Book excerpt: Can a Regency belle buy true love on the marriage mart? Lady Lydia Eastlake has been the belle of Regency London society ever since her debut. The well-to-do heiress is in no hurry to wed since she cherishes both her independence and her influence for good…until the dark day she learns her fortune has vanished, forcing her to put herself back on the marriage market for one last golden season. Lydia needs a wealthy husband but what she finds is Captain Ned Lockton, a dashing war hero from a noble family. At first Lydia believes Ned, with his coolheaded charm and dangerous smile, is the man who can make allof her dreams come true. But then she discovers he is on the hunt for a rich bride who will rescue his own family from ruin. Too late, Lydia realizes she has lost not only her fortune, but her heart. As an unexpected danger closes in around them, she and Ned must decide if they are willing to surrender their tidy dreams for the future and pay the price of passion in each other’s arms… “Connie Brockway’s work brims with warmth, wit, sensuality and intelligence.”—Amanda Quick, New York Times bestselling author “Romance with strength, wit, and intelligence. Connie Brockway delivers!” — Tami Hoag, New York Times bestselling author “If it’s smart, sexy, and impossible to put down, it’s a book by Connie Brockway — Christina Dodd, New York Times bestselling author “If you’re looking for passion, tenderness, wit, and warmth, you need look no further. Connie Brockway is simply the best.” — Teresa Medeiros, New York Times bestselling author “Brockway’s lush, lyrical writing style is a perfect match for her vivid characters, beautiful atmospheric setting, and sensuous love scenes.” — Library Journal “Connie Brockway’s work belongs on every reader’s shelf!”—Romantic Times