Cathy Peper

Beautiful, wealthy and the daughter of an Earl, Miranda Blake has been the reigning belle of the London Season for the last six years.  In love since childhood with her neighbor, Beau, she enjoys the balls and her circle of admirers, unconcerned with finding a husband.  But when she overhears a jealous matron refer to her as being “on the shelf,” she fears she has postponed marriage too long.

Derek Lang has come to England to purchase inventory for his family’s business and to clear his grandfather’s name of an old embezzling scandal.  When he sees Miranda fleeing from the ballroom in obvious distress, his instinct is to try and help her.

Equally annoyed and intrigued by the brash American, Miranda accepts his offer to pretend to court her in an attempt to make Beau jealous and spur him to action.  Will their scheme work, or will what began as a charade turn into something far too real.