Simon St. James, Earl of Trask has worked a long time to save the family and now he has a business opportunity that he cannot pass up. The problem he needs the land that is part of Sophie's dowry. He has no choice but to marry his friend. What he was not prepared for was how headstrong she was going to be about wanting his heart, something he does not have to give.

While Simon tries to get Sophie to see reason and marry him she is busy trying to find out what Simon is hiding from her and keep her heart intact. It has become the battle of wills, who will come out the winner?

The banter and interaction between Simon and Sophie is full of fun, excitement and emotion. Vanessa Kelly has another hit to add to her resume, a book that is hard to put down until you reach the end, and then you want it to continue, definitely one for the keeper shelf

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Author Note

Dear Reader

One of the best parts about writing novels is the opportunity to pick a setting and build a world for your characters.  For most of us who write Regency-set historical romance, the most popular setting is London—especially the London of the haute ton.  Sometimes we do branch out, exploring places like the underworld of London’s slums or even moving abroad to more exotic locales like Venice or Egypt.

I love setting my stories in London, but I also like exploring and depicting other parts of England.  For SEX AND THE SINGLE EARL, I was drawn to the setting of a smaller town—the kind of town we’ve grown familiar with through the novels of Jane Austen.  One that is genteel, elegant, but still big enough to sustain a lively, gossipy social life.

In other words, the resort town of Bath.

Bath is one of the most beautiful towns in England.  Nestled along the Avon River, the houses climb in glorious terraces of honey-coloured stone up the surrounding hillsides.  Fanny Burney lived here, as did Jane Austen.  When we think of Bath we think of the majesty of the Royal Crescent, the elegance of the Circus, and the gentility of the Pump Room.  In its hey-day, it was a gem, a place where the wealthy would gather to rest, relax, and amuse themselves with dancing, card-playing, and drinking lots of tea.

But in the course of my research for SEX AND THE SINGLE EARL, I discovered that Bath had a darker side, as well.  There were neighbourhoods that existed during the Georgian and Regency period that were almost as bad as the infamous rookeries of London’s East End.  Was I intrigued by this slice of Bath history?  You bet.  Did I include it in my book?  I sure did, and I think it added color and depth to the story.  My hero and heroine are drawn into this dangerous underworld, and what they discover surprises them both.

So, please join me for quite a different view of the charming city of Bath.  You might find a few surprises, yourself, along the way!