A Most Desirable Marriage

A Twist of Fate at Sherringham Manor

A Most Desirable Marriage sweeps readers into the picturesque Devon countryside, where the grand façade of Sherringham Manor hides as many secrets as the sprawling gardens that surround it. When Charlotte Everett arrives as governess to young Arabella Sinclair, she brings with her a quiet dignity and a determination to keep her past firmly behind her. Yet from her very first encounter with the formidable Lord Sinclair—recently widowed and burdened by duty—Charlotte senses that their lives are destined to intertwine in ways neither could have foreseen. Between whispered confidences in candlelit corridors and chance meetings by the rose arbors, the chemistry between them simmers beneath polite society’s veneer.

Secrets Behind the Painted Ceilings

As Charlotte settles into her role, she uncovers fragments of a tragic history: a scandalous courtship cut short, a missing heirloom with strange powers of persuasion, and family portraits whose eyes seem to follow every visitor. Lord Sinclair’s own reticence masks a devoted father fiercely protective of Arabella, even as rumors swirl about his late wife’s untimely death. When a traveling artist arrives to restore a series of murals in the Great Hall, Charlotte’s curiosity leads her to stolen letters and encrypted verses hidden within the frescoes themselves. Each revelation draws her closer to the truth—and closer to the man she was taught never to trust.

When Hearts Defy Convention

In a climax set beneath the manor’s ancient yew tree, Charlotte and Lord Sinclair must decide whether to honor society’s rigid expectations or to follow their own courageous impulses. Their tender moments—stolen dances in the moonlight, urgent whispers exchanged over tea trays—culminate in an act of defiance that changes both their destinies. With lush prose and richly drawn characters, A Most Desirable Marriage invites readers to believe that love, when pursued with honesty and bravery, can overcome the strictest conventions and the gravest misunderstandings.

. Hilary Boyd is a bestselling British author celebrated for her evocative depictions of early 20th-century society, her nuanced exploration of women’s agency, and her gift for weaving romance with keen social insight.