The Last Offer — Chasity Bowlin

Miss Olivia Dunne was the darling of society until a thwarted abduction and elopement scheme by an unscrupulous man left her reputation in tatters. But having moved from paragon to pariah, Olivia realizes that there is no reason for her to continue abiding by society's mandates. In fact, she decides to embrace her scandalous nature and do the very thing she's been accused of… take a lover. The man she's chosen is one she's secretly loved for years, but she'll need to employ the aid of an unlikely ally to carry it off.

Lord Burke, Viscount Holland, has loved Olivia for years. He even offered for her once, only to be summarily dismissed by her older brother, his oldest friend. With his pride still stinging, Burke is confronted with the horrible truth that Olivia had never rejected him at all. Her brother never told her of Burke's interest in her. But if he tells her now, she'll take it for pity and reject him out of hand. The only way to make her his wife is to first accept her offer to be his mistress.

But not everyone wishes to see the couple achieve a happy ending. Some will do whatever it takes to keep them apart. Can true love prevail or will pride and greed conspire to keep them apart forever?

***This is a novella (not a novel) of approximately 30,000 words, which is half the length of a typical novel. It is however a complete story with no cliffhangers. It's a perfect read for when you don't have a lot of time to invest.***