LUCY

Born with a scar seen as undesirable, Erica Corr thought she might never get married. That is, until she is betrothed to the ruthless emperor Carl Lakin as a noble consort. With several of his previous consorts having turned up dead, it is predicted that the sweet, gentle Erica won’t last very long. However, she discovers that beneath Carl’s twisted exterior lies a surprisingly soft side and some scars of his own. But is Erica strong enough to heal this tyrant? Or will she be his latest victim?

Today is Kelly’s eighth wedding anniversary. It’s also the day her divorce from Jake, her famous journalist husband, has finally been made official. Jake is a daredevil who flies around the world and is never home. Not even on the day that she miscarried. In order to sever all ties with the past, Kelly cuts off her beautiful long hair and throws a party in her new home to celebrate her divorce. But Jake, who never wanted the divorce, suddenly shows up, rudely throws out her party guests and forceably kisses her!

Grace Brown had always been the perfect secretary for Sheikh Amir, she could do anything…except find him a bride. She has for the longest time been in love with him and had to suffer while watching him go through girlfriends and even an arranged marriage. After the arranged marriage was cancelled, Grace thought her heart would stop aching. But now she is forced to find the man she loves someone to marry out of convenience. For Amir, he seemed to always act like a playboy prince. When actually, he was just finding a substitute for Grace. He doubted his feelings at first but once he understood what he felt for her, Amir knew he couldn’t tell Grace for fear of losing her. These two find themselves in quite a predicament. Will Grace and Amir take action?

I got married to a millionaire within a week of meeting, then broke up with him! I am Riva Corelli, 28 years old, a freelance photojournalist. I met Demetrio Corelli, 35, a year and a half ago when I followed a subject from London to Milan. He is a millionaire and a nice guy, to say the least. I fell in love with him like a fever and married him within a week of meeting him, but.... In fact, he was incredibly arrogant. Before we got married, he was very understanding about my work, but after we got married, he told me that I should prioritize his convenience or even quit my job!　After that, he locked me in my room, so I broke the window and we started living separately. And....

Young Petra saw a grown man cry for the first time. Left alone at a party by her mother, she sees Lysandros on the roof, where he is trying to kill himself, and manages to stop him. She couldn't forget his face and he ended up being her first love. Ten years later, he is a wealthy Greek tycoon…and her stepfather's rival. She read in the gossip magazines that he became a famous playboy, and had apparently forgotten all about her. Petra tries to get close to him, but then finds out about a feud between their two families...

Rosamund "Ros" Craig is a fiction writer specializing in romance novels. However, never in her life has Ros experienced a love like the ones she creates for her readers. In an odd twist of fate, Ros meets a man who sets her heart aflutter and she becomes unable to resist his every whim. Ros suddenly finds herself adrift in a sea of passion, heartache and betrayal.

Heather has been charmed by Lorenzo, a rich elite from Sicily. He's a gentleman, but weak and powerless in the face of his overwhelming brother Renato. Suspicious that Heather may simply be after their fortune, Renato investigates and subjects the woman to a bizarre test, even going as far as to tempt her with a large sum of money. She refuses, and so he rewards her by ordering her to marry his brother...

Ellie, who works at a law firm, is at her wits' end with the problematic divorce her client Leonizio, an Italian businessman, is facing. His wife is pregnant and he doesn't want to give up his parental rights. However, a prenatal DNA test has proved that Leonizio is not the baby's father. He had pinned his hopes on the baby, so he takes the news hard. Ellie ends up crossing a line when she comforts him over his wife's betrayal and the overwhelming despondency he feels after the divorce...She has no idea that she will end up carrying his baby.

Ellie was seventeen when she fell in love with Andrew, a handsome older boy in medical school. Though she was filled with joy when he proposed to her, she began to feel trapped by the thought of a future with him and his single-minded devotion. When Ellie was caught with another man on the day before their wedding, they canceled the wedding in heartbreak. Twelve years later, Ellie is struggling as a single mother and caring for a daughter with a serious heart condition when Andrew enters her life once again as Hetta's doctor. She has no right to feel regret, no right to think of him and what could have been. She was the one who ran. But why does her heart feel so unsettled?

