Sunflower Season: Historical Romance Authors for Ukraine Read online

  Sunflower Season

  HISTORICAL ROMANCE AUTHORS FOR UKRAINE

  ANNABELLE ANDERS

  AMALIE HOWARD

  AMANDA MARIEL

  AMY QUINTON

  AMY ROSE BENNETT

  ANNA CAMPBELL

  ANNA ST. CLAIRE

  AVA BOND

  AVA BETHANY

  BETHANY BENNETT

  BIANCA BLYTHE

  BREE WOLF

  BRONWEN EVANS

  CARA MAXWELL

  CAROLINE LEE

  CAROLINE LINDEN

  CAROLINE WAFIELD

  CARRIE LOMAX

  CECELIA MECCA

  CELESTE BARCLAY

  CHARLIE LANE

  CHERYL BOLEN

  CHRISTI CALDWELL

  CHRISTINE DONOVAN

  CHRISTINE STERLING

  DAWN BROWER

  DEB MARLOWE

  DIANA BOLD

  ELIZA KNIGHT

  EMMANUELLE DE MAUPASSANT

  ERICA MONROE

  ERICA RIDLEY

  EVE DEVON

  EVE PENDLE

  FENNA EDGEWOOD

  GINA CONKLE

  GLYNNIS CAMPBELL

  GOLDEN ANGEL

  HILDIE MCQUEEN

  JANE CHARLES

  JANNA MACGREGOR

  JENNA JAXON

  JESSICA A CLEMENTS

  JUDE KNIGHT

  KATE BATEMAN

  KATHRYN LE VEQUE

  LANA WILLIAMS

  LAUREN ROYAL

  LAUREN SMITH

  LENORA BELL

  LORI ANN BAILY

  MADELINE MARTIN

  MAGGIE DALLEN

  MARIAH STONE

  MEREDITH BOND

  MERRY FARMER

  MICHELE DALTON

  NANCY YEAGER

  NATASHA BLACKTHORNE

  NICOLE LOCKE

  PIPER HUGULEY

  RACHEL ANN SMITH

  REBECCA PAULA

  ROBYN DEHART

  ROSE PEARSON

  SABRINA JEFFRIES

  SADIE BOSQUE

  SAMARA PARISH

  SANDRA SOOKOO

  SAWYER QUINN

  SYDNEY JANE BAILY

  T.L. CHRISTIANSON

  TABETHA WAITE

  TAMARA GILL

  TAMMY ANDRESEN

  TERRI BRISBIN

  TRACY SUMNER

  VIRGINIA HEATH

  WENDY LACAPRA

  Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved to the individual authors.

  © Ann Martinez writing as Annabelle Anders

  © Rachel Smith writing as Rachel Ann Smith

  © Steph Fry writing as Sabrina Jeffries

  © Karen Simpson writing as Anna St. Claire

  © Judith Anne Knighton writing as Jude Knight

  © Rupali Mulge writing as Royaline Sing

  © Samara Thorn writing as Samara Parish

  © Tracy Liebchen writing as Diana Bold

  © Erica McFarland writings as Erica Monroe

  © Theresa S. Brisbin writing as Terri Brisbin

  © Carol Lynn Roddy, writing as Caroline Warfield

  * * *

  Cover Art by Barbara Conter at Forever After Romance

  Book Formatting by Amy Quinton

  Ukraine Flag/Sunflower Title Page Logo Created by Creative Design Studio DS

  Sunflower Scene Break Graphic and Sunflower About the Book Graphic by Mary Jane Jones Designs

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious situation. Any resemblances to actual events, locations, organizations, incidents, or persons—living or dead—are coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  A Brief Note from Janna and Annabelle

