SAY YES TO THE MARQUESS

When Clio Whitmore inherits a castle from her uncle, she decides to call off her long-standing engagement and asks her would-be brother-in-law—who's secretly in love with her—to help her get out of the marriage agreement.

Clio has always followed the rules and done what was expected of her; she “had been raised by good parents, with the benefits of education and close attention to propriety, and she was engaged to marry England’s most promising young diplomat,” Piers Brandon. But after eight years of waiting, she has become an object of ridicule. Inheriting a castle from her elderly uncle gives her a new sense of freedom, and she decides to call off the engagement. Clio seeks out Rafe, Piers’ brother and London’s “most infamous scoundrel,” hoping to convince him to use his power of attorney over Piers’ estate to nullify the marriage agreement. He refuses. Rafe wants the marriage. For one thing, if Piers settles down, Rafe can get back to his own life as a champion prizefighter. For another, if Clio marries his brother, she'll have the title and lifestyle she deserves, things he could never give her. After she decamps to her castle, Rafe follows with his jack-of-all-trades manager to ensure the nuptial ceremony is set in motion. Arriving on her doorstep, he finds the castle occupied by Clio’s family: Daphne, her demanding younger sister; Daphne’s shallow husband, Sir Teddy; and Phoebe, the brilliant but socially awkward youngest sister. Even a crowded house can’t keep the long-simmering attraction from flaring between Rafe and Clio, though. Navigating that dangerous reality while also trying to protect Phoebe from Daphne’s social expectations becomes complicated and exhausting for Clio, who realizes which brother she belongs with, even if he won’t admit it. Dare continues her Castles Ever After series with another cleverly crafted love story that hits all the high notes.

A sparkling, emotionally lush romance.