When Persephone Lancaster receives a marriage proposal from the ill-tempered Duke of Kielder, she refuses—and then reconsiders. The obscene sum of money he's offering Persephone would save her family from ruin. With her characteristic optimism, she travels to the far reaches of Northumberland to wed a greatly feared stranger. Lodged deep in a thick forest infested with wild dogs, the Duke's castle is as cod and forbidding as the Duke himself, a man with terrible scars on his body and his soul. But the Duke's steely determination to protect his heart at all costs is challenged by his growing attachment to his lovely and gentle bride. With caring persistence, Persephone attempts to pierce the Duke's armor and reach the man beneath. Yet he cannot tolerate such exposure, and his repeated rejections take their toll. But when grave danger arises, the Duke realizes he must face the risk of revealing his true feelings or lose the woman he cannot live without.

The Lancaster Family Series Reading Order

This is Book 1 in The Lancaster Family series by Sarah M. Eden — a five-book Regency romance saga that follows the Lancaster siblings as they each find love in unexpected places. Each novel stands on its own, but characters weave in and out across the series, rewarding readers who follow the full journey.

• Book 2 — Courting Miss Lancaster: The penniless Harry Windover adores blonde, green-eyed Athena Lancaster, but a man without fortune has no hope of winning a noblewoman's hand — until fate intervenes.
• Book 3 — Romancing Daphne: As her first London Season approaches, timid Daphne Lancaster dreads the social whirl — and the risk of giving her heart to someone who may never return it.
• Book 4 — Loving Lieutenant Lancaster: Orphaned as a child, Arabella Hampton was unwanted and unloved — until a chance encounter with a Lancaster brother changes everything.
• Book 5 — Charming Artemis: The bold and outspoken Artemis Lancaster finally meets her match in this crossover novel that also serves as Book 7 in Eden's interconnected Jonquil Brothers series.

Don't miss Christmas at Falstone Castle, a standalone companion story that returns to the Duke and Persephone's estate for a festive Lancaster family reunion.