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London's Most Eligible #1
A Deal with a Debutante
Not yet published
Expected 7 Apr 26She’s running from London’s marriage mart. He’s running out of time to save his estate. Neither planned on falling in love—but their hearts have other plans.
American heiress Calliope Hart is thrust into London’s high society against her will, all because her mother is determined to marry her off to an aristocrat. Despite being named “the debutante of the season” back in New York, Calliope wants nothing more than to avoid becoming another pawn in the social game.
Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, is on the brink of financial ruin. To save his estate, he must marry, and Calliope Hart is his last hope. When he boldly declares his intentions, she swiftly rejects him, making it clear she has no interest in marrying for convenience. Undeterred, Edward offers a deal: He will escort Calliope to all the best sights of London that she’s been dying to see if she agrees to visit his estate and consider what they could accomplish together.
What begins as a business arrangement soon sparks something much more complicated—an undeniable chemistry neither can ignore. But as their hearts begin to soften, both must confront their fears: Can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she’s convinced he only wants her fortune?
American heiress Calliope Hart is thrust into London’s high society against her will, all because her mother is determined to marry her off to an aristocrat. Despite being named “the debutante of the season” back in New York, Calliope wants nothing more than to avoid becoming another pawn in the social game.
Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, is on the brink of financial ruin. To save his estate, he must marry, and Calliope Hart is his last hope. When he boldly declares his intentions, she swiftly rejects him, making it clear she has no interest in marrying for convenience. Undeterred, Edward offers a deal: He will escort Calliope to all the best sights of London that she’s been dying to see if she agrees to visit his estate and consider what they could accomplish together.
What begins as a business arrangement soon sparks something much more complicated—an undeniable chemistry neither can ignore. But as their hearts begin to soften, both must confront their fears: Can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she’s convinced he only wants her fortune?
304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 7, 2026
3 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea Bobulski
11 books319 followersChelsea Bobulski was born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised on Disney movies, classic musicals, and Buckeye pride. She’s always had a penchant for the fantastical, the stories that teach us there is more to this world than meets the eye. She has a soft spot for characters with broken pasts, strange talents, and a dash of destiny in their bones. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a degree in history, she promptly married her high school sweetheart and settled down in Northwest Ohio with her notebooks and daydreams and copious amounts of chocolate. THE WOOD is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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December 22, 2025Liked the setting, but had a real hard time not thinking about WW1 looming less than a decade away.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the eArc.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the eArc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Received this book as an ARC via NetGalley.
Sweet YA book of Bridgerton meets Gilded Age - Calliope Hart had been taken from New York by her mother to London in the hopes of elevating their status. They are nouveau riche, and therefore not good enough to rub elbows with the elite of Manhattan society. Hopes of marrying into the English Aristocracy is just what her mother thinks will be the key to changing those opinions, but Calliope has other plans. She has no interest in marrying, English nobleman or otherwise, and is merely going through the motions of the English Marriage Mart (debutant season) in an effort to placate her scheming mother - that is until she meets Edward. He is an Earl with a failing estate, and debts left after the death of his father, putting him in the position of needing to marry a wealthy American heiress to save it all.
This story takes place at the turn of the 20th Century, at a time when much of the English peerage is falling out of fashion while American industries are rapidly growing and producing large pockets of wealth and eligible debutants with large dowries. Animosity is lightly (if that) veiled, and marriage out of grudging necessity instead of love is more likely to be the end result for many of those young ladies. The 2 main characters in this story find a way to work together in their endeavors, and see if they can come to an amicable arrangement, but they invariable end up falling in love, learning that they are more alike than originally thought; seeking happiness with each other as opposed to adjacent to each other becoming a shared dream. Calliope spends much of the story trying to talk herself out of admitting she has fallen for Edward, still hoping to return to New York husbandless, but eventually she can no longer lie to herself or Edward, and the story wraps up with a lavish English wedding. A sweet happily ever after for two people who realized they needed each other more than they could have ever possibly known.
