(A Victorian romance continuing family stories begun in the various Regency romance books of Mariana Gabrielle and Jude Knight.)

David "Toad" Northope is heir to the Duke of Wellbridge and a rogue in the mold of his infamous father. Despite his reputation, he knows Lady Sarah “Sal” Grenford, daughter of the once-profligate Duke of Haverford, will always hold his heart. But when the two teens are caught in bed together by their horrified parents, he is sent away to finish school on the Continent, and she is thrown into the depths of her first London Season.

Can two reformed rakes keep their children from making the same mistakes they did? The dukes decide keeping them apart will do the trick, so as the children reach their majority, Toad is put to work at sea, learning to manage his mother's shipping concern, and Sal is taken to the other side of the world, as far from him as possible. How will Toad and Sal’s love withstand long years of separation, not to mention nasty lies, vicious rumors, attractive other suitors, and well-meaning parents who threaten to destroy their future before it has begun?

Lord Abersham and Lady Sarah are the best of friends and too young for affairs of the heart—but they are growing up fast. After nine months touring the Continent with his parents, Toad Abersham will soon be sent away to finish his education, and Sally Grenford has years to wait before she is old enough to be presented at Court and married to the man she’s loved since the cradle.

Sally has only four weeks filled with mistletoe and holiday outings to convince Toad to see her as a woman, in her first long dress, impeded by the sudden distance he is placing between them. But she has never let Toad’s reticence stop her from dragging him into mischief before.

Toad battles rising lustful feelings for his best friend, an innocent whom he would not hurt for the world. However, still captivated by his newly acquired skills as a rake-about-town, he is not remotely prepared to be married. But since he has never been able to say no to Sally, Toad is led to indiscretions he would never commit with another young lady.

For her part, Sally is delighted Toad can be so easily led.