A wager at midnight

Riley follows A Gamble at Sunset with this flirty frenemies-to-lovers Regency. Scarlett Wilcox is determined to pursue scientific research and find a cure for a friend who's losing his vision. To do so, however, she must disguise herself as a man and sneak into medical lectures. When Stephen Carew, her family physician and favorite verbal sparring partner, discovers her secret, she worries the jig is up--the older Stephen has a history of not treating her as an equal. But he surprises her by offering to help maintain her cover. As they work together, he realizes he loves her and becomes determined to marry her. Wooing Scarlet, however, means proving he'll support her in all her endeavors. The couple's sharp banter and sizzling chemistry keeps the pages turning. In the background to their norm-bucking courtship is a bet between Scarlett's sister and her ex about whether Scarlett will find happiness, a running thread that will especially please returning series fans. This captivating tale of love and empowerment delights. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Apr.)

A lecture on ophthalmology leads two people to see each other differently. Scarlett Wilcox is happy to be a spinster, but she'll begrudgingly marry as long as she gets to keep focusing on her true passion: medicine. Accordingly, the Duke of Torrance, a family friend, is doing his best to find a man who won't mind marrying a woman who regularly dresses in men's clothing so she can attend Royal Society medical lectures and develop into a physician in her own right. One man, Stephen Adam Carew, keeps popping up in her life, but he's not marriage material--most of their conversations consist of bickering about one thing or another. Like Scarlett, he's focused on just one thing: in his case, helping his community by working himself into exhaustion as a doctor. As he was born in Trinidad and she's an Englishwoman from a rich Jamaican family, their communities overlap somewhat, and their mutual interest in medicine brings them together repeatedly--and an unexpected post-lecture adventure ending at Madame Rosebud's notorious brothel inspires surprisingly amorous feelings in both. But even then, their genius and stubbornness may keep them from admitting what everyone else can see--that they're perfectly suited for one another. This second volume of Riley's Betting Against the Duke series is, like the author's other romances, set against a diverse, well-sketched Regency background. An extensive author's note reveals the research behind the historical details Riley threads through the story, which are combined with strong character development and her bold writing style to great effect. Despite that early brothel scene, the intimacy on the page doesn't go beyond intense kissing, and the plot underscores the fact that for Scarlett and Stephen, devotion to their ideals is as important as affection for each other. Riley's tendency to throw the reader into a story with a lot of information and little explanation may confuse some, especially due to the large number of beloved friends and family who are introduced early on, but those who stick with it will be rewarded with a unique and satisfying tale. A winning Regency that centers kin and community alongside true love. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.