Ash and the Butterfly

When scientist Luke Ashburton arrives to open the Earl of Bexley's new museum, the last thing he expects to find is the building on fire.

Luke is tasked with overseeing its salvage, but needs the late earl's field journals--all of which are written in code. Luckily, a brilliant young mathematician can help. Unfortunately, she is Grace Chetwood, a beautiful whirlwind he encountered at a ball years ago. The night began with attraction... and ended with a slap to the face.

Cracking the cipher is a welcome reprieve from Grace's messy life in London... but means working with Luke, a man she ardently wishes to hurl into the sea. Also stressful? The fact that she cannot stop thinking about him.

Over a week of long days and sleepless nights, Grace and Luke discover an uncommon ability to infuriate one another. But as hotter passions emerge, their connection grows deeper and more complicated than either could have ever imagined.


Ash and the Butterfly is a Regency-era romance. It is connected via shared characters to other books in The Secret Lives of Regency Ladies series, but each story stands alone. You need not have read the previous book to enjoy this one.