Dear Reader,
I ought to warn you before we begin: you are about to embark upon a tour of a town where most of the inhabitants thrive upon scandal—or, at the very least, the hope of discovering one. It is therefore of the utmost importance to put your best foot forward. If you cannot manage that, then put forward your best friend instead, or do your very best to keep your scandal secret. That, at least, is what I have attempted to do—though I cannot say with great success.
Ah, introductions! My name is Emmeline Lockhart, though my friends (and those who hope to be) call me Emme. I reside in the small yet flourishing spa town of St. Groves. You may think of it as a miniature of Bath, if Bath were tucked amid the rolling emerald hills of Derbyshire and possessed rather more gossip than grandeur.
One of the pleasures of arriving in St. Groves—if one is not already overcome by the jostling of the carriage or the chatter of one’s companions—is the beauty of its sandstone buildings, honey-gold in the sunlight and huddled snugly along the curves of the Wye River. The river divides at the base of the town and curls like a silver ribbon around both sides, so that, from a high ridge or crag, one might mistake it for a painting come to life.
On a neighboring hillside stands Ruthon Hall, the grand estate of Lord and Lady Ruthon, who reign as the unspoken sovereigns of our little kingdom. They are so esteemed that nearly every new building bears their family name—or one of their daughters’. We have the Ruthon Cross Hospital, the Glorianna Theatre, and even a Ruthon Assembly Room, though most of us suspect Lady Ruthon’s influence had as much to do with the naming as Lord Ruthon’s purse.
Of course, there are other sights of note. The magnificent spires of St. Michael’s Church, founded in Saxon times (though rebuilt in the year of our Lord 1200), rise above the rooftops like a sentinel. Greenleigh Chapel, where my dear cousin serves as rector, rests just beyond the town’s edge; its square bell tower peeks above a copse of beech trees like a curious child.
Our High Street boasts several elegant buildings—the Pump Room, the Guild Hall, and a fine collection of shops. There is Fox’s Haberdashery (where one may spend a fortune on ribbons and still claim it a necessity), Gilead’s Booksellers (a personal favorite), and Capri’s Teashop, where one may overhear all the latest scandals for the price of a cup of Ceylon. We have two milliners, a jeweler or two, a respectable tailor, and even a silk merchant, Mr. Patel, whose wares are so exquisite that one feels almost unworthy to wear them.
At the crest of the High Street sits the Royal Crescent, a proud half-moon of elegant townhouses with a view of the river so fine that the residents feel they must always keep up appearances for fear the scenery will outshine them. Naturally, I do not live there.
You ask where I make my home?
I reside two miles beyond town, at a small country house called Thistlecroft—a cheerful, ivy-clad place with wide windows, a rambling garden, and a temperament as warm as its name is prickly. Should you ever find yourself passing that way, do stop by. I can promise an excellent pot of tea, a tempting array of biscuits, and an abundance of novels to tempt you into adventure…or romance (Did you also feel the thrill of anticipation?).
I am excessively fond of novels. And, unfortunately, I am equally fond of the Viscount of Ravenscross, who, I regret to say, is not fond of novels at all.
But to learn more of him—or of any of my scandalous secrets—you will have to linger longer in St. Groves. The gossipmongers will be only too delighted to assist you… and perhaps to winkle out one or two of your secrets as well.
Until then,
Yours ever,
Emmeline Lockhart
SENSE AND SUITABILITY by Pepper Basham
A sweet Regency, enemies-to-lovers rom-com
In this clean Regency rom-com, a woman with a scandalous past (and an even more scandalous secret) swears off love—until the man who broke her heart needs her help. What could possibly go wrong? Perfect for fans of Tessa Dare and Eloisa James looking for a low-spice, witty Regency romance.
After two failed social seasons, her family may think the third time will be a charm, but Emmeline Lockhart just wants to survive with her dignity (and singleness) intact. She thought she’d found her perfect match in Simon Reeves—charming, handsome, a veritable hero from a novel—until he vanished from her life without so much as a “farewell” or “my deepest regrets” (or even a vague apology scribbled on the back of a calling card). Lesson learned: never fall for a man known for his charm.
Fortunately, and unlike many of the other eligible young ladies of the ton, Emmeline has no need for a husband—because she’s already found success in her scandalous (and very anonymous) profession as an author. Why bother with matrimony when she can make her own fortune and write men exactly the way she wants them?
But fate—or the misfortune of Simon’s reckless patriarchs—has other plans. Simon’s once-proud estate is in shambles, his family fortune has been gambled away, and the younger impressionable siblings in his care are running wild across his estate (and possibly across all of England). Simon is in desperate need of a wealthy, prestigious bride . . . and a friend.
Emmeline may not fit the role of heiress, but she can certainly be a friend. Just a friend. She’ll help him find a suitable match, ensure his reputation remains intact, and keep things strictly platonic—no matter how dangerously appealing his new-and-improved sincerity and regret may be.
There’s just one small problem: the undeniable chemistry that still smolders between them. Can Emme play matchmaker for the man she’s still in love with without losing her heart all over again? And is it possible that some love stories—especially the messy, inconvenient, impossible ones—are worthy of a rewrite?
Filled with lively banter, adorable children, a frog named Blast, and swoony kisses, Sense and Suitability is the clean Regency romance you’ve been looking for. Basham brings her signature humor to the Regency era where social strictures keep the tension tight but the stakes low in this second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance.
Audiobook Narrators- Fiona Hardingham, Christopher Ashman
Romance Historical | Christian [Nelson, Thomas, Inc., On Sale: October 14, 2025, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780840717061 / eISBN: 9780840717146]
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About Pepper Basham
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of 5 great kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus. Her debut historical novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in May 2015 and has garnered awards such as Reader’s Favorites Award, finalist in the Grace Awards, and shortlisted for the Inspy Awards. Her second historical novel, The Thorn Keeper, released in Feb 2016 and her first contemporary romance, A Twist of Faith, released in April 2016 with a 4 star review from Romantic Times.
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