A determined widow.

Rachael Fasching doesn’t shy away from scandal. But living her whole life with the name of her murderous late husband? Intolerable. Her solution: find the most passionate, romantic man in all of England and marry him. When she discovers that “dull and disagreeable” historian Avery Cantrell is the secret author of warrior love poems, she takes the risk and sets out to woo him.

An ancient curse.

Avery has spent his entire life researching, in the hopes of finding a cure to the ancient affliction that has made potions deadly to every male of the Cantrell family line. He needs to marry, but he wants the matter addressed efficiently: no fuss, no delays, no timid virgins. Beautiful, enigmatic Rachael seems the perfect candidate.

Crime and passion.

When news of a murder interrupts their wedding plans, Rachael and Avery stumble upon a mystery of long-forgotten magic and deadly secrets. Plots and poisons threaten their marriage-of-convenience, but as they delve into the intrigue together these unlikely heroes might discover they have what it takes to hunt down a killer—and to find true love along the way.