SOLVED. Adult Regency Romance. Tortured, lonely, recluse kind of hero and heroine is sent to his castle/ home to live there for a period of time. Beauty & Beast retelling. [s]

[Miss.]

The cover image shows a regency era kind of picture with a brunette woman sitting on a settee in a yellow dress looking back at someone who is blurred. The blurb gives a description that is roughly surmised into a B&B retelling. Herione doesn't meet the hero/lord of the house but deals with his assistant/friend who doesn't have good intentions and tries to keep her away from the recluse lord but she is skeptical of him and knows he is hiding something.

That's all I remember. This book came under the tortured hero search list on Goodreads but i can't find this book anymore on the list. Help me find the title. Thanks.

[Kris]

Sanghita, around what year did you find this book?

What is her job? Location?

Is he physically scarred and/or injured? (What's the cause?)

[Jen Ev Eve]

Is the bit about the friend/assistant mentioned in the blurb? Did it say she was at his house to repay some sort of debt? Or she kidnapped, hired on as staff, etc?

Does anything on these lists look familiar?
Beauty and the Beast theme - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

Yellow Dress - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

[Miss.]

Yes, the bit about that assistant was mentioned in the blurb. In fact, I've never read the book, only the blurb and it kinda remained stuck with me.

No, definitely not kidnapped or hired as staff. I just remember it being a historical piece and the herione not having face to face connection with the lord of the house but with that secretary guy in the beginning, or so the blurb said.

[Kris]

Around what year did you read the blurb? This will help us narrow down the search.

[Nicole]

The plot description could match The Merchant's Daughter, but the described cover sounds more like The Fairest Beauty.

[Miss.]

Oh my God! The Merchant's daughter, this is it. Thank you so much for helping me find it. Everyone of you. I truly never thought I'll see the book again.

[Nicole]

Glad to help!