A Betrothal of Necessity: A Fake Betrothal Enemies-to-Lovers Regency Romance (The Ashford Deception Trilogy Book 1) Kindle Edition

A desperate widow, a cold-hearted spy, and a fake betrothal that could cost them their lives—or their hearts.Twenty-six-year-old widow Eliza Harrow knows that society’s version of protection is little more than a gilded cage. But when her earnest younger brother, Edmund, unwittingly handles stolen naval signal codes and supply routes as a clerk, Eliza must step out of the shadows to save him from the gallows. Her only hope lies in a dangerous bargain with Nicholas Vale, Lord Ashford—a calculating agent for the War Office tasked with unearthing the leak.Ashford proposes a scandalous solution: a fake betrothal. The arrangement will shelter Edmund under the formidable Ashford name and grant Nicholas the proximity he needs to hunt the traitor through London's elite drawing rooms. However, Nicholas is a man who relies on absolute control, and Eliza fiercely refuses to be treated as a pawn in his strategic games.As they navigate encrypted invitations, hidden couriers, and the vicious whispers of the ton, the boundaries of their arrangement begin to blur. But the stakes turn deadly when the investigation points toward a traitor hiding behind the crest of Ashford’s own aristocratic family. With the War Office demanding a scapegoat and enemies closing in, Eliza and Nicholas must learn to trust each other's autonomy—before the glittering net of society destroys them both.Fans of Regency suspense, historical mystery, and slow-burn fake engagement romances will be captivated by Eva Lyndale’s thrilling tale of espionage and fierce independence. Read more