Christmas, 1848. Margaret Sterling has no intention of becoming a respectable gentleman's obedient wife. But when her family pushes one proposal too far, she announces she's secretly engaged.
To Owen Brennan.
A Manchester mill foreman with rough hands, a stubborn streak, and absolutely no business marrying a marquess's daughter.
Owen never agreed to the arrangement. Yet somehow he's playing the devoted fiancé beneath the Christmas greenery, surrounded by meddling relatives and a woman who makes him forget every reason they could never belong together.
The engagement is a lie. The attraction is dangerously real.
With Christmas approaching and society's rules threatening to tear them apart, Maggie and Owen must decide whether their most improper deception is worth turning into a lifetime of scandal.
A witty, heartfelt Victorian Christmas romance filled with fake engagement, forbidden love, meddling relatives, and a happily ever after worth breaking the rules for.
Violet Sinclair writes historical romance for readers who believe a glance across a ballroom can ruin you more thoroughly than a kiss.
Her heroines are American — bold, inconvenient, and absolutely unwilling to be grateful for the privilege of marrying into British aristocracy. They crossed an ocean with their own money and their own opinions, and they have no intention of leaving either at the door. Her heroes are titled, impeccable, and accustomed to women who follow the rules. They have never met anyone like her. They are not prepared.