The First Proposal

Persephone “Percy” Blake never intended to become a spinster aunt, but life had other plans. Years spent cataloging her father’s library passed in the blink of an eye, and now, with her family’s estate sold and her father gone, she’s a poor relation, grudgingly living under her sister’s roof. As a de facto governess to her unruly, spoiled nieces and nephews, Percy’s days are a blur of chaos and complaints.

But everything changes when her nephew’s kite—a forbidden venture, of course—gets tangled in the branches of the estate next door. Climbing the fence to retrieve it, Percy finds herself in a breathtaking garden bursting with life and color—and face-to-face with its brooding gardener.

Algernon Dunne never imagined that boredom would lead him to gardening, yet tending to his lush blooms has become his solace and his salvation. Alone in his sprawling home after his sister’s marriage, Algernon has found unexpected peace in nurturing life and embracing patience. But peace is nowhere to be found when Percy Blake storms into his garden in a flurry of pink skirts and fiery determination, leaving him quite literally breathless.

From the moment their eyes meet, Algernon is captivated by Percy’s sharp wit, enchanting brown eyes, and undeniable spark. Now, all he has to do is convince her that sometimes, love at first sight isn’t just for the flowers—and that the right proposal might be the only one she’ll ever need.