Cirrus@Austlit

'Long believing himself an orphan, Privateer Captain Kit Hardacre is persuaded by his wife to learn more about his family. At the same time, Naval veteran and retired spy Adam Hardacre learns he has an adult son he never knew existed.

'Thrown together one Christmas, by circumstances beyond their control, father and son must find mutual ground on which to come to terms with the past. Life is too short to hold on to regret, and a greater regret awaits if the two men cannot work together to save a life. Love comes in many forms… and none more strongly than the love from father to son.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Julian Winter has had his heart broken a time or two. And he’s tired of his well-meaning family trying to set him up with yet another vapid debutante. His attitude to attending a winter house party is frosty indeed until he meets fellow guest Caroline, a widow with a young son.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'England, 1804

'Refused his rightful promotion, Adam Hardacre quits the Royal Navy in disgust and is quickly approached with an intriguing proposition to serve his country undercover.

'His first assignment takes him home to Cornwall to expose traitors plotting a French invasion of England. There, he meets newly unemployed governess, Olivia Collins, who has stumbled upon a hidden secret from Adam’s past – his youthful summer love affair with the local squire’s daughter. It is a tragic history that brings Adam and Olivia closer than is wise.

'However, with the attraction deepening to something more, neither realize that Olivia unwittingly holds the key to his mission.

'As Adam infiltrates the plot, Olivia finds out the shocking truth behind his lost love’s death many years ago, and both their lives are in danger. But their growing relationship is clouded by suspicion. Who can and cannot be trusted – anyone or no one?

'Or even each other?'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Cornwall, 1805

'Rescued from the French prison in which he’s been held captive, Nathaniel Payne returns to the life of a smuggler in Cornwall, bringing with him boatload of brandy. However, he is startled to find his usual contraband hideaway, The Queen’s Head Inn, has a new owner.

'As much as Nate has a past to hide, it seems young widow Susannah Linwood has even more reason to cover up her own background. She is distant and cautious. Her only companion is her maid Peggy and the woman is highly protective of her mistress. What’s more, Susannah does not approve of smugglers and threatens to call the revenuers unless Nate removes the contraband.

'Even so, he is intrigued as well as attracted to Susannah who begins to warm to him. However, his on-again, off again married lover, Lillian, is jealous of his interest in the new inn owner and sets out to find out what she’s hiding, certain it is a great scandal. And complicating matters is that Susannah has also attracted the jealousy of the local magistrate’s wife.

'In the brewing storm, Nate thinks nothing at first of the arrival of a lodger at the inn called Hardacre. He claims to be a bird watcher and painter, but is, in reality, more interested in something else Nate brought back from France – intelligence about troop movements.

'Meanwhile, Susannah is preparing to act on her growing feelings towards Nate. Then a mysterious man appears who claims to know all about her past and threatens blackmail over the circumstances of her husband’s death.

'Nate is persuaded to return to France to help rescue stranded English agents, but there may be a more pressing rescue mission at home.

'Betrayal is closer than either Nate or Susannah imagine.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'David Manston has left his smuggling days behind. He is happy with his smallholding by the sea and his burgeoning romance with Alexandra Gedding, the daughter of impoverished gentry.

'Alexandra, however, is not averse to going out to help her twin brother Phillip smuggle in goods to help the townsfolk. She is even known to be quite handy with a rapier.

'However, Phillip has fallen in with a seriously bad crowd which has graduated from ‘honest’ smuggling to the murderous evil of wrecking.

'Alexandra talks to David, unsure what to do. If she involves the authorities, the townsfolk will see it as a betrayal and she also risks seeing her brother hanged.

'David tries to find out more about the wreckers from his old confederates including Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Payne, whom he hasn’t seen in years. Alexandra, meanwhile, has decided the best way to keep an eye on her twin is by involving herself even more in his plans.

'Nathaniel agrees to help and introduces Adam Hardacre as a fellow smuggler to David and Alexandra. Between the four of them, they must try to save Phillip from himself and stop the wreckers for good.'

Source : publisher's blurb