[1] The novel opens in 1821, when 21-year-old Michael Lawler, Marquess of Bourne, wagers his entire inheritance in a card game - and loses it all to his former guardian.
He discovers that his former family estate is now part of the dowry of his childhood best friend, Lady Penelope Marbury.
Determined to gain control over the land, Bourne compromises her; with her reputation ruined, she will be forced to marry him.
[3][4] A Publishers Weekly review found that the focus on the hero and heroine's insecurity became "tiresome", but lauded the comic relief provided by the secondary characters.
In an article in The Guardian, Calla Wahlquist described the heroine, Lady Penelope, as "interesting and funny",[4] while author Christina Lauren called Penelope her favorite kind of heroine - "sassy [and] smart",[5] Reviewers agreed that for the first half of the book, the hero, Bourne, was completely unlikable.