After graduating from British finishing school, an American heiress fulfills her duty and weds a destitute earl. A lie brought them together, but will it also tear them apart? Find out in this can’t-miss Victorian marriage-of-convenience story from a compelling new voice in historical romance. Victoria Carson never expected love. An American heiress and graduate of Lady Grantham’s finishing … Grantham’s finishing school, she’s been groomed since birth to marry an English title–the grander the better. So when the man chosen for her, the forbidding Earl of Dunnley, seems to hate her on sight, she understands that it can’t matter. Love can have no place in this arrangement.
Andrew Hargrave has little use for his title and even less for his cold, disinterested parents. Determined to make his own way, he’s devoted to his life in Italy working as an archaeologist. Until the collapse of his family’s fortune drags him back to England to a marriage he never wanted and a woman he doesn’t care to know.
Wild attraction is an unwanted complication for them both, though it forms the most fragile of bonds. Their marriage of convenience isn’t so intolerable after all–but it may not be enough when the deception that bound them is finally revealed.
Book one of The Grantham Girls
Amelia Wheeler is the next Grantham Girl to rebel against family obligation in A COMMON SCANDAL.
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Decent read
This was my first book by Ms Weaver and what a great book it was. Victoria was a determined and strong willed heroine, who knew what she wanted and made it happen. She made her fairy tale come true. I loved this book and look forward to reading more of Ms Weaver’s books
Really enjoyed this book
enjoyed reading this book
A great book, interesting story for a change that one didn’t want to stop reading. Very sexual and sensual , but nicely written . Jus a little to dragged out at the end could hsve been a bit shorter with same results . First book I have read by the author and certainly would read another . Liked it a lot!
A great romantic read!
The heroine didn’t wallow in her problems but made the best of it
This is my first book by this author. I found it well written with interesting characters and a realistic plot. There was a minimum of dithering, appropriate to the storyline.
The characters are very likable. The heroine was a strong. capable women. The story was a bit different from many. It was a joy to read.
Just a good book!
I loved this book and the other two (2) books in the series. It was one of those books that you couldn’t put down. It was my first time reading this author, but I will definitely be reading more.
Very well written Victorian era MOC romance where the heroine has a spine of steel and graciously takes on her new husband’s derelict estate and two sisters. Then there is the hero. What a pity-partying whiner. I HATED him.
The H only agrees to marry in order to save his little sisters as he despises his parents. Too bad he’s more like his parents than he could ever imagine.
A slow romance develops until the H figures just how really complicit his social climbing American heiress was plotting with her father to ruin the H’s father. No. She wasn’t, but it makes him feel better so he can sulk. Given the era, and the fact that none of the women have any power but social power it’s hard to believe he’s stupid enough to think she’s an evil mastermind, but he does.
After some very poor form by the H, he goes back to his Etruscan dig and his MISTRESS to whine some more. We then have the unsettling and not really needed scenes where the mistress tries to open his eyes to his wife.
He comes back to the estate then ditches the h again. At this point she’s had it. He gets miffed when she stops her warm and informative letters and decides it’s time to man up and go home for good.
The heroine does make him work for it, but he is a worm of the lowest order.
In addition to these two, there are the sweet little sisters, the h’s overbearing, social climbing mother, the H’s awful parents, and a couple of bitter debutantes that need a public Cut Direct.
Predictable but I enjoyed the book.