Counting on a Countess

Christopher "Kit" Ellingsworth is a war veteran and the newly made Earl of Blakemere. He drowns his demons in pleasure and vice, and his scandalous habits have nearly emptied his coffers. Then a wealthy mentor leaves him a large fortune with one condition: Kit must marry within a month to claim it.

Miss Tamsyn Pearce arrives in London with a fresh shipment of illicit goods to sell. She is a smuggler from Cornwall, and she needs money to keep her operation running. Kit sees a bold, mysterious woman who would make a suitable bride. Tamsyn sees a handsome earl offering a hefty allowance and a return to Cornwall.

The bargain suits them both. Tamsyn's secrets could put her in prison, and a husband who pays close attention could ruin her. An absent, uninterested spouse is exactly what she wants.

Then an unexpected clause in the will gives Tamsyn control of the inheritance. The arrangement is no longer convenient for Kit, who has his own dreams to fund and sets out to win her over with seduction.

This is a historical romance with a marriage-of-convenience premise, a rakish hero and a criminal heroine. The tone is playful and sensual, and the pair negotiate and scheme as much as they flirt.