Henry needs no lessons in charm and wants none in art history, but a trip to Italy and a fake marriage teach him to be the man who can win Ellie’s heart.

Traveling to Italy to study art history is a fantasy fulfilled for Ellie, even if the only way to do it is to pretend to be married to her best friend—and notorious rake—Henry.

Widowed at twenty-four, Eleanor’s life is lonely, the only bright spot being her annual Christmas visits with her dear friend Henry, the secret object of her affection. After her miserable marriage comes to a merciful end, she turns to Henry to find the adventure missing in her life. Posing as husband and wife will allow them to travel without causing a scandal, but when she raises the stakes by asking him to teach her how to be a good lover, she opens her guarded heart to be broken again.

Henry is London’s favorite idle nobleman and walking scandal, but few know the secret torment he carries in his soul. He hasn’t admitted to anyone—including himself—that he has loved her for years, certain she would never find him a suitable husband. But helping Ellie travel to Italy raises his spirits for the first time in years and comes at a cost—he will have to confront the shameful secret in their shared past and the terrible decision that may tear them apart.

Will Ellie and Henry find the love they are looking for in each other, or will their damaged pasts destroy their future?

The Countess and the Casanova is a steamy, open-door romance, perfect for lovers of witty banter, road trips, and the love that exists between best friends.