This debut is an absolute treat—bubbly, clever, and just the right amount of scandalous. Mariel Rivera is having the kind of week that would make even Austen’s most dramatic heroines clutch their pearls: fired, ghosted, and one emotional sneeze away from a subway meltdown. Enter Dashwood Bennet, a jaw-droppingly handsome model in full regency attire who swoops in like a very sexy Mr. Darcy with better communication skills.
Their chemistry? Instant. Their banter? Sharp enough to cut fabric on a costume drama set. Their career collaboration? Let’s just say the Duke of Harding has never looked this good—or this undressed—on camera.
Watching Mariel and Dash team up to create spicy regency “thirst content” is as hilarious as it is swoon-worthy. The creative process crackles, the behind-the-scenes mayhem feels deliciously real, and the balance of humor, heart, and heat is pitch-perfect. Their friends-with-benefits situation brings all the tension you could hope for—soft moments, steamy moments, “oh no we’re catching feelings” moments, the works.
But beneath the lace, corsets, and shirtless duke energy lies a genuinely touching story about self-worth, artistic passion, and the terrifying joy of letting someone see the real you—on and off set.
For fans of modern rom-coms with historical flair, emotionally intelligent characters, and chemistry that reads like a slow burn doused in accelerant, this book is a total winner.