Captive Hearts

Series · 4 books · 1996-1999

By Joan Johnston

Books in series

Captive

1996

She was a gorgeous rebel. Defying all the rules, daring to speak her mind, Charlotte Edgerton declared her independence before she even entered the Earl of Denbigh's home. Her new guardian immediately made her a prisoner in her own room—until she agreed to learn the lady-like arts. Furious, she complied. Anything to buy her freedom from Denbigh. She'd even marry a man she didn't love to get away from her domineering guardian. In fact, love was the furthest thing from her mind... He was the Earl who vowed to tame her. Lionel Morgan, Earl of Denbigh, had been betrayed at the altar by another woman and vowed that no female would ensnare him again. Then Charlotte Edgerton burst into his life. Denbigh wasn't prepared for this headstrong American—or the passions she inspired on first sight. He knew only that he had to civilize her, present her at court, and Almack's, and then marry her off to the highest bidder. It wasn't until he nearly lost her that he realized the truth: She'd somehow reversed their roles and become the captor of his heart.

After the Kiss

1997

THE INNOCENT Too tall and entirely too outspoken, Miss Eliza Sheringham grew up thumbing her nose at polite English society. So when Captain Lord Marcus Wharton, called Beau for his stunning good looks set his rakish sights on her, Eliza thought nothing of rejecting his advances. Until a stolen kiss swept her into the arms of a man too dangerous to love... THE BEAU Called to battle, Marcus left behind the woman who had captured his heart—and the scandal ignited by their kiss. His brother's disappearance made him Duke of Blackthorne, guardian of twin nieces who were rumored to be his own daughters. Badly scared in battle, the Beau had become the Beast of Blackthorne, a wounded animal destined to spend his life hiding in a shadowy wing of Blackthorne Abbey. THE BEAST When Eliza Sheringham showed up on his doorstep proposing herself as governess for the incorrigible twins, the Beast demanded marriage as the price of the job. He knew she could never love him. Surely his looks would drive her away—now that he hungered for her more than life itself....

The Bodyguard

1998

Sworn to protect her, he was forbidden to touch her....Joan Johnston is a masterful creator of unforgettable characters and stories that make you feel as if you're falling in love again. Now she sweeps you back to Regency-era Scotland, where a determined young woman challenges a man's world—even as she embraces the outsider who protects her life and steals her heart....When the tall, rugged stranger stepped out of the shadows and rescued her from a fate worse than death, Katherine MacKinnon knew she had found her bodyguard. With his steely arms and reckless courage, he would shield her from her clansmen, who refused to accept her as laird, and from the hated Duke of Blackthorne, who controlled her family's lands. As her desire grew for the mysterious man who was constantly by her side, she had no idea that she was falling in love with the enemy himself....

The Bridegroom

1999

He vowed to wed, bed, and abandon her. But love got in the way... Joan Johnston sweeps you back to Regency era England and Scotland with a love story that will take your breath away. Here is romance at its best as Johnston brings back unforgettable characters from her bestsellers Captive, After the Kiss, and The Bodyguard in a spellbinding novel of seduction and betrayal. She was the reigning belle of the ton for the fourth Season in a row, but Lady Regina Wharton, the Duke of Blackthorne's daughter, was determined to avoid the perils of marriage. She had already seen enough to distrust all men. Then Clay Bannister, the dashing Earl of Carlisle, dared to steal a kiss and stir new and exciting desires. Scarred by tragedy, Carlisle intrigued her with his mysterious past and his dark, dangerous charm. She never suspected she was about to marry her father's most vengeful enemy—or that her greatest defense would be the passions he could not resist....

Author

Joan Johnston

Author · 61 books

Joan Johnston (born Little Rock, Arkansas) is a best-selling American author of over forty contemporary and historical romance novels. Johnston was the third of seven children born to an Air Force sergeant and his music-teacher wife. She received a B.A. in theatre arts from Jacksonville University in 1970, then earning an M.A. in theatre from the University of Illinois, Urbana in 1971. She received a law degree (with honors) at the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. For the next five years, Johnston worked as an attorney, serving with the Hunton & Williams firm in Richmond, Virginia, and with Squire, Sanders, & Dempsey in Miami. She has also worked as a newspaper editor and drama critic in San Antonio, Texas, and as a college professor at Southwest Texas Junior College, Barry University, and the University of Miami. Johnston is a member of the Authors Guild, Novelists, Inc., Romance Writers of America, and Florida Romance Writers. She has two children and one grandchild, and divides her time between two homes, in Colorado and Florida. Awards * Paperbook Book Club of America's Book Rak Award (twice) * Romantic Times' Best Western Historical Series Award (twice) * Romantic Times' Best New Western Writer * Romantic Times' Best Historical Series Award (twice) * The Maggie (twice) * Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist for The Disobedient Bride