The Duke of Marlborough, a wealthy rake with the reputation of the Devil, wins an unusual prize in a game of cards, the prickly and thorny Cordelia Rivers.

James Richardson, Earl of Winchester, has returned home to London, after seven years of sailing as a privateer. His travels have been cut short by the death of his father, making him the new Earl. But in order to keep the title , James must marry within a month . This is the task set by his father, stemming from his dislike for his only child. But after meeting the hordes of simpering debutantes, he believes the task in front of him to be impossible. But he didn't count on meeting Olivia Wynter....... Olivia , the daughter of the Duke of Ashforth, is no blushing debutante. At the age of twenty-two, she is still unmarried , but not for lack of suitors. The truth is that Olivia is fed up of the dandies and rakehells who are after her , trying to impress her with their titles and wealth, when all she wants is a man who will match her in wits and should even be a bit dangerous. But when she meets James, can she break through his shell to reach the man underneath? Read on to discover how a passionate lady reaches into the unsuspecting heart of a fearless pirate....