The Gents

Julia Cummings has long been acquainted with loss - her mother, her brother, her sister, her friend, all gone too soon. But the loss that pushed her grief to the limit as a young girl was that of her best friend, Lucas Jonquil, who abandoned her without looking back. Now, eight years later, Lucas has returned to Lampton Park, and Julia has steeled herself - she will never forgive the man who broke her heart.

Amateur inventor Kester Barrington prefers the peace and quiet of his estate to the bustle of Society. But when his tight-knit group of friends, the Gents, descends on Livingsley Hall for their annual gathering, he stoically joins in their activities. It all seems exhausting - until an unexpected addition to the party catches his eye: his new neighbor, the lovely Violet. Violet Ridley longs to make friends in this new corner of the country, but her family’s fortune was made through investments rather than inheritance, and Society can be fickle.

Thirteen years ago, Henri Fortier left a tumultuous life in France to begin anew in England. His adopted country has become home, and his dearest friends, the Gents, are family. Unfortunately, ties to the past still plague him, and he’s forced to live in near destitution. Henri secretly publishes his poetry to supplement his meager income, but it is both insufficient and risky. A house party with the Gents promises a welcome distraction until he realizes that one of the guests is none other than Nicolette Beaulieu, the woman who stole—and broke—his heart years ago.

Yorkshire, 1787. The fateful day has arrived. Niles Greenberry has always known his family would eventually arrange a marriage for him, but he is certain that marrying Miss Penelope Seymour will cost him every dream he has. He’ll do anything to avoid the match altogether—even if it means disappearing. But the lovely Miss Seymour will not be so easily brushed aside.

Northumberland, 1786. Amid the upheaval of his newfound title, young Adam Boyce, now the Duke of Kielder, finds solace in the care of Robbie, his loyal nursemaid. Troubled by his past and bound by societal expectations, Adam finds his journey taking a hopeful turn when he’s welcomed into the embrace of Lord and Lady Jonquil at their esteemed estate, Brier Hill. Within the serene surroundings of Brier Hill, Adam and Robbie encounter Howard Simpkin, a charismatic gardener whose presence adds a touch of enchantment to their days.