We’re too different, but we share a common history—and maybe a possible future, as well? Aaliyah, a hotel clerk, is chosen as a floor manager to replace her late mother. Crown Prince Sayed, from Aaliyah's ancestral country, Zeena Safra, has plans to stay at London's Chatsfield Hotel with his fiancée. Aaliyah, shunned by her family for being born out of wedlock, looks forward to meeting the prince of the desert country she has never seen. But his fiancée runs off and Aaliyah winds up spending the night with the disappointed prince! After he scolds her for hiding the fact that she was a virgin, he whisks her away to his palace...

Lorenzo Martelli is a young bachelor from a wealthy family in Sicily. He's under pressure from his family to find a wife because his brothers have recently settled down with their loved ones. He tries to get away, but today, his mother told him to visit the family friend with four single daughters. Meanwhile, the oldest girl, Helen, is upset with Lorenzo whom she hasn't even met yet, thinking “He must think all of my sisters are just dying to have him because he's so rich...I'll teach this bastard a lesson...!”

Mandy and her guide, Renzo, are hiking in the Alps when a huge avalanche traps them inside an old mountain lodge. On the brink of life and death, their feelings for each other awaken and they spend the night in each other’s arms. However, the next day, the floor crumbles away and, as Renzo attempts to save her, he falls to the depths of the valley! Mandy is rescued, but he is nowhere to be found. After spending the next two years in the depths of despair, she suddenly finds a newspaper article about Renzo. He is alive and the CEO of a large Italian company. Mandy is shocked and has to know why he never told her he was still alive!

From Renta: Donna is thrilled when her lover, a younger Italian man, proposes to her. Toni is a little irresponsible, but he can give her the family she's always wanted. But when the two of them visit his family home together to announce their marriage, Donna learns the startling truth: his family home is a mansion! His family is so wealthy, it's like they live in another world. That's when Toni's arrogant older brother, Rinaldo, tries to pay Donna to break off the relationship, convinced that she's a gold-digger. And when he realizes he can't drive Donna off with money...he tries to seduce her!

They fell in love at first sight, but Sarah and Justin end their happy days together when Sarah becomes pregnant. Disappointed by Justin's authoritative attitude and demand that she have an abortion, Sarah starts a new life as a single mother in a small village. Two years later, Justin suddenly appears in front of Sarah and asks for directions without acknowledging that he knows her. When she finds out that he has lost his memory, Sarah wonders if it's an act of God. Although she could never forget what Justin did to her, Sarah can't help but hope that they are being given a second chance.

While on vacation in Italy, Sonia decided to marry Francesco, a beautiful young man she’d only just met. They fell in love in Venice, the thrilling city of water, and it was as if they were under a magic spell. They should have lived happily-ever-after, but all too soon Sonia runs away, back to her hometown. She hadn’t factored in the linguistic and cultural isolation of life in Venice, but what really drove her away was that she, with no family of her own, just couldn’t get used to her husband’s warm, loving clan. When her husband comes to find her, she rejects him again. Can there be any hope for a future between two so very different people?

The woman the playboy fell for had a sorrowful past… To escape a scandal, Gabe travels to London to stay with his cousin and suggests they trade places for a while when he sees how hard his cousin has to work to maintain his castle and estate. At the castle, Gabe meets Freddie, a woman who claims to be the manager of the place. Being a widow with a daughter to care for, she’s not at all Gabe’s usual type. Yet there’s something about Freddie’s sad past that draws his attention…

After being jilted at the altar by her fiance, Gail used the bitter experience to build her career as a successful wedding planner. During a wedding for a wealthy customer, Gail meets his eldest son, Alex. According to Alex, his soon-to-be mother-in-law is only marrying his father for his money and is not who she appears to be. Alex's cynicism stokes Gail's temper and they get into a heated argument. However, later at the wedding reception, Alex suddenly whispers to Gail, "I want you. I'll give you anything you desire...except marriage."

