandoning his future as a nobleman, he instead came of age as the most skilled—and wanted—thief in East London. But when the Robin Hood of the Rookeries is captured, his influential grandfather offers him a choice: face his heritage…or the gallows. And to step into his rightful role as marquess, Dare must find a wife. Little do they know, he already has. Marrying Dare rescued young Temperance Swift from a brutal life. Yet his commitments were elsewhere, and Temperance would not continue in the charade of a relationship that surely would end with her husband in Newgate Prison. It broke her heart to leave the righteous bandit, but she established a new life for herself as a seamstress. One who respected and obeyed the law and kept herself safe—if lonely. But Dare finds her and offers to resume their role as husband and wife, and this time it will yield a fortune. A fortune that could be used to help the disadvantaged, without resorting to ever-more-daring thefts… Once they’re ensconced in the comfortable family fold of Mayfair, the romance they thought ended years ago stirs again. But when every kiss is shadowed by the mistakes of the past, and a haunting secret Temperance bears, will love be enough to save them from such an uncertain fate?

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Love is more than a charade as USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell reunites two wounded hearts in a stirring novel about second chances, scandal, and defiant romance. Annalee Spencer and Wayland Smith were uninhibited young lovers until the Peterloo Massacre set them on two different paths. Raised to the title of Baron of Darlington in recognition of his courage, Wayland is now a model of propriety and heroism. As for Annalee, the trauma of that tragic day in Manchester is ever present. To dull the pain, she lives only for pleasure. And she derives immense pleasure from co-leading the Mismatch Society, a league of scandalously independent women. Perhaps too scandalous…because of Annalee. To save the society, she must adopt a veneer of respectability. For that she needs the man who’s won the admiration of the ton. Wayland may be conflicted, but he agrees to Annalee’s proposal, if only to atone for having brought his former beloved to Peterloo on that fateful day. Reunited under the pretense of a courtship, Wayland and Annalee find the feelings between them are becoming real. With their own futures at stake, it’s finally time to confront the past, to trust in each other again, and against the odds, to reclaim the love they once had.

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USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell turns polite London society on its head in a delightful romance of unguarded hearts, second chances, and a scandalous rivalry between the sexes. Emma Gately and the Earl of Scarsdale were betrothed as children—less a vow of future happiness than an obligation. Seventeen years later, the independent miss severs the contract with the now notorious libertine in an unprecedented act of independence. And Emma cofounds the Mismatch Society, where like-minded ladies are free of the constraints and inevitable broken hearts that men bring. But Emma’s rejection sparks in her intended a new consideration of the spirited woman he took for granted—and a determination to win her back. Despite his wicked reputation, misguided and suddenly lovestruck, Charles Hayden is on a mission to gain Emma’s respect, and he has just the idea—one that the daringly unconventional Emma is sure to appreciate. But as Charles takes bold steps and sets tongues wagging, he makes himself an accidental opponent of his former betrothed. Soon a rivalry is born that has the whole ton abuzz. Emma never anticipated that with every fiery test of wills, passion would surge. Passion that’s impossible to ignore. In going toe-to-toe with Charles, she risks her heart and pride by falling in love with the one man she vowed to scorn.

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“If you like smart heroines and delicious heroes, make this your next read.” —Sarah MacLean, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author The final Wicked Wallflowers novel from USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell. Clara Winters is leaving behind her sinful life as a courtesan and madam and pursuing her dream: establishing a music hall. One that will provide entertainment and reverie for those from all walks of life—not just the noble class who can afford the opera. Henry March, Earl of Waterson, has one aim as a member of Parliament: create a police force to establish order and keep the streets of London safe. After his younger sister survived a terrible ordeal—scathed, but blessedly alive—Henry believes it is his duty to ensure peace and stability for all men, women, and children in England. Little did he expect to be a victim of the very street crime he hoped to prevent, but when a vicious attack in East London leaves him injured and unconscious, he’s rescued by the beautiful and kind-hearted Clara. But Henry’s political aims put him at odds with Clara’s artistic ones—and their newfound admiration for one another is put to the test. Can these two quite opposite individuals find a way to achieve all their goals? To their great surprise, it seems that a former courtesan and a stuffed shirt could make beautiful music together…

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In the second installment of USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell’s Sinful Brides series, a noblewoman risks her reputation—and her heart—on London’s most notorious gaming proprietor. Thanks to her older siblings, Lady Penelope Tidemore is no stranger to scandal. In order for her to make a good match, her secret longings for intrigue and romance must be quelled. Yet it is through terrible mischance that Penelope is caught in a compromising position—however innocent—with the darkly enigmatic viscount Ryker Black. Mr. Black is no gentleman. Raised from the streets and proprietor of the most notorious gaming hell in London, Black lives in a world filled with debauchery and danger. Taking a Society wife from the very ton he despises is not part of his plan, even if the innocent Penelope turns his blood hot with desire. But Penelope isn’t afraid of Mr. Black, and she soon discovers that his reputation as a scoundrel may be designed to hide a surprising vulnerability. As this unlikely husband and wife grow closer, they learn that what started as chance could end up sealing their fates.

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USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell’s Wicked Wallflowers series burns hot as two rivals meet in the flesh and feel the heat… Adair Thorne has just watched his gaming-hell dream disappear into a blaze of fire and ash, and he’s certain that his competitors, the Killorans, are behind it. His fury and passion burn even hotter when he meets Cleopatra Killoran, a tart-mouthed vixen who mocks him at every turn. If she were anyone else but the enemy, she’d ignite a desire in him that would be impossible to control. No one can make Cleopatra do anything. That said, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her siblings—even if that means being sponsored by their rivals for a season in order to land a noble husband. But she will not allow her head to be turned by the infuriating and darkly handsome Adair Thorne. There’s only one thing that threatens the rules of the game: Cleopatra’s secret. It could unravel the families’ tenuous truce and shatter the unpredictably sinful romance mounting between the hellion…and a scoundrel who could pass for the devil himself.

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Christi Caldwell, USA Today bestselling author of the Wicked Wallflowers series, invites you to join London’s most scandalous society in a witty romance of love, rebellion, and second chances. Widowed Lady Sylvia Elton is out to save young ladies from the terrible fate of love and marriage. Her former husband has retained his reputation as an honorable and loving man in death, but Sylvia has privately mourned his lies and infidelity. Joined by two equally scorned and cast-off friends, Sylvia establishes the Mismatch Society. With each new liberated member, the scandalous circle wreaks havoc on the romantic prospects of London’s frustrated male peerage. But nothing prepares Sylvia for the Viscount St. John, a familiar face and her most formidable challenger. Clayton Kearsley, the Viscount St. John, can’t allow these wantons to dismantle the Marriage Mart. Until he discovers the ringleader is his old friend’s widow, a fine woman for whom he’s carried a torch since the day they met. Thinking himself undeserving of a diamond like her, he introduced her to his best friend—a decision he now regrets deeply, knowing of the hurt she carries in secret. Now he is positioned to match wits with this woman, who is determined to save young ladies from future heartbreak. And despite his misgivings, Clayton is entertaining fantasies that he could end their battle with a kiss. If only he had the courage to tell her how he feels—or the hope that she’d ever again let down her guard. This meeting of the Mismatch Society is called to order…

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