Take one stuffy Earl with some decidely non-stuffy pastimes, add one plucky Lady who's best intentions often land in her trouble and what you get is the best slow-burn, sensual, and beautiful historical romance I've readin 2018. Phew.

Lady Constance Stonewell is abashed to discover her attempt to protect a friend from marrying the uptight Julian Haywood, the Earl of Apthorp, a man who's vexed her and entranced her for over eight years, has actually ruined him on the eve of the political triumph he needs to finally drag himself out of debt and ruin. Julian is doubly ruined by the poem accusing him of enjoying have his "arsethorpe" whipped at a notorious local pleasure house.

Chagrined that her attempt to secretly warn her small set of female followers has become public and caused Julian real harm, Constance is intent on fixing her wrong. But Julian has secretly loved Constance for years and was finally about to gain the courage to tell her. Now that she's propsing they fake an engagement until she can help reclaim his place in society and get his bill passed, Julian doens't know whether he should be thrilled the beauty could finally be his or whether he can ever forgive her.

And while Constance's poem wasn't exactly right, it wasn't exactly wrong either. Lies and secret desires draw these two lovers together and tear them apart, and watching their dance to a completely fulfilling happily ever after was the best way to spend a day sick on the couch.

Also, I'll never look at an apple the same way again. Deliciously naughty.

Free copy given in exchange for a fair review. Thank you to the publisher and the author.