Chloe agreed to a marriage of convenience with a young businessman named Ariston in order to save her father's company five years ago. But it wasn't long before she'd fallen completely in love with him. She was supposed to get pregnant within three years of their marriage, but when that didn't happen, they got divorced. With her family business once again in trouble, she pays her ex-husband a visit, hoping he can save it. Ariston is as charming as she remembers. Then he gives her a surprising proposition after hearing her plea. "I need you to have my baby."

Joanna, an archaeologist, visits the palace of the Duke of Mantejano to research the fifteen-million-year-old crumbling castle. The current property owner used to be her fiancé, Gustavo Montejano, and her first love. She broke off the engagement with him as he loved someone else, and wished him happiness and hid her love for him. Gustavo, who she believed led a happy life, is facing loneliness because of troublesome relationships with his ex-wife and daughter. Joanna is unable to refuse his cry for help…!

In order to save her ruined family, Alexandra works as a model while hiding her true identity. After a year dating Dimitrius, a Greek tycoon, she finds out she's pregnant. She wants to marry him, but she doesn't know how he feels. Just as Alexandra builds up her courage to tell him the news, Dimitrius tells her he's marrying someone else. Could this really be the wish of her passionate lover or is something else going on?

Maggie has been invited to become the nanny to the prince’s children. And, while she has spent her first few days getting used to her new surroundings, she has yet to meet her new employer, who is out of the country on business. One night, while seeking a quiet place to sleep, she comes across an empty bedroom. She takes advantage of it, but her long-lost sweetheart, Tom, joins her in the middle of the night. Tom is the man who broke her heart years ago by marrying another woman after Maggie turned him down. Could it be that Tom is the prince? Is she still dreaming or has her prince finally come to rescue her?

"I've lived my life to the fullest. Now I can rest easy in hell." At least that's what Baal Berith thought. But fate is not letting him go alone.

Elisa's jewelry store has been tasked with auctioning off the royal coronation jewels. The festivities will require a bit of security, but Elisa would rather it not be Salvatore, the man she had a fling with a year ago that led to the conception and loss of a child. While the coronation jewels need to be guarded, Elisa's heart may prove to be even more valuable-and fragile.

Danette works at a shipping company where she is such a hard worker that everyone says her job is her boyfriend. Little do they know she’s been involved in a secret relationship the entire time. One day, Danette sees the cover of a gossip magazine and is shocked by what it shows. It’s Marcello, her manager and secret lover, dancing with a beautiful and attractive woman. It’s a picture from a party he didn’t want her to attend—he never invites her to any public gatherings. She knows he’s a prince and that their affair is a secret one, but until now she’d never thought she was only a plaything to him!

While enjoying the beautiful landscape of Venice, Sally is attacked by a man and rescued by Damiano, the owner of the hotel where she is staying. She receives an offer to stay at his mansion, where Sally discovers a different side to him and is charmed. On the day of the Carnival, she is thrilled when Damiano suddenly proposes to her. But for him, it is nothing more than a marriage of convenience.

Therese was elated to be chosen by Prince Claudio as his betrothed from among a number of international bridal candidates. She figured that even if the marriage was just a way to produce an heir to the throne, the two of them would fall in love as they went through life together. But that was before Therese developed endometriosis, which reduced her chances of ever being able to have children. Unable to give Claudio an heir, she feels she doesn't deserve the title of princess any longer and tries to leave him. A gulf grows between them as Therese’s fears prevent her from making love to him anymore. Meanwhile, Claudio grows convinced that Therese has found herself another lover. Can their relationship be healed?

While struggling to come up with college tuition for her brother, Audrey overhears a conversation—Vincenzo Tomasi, who became the CEO of an international bank at a young age, is now looking for a mother figure to take care of his niece and nephew. If it allows her brother to go to college, Audrey decides she wouldn’t mind dedicating her life to the children. But in the interview, Tomasi informs her that her duties will include being his wife as well as a mother to the children!

Years ago, Cassie discovered that she had been played and betrayed by her boyfriend, the second son of the billionaire Falcon family who once became close to her by acting as if he were poor. When they finally reunite as magnate and his assistant, Cassie has already changed and Marcel doesn’t seem to recognize her. Unlike her glamorous modeling past, she is now a stern-looking office worker with glasses and pulled-back hair. But toward the Marcel whom she once loved, she isn’t so sure she wants to pretend as if nothing happened...

