A fearless countess, a reluctant heir—bound by fate, divided by secrets. Can they save the earldom and risk it all for love?

Young widow Jennie Howard, the Countess of Cumberland, is no stranger to secrets—or danger. Running her late husband's estate in the shadows, she risks everything to protect it from her unhinged stepson. But when her deception is uncovered, he shoots her in a fit of madness before turning the gun on himself.

Ethan Andrews, a humble London innkeeper, never wanted to hear the name Cumberland again—especially after surviving a childhood horror at the hands of the late earl. But fate has other plans. When Ethan inherits the title he’s sworn to renounce, he is forced to confront the legacy he despises.

Reluctantly allowing Lady Jennie to heal under his roof, Ethan is torn between his growing desire for the fierce countess and his hatred for the past she represents. Their simmering tension builds, even as she pleads with him to embrace the title he’s long rejected. But when a devastating fire threatens the ancestral estate, they must set aside their differences and unite to save a crumbling legacy—and their own futures.

Will Ethan abandon everything, including his chance at love with Jennie, or will he embrace the role he was born to play and become the man destiny calls him to be?

Fans of Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, and Tessa Dare will be swept away by this dazzling tale of forbidden passion, fierce loyalty, and a love powerful enough to defy the past.