Frederick, Marquess of Harlington, has one hope: this marriage will be real. His family’s estate is faltering, and without substantial dowries, his beloved sisters face uncertain futures. A wealthy bride is not a romantic ambition—it is a necessity.
Lucy’s fortune could restore everything he stands to lose. Yet the more Frederick admires her independence, the harder it becomes to view their courtship as a transaction. And Lucy, determined to protect her art at any cost, may find that the life she agreed to is nothing like the one she feared.
Allyson Jeleyne writes enchanting low-angst, medium-steam “slice of life” romance novels—no third act break-ups in sight! Her characters are a complex cast of adventurers, entrepreneurs, heiresses, peeresses, and survivors, each journeying through love and life in the Victorian era.
She earned an interdisciplinary studies degree in creative writing and journalism while also studying British history & literature in her spare time. When not writing, she enjoys traveling and checking things off her bucket list.
She makes her home in the South Carolina lowcountry with her beloved dog, Dollie Madison (2005-2022).