Kent, England – 1812

Bertie scoffs at the fortuneteller’s prediction that she’ll receive a golden treasure. Not long after, Bertie is terrified by a huge blonde...creature...that escapes its cage at the carnival she is attending with her twin sister, Bessie, brother Tyler, and friends. After recovering from a dead faint, Bertie is sure that this is not what the Gypsy lady meant by a “golden treasure.”

Five years later, Bertie still blushes in shame over her childish reaction to what amounted to a prank put on by her loved ones. As she packs her things for a trip to London for her very first Season, Bertie is, in turn, terrified then anxious for the numerous balls, routs, recitals, and teas that she’ll be expected to attend while in London. But her time in the bustling city turns into a travesty when Bertie’s countrified ways are magnified and her nose is rubbed in her many societal mistakes. Soon after, she’s desperate to return home where everything is a comfort and everyone is familiar, even the house staff.

Once back at Hadleighwoode, her childhood home, things return to a much-needed routine, and soon Bertie’s various friends and her sister are gathering for the occasional dinner party and get-together. After learning that Bessie became engaged while she was away, Bertie starts to realize that, although she’s home, things may never be the same again. Especially when Nick, her eldest brother and head of the family, announces he’s accepted a request for her hand in marriage. An arranged engagement? Unacceptable! And it becomes even more so when Bertie finds out that her fiancé is none other than Bret, or rather, Sean Connor Carruthers Bret, the new Duke of Kilnarne. Familiarly known as Bret, not only is he Bertie’s deepest crush from five years earlier, but also the golden beast who had so terrified her at the carnival five years ago.

In a very charming, homey, Regency tale, Hetty St. James’s characters shine and become lifelike in this very satisfying story from Cerridwen Press’s Cotillion Line. As Bret and Bertie form a tenuous bond to reacquaint themselves, Bertie must get used to the idea of her own wedding. Meanwhile, Bret becomes a hero not only in action, but also by nature. Others may tremble with nerves in his presence, but Bertie still remembers the roguish young man he was five years ago. Rich in characterization and hearty in emotion, BERTIE’S GOLDEN TREASURE is sure to satisfy fans of the genre as well as newcomers.

Light-hearted and fun, read about Bertie and her gang in BERTIE’S GOLDEN TREASURE from Cerridwen Press!

Amy Cunningham