Cassandra Vail has but one objective at the Kellens' ball: she must secure a proposal from her eminently suitable suitor. Instead, she finds her best-laid plans thwarted by another man—the handsome and thoroughly vexing Mr. Harwood. Thanks to his meddling, Cassandra is faced with an unthinkable consequence: her parents take matters into their own hands and betroth her to a complete stranger.

Tom Harwood meant only to deter a debutante from pursuing his friend. He wasn't supposed to be entranced by her. He certainly wasn't supposed to flirt with her. And he especially wasn't supposed to engage the wrong woman entirely. To make matters worse, he's offended Cassandra and before he has the opportunity to make amends, he finds himself the latest unwitting victim of the meddlesome Matchmaking Mamas. His parents have signed a contract for his hand in marriage, and it seems his mysterious betrothed is as opposed to the union as he is.

When the reluctant couple finally meets, they are shocked to realize they are not strangers after all. Can one miserable beginning be overcome, or has their future ended before it even begins?