This set of two novellas is a satisfying regency read. In the first, Ms. Burrowes tells a tale of friends-to-lovers. Philippe, Duke of Lavelle, is in love with his childhood friend, Harriet Talbot, the daughter of his former stable master. Harriet loves him also, but brought up around horses doesn't have the 'feminine wiles' to make her feelings known. There's a series of misunderstandings that eventually work out in this lovely story.
In the second novella, Ms. Romain tells the story of the Duke's sister, Ava, who has hidden away in the country because of rumors spread by a gossip-sheet in London. When the reporter, Colin Goddard, comes to interview her, she sees a way to use him for her own purposes. She doesn't count on falling in love with him. It's a sweet story and well-paired with the first novella. ( )