Lady Merryn Fenner has been been seeking a way to revenge herself on Lord Garrick Northesk. He killed her brother and destroyed the remainder of her family in one night. Her father died shortly after her brother's death. Merryn lives with her sister but has found a calling for the rest of her life. She works with a friend doing investigations for his agency. When she is led to some information that might expose the Northesk family, she uses her skills to uncover more information.

Lord Garrick is now the Duke of Farne. He has inherited 27 properties and a fortune. It can't alleviate the guilt he feels for the death of his wife and his best friend. Garrick has spent years covering up the horrible facts that led to those deaths. Now, he has Merryn working to uncover them. He must learn his role as Duke, evade the traps laid for him as a catch and work to prevent Merryn from exposing the truths.

As they work around each other, they will be caught in a scandal. The only option is marriage or they will both be ruined.

Garrick is drawn to Merryn and marriage to her would be no hardship but the memory of his wife's perfidy makes him pause at the thought of marriage. Merryn can't believe that everyone is forcing her to accept the Duke's proposal. He murdered her brother and she wants to see him hang. However, the marriage takes place and the two of them will have to work at making it a success.

The closer Merryn comes to the truth, she will learn that her brother wasn't the man she thought, the man she works for has been using her, and Garrick isn't the villain she believed. Garrick will be forced to face the past and learn that he has the support he needs to move forward with his life. The betrayals will strike deep but their love will overcome the barriers they face.

The final book in this trilogy, Ms. Cornick has a triumph on her hands. Each time I read a book by this author, I find myself surprised at the events she describes and the intricacies of the plot. The reader will find themselves drawn into the lives of the characters and reluctant to come to the end.

Book Summary

Merryn Fenner is on a mission to ruin the Duke of Farne. A beautiful bluestocking with a penchant for justice, Merryn has waited ten years to satisfy her revenge against sensual, mysterious Garrick Northesk. Her family name had been tarnished at his hands, her life destroyed. And now she intends to return the favor—by finding the true heir to the duke's title and disinheriting Garrick.

Yet when a disaster traps Merryn and Garrick together, white-hot desire stirs between the two sworn enemies. Her reputation utterly compromised, Merryn is forced to do the one thing she cannot bear: accept the scandalous marriage proposal of the man she has vowed to ruin.

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