He set out to win a kiss—but found himself losing his heart.

Lord Henry Brinton, a notorious rake with a taste for mischief, has never been one to refuse a wager. Especially when it involves charming one of the most elusive lady of the season. When his friend dares him to steal a kiss from Miss Lily Ashworth, the spirited spinster famed for her withering glances and spine of steel, Henry accepts the challenge, certain he’ll claim victory well before Twelfth Night.

But Lily Ashworth is no simpering debutante. With four sisters happily wed, she has resigned herself to independence, preferring the company of books to that of bothersome suitors. She has little patience for rogues or romantic schemes, and Lord Brinton—with his disarming smile and tempting eyes—is exactly the sort of man she’s vowed to avoid.

As the grand Christmas house party at Wintervale Manor unfolds, so begins a delightfully spirited duel of hearts. Henry is determined to melt her icy resolve, while Lily is resolute in keeping her heart untouched. Yet as fires crackle, snow falls, and mistletoe graces every doorway, Henry realizes he’s no longer playing a simple game of flirtation. He finds himself ensnared by his own wager, longing to win the heart of a woman who sees him as capable of everything—except sincerity.