When three of the Crown's top operatives travel to the former colonies to escort the new Duke of Westmoure to England, they encounter murder, the intrusive effects of slavery and hate, an illegal marriage, a life-changing time-honored principle, and an eavesdropping right-hand man.

The backdrop is the Regency Period, with characters that defy convention, setting a new standard for stodgy aristocrats.

As the whys of murder, espionage, smuggling, greed, and anger unfold, there are encounters with a friendly laughing ghost who keeps secrets and talks to his courageous widow, an unwelcoming ton fanned by society's gossip, a cousin born on the wrong side of the blanket, two unmarried gun-toting sisters, street orphans, a drug-sniffing dog, and titled ladies who run businesses.

As the desire and passion grows between Meredith and Lord Julien, will they allow love to rule, or will they conform to the rigid strictures of society's preconceived ideas? Can they stay alive long enough to find out?

About the Author: August Jade Sterling lives in Minnesota with her cat Sir Prince Charming. She holds a graduate degree from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. When not vacationing with her sister, she sings jazz. This is her first book in the American Duke series. "After reading and falling in love with the characters of many historical romance novels, I continuously felt something wasn't right. Why were all of the heroes and ladies white or blonde-haired with blue eyes? Simply put, there was a void and inaccurate betrayal of characters in historical romance novels. The world is a place where culture and races blend, and books pave the way."