When an escape from an unwanted marriage proposal results in more scandals and secrets…

Synopsis

A marriage of convenience to a scoundrel? Not if Augusta can help it.

The impoverished daughter of a baronet, Augusta has no intention of being bartered away like a prize horse. Instead, she flees to London, determined to forge her own path as a modiste.

But fate has other plans. On her very first day in the city, she crosses paths with a brooding earl—one burdened with a clubfoot and a reputation nearly as scandalous as the proposal she ran from. His captivating sister, Mariana, is not only Augusta’s employer’s best client but harbors a secret ambition of her own: to marry the one man society deems wholly unsuitable.

Drawn into Mariana’s reckless schemes of masquerades, cross-dressing, and Whig intrigue, Augusta soon finds herself entangled in more than just scandal—she’s losing her heart to a man who embodies everything she swore to escape.

But the earl has secrets of his own. Is he truly the rogue society believes him to be?

And when Augusta’s past comes calling, will her newfound independence—and her heart—survive?

A charming, fast-paced Regency romance perfect for fans of Bridgerton and the sweetly adventurous love stories of Maggie Dallen and Jenny Hambly.

My review

Augusta may be the daughter of a baronet, but with no money, her future prospects aren’t that bright at all. And she also doesn’t want to get married to someone she didn’t chose herself. As her own aunt is pushing Augusta to do what she truly doesn’t want, Augusta decides to flee to London, and find a way to make her biggest dream of becoming a modiste come true, somehow.
However, right from the moment she arrives in London, nothing goes as planned.
Already on her first day she is in a nearly – accident with an Earl, the Earl’s sister Mariana is not only Augusta’s employer biggest customer but is also plotting away for her own secret ambitions.
With Augusta being Mariana’s ally in her schemes, Augusta finds herself entrapped in an unexpected world, but she finds herself also more and more enthralled by the Earl himself, George. But George himself is facing his own demons, not all related to his clubfoot, but a reputation that precedes him and has nothing to do with the actual truth…
With so much going on in their lives, and so many secrets to be kept, where will it all end and is there a happy end possible?

The perks of living in 2025, is that we are free to love and marry whoever we want. We all know that it hasn’t always been the case, and that many women (and men too), have been very unhappy in their arranged marriage.

So with the knowledge of that background, I was proud of the young woman that Augusta is in this book. Just like everyone else, she has her own dreams and hopes she wants to pursue. And when her aunt forces her to marry someone Augusta truly doesn’t like, it was courageous of her to run away to London.

Augusta is even prepared to live a life as a ‘commoner’ initially, in order to not only gain her freedom, but also to attempt to make it as a modiste. And that was just so admirable, seeing this young woman not only following her dreams but doing it in a time where it is not accustomed for a woman to do what she wants.

In this book though, it is not only Augusta that follows her passions and her dreams. When she meets Mariana, she has found a kind of kindred spirit. Because Mariana too won’t let the rules of society dictate what to do or don’t do. By her own ways, she is more into politics than expected or desired from women. And her hearts beats faster for someone beneath her status, but Mariana bluntly refuses to marry anyone that is not the man she truly desires and loves. 

Both Augusta and Mariana show that even in a time where women aren’t allowed to w-do how they please, there can be found a way. And even if the ladies are pursuing different dreams and are keeping different kind of secrets, there is an instant feeling of trust between them and a mutual desire to help each other, no matter how dire or dangerous the situation may seem.

And let’s not forget about George…

He for sure makes an impressive entrance in the book, as he comes to Augusta’s help when she just arrives in London. But not only then, he even comes at Augusta’s  rescue more than just once! 

Yet he has a reputation in London, and not a good one. I have to admit, initially I didn’t understand how people’s opinion could be somehow the truth about the man I was getting to know better. Where there is smoke, there must be a fire somewhere, the rumors must have started somewhere ,so I wanted to know that start. Yet I was amazed by how it started, because it was anything but I was expecting. And I liked George’s behaviour and his actions as it shows what a righteous man he is. And he is also a caring big brother to Mariana. He wants to protect her above everything, wants to protect her from making mistakes. But we all already know that Mariana won’t be stopped easily 🙂.

However, beside his kind and helpful heart, he is also a haunted person. His clubfoot is for some people a reason for mocking, even bullying him. And he feels ashamed by not being ‘normal’, and he is sure that no woman would love him for who he is, but would only be attracted to him because of his wealth and status. And that saddened me, because George is by far the most normal person! There are other characters in this book that are more abnormal. I truly believe that we should divide people by being ‘normal’ and not, because of a physical difference. 

There is a lot of taking place in this book, Augusta fighting for her freedom, but feeling attracted to George. There is Mariana who is fighting for knowledge, but also for the right to love whoever she wants. And then there is also George, who wants to protect his loved ones, and is fighting against prejudice, injustice, but also his own feelings.

This book shows us the strength of women, as Augusta and Mariana go for their dreams, but it also shows us the strength of love. It shows us that even in a restricted past, determination can start a move that can make change, that can bring happiness, joy and love in life.