Last week I received an email from Open Road Publishing telling me that Andrea Kane had published her historical romance backlist and that a whole pile of books were now available.
The problem: I had never read Andrea Kane. I mean, it's not like that's a hard problem, since I can go read one of her books, but there's fourteen of them.
So I asked on Twitter if anyone had read Andrea Kane's historicals, and which they recommended. Mad replied that she LOVED Andrea Kane's books, and was very excited to hear that they were all digital now (though alas, she is sad about their price). Mad's excitement about Kane's backlist being available digitally made me think that perhaps there were more readers who would like Kane – or readers who have been waiting, like Mad, for them to be available again.
I asked Mad what she liked about Kane's writing, and she said:
I discovered Andrea Kane right around the time that I first started reading romance books, which was in 1991, right after I had my oldest daughter. I remember zipping through her backlist and nagging my local book store to special order her books for me since I had bought everything they already had but was still missing some. I loved the fact that her heroine's were not spineless ninnies and they had brains where they could stand up against the heroes who were to die for but were at times clueless. Emotionally gripping and all that good stuff readers want when they discover a new author and want to glom everything they can by them.
It's been years since I read the print copies I kept. I do remember THE LAST DUKE, ECHOES IN THE MIST, THE MUSIC BOX, SAMANTHA, WISHES IN THE WIND as being very enjoyable.
So I went back to Open Road and asked if I could have a set of all of Andrea Kane's newly republished historical romances – 14 in all. Hot damn, they said yes, so here's a giveaway for the whole set. Yay!
Standard disclaimers apply: open to international residents. Must be 18 years of age or older and driving a phaeton. Void where prohibited. Do not forget your pelisse. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Remove this tag under penalty of law. PC Load letter.
To enter, just leave a comment and tell us which one you'd read first. If you're like me, and you're not familiar with Kane, I'm including a small piece of each book's description below so you can learn a bit more about each one. I'll choose a winner randomly on Thursday October 18, and that winner will receive digital copies of all 14 Andrea Kane books published by Open Road.
Ready to meet the Kane books? Here we go!
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Anastasia Colby, raised in America and the granddaughter of an English viscount, returns home to claim her family legacy. But all is not as it should be at Medford Manor. Someone’s treachery threatens everything Anastasia cherishes most. With nowhere to turn, Anastasia seeks out the only man she can trust, Damen Lockewood, marquess of Sheldrake. When the seductive nobleman—who controls her inheritance and regards business above all else—makes Anastasia an offer she can’t refuse, unexpected passion ignites.
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A past shadowed by violence once forced Breanna Colby to retreat from the world. Even now, with a treacherous enemy finally locked away, a nameless, faceless evil still stalks her. Determined to finally live on her own terms, Breanna vows to unmask a killer, but she can’t do it alone. Royce Chadwick has a rare talent for finding people the law can’t touch. A loner by choice, he lives by a simple creed: Do the job and don’t get emotionally involved. But Breanna arouses something even deeper than his fierce need to protect her. As desires ignite into all-consuming passion, he knows he’s playing a dangerous game. On the trail of a slippery assassin who won’t rest until Breanna and her twin cousin are destroyed, Royce is about to break every one of his rules—and this time he’s risking more than his heart. |
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First, they killed her father. Now Courtney Johnston is imprisoned aboard a privateer ship, an unwitting pawn in a nefarious scheme to snatch a rare and coveted diamond. Determined to take her revenge, the resourceful sea captain’s daughter never dreams that fate will sweep her into the embrace of a dashing earl on his own desperate mission. Slayde Huntley, earl of Pembourne, will gladly barter his family’s priceless gem in exchange for the return of his kidnapped sister, Aurora. But Courtney, the fiery beauty who steps onto the plank like a sea nymph, is a shock to his senses. Blindsided by passion, Slayde joins Courtney to restore what is rightfully theirs . . . even as a centuries-old legacy of murder and betrayal threatens to tear them apart forever. |
