The Third Young Master is renowned in all the land for his godlike swordsmanship but has become weary of violence. But there are those who refuse to let him off so easily: his spurned lover who wants bloody revenge, a beautiful young courtesan, and a mysterious challenger who seeks a duel to the death.

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for... and the most cruel. But this year, there's a ninth girl... and she's made of fire. Lei is a member of the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She's forced to go with the royal guards after her golden eyes pique the king's interest. Forced to learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort, Lei does the unthinkable--...

"... One September evening in 1785, Jonah Hancock hears an urgent knocking on his front door near the docks of London. The captain of one of Jonah's trading vessels is waiting eagerly on the front step, bearing shocking news. On a voyage to the Far East, he sold the Jonah's ship for something rare and far more precious: a mermaid. Jonah is stunned--the object the captain presents him is brown and wizened, as small as an infant, with vicious teeth...

"Letty Banks is a reluctant courtesan, keeping a terrible secret that brought her, a vicar's daughter, to a life of vice. While becoming madam of Viscount Fairly's high-class brothel is an absolute financial necessity, Letty refuses to become David's mistress-though their attraction becomes harder to resist the more she learns about the man. David is smitten not only with Letty's beauty, but also with her calm, her kindness, her quiet. David is determined...

1912 Shanghai sees beautiful courtesans mercilessly competing for the patronage of wealthy gentlemen. Veteran seducer Magic Gourd advises aspiring but inexperienced Violet on the unwritten tricks of the trade by reaching back into her own professional past, bringing her lessons alive with stories and anecdotes from a career spent charming and manipulating men who should have known better but rarely did.

"Murder and forbidden love in the Tang Dynasty. The latest in the bestselling Lotus Palace Mystery series. Magistrate Li Chen harbors a secret. One that could destroy his hard-earned reputation, as well as his growing passion for the talented courtesan, Song Yi. Li Chen's duty to his family and the Emperor must come before the desires of his heart, but when a stranger to the city is found dead near the House of Heavenly Peaches, where Song Yi is indentured,...

"The year is 1881. Seven-year-old Jinhua is left an orphan, alone and unprotected after her mandarin father's summary execution for the crime of speaking the truth. For seven silver coins, she is sold to a brothel-keeper and subjected to the worst of human nature. Will the private ritual that is her father's legacy and the wise friendship of the crippled brothel maid be enough to sustain her? When an elegant but troubled scholar takes Jinhua as his...

"A lush, engrossing tale of love, deception and scandal in the 18th century French court of King Louis XV. Against the tumult of 18th century France, King Louis XV has tired of courtly intrigues and becomes a connoisseur of innocence. On the grounds of the Palace of Versailles lies Deer Park, a hunting ground that also offers another pleasure: a mansion where his young mistresses are housed. But when these girls first arrive at Deer Park, it is under...