He's determined to restore his family's honor. She's desperate to secure her sister's future. Neither expected to find a love that would change everything.

James Ashford has survived disgrace, war, and years on the edges of society. Now he is determined to reclaim his family’s honor by restoring Ashford Manor, the crumbling estate that once defined his family’s legacy. To see it rise again, he turns to Georgiana Hartwell—a widowed lady bold enough to continue her late husband’s architectural practice.

For Georgiana, the commission is more than a livelihood. It is her chance to prove her worth in a world that would rather dismiss her, while earning the dowry her younger sister needs to secure a good match. Yet even as her passion for the project grows, so too does the pull she feels toward the roguish man who defies every rule of society.

But their budding partnership faces powerful enemies: Georgiana’s manipulative mother, determined to control her future, and a predatory figure from her past who refuses to let her go. With scandal circling and danger drawing near, James and Georgiana must decide if they will risk reputations, safety, and the carefully built walls around their hearts—for a love strong enough to redeem them both.

When He Was a Rogue is a sweeping Regency romance of passion and redemption, where every page tugs at the heartstrings and proves that love—once found—is worth every risk. Step into The Duke’s Legacy Series by USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson today.

Tropes You'll Love:

• Rogue / Reformed Rake
• From Rogue to Gentleman
• Independent Heroine in a Restrictive World
• Widow Heroine
• Slow Burn Romance
• Opposites attract
• Protective Hero
• Society vs. Outsider (class divide)
• Found family

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade's Sweet Dreams line, so this is a sweet, wholesome Historical Romance where passion beyond the bedroom door is left to the reader’s imagination.

The Duke's Legacy

Book 1 - When He Was a Duke

Book 2 - When He Was a Rogue

Book 3 - When She Was a Governess