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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Emma Pearson lives the most remarkable life for the daughter of a constable. Because of her brother's heroics in Scotland, she has astonishingly become the ward of the Marquess of Downshire. Now, she wears only the finest clothes and mingles with members of high Society. Unfortunately, not everything goes as planned when a series of accidents causes her Season to be ruined before it has even begun.

Mr. Evander Addington had his life carefully mapped out—a quiet, predictable future as a Fellow at Oxford. But everything changed when his older brother unexpectedly passed away, making Evander the reluctant heir to an earldom. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight of the ton, Evander finds himself in a world he never wanted to be a part of. The only decision still within his control? Whom he would marry. And for that, he chooses the one woman he’s always loved—Lady Olivia Kendall.

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.

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.

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 Elodie Lockwood is content with being a wallflower, but fate has other plans. Declared the diamond of the Season, she finds herself the focus of Society's relentless gaze—a situation that feels more like a curse than a blessing. When a misstep leads to scandal, Elodie is forced to seek help from an unlikely source: Lord Belview, her childhood nemesis.

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 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.

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.

Richard Kendall, Marquess of Wilton, is a man on a mission. Determined to find the scoundrel who ruined his sister’s life, he tracks the elusive Mr. Smith to a quiet village—only to discover the man has vanished once again.

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.

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 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.

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.