USA Today bestseller Karen Hawkins brings us another breathtaking and imaginative tale, full of her trademark wit and humour. Wealthy, powerful Marcus St. John has the golden touch. He has never, ever been on the verge of failure . . . until now.

The famed St. John talisman ring has fallen into the clutches of Miss Honoria Baker-Sneed, a winsome, annoying woman who will not relinquish the treasure unless Marcus St. John agrees to sponsor her sister into society. He refuses until a heated argument ends in a stolen kiss . . . And more.

Marcus and Honoria are caught in a compromising position and must marry. Marcus finds his pristine palatial house invaded by his new wife, her lively family, their pets and servants. Mischief and mayhem ensue . . . especially at night. In bed and out, Marcus finds Honoria his equal in every way, until he discovers that her heart might be too stubborn to let him in. Determined, Marcus sets out to win the one thing he cannot bear to lose: his own wife -  the only woman he has ever loved.

"In this delightful Regency romance from bestseller Hawkins (And the Bride Wore Plaid), two high-born antiques experts each believe they care for their own opinions too much to ever marry happily. But when touched by the helping hand of an ancient curse — or blessing — even strong opinions can be rethought. Marcus St. John, the marquis of Treymount, has finally discovered that the St. John talisman ring, a family heirloom rumored to find its bearer his own true love, has made its way into the possession of his antique auction nemesis, Miss Honoria Baker-Sneed. Desperate for funds after a bad investment has left her and her younger siblings in difficult straits, Honoria offers to sell Marcus the ring for an outrageous sum, sparking a series of tense negotiations complicated by a swelling attraction. A too-public kiss sends the couple to the altar, but while the talisman ring can find a St. John his bride, it takes Marcus himself to keep her. Lively, fast-paced and liberal with humor, Hawkins's final book on the St. John brothers comes to the perfect conclusion. Agent, Karen Solem of Spencerhill and Associates. FYI: Hawkins contributed stories to the anthologies The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown and Lady Whistledown Strikes Back, both spearheaded by romance powerhouse Julia Quinn. She was also a double RWA Rita Award finalist in 2003." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Sometimes ...
Men can be such fools.

Wealthy and powerful Marcus St. John, the Marquis of Treymount, must recover a lost family heirloom. All he has to do is convince the irritatingly beautiful Miss Honoria Baker-Sneed to relinquish his treasure for a reasonable sum. How difficult could that be?

Sometimes ...
Women can be so emotional.

Honoria is astounded when Marcus shows up on her doorstep and arrogantly demands she surrender a ring that is rightfully hers. Irritated at such high-handed methods, she refuses.

And sometimes ...
Love can be a complete surprise.

Heated arguments end in a scorching kiss that embroils them in a horrid scandal. Marcus finds he must wed the brazen beauty, only to realize that somehow, Honoria has stolen her way into his heart. Can he convince Honoria that he is worthy of her regard? Or will he lose the only woman he has ever loved?

Attempting to recover a lost family heirloom from its new owner, Marcus St. John finds himself in a compromising position with Miss Honoria Baker-Sneed, and he's forced to wed the stubborn yet winsome lady. Original.

Karen Hawkins was raised in Tennessee, a member of a huge extended family that included her brother and sister, an adopted sister, numerous foster siblings and various exchange students. In order to escape the chaos (and whilst hiding when it was her turn to do the dishes), she would huddle under the comforter on her bed with a flashlight and a book, a habit she still embraces to this day. For more information about Karen, or pictures of her chasing a box of donuts while training for a road race, visit her at www.karenhawkins.com or write to her at Karen Hawkins, P.O. Box 5292, Kingsport, TN 37663-5292.