A Wager at Midnight by Vanessa Riley Published by Zebra Books on March 25, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Romance / African American & Black, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency, Fiction / Romance / Multicultural & Interracial
Pages: 320
Format: ARC, eBook, Paperback
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The stakes are high in this dazzling and diverse Regency romance, in which a clever duke has made a wager with the now-widowed Viscountess who is the love of his life: To win a second chance with her, he will find husbands for her two sisters—or resign himself to a life of longing in this enchanting tale from award-winning author Vanessa Riley.
Scarlett Wilcox is willing to live out her life as a spinster if it means being able to continue her medical research to help a friend in need. After all, few husbands would tolerate her dressing as a man to attend lectures at the Royal Academy of Science. If the Duke of Torrance finds her such a specimen, she'll agree to a marriage in name only, much to the dismay of her elder sister, the Viscountess.
When she's unmasked at a lecture on ophthalmology, Scarlett prepares to be disgraced, but she's saved by Trinidadian-born physician Stephen Carew who claims her as a cousin. Dedicated to caring for his community, Stephen has no wish to marry a frivolous and privileged lady, no matter how many fall for his disarming accent and seductive charm. But Scarlett proves the opposite of any he’s ever met before. Yet the pressure to marry blinds them both to the chemistry growing between them, pitting their brilliant minds against their reluctant hearts—as the Duke and Viscountess await with bated breath to see who will win . . . A WAGER AT MIDNIGHT.
RAVES FOR VANESSA RILEY
“I'm a huge [Vanessa Riley] fan . . . Her books are exquisitely written and painstakingly researched.”—Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton books
“Riley gifts readers a sparkling love story.” —Entertainment Weekly on A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby
What brings this story to life is the many diverse and complex characters there are in the story and how each play a part in this budding romance. ~ Amanda – Simply Love Books
A Wager at Midnight is a diverse, regency historical romance and highly entertaining. One of my favorite tropes is frenemies to lovers and Scarlett Wilcox and Stephen Andrew Carew bring it in spades. Scarlett has agreed to have the Duke of Torrance find her a husband and really only hopes to find a man that will let her pursue a career in science. She’s been attending medical lectures at the Royal Academy in a man’s disguise. She hopes to help a family friend with his cataracts. A close family friend and physician, Stephen, discovers what she’s doing and hopes to discourage her and protect her family’s reputation. What happens next is hilarious and it turns his life upside down.
What brings this story to life is the many diverse and complex characters there are in the story and how each play a part in this budding romance. The research the author put into this story pays off and enhances the story and makes it believable and realistic. I love that their arguing is foreplay and that they finally realize the attraction they have for one another. A Wager at Midnight is a well written love story that really makes me wonder how far a woman has come and how far she hasn’t.
About Vanessa Riley
Vanessa Riley writes Regency Romances and Historical Fiction of dazzling multi-culture communities with powerful persons of color. Vanessa writes for historical romance readers who admire and acquire books that showcase women who find joy in sweeping kisses and strong sisterhoods. Even in the darkness, she promises to give you laughs and to show you how light always prevails and how love always, always wins.
Vanessa juggles mothering a teen, cooking for her military-man husband, and speaking at women’s and STEM events. She loves baking her Trinidadian grandma’s cake recipes and collecting Irish crochet lace. She’s known for her sweeping romances and humorous delivery of poignant truths. You can catch her writing from the comfort of her southern porch with a cup of Earl Grey tea.