Leanne Banks: Tall, Dark & Royal

AROUND CHI-TOWN

January: we all know the Connelly family is the closest thing the Windy City has to royalty—in fact, Emma Rosemere Connelly is actually descended from the former king of Altaria. This reporter’s sources say that Emma’s firstborn, Daniel, is taking family duty seriously and will shortly assume the throne in that picturesque island kingdom.

We all agree that Daniel is the catch of Chicago—rich, handsome and sexy. And honorable, too. But just who is that sweet young thing with the exotic accent who’s been spotted on his arm lately by yours truly? Come on, ladies, this may be the last chance for one of us to become Mrs. King Daniel.

FYI, the Connellys deny these royal reports, but they’re rallying around their golden boy. Just what’s going on, Dapper Dan? Your secret’s safe with me….

Dear Reader,

Ring in the New Year with the hottest new love stories from Silhouette Desire! The Redemption of Jefferson Cade by BJ James is our MAN OF THE MONTH. In this latest installment of MEN OF BELLE TERRE, the youngest Cade overcomes both external and internal obstacles to regain his lost love. And be sure to read the launch book in Desire’s first yearlong continuity series, DYNASTIES: THE CONNELLYS. In Tall, Dark & Royal, bestselling author Leanne Banks introduces a prominent Chicago family linked to European royals.

Anne Marie Winston offers another winner with Billionaire Bachelors: Ryan, a BABY BANK story featuring twin babies. In The Tycoon’s Temptation by Katherine Garbera, a jaded billionaire discovers the greater rewards of love, while Kristi Gold’s Dr. Dangerous discovers he’s addicted to a certain physical therapist’s personal approach to healing in this launch book of Kristi’s MARRYING AN M.D. miniseries. And Metsy Hingle bring us Navy SEAL Dad, a BACHELORS & BABIES story.

Start the year off right by savoring all six of these passionate, powerful and provocative romances from Silhouette Desire!

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

www.millsandboon.co.uk

is a national number-one bestselling author of romance. She lives in her native Virginia with her husband, son and daughter. Recognized for both her sensual and humorous writing with two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Magazine, Leanne likes creating a story with a few grins, a generous kick of sensuality and characters who hang around after the book is finished. Leanne believes romance readers are the best readers in the world because they understand that love is the greatest miracle of all. You can contact Leanne online at leannebbb@aol.com or write to her at P.O. Box 1442, Midlothian, VA 23113. A SASE for a reply would be greatly appreciated.

MEET THE CONNELLYS

Wealthy, Powerful and Rocked by Scandal, Betrayal…and Passion!

Who’s Who in Tall, Dark & Royal

In Chicago:

Daniel Connelly—He loves basketball, Chicago hot dogs and his privacy. How will he ever be king of Altaria?

Erin Lawrence—She teaches Daniel royal etiquette…but exactly what does this young, unawakened woman want to learn from Daniel…?

Emma Rosemere Connelly—The former princess of Altaria left the palace on the arm of her upstart American husband thirty-five years ago…and hasn’t looked back.

Grant Connelly—The family patriarch has amassed a fortune and enriched his offspring with life’s true riches: honor, duty and loyalty.

Brett Connelly—Can Daniel take advice from his glib playboy brother?

Maggie Connelly—The baby of the family and a free spirit, she loves modern art and fast cars.

In Altaria:

Mr. Lawrence—Erin’s father, the foreign minister, doesn’t want Daniel to be king. But how far will he go to stop it?

Gregor Paulus—The palace aide’s manners are impeccable and his bearing regal.

Anthony Muller—Chief of staff at the palace, he keeps on the staff’s back and on Daniel’s good side.

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Epilogue

Merry Christmas. You’re the new ruler of Altaria, his mother might as well have said.

The snow fell outside the window of Daniel Connelly’s Chicago high-rise condominium as he tried to make sense of his mother’s announcement. Not every man in America had a mother who was a former princess. Although she’d always been Mom to Daniel, and she’d given up her title thirty-five years ago when she’d married his father, Emma Rosemere Connelly had never lost the regal poise drilled into her by years spent as Princess of Altaria. Even now, faced with the news that her father and brother had been killed in a boating accident, she held herself together as she sat beside her husband on the brown leather couch.

“You’re going to have to repeat that, Mom,” Daniel said, sinking into his favorite chair.

His mother took his hands in hers and leaned toward him intently. Her cold fingers and the glint of pain in her blue eyes betrayed her emotions. She gave a sad smile. “I’ve told you many stories about Altaria. You’ve even visited a couple of times.”

Daniel nodded, his mind filling with vague childhood memories. “I remember Altaria as a beautiful island off the coast of Italy with a great beach,” he said. “But how in the world can I be its new ruler?”

“Altarian law stipulates that only male descendants can assume the throne. My father and brother are dead,” she said, and squeezed his hands in a moment of telltale grief. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel saw his father squeeze his mother’s shoulders in a gesture of support. Grant Connelly had made his fortune in textiles, but his backbone was made of steel. His mother took a quick breath.

“My brother had only one daughter, Catherine. He had no male children.”

Daniel thought about some of the gossip he’d heard about his uncle, Prince Marc, over the years. “I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but are you sure Uncle Marc didn’t have any other children? He really seemed to take that playboy-prince role to heart.”

His father made a sound between a cough and chuckle.

His mother frowned. “Daniel,” she said, her tone just a shade sharper. “Marc may have had his flaws, but he would never turn his back on his own child. You are the heir to the throne of Altaria.”

Daniel’s head reeled. In all his thirty-four years, he’d never imagined being a ruler of a small kingdom. Chicago-born and-bred, he’d always assumed he would spend his life in America. He glanced at his father, a man who had taken the family textile company and turned it into a Fortune 500 corporation. His father had always possessed a passion for the family business, an unrelenting zeal to make it grow.

Daniel had not.

He had succeeded in competitive sports in college, and he had succeeded as Vice President of Marketing at Connelly Corporation, but he’d always had the sense that something was missing, that he wanted something deeper, more. Could this possibly be it?

King? Lord help him.

He looked at his parents and shook his head. “King?”

His father nodded and leaned forward. “You’ve got what it takes to lead a country if that’s what you think you should do. It’s your choice.”

His mother squeezed his hand again. She looked at him with a mixture of pride and concern in her eyes. “Consider it carefully. My father had such dreams for Altaria. When he founded the Rosemere Institute to research cancer treatment, he not only provided a beautiful memorial to my mother, he also brought Altaria into the scientific age. Ruling will be a heavy responsibility, and once you start down this road, your life will be changed forever.”