The scandalous women of the SOCIETY OF SIRENS are back with an explosive secret…their ranks include a duchess in disguise Once upon a time she married in secret… An activist painter of radicals and harlots, Cornelia Ludgate dismisses love and marriage as threats to freedom. But when an inheritance gives her the chance to fund the cause of women’s rights—on the condition she must wed—she is forced to reveal a secret: she’s already married. To a man she hasn’t seen for twenty years. Oh…and her husband is a duke. A horse breeder with a clandestine taste for revolution, Rafe Goodwood never expected to become a duke. But now that the title is his, he is plotting to shock the ruling class with ambitions of reform—and reveal the infamous Cornelia is his duchess. That just presents one problem: he must not fall in love with her—again. Now they must resist the temptation to rekindle an affair... Although determined not to sacrifice her principles for passion, Cornelia is still drawn to the man whose very being threatens her independence. Hurt too many times, Rafe can’t risk love again—especially with the woman who once shattered his heart. But a conspiracy to upend the inequalities of the aristocracy bring Cornelia and Rafe closer, forcing them to finally decide what—and who—they hold dear. "Peckham is back with a vengeance, delivering another stunningly sensual love story that boldly pushes at the boundaries of historical romance with its refreshingly older protagonists, thoughtful exploration of societal and gender equity, and embrace of the importance of diversity in all aspects of life.” - Booklist "both celebrates and upends romance tropes... Peckham delivers some of the most interesting, downright wanton writing in the sub-genre..." - Entertainment Weekly, Best Romances of Spring " The Rakess  has a strong Gothic flavor with its craggy, stormy Cornwall setting and interrogation of themes worthy of the Bronte sisters. But Peckham captures the sublime nature of the Gothic, while also infusing her storytelling with something breathtakingly human. There’s a lot of pain on these pages, even if it’s wrought with a poetic precision, but it makes the sparks of joy feel all the more palpable in a world so vividly determined to deny it to women." - Entertainment Weekly (A grade) "This fierce, feminist series debut flips the typical Regency romance script... Peckham strikes a perfect balance of politics, passion, and emotional vulnerability." - Publishers Weekly (Summer Reads 2020) "Scarlett Peckham’s excoriating first entry in her new Society of Sirens series exposes historical romance’s capacity for radical reinvention...  The Rakess  pulses with female rage, making it one of the most electric, vibrantly alive titles on this list. It interrogates double standards, champions female pleasure, and propels itself forward with righteous fury. Peckham leans into its sense of the Gothic with relish, making its sparks of joy all the brighter and more enticingly dangerous." - Entertainment Weekly (10 Best Romances of 2020) "Peckham ( The Rakess ) sensitively introduces a heroine battling prejudice and censure, while also delivering a romance full of political machinations, surprises, and steamy sex scenes. A captivating sequel guaranteed to thrill."  - Library Journal (starred review) "Peckham joyfully revisits the society-flouting women of Regency England’s Society of Sirens... Readers will be swept away." - Publishers Weekly “The second book in Peckham’s Society of Sirens series pushes more boundaries than The Rakess (2020) did. A romance that respectfully imagines what a poly happily-ever-after could have looked like in 1797 and that also celebrates complicated human emotions. Cornelia, who is biracial, is another of Peckham’s trademark rule-breaking heroines, and readers will enjoy watching her explore ways to be herself within the framework of the genre.” - Kirkus Reviews "The open, exploratory love scenes sizzle with passion balanced by frank conversations about contraception and the risks of pregnancy. Peckham never shies away from the bleak realities facing women of the era while capably making 19th-century sexual politics feel relevant to today. This rewarding love story is fierce, feminist, and full of feeling."  - Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Rakess "Peckham's extraordinary reversal of traditional romance tropes is a surprising delight, as she launches her Society of Sirens series with a tale that combines authentic historical detail, a view into what women's lives were like, given the mores of the day, and flaming hot, imaginative sex scenes integral to the story." - Booklist "[A] compelling, insightful, sensitive novel." - New York Times Book Review on The Rakess "Inverting historical tropes and archetypes, the story offers comedy and catharsis, and ends with a happily-ever-after so perfect it will make you return immediately to page one." - Washington Post (Best Romances of 2020) on T