by Paula Quinn
Naturally, the road to true love is fraught with heartbreak, mayhem, and, well, a decanter of wine. Matters turn bleak for poor Julianne when Hawk makes his disinterest clear after a rather steamy waltz. I knew Julianne needed help, and so I sent in a wise woman, albeit a rather eccentric one. Hawk’s Aunt Hester, a plain-spoken woman, has some rather startling advice for Julianne. Left with only the shreds of her pride, Julianne decides to write a lady’s guide to seducing scoundrels into the proverbial parson’s mousetrap. My intrepid heroine finds herself in hot suds when all of London hunts for the anonymous author of that scandalous publication, The Secrets of Seduction. At all costs, Julianne must keep her identity a secret—especially from Hawk, who is determined to guard her from his fellow scoundrels. But can he guard his own heart from the one woman forbidden to him?
My heartfelt thanks to all the readers who wrote to let me know they couldn’t wait to read HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL. I hope you will enjoy the twists and turns that finally lead to happily ever after for Hawk and Julianne.
Cheers!
www.vickydreiling.com
From the desk of Jane Graves
Dear Reader,
Have you ever visited one website, seen an interesting link to another website, and clicked it? Probably. But have you ever done that about fifty times and ended up in a place you never intended to? As a writer, I’m already on a “what if” journey inside my own head, so web hopping is just one more flight of fancy that’s so easy to get caught up in.
For instance, while researching a scene for BLACK TIES AND LULLABIES that takes place in a childbirth class, I saw a link for “hypnosis during birth.” Of course I had to click that, right? Then I ended up on a site where people post their birth stories. And then…
Don’t ask me how, but a dozen clicks later, my web-hopping adventure led me to a site about celebrities and baby names. And it immediately had me wondering: What were these people thinking? Check out the names these famous people have given their children that virtually guarantee they’ll be tormented for the rest of their lives:
Apple Actress Gwyneth Paltrow
Diva Muffin Musician Frank Zappa
Moxie Crimefighter Entertainer Penn Jillette
Petal Blossom Rainbow Chef Jamie Oliver
Zowie Singer David Bowie
Pilot Inspektor Actor Jason Lee
Sage Moonblood Actor Sylvester Stallone
Fifi Trixibell Sir Bob Geldof*
Reignbeau Actor Ving Rhames
Jermajesty Singer Jermaine Jackson
No, a trip around the Internet does not get my books written, but sometimes it’s worth the laugh. Of course, the hero and heroine of BLACK TIES AND LULLABIES would never give their child a name like one of these….
I hope you enjoy BLACK TIES AND LULLABIES. And look for my next book, HEARTSTRINGS AND DIAMOND RINGS, coming October 2011.
Happy Reading!
www.janegraves.com
From the desk of Paula Quinn
Dear Reader,
Having married my first love, I was excited to write the third installment in my Children of the Mist series, TAMED BY A HIGHLANDER. You see, Mairi MacGregor and Connor Grant were childhood sweethearts. How difficult could it be to relate to a woman who had surrendered her heart at around the same age I did? Of course, my real life hero didn’t pack up his Claymore and plaid and ride off to good old England to save the king. (Although my husband does own a few swords he keeps around in the event that one of our daughters brings home an unfavorable boyfriend.) My hero didn’t break my young heart, or the promises he made me beneath the shadow of a majestic Highland mountain. I don’t hide daggers under my skirts. Heck, I don’t even wear skirts.
But I am willing to fight for what I believe in. So is Mairi, and what she believes in is Scotland. A member of a secret Highland militia, Mairi has traded in her dreams of a husband and children for sweeping Scotland free of men who would seek to change her Highland customs and religion. She knows how to fight, but she isn’t prepared for the battle awaiting her when she sets her feet in England and comes face to face with the man she once loved.
Ah, Connor Grant, captain in the King’s Royal Army and son of the infamous rogue Graham Grant from A HIGHLANDER NEVER SURRENDERS. He’s nothing like his father. This guy has loved the same lass his whole life, but she’s grown into a woman without him and now, instead of casting him smiles, she’s throwing daggers at him!
Fun! I knew when these two were reunited sparks (and knives) would fly!
