Diana Hall - Branded Hearts

Cover Page

Excerpt “Does your fiancée know you make a habit of kissing other women?” “Not other women.” He folded his arms. The material of his shirt strained across the expanse of his chest. “Just you.” “And what does that mean? I don’t count?” Silence answered her question. The realization cut her to the quick. “You don’t think I’m worth much, do you?” “Abigail’s a woman of breeding. Hell, her uncle owns—” “Your integrity?” Kit unleashed her own anger. “Just because you think my lineage isn’t rich enough doesn’t give you the right to maul me and walk away with a clean conscience.” “You don’t understand.” Garret spoke through clenched teeth. “Abigail’s name carries a lot of respect.” “Well, it’s a good thing it does. ‘Cause you haven’t any.” Kit felt tears sting her eyes. He considered her good enough to seduce but not good enough to be seen with in public…!

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Autumn is such a romantic season—fall colors, rustling leaves, big sweaters and, for many of you, the kids are back in school! So, as the leaves fall, snuggle up in a cozy chair and let us sweep you away to the romantic past! We are delighted with the return of Diana Hall with Branded Hearts, a terrific Western chock-full of juicy surprises! Here, a privileged young woman is on a quest to find the man who attacked her family. When she goes undercover as a cowgirl, she soon must fight her feelings for her boss, a stern cattle rancher, and eventually choose between love and vengeance… Jacqueline Navin returns with Strathmere’s Bride, an evocative Regency-style historical novel about a darling duke who suddenly finds himself the single father of his two orphaned nieces, and in dire need of a wife! Briana by bestselling author Ruth Langan is the final book of THE O’NEIL SAGA. Here, a feisty Irish noblewoman falls in love with a lonely, tormented landowner, who first saves her life—and then succumbs to her charms! In The Doctor’s Wife by the popular Cheryl St. John, scandalous secrets are revealed but love triumphs when a waitress “from the other side of the tracks” marries a young doctor in need of a mother for his baby girl. Enjoy. And come back again next month for four more choices of the best in historical romance. Sincerely, Tracy Farrell Senior Editor P.S. We’d love to hear what you think about Harlequin Historicals! Drop us a line at: Harlequin Historicals 300 E. 42nd Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10017

Title Page Branded Hearts Diana Hall www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author DIANA HALL If experience feeds a writer’s soul, then I must be stuffed. I’ve worked as a pickle packer, a ticket taker at a drive-in movie, a waitress, a bartender, a factory worker, a truck driver cementing oil wells in south Texas, a geological technician with oil companies, a teacher, a part-time ecological travel agent and now an author. The only job I’ve kept longer than five years is wife and mother. A geographical accident, I was meant to live in the South. After high school I left rural Ohio and attended college in Mobile, Alabama. There I fell in love with balmy nights and the beaches of the Gulf. I lived in Texas, but now live in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania with my understanding husband, a beautiful daughter, a sedate, overweight collie and a hyperactive dalmatian.

Dedication To Mom and Dad: Thanks for all the love and support through the years, especially this past one. Thanks for being there when I needed you most. Love, Your daughter Diana

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Copyright

“Not other women.” He folded his arms. The material of his shirt strained across the expanse of his chest. “Just you.”

“And what does that mean? I don’t count?” Silence answered her question. The realization cut her to the quick. “You don’t think I’m worth much, do you?”

“Abigail’s a woman of breeding. Hell, her uncle owns—”

“Your integrity?” Kit unleashed her own anger. “Just because you think my lineage isn’t rich enough doesn’t give you the right to maul me and walk away with a clean conscience.”

“You don’t understand.” Garret spoke through clenched teeth. “Abigail’s name carries a lot of respect.”

“Well, it’s a good thing it does. ‘Cause you haven’t any.” Kit felt tears sting her eyes. He considered her good enough to seduce but not good enough to be seen with in public…!

Dear Reader,

Autumn is such a romantic season—fall colors, rustling leaves, big sweaters and, for many of you, the kids are back in school! So, as the leaves fall, snuggle up in a cozy chair and let us sweep you away to the romantic past!

We are delighted with the return of Diana Hall with Branded Hearts, a terrific Western chock-full of juicy surprises! Here, a privileged young woman is on a quest to find the man who attacked her family. When she goes undercover as a cowgirl, she soon must fight her feelings for her boss, a stern cattle rancher, and eventually choose between love and vengeance…

Jacqueline Navin returns with Strathmere’s Bride, an evocative Regency-style historical novel about a darling duke who suddenly finds himself the single father of his two orphaned nieces, and in dire need of a wife! Briana by bestselling author Ruth Langan is the final book of THE O’NEIL SAGA. Here, a feisty Irish noblewoman falls in love with a lonely, tormented landowner, who first saves her life—and then succumbs to her charms! In The Doctor’s Wife by the popular Cheryl St. John, scandalous secrets are revealed but love triumphs when a waitress “from the other side of the tracks” marries a young doctor in need of a mother for his baby girl.

Enjoy. And come back again next month for four more choices of the best in historical romance.

Sincerely,

Tracy Farrell

Senior Editor

P.S. We’d love to hear what you think about Harlequin

Historicals! Drop us a line at:

Harlequin Historicals

300 E. 42nd Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10017

www.millsandboon.co.uk

If experience feeds a writer’s soul, then I must be stuffed.

I’ve worked as a pickle packer, a ticket taker at a drive-in movie, a waitress, a bartender, a factory worker, a truck driver cementing oil wells in south Texas, a geological technician with oil companies, a teacher, a part-time ecological travel agent and now an author. The only job I’ve kept longer than five years is wife and mother.

A geographical accident, I was meant to live in the South. After high school I left rural Ohio and attended college in Mobile, Alabama. There I fell in love with balmy nights and the beaches of the Gulf. I lived in Texas, but now live in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania with my understanding husband, a beautiful daughter, a sedate, overweight collie and a hyperactive dalmatian.