First published 2026
Ginevra Bishop arrives at Oxford in 1951 with red lipstick and sharp wit, determined to prove she's more than just another debutante following her mother's academic path. Sidney Braithwaite brings his wartime scars and love of Latin, fleeing memories of his mining village childhood. When a poisoned MI5 agent leaves behind an unfinished mission, the British Security Service recruits this unlikely pair to complete the work. A Soviet informant operates within the university, stealing sensitive information. Gin must use her social connections while Sidney applies his espionage training to identify the traitor. Their backgrounds couldn't be more different. She comes from privilege, he from poverty. She charms her way through tutorials, he broods through his nightmares. Yet as they follow the spy's trail through Oxford's ancient halls, their partnership deepens into something neither expected. The mission grows more dangerous as they close in on their target. The real challenge isn't just catching the informant before more secrets are stolen. It's managing the attraction building between them without compromising everything they're working to protect.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adult-fiction, mystery-thriller, espionage
Vibes: atmospheric, intricate, romantic, suspenseful, tension-filled
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, opposites-attract, slow-burn-romance
Setting: Oxford, Britain, Soviet Union
Period: 1951, 1950s, Cold War
368 pages · Paperback · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: death, war