England and France, 1817: Neither the censure of polite society nor the entreaties of his buttoned-up mother nor the attention of the daughters of aristocrats can rein in Henry Wenton, Early of Brentford, whose unabashed pursuit of pleasure is exceeded only by his acid tongue and fiercely guarded independence. Yet when a distant French uncle bequeaths Henry the lavish Maligny coastal estate on the condition that he wed his daughter, the orphaned 18-year-old Florence, a marriage of convenience suddenly has appeal for the incorrigible bon vivant. However, when the young Earl travels with his brother Stacy to become acquainted with his would-be bride, he finds not a helpless youth consumed by sorrow but a quick-witted, spirited belle. Henry's authoritative bravado and Florence's innocent but sensuous charm make for a heady mixture, at once combustible and compatible, but will their mutual stubbornness stifle love before it can bloom?Sophy Hester's Regency novel is like a chilled glass of Champagne drunk too fast: lively and effervescent, tickling the senses and enlivening the mind. Hester is a master of the genre, entwining incisive dialogue, laugh-out-loud humour, and delightfully infuriating, charismatic characters in a vivid evocation of 19 th century England and France that is fresh, contemporary, and immersive.
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