Whispers and Spies: A Victorian Historical Mystery (The Shadow of the Black Rose)

To stop a conspiracy, they must become lovers. To survive it, they must become partners.

The Black Rose Society is plotting treason, and the Crown needs agents inside. Lady Helena Ashford-diplomat's daughter, brilliant observer, and keeper of too many secrets-is the perfect choice. But infiltrating the Society's inner circle requires the one thing she's never had to fake before: a devoted fiancé.

Enter Major James Westwood, a war-scarred soldier with ghosts he can't outrun and a limp that reminds him daily of the men he failed to save. He'll play Helena's devoted fiancé. He'll charm Society matrons and infiltrate treasonous gatherings. What he won't do is fall for a woman who deserves far better than a broken soldier with nothing left to lose.

But as Helena and James wade deeper into the conspiracy-navigating masked balls, decoding secret meetings, and dodging the Society's suspicions-their pretend devotion starts feeling dangerously real. The Raven, the Society's enigmatic leader, is planning something catastrophic: the assassination of a Crown diplomat that could plunge Britain into chaos.

Racing against time, Helena and James must unmask the traitor before the Society strikes. But in a world where one wrong move means exposure and death, the greatest danger isn't the conspiracy they're hunting-it's the feelings they can no longer deny.

Tropes You'll Enjoy: Fake engagement/relationship Forced proximity Grumpy/sunshine Spy romance Enemies-to-lovers elements Partners in danger Slow burn

The Shadow of the Black Rose series

Book 1 - Whispers and Spies

Book 2 - The Spy in Disguise

Book 3 - Protect the Prince