Trevor Anaedsley, the heir of a duke, is in the country avoiding creditors and his grandfather who is determined that Trevor should marry. While there, he is annoying the heck out of his old tutor's daughter, Mellie Smithson. Mellie thinks that her scientific father might actually pay attention to her and her scientific designs if only that -- former pupil -- would leave. Not to mention the fact that he keeps getting embroiled in her family's plan to marry her off to her cousin, the hulking poet, Ronnie.
So Trevor comes up with the idea that they should pretend to be engaged. That way they can each further their own plans without ever having to do the actual deed. Does this ever work in romance novels? Nope. No it doesn't.
Mellie was an interesting heroine. Definitely an example of plopping down a character with modern ideas but I think that Lee made it work. The rest of the story was a bit uneven for me (especially the ending which was WAY overdone) but mostly a good book that won't deter me from reading more by this author.
