Miss Charlotte Tolliver has returned to London for her second Season with a singular objective: to enjoy herself as thoroughly—and improperly—as possible. After a scandalous entanglement and an exile to the countryside, Lottie has no intention of submitting meekly to Society’s expectations. Marriage, she is firmly convinced, is merely another method by which the well-meaning men in her life attempt to manage her behaviour. She desires only laughter… and perhaps a modicum of trouble.
Unfortunately for London, she finds both in Mr Jasper Deverell: heir to an earldom, menace in a cravat, and entirely too handsome for his own good. When Lottie boldly declares she might best him at anything a man might do, Jasper cannot possibly refuse the challenge. Thus begins a battle of wills unlike anything the ton has ever witnessed.
From dawn horse races to fencing matches, pistol duels, and parlour games, Lottie and Jasper throw themselves into a battle of increasingly improper forfeits. In this game, the winner may take all… but losing could cost them everything—for the trouble with games, of course, is that they rarely remain so for long. Matters grow considerably more complicated with the return of Lord Marchmont, whose charm once caused no small scandal, and whose presence threatens to reopen old wounds.
In a world where a woman’s choices are narrow and reputations fragile, independence may prove the most dangerous wager of all. Between freedom and desire, defiance and expectation, Lottie must decide what she is truly willing to risk, and whether surrendering her heart means losing the game.
An outrageously seductive Regency romance brimming with reckless wagers, wicked hands, and one charming heir on his knees.
Fans of Julia Quinn, Sarah MacLean, Tessa Dare, and Evie Dunmore will adore the wickedly entertaining world of the Tolliver family.
