The Jilted Bride and the Beast
(2026)(The first book in the Wounds and Scandals series)
A novel by Emily Barnet
‘He hides from the world. She refuses to look away.’
When meticulous book restorer Cynthia Fairchild arrives at Ashvale Hall, she expects dust, damage… and solitude.
What she does not expect is a voice in the shadows.
The reclusive Duke of Ashvale has not been seen in three years, since the fire that scarred his face and shattered his life. He does not receive visitors. He does not tolerate disruption.
And he certainly does not argue about books with a woman who refuses to be intimidated.
But Cynthia is not like other women.
She challenges his order.
She dismantles his silence.
She looks at him, and does not flinch.
As long-buried secrets begin to surface within the ruined library, so does something far more dangerous:
hope.
But Cynthia is not as safe as she seems.
A man from her past is watching.
Waiting.
And willing to destroy everything she has built.
Now, as desire and danger close in, the Duke must decide,
Is he willing to step out of the shadows…
for a woman who might not survive them?
A slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers Regency romance featuring a scarred duke, a brilliant heroine, forced proximity, and simmering tension that refuses to stay buried.
Perfect for readers who enjoy brooding dukes, brave heroines, and slow-burn passion with a guaranteed happily ever after, no cheating, no cliffhangers.
Also free with Kindle Unlimited.
Genre: Historical Romance
When meticulous book restorer Cynthia Fairchild arrives at Ashvale Hall, she expects dust, damage… and solitude.
What she does not expect is a voice in the shadows.
The reclusive Duke of Ashvale has not been seen in three years, since the fire that scarred his face and shattered his life. He does not receive visitors. He does not tolerate disruption.
And he certainly does not argue about books with a woman who refuses to be intimidated.
But Cynthia is not like other women.
She challenges his order.
She dismantles his silence.
She looks at him, and does not flinch.
As long-buried secrets begin to surface within the ruined library, so does something far more dangerous:
hope.
But Cynthia is not as safe as she seems.
A man from her past is watching.
Waiting.
And willing to destroy everything she has built.
Now, as desire and danger close in, the Duke must decide,
Is he willing to step out of the shadows…
for a woman who might not survive them?
A slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers Regency romance featuring a scarred duke, a brilliant heroine, forced proximity, and simmering tension that refuses to stay buried.
Perfect for readers who enjoy brooding dukes, brave heroines, and slow-burn passion with a guaranteed happily ever after, no cheating, no cliffhangers.
Also free with Kindle Unlimited.
Genre: Historical Romance
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Used availability for Emily Barnet's The Jilted Bride and the Beast