Grey St Clair, newly-made Marquess of Granbury, is out for revenge against the family who ruined his own family. He has the means now to force her father to make Lady Serena Tyndall his mistress, and he does so, though he only intends to give the impression she is his mistress. She seems to be a milquetoast debutante, not his type. However, Serena decides not to be the 'Mouse' he calls her and takes the opportunity to explore her new freedom.
Someone recommended this book to me since I love a good grovel story, and this is one of the best of that type. Ms. Richards is a new author to me, but I like her writing very much. Her characters are funny and compelling, even the few friends and servants involved in the story. There's a good redemption arc for Serena's brothers, but the villain is appropriately evil in a real sociopathic manner. I loved the book, and now I'm delving into the rest of the author's back catalog. ( )