Book excerpt: From the author of The Debutante’s Dilemma comes a Regency romance celebrating the witty and romantic world that fans of Georgette Heyer have fallen in love with. “Simpson excels at imbuing her realistic characters with subtle depths!” —John Charles, American Library Association For as long as she or anyone else can remember, the beautiful but cold Rachel Neville has always adhered strictly to society’s rules, and she is now reaping the rewards with an offer of marriage from an eminently suitable fiancé. Yet despite the secure future that lies ahead, Rachel is suddenly questioning her acquiescence to the strictures of the ton—and her future husband. Stranger still, she is preoccupied with thoughts of Colin Varens, a wholly unsuitable man whose proposals she has rejected several times. Colin can’t remember a time when his heartfelt declarations for Rachel weren’t being rebuffed, but the rough-and-tumble country gentleman has finally come to terms with the rejection—and Rachel’s betrothal—and has made peace with her as friends. But as he and Rachel spend more time together, he finds her once-haughty manner thawing into the warmth and vivaciousness that attracted him so many years ago, just as he is finding a growing strength and confidence of his own. As Rachel finds comfort in Colin’s strong embraces and the unfamiliar emotions simmering within, Colin must struggle with feelings he thought stifled once and for all and admit the hope he still carries in his heart. And as Rachel’s marriage draws near and both of them confront the reality of a life without the other, they will discover that the habits of a lifetime are not carved in stone, because a lady’s change of heart can change everything. This is a fully revised edition of a book originally titled Rachel’s Change of Heart.