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Aurora Huntley would rather die than shackle herself to a man she does not love. Powerless to outwardly defy her brother’s decree for her marriage, the unconventional noblewoman devises a wickedly outrageous plan. But her scheme backfires when she conspires with a charismatic stranger to orchestrate her fall from grace . . . and learns who her lover-to-be really is. Julian Bencroft, the new duke of Morland, did not know that he would share a soul-stirring kiss with Aurora Huntley when he agreed to help her free herself from an arranged marriage. Now he is sworn to combat the long shadow of the diamond that has cursed her family for generations. As he and Aurora embark on a quest for the priceless gem, they plunge into a hotbed of intrigue and deception . . . and realize how much they’ll risk for a love beyond price. |
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No one knows the identity of the Tin Cup Bandit, the dashing highwayman who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Shocked when he climbs into her bedroom in the middle of the night, Lady Daphne Wyndham is even more stunned at her powerful response to the masked stranger. The innocent beauty feels certain they’ve met somewhere before, but she’s unaware that she’s a pawn in a cunning plan of revenge. Grievously wronged by Daphne’s father, the ruthless marquis of Tragmore, Pierce Thornton has waited long enough for justice. But Daphne is a distraction he didn’t anticipate—and a temptation impossible to resist. Succeeding in his plan means risking his future with the spirited noblewoman . . . and Pierce is forced to choose between vengeance and a love he never expected to find. |
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Lady Noelle Bromleigh won’t rest until she finds the blackguard who destroyed her mother. Defying the conventions of nineteenth-century society, she travels to London unchaperoned and alone. Out of her element in the teeming, treacherous city, she meets the earl of Tremlett, a man who treats her with suspicion and awakens passion as dangerous as it is irresistible. Hell-bent on his own mission to right a terrible wrong, Ashford Thornton can’t believe the ravishing country beauty could lead him to the enemy he seeks. Torn between distrust and his growing need to protect Noelle, the earl must keep her at arm’s length. All will be lost if he fails in his quest, but now far more is at stake. For the secrets he harbors threaten the life of the woman who has already laid claim to his heart. |
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Six years in exile have given Trenton Kingsley time to perfect his plot for vengeance. But when capricious fate turns his dreams to dust, the tormented duke of Broddington devises an even better scheme. An eye for an eye, a sister for a father. And seduction be damned. By royal decree, he will take ownership of his rival’s most cherished possession: the fair, innocent Ariana. Ariana Caldwell has heard the tragic rumors since she was a child. Kingsley tore her family apart and now she’s being forced to become his wife. Furious at being tied to the man she detests above all others, Ariana isn’t prepared for the tender feelings her new husband arouses. Determined to uncover the truth of the family feud—no matter how shocking—she embarks on a search that could cost her everything, including the man who is slowly winning her heart. |
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Die, Aldridge. The painted threat oozes down the stable’s walls. Nicole Aldridge, the only child of England’s finest jockey, is driven by one goal: to protect her father from merciless blackmailers. To make ends meet, she disguises herself as a boy to compete in a celebrated derby. But her new employer is Dustin Kingsley, the marquis of Tyreham, a devastatingly attractive nobleman who soon ensnares Nicole in his sensual thrall. London’s most eligible bachelor, Dustin has despaired of finding a woman who can be his equal in every way. When he discovers that his new jockey and the restless beauty he meets under a starlit sky are one and the same, he uses his seductive wiles to coax out Nicole’s deepest secrets. But their passion spirals out of control, plunging Dustin and Nicole into a world of shadow and mystery. With enemies all around and hope fading fast, destiny grants the desperate lovers one last wish. |
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London’s high society assumes that Alexandria Cassell, a lady of impeccable lineage, is eager to wed the first suitable aristocrat who proposes. But Alexandria despises the shallow mindlessness of London society. Craving adventure, she steals down to the docks and stows away aboard a merchant ship bound for Canada. Drake Barrett loves the open seas. As captain of his own vessel, he can escape his life as a duke, where he would be doomed to the empty chatter of glittering ballrooms. But when he finds a delicate beauty aboard ship, he forgets everything but a man’s desires. From a fleeting island paradise to a country caught in the sudden crossfire of war, Drake and Alexandria give in to a passion that just might reveal their true passions . . . if a shocking act of treachery doesn’t separate them forever. |
