Lady Like

A BOOKPAGE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • Two women set their sights on marrying the same duke, but instead of becoming enemies, they find themselves falling in love—though not with him.

“My new favorite romance author.”—Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series

“A genuinely, strikingly funny romantic romp. I inhaled it!”—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Great Big Beautiful Life

Harriet Lockhart never planned to marry. She has spent her life defying expectations, playing male roles on London’s seediest stages, and doing whatever she pleases. When Harry is contacted by her hitherto anonymous father, she finds herself at risk of losing the trust fