Romanse

It starts as a lark for Jasmin Field, the charming, acerbically witty columnist for a national women's magazine. She joins a host of celebraties gathering in London to audition for the season's most dazzling charity event: a one-night only stage production of Jane Austen's immortal Pride and Prejudice, directed by and starring the Academy Award -- winning Hollywood heartthrob Harry Noble. And nobody is more surprised than Jasmin herself when she lands the lead of handsome Harry's love interest, Elizabeth Bennet. But things start to go very wrong very quickly. Ms. Field's delicious...

Sabrina is young, lovely, and possesses a sparkling wit, but she feels dreadfully out of place in London Society. Luckily, Ophelia, the daughter of a family friend, has been chosen to usher Sabrina through the all-important first season.

Even less keen to be in London is Duncan MacTavish, who has recently learned he is required to assume his grandfather's title and estates. Worse still, a betrothal has already been arranged without his consent to the ravishing, viper-tongued Ophelia. However,...

Proper decorum has never come easily to Carlotta Anne Fairleigh--not even tonight, when the lovely, impetuous miss is finally making her debut. As she waits to make her entrance, she can't help wondering about the darkened house next door, the supposedly abandoned home of Hayden St. Clair, the man society has dubbed the "Murderous Marquess." Certainly one small peek through his window before the festivities would be harmless . . .

And, naturally, this latest "adventure" ends in disaster, thoroughly compromising the budding debutante's reputation and leaving her suddenly, unthinkably...

Now Eva is alone with an empty heart in a big, empty house. Hutch fears he is falling in love with the neglected wife of his wealthy, philandering best friend. Charley, Eva's law-school-bound...

Identical twins, sensible Delia and mischievous Cassandra Effington were the most delicious debutantes to ever waltz across a London ballroom. They looked alike in every way . . . but no one ever expected Delia to be the one to get into trouble . . .

How did this young lady's reputation become so questionable?

Once she was lovely, respectable Miss Delia Effington, but an impulsive decision--and subsequent disaster--forces Delia to retire from society. Until one night, desperate for diversion, she attends a ball as her twin sister and finds herself dancing in the strong arms of...

Everyone knows that an Effington always getsher way ... but this time it's not going to be easy

Lady Elizabeth Effington simply could not suitably feel the joy of the Christmas season. Ten years had passed since she had boldly declared her love for Sir Nicholas Collingsworth. He rebuffed her and set out to seek his fortunes, while Elizabeth was left a woman scorned. Now, she discovers in horror that the inheritance she's managed beautifully was never hers to control. No, power over her finances lay in the hands of the last man she ever wants to see again: Nicholas

But running...

Louise C. wants what Jackie O had ...

Unhappy with her looks, her life, and her empty marriage, Louise Canova needs help -- and she finds it in a secondhand bookstore. A forty-year-old encyclopedia of style titled Elegance, this slim volume by formidable French fashion expert Madame Dariaux promises to transform even the plainest of women into creatures of poise and grace. It is a fairy godmother in print, an A-to-Z manual with essential advice that Louise vows to take to heart. But within its pages lie not only clues from her past, but also powerful lessons for the future....

Dark and lovely Angelica Chappee was brought up right by her loving grandparents. Still reeling from the shock of losing the two people she cared for most in this world, she's anything but ready for what's waiting for her in her dear departed "Pop-pop's" will. It turns out her grandfather was rich -- millionaire-rich And it's all coming to Angelica -- if the innocent, almost-21-and-never-been-kissed Baton Rouge baby can prove that she's no longer a ...

Well this is just crazy -- and the last thing she would have expected from that sweet old man And six days is so little time to go...

Kitty Robertson has grown up wealthy and influential, and she's never more at home than when in an English parlour displaying her social graces.

When she looks for a husband, of course she seeks a man just as home in his position--hopefully a lofty one--as she is. Nicholas Glenville, Marquess of Greystone, is just such a man. He is so attentive and gentlemanly that she can't help but accept his proposal of marriage, and is now looking forward to this Season being her last one as a single woman.

But at the very first ball of the year she meets an enigmatic, gorgeous duke who...

For thirty-some years, Lyle has made a life for his family working as an accountant. But when he retires, his Irish-born wife, Mary, wants to leave America and go home -- where the ocean is near and the butter has flavor.

