The Shrine of Venus

ONE FAKE ENGAGEMENT. TWO PROBLEMS SOLVED.If there is one thing Venus Honeyfield is sure of, it's that she will one day be the official mistress of the abandoned, ruined estate of Hartwell...until the eternally grumpy Julian Rowe appears with the deed claiming his ownership over it. When her attempt to steal back said deed has the entirety of Oxbury convinced that she was in Julian's bedchamber for an illicit rendezvous, Venus knows she must act fast before her reputation is lost to her forever.Julian Rowe came to Oxbury for some peace-and to escape the wagging tongues of both his family and London society. But his search for solitude is cut short by the appearance of the irritatingly beautiful Venus, who seems hellbent on preventing him from making a home of Hartwell. As rumors of their alleged love affair spread like wildfire, Julian makes a proposal that he believes will silence his family and repair Venus's reputation in one fell swoop. All they have to do is playact at being wildly in love-and engaged.Having made her bargain with Julian, Venus finds herself whisked off to London. While there, she begins to piece together why Julian is so intent on making his escape-all the while attempting to figure out a way to keep him from making a home of Hartwell. If only she could stop her heart from getting so involved. After all, she and Julian are only pretending to be in love... aren't they?