Colin Bridgerton finds himself stuck in a marriage to Penelope Featherington-someone he never would have considered pursuing in the first place. She was his best friend, the one person who understands him, but having to marry her because they were caught in a compromising situation, makes him feel anger towards her! Will they find a way to coexist together? Will they find their way to each other in the end?

Colin and Penelope agree to fake-dating for a month. While he is back from his summer travels, Colin is mostly up for anything novel and adventurous. Penelope on the other hand is on a long writer's block and she desperately needs inspiration for her new book. With set ground rules to keep things strictly professional, everything will be a breeze right? The question remains: can love truly be found in a scripted romance, or was it there all along, waiting to be discovered?

Penelope Featherington has been good friends with the Bridgertons since she was a teenager. She met Eloise Bridgerton in high school and they were like sisters; as a result of their strong relationship, she got close to the entire Bridgerton family. She became a close friend of Colin, Eloise's brother, and their shared passion for writing bonded them. Colin was a successful writer for a travel magazine, and his position required him to travel much. Penelope was a successful writer who worked in the film industry, developing stories for television shows in general. She was always welcomed to travel everywhere with the Bridgertons and treated like a member of the family. When the Bridgertons prepare a family vacation to Italy, Penelope accepts their invitation to accompany the entire family, unaware that the experience will completely transform her life.