When Charles Trent, the Earl of Bythorne and Britain's premier rake, plummeted into Hester Blayne's life, he proved to be as wicked and arrogant, not to say breath-stoppingly handsome as expected. The man actually expected her to take his earnest ward under her wing and persuade the damsel to marry the man of his choice. For his part, Trent found England's premier feminist firebrand absolutely infuriating. She was plain, dedicated to her philosophy, and completely unimpressed by his charm. It was not long, however, before Hester realized that beneath Trent's handsome exterior lay a man of sensitivity and warmth. For his part, Trent soon abandoned his prejudice against plain, dedicated firebrands and found himself drawn to Hester's wit, charm, and intelligence. And come to think of it, she really wasn't all that plain, was she? The battle of the sexes was about to claim two more victims, but who would be the first to concede defeat?… (more)