Rescued from a life of hardship by her wealthy uncle, Lucy Garwood can't escape the shadow of her elitist relatives. She longs to be loved and respected in her own right, but it seems that as an orphan, her place amongst her bluebood family is unlikely to improve—that is until a case of mistaken identity leads to a kiss from a dashing stranger... Robert Renquist, Duke of Lindorough, is determined to win the heart of the lovely Maude. But in an attempt to sweep her off of her feet with a daring act of passion, it isn't Maude he kisses, but her half-niece instead. Though conscious of his standing in society, Robert can't deny his unmistakable attraction to Lucy, and he'll soon discover there is only one thing more powerful than his noble lineage—love.