Mistress to a Sheikh—When Jade met Khalil, a prince from a desert country, she was captivated by his deep blue eyes. After passionately surrendering her virginity to him, she began living with him in a magnificent villa. But even after two years, he still won't introduce her to his family. Can Jade go on living with their arrangement? Mistress at the Italian's Command—After Ally's twin sister was deserted by a married man with whom she was having an affair, she tried to take her own life. His relative, Vittorio, tries to shield his family from the scandal by making it look as if she was actually his own mistress. What he doesn't realize is that Ally is pretending to be her twin sister…

Jennifer Norton of Nortons Distribution needs a date for a business banquet on a moment's notice. The escort hired for the event has come down with the flu, but don’t worry; his best friend and CEO of Charteris Enterprises, Steven Leary, will do anything for a friend and a woman in need. Will Steven help Jennifer break her bad habits of falling for the wrong man... and taking home dozens of stray animals. Or is Jennifer destined to forever be a cat (and squirrel, and snake) lady in an unfulfilling relationship?

All Lina wanted was freedom from her controlling father and her duties as princess. Abandoned in America as a child, Lina never counted on anyone but herself . Then she falls for Sebastian Hawk, a fellow college student. But Sebastian is actually an undercover bodyguard hired by her father to keep a close watch on her. Sebastian takes his job very seriously, and wants nothing more than to protect Lina, though, he can’t help but find her innocence enchanting. He manages to remain professional until the day he`s recalled from duty...the day he breaks Lina's heart. A few years later Sebastian is sent to find Lina and bring her home, but that won’t be so easy. Lina wants nothing to do with her lying bodyguard. What will become of these two? Will Sebastian still be able to resist his feelings for Lina? Will Lina be able to forgive him?

Raised by her rich grandfather, Hope is a very introverted girl. She'’s never been able to talk to man, but that doesn'’t stop her from crushing on the sexy, billionaire playboy Luciano. At her grandfather'’s annual New Year'’s Eve party, she meets him again—and would you believe it, he picks her to kiss for the new yearwhen the clock strikes twelve! Hope'’s confused, but she has no idea Luciano and her grandfather have secretly signed a business deal involving her. She'’s just too happy!

I’ll no longer spend my Christmases alone. Dawn, a veterinarian, always tries to keep busy when Christmas comes around. If she doesn’t, she’ll remember the terrible breakup she experienced eight years earlier. When she learns that a new owner has moved into the largest mansion in town, she’s ecstatic. Now she’ll be able to secure an event space for the party she’s throwing for the less fortunate. However, she freezes when she sees the mansion’s new owner. It’s Ben, the millionaire who abandoned her! And he’s changed so much that he seems like a different man…

Carlene is hired as a housekeeper by young millionaire Win. Though he says during the interview that he is not looking to fill the position of wife, he is quick to make a feverish invitation. Saying he won’t make commitments for the future, Win offers to share his bed. Though bewildered, Carlene is also intensely attracted to him. One night, the two seem close to crossing the line, but she stops herself at the last minute. Win is offended, but little does he know that Carlene is still a virgin!

Freya became part of the Falcon family after her mother married Amos. So, when she is dumped by her fiancé right before her wedding, her stepbrother, Jackson, comes to rescue her. He whisks her away from the church and kindly consoles her. Freya used to be attracted to him, but knowing he sees her as a sister, she had to seal away her feelings for him. When his kindness reignites her feelings, she learns the unbelievable truth. It was Jackson who ruined her wedding!

