Book excerpt: For Lucy marrying equals giving up her dream of being an artist – but her best friend Edmund makes the choice much more difficult Lady Lucy Montagu has always wanted to be an artist and knows that the responsibilities of being a wife and mother would get in her way. She has been happy to give it up in order to paint – until her childhood friend Edmund returns from his Grand Tour of Europe. Because even though she will not marry, she is curious as to what happens between a husband and wife in the bedroom and perhaps Edmund can help her explore that. Edmund however is not ready to abide her wishes – unless she marries him. Having secretly been in love with Lucy for years Edmund knows that he cannot settle on being merely her lover, he wants her heart as well. But is Lucy prepared to give him that? If you like steamy stories from the Regency Era, this novel might be for you. A Portrait of Love is the third book in the series Lust and Longing. It is a Historical Regency Romance of friends to lovers, lust and art with a happy ever after.