Penelope Jones Halsall aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru". She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps. Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century. She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide. Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
Series
Books
Marriage Make-up
1998
Christmas Eve Wedding
2002
A Perfect Night
2000
Marriage
To Claim His Twins
1989
Bitter Betrayal
1991
Response
1984
Without Trust
1988
A Man Possessed
1986
The Six Month Marriage
1985
Phantom Marriage
1983
The Trusting Game
1995
A Kind of Madness
1992
Yesterday's Echoes
1993
A Sudden Engagement
1983
Valentine's Night
1989
One Night with the Sheikh
2003
The Italian Duke's Wife
2006
Mistress of Convenience
2012
Second Time Loving
1990
A Royal Bride at the Sheikh's Command
2008
The Perfect Seduction
1998
Rules of the Game
1984
Christmas with Her Billionaire Boss
2012
The Power of Vasilii
2011
Duty & Desire
2012
An Expert Teacher
1989
One-Click Buy
September 2008 Harlequin Presents
2008
Rival Attractions
1990
Rescue operation
1983
The Sheikh's Blackmailed Mistress
2008
The Friendship Barrier
1985
The Perfect Match?
1997
What You Made Me
1984
One-Click Buy
August 2010 Harlequin Presents
2010
The Marriage Demand - Jangan Ingkari Cintaku
2001
Bought with His Name
1982
Campaign For Loving
1984
Breaking Away
1990
So Close and No Closer
1990
An Unbroken Marriage
1982
Now or Never
2003
Long Cold Winter
1982
A Bride for His Majesty's Pleasure
2009
The Reluctant Surrender
2010
Woman to Wed?
1996
A Reason for Being
1989
Exorcism
1985
Lingering Shadows
1992
Out of the Night
1990
Possessed by the Sheikh
2005
Pride & Consequence
2013
The Blackmail Baby
2002
Desire for Revenge
2013
Wedded Bliss
1999
Bedding His Virgin Mistress
2005
Silver
1989
A Secret Disgrace
2012
The Price of Royal Duty
2012
Law Of Attraction - Pesona Cinta
1991
Mistaken Adversary
1992
Permission to Love
1985
Blackmailed by the Vengeful Tycoon
1985
Mistress to Her Husband
2004
Silk
2008
The Only One
2012
Free Spirit
1989
At His Convenience
2007
The Hard Man
1985
Man-Hater
1983
The Perfect Father (The Crightons)
2000
Payment Due
1991
A Stormy Spanish Summer
2011
The Marriage Resolution - Aku Masih Cinta
2000
Savage Atonement
1983
Fantasy for Two
1998
Starting Over
2001
Master of Pleasure
2006
Cruel Legacy
1995
Lelaki Dalam Ingatan
1995
The Christmas Bride
2006
Passion and the Prince
2011
Return Match
1986
Special Treatment
1998
Desire's Captive
1983
The Mistress Assignment - Rayuan Sang Penggoda
1999
Northern Sunset
1982
Forgotten Passion
1983
Loving
1986
Darker Side of Desire
1984
Too Wise to Wed?
1996
Taken Over
1985
The Italian Duke's Virgin Mistress
2010
A Treacherous Seduction - Sebening Kristal
1999
Shadow Marriage
1984
The Tycoon's Virgin - Wanita Impian Sang Milyarder
2002
Back in the Marriage Bed (Amnesia)
2000
You Owe Me
1985
A Matter of Trust
1992
Her Christmas Fantasy
1996
The Sheikh's Virgin Bride
2003
Marriage of Convenience
1998
Blackmail
1982
The Ultimate Surrender
2000
The Sheikh's Bride
2009
Research into Marriage
1986
Giselle's Choice
2010
A Reason for Marriage
1987
The Mistress Purchase
2004
Bride at Bellfield Mill
2013
The City-Girl Bride - Pilihan Hati Maggie
2001
Taken by the Sheikh
2006
Coming Home
2000
Wanting His Child
1999
Too Short a Blessing
1986
The Blackmail Marriage
2003
Prince of the Desert
2006
Unwanted Wedding
1995
Time Fuse
1985
Fight for Love
1988
The Caged Tiger
1982
The inward storm
1984
Past Loving
1992
Potential Danger
1988
Dangerous Interloper
1991
Best Man to Wed?
1996
One Intimate Night
1999
Sweet Revenge
2012
Force of Feeling
1989
A Perfect Family
1998
The Demetrios Virgin
2000
Expecting the Playboy's Heir
2005
Lovers Touch
1988
Desire Never Changes
1986
Marco's Convenient Wife
2002
The Boss's Marriage Arrangement
1983
To Love, Honor and Betray
2012
Captive At The Sicilian Billionaire's Command
2009
One-Click Buy
May 2009 Harlequin Presents
2009
Injured Innocent
1986
French Leave
1994
A Forbidden Loving
1991
The Perfect Sinner
1999
Equal Opportunities - Buaian Asmara
1989
Island Of The Dawn
1982
Sins
2009
Substitute Lover
1987
Power Games
1995
Tiger Man
1982
The Perfect Lover
1998
The Sicilian's Baby Bargain
2009
Escape From Desire
1969
Capable of Feeling
1978
Past Passion
1992
One-Click Buy
April Harlequin Presents
2008
Sweet Seduction
2005
Passionate Possession
1992
A Time to Dream
2013
One-Click Buy
September 2010 Harlequin Presents
2010
Tug of Love
1993
Mistletoe Brides
2011
Levelling the Score
1988
A Savage Adoration
1987
Unspoken Desire
1990
Falcon's Prey
1981
Mission
Make-Over
1997
The Future King's Pregnant Mistress
2007
Marriage Without Love
1981
Scandals
2010
The Most Coveted Prize
2011
Passionate Protection
1983
Love's Choices
1984
Second-Best Husband
1991
Boardroom to Bedroom
2005
Passionate Relationship
1987
Stranger From The Past - Pria Dari Masa Lalu
1991
The Wealthy Greek's Contract Wife
2010
Virgin for the Billionaire's Taking
2008
Christmas Nights
Her Christmas Fantasy + Figgy Pudding + A Bride for His Majesty's Pleasure
2012
Lover By Deception - Kekasih Dalam Impian
1999
Power Play
1988
The Hidden Years
1991
Christmas Treats
1997
Royals
Claimed By The Prince
2017
Perfect Marriage Material
1997
Game of Love
1992
For Better for Worse
1994
Time for Trust
1990
For One Night
1987
The Sicilian Boss's Mistress
2009
Daughter of Hassan
1982
Blackmailing The Society Bride
2005
The Flawed Marriage
1983
They're Wed Again
2008
Wanting
1984
Merry Christmas! Love, Mills & Boon
2009
Payment in Love
1988
Beyond Compare
1989
One Night in His Arms
1998
A Cure for Love
1991
