<B>The sweetest gift is the hardest to unwrap. . .</B><P>Lady Victoria Allen-Hill never dreamed she'd be a widow at twenty-one--let alone a virgin. Her father insists that she attend a matchmaking house party in the snow-covered seaside town of Pevensey in hopes she'll find a suitable husband. But for Victoria, it's an opportunity to indulge in a passionate affair--and the handsome inventor she meets at the Christmas Eve masquerade ball may be just the man for the job. . .<P>Lewis Noble is the cousin of London's famed Redcake sisters, so it almost stands to reason that he's just as irresistible as one of their sugar-iced pastries. Lewis catches the eye of every woman at the party--but Victoria is the only one who catches his. He won't be tied down in her father's business, but watching other men court her amid a flurry of engagements ignites a jealousy he's never felt before. A dose of honesty may be just the thing to mend their broken hearts--for many holidays to come. . .<P>"Before I realized it, the unusually strong and well-developed characters of <I>The Kidnapped Bride </I>had sneaked up on me and captured my full attention. This is one of the best shorter books I have ever read." --Delle Jacobs, author of <I>Lady Wicked</I><P>"A delightful, sexy glimpse into Victorian life and loving with two wonderfully non-traditional lovers." --Jessa Slade, author of <I>Dark Prince's Desire </I>on <I>His Wicked Smile</I>