In Renaissance England, love is the most dangerous gamble. "The embattled romance between Crispin and Sophie...will utterly delight the reader." —Abilene Reporter-NewsCrispin Foscari, one of Queen Elizabeth's most trusted spies, leaves nothing to chance. So he's surprised when he's informed he has two weeks to clear his name of an accusation of treason, or face the executioner's noose. Sophie Champion is a hero to women of London, dedicating her seemingly endless resources to helping free them from bondage to men. But when her investigation into the death of her beloved godfather brings her to the attention of Crispin Foscari, known as "The Earl of Scandal", under precarious circumstances, she is suddenly the one who needs liberating. Even as his mind warns him to stay away from the the seductive siren, Crispin proposes a wager. Working together they pit their wits against a calculating enemy by day, and fight their searing attraction at night. As they inch closer to identifying the killer they grow closer to one another. Until finally their passion explodes—with deadly consequences. "A writer to watch." —Publisher's WeeklyAmazon.com ReviewIn The Water Nymph, Michele Jaffe meets the standard of steamy passion, tense mystery, and historical detail that made last year's debut, The Stargazer, such a success. In this novel, our hero, Crispin Foscari (the "Earl of Scandal"), and heroine, Sophie Champion, meet over the recently murdered body of her friend. (This is not the only similarity to The Stargazer, but hey--Jaffe knows a good thing when she sees it.) Crispin accuses Sophie of murder, but agrees to give her some time to prove her innocence. As they search for the true killer, Sophie and Crispin find their common interests extend far beyond that of a murder investigation, and some steamy passion develops.This novel is sure to be a huge hit: its combination of suspense and passion keeps the pages flipping by at a fast enough rate to keep you cool on a Texas summer day. And did I mention the love scenes? Do not lend this one to your mother, but recommend it to your best friend, and sit back and watch her blush rise. --Nancy R.E. O'BrienFrom Publishers WeeklyLike the Scarlet Pimpernel, outrageously handsome and brilliant Crispin Foscari, the earl of Sandal, who first appeared in Jaffe's The Stargazer, has carefully built a wastrel's reputation while making quite another as Phoenix, invaluable spy for her majesty, Queen Elizabeth I. Now, however, he is in a spot: he has been given only a little more than a fortnight to find the person who's accusing him of treason. Meanwhile, he is investigating a beautiful and brilliant woman, Sophie Champion, who is suspect in Elizabethan England because she has seemingly endless resources, is a heroine to the street people and may have had something to do with her godfather's death. Crispin is smitten, however, and Sophie assures him she is neither a murderer nor any kind of malefactor, but she cannot be sure that he is above suspicion. Their rollicking adventures, detailed lovemaking and spirited sparring make for a great read, despite episodes of purple prose and predictable plot developments. It is clear from the very start, for example, that Crispin and Sophie will wind up together, and there are far too many references to the heroine's "tender bud." And Sophie's station in life is a stretch of the imagination: she becomes exceedingly rich at age 16, but keeps her wealth secret; she buys an old abbey with a gorgeous room full of stained glass, and fills it with needy women. And she's beautiful to boot. Still, Jaffe's second historical romance marks her as a writer to watch. While the novel calls for a bit more suspension of disbelief than readers may be willing to give, the protagonists are captivating, and one hopes that Jaffe will focus next on Crispin's intriguing family. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. Views: 33
Technology is a 21st Century god. It’s a monster. And the old ghosts stir … Business brings Patrick Beauchamp to Harlequin, MA. The town he grew up in. It is his first time back for twenty years. Harlequin has changed, but even so … the old ghosts stir. The secret—such a terrible secret—still lives in his heart. It is here, in Harlequin. She is here. Patrick will never forget Mama Fish. Harlequin High, 1986. Kelvin Fish was the oddball, the weird kid that no one would talk to. Except for Patrick, who was determined to learn more about this strange child, and to befriend him. But Patrick would get more than he bargained for... Mama Fish is a story about the paths we choose … about the changes in society, and in ourselves. It is told through the eyes of Patrick Beauchamp, a loving family man who, at his heart, is troubled by much darkness … a man quite literally caught between the ghost and the machine. Views: 33
