An Intriguing Proposition (novella length) takes you on a fast-paced carriage ride through the streets of Victorian Boston.Insidious blackmail, the threat of foreclosure, and a fake engagement—all in one week!Elise Malloy will do anything to protect her well-bred Boston family—even marry a stranger! Faced with overwhelming debt and threatened by the man she trusted, she fights to save her home from foreclosure and her beloved brother from ruinous disgrace.What a chowderhead!Once upon a time, upright banker, Michael Bradley did the unthinkable. He humiliated the lady whom he greatly admired. Now, he only wants to make amends by helping her out of a sticky situation and tell her his heart's true intentions.Someone has an old score to settle.When villainy of the worst kind seeks to destroy the Malloy family—and trap Elise in a loveless marriage—can Michael convince Elise to accept his own Intriguing Proposition? An Intriguing Proposition is the novella-length Prequel in the Victorian-American romance series Defiant Hearts. Engaging, believable characters, attention to period detail, and sensual romance—all in this series by highly acclaimed writer Sydney Jane Baily."...a glittering tale of star-crossed lovers, threatened by a web of lies... a great new book in a new series." ~Adrienne deWolfe, bestselling author of Scoundrel for Hire"...a tantalizing glimpse of the author's delicate writing style as she melds romance with humor, conflict, and adventure. An entertaining read." ~ Award-winning, bestselling author, Marliss Melton