Somewhat grudgingly, Lyle agrees, but during their years in Galway, they discover that the surprises of life are not over. Going home is more complicated than butter and the bay, and thirty content years does not mean that a couple is immune to romantic intrigue. In this new life, while Mary and Lyle are rediscovering each other and building a richer life together,...

After going for more than a year without a date -- a record in New York City -- Marlowe Riddle has finally met a broodingly sexy, sharply intelligent man who is clearly interested in making more than polite conversation. The only problem: Joseph Kain is an NYPD detective clearly under the mistaken impression that Marlowe is a call girl.

But while Marlowe does take money for spending time with strangers in her expensive Upper West Side apartment, she's a psychologist -- not Manhattan's answer to the Mayflower Madam A fact she has no intention of telling Joe ... at least not until she...

As far as her family and friends are concerned, Frieda has been the grieving widow for long enough. At 35, she's still (relatively) young, still (adequately) attractive. Her sex drive is very much alive; even Frieda admits she'd like to put it to use again. Besides, she has a son who certainly needs a father figure. With visions of the perfect second husband in mind, Frieda's sisters start to send eligible males in her direction.

Big sister Ilene -- herself substantially married -- has found the ultimateunattached catch: a gorgeous, independently wealthy, successful, divorced father,...

In passionate love stories from four of romance's most prominent authors, meet women who've spent years thinking they've missed their shot at Mr Right - only to discover that fate is handing them one more chance.to win back the love of the one who got away

The beautiful daughter of a prominent Michigan doctor, Narice has never strayedanywhere near the wrong sideof the law. Then her fatheris brutally murdered -- andsuddenly federal agents areswarming around her likeflies, making accusations about a stolen North African diamond. But before they can interrogate her, she is wrested from their grasp at gunpoint by a shadowy figure -- and Narice Jordan is on the run.

But is this dark, good-looking stranger who calls himself Saint her kidnapper or her savior? Narice knows nothing about any missing gem, yet there are two things she knows for...

Once upon a time...in a kingdom high in the Pyrenees, three young princesses were forced to flee the chaos in their land -- vanishing without a trace and lost to their people...until the day a courageous prince can bring each princess home.

Life in exile has taught the passionate Princess Amy to hate injustice, and on the enchanting English isle of Summerwind, she finds injustice personified in the powerful and wickedly handsome Jermyn Edmondson, marquess of Northcliff. Since he has stolen the islanders' livelihood, Amy decides to steal him. She kidnaps the arrogant...

Nate is a D-O-G with an obsession for conquering as many women as possible. But when he breaks his own rules and falls for two women at the same time, all hell breaks loose. Brendan is the type of man every woman claims to want -- at least until she gets one. Will he ever find a woman as sweet as he is, or is he doomed to be the poster child for "Good Guys Who Love Bad Girls"? Cory is successful, smart, and...

After years as a sweet, good-natured pushover, Annie Markham has had to face up to three hard truths:

1. You've got to be tough to succeed in business and romance.
2. Sometimes your meddling loved ones areright about your worthless, no-good boyfriend being worthless and no good.
3. The only reliable thing about men is thatthey're totally unreliable.

Okay, she's been persuaded. So now, seven years after wisely and abruptly dumping the "love of her life," Jake Mead, things should be going better for Annie Markham, right? Unfortunately, her life's going nowhere,...

A woman with a talent for numbers, Alexandra Scott wanted to escape the rat race and go someplace where the men outnumber the women. Trading in her Wall Street job and fancy condo for a rundown cabin in the woods. She's now Alaskan Wilderness Woman. It isn't long before she finds exactly what she's looking for: one sexy pilot named Michael Casey. But this confirmed bachelor has no intentions of getting caught in any woman's crosshairs--especially a hunter as appealing as Alex. It'll take skill, determination, and a little romantic persuasion for this big-game hunter to bag her prey.

Dear Reader:

In a previous life, before the time of Plum, I wrote twelve short romance novels. Red-hot screwball comedies, each and every one of them. Nine of these stories were originally published by the Loveswept line between the years 1988 and 1992. All immediately went out of print and could be found only at used bookstores and yard sales.

I'm excited to tell you that those nine stories are now being re-released by HarperCollins. Naughty Neighbor is the eighth in the lineup, and it's presented here in almost original form. Usually when I edit these books I do...