Casca Longinus emerges in modern times as Casey Romain, the man who must overthrow the regime of Matthew Dzhombe, crazed dictator of Kimshaka. Bringing down Dzhombe is the easy part. It's dealing with the treacheries of tribal politics and the fire of international war that's going to be tough Views: 33
Apprentice healer Lassair encounters a mysterious veiled noblewoman who brings unexpected peril When Lassair encounters a veiled noblewoman on the quay at Cambridge one morning, set on by an angry mob, she assumes involvement with her will be brief. She has no idea that the woman, alone but for her infant child, brings both mystery and peril. Then a devastating flood hits the fens, and among the wreckage and debris washed up at Aelf Fen is a body; Lassair, in the company of a sheriff's officer, wonders if she is dealing with murder . . .Meanwhile, in the south, Lassair's partner Rollo is moving with relief towards the conclusion of his mission for King William in the Holy Land. But then disaster strikes, and, with the mighty forces of an emperor on his heels, abruptly he turns from hunter to hunted. In order to escape alive, he risks help from a stranger, and embarks on a voyage that turns out to be far more dangerous than he could ever have imagined. Views: 33
The classic tale of passion on the high seas, available in print for the first time in 20 years . . . Merry Wilding is a lady of breeding, of innocence, and of breathtaking beauty. With high hopes for a holiday in England, she sets sail from New York-but the tide of her life is destined to turn. Mistakenly swept aboard an infamous pirate ship, Merry finds herself at the mercy of a wicked crew . . . and one sinfully handsome pirate. Soon she's spending her days yearning for escape, and her nights learning the pleasures of captivity.Devon Crandall believes Merry is in league with his greatest enemy. He's determined to slowly urge her secrets from her. But along the way, he discovers her beautifully unbreakable spirit . . . and a desire unlike any he's ever known. She is hiding something from him, and yet, each day that passes brings her deeper into his heart. When fierce arguments give way to fiercer passion, can a pirate learn to love a woman? Or will true love... Views: 33
A short story collection! Enjoy a collection of contemporary romance short stories from author Lacy Williams. A single mom finds love when reunited with someone from her past in A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER. A working girl takes a job as nanny to help a widowed father and falls in love--with him and his three boys!--in GREEN PEAS SNEEZE. These stories plus much more. Views: 33
The village of Frog End may be peaceful, but that doesn't mean that the Colonel's life there is quiet – not with his friendly but nosy neighbour Naomi, desperate to know what he's keeping in his new shed; the curious Miss Butler, who tracks his every move with her German U-boat captain's binoculars; and the attentions of the local vicar, who's keen to involve him in church affairs. That's not forgetting the demands of the aloof, imperious cat Thursday, who seems to have adopted the Colonel.So the Colonel is pleased when his old friend Geoffrey Cheetham invites him up to the village of Buckby for the weekend, to coincide with a RAF reunion event. After depositing an outraged Thursday at the Cat Heaven cattery, he drives up, and meets his fellow guests at the Cheethams' B&B: including a Lancaster bomber crew, reunited for the first time. But everything is not as it seems, and the Colonel finds himself taking on the reluctant role of sleuth once more when tragedy strikes . . . Views: 33
Cara has no idea that her new project would create a sense of panic, wonder, or hilarious consequences in the palace when she unveils it. Discover what happens when another Earth holiday is unveiled, with the help from a couple of mischievous Goddesses, the symbiots, and Dragonlings in A Dragonlings’ Haunted Halloween. Views: 33
Reproduced from the 1948 edition of The Home Place, the Bison Book edition brings back into print an important early work by one of the most highly regarded of contemporary American Writers.This account in first-person narrative and photographs of the one-day visit of Clyde Muncy to "the home place" at Lone Tree, Nebraska, has been called "as near to a new fiction form as you could get." Both prose and pictures are homely: worn linoleum, an old man's shoes, well-used kitchen utensils, and weathered siding. Muncy's journey of discovery takes the measure of the man he has become and of what he has left behind. Views: 33
