by Mary Balogh
First published 2009
Cassandra Belmont needs a wealthy lover to survive. The destitute widow faces murder accusations over her husband's death and must use her beauty to secure her future. She sets specific requirements: her target must be rich, wellborn, and desire her above all others. Marriage cannot be part of the arrangement. Stephen Huxtable, Earl of Merton, fits her criteria perfectly. London's most sought-after bachelor possesses both fortune and title. When Stephen encounters the mysterious Lady Paget, he decides she would make an ideal mistress. He proposes his own terms for their liaison. Both enter the arrangement expecting to maintain control over their emotions. Their careful negotiations dissolve during one night together. Cassandra risks losing what she swore to protect. Stephen discovers he wants more than a temporary arrangement. He will not settle for having her as his mistress when he could claim her as his wife.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, historical-romance, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity
Period: 19th-century
336 pages · Hardcover · Delacorte Press
Content warnings: murder