At a Victorian house party in the stormy English countryside, a marquess set to inherit a dukedom must find the perfect bride, but he craves the one woman he can never marry.

Grayson Hawkridge, soon to be Duke of Carthwaite, has been summoned to his ancestral family home by his dying father. The ailing duke has one command—find the perfect bride at the house party that has been arranged by two elderly matchmakers for Gray's benefit. Unfortunately, the only woman who truly intrigues him is the vexing redhead he can never have.

Evangeline Granger does her best to avoid Gray, Marquess of Rothwell, whenever she encounters him at the society functions her aunt is forever hosting. She has no intention of ever marrying, and the man disturbs her peace of mind. He's far too attractive, too magnetic, and thoroughly out of her reach for anything other than the maddening banter that seems to spark between them whenever they're in each other's proximity.

But as the house party goes awry and Evie gets to know Gray beyond his dazzling facade, she finds her heart ignoring all her arguments against falling in love.