This was my first foray into period YA romance, so I didn’t have too much to compare the writing to, but it was similar to Austenland - without the modern-era 30something wanting to immerse herself into Jane Austen’s time. This may have been a good nudge for me to branch out and try reading more stories similar to this.
Sweet YA book of Bridgerton meets Gilded Age - Calliope Hart had been taken from New York by her mother to London in the hopes of elevating their status. They are nouveau riche, and therefore not good enough to rub elbows with the elite of Manhattan society. Hopes of marrying into the English Aristocracy is just what her mother thinks will be the key to changing those opinions, but Calliope has other plans. She has no interest in marrying, English nobleman or otherwise, and is merely going through the motions of the English Marriage Mart (debutant season) in an effort to placate her scheming mother - that is until she meets Edward. He is an Earl with a failing estate, and debts left after the death of his father, putting him in the position of needing to marry a wealthy American heiress to save it all.
This story takes place at the turn of the 20th Century, at a time when much of the English peerage is falling out of fashion while American industries are rapidly growing and producing large pockets of wealth and eligible debutants with large dowries. Animosity is lightly (if that) veiled, and marriage out of grudging necessity instead of love is more likely to be the end result for many of those young ladies. The 2 main characters in this story find a way to work together in their endeavors, and see if they can come to an amicable arrangement, but they invariable end up falling in love, learning that they are more alike than originally thought; seeking happiness with each other as opposed to adjacent to each other becoming a shared dream. Calliope spends much of the story trying to talk herself out of admitting she has fallen for Edward, still hoping to return to New York husbandless, but eventually she can no longer lie to herself or Edward, and the story wraps up with a lavish English wedding. A sweet happily ever after for two people who realized they needed each other more than they could have ever possibly known.
This was my first foray into period YA romance, so I didn’t have too much to compare the writing to, but it was similar to Austenland - without the modern-era 30something wanting to immerse herself into Jane Austen’s time. This may have been a good nudge for me to branch out and try reading more stories similar to this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Calliope Hart is an American heiress who is very happy with her life and plans in the US. Her mother, however, is determined that her daughter should 'marry well', and in her eyes, that means 'marrying a title'. So she pushes her daughter into London's high society where Calliope tolerates the fancy balls and parties while hoping to experience London's historic sights and museums, which she is sure she will find far more interesting than any fancy ballroom. When Calliope meets Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, it is not exactly a smooth introduction. Edward is in need of funds, and Calliope has them, in significant quantity. He makes a proposal which Calliope angrily rejects, but his offer to show her London's sights is a more welcome starting point to their relationship. As they get to know each other, an attraction develops. But can Calliope believe Edward cares for her and not just her money...?
I enjoyed this read very much. It has likeable, well-written lead characters. Mrs Hart, Calliope's mother, is enjoyably frustrating in her hopes for her daughter. Her obsession that Calliope 'marry a title' above any other consideration is rather sad and I felt sorry for her husband! Lord Wellesby, who appears early on, is ferociously nasty and I would think any reader will be actively wishing for his downfall!
All in all, an enjoyable and entertaining read with sparkling characters and plenty of energy. The only things I didn't like were the food throwing scene (really??!!) and the appearance in the story of beavers, which would certainly have been a surprise to see in 1908 England since they were extinct in the UK from the 17th Century until their reintroduction in the early 2000s.
I read a pre-publication copy so some elements may change before release. I was not obliged to give any review and the views stated are mine alone.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In this charming Edwardian romance, I was swept into a story of an American heiress who has been spirited away to London to find a peered husband. The only problem is she has absolutely no interest in the pursuit. Instead, she simply wants to bide her time and return to her life and work in New York City. Unfortunately for Calliope, she has met a most unusual peer in Edward Chase, who in his efforts to save his home, is very upfront with her. This is a charming story of finding a dream -- and maybe leaving space for a dream to change. I enjoyed every page of this sweet, twist on the marriage of convenience trope and am already anticipating the next book by this new-to-me author.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews