The Rake’s Accidental Engagement Scandal

A Regency Romance Story

“You realize this performance has cost me my freedom,” Jasper says, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. She doesn’t flinch. “Freedom is a luxury, Mr. Rathbone. For a woman in my position, survival is the only prize worth winning.”

When Phoebe Langdon, the ton’s most invisible wallflower, is discovered in a compromising embrace with the infamous Jasper Rathbone, the scandal is the talk of London. To the gossips, it is a tragedy. To Phoebe, it is a masterstroke.

Desperate to escape her cruel stepmother, Phoebe has gambled everything on a single, orchestrated moment of disgrace. She expected a cold marriage of convenience; she didn’t expect Jasper to be so... observant.

Jasper recognizes a trap when he’s stepped in one, yet he is inexplicably drawn to the quiet fire behind Phoebe’s facade. Their engagement is a tactical alliance—a contract signed in shadow to secure her independence and protect his family’s legacy.

But as their battle of wits moves from Mayfair ballrooms to a crumbling estate, the lines of their agreement blur. Behind Jasper’s cynical charm lies a haunted man, and within Phoebe dwells a passion that threatens to burn through her carefully constructed lies.

“You are a most inconvenient wallflower, Phoebe,” he murmurs. “And you,” she meets his gaze, “have finally met a game you cannot charm your way out of.”

In a world where every smile is a mask, they must decide if their accidental scandal was a ruinous mistake—or the only real thing they’ve ever known.

Perfect for fans of sharp-witted wallflowers and charming rogues, Margot St. James’s novel is a journey of simmering chemistry and high-stakes longing.

Uncover Phoebe’s daring story — buy your copy now!

©2026 Margot St. James (P)2026 Margot St. James

Exactly what I look for in this genre

If you like regency romances, this just feels right. The tone, the pacing, the characters... everything fits what you expect, but in a comforting way. I found it really easy to get into.

Inconvenient Wallflower

Phoebe is such a great character quiet on the surface, but with a strength that slowly comes through. Watching her disrupt Jasper's perfectly ordered world was honestly one of my favorite parts. Their story feels warm and earned by the end.

A wonderful regen

I found this book quite entertaining. The way both main characters are painted from the beginning helped me start relating with them. I like very much that none of them felt reduced to just serving the other's life. They felt like individual characters by their own right, having their storylines intersect and then their separate motivations push the ensuing narrative forward. This is a romance worth listening to.

Engaging Regency Tale

I didn't expect to get into it so fast, but after a couple of chapters I was already invested. It just flows really well, and you want to keep going to see how everything plays out.

Even their arguments feel intimate

There's something about the way they clash that feels almost more intense than the softer moments. Every argument carries this undercurrent of tension that never quite fades. You don't just hear the chemistry you feel it building, scene after scene.