HOW TO IMPRESS A MARQUESS

When a writer falls in love with her villain, even her Muse is powerless.

In the Victorian era, nothing is more clichéd than a lord marrying his ward, and the Marquess of Marylewick is determined to avoid being another cliché. But George knows if he doesn’t gain some control over Lilith Dahlgren soon, she’s heading for disaster. A starchy and discontented man, he wants nothing more than to find and marry a woman like the fictional Colette, the star of a serial story in McAllister’s Magazine that has obsessed all of London. Unbeknownst to him, his Lilith is the authoress of the Colette stories—and has used him as a model for her villain. After Lilith's trust in the wrong roommates leaves her penniless and homeless, George is forced to take her away from her bohemian lifestyle and to his venomous mother’s house party, determined to find her a suitable husband. From the start, their chemistry is undeniable, but neither can admit it, and their resistance propels the story. Appearances from Lilith’s Muse—whom she addresses directly throughout the text—are a little trying, but readers can overlook them in favor of Ives’ fresh, witty writing. The story moves deliciously quickly, and it's impossible not to root for the irrepressible Lilith. Blushworthy scenes of passion and a gratifying conclusion combine to sustain a very satisfying narrative.

A charming romance about the ways in which words can divide lovers—and unite them.