Isobel, daughter of the Earl of Montrose, always knew she would have no choice when it came to selecting a husband. Her father would seek a match that would be beneficial to him, not to her. But when she was informed that she was to wed the infamous rake, Lord Rockhurst, heir to the Duke of Avanley, she could not help but be frightened.

A year after her marriage nothing had changed other than her title. Upon the death of her husband's father, she was now the new Duchess of Avanley. A duchess without a duke since she had not received any word from him since the day they were wed.

But her story was far from over, and when a duchess came into her life that refused to take no for an answer, she was convinced into taking matters into her own hands. Now she was poised and polished, ready to take her place in London as the Duchess of Avanley, regardless of her husband's feelings on the matter.

Charles Newberg, the new Duke of Avanley thought his young wife showing up in London was unacceptable, but her stubborn refusal to leave kindled a spark inside him. Faced with a growing desire every time he saw his young bride made him rethink the original boundaries he had set between them. Could he put aside the resentment he felt at his father's interference in his life to give them a chance at love or was their marriage doomed from the beginning?