Runaway Heiress: The First Historical Romance – A Smart Heroine in Disguise Finds Forbidden Love with a Grumpy Earl in Cornwall (Dare to Defy, 1)

Runaway Heiress: The First Historical Romance – A Smart Heroine in Disguise Finds Forbidden Love with a Grumpy Earl in Cornwall (Dare to Defy, 1)

When a runaway heiress runs into trouble, she may end up exactly where she belongs in this brand new series by USA Today bestselling author Syrie James…  Brainy and college-educated, American heiress Alexandra Atherton will do anything to avoid marriage to the English peer her mother has chosen for her--even abandon the life of privilege she's always known. But as her escape goes horribly wrong, Alexandra must invent a new identity to gain the help of a handsome stranger. Thomas Carlyle, the Earl of Longford, sweeps in and out of London disguised as a humble artist, earning just enough to keep his ancestral Cornwall estate afloat. When Alexandra crashes into his life, she awakens feelings and desires that he vows will stay buried. Despite himself, he needs this beautiful newcomer, for his sisters have run off another governess. Alexandra is surprised to find she thrives in her new position at Longford's home. But as she grows closer to Thomas and his sisters, and her relationship with the emotionally guarded earl unleashes their hidden passions, the truth Alexandra's been forced to hide may end up coming between her and the only man she's ever loved.  Brainy and college-educated, American heiress Alexandra Atherton will do anything to avoid marriage to the English peer her mother has chosen for her—even abandon the life of privilege she’s always known. But as her escape goes horribly wrong, Alexandra must invent a new identity to gain the help of a handsome stranger. Thomas Carlyle, the Earl of Longford, sweeps in and out of London disguised as a humble artist, earning just enough to keep his ancestral Cornwall estate afloat. When Alexandra crashes into his life, she awakens feelings and desires that he vows will stay buried. Despite himself, he needs this beautiful newcomer, for his sisters have run off another governess. Alexandra is surprised to find she thrives in her new position at Longford’s home. But as she grows closer to Thomas and his sisters, and her relationship with the emotionally guarded earl unleashes their hidden passions, the truth Alexandra’s been forced to hide may end up coming between her and the only man she’s ever loved. Syrie James  is the  USA Today  and Amazon bestselling author of thirteen novels including the critically acclaimed  The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen; Jane Austen's First Love; Forbidden; Dracula, My Love; The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë ;  Nocturne ;  Runaway Heiress ;  Summer of Scandal; Duke Darcy's Castle; Floating on Air ; Two Week Deal; and   the international bestseller  The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen . An admitted Anglophile, Syrie loves all things British and 19th century. Her novels have hit many Best of the Year lists, won the Audie Romance Award, and been designated as Library Journal Editor’s Picks and the Women's National Book Association’s Great Group Read. Syrie lives in Los Angeles and is a member of JASNA, the Historical Novel Society, and the Writer's Guild of America.  Visit Syrie at www.syriejames.com.