by Julia Quinn
First published 2024
Sophie Beckett sneaks into Lady Bridgerton's masquerade ball and dances with Benedict Bridgerton until midnight strikes. Benedict becomes obsessed with finding his mystery woman and swears to marry her. Meanwhile, Penelope Featherington has loved her best friend's brother Colin from afar for years. She believes she knows everything about him until she discovers his deepest secret. Colin grows tired of his reputation as a shallow charmer and the gossip columnist Lady Whistledown's constant mentions of him. When he returns from traveling abroad, Colin sees Penelope differently. The girl who was always present now occupies his dreams. As Colin uncovers Penelope's own secrets, he must decide whether she represents his greatest danger or his path to happiness. Both brothers face questions about identity and love as they navigate London society's expectations.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adult-fiction, 21st-century, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: London
Period: 19th-century
800 pages · Hardcover · Avon