𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒 | 𝘈 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules are of the utmost importance. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince-while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable... but not too amiable.
Nadine Amory, the daughter of a viscount and the ward of an illustrious family, enters the season with every advantage: beauty, charm, and the endorsement of Queen Charlotte herself. Yet despite her impeccable reputation, the tide swiftly turns against her. The gossip columns of the mysterious Lady Whistledown cast doubt upon her desirability. And more pressingly, her overbearing eldest cousin, the Viscount Bridgerton, has made it his personal mission to see off any man he deems unworthy-a category that, to Anthony's exacting standards, appears to include every potential match.
Julian Perrin, the brooding and enigmatic Duke of Albans, has recently returned to London. He has no intention of marrying, haunted by a painful past and determined to defy the expectations forced upon him. But when he crosses paths with Nadine, an opportunity arises: a fake courtship. If they pretend to be in love, Julian can avoid ambitious mothers eager to secure a titled son-in-law, while Nadine's desirability skyrockets in the eyes of potential suitors.
Their deception is flawless-at first. But beneath the ever-watchful eyes of London's elite and the sharp quill of Lady Whistledown, pretense begins to blur with reality. And in a world where marriage is a transaction and love a frivolity, neither Julian nor Nadine anticipates the greatest scandal of all: a passion that refuses to be feigned.
