A Bride for the Season

The scintillating Love’s Grace trilogy conclusion (after A Lady Most Lovely) unearths the true character of one of the most roguish men in 1853 London. James Simpson, a “good-for-nothing lazy scoundrel” who’s “neither wealthy nor respectable,” has been content to spend the season flirting with vivacious debutante Emily Cardington and has managed to mostly avoid her bookish older sister, Lucinda, who’s much more interested in photography than marriage. When the two young women are embroiled in a public scandal, James sees no way out other than to offer marriage to Emily. While he was initially attracted to Emily’s stunning beauty, James soon finds Lucinda’s quiet beauty and intelligence much more alluring than Emily’s petulance. But before James can secure Emily’s hand in marriage—and her substantial dowry—Lord Cardington instructs him to help Lucinda find a suitable husband and escape otherwise inevitable spinsterhood. When James realizes that he might have offered for the wrong sister, he must decide whether he should risk all to follow his heart. The romantic dance between James and Lucinda sparkles with wit, intellect, and subtle desire in defiance of societal expectations. Agent: Jessica Alvarez, BookEnds. (Nov.)