The first book in M.C. Beaton's charming Regency Candlelight trilogy.

It's a maiden's miracle! Annabelle Quennell, daughter of a poor country parson, gets a chance at a London Season to snare a wealthy husband. But before she sets off, Mad Meg predicts trouble ahead! And it is nothing but woe that Annabelle finds. Godmother Lady Emmeline sponsors Annabelle's spree - and demands she wed the oafish Capt. MacDonald. But things get worse when Annabelle fears she is losing her heart to Lord Varleigh - elegant, well-pursed, but who is taken by another mistress! What a pickle Annabelle has gotten into, and it only gets more sour by the moment!

Blessed with beauty, Mrs. Manners has never bothered with the more practical (and to her, lesser) skills of grammar and spelling. So it is, in order to snag a second husband, namely the handsome Duke of Denbigh, she needs the help of Miss Verity Bascombe. Surely the modest chit would be honored to help write her love letters. Poor Verity! Her old school-girl friend remains as selfish as ever. But the lovely girl's gilded pen soon has the duke most intrigued by the poetic Mrs. Manners! But alas, what begins as a seemingly minor deception becomes a larger problem and Verity soon finds herself enamored of the handsome duke, wanting him all for herself!

The heroines of the Regency Candlelight Series set out to conquer London's glittering high society and marriage mart. These headstrong women cannot help but keep London society dangling on a string, but will they find a husband or lose themselves in the game?

'Romance fans are in for a treat' - Booklist

'[M. C. Beaton] is the best of the Regency writers' - Kirkus Reviews