She was promised to an earl… but bound to a baron.

Isabella de Martillac always knew she'd marry well, but when her mother arranges a match not with the dashing earl she hoped for, but with the lesser-titled and wholly unsuitable Baron of Winchelsea, Isabella is furious. Determined to escape the union, she plots to scare off her intended by acting the part of a spoiled, sharp-tongued shrew.

But Martin de Vere is no fool.

What he lacks in height and beauty, he more than makes up for in wit and resolve. Rather than break the engagement, Martin offers her a bargain: he won’t consummate the marriage unless he can earn her affection. And if, by the time they reach his estate in Winchelsea, she remains unmoved, she may seek an annulment, no questions asked.

At sea, Martin sets out to win her over with cleverness, patience, and charm. Yet fate intervenes when a storm forces them to dock, right in the territory of the ambitious earl Isabella once set her sights on. Now Martin must battle not only for Isabella’s heart, but for their very safety, as his rival will stop at nothing to claim her.

In this battle of hearts and honor, love might be the most dangerous gamble of all.

Tropes/Themes:

✅ Arranged Marriage

✅ Enemies to Lovers

✅ Slow Burn Romance

✅ Hero Falls First

✅ Love Triangle (with a villainous rival)

✅ Witty Banter

✅ Sword Fights and Chivalry

✅ Marriage of Convenience—with a twist

The De Veres Series

Book 1 - The Skull and the Lute

Book 2 - The Sword and the Damsel

Book 3 - The Broken and the Bold

Book 4 - The Monk and the Maiden

Book 5 - The Wager and the Wedding