Bøker av Maggi Andersen

He could ruin her in the eyes of the ton.She could save him from a life of solitude.Back on the London marriage mart at almost twenty-six and with no dowry, Laura Peyton holds little hope that a gentleman will want her for herself, when most seek affairs or youthful wives. When her brother makes a financial agreement with the Earl of Debnam to save his estate, Laura's reputation may be ruined once and for all. She finds herself staying at the estate of the rake the ton call "the Phantom Earl," where she is expected to fulfill his wishes for a month-long affair.But she begins to suspect Lord Debnam is not simply the outrageous rake who danced with her in London. The mystery surrounding the elusive earl makes her determined to stay long enough to discover why he is the way he is. The more the attraction between them grows to fever pitch, the greater her need to get close to his true self.Because of a family tragedy, Brendan Cowper, Earl of Debnam, is determined never to marry. In London, he indulges in unfulfilling short-lived affairs, but deep down, he longs for a woman's softness and her understanding. Is love always to remain beyond his reach?Brendan wants Laura Peyton in his bed but now regrets placing Laura, whose natural charm and honesty have maneuvered a way into his reluctant heart, in danger of far more than scandal.The taint of murder hangs over Beechley Park. But sending her away-even to protect her-is far harder than he ever thought possible.Improper LordsBook 1 - The Duke's MasqueradeBook 2 - The Marquess Takes a MisstepBook 3 - The Earl's Brazen Bargain

Love appears when you least expect it to turn your world upside down. As His Grace, Eugene Felsted, Duke of Chandos, strolls Brighton Beach, he is convinced that after the passing of his brother, Harry, who was both his friend and confidant, he would never be completely happy again. He has convinced himself he is more content to remain at his country estate with his dogs and horses, and need not bother with London society again. Love is not for him. But a brown-eyed young woman skips across the sand toward him, so full of vitality and life, it takes his breath away. She is bewitching, and when she rescues a kitten and holds it purring against her chest, Gene believes all creatures would purr against Lady Mellicent Abbersley's bosom. Her infectious smile and her interest in him, when they meet again, is seductive. But he must steel himself against it. It would be entirely wrong of him to marry such a girl and remove her to the country where life would be dull. And he had no wish for any other. Mellie is drawn to the duke on first meeting. But her father has other plans for her. He wishes to join their property with the one that borders their estate, through Mellie's marriage to Lord Pallthorpe. The families have been close friends for generations. But Mellie finds the baron, Pallthorpe obnoxious. And she is drawn to a handsome duke with sad gray eyes, she met on the beach. But does His Grace find her too young and foolish? And will he ever take her seriously? But she believes in love at first sight and is sure they are meant to be together. Inspired by Van Morrison's "Brown-Eyed Girl." "Skipping and a jumping in the misty morning fog with our hearts a thumping, and you, my brown-eyed girl." (Note: This story was first published as part of the Anthology set titled Get Your Duke On in August 2022.)

Love can blossom in the strangest of places. Legend has it that Lady Margaret Pomeroy was entombed in the dungeons of Berry Pomeroy Castle by her jealous sister Eleanor because they loved the same man. Visitors often see Margaret's ghost wandering St. Margaret's Tower. When Harry Johnson visits his parents at Berry Pomeroy village for Christmas he encounters a lady dressed all in white in the park. She begs him to help her, but when he suggests coming with him to his parent's house, she disappears. His parents have guests for Christmas dinner, a young lady, and her mother. Harry is immediately smitten with Cecily and their friendship becomes a quest to find and help the lady in white. It takes them into the dungeons of Berry Pomeroy castle where disaster strikes. Is it wise to disturb the ghosts? (Note: This story was first published as part of the USA Today Bestselling Boxed set Upon a Midnight Dreary, October 2021)

Perilously close to losing his inheritance, he turns his back on everything that matters to him to save her.When about to choose his bride in London, Hartley Montford, newly minted Marquess of Pembury, learns his neighbor's niece, Lady Madeline Howard, has gone missing, Hart drops everything to go in search of her. Despite Maddie being an annoyingly frank-speaking and independent young woman who he would never add to his list of possible brides.Hart's estate, Pembury, is badly in need of funds. As he and his father were at odds and the estate holds bad memories for him, he prefers his bachelor's lifestyle in London. But he suddenly finds himself in urgent need of a wife. His Uncle William, the Montford second son, has stipulated in his will that Hart must cease his rakish lifestyle, settle down, marry and deal with his obligations, by a certain date. Or he'll be cut out of the will.When consulted, Maddie's groom fears foul play. Suddenly, despite the pile of unpaid bills, the renovations needed for the estate, and the clock ticking to fulfil his obligations, Hart simply cannot give up until he finds her. But in London, the popularity he once enjoyed seems to have frayed around the edges as word spreads about his treatment of Vivian Spencer, the lady he was considering for a wife.When Maddie's parents died, her father made her Uncle Arthur Wakeham, a cold, indifferent man who rules her with an iron hand, her guardian. When he takes up with some questionable fellows, for nebulous reasons, Maddie grows afraid for her safety. She flees with her maid to her aunt's house in Bath.When Maddie and Hart meet, while endeavoring to save her from her scurrilous uncle, Hart asks Maddie to marry him. But did he take a grave misstep?How can he convince Maddie his reason for marrying her was more than that of convenience?Improper LordsBook 1 - The Duke's MasqueradeBook 2 - The Marquess Takes a MisstepBook 3 - The Earl's Brazen Bargain

Tate faces a nefarious criminal in the fight for his love and his estate.A duke fighting to keep his estate. A lady intent on discovering what the man she loves hides from her. In disguise, beneath the very noses of the curious ton, His Grace Tarleton Fanshawe, Duke of Lindsey, works to solve a mystery and get the better of a villain intent on stealing all that he holds dear.At the death of his father, His Grace Tarleton Fanshawe, Duke of Lindsey's safe world, turns upside down. His historic estate, Cloudhill, is soon to be snatched away. Tate must go undercover to discover why his father, who never gambled, lost the family fortune, and he has little time to do it. And worse, he must face the possibility the woman he loves will marry another man before the spring Season has ended. But when Tate's carriage stops in a village on the way to London, he meets a man with a remarkable likeness to him, and an idea is formed.Lady Ianthe Granville has loved Tate since she was in the schoolroom, and believed they would someday marry. She is shocked when he not only fails to propose, he seems to accept he will lose her to another. Her come-out is a bitter disappointment, and as her father is intent on marrying her to a man she does not love, Ianthe takes it upon herself to discover just what it is that has caused this change in Tate, and why he has adopted an extraordinary disguise.Improper LordsBook 1 - The Duke's MasqueradeBook 2 - The Marquess Takes a MisstepBook 3 - The Earl's Brazen Bargain