The holidays are a time for family, celebration—and the Dukes of Ravenglass to fall in love. Spend the Christmas season with the Wynter family, as the Dukes of Ravenglass find their happily-ever-afters in this delightful, heartfelt collection that spans from the Regency era to the present day.
In A Price Above Rubies by Maggie Robinson, set in the Regency era, paid companion Helen Lowe doesn’t know the man she shares her first-ever dance—and first-ever kiss—is Gabriel Wynter, a reclusive, notorious duke. When Helen flees after being exposed, she leaves behind something of far greater value than a glass slipper. Can Gabriel find her, return it, and finally open his heart?
In the Victorian-era set, Never Have I Ever Fallen in Love with a Duke by Tiffany Clare, Alexander Wynter has a problem—his best friend’s younger sister grew up. When he agreed to help Emily MacCallon make her debut, he didn’t expect the beautiful, alluring woman before him—or for her to lead him on such a merry chase. Alexander knows one thing: the only man she’ll be kissing forever and ever is him.
In the World War II-set, Loving Lord Spy by J.K. Coi, Winnie Jenkins, a combat nurse, and Lord David Wynter, an injured British spy, fall in love at the worst possible time. Each of them owes a duty to their country and must go their separate ways. They promise that when the war is finally over, they’ll meet in Hyde Park on Christmas morning . . . but agree that if one of them doesn’t make it, the other won’t seek out the reason why. Can they keep their appointment? Or will secrets, lies, and the perils of war keep them apart?
A missed connection gets a second chance in the present-day contemporary romance, Saved by the Belle by Elyssa Patrick. Seven years ago, Kit Wynter met the woman of his dreams. Even after all this time, he’s never been able to forget the American girl who captured his heart. When Belle Sweeney answers his ad—for she, too, never forgot him—it feels like there’s something still there. Spending the holiday at Ravenglass Abbey is the perfect opportunity to figure out if this is love.
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Excerpt from Saved by the Belle in Once Upon a Christmas:
She wasn’t going to come.
Kit knew this.
And yet he waited, driven by foolish hope that Red would appear.
But why would she? Seven years had passed since that fateful night. They had never even kissed. He didn’t know anything about her, except that she lived somewhere in America.
He gave up his pacing and leaned against the wall, the tickets held in one hand. What had he been thinking to post that Missed Connection in The London List? He’d never posted an ad—and certainly not one like that. To do so was completely out of his character. But it had been the anniversary of the day that they’d first met, and as always, it brought up memories.
It wasn’t as if he was unhappy or lonely, but . . . He couldn’t exactly describe it. Not completely.
He only knew he felt as if he’d missed out on something all those years ago. He’d wondered what if ever since, and on that particular day, he’d been wondering even more than usual. Donning a cloak of anonymity, he ended up posting the ad and then checked it endlessly. He received many responses, but none had been her.
She wasn’t going to come.
The train was due to leave in five minutes. He was headed to Cumbria, or more specifically, to his home, the ducal estate, Ravenglass Abbey. His mother and his younger siblings were expected to arrive on Christmas Eve. He may have been born Christian Wynter, now the twelfth duke of Ravenglass, but to his family . . . he had been—and always would be—Kit. Thank God for that; he had no desire to stand on ceremony.
But Kit had thought to show Red his place, who he really was, and to see if he was right about that night from seven years ago. He had felt a connection to her that he’d never felt before—or hadn’t felt since. He hadn’t even tried to move on, because all women had paled in comparison to one unforgettable American girl.
Perhaps he had made too much of it. Perhaps it was all in his imagination. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps on so many things.
She wasn’t going to come.
Kit had delayed as long as he could from getting on the train and taking his seat. He took one last look in both directions, but no Red.
It wasn’t going to happen.
Realization sunk in, heavy and depressing. He should not have dared to hope. This was why he didn’t let himself indulge—it was bound to end in disappointment.
He would need to move on—somehow—and accept that the missed connection would stay missed. It would be a long journey home. His thoughts would be endless of her, and how he should have left it well alone and never posted the ad. But he would have always wondered. Now, at least, he knew for sure, as painful as it was.
She wasn’t going to come.
And he needed to get on the train.
He turned toward the open doors and placed a hand on the rail, the other holding his carryon. Hesitation slowed his movement forward. Hope continued to beat in every fiber of his being, that he’d hear running footsteps, a furious shout, and—
“Wait!”
Note from Elyssa: What kind of romance do you enjoy most–historical, contemporary, paranormal, or all of the above–and why? Name a specific romance if you have one in mind! 🙂
Elyssa Patrick is a former high school English teacher who left the classroom to pursue her dream of writing romances. She writes quirky romantic comedies that are full of humor, heat, and heart. Elyssa lives in New York and is hard at work on her next novel.
Twitter: @elyssapatrick
Facebook: elyssapatrickauthor
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