Deception, passion, and love collide in this bewitching

novel in New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas’

wildly popular Hathaway series

Beatrix Hathaway would much rather spend time with her

collection of rescued animals than flirting in a stuffy ballroom. If her

unconventional behavior earns the mockery of handsome rakes like Captain

Christopher Phelan, so be it. She’d rather stay true to herself, even if it

means never finding love.

Christopher’s courtship of Beatrix’s friend, the vivacious

but flighty Prudence Mercer, is interrupted when his regiment is sent to fight

in the Crimea. After a particularly devastating battle, he writes a letter to

Prudence, unaware that the spoiled beauty has decided she doesn’t want to wait

for him.

Since Prudence won’t reply to the world-weary soldier,

Beatrix offers to write a letter for her—and she signs it as Pru. A lively,

witty correspondence begins, and gradually turns into something deeper as they

share the secrets of their hearts. To Beatrix’s despair, she’s fallen for a man

who thinks she’s someone else, and she’ll never be able to reveal her

deception.

Christopher, now a decorated hero, comes back to claim the

woman he loves. Soon, however, he realizes Prudence is very different from her letters

. . . and he’s bewildered by his inexplicable attraction to the eccentric

Beatrix Hathaway . . .