She fled a terrible mistake. Then her past caught up with her. When scapegrace Miss Lissy Ashby faces ruin, she vows never again to trust a charming smile. But Fate has other plans. An ultimatum, a stolen carriage, and a forced overnight stay entangle her with her mother's new secretary-a man with secrets of his own. He was awful at spying. But excellent at falling in love. Roland Chetwynd has been sent to Lissy's home under false pretenses, charged by renowned matchmaker, Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon, with recovering a missing sapphire necklace. He never imagined he would instead be captivated by a brave, blue-eyed artist who sees far more than he intended to reveal. When masked villains strike at Lissy's family's ball, Roland risks everything-his reputation, his commission, even his heart-to protect her. But when the truth of his deception comes to light, Lissy must decide if the man she loves is a hero . . . or simply another mistake. Tropes you'll enjoy: Secret identity heroForced proximityMasked ballHero falls firstScandal stakesSlow burn tensionRegency adventure romanceProtective heroineMarriage of convenience
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