Bridgerton 1: The Duke And I

By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend"s sister—the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it"s all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it"s hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it"s his devilish smile, certainly it"s the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.