The Nightingale Chronicles - Alexandra Shaw

Jacqueline Stanford is a free-spirited and unconventional young lady. Her father, the Duke of Sutherland, raised his daughter to be true to herself, shining the standards set by the ton, and encouraging his daughter's curiosities.

The Duke tried to instill the same openness and acceptance of love to his best friends son, Colin, a young Viscount whose mother died tragically when he was a small boy. He takes the boy in as his own seeking to mentor Colin, but the boy maintains the steely resolve instituted by his father.

Only Jacqueline had ever been able to break his icy walls, yet Colin distances himself from the Sutherland family, resolved to focus on becoming his own man. Colin always harbored a protective affection for Jacqueline, but he denies his feelings and avoids all emotions when he leaves for university. But emptiness looms over him, even as he achieves each challenge, moving his way up as an advisor for the British government.

Years later, after the shocking death of Jacqueline's parents, Colin returns to her life and finds her in battle for not only her sense of self, but also her very life. In order to protect her, he must fight his own demons, yet he is torn between maintaining his rigid lifestyle and loving a woman who challenges him at every turn. The Nightingale Chronicles: Protecting Jacqueline is a historical romance novel that explores the themes of friendship, forgiveness, and passion bringing with it a little mystery.