To Wed a Stranger

Is legendary beauty Lady Annabelle beyond redemption?

Rejected at every turn and growing older, Annabelle agrees to marry the man of her father’s choosing, believing this will lead to a comfortable life free of complications.

Miles Croft, the new Viscount Pelham, seems perfect for the part, but instead of finding a comfortable complacency, Miles and Annabelle awaken in each other a greater knowledge of themselves, and discover their need to complete each other.

That unexpected awakening begins not in London, but at a secluded Devon lodge. Stricken by a violent fever on the threshold of their retreat, Annabelle finds her famous beauty stripped away, leaving her to endure weeks of quiet convalescence beside an attentive husband.

Unprepared for the quiet warmth of his family seat, Annabelle resolves to sponsor his sister in society, trusting that a fashionable return will finally silence London’s gossip. Yet stepping into the crowded ballrooms with shorn curls, she leans not on the power of her looks, but on the steadfast man at her side.
Marriage of Convenience: Annabelle accepts a match of her father’s choosing to escape public pity after three painful rejections, while Miles needs a wife of unimpeachable standing to restore his family’s tarnished name.Forced Proximity: Stranded at a secluded Devon lodge with a lake and waterfall, the newlyweds are thrown together when a sudden crisis turns an aloof society bride into an invalid dependent on her husband’s care.Slow Burn: Moving from awkward wedding-night hesitation and separate chambers to quiet afternoon fishing trips, their tentative truce slowly deepens into genuine passion and hard-won trust.Redemption Romance: Beneath his polished manners and sun-bronzed exterior, the former naval officer bears his own scars of family betrayal, finding solace only when he defends his courageous bride.Also by This Author: The Devil’s Bargain, Alas, My Love and Bride Enchanted.