  Original Stories

  A Soldier’s Dream

  Annabelle Anders and Janna MacGregor

  Charmed by Chance

  Maggie Dallen

  Condemned Innocence

  Sawyer Quinn

  Duke Most Dangerous

  Lenora Bell

  The Flat River Matchmaker

  Chrstine Sterling

  Her Hidden Beauty

  Rose Pearson

  His Tempting Kiss

  Rebecca Paula

  Love a Lady at Midnight

  Charlie Lane

  The Maharaja’s Daughters

  Celeste Barclay

  Message from a Lady

  Jane Charles

  Reconciling with Rangeley

  Wendy LaCapra

  The Return

  Anna Campbell

  A Rogue’s Redemption

  Lana Willliams

  Spy Season

  Golden Angel

  The Spy’s Letters

  Nicole Locke

  The Sweetest Chocolate Drop

  Piper Huguley

  A Test of Love

  Rachel Ann Smith

  Written in My Heart

  Caroline Linden

  Holiday Specials

  Chasing the Duke

  Tracy Sumner

  The Duke’s Christmas List

  Bronwen Evans

  The Gift

  T.L. Christianson

  Hearts of All Hallows’ Eve

  Jenna Jaxon

  Her Valentine’s Rogue

  Virginia Heath

  A Highlander for Hanukkah

  Lori Ann Bailey

  Highlander’s Christmas

  Mariah Stone

  The Lady’s Guide to Mistletoe and Mayhem

  Emmanuelle de Maupassant

  The Laird’s Yulebringer

  Caroline Lee

  Lord Dashwood's Seductive Colors

  Royaline Sing

  The Mad Countess

  Erica Monroe

  Mistletoe Journey

  Fenna Edgewood

  The Mistletoe Trap

  Eve Pendle

  A Midnight Clear

  Kate Bateman

  Silver Bells and Mistletoe

  Anna St. Claire

  Lovable Favorites

  An April Fool’s Forbidden Affair

  Sabrina Jeffries

  A Brazen Agreement

  Tamara Gill

  By Any Other Name

  Ava Stone

  The Debutante’s Duke

  Ava Bond

  Duchess of Darby

  Amanda Mariel

  The Duke of Paris

  Merry Farmer

  Earl of Kendal

  Madeline Martin

  Emma

  Kathryn Le Veque

  For Love of the Duke

  Christie Caldwell

  Forget-Me-Not

  Sadie Bosque

  Fortune’s Gamble

  Diana Bold

  Her Gentleman Thief

  Robyn DeHart

  His Wicked Embrace

  Lauren Smith

  How to Live Happily Ever After

  Bree Wolf

  How to Take Revenge on a Disloyal Scot

  Amy Quinton

&nbsp
; The Hunter

  Hildie McQueen

  If You Dared to Love a Laird

  Lauren Royal

  The Lady and the Privateer

  Amy Rose Bennett

  Lady Lenora Knows Best

  Cara Maxwell

  The Liberation of Anne de Bourgh

  Cheryl Bolen

  Lords of Scandal

  Tammy Andresen

  Loving My Wicked Rogue

  Dawn Brower

  A Match, Unmasked

  Erica Ridley

  The Outcast

  Glynnis Campbell

  The Perfect Fiancé

  Bianca Blythe

  Pretty in Plaid

  Eliza Knight

  Presenting Lady Gus

  Sydney Jane Baily

  The Puzzle Box

  Caroline Warfield

  Ruby

  Michele Dalton

  A Scene in Time

  Jessica A Clements

  A Slight Miscalculation

  Deb Marlowe

  The Soldier’s Duchess

  Samara Parish

  The Spinster’s Alluring Season

  Tabetha Waite

  The Spinster’s Secret Scoundrel

  Carrie Lomax

  The Spy and His Lady Love

  Christine Donovan

  To Bed or to Wed

  Sandra Sookoo

  To Steal a Viking Bride

  Gina Conkle

  Too Clever By Half

  Nancy Yeager

  A Traitor’s Heart

  Terri Brisbin

  The Truant Lord Clairmont

  Jude Knight

  The Wallflower Code

  Bethany Bennett

  The Wallflower’s Kiss

  Eva Devon

  Waltz of Seduction

  Natasha Blackthorne

  The Ward’s Bride

  Cecelia Mecca

  When Hearts Rebel

  Meredith Bond

  The Wolf Of Westmore

  Amalie Howard

  Indexes

  To the people of Ukraine

  A Brief Note from Janna and Annabelle

  Several short months ago, Annabelle Anders and I were chatting about the horrors that the people of Ukraine were facing against the Russian invasion. Inspiration hit, and we decided to invite our friends to help us put together a historical charity anthology. We sent out emails, and unsurprisingly, romancelandia answered. Over seventy historical authors freely and without hesitation signed up to contribute. This book wouldn’t be here without the generosity of these wonderful authors.

  * * *

  A huge thank you to Amy Quinton who formatted this entire anthology. Tireless and always with a smile on her face, Amy took each and every story and lovingly included it in this anthology.

