A battle-scarred Scottish duke. A substitute bride. A haunted castle full of secrets.

Roberta "Birdie" Talbot is tired of being practical. As the penniless daughter of a reckless baron, she's spent years holding her family together. So when a case of mistaken identity offers her a way out—and a chance for adventure—she takes it.

All the way to the Highlands.
All the way to a crumbling castle.
All the way into the arms of a brooding duke.

Gabriel Eversleigh, Duke of Dunross, didn't plan to survive Waterloo—let alone return home and wed a stranger. His bride was supposed to be quiet, dutiful, and easy to ignore. Instead, he gets Birdie: bold, curious, and entirely unwilling to be dismissed.

But Birdie has secrets of her own. And as she confronts the shadows of Gabriel's past—and stirs up a mystery hidden deep within the castle walls—they both discover that some ghosts don't stay buried.

A Beauty and the Beast–inspired Regency romance featuring:

👰 A bride swap
🏰 A haunted Scottish castle
💔 A scarred, brooding duke
💖 A determined heroine
🔥 Sweet slow-burn romance (closed-door)

Part of the Wishing Well series, but can be read as a standalone.

Content note: Contains non-graphic themes of war, PTSD, and suicide.