Arboretti Family Series by Michele Jaffe

Michele Jaffe's first novel, The Stargazer , may have very little to do with astronomy, but its mixture of murder mystery, historical romance, and steamy passion certainly has universal appeal. Our heroine, Bianca Salva, a doctor of the poor and unfortunate, first meets her love interest, Ian Foscari, as she holds a bloody knife over the body of a lovely, if dead, courtesan... moreMichele Jaffe's first novel, The Stargazer , may have very little to do with astronomy, but its mixture of murder mystery, historical romance, and steamy passion certainly has universal appeal. Our heroine, Bianca Salva, a doctor of the poor and unfortunate, first meets her love interest, Ian Foscari, as she holds a bloody knife over the body of a lovely, if dead, courtesan. Equally suspect and suspicious, they agree to a sham betrothal--Ian knows Bianca is guilty, and gives her one week to offer some explanation. If she fails, he can denounce her, she will be executed, and he will be no worse off. Bianca feels certain she can track down the real killer within the week, and finds Ian's home a convenient place to dissect the body and base her investigation. Here's where the steamy part comes in to play. Ian, who had been deeply burned by his ex-flame Morgana da Gigio, can't help but feel attracted to his fake fiancée's beauty, but he refuses to acknowledge the pull she exerts on his heart. Bianca is eager to try out the knowledge she has gleaned from her prostitute friends, and Morgana, the beautiful ex, is using her sexual powers to manipulate everyone within reach of her perfume. As Bianca closes in on the killer, Ian struggles with the battle between his head and his heart. Though their compatibility in bed is undeniable, the two's fragile bond is strained by the increasing dangers--explosions, more murders, seductions, executions, seven giants, and a dwarf flush out the mystery. less

Michele Jaffe's sensual new novel Stargazer , set against the exquisite background of Renaissance Venice, is the story of a brilliant and beautiful doctor's daughter and the aristocratic rogue who crosses her path. Each suspects the other of killing a well-known courtesan; when they're forced to team up to prove their innocence, sparks fly... moreMichele Jaffe's sensual new novel Stargazer , set against the exquisite background of Renaissance Venice, is the story of a brilliant and beautiful doctor's daughter and the aristocratic rogue who crosses her path. Each suspects the other of killing a well-known courtesan; when they're forced to team up to prove their innocence, sparks fly. Jaffe is a Renaissance scholar, so she knows the era -- and she knows the romance as well: this is timeless historical fiction, with the kind of luminous heat that shines from the romance shelves. less

When Sophie Champion crosses paths with the imperiously dashing Crispin Fascari, the notorious "Earl of Scandal," her circumstances are awkward -- and precarious. Disguised as a man, and seeking clues in the suspicious death of a loved one, smart, beautiful Sophie arrives at the scene of a murder -- only to fall into a tangled web designed to implicate her. Now, her salvation lies with Crispin -- and he has a mysterious agenda of his own... moreWhen Sophie Champion crosses paths with the imperiously dashing Crispin Fascari, the notorious "Earl of Scandal," her circumstances are awkward -- and precarious. Disguised as a man, and seeking clues in the suspicious death of a loved one, smart, beautiful Sophie arrives at the scene of a murder -- only to fall into a tangled web designed to implicate her. Now, her salvation lies with Crispin -- and he has a mysterious agenda of his own. Locked in a battle of mutal distrust and magnetic attraction, Sophie and Crispin strike a boldly seductive bargin that binds them together in their search for answers among London's darkest streets -- where love is a secret killer, waiting to strike again. less

Three years ago Miles Loredan believed he had killed the bloodthirsty fiend known as the Vampire of London. When a beautiful sleuth named Clio Thornton stumbles upon what can only be the Vampire's latest victim, Miles is drawn into a terrifying race against the clock. Captivated at once by intelligent, lovely Clio, his first impulse is to protect her. Because every clue points to the Vampire's next victim: Clio.

Lady Tuesday Arlington seeks refuge from the horrible nightmares that invade her sleep by doing what she does best—she paints them. But when her husband is found dead in a setting identical to one she has painted, she becomes the prime suspect. Lawrence Pickering, special investigator to Her Majesty, the Queen, takes over the inquiry and cannot help but fall for the beautiful and talented Tuesday... moreLady Tuesday Arlington seeks refuge from the horrible nightmares that invade her sleep by doing what she does best—she paints them. But when her husband is found dead in a setting identical to one she has painted, she becomes the prime suspect. Lawrence Pickering, special investigator to Her Majesty, the Queen, takes over the inquiry and cannot help but fall for the beautiful and talented Tuesday. But a cruelly sinister presence waits to turn their picture-perfect love into a masterpiece of murder. less