A tragic accident shrouded in mystery. A family burdened with debt and loss. A woman who will risk it all for the one she loves.Walter Longman is still heartsick for Patience Hawthorne, a woman who was sent home early from London's season amidst scandal. He has given up pursuing her after her controlling mother refused his offer of marriage the previous summer, and he wants to focus all his efforts on making a name for himself in the House of Commons.When his brother is killed in a mysterious tragedy, Walter returns home to Wallingford to piece together what little information he can. As he digs through his brother's affairs, he makes shocking discoveries that complicate the mystery of his brother's death.As he searches for answers, Patience distracts him with her charm and optimism.Patience is heartbroken that Walter's brother had been found dead, but she is enthralled that he is returning home to Wallingford. Desperate to make amends, she seeks Walter out and tries to assist where she can in his investigation. She will do anything to prove her love to Walter… even with danger lurking around the Longman estate.

Juliana can't wait to attend her first season in London. Her close neighbor and childhood friend Peter is expected to join her. But when Peter's father dies unexpectedly, Peter must stay behind to help his mother and take on his late father's role as heir to his family home.After staying behind for the funeral, Juliana arrives late to London, the festivities well underway. But her expectations dim quickly at seeing how title-hungry society can be.The only person who has made her visit tolerable is her new friend, a girl her own age who longs for her former fiancé.When Peter unexpectedly arrives, Juliana makes a plan to get her friend back together with her lost love, though with little experience, she's only able to muddle things up. Worse yet, Peter still sees her as the child from their youth who needs constant scolding's.As her heart turns to Peter, she forces herself to become the sedate, sophisticated woman she feels he desires. But as her reckless behavior causes irrevocable damage to her reputation, she's afraid she's too late to earn his affections.Peter, the new Earl of Alder Court gets more than he bargains for when Juliana talks him into a pretend courtship with her new friend. Instead of keeping other women at bay from ambitions of catching his title, it traps him into many of Juliana's foolhardy schemes.When Juliana's attentions turn in another direction, his pretend courtship might inevitably entrap him. He must do something quickly or risk everything he has come to hold dear about his lovely friend.