Lord Charles Alfred Kendrick, a highly respected barrister, has his secret desires. A virtual innocent, Susanna Courtland, is one of these. Teaching her will take unprecedented cunning.

Susanna Courtland was born to privilege and has requested that her brother, now head of the family, find her a husband from the cream of the crop. However, her plans to remain a fixture in London society could very easily be derailed if her peers find out she enjoys spending Saturdays hiding out in a back room at the library with bluestockings reading books. Life is going quite swimmingly for Susanna, until one day she finds a note from a mysterious man, a note that sends her headlong into a secret, sensual world behind closed doors. She is determined to find and expose the author-like a heroine from one of her Halfpenny Marvels-if it takes the rest of her life.

Lord Charles Alfred Kendrick has been friends with Maxwell Courtland since they were at Eton. He had no idea Max's younger sister was such a rosebud, and it pleases him to no end that she is a bit of a rebel, as well. To his surprise and great pleasure, Maxwell strikes a contract with Charles to make Susanna his wife. Now to get this darling girl to fall in love with him and enjoy the same bedroom games he does.