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Samantha Barrett is looking for a hero. He can’t be just any man, but one worthy of her girlish fantasies. Dashing. Dangerous. Forbidden. Exactly like the mesmerizingly handsome stranger who just strode into the smoky tavern. Except he isn’t a stranger, he’s Remington Worth, earl of Gresham. London’s most notorious rake. Though tempted by Samantha’s beauty and innocent desire, Remington cannot allow her to be tainted by his perilous exploits. For he isn’t the man she thinks he is. As the Crown’s most loyal covert agent, the former navy captain and war hero leads a dangerous double life. But as passion builds between them, risking his life for his country is nothing compared to how far Remington will go to keep Samantha safe—and locked in his arms forever. |
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Gabrielle Denning can’t forget the terrifying night when she was orphaned, left with only a gilt-trimmed music box playing haunting melodies. Rescued by an extraordinary woman, Gaby has been brought up in a loving family for the past thirteen years. But from the moment Bryce Lyndley rides up to Nevon Manor, her life changes in ways she couldn’t begin to imagine. Cast out by his aristocratic father, Bryce would be dead if it weren’t for a stranger’s compassion. Although he conquered the odds and became a successful barrister, the shaming brand of his illegitimacy torments him. Now he’s been entrusted with the future of an enchanting, chestnut-haired beauty who could give him his second chance. |
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Sixteen-year-old Lady Brandice Townsend fears that Lord Quentin’s promise may be impossible to keep. He’s about to depart for the battlefield, leaving his adoring friend and his genteel life behind. Four years later, with London’s most eligible suitors fawning at her feet, Brandi rejects life in the capital to return to the simple country haven she loves. But Emerald Manor is no longer a welcoming refuge, and tragedy strikes without warning. When he went to fight Napoleon, Quentin had a premonition of doom. Now, his world shattered by his parents’ violent death, the grief-stricken soldier must unravel a tangled web of secrets and lies. But it is Brandi whose safety he prizes above all else—Brandi, who has grown into a passionate, desirable woman. He fears she’ll never be his again, unless he can unmask the truth and risk everything for love. |
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The dream is always the same. The terrifying stalker. The gaping abyss. She can see herself running, desperate to escape the huge black beast waiting to devour her. For Kassandra Grey, there is only one refuge from her nightmare—and a horrifying secret hidden in the swirling mists. Braden Sheffield first spies her on a deserted beach—a lone figure who emerges from the fog like a stunning apparition. Betrayed by the woman who was to be his bride, the world-weary duke of Sherburgh is captivated by Kassie’s youth and beauty, by her candor and the tinkling music of her voice. But Kassie’s life is in grave danger. As passion ignites between them, Braden vows to protect Kassie no matter the cost—and to preserve a love that could be the fulfillment of their happiest dreams. |
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Defying convention in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Philadelphia, Jacqueline Holt speaks her mind and passionately crusades for a woman’s right to be independent and beholden to no man. And Dane Westbrooke threatens everything she stands for. The English aristocrat awakens desire with his first explosive kiss. Now Jacqui’s work could be undone by this sensual, seductive stranger who is her political enemy. A nobleman who gave up his titles to swear allegiance to America, Dane possesses a powerful sixth sense—and his instinct tells him that Jacqui isn’t the traitor she seems. And so Dane falls prey to the ravishing beauty who tempts him beyond all measure. But Dane and Jacqui are living in treacherous times. With war on the horizon, a dangerous deception could cost them their lives . . . and the love that has liberated their hearts. |
Most of these books were published in the 90s, and I confess, some of the names make me laugh (Brandi? She's a fine girl. What a good wife she would be.) But I am SO CURIOUS about some of these books: cross dressing! High seas adventure! High seas adventure while cross dressing! And if Mad's recommendation based on the spinal strength of the heroine is true, I'm going to enjoy the crap out of some of these.
Which one would you want to read first?
These sound awesome. I’d read The Black Diamond first, definitely. The ship and the fleeing and the curse….Very exciting.
Agree with above comment – I’d also like to read the Black Diamond!
I’ve never heard of Kane before, but these look like a lot of fun! I’d start with the legacy of the diamond I think. Who can resist all that high seas adventure?
I’d start with The Gold Coin / Silver Coin, if only to find out what a “twin cousin” is.
Exactly what I was thinking – but of course these books do not seem to be available in Australia….
I think I’d start with The Theft, but it’s a tough call, a bunch of these sound really good. I’ve read and enjoyed a contemporary romantic suspense by Kane, Twisted, but none of her historical books, and historical is my favorite romance genre so these sound really appealing.
