Karen Hawkins

“The world has no boundaries for someone who savors success and is willing to work for it.”

“I don't know which is more telling about a soul, their laughter or their tears. I suspect the latter, but hope for the former,”

“My dear brother, never allow a woman to hold all of the cards.”

“...it's sad day when you forget your purpose in life.”

“Family is the only anchor that will hold in a choppy sea.”

“I'm very happy that you're following your dreams. I've discovered that they fragile things and must be fed if they are to live long enough to turn into reality. There are only two things that will feed a dream: action and honesty. If you are honest enough to face your dream, with all its limitations, and willing to take whatever action is necessary to make up for those limitations, then there is a good chance you will be one of the few to succeed.”

“Never underestimate the power of a bossy woman.”

“It makes me wonder which tendencies are decided by birth, and which by desire.”

“It is surprising how many times a good feeling can be confused with a bad one. Often one is unsure which feeling it really is until much later.”

“If there's one thing you taught me, it's to never trust an answer that's actually another question.”

“Sometimes the little things are the big things.”

“If you ever find yourself presented with a fork in the road of life and you do not know the correct direction, close your eyes and listen to your heart. I have found more adventure, more love, more happiness, and more life by listening to who I am, rather than attempting to tell myself.”

“But like all simple things, once you add the human element, all hell breaks loose.”

“Every day stole away more of her presence, leaving in its place faint wisps of memories devoid of color, scent, and sound.”

“We see the world in terms of history, not money. That's the main difference between us and the rest of the world - we appreciate man's foibles, passions, and beliefs, while the rest of the world appreciates their coins.”

“Frequently, things are seen as 'insurmountable' merely from a lack of know-how.”

“In order to understand something really and truly well, you must know where it came from. There is no other way to appreciate its value.”

“There comes a time in every endeavor when one must take fate by the lapels and explain the need for urgency.”

“...we are all wont to make mistakes, but if we learn from each trick, each error, and refuse to allow it to happen again, then the experience is not a loss, but a lifelong gain. Our pride may sting for the moment, but our future will be the better for it.”

“Knowledge and action combined can win over any adversity known to man.”

“One of the benefits of travelling is that you learn what you truly value when you are home. And little things that you might take for granted are sweeter, softer, larger, and infinitely better for the experience of not having them.”

“It's funny how many little things you get used to - attached to, even - and never realize until you travel abroad and those things are not available.”

“I wish I could tell you that I leapt to my feet anyway, snake be dammed. Or that I wrestled the snake and then fought my opponent. But I saw the icy cold disdain in the snake's eyes and did the only prudent thing I could - I froze in my place. After a long few moments, the grew bored and slithered away, as had my opponent. Yet I felt that I had won, for I lived to fight another day.”

“Excitement is never comfortable. When it comes, you just hang on and hope you don't fall off.”

“She also mentioned how close my balcony was to yours; so close that even an old lady like herself could leap between the two without the least effort."Venetia's cheek heated and she pulled her night gown closer, "Grandmama is anything but subtle.""Almost as subtle as your mother.""Oh no! Not mama too."..."Your mother was concerned I might be afraid of heights. She told me if she were thinking of jumping between the balconies and couldn't bring herself to make the leap, it might be possible to pick the lock on the connecting door with, say, a cravat pin.”

“There is nothing shameful in wanting, Venetia. There's only shame in not getting.”

“Gregor lifted the knife and slammed it down. The tops of the carrot rolled across the table, some hitting the floor."What are you doing?""I'm chopping carrots.""Gregor, they are carrots! not tree branches.""I fail to see the difference.”

“hmmm. Didn't they say a man's feet echoed the size of his manhood? Of its own accord, her gaze darted up Gregor's leg to where his deliciously tight breeches caressed his-"Knife."She blinked, her gaze jerking up to his face, her skin flushing. Please, God, don't let him know what I was thinking. "Knife." he said again."Knife?" she repeated dumbly."Good god, Oglivie. I will need a knife if I'm to cut these vegetables.”

“He can cook?""In a manner of speaking," Mrs. Treadwell said, cheerfully."What manner of speaking is that?”

“Oh, he rarely gets angry. But he is perpetually irritated.”

“This is the woman I'm t' marry! Where have ye been all me life, me love?"And without a blink, I replied, "Don't start with me, ye scoundrel! If ye come with an empty purse, ye can leave now, fer I'd rather be unwed than unfed.”

“Gregor, have you ever been in love?""No, I've never been that foolish.”

“I dinna think tis romantic when a man says he's willin' t' give his life fer the woman he loves. Give me instead a man who'd fight to keep us both alive and kickin'! There's naught rommantic about a dead man, beau or no.”

“For a real knight, rescuing maidens would be an everyday event."..."Perhaps a true knight saves himself for the right maiden”

“Perhaps the truth was there was no perfect marriage, just some really good ones.”

“Fighting lets ye both say wha' needs to be said. Just be sure you fight clean, and dinna bring up old hurts or blame one another.”

“But what if we find we don't suit?""Then ye'll do as the rest o' us and work at suiting.”

“I've never found it helpful to treat fate with a gentle hand. Everytime I've stroked, hopin' fer a favor, she's slapped me hand and laughed at me. If ye want something, take fate by the throat and shake it out o' her.”

“So all we know about Hugh MacLean is that his financial situation is unclear, he has an unknown number of illegitimate children, and the family curse is true. I've caught quiet a prize!”

“.Such power, and carried with such careless grace. Howthat must burden him.”

“Mother always said he was like a lake, calm on the surface though a powerful current rumbled beneath. Tristan, meanwhile, was the ocean—his feelings frothed and foamed on the surface, crashing like waves into every situation.”

“As I reach my thirtieth year of service as a butler in a gentleman’s household, I find myself looking back. Between my secret recipe for boot blacking (an indispensable tool for a butler), and a vastly superior method to remove wine stains from velvet (which some will erroneously hold to be an impossibility), I find my memories salted with some faint wisdoms, a few tested experiences, and many, many interesting stories.”

“In fact, you could almost hold that no man is perfect until he meets the right woman.”

“Jack looked at the paper. Devonsgate had listed all twelve footmen: John, Mark, Luke,Thomas…Bloody hell, his butler had hired the entire New Testament.”

“My marriage to Kincaid is a bit more complicated than I thought. There are certain things we don’t agreeon, and—”“You wish to change his mind about something,” Gregor finished.“How did you know?”“I’ve noticed that women often have a desire to change men, even the ones they love.”“I’ve noticed that, too.” Dougal frowned.”

“Jack took the note:My lord, Lady Kincaid announced she would be out this evening. When I asked where, she said shewas going “carousing.” That is a direct quote. Please advise. Devonsgate.”

“It does not pay to bepossessive of a man determined to remain free.”

“Her honor will come to no harm at my hands,” Jack said.“’Tis not her honor but her tender heart that I worry about,” Alexander said.“She’s a delicate lass,” Hugh added.“Aye,” said Gregor. “A Scottish rose.”“Your tender, delicate rose had me ambushed, knocked unconscious, and forced to wed,” Jack groundout. “Facts you all know, if you’ve spoken to Hamish.”Dougal grinned, his teeth flashing whitely. “She has the devil’s own temper, our Fiona does.”

“Shoes really did lead the perfect life. They were polished and taken care of and notexpected to do anything more painful than occasionally step in a bit of mud or a rare puddle. She’dwager her shoes never wished they could just disappear.”

“Stop flirting. With you, every sentence is an offer."“And with you, every sentence is a challenge.”