Showing results by author "Laura Beers" in All Categories

After a failed abduction attempt, Lady Rachel is sent into hiding on her uncle's estate near the sleepy village of Rockcliffe on the shores of Scotland. As she struggles to cope with the nightmares of her past, she unwittingly stumbles into even greater danger than she left behind. And this time, Shadow isn't around to save her.

Born with a perfect memory, Lady Elizabeth Beckett has become one of the world's most notorious spies, despite being the daughter of a duke. She is shielded only by her code name: Shadow. When young ladies of High Society begin disappearing from London, Eliza has no doubt who is orchestrating these crimes; a heinous man she has been investigating for years. Vowing to save them before they are sold to the highest bidder, she must risk everything to stop him.

Lord Winston Lockwood is haunted by his past and bound by social expectations. He remains at Brockhall Manor to ensure his aunt and her son remain safe from her abusive husband. Adding to his frustration, Miss Bawden's constant presence threatens to drive him mad.

Freed from the clutches of her cruel, traitorous mother and impostor husband, Lady Camden wants to rebuild her fractured life. But the years of terror and pain she endured at their hands continue to grip her heart in an iron vice. Refusing to stray from the refuge of her country estate, Kate tentatively agrees to an unusual alliance with the new Lord Camden, being mindful to keep her trust, and her heart, firmly safeguarded.

Madalene Dowding was devastated when her mother died, leaving her all alone. To honor her mother's legacy, she decides to use part of her fortune to open an orphanage. When a teacher at the orphanage goes missing, Madalene takes it upon herself to start looking for her, even if it means taking her deep into the unsavory parts of London.

Lord Evan Corbyn is responsible for all of the agents of the Crown. It is a job that he takes most seriously, and it occupies nearly every moment of his waking life. When one of his agents is murdered, he is determined to bring the killer to justice. Lady Jane Radcliff tires of her brothers' secrets and is determined to root out the truth. However, it is proving to be a much more difficult task than she had imagined. Thankfully, she is rescued by the dashing Lord Evan, a man whom she has always held in high regard.

Lord Jonathon Beckett's mission is simple: retrieve Lady Hannah and place her under the protection of the Crown. But he isn't prepared for the havoc she inflicts on his world, making him question whether his duty as an agent of the Crown should always come before his heart. Lady Hannah's father has uncovered evidence exposing a French traitor to the Crown. Willing to do anything to silence him, the traitor's primary target has become Lady Hannah. Keeping her safe means locking her away from Society, but she refuses to stand idly by, letting others put their lives on the line to protect her.

Miss Dinah Ashmore has a problem: her sister has gone missing, and the constable isn’t taking it seriously. She decides to take matters into her own hands by hiring a Bow Street Runner, not understanding the danger she has put herself in. Nathaniel Calvert, Earl of Hawthorne, is an agent of the Crown. His assignment is to root out a radical group and bring them to justice. When Miss Ashmore mistakes him as a Bow Street Runner and explains her plight, he suspects that the missing sister might be connected to his case.

Mr. Alden Dandridge has received astonishing news: he is set to inherit a thriving horse farm in a quaint Scottish village. However, there's a formidable catch. He must be married by Twelfth Night. Undeterred, Alden journeys to Scotland, convinced that a marriage of convenience will solve all his problems.

Miss Georgie Holbrooke is in the most dire of circumstances. Her brother has arranged for her to marry a vile man, and she has no doubt that he will punish her severely if she refuses. When an opportunity to work at an orphanage in the rookeries arises, she takes it, knowing it may be her only chance to escape.

After his father is laid to rest, Aaron Berkeley, Earl of Graylocke, sets out to void the marriage contract that his father had in place for him. To his dismay, he discovers that he has no choice but to marry Lady Beatrice or else lose a vital part of his inheritance. To make matters worse, the contract stipulates that they must marry by his thirtieth birthday, which is only two months away. He resigns himself to the marriage, finding solace in one’s cups.

Lady Edwina Lockwood grapples with the loss of her father when her cousin extends an invitation to Lord Hilgrove to visit Brockhall Manor. She intends to avoid this houseguest, but he quickly becomes a constant presence, much to her annoyance. Despite her initial reluctance, Edwina discovers she can offer support to Lord Hilgrove as he copes with his own grief.

George Orwell devoted his career to exposing social injustice and political duplicity, urging his readers to face hard truths about Western society and politics. Now, the uncanny parallels between the interwar era and our own-rising inequality, censorship, and challenges to traditional social hierarchies—make his writing even more of the moment. In Orwell's Ghosts, historian Laura Beers considers Orwell's full body of work—his six novels, three nonfiction works, as well as his brilliant essays—to examine what "Orwellian" means and to take it out of the hands of political pundits.

Lady Madalene Ramsbury has been summoned home from Miss Bell’s Finishing School to some unfortunate news. In three weeks, she is to be married to a man she’s never met. Rather than face a life she does not want; she flees from her own engagement party and elicits help from a most unlikely source. Society’s golden boy, Everett, the Marquess of Northampton, was outraged when a young woman suddenly appeared in his curricle. Was she attempting to trap him into an unwanted marriage? It would be just like some overzealous mother to put her up to such a ploy.

Baldwin, the Viscount of Mountgarret, was content with his life. Unexpectedly, his childhood friend dies, leaving him his most prized treasures: his two young daughters. Baldwin’s priorities begin to shift as he arrives home and meets his wards’ infuriatingly stubborn governess. His interest is piqued by the mystery surrounding her, but she’s only a governess. He certainly can’t pursue her. Can he?

Miss Emilia Hembry had a remarkable twist of fate when an unexpected inheritance changed her life for the better. However, now she must navigate through high Society—something she knows little about. The fear of failure is not far from her mind as she tries to accept her newfound position. Fredrick Westlake, Earl of Chatsworth, had a chance encounter with Miss Hembry and felt compassion for her plight. He offers to help, all while dealing with his own demons. He still struggles with returning from the war as one of Wellington's spies and leaving his comrades behind.

Hiding from the horrors of her past, Martha Haskett is content living her days serving as a lady's maid to her friend Eliza. But then her father, the new Earl of Waterford, shows up, with the shocking news that she is now a titled lady. Further turning her life upside down, he proposes a bargain. She will have a single Season in London, and if she does not marry by the end of the Season, she will be gifted with her dowry and a small estate. Despite her mistrust of her father, Martha accepts his offer, but can't seem to let go of the anger that has been festering inside of her.

Lady Esther Harington finds herself in a terrible predicament when she is being forced into an arranged marriage. Out of options—and hope—she tries to escape and meets a man that is sympathetic to her plight. In desperation, they hatch a plan to solve her problem. They will form an attachment with one another for the Season, knowing it comes at a great risk to them both.

Miss Anette Bolingbroke was not like most girls of the ton. She dreamed of writing a book and had no grand illusions that she would ever wed. Her heart had been irretrievably broken by a man that wanted nothing to do with her. Rather than wallowing in her own self-pity, she focuses on her own hopes and dreams.

Bennett Lockwood, Earl of Dunsby, should feel nothing but contentment in his life, yet an unfulfilled longing tug at his heart. Despite past heartbreak, he yearns for a love match. When he discovers an injured young woman in the woodlands, he finds himself drawn to her, especially as she struggles to recall her past.