One man’s thirst for revenge—and one woman’s deadly secret.
In a world where passion could expose everything,
can their love survive the truth?
The Counterfeit Duchess
The Rules of the Masquerade Book 1
A man consumed by revenge. A woman hiding behind a lie. A forbidden love that could ruin them both.
Edmund, Duke of Tavington, has spent seven years at sea, consumed by a singular thirst for revenge. Revenge against the bastard who murdered his best friend and left him for dead. Revenge against the aristocratic society that would drag him back to a bankrupt title he never wanted. And now, revenge against the bewitching woman who claims to be his duchess and the mother of his heir—but is nothing more than a brilliant imposter.
Ailis Tierney, now known as Alice, Duchess of Tavington, has spent seven years guarding a dangerous secret. Under the guise of a dutiful widow, she has turned a failing estate into a prosperous duchy, won the loyalty of its people, and protected the identity of her son. But when a mysterious stranger appears, asking questions about her "late husband," Ailis's carefully constructed world begins to unravel. The past she’s spent years hiding threatens to destroy everything she’s built—and all the while, a shared enemy lurks in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike.
As Edmund and Ailis engage in a high-stakes game of deception, their undeniable attraction becomes a dangerous, electrifying dance—one that could ignite a passion neither can afford. But with enemies closing in from all angles, both must choose: which secrets are worth keeping, and which are worth dying for?
