Ruined

You'll never read a darker tale.

The duke of Ashton sits at the Opera at Vauxhall Gardens, bored out of his mind, and plans murder. He curses the day that brought the little governess, destitute and sad, at his door eight months ago, to upset his careless if a bit meaningless existence.

How could he have guessed the terrible, evil secrets she was hiding? And now that he knows all, the truth appears wilder, even more despicable than even he could have imagined. He hadn't counted on losing his heart to her, of course, but he did.

What he doesn't know is that a tendril of the shadows of madness and sin that followed Beatrice to his door is still out there, looking for something to devour. The only one who can save him from the darkness is the girl herself, but he knows he'll never see her again.

He who once prided himself on his indifference to other human beings, feels his chest constrict with pain every time he even thinks of her. Beatrice, smart, gentle, kind-hearted, lovely. Ruined.

A perfect blend of darkness and light, this romance/mystery Regency reverse retelling of Jane Eyre will break your heart as well as uplift it.