  * * *

  A huge thank you to Barbara Conter, the owner and cover designer at Forever After Romance Designs for contributing her time and effort. She produced this beautiful cover.

  * * *

  Every cent raised will be split between two charities for humanitarian relief for the Ukrainian People:

  * * *

  Sunflower Peace https://www.sunflowerofpeace.com to provide medical and humanitarian aid that will be used by the paramedics and doctors in the areas that are affected by the violence in Ukraine.

  * * *

  and

  CARE: https://www.care.org Immediate aid including food, water, hygiene kits, support services and direct cash assistance, prioritizing women and girls, families and the elderly.

  * * *

  A huge THANK YOU to you, our readers, for purchasing this book and gifting a copy to your loved ones.

  * * *

  All our love,

  Janna MacGregor and Annabelle Anders.

  Original Stories

  Never before published stories from your favorite historical authors and written for this boxed set…

  * * *

  Annabelle Anders * Janna MacGregror

  Maggie Dallen

  Christine Sterling * Sawyer Quinn * Lenora Bell

  Rose Pearson * Rebecca Paula

  Charlie Lane * Celeste Barclay * Jane Charles

  Wendy LaCapra

  Anna Campbell * Lana Williams

  Golden Angel * Nicole Locke

  Piper Huguley * Rachel Ann Smith

  Caroline Linden

  A Soldier’s Dream

  ANNABELLE ANDERS AND JANNA MACGREGOR

  About the Book

  This book just might be for you if you love:

  Military Heroes,

  Forbidden Romance, and

  Secret Love Letters

  A Solider’s Dream

  * * *

  Copyright © 2022 Ann Martinez writing as Annabelle Anders and Janna MacGregor

  Prologue

  THE LETTER

  Sunday, June 25th of the year 1815

  * * *

  To my dearest Michael,

  * * *

  It has been two years, nine months and twenty-six days since I last saw you.

  * * *

  Can you wonder how high my heart soared upon hearing of Wellington’s Great and Glorious news? (I’ve stolen that from the headline of the Morning Post—in case it sounds familiar.) Although I’ve yet to hear from you since victory has been declared, I choose to trust that you are safe and whole. I could not go on in a world that existed otherwise. How could I live without my heart? Always be assured, no matter what happens, that I love you to the very depths of my soul. I fall asleep thinking of you and then I wake up with your name on my lips. In between, of course, I dream of you.

  * * *

  In answer to your previous letter, I’ve sketched the enclosed drawing of my dog, Max. But in fairness I must disclose that although he appears to be dancing amongst the flowers, he is in truth, chasing butterflies and would gladly eat them if he could jump higher than a snail.

  * * *

  Speaking of eating, did your superiors allow all of you to celebrate with a fine meal? Whenever I sit down to eat, I think of you. To keep myself from feeling guilty for consuming such delicacies while you suffer a soldier’s rations, I instead am grateful for every bite. Why, just this morning, Cook made up the most delightful batch of lemon scones. The crust fell apart the moment they hit my tongue and I only wish I could send a dozen of them to you along with this letter.

  * * *

  It has been warm here, and as happens every summer, mother complains. But if it were not so warm, I couldn’t go bathing in the creek on the edge of father’s property. (Never tell mother that I do this. She would have an apoplexy if she knew.) I cannot imagine what it would be like to experience something so simple and wonderful with you. I cannot imagine how wonderful a life would be to share scones with you in the morning and my creek with you in the afternoons.

  And to lie down beside you at the end of the day…

  * * *

  But you will be here soon. You will be coming home and that is a wonderful, glorious thing! (I’ve used that word twice in this letter, now. Have I impressed you?) But I am procrastinating telling you something—something I ought to have told you long ago—Since—went—I—please—forgive—

  * * *

  (Unfortunately, this was where the water damage had erased what remained of the letter.)

  Chapter 1

  THE DREAM

  August 1815

  The Small Village of Cold Creek

  Half a day’s ride from London

  Michael Harrington patted his horse’s shoulder as euphoria sang through his veins, mixed with a sense of relief and, if he were honest, a small amount of trepidation. It’d been three long, lonely years since he’d seen her. At the end of the drive stood the majestic country estate of Pratt Cottage, the childhood home of his beloved, Miss Charlotte Pratt. She wouldn’t live there much longer if he had his way. A three-year betrothal was too long.

  Especially for a man who had just returned from war.