The False Bride

A lifelong betrothal. A chance encounter. And a mistake that changes everything.

Engaged since childhood to the formidable Field Marshal Georg von Hartenberg, Evangeline Stafford-Hill is quite certain her future husband must be cold, humourless, and old enough to be her father. Determined to see the truth for herself, she sets out to find him. For what could possibly go wrong?

Only everything.

Stranded by a storm at a crowded inn, a desperate Evie passes her feverish companion off as "Lady Evangeline" to secure the last available bed. She has no idea she has been overheard by the gentleman himself. Mistaking the invalid companion for his intended bride, Field Marshal Georg von Hartenberg assumes the real Evie is nothing grander than a sharp-tongued lady's maid.

Georg has not survived a war by letting anyone close, least of all a slip of a girl with a quick wit and a gift for turning up where she should not. He has no intention of losing his head to anyone, certainly not to a servant.

Yet behind the waltzes, Vienna plays a deadlier game. When a ruthless, shadowy organisation threatens the people she loves, Evie is forced into an impossible bargain: betray the very man she is coming to love, or watch her family fall.

As deception folds into deception, two people armoured against love find themselves perilously outmatched. And when the truth comes out, it will either ruin them both or hand them the one thing they never dared want.

The False Bride is a sweet and clean Regency romance brimming with wit, warmth, and a thread of danger. Perfect for fans of betrothed strangers, mistaken identities, and grumpy heroes.

The False Bride is the third book of the Viennese Waltz Series but can be read as a standalone.

Set against the backdrop of Vienna's 1814 elegance, diplomacy, and intrigue, this series twirls through the entwined destinies of friends, enemies, and lost lovers in charming tales of love, desire and courtship.

Prequel: My Lady, Will you Dance?

Book 1: The Forgotten Duke

Book 2: The Forbidden Waltz