The Surrender of Miss Fairbourne: (1 Fairbourne Quartet)

A woman running a prestigious London auction house? Preposterous! But that is exactly what Emma Fairbourne intends to do when her father dies, leaving her the reins of this fabulous enterprise. Of course, she is not addlepated enough to do this openly and scare away her wealthy collectors. So she and her friend concoct a deception, hiring a handsome and charming front man who will do her bidding . . . All would have proceeded smoothly--if it weren't for the maddening interference of Darius, the arrogant Earl of Southwaite, who has been her father's "silent partner" and now shares ownership of Fairbourne's. An earl, of course, has no interest in running an auction house--and Darius is certainly not interested in allowing the lovely Miss Fairbourne to run it either, her ludicrous scheme notwithstanding. Clearly the business must be sold. But the headstrong Emma is like no other lady he has ever encountered, refusing to follow his dictates. Holding his temper in check, Darius decides to attack on a different front. There is another way to achieve her surrender, one far more pleasurable for both of them . . .

About the Author :
Madeline Hunter is a two-time RITA Award winner and seven-time finalist and has more than two dozen nationally bestselling historical romances in print. She is a member of the honor roll of the Romance Writers of America, and her books have been on the bestseller lists of USA Today and Publishers Weekly. More than six million copies of her books are in print, and her novels have been translated into thirteen languages. She has a PhD in art history, which she teaches at the university level. Alison Larkin was born in Washington, DC, adopted at six weeks old by British parents, and raised in England and Africa. After graduating from Royal Holloway College, London University, and the Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, she became a playwright and classical actress on the British stage. Then, at twenty-eight, she found her birth mother, who was living in Bald Mountain, Tennessee. The experience turned her into a stand-up comic. She was soon headlining at the Comic Strip in New York and the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, while maintaining her theatrical career. She also spent three years under a studio development contract to star in her own sitcom with ABC, CBS, and Jim Henson Productions. Her unusually wide range of voices can be heard in cartoons and movies, from work by James Cameron and Robert Altman to Pocahontas and The Wonder Pets. The audiobook of The English American, narrated by Alison, won an AudioFile Earphones Award. Alison Larkin was born in Washington, DC, adopted at six weeks old by British parents, and raised in England and Africa. After graduating from Royal Holloway College, London University, and the Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, she became a playwright and classical actress on the British stage. Then, at twenty-eight, she found her birth mother, who was living in Bald Mountain, Tennessee. The experience turned her into a stand-up comic. She was soon headlining at the Comic Strip in New York and the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, while maintaining her theatrical career. She also spent three years under a studio development contract to star in her own sitcom with ABC, CBS, and Jim Henson Productions. Her unusually wide range of voices can be heard in cartoons and movies, from work by James Cameron and Robert Altman to Pocahontas and The Wonder Pets. The audiobook of The English American, narrated by Alison, won an AudioFile Earphones Award.

Review :
Richly imbued with a deliciously dry sense of humor and graced with a striking cast of characters, the latest impeccably researched Regency romance by RITA Award winner Hunter is a masterpiece of wit and passion.-- "Booklist Starred Review" "Clever plotting, delicious sensuality, excellent art history elements, and strong, magnetic characters will attract readers to this engaging and beautifully executed romance." -- "Library Journal" "Hunter's unique talents for blending sensuality and suspense along with the color and atmosphere of the era are what make her a fan favorite. Add to this intelligent characters, strong plotlines, and three-dimensional characters and you have another fantastic read." -- "RT Book Reviews (41/2 stars, Top Pick!)" "Imbued with a deliciously dry sense of humor and graced with a striking cast of characters...impeccably researched...a masterpiece of wit and passion." -- "Booklist (starred review)"