Showing results by author "Laura Beers" in All Categories

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.

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.

Lady Octavia Westlake made a promise to her ailing mother that she would enjoy herself this Season, embracing the glittering festivities with grace and charm. But beneath her poised exterior, she is conflicted and struggles with what is expected of her. And when a persistent rake sets his cap on her, she must resist his ardent advances at every turn. Harred Woodville, Marquess of Kendal, has an immense fear of failure. It gnaws at him, taking every ounce of joy that he possesses. Amidst his struggles, he has an unexpected encounter with Lady Octavia, sparking an ember of intrigue within him.

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.

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.

Miss Rosamond Hendre has had the most remarkable change of fortune for a daughter of a seaman. She went from living a simple life in the countryside to being introduced to high Society as the ward of a marquess. She is excited to embrace her newfound life, and she wants nothing more than to find a love match this Season.

Miss Simone Delacourt, a seemingly unnoticed wallflower in the eyes of the ton, hides a secret life as a spy, enjoying the freedom her anonymity affords. When she's reluctantly paired with Mr. Caleb Bolingbroke, a man she can barely tolerate, her carefully crafted life is thrown into turmoil. Mr. Caleb Bolingbroke isn't pleased that he is assigned with the obstinate Miss Delacourt, but he is pleased when he is able to convince her to give their partnership a chance. Pursuing elusive French spies is their shared mission, and the stakes are high.

Mr. Guy Stewart, now an agent of the Crown, has been sent to determine if an illegal labor union has formed in the town of Anmore. It is a simple enough assignment, but nothing seems to go as planned when he arrives, and he quickly learns that one wrong move can lead to his death. Miss Daphne Locke has just received the most extraordinary news—she has just been named her grandmother's heir! When her meddlesome cousin shows up unannounced, she must do her best to ignore his constant criticism of her and focus on her new responsibilities.

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.

Greydon, the Viscount Rushcliffe, is content with his life as a Bow Street Runner, but it all comes to a jarring end when his older brother is murdered. He is now an heir to an earldom—a position he never wanted. As he is trying to come to grips with the newfound shackle on his life, Lady Enid—the only woman that he is inexplicably drawn to—comes to him for help to let his brother's murderer go free.

Lady Emma Brooksbank is not like most girls in Society. She would rather be practicing archery than embroidering, and she has given up on the ridiculous notion of matrimony. She’d sooner become a spinster than have her life controlled by a man, especially one as infuriating as Lord Preston. After Isaac, Lord Preston, takes over managing his family’s estates, he discovers a secret about his disowned sister that his father has managed to keep hidden for years. Isaac vows to do right by his sister, but his father stands in the way of every decision he makes.

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.

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.

Miss Lizette Kent's life is in shambles. Not only did her mother just pass away, but she has been left without the means to provide for herself. While she is contemplating her future, she encounters an unexpected and vexing man: Tristan Westcott, a man that mistakenly seems to believe that she is the daughter of an earl, despite her insistence that she is not.

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.

Emmeline Lockhart is in an extraordinary position for a woman of her station. However, she has no desire to marry a duke who is old enough to be her grandfather. But what other options does she have? The only way out is to find someone who is willing to marry her...and quickly.

Miss Hannah Blackmore has been in love with Lord Egleton since she was a little girl, which is why she is devastated when he asks her to help him find a bride, and quickly. She is forced to acknowledge that Martin has only ever considered her a friend. Deciding that it's time for her to move on, she makes plans to entertain potential suitors this Season.

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.

After losing her fiancé to a terrible accident, Miss Katherine Blackmore found contentment as a matchmaker to the members of Society. Working alongside her sisters, they strive to secure the most unlikely people with love matches. Everything is perfect until an infuriating lord steps into her office, turning her world upside down. Edward Simpson, the Marquess of Berkshire, has a problem. His sister needs to marry, and quickly. When he approaches Miss Blackmore to hire her services, he does so poorly and ends up soundly insulting her. Luckily, he fares better with his second attempt.

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.