A Less than Merry Marquess: A Regency Historical Romance

Book : Seven Unsuitable Sisters

by Maeve Greyson

Genres: Historical Romance; Regency Romance

Synopsis

She is the light he never wanted… and the only warmth his frozen soul craves.

Lady Merry, the youngest of the Broadmere brood of eight, has never met a cloud she couldn’t chase away. Even when stranded in a snowstorm, trapped in a carriage about to be swept into a raging river, she never loses hope. Her faith is rewarded when she is carried to safety by the gruffest, growliest Scot in creation—who also happens to be the most devastatingly handsome man she has ever met. But when she dares suggest he might call upon her, the infuriating man dismisses her outright. How dare he?

Duncan Galloway, Marquess of Kirkston, has no use for joy—or for the English lady determined to plague his thoughts. Hardened by a cruel past, Duncan knows happiness is fleeting and love is a dangerous illusion. Yet fate conspires against him: his scapegrace brother steals her reticule, forcing Duncan back into Merry’s orbit… and into the warmth he cannot resist.

But rivals circle, eager to claim Merry’s hand, and Duncan’s greatest battle lies within himself. To win the only woman who has ever made him feel alive, he must defy the shadows of his past—or risk losing the one joy he never believed he deserved.

Her laughter is his undoing, her love his redemption, and her danger his greatest fear.

Perfect for fans of grumpy Scots, sunshine heroines, snowstorm rescues, and love fierce enough to melt even the coldest heart.

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Seven Unsuitable Sisters
Book 1 - Blessing’s Baron
Book 2 - Fortuity’s Arrangement
Book 3 - Grace’s Saving
Book 4 - Joy’s Willful Wager
Book 5 - Felicity’s Eloquent Earl
Book 6 - A Less Than Merry Marquess
Book 7 - Serendipity’s Suitor
Book 8 - The Making of a Duke

Release date: June 9, 2026

Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Print pages: 291

Sample

Never in all his life had Duncan ever met a woman so bloody infuriating—or tempting. Feckin’ hell, even the smell of her as she sank into his arms and finally went to sleep made his mouth water so badly he nearly choked. And lore a’mighty, those big blue eyes of hers, full of trust and hope when she’d looked up at him as he’d reached for her in that carriage. Then she had clung to him, not sobbing, not caught in a fit of hysteria, but as if she had waited all her life to embrace him.

Barely burying his nose in the furry ruff of her hood, he pulled in another deep breath of her. Lilacs. Or maybe heather. Mixed with the clean, crisp air of winter. The season had once been his favorite time of year. He squinted against the relentlessly stinging blur of white, thankful that Spartan possessed the strength and will to plow through anything. Shadowy outlines of the others were barely visible. They clustered as close as possible to ensure no one strayed from the road. He and Malcolm had traversed many a storm, but he had his concerns about Lady Merry’s sister and their driver. One teetered on the verge of panic, and the other drowned in guilt about an accident that could have been prevented if the man had but known the roads better and taken the high side of the track rather than the low.

Duncan allowed himself a heavy sigh. Malcolm would watch over the lovely Lady Serendipity if she allowed it. His brother enjoyed the ladies better than he enjoyed breathing. The man called Jasper would have to watch over himself and come to terms with his guilt as best he could. A heady thing, guilt was. Terrible indeed. It was a nagging voice inside your heart and your head that never gave you a moment’s peace until you learned to drown it out by any means possible.

Lady Merry shifted in his arms, making him brace himself for more of her endless questions that he couldn’t answer. He hadn’t meant to be such an arse with her, but seeing that carriage in the water had taken him back to the darkest moment of his life. He squinted against the memory and shoved it away. Stay in the present. The past canna be changed.

“How much farther?” she asked through a sleepy yawn.

“Hard to say, lass…uhm…my lady. With the air so thick with snow, landmarks are difficult to find.”

“You can call me lass. I daresay this situation is somewhat exempt from strictly adhering to the dictates of acceptable protocol.”

“That was not yer reaction earlier when I joined ye in the saddle.”

“That was different. You vexed me.”

He almost laughed. Something he rarely did. “Spartan and I have shared many years and experiences. He responds best to me. No one else has ridden him in a verra long while.”

“Then why did you suggest that Seri and I ride your mount…and your brother’s?”

“Yer sister did not seem inclined to ride one of the horses from yer team.”

“You mustn’t judge her too harshly. She is frightened.”

Lady Merry shifted in his arms again, fitting back against him with such perfection that the hard ridge of his rising became almost painful. Fecking hell, his bollocks would surely explode if they didn’t reach the inn soon, so he could remove himself from this impossible temptation.

“Ye are not frightened?” Maybe if he talked to her more, it would keep his mind off his man parts.

She shrugged. “I was when it first happened, but one must not allow oneself to panic. Panic clouds the mind. During dire circumstances, one must stay sharp and ready to react.”

“I see.”

“I do not think you do.” She straightened her spine, stretching as much as she could in the close confines of the shared saddle. “I knew we would be all right. I just knew it.” She rolled her shoulders. “Things could have been so much worse. Panic makes you dwell on the worst that could happen rather than discover and strive for the better things that might happen.” She wiggled her fine, round bum against him, forcing him to bite back a groan. “I’ve not ridden for this long in ages. I fear I am out of condition.”

As far as he was concerned, her condition was nigh on perfect, but he wasn’t about to tell her that.