A tragic past pushes a Frenchwoman towards a loveless marriage, until a secretive English Marquess challenges her beliefs in love and trust...

Aurelie Lemieux's belief in fairy-tale romances crumbled to dust with the untimely demise of her half-brother in France. Fleeing to England, she braces herself against a harsh world where survival outweighs matters of the heart. Resigned to a loveless marriage for security, her resolve wavers when she crosses paths with the dashing yet enigmatic Adolphus Westbrook, Marquess of Edenhaven. His piercing gaze tempts her to dream once more.

Adolphus, seeking refuge from London's high society's suffocating expectations, retreats to a serene coastal village. His encounters with Aurelie, a vision of beauty marred by sorrow, stirs a deep, unexpected yearning. Under the cloak of night, their clandestine meetings blossom into a connection too profound to ignore. Yet, doubt creeps in, tainting Adolphus's trust, as he begins to see Aurelie as just another opportunist in the marriage mart.

A catastrophic fire throws them together, peeling back layers of misconceptions and societal constraints. As they navigate through their complex feelings and the rigid norms of their time, they are forced to confront the question: Can the fragile love they've kindled withstand the harsh realities that threaten to tear them apart?