I’d start with The Last Duke I think, I’m a sucker for any books with Dukes or Barons or Viscounts in them!
I would read whichever I happened to pick up first! They all look really good to me, and I’ve been on a historical kick lately.
I remember Andrea Kane. I had all of her historicals and then her contemporaries when she branched out. I’d reread Samantha. I remember loving that one.
ooooOOOoooo the Tin Cup Bandit first. Always up for a bit of hidden identity, confusion and Robin Hood-esque themes….
Then probably the Music Box, i’m a sucka for hurt/comfort story lines
Legacy of the Diamond caught my eye. I’ve never read any of her books, but these all sound good.
Masque of Betrayal! Early American history coupled with a crusader for women’s rights? I’m sold 🙂
I’d probably start with Wishes in the Wind. I love horses and the disguised as a boy to save her father trope.
I can’t decide between The Last Duke because highwaymen, or Samantha, because spies. It’s a toughie.
Hard to go past the Tin Cup Bandit, but there were plenty of others that seemed like they would be rollicking good reads!
Thanks for the international giveaway
Echoes in the Mist – it has so many of my favourite tropes – A Duke! Vengeance! forced marriage! Reluctant falling in love via seduction! Sounds delicious!
I’m joining the Echoes in the Mist “to be read first” group. It sounds interesting.
Thanks for finagling the set!!
I’d start with Wishes in the Wind. I do love a good stowaway story!
Wow these look amazing. Great giveaway, I’d probably read Wishes in the Wind
I’ve got to go with Dream Castle… it’s the “Tinkling Voice” that drew me in.
I’m totally intrigued by the “twin cousin” too!
I’d have to start with The Last Duke because I KNOW I read it back in the day, I remember the title and the Bandit. I’m pretty sure I liked it but I’d love to refresh my memory 🙂
The Last Duke. I am all about aristocracy dressed up as highwaymen in order to exact revenge.
Hm. That is a tough choice. I’ll go with The Black Diamond as my first.
Honestly I’d probably do eeny meeny miny mo to pick but currently I’m thinking Legacy of the black diamond. It’s got diamonds, kidnappings and pirates, what more could a girl want?
Either “The Gold Coin” (might as well start from the top!) or “My Heart’s Desire,” because as a proud Canadian I’m glad to hear someone might want to stow away to there…
Oh this is such an impossible choice. It’s a toss up between The Last Duke and Heart’s Desire.
Tin Cup Bandit? Fleeting island paradise and then war? Tough choices.
Most of them tickle my fancy. I might have to buy almost all of these if I don’t win. My poor wallet.
There are a couple I’d be very interested in reading but I think I’d start with Wishes in the Wind. Though, anything from the 90’s makes me apprehensive.
These sound awesome. I would read “Legacy of the Diamond” first because the name Slayde makes me laugh a lot. Actually a lot of the names make me laugh….I might have to look into these even if I don’t win.
I’d choose The Music Box. These books remind me of old Julie Garwood historical Romances and old Amanda Quicks. I think I’d enjoy sinking my teeth into these.
Wishes in the Wind because I love the crossdressing trope. Have you read Stephanie Laurens’ version of it? It’s really amusing how quickly the guy figures out “that jockey is not a boy!” I read manga and this trope is littered across the shoujo (girls) genre. W Juliet by Emura is a great one
The Last Duke. I can’t resist a highwayman, especially a titled one.
The Last Duke to see if it’s as good as I remember it. Echoes in the Mist & Wishes in the Wind are the two others I remember reading and really liking.
I haven’t read Andrea Kane. But I’m supposed to pick just one? Maybe start with the Black Diamond (which of the two is “first”?). Or maybe The Theft. Or The Last Duke. Too many options!
I had a lot of fun just reading the overviews. I will definitely look into reading some of these. And I must admit that I was having trouble deciding which one to start with…until I read the one about women’s rights in Philly!
I would love to read My Heart’s Desire 🙂
I would probably choose Emerald Garden. I love old friends finding love.
Oh, and the covers on Amazon are waaaay better! The cover of Dream Castle is so 90’s, and the heroine looks like she just had her wisdom teeth removed.
I’ve never heard of Kane, but I do love an old school historical! I’d start with the Gold Coin.
Another vote for The Last Duke. My original print copy had a dented tin cup on it.