Justin Reeve Netherwood, Earl of Kempthorn - better known to his friends as simply Thorn has failed for years to understand what his twin brother sees in their bothersome next-door neighbor. Miss Olivia Lydall is young, reckless, and most likely much too smitten with his brother. So when Olivia mistakenly asks Thorn to help her get the attention of a gentleman, Thorn readily agrees. What’s the harm in steering Olivia away from his brother…even while she thinks it’s his brother she’s getting help from all along? It’s a good plan, except Thorn doesn’t remember her being quite this charming, or quite this beautiful. But how can he claim a lady’s heart when what they have is built on deceit?

Olivia has always thanked her lucky stars she found a friend in her next door neighbour even though his dour twin brother is the very epitome of a tiresome bore. But when her plan to land a certain gent with the help of her friend leads her to fall for him instead, Olivia is in new territory. All of a sudden, there’s something about him that makes her want to succumb to him, give in to the passion he inspires within her. It’s almost as if she’s fallen in love with a completely new person…but how could it be true?