Sylvester, Duke of Salford, decides to choose a wife and visits Phoebe Marlow, the daughter of a woman his mother once knew. Phoebe, however, recognises him as the model for the arrogant villain in her anonymously published novel and flees before a proposal can be considered.
Their journey brings them together through accidents, family conflict and a later pursuit involving Sylvester’s young nephew. As Phoebe’s authorship becomes public, both she and Sylvester must confront the damage caused by pride, imagination and judging others through a fictional role.
The romance also turns authorship into a social danger. Phoebe’s private judgments become public once her novel is recognised, and Sylvester must confront the difference between the arrogant figure she invented and the man he believes himself to be. Their conflict depends on Regency expectations of rank, marriage and reputation, where an anonymous book can wound a duke as effectively as a public accusation.
C. S. Harris
22 books
Philippa Gregory
32 books
Tracy Chevalier
9 books
Julia Golding
12 books
Geoffrey Trease
44 books