Proper Romance Regency

From best-selling author Joanna Barker: Proper romance meets page-turning mystery in this captivating tale of danger, redemption, and love worth fighting for. After years of whispered gossip and quiet exile in the countryside, Beatrice Lacey arrives in London determined to reclaim her life. But her resolve is shaken when she witnesses a horrific attack tied to a chilling high-profile murder case gripping the city. Thrust into sudden danger, Beatrice finds herself under the reluctant protection of Alexander Rawlings-a brooding Bow Street officer with a guarded heart and a fierce sense of duty. Though it's clear he'd rather be chasing the killer than shielding a scandal-stained Society miss, their forced closeness begins to unravel his defenses. In the unnerving moments between danger and discovery, every sharp exchange and lingering glance fans a slow-burning connection-one neither of them expected and neither can resist. With danger closing in and old wounds resurfacing, trust may be their only refuge-and love their most daring risk of all.

A lady desperately seeking freedom. A prosperous younger man. An unexpected connection. Anna Atwood returns to Breckenridge, where she spent one blissful summer as a young woman. This time, though, she comes to the quaint town as a penniless spinster with a single hope: to build a life free from the constraints her father's death put on her and free from the persistent suitor Mr. Green, whose plans for marriage are Anna's worst nightmare. When she runs into David Tate, the boy she knew from that memorable summer, she finds he has grown into a confident and striking man. As they rekindle their friendship, David offers her warmth and protection in the moment she needs it most-when Mr. Green appears in town and threatens to destroy Anna's carefully laid plans. David Tate remembers Anna as the spirited woman who once brought light into his dark childhood. Now a man of means, he has a promising future, if he can withstand the powerful Lord Murphy-a man whose menacing hold on the town he owns is surpassed only by his relentless hold on David's life. When David meets Anna again, he realizes he has a chance to save her from Mr. Green's schemes, even if it means putting David in danger of Lord Murphy's wrath and revealing David's deepest secrets. In a moment of desperation, David and Anna agree to a proposal of convenience to provide the safety they both need. But as their attraction ignites, the looming dangers from Lord Murphy and Mr. Green threaten to destroy their budding happiness.