When Lady Charlton is forced into becoming London's most reluctant matchmaker, sparks fly and romance ensues, from the national bestselling author of  Marry in Scarlet . Alice, Lady Charlton, newly-widowed and eager to embrace a life free of her domineering husband  is devastated when a scoundrel appears, brandishing letters that could ruin her. To prevent their publication he wants Alice to find a noble husband—a lord!—for his daughter, Lucy. Alice is forced to agree to his blackmail but when Lucy arrives, she has absolutely no interest in her father's scheme. A lord, she says, will only look down his nose at her—and she's having none of that! Desperate to retrieve the letters, Alice enlists the aid of her handsome young nephew, Gerald, who in turn seeks the help of his former commanding officer, James, Lord Tarrant. James is soon beguiled by the marriage-averse lady and sets out to teach her about love.  Meanwhile, Gerald and Lucy strike sparks each time they meet. To combat the dastardly plot, Alice and Lucy must learn to trust each other. But can Alice put the past behind her and open her heart to love? Named Favorite Historical Romance by the Australian Romance Reader Association! "This duel between determined male suitors and reluctant ladies is grounded with authentic emotional connections and a well-crafted plot. Paired with colorful secondary characters—which include three adorable little girls, a cat, one extremely annoying mother and several quirky gentlemen—the result is a thoroughly entertaining tale. Readers are in for a treat." — Shelf Awareness “I never miss an Anne Gracie book.” — Julia Quinn , New York Times bestselling author “For fabulous Regency flavor, witty and addictive, you can’t go past Anne Gracie.” — Stephanie Laurens , New York Times bestselling author  "[A] confection that brims with kindness and heartfelt sincerity...you can’t do much better than Anne Gracie who offers her share of daring escapes, stolen kisses, and heartfelt romance in a tale that carries the effervescent charm of the best Disney fairy-tales." — Entertainment Weekly , on Marry in Scandal “With her signature superbly nuanced characters, subtle sense of wit, and richly emotional writing, Gracie puts her distinctive stamp on a classic Regency plot.” — Chicago Tribune , on The Accidental Wedding “Anne Gracie’s writing dances that thin line between always familiar and always fresh.” — New York Journal of Books “Will keep readers entranced…. A totally delightful read!” — RT Book Reviews , on Marry in Haste Anne Gracie is the award-winning author of the Marriage of Convenience romance series and Chance Sisters romance series. She started her first novel while backpacking solo around the world, writing by hand in notebooks. Since then, her books have been translated into more than sixteen languages, and include Japanese manga editions. As well as writing, Anne promotes adult literacy, flings balls for her dog, enjoys her tangled garden, and keeps bees. Chapter One London, 1818 Finally she had a use for the epergne. Alice, Lady Charlton—the dowager Lady Charlton, though she had neither the years nor the advantages of most dowagers—gave a last satisfied rub to the large silver epergne, which was extremely ugly but quite valuable. She'd always hated it, not simply because it was hideous, but because her sister-in-law, Almeria, who'd resented Alice from the start, had bestowed it upon her as a wedding present. It was, Alice believed, the ugliest sufficiently expensive gift Almeria could find. Now Alice was going to sell the horrid thing. An appropriate gesture to mark the end of her troubles. Eighteen months since her husband, Thaddeus, had died, the flood of his outstanding debts had—finally!—slowed to a trickle. Alice had almost stripped the house bare to pay them, and now she was feeling hopeful, almost happy. What would it be like to live free of obligation? To choose whether or not to live up to people's expectations? She'd been trying and failing at that for the past eighteen years. More. Her whole life, really. She didn't really know what she wanted her life to be—well, she did, of course, but God had denied her that joy—and now she had to look to her future and decide how she wanted to live. At least she was secure and had a home to live in, thanks to Granny leaving her this house in London. A presence in the doorway caught Alice's attention. "Yes, Tweed, what is it?" The elderly butler's pained glance at her apron and stained old cotton gloves was a pointed reminder of his deep disapproval. "M'lady, m'lady, m'lady, you should not being doing menial tasks like that. Cleaning silver is a dirty job." "It certainly is," Alice agreed cheerfully. They'd had this discussion before, but beggars couldn't be choosers. "And I'm glad to say I've just this minute finished it." She placed the epergne beside the rest of the silver she was selling and sat back. "Something you wanted, Tweed?" "A