A Rose Without Thorns — Lucy Kidd

Daughter of a bankrupt Virginia tobacco farmer, 16-year-old Susannah Bry finds herself alone and traveling to England to live with her mother's family at their lavish country estate. Life in 18th-century English society baffles the naive young American: spurned by her aristocratic aunt, facing a life of humiliation as a ladies' companion, Susannah manoeuvres her escape by marrying her kind, shy, scholarly cousin Harry. Although she doesn't love him, he worships her, and she thinks this will be enough to make the marriage work. Which somehow it does. Until, that is, she meets the passionate and fascinating actor, Nicholas Carrick...