Showing results by narrator "Catherine Bilson" in All Categories

Persuasion was the last novel completed by Jane Austen and was first published posthumously in December, 1817. The story represents an interesting configuration of Austen’s characteristic narrative patterns. The heroine, Anne Eliot, is something of an old maid—she is twenty-seven years old, still single and is considered by family and friends to have lost her youthful beauty. Several years earlier, her engagement to Captain Frederick Wentworth had been broken off, due to the insistence of her family that the Captain lacked the wealth and status needed for a suitable husband.

Relieved widow Marianne has vowed never to let a man have power over her again after surviving a hellish marriage. Determined to maintain her independence, she refuses to let her scheming nephew turn her into an unpaid governess for his daughters and takes refuge with Ellen, Countess of Havers, at the countess’ first house party.

With the rest of their family gone and their home destroyed, Elizabeth and Jane are taken in by their aunt and uncle in Meryton. Concerned about the two surviving Bennet sisters' situation, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley come to Hertfordshire, but not before Mr. Wickham attempts to use the situation to his advantage.

I’ve cooked and cleaned through my lonely life, but it’ll be worth it when I find my mate. My dreams shatter when I discover I’m human—an outcast. I seek solace at a bar with a bottle of Jack Daniels. Then Tayte walks in, all sizzling seduction and heart-pounding heat. Turns out a sexy alpha-wolf is all the pain relief I need. Now I’m pregnant to the wolf. And the bears want me dead. I need the Alpha’s protection. But Tayte’s three-wolf pack is a package deal. And they claim I’m their mate.

She dislikes handsome and arrogant Mr Hartwell, but is he an enemy? Miss Caroline Barnes is shocked to discover she has a secret family she’s never met! Aristocratic Mr Hartwell tells her of her cousin’s lonely plight, and Caroline reluctantly agrees to visit Julia at the gothic sounding Canons Grange. Her stay in the English countryside is more intriguing than she expected, with smugglers, secrets, and the dashing but mysterious Mr Bell, as well as delightful walks and a faithful if naughty dog!

When he is mistaken for her husband-to-be, is that prophetic? Miss Lucinda Calvert's quiet life as a rector's daughter is turned topsy-turvy by the arrival of a gentleman new to the area. Mr. John Harris seems respectable, but sets the village gossips wagging with speculation about his past, on which topic he is indeed very private. He pays her particular attention, and his mysterious papers and odd habits confuse her almost as much as his unexpected kiss!

I believe in medicine. In science. In logic. So when I wake up in a house hidden deep in the woods, with three strange men standing guard, I should be kicking and screaming and cussing up a storm. But a pulse of attraction thrums through my veins and drowns out the voice telling me to run. These men say they’re part man, part wolf. And they want me as their mate. Yeah, right! But when they transition from mortal men to powerful predators in front of my eyes…I can no longer deny their claims. Or the fact they want to claim me.

The story concerns the young and vivacious Emma Watson, one of six children of a widowed clergyman. Emma has spent most of her life under the care of a wealthy aunt of liberal views, and has received a good education. However, when her aunt enters into a second marriage, Emma is forced to return to the family home, where she is affronted by the crass hunting for husbands undertaken her sisters, Penelope and Margaret.

In a fascinating tale of long-lost family ties, Miss Elizabeth Bennet finds herself face-to-face with her father after years of separation. The reunion sparks a whirlwind of conflicting sentiments as Elizabeth grapples with the daunting task of reconciling her past with her present. The challenges ahead loom large, requiring her to summon every ounce of strength and resilience she possesses.

Arriving from America to claim the earldom he never expected to inherit, Thomas Havers finds himself responsible for not only a huge estate full of servants and tenants, but also several female relatives. A countess to help him negotiate the unfamiliar intricacies of his new position is essential and sooner, rather than later. But how is he to choose? The beautiful Lady Louisa is born and bred for the role, but Thomas finds his heart pulling him in another direction entirely.

The moment Nathaniel Huntingwell, the newly minted Duke of Greenwich, steps into The Wild Rose Inn, a literal run-in with Daisy Tavners changes everything. Recovering from a war wound and hiding his true identity, he is constantly tested by the stubborn and opinionated eldest daughter of the innkeeper, yet he cannot seem to keep away from her.

To fulfill his friend's dying wish, James sets up a fake courtship to deliver Poppy from her Cinderella situation. But this Cinderella is a minx who tempts him with stolen kisses...but he shouldn't be falling for her, given he is sworn not to marry. James Delaney, Lord Kingsley's best friend's dying wish was that he married his spinster sister. Unluckily, James is honor-bound to fulfill another oath and can never marry Miss Poppy Ashford, no matter how delightfully charming and sensual he finds her.

Much Ado About Nothing appears to have been written about 1599, shortly before As You Like It and Twelfth Night. The action combines two narrative threads: the spirited comedy of the courtship of Benedick and Beatrice, and the somber tale of confused love between Hero and Claudio. The first is a creation by Shakespeare and the second appears to have been drawn from an Italian source, either by Bandello or Ariosto. The action takes place in Messina. Eponymous lovers Hero and Claudio seem to be ideally matched and nearly everyone is looking forward to their impending marriage.

There’s a beast inside of me, and there will be a time when I can’t control him. That’s what my father told me happens when my dragon finds his mate. He will claim them. He will not be gentle. He will not be sweet. My dragon will do whatever it takes to ensure his mate doesn’t leave, no matter the cost.

Abandoned by her mother and ignored by her father, it is hardly any wonder young Elizabeth Bennet’s curiosity soon brings about trouble and marriage to a man she does not love. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s family - save for his cousin Mr. Darcy - despises her, and life is not what she dreamed of. As she matures and grows from an impetuous girl into a woman, Elizabeth’s most reliable source of friendship and comfort becomes Mr. Darcy. When tragedy strikes, leaving her a widow, she is free to discover who has been in her heart all along.

This tale begins with an exchange of letters between Elizabeth Bennet and her favorite aunt, discussing the happenings in Hertfordshire as the Bennet family becomes acquainted with their new neighbors, the Bingleys and their house guest, Mr. Darcy.

A 400-year-old amulet sends Marie MacLean on a trip through time - and into the arms of 16th-century highland warrior Archie MacDonald. With an ancestor in need of her protection, can Marie resist her attraction to Archie in order to safeguard her future?

All Maria wants is to live happily ever after with her husband. But between the crazed crabs, a mysterious illness, and a monstrous shark, Maria may need all her skills as a siren to succeed.

The last thing Lady Perdie Crawford expected when she fled London was to encounter difficulties in securing lodgings as a lady traveling alone. Claiming a particular Scotsman as her husband was only supposed to be a brilliant tiny ruse. Except the damn handsome, devilish, charming scoundrel claims they are now truly married, and he must stay by her side to protect her from undesirables. Perdie was not looking for distraction, or marriage, or the love and attention from any gentleman. Yet, with each moment spent in Thaddeus's presence, attraction burns hot and fierce.

Six months ago, Nathan’s sister was brutally murdered. Now the former playboy desires only one thing: Revenge. Late at night, Nathan trudges down the beach where his sister’s body was found. He’s searching for answers, but all he finds is a new nightmare: Another girl’s tortured body. Only this one isn’t dead...yet. The unlikely hero becomes the prime suspect. Saving Caitlin’s life was just the start. Nathan must win her trust and unlock the memories hidden in her nightmares to find out who’s really responsible, before it’s too late.