She came to him as a precious gift, a naked angel rolled in a rug. Once he gazed into her green eyes, saw her tangle of honey blonde hair, he was undone with passion. Elizabeth would never surrender. He was a hated Montgomery -- she was a Chatworth -- and the blood war between their families raged on, a wildfire of rape, murder, and betrayal. Elizabeth vowed to fight the handsome lord, to resist the burning desire in his eyes -- no matter how great the temptation.

Two outcasts in medieval England are brought together and share a destiny of passion in the third of the Velvet Montgomery Annals Quadrilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Duchess. With her father murdered, her home burned, lovely Alyx Blackelt fled to the woods and found sanctuary in the camp of Raine Montgomery, a nobleman outlawed by the king’s edict. There she hid her beauty in the guise of a boy, and her sorrow in her work as Montgomery’s squire. But how long could such loveliness as hers be hidden? How long could such a gallant man’s desires be blind? And how soon—even as a blood feud raged between the Montgomery family and the Chatworth, as angry swords clattered in the name of family honor—one woman’s love would make all the difference...one woman’s love would inflame a hero’s passion, touch a kings pity, and raise a song of praise in every English heart.

One of Forbes’s 30 Best Romance Novels of All Time! All of England rejoiced on her wedding day. But Judith vowed that her husband would get only what he took from her... At the flower-bedecked altar, the first touch of their hands ignited an all-consuming passion. Gavin Montgomery looked deep into her golden eyes and burned with desire for her...but his heart had been pledged to another. Humiliated and alone in a strange castle, Judith resolved to hate this husband who took her body, but rejected her love...never admitting her fear of losing him. But destiny held another fate for Judith...a fate that would keep at last...The Velvet Promise.

The arranged marriage between Englishman Stephen Montgomery and Bronwyn MacArran, a Scot, goes badly until threats against their lives bring them closer together.

Bronwyn MacArran was a proud Scot. Stephen Montgomery was one of the hated English. He came to Scotland as a conqueror, saw her beauty and was vanquished. But still she would abhor him. She owned a temper hot enough to forge the armors of battle or inflame a valiant soldier's passion. Yet still she would resist him. She became his reason to live, his reason to love. And still she would deny him. But while clan fought clan, while brother took up sword against brother, and the highlands ran with blood -- their destiny was made...and this mighty warrior pledged himself to his woman's pride, her honor and her name -- and made of their love a torch to burn through the ages!

The Velvet Underground and Nico has influenced the sound of more bands than any other album. And remarkably, it still sounds as fresh and challenging today as it did upon its release in 1967. In this book, Joe Harvard covers everything from Lou Reed's lyrical genius to John Cale's groundbreaking instrumentation, and from the creative input of Andy Warhol to the fine details of the recording process. With input from co-producer Norman Dolph and Velvets fan Jonathan Richman, Harvard documents the creation of a record which - in the eyes of many - has never been matched. EXCERPT In 1966, some studios, like Abbey Road, had technicians in white lab coats, and even the less formal studios usually had actual engineering graduates behind the consoles. Studios were still more about science than art. Clients who dared make technical suggestions were treated with bemusement, derision, or hostility. The Velvets were a young band under constant critical attack, and the pressure to conform in order to gain acceptance must have been tremendous. Most bands of that era compromised with their record companies, through wholesale revamping of their image from wardrobe to musical style, changing or omitting lyrics, creating drastically edited versions for radio airplay, or eliminating songs entirely from their sets and records. With Andy Warhol in the band's corner, such threats were minimized.

"All of England rejoiced at the marriage of Gavin Montgomery to the heiress Judith--all except Judith herself. At the altar, Gavin looked deep into his bride's eyes and burned with desire for her ... but his heart had been pledged to another. Alone in a strange castle, Judith resolved to hate this husband who took her body but rejected her love ... though she would never admit her fear of losing him. But destiny held another fate for Judith--a fate more thrilling than she had ever dreamed, and a love that would last a lifetime."--Page 4 of cover

From a "New York Times"-bestselling author and today's most admired storyteller, here is an unforgettable tale of a most miraculous love affair: a meeting of passion, wit, and true romance between a thoroughly modern woman--and a man who lived 400 years before.

The supernatural - it has always evoked excited shivers, both fearful and sexual, whilst Gothic literature is ever popular. Red Velvet and Absinthe offers readers a collection of unique and original stories that conjure up the atmospheric and romantic spirit of the Gothic masters and mistresses, but take things further by adding a generous dosage of eroticism to the brew. Full of paranormal thrills and chills, this is the ultimate erotic romance!