Italy, 1688.
The Rose Court is a haven for lost and damaged souls- the girls of the court are from every walk of life, from threatened aristocrats' daughters to children rescued from the brothels of Venice. Serafina and Angelo have been there ever since their parents' murder, and their return to reality looks over the horizon.
Serafina doesn't want to leave the only home she knows, but when a mysterious girl, Nina, turns up on their doorstep, the outside world seems unavoidable as she follows Nina down dangerous paths into the mystery of her past- which is more tangled up in Nina's than she could have possibly imagined.
Angelo can't wait to leave the place he thinks is too easy on him- except for one thing: he's fallen head over heels in love with his best friend, Ezra, a boy who doesn't let anyone touch him. And when Ezra comes to him with an unorthodox proposition, Angelo can't help but accept.
As Serafina is led away from the Court, Angelo is drawn back into it- but how long can things go on before they reach a breaking point? Can Serafina learn to face reality? Can Angelo learn to commit to something permanent? Will the family of the Rose Court be able to survive the hard times ahead, or will it all fall apart?
Just when she's decided to leave the Town, Lady Cressida Belverst is forced to marry Lord Calan Haverston, the man who coincidentally knows a way out. Agreeing to marry for all the wrong reasons, can Cressida and Calan find out where their hearts truly belong?
***
It is impossible to leave the Town, but one woman is determined to escape with the help of her betrothed.
Lady Cressida Belverst has always been judged as a walking scandal. Oh, how she tries (on some rare occasions) to be proper! When her parents arrange for her to marry a rich lord, Cressida has had enough. She has to leave the Town because she will not be forced to live with a man she doesn't love. But what happens if the very man she's betrothed to is the only one who can help her get out?
Calan Haverston, the Lord of Easton, takes the risk and helps his betrothed by using his knowledge of the Town's secrets because he is as willing as she to stay free of marriage for reasons completely different. He has dark secrets he cannot share with her, and his life is not one he can likewise open to anyone. But what happens when she leaves after awakening desires he thought he has under control? And what happens when he finds himself longing for her?
Cressida goes to a completely different place, one she has only heard in stories and read in books, with hopes of finding what her heart has always longed for. But love, mystery and secrets will chase her and it will only be a matter of time before she realizes what her heart truly desires.
*This story is a standalone title in the Haverston Family series.