First love left them desolate ... can a new love heal their wounds? A tale of second chance love in aristocratic Regency England, for lovers of all things Bridgerton.

Sebastian Alder's sudden elevation from penniless army captain to Viscount Somerton is the stuff of fairy tales, but the cold reality of an inherited estate in wretched condition leaves him little time for fantasy, and the memory of his wife's brutal death haunts his every moment. When he learns of the mysterious circumstances of his cousin's demise, he must also look for a potential murderer ... surely not Isabel, his cousin's ladylike widow?

Isabel, Lady Somerton, is desperate to bury the memory of her unhappy marriage by founding the charity school she has always dreamed of. Her hopes are shattered from beyond the grave when she is left not only penniless but once more bound to the whims of a Somerton ... although perhaps the new Lord Somerton is a man she can trust ... or even care for?

Suspicion could tear them apart ... honesty and courage may pull them together.

'In the wake of Waterloo, a richly detailed historical romance with plenty of danger, deception and derring-do.' - Anne Gracie, international award-winning author

To forge a new life she must first deal with her past...

1871. Adelaide Greaves and her young son have found sanctuary in the Australian town of Maiden's Creek, where she works as a postmistress. The rough Victorian goldmining settlement is a hard place for a woman - especially as the other women in town don't know what to make of her - but through force of will and sheer necessity, Adelaide carves out a role.

But her past is coming to find her, and the embittered and scarred Confederate soldier Caleb Hunt, in town in search of gold and not without a dark past of his own, might be the only one who can help. Can Adelaide trust him? Can she trust anyone?

When death and danger threaten - some from her past, some born of the Australian bush - she must swallow her pride and turn to Caleb to join her in the fight, a fight she is determined to win...

'Meticulously researched and brilliantly realised, Alison Stuart's novel of vengeance, love and the power of a determined woman is hugely enjoyable.' Tea Cooper, author of The Woman in the Green Dress

They might be able to solve a crime - but can they build a life together? A compelling historical romance with a murder mystery at its core, for readers of Darry Fraser and Tea Cooper.

1892. It has been almost 20 years since Charlie O'Reilly left Maiden's Creek, the town where she once knew only injustice and fear. Now she returns as acting matron of the local hospital, determined to prove her worth - and to escape the attentions of a man she would rather forget.

Despite his wealth and busy practice as a criminal lawyer, Danny Hunt has never found contentment. He is still haunted by memories of his childhood in Maiden's Creek and the strange and desperate man who was his father.

When a court case goes wrong and Danny's life is threatened, he seizes the opportunity to visit Maiden's Creek with his friend Robert, whose sister, a nurse at the hospital, is the only woman Danny has ever proposed to.

But danger follows Danny and Charlie and when a nurse is violently murdered, they are thrown together in a desperate bid to prove the innocence of a friend. When a devastating storm hits, threatening the hospital, old hurts and secrets come to the surface.

Both can see that they make the perfect team, but Charlie is committed to her work and has one secret she plans never to reveal ...

'Betrayal, secrets and dastardly deeds abound in this page-turning story of ambition, revenge, and love. Another thrilling book from Alison Stuart' - Mary-Lou Stephens, author of The Last of the Apple Blossom

Gold is a fever. Will it lead her to love ... or death? A suspenseful romance set on the turbulent goldfields of 1870s Australia, for readers of The Postmistress and The Woman in the Green Dress.

'There are people in this town with the gleam of gold in their eyes and cold steel in their hearts.'

1873. Eliza Penrose arrives in the gold mining town of Maiden's Creek in search of her brother, planning to make a new life for herself. Instead she finds a tragic mystery - and hints of betrayals by those closest to her.

Mining engineer Alec McLeod left Scotland to escape the memory of his dead wife and child. Despite the best efforts of the eligible ladies of Maiden's Creek, Alec is determined never to give his heart again.

As lies and deceit threaten Eliza's life, Alec steps in - although he has problems of his own, as he risks his livelihood and those he holds dear to oppose the dangerous work practices at the Maiden's Creek Mine.

When disaster draws the pieces of the puzzle together, Eliza and Alec must save each other - but is it too late?

'Suspenseful and compulsive reading, The Goldminer's Sister doesn't disappoint' - Darry Fraser, author of The Good Woman of Renmark

FEATHERS IN THE WIND…

AND THEN MINE ENEMY
England 1642: Hardened mercenary, Adam Coulter returns to England sickened by violence, seeking only peace, but he finds England on the brink of civil war. King or Parliament? Neutrality is not an option and as the war and as family tensions collide around them, Adam and the woman he loves, Perdita Gray, are torn between old loyalties and a growing attraction that must be resisted.

HER REBEL HEART
England 1643: When Captain Luke Collyer is sent by Sir John Felton to defend Kinton Lacey Castle, he faces a challenge to his authority as fierce as the cavalier foe outside the walls in Sir John’s daughter, Deliverance. As betrayal surfaces, they must learn to trust each other and uncover the traitor within the castle walls before it is too late for the castle... or their hearts.

SECRETS IN TIME
England 1995/1645: When Nathaniel Preston stumbles into Dr Jessica Shepherd’s garden, she is reluctant to believe he has crossed more than three hundred years to seek her help. He must help her understand why he has travelled from the midst of civil war to the quiet English countryside of the twentieth century. Can their love survive a bloody battle…and overcome time?

Once, on Christmas Day, she sacrificed her heart to save his life. Now, after nine years, will a single glance spark the fire of redemption?

February 1816

Fabien, Comte de Mont Clair, once a highly decorated officer of the exiled Napoleon, cuts a dashing swathe through a London society ball, his eyes only for the glittering ladies of the ton. His heart jolts at the sight of a woman sitting in a shadowed corner. Not just any woman, but one he would have once given the world for.

For Hannah, Lady Maxwell, catering to the spoiled darlings of the ton as a humble chaperone is nothing compared to the pain she suffered at the hands of her late husband. Alone and impoverished, she is a person of no consequence but once, a long time ago, she sacrificed her world for the dashing Comte de Mont Clair. Now all she can do is hope that he may glance her way ...

Revised and updated. Previously published as Nine Years 'Til Christmas in the 12 Rogues of Christmas anthology