Swept Away by a Kiss
Book 1 in the Rogues of the Sea Series
A Secret Identity
When pirates storm Lord Steven Ashford’s ship upon the high seas, it brings him closer than ever to the nefarious criminal he seeks to ruin. Only one seductive detail threatens his victory: the scandalous beauty imprisoned with him, Lady Valerie Monroe. Temptation has never been so intoxicating or so forbidden, for Steven is disguised as a French priest. If they reach the ship alive, to protect her from his enemies, he must never see her again…
An Undeniable Love
Back in England, and under the ton’s scrutiny for a reckless past she hasn’t escaped, Valerie dreams of the breathtaking “man of the cloth” with whom she shared her greatest adventure. Then he reappears in society under his true identity, Viscount Ashford, but despite the danger their consuming passion cannot be denied. Now standing in the way of their desire are Valerie’s wounded heart, Steven’s lone destiny, and a villain that will stop at nothing to crush them both.
Read an Excerpt
"A breathtaking romance filled with sensuality and driven by a brisk and thrilling plot. Katharine Ashe writes with eloquence and power."
— Lisa Kleypas, New York Times #1 bestselling author
Swept Away by a Kiss
A metallic click sounded on the other side of the chamber. Steven stilled, his muscles tensing, gaze flickering to the sword propped against a chair, close enough if needed. The bronze door handle glinted in the firelight as it turned. A crack of light from the corridor lit the threshold. Valerie slipped inside and closed the panel behind her, pressing her back against it and turning the key in the lock.
“You are here,” she said, her voice breathless but level. Of course it was level. She was no shrinking violet, especially not when engaged in a daring escapade.
Steven commanded his racing pulse to steady. Her color was high, her shimmering gown taut across her perfect breasts, her eyes luminous in the firelight. If only he had a knife handy. It would be easier, after all, to cut out his heart right away than to endure the torture he suspected was about to come.
“Indeed I am,” he said coolly, leaning against the mantle. “It is half past one at night and this is my bedchamber. The issue, however, is not whether I am here, but that you are.”
She moved forward a step. Her gaze shifted around the chamber, then to the dressing room door before returning to him squarely. “Are you alone?”
“What are you doing here?” His voice was hard, but Valerie expected that. He stood in his shirtsleeves and trousers, the creased page of a letter in his hand. The fire illumined the chamber with wavering light, gilding his hair and casting his skin in a warm glow. His eyes were icy.
“The door was unlocked.” Her heart slammed against her ribs.
“That hardly gives you leave to enter uninvited.”
“It seems careless of you not to lock it.”
“Your presence here proves it. What do you want?”
Valerie had silently practiced her speech all evening, searching out the opportunity to give it to him. When the party dispersed, she determined to see it through even if it meant this. But now that she was here, with him before her, breathtakingly handsome in the fire-lit intimacy of his bedchamber, her thoughts tangled. The only honest answer she could give was that she wanted to be in his arms.
“I want the same thing you want.”
He hesitated only the briefest moment before replying, “Do not presume to know what I want.”
But the missed beat sufficed for Valerie. Now the Marquess of Hannsley, Alistair Flemming, and the entire underworld of villainy would have to wait. This was not the opportunity she had sought for a day, but the one she had ached for since she first saw Etienne La Marque.
End of Excerpt
Swept Away by a Kiss
is available in the following formats:
Connected Books
Swept Away by a Kiss
is Book 1 in the Rogues of the Sea Series
The full series reading order is as follows:
- Book 1 Swept Away by a Kiss
- Book 1.5 A Lady’s Wish
- Book 2 Captured by a Rogue Lord
- Book 3 In the Arms of a Marquess
Reviews
Top Pick!
An incredible romance with enough sexual chemistry to singe your fingers. The characters are complex and highly sensual, the plot riveting and the backdrop vividly detailed. This is both a page-turner and a keeper.
— RT Book Reviews
Ms. Ashe has taken the extra step and given her readers a twist of originality... A breathtaking romance.
— Affaire de Coeur
This unforgettable tale will dazzle you.
— Sabrina Jeffries, New York Times bestselling author
Top Pick!
This is on my favorites list, which includes Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn and Eloisa James… The sexual tension between the two is nothing short of amazing, beautiful and steamy.
— The Season for Romance
2010 Best First Historical Romance nominee
— Reviewers' Choice Awards