But Connor isn’t one to back down from a fight. In fact, he longs to tame his wild Highland mare. But does he need to protect the last Stuart king from her?
Journey back in time where plots and intrigue once ruled the courtly halls of Whitehall Palace, and two souls who were born to love only each other find their way back into each other’s arms.
If Mairi doesn’t kill him first.
(Did I mention, I collect medieval daggers? Just in case…)
Happy Reading!
www.paulaquinn.com
From the desk of Kendra Leigh Castle
Dear Reader,
It all started with the History Channel.
No, really. One evening last year, while I was watching TV in the basement and hiding from whatever flesh-eating-zombie-filled gore-fest my husband was happily watching upstairs, I ran across a fascinating documentary all about a woman I never knew existed: Arsinöe, Cleopatra’s youngest sister. Being a sucker for a good story, I watched, fascinated, as the tale of Arsinöe’s brief and often unhappy life unfolded. And after it was all over, once her threat to Cleopatra’s power had been taken care of in a very final way by the famous queen herself, I asked myself what any good writer would: what if Arsinöe hadn’t really died, and become a vampire instead?
Okay, so maybe most writers wouldn’t ask themselves that. I write paranormal romance for a reason, after all. But that simple, and rather odd, question was the seed that my book DARK AWAKENING grew from. Now, Arsinöe isn’t the heroine. In fact, she’s more of a threat hanging over the head of my hero, Ty MacGillivray, whose kind has served her dynasty of highblood vampires for centuries, bound in virtual slavery. But her arrival in my imagination sparked an entire world, in which so-called “highblood” vampires, those bearing the tattoo-like mark of bloodlines descended directly from various darker gods and goddesses, form an immortal nobility that take great pleasure in lording it over the “lowbloods” of more muddied pedigree.
Lowbloods like Ty and his unusual bloodline of cat-shifting vampires, the Cait Sith.
Now, I won’t give out all the details of what happens when Ty is sent by Arsinöe herself to find a human woman with the ability to root out the source of a curse that threatens to take her entire dynasty down. I will say that Lily Quinn is a lot more than Ty bargained for, carrying secrets that have the potential to change the entire world of night. And I’m happy to tell you that it really tugged at my heartstrings to write the story of a man who has been kicked around for so long that he is afraid to want what his heart so desperately needs. But beyond that, all you really need to know is that DARK AWAKENING has all of my favorite ingredients: a tortured bad boy with a heart of gold, a heroine strong enough to take him on, and cats.
What? I like cats. Especially when they turn into gorgeous immortals.
Ty and Lily’s story is the first in my DARK DYNASTIES series, about the hotbed of intrigue and desire that is the realm of the twenty-first century vampire. If you’re up for a ride into the darkness, not to mention brooding bad boys who aren’t afraid to flash a little fang, then stick with me. I’ve got a silver-eyed hero you might like to meet….
Enjoy!
www.kendraleighcastle.com
* Musician/Activist
Contents
Front Cover Image
Welcome
Dedication
A Preview of Conquered by a Highlander
A Preview of Ravished by a Highlander
Cast of Chara
cters
A Lass, the Third
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Epilogue
The Dish
Also by Paula Quinn
Praise for Seduced by a Highlander
Copyright
Also by Paula Quinn
Lord of Desire
Lord of Temptation
Lord of Seduction
Laird of the Mist
A Highlander Never Surrenders
Ravished by a Highlander
Seduced by a Highlander
Praise for
Seduced by a Highlander
“Seduced by a Highlander is sparkling, sexy, and seductive! I couldn’t put it down! Paula Quinn is a rising star!”
—Karen Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author
“4½ Stars! TOP PICK! An engrossing story brimming with atmosphere and passionate characters… a true keeper.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Scottish romance at its very best! Deliciously romantic and sensual, Paula Quinn captures the heart of the Highlands in a tender, passionate romance that you won’t be able to put down.”
—Monica McCarty, New York Times bestselling author
“A rich tapestry of love, rivalry, and hope… the simmering passion made for very heated scenes… I can’t wait to read more of the family in future books!”
—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“A story of feuding and rivalries, but also of love and redemption… It will be a pleasure to read more of the MacGregor clan’s adventures.”
—RomanceReaderAtHeart.com
“Five Stars! Reviewer’s Recommended Award Winner! Paula Quinn went above and beyond my expectations… With a hero to make a heart sigh and a heroine who can match the hero wit to wit, this story is one I highly recommend adding to your bookshelf.”
—CoffeeTimeRomance.com
“A powerful and dramatic story… I’m happy to have found such a talented writer.”
—RomRevToday.com
“A wonderful love story and so well-written. Fun to read… Loved Tristan and Isobel.”
—Romance Reviews
Ravished by a Highlander
“Deftly combines historical fact and powerful romance… There’s much more than just sizzling sensuality: history buffs will love the attention to periodic detail and cameos by real-life figures, and the protagonists embody compassion, responsibility, and unrelenting, almost self-sacrificial honor. Quinn’s seamless prose and passionate storytelling will leave readers hungry for future installments.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“4½ Stars! TOP PICK! Quinn once again captures the aura of the Highlands. Here is an amazing love story where characters’ deep emotions and sense of honor for their countrymen will enchant readers.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Incomparable… Paula Quinn expertly interweaves fact and fiction so well that you will come to truly believe every one of her characters can be found in the pages of history… Ms. Quinn has a gift for creating characters for whom you genuinely feel affection and even come to adore, and this couple are two of the most memorable I have had the pleasure of reading lately… a romantic adventure of the heart, where emotional confrontations leave an unforgettable impact.”
—SingleTitles.com
“5 Stars! I found myself amazed… The writing style is so vivid, I could almost see the scenery and hear the battles within the halls of Camlochlin Castle. This author is one to watch!”
—HuntressReviews.com
“I absolutely enjoyed this book. It’s full of action, adventure, and more than a little bit of passion… This was my first venture into Paula Quinn’s writing, but it will not be my last.”
—NightOwlReviews.com
A Highlander Never Surrenders
“4½ Stars! TOP PICK! Quinn uses her wit and whimsy to develop memorable characters who steal your heart… a romance that brings passion and history to life.”
—RT Book Reviews
“5 stars! Paula Quinn is a master storyteller and her gifted skill stands out in each enchanting scene of this breathtaking story… As for the suspenseful action and secretive mysteries in the story, Ms. Quinn is unparalleled when it comes to keeping the reader riveted… an innovative and unforgettable love story.”
—SingleTitles.com
“5 Stars! [A] gripping tale of seventeenth-century romance. Quinn has done awesome research… With this story’s strong plot, wonderful repartee, and well-developed characters, this is truly a book that will captivate you and one you won’t want to put down! Definitely a top pick and I look forward to more great reads from this very talented writer!”
—FreshFiction.com
Laird of the Mist
“4½ Stars! TOP PICK! Quinn captures the aura of the Highlands brilliantly, delivering a tale rife with Scottish lore and infamous feuds. She combines passion, history, danger, and intrigue to perfection.”
—RT Book Reviews
“The Highlands of Scotland come alive in Laird of the Mist… Paula Quinn knows exactly how to capture the imagination of her readers by giving them memorable characters and enthralling plots.”
—SingleTitles.com
Lord of Seduction
“Quinn is an author to watch.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“4 Stars! Readers will fly through the pages and wiggle in their seats… Feast on this medieval banquet!”
—RT Book Reviews
“Passion, peril, and plenty of medieval political intrigue… expertly crafted historical romance.”
—Booklist
Lord of Temptation
“Features a sinfully sexy hero who meets his match in a strong-willed heroine… An excellent choice for readers who like powerful, passion-rich medieval romances.”
—Booklist
“Quinn’s lively romance… offers two spirited protagonists as well as engaging minor characters… The sharp repartee and dramatic finale make this a pleasant read.”
—Publishers Weekly
Lord of Desire
“4 Stars!… fast-paced and brimming with biting, sexy repartee, and a sensual cat-and-mouse game.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Gloriously passionate… boldly sensual… Quinn deftly enhances her debut with just enough historical details to give a vivid sense of time and place.”
—Booklist
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Paula Quinn
Excerpt from Conquered by a H
ighlnder copyright © 2011 by Paula Quinn.
Excerpt from Ravished by a Highlander copyright © 2010 by Paula Quinn.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Forever
Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com
