How to Cross a Marquess: 3 Ashford, Jane

A headstrong young woman and a reclusive marquess collide when she's forced to stay at his crumbling estate after a carriage accident. He wants solitude. She wants answers about a mysterious legacy. Neither wants the sparks that keep flying between them. Jane Ashford writes Regency romance with wit and warmth — her characters feel like actual people navigating desire and duty, not cardboard cutouts in empire waists. This is the third in her series, but it stands alone beautifully. The banter crackles, the tension builds slowly, and the emotional payoff lands without veering into melodrama. Perfect for readers who like their historical romance smart, slightly unconventional, and refreshingly free of dukes behaving badly. If you burned through Tessa Dare or loved the sharp dialogue in *Pride and Prejudice*, this belongs on your nightstand.