At the funeral of her husband, who died in an accident, Savannah was cruelly jeered at by her husband’s family for being an unfaithful wife. Determined to leave, Savannah is suddenly confronted by Leiandros! He is the head of the family and her late husband’s cousin. He joins the fray, throwing contemptuous and humiliating words at her. She’s especially shocked by Leiandros’s callousness—after all, he hasn’t always been so unfeeling where she is concerned…

Travis Falcon has leaped to stardom in a single bound, but he has one problem. The gossip rags are making a fuss over a certain incident between him and a woman, so his boss has ordered him to date a proper lady. Just then, he encounters the perfect candidate for the role: Charlene, who found her way into the studio following another actor. Travis and she decide to pretend to be dating, and ultimately, they forge a bond like that between brother and sister. Until one night, when everything changes…

Perdita sneaks into the wedding ceremony of famous actor Travis Falcon to get an exposé. But then she then runs into Travis’s younger brother, Leonid, who looks exactly like Travis. He asks Perdita to pretend to be his lover for one day in order to discourage his father from forcing him to marry someone he doesn’t want to, never realizing that she is an infamous gossip writer. As she grows closer to Leonid, though, she becomes hesitant about airing his family’s secrets. But will she be equally able to keep her own secret safe?

Despite the frustration of a failed business venture, cool and in-control entrepreneur Darius Falcon manages to seal the deal with an exquisite natural island basking in the sun. There, on what should have been the worst day of both his professional and personal life, Darius meets a volunteer from a search and rescue unit named Harriet. He begins to feel happier than he has in years and the elevated mood the island has put him in encourages him to take a chance and ask her to be his girlfriend. Harriet gladly accepts, but finds herself deeply implicated in convoluted Falcon family circumstances… It’s a modern Cinderella story!

I put my life on the line for love in an era of unrest... The year is 1938. Dee is studying to become a nurse. Her breath catches when she meets her beautiful sister's boyfriend, Mark, for the first time. She has never met a handsome, cheerful man with such a booming voice before. Even while dating her sister, Mark treats Dee as a lady, and she falls for him and the way he takes her seriously. Dee hopes that he will hurry up and marry her sister so she can forget about her feelings for him. But Dee has no idea what her sister is feeling. She also doesn't know about Mark's uninhibited relationships or his rash and reckless dream.

Piper, an interior decorator, and Zephyr, a Greek multimillionaire, are good friends—partners both in business and in bed. Though their relationship is meant to remain casual, Piper finds herself falling in love with Zephyr. But behind his calm smile, there is a wall around his heart. She wants to know more about him—but if she ever reveals how she feels about him, their relationship will be over. So she decides to keep her feelings hidden away in her heart—and then she discovers that she’s pregnant!

Danette works at a shipping company where she is such a hard worker that everyone says her job is her boyfriend. Little do they know she’s been involved in a secret relationship the entire time. One day, Danette sees the cover of a gossip magazine and is shocked by what it shows. It’s Marcello, her manager and secret lover, dancing with a beautiful and attractive woman. It’s a picture from a party he didn’t want her to attend—he never invites her to any public gatherings. She knows he’s a prince and that their affair is a secret one, but until now she’d never thought she was only a plaything to him!

Therese was elated to be chosen by Prince Claudio as his betrothed from among a number of international bridal candidates. She figured that even if the marriage was just a way to produce an heir to the throne, the two of them would fall in love as they went through life together. But that was before Therese developed endometriosis, which reduced her chances of ever being able to have children. Unable to give Claudio an heir, she feels she doesn't deserve the title of princess any longer and tries to leave him. A gulf grows between them as Therese’s fears prevent her from making love to him anymore. Meanwhile, Claudio grows convinced that Therese has found herself another lover. Can their relationship be healed?

Maggie has been invited to become the nanny to the prince’s children. And, while she has spent her first few days getting used to her new surroundings, she has yet to meet her new employer, who is out of the country on business. One night, while seeking a quiet place to sleep, she comes across an empty bedroom. She takes advantage of it, but her long-lost sweetheart, Tom, joins her in the middle of the night. Tom is the man who broke her heart years ago by marrying another woman after Maggie turned him down. Could it be that Tom is the prince? Is she still dreaming or has her prince finally come to rescue her?

Welcome to the world of Baggywrinkles a rollicking, educational survey of maritime lore, built around cartoonist Lucy Bellwood's time aboard tall ships. From the scourge of scurvy to the exhilaration of climbing the rigging for the first time, Lucy's comics bring the reader into a world of high seas history and informative adventure with "a sheer and unremitting sense of joy (Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier).""