When duty collides with desire, can love rewrite their fate?

Mr. Evander Addington had his life carefully mapped out—a quiet, predictable future as a Fellow at Oxford. But everything changed when his older brother unexpectedly passed away, making Evander the reluctant heir to an earldom. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight of the ton, Evander finds himself in a world he never wanted to be a part of. The only decision still within his control? Whom he would marry. And for that, he chooses the one woman he’s always loved—Lady Olivia Kendall.

After a scandal ruined her reputation, Olivia never dreamed of marriage. Branded by Society, she had resigned herself to a quiet life as a spinster. So when Evander—her dearest friend—proposes a marriage of convenience, she is torn. The union could restore her standing, but what would it cost him? And would he come to resent the very offer that could save her?

As they embark on their new life together, the tension around them grows undeniable. Someone is determined to force Evander’s hand, and Olivia may soon find herself in the scheme. With each mounting threat, a single, unexpected kiss breaks through her carefully built defenses and changes everything. Now Olivia must decide: will she risk their friendship—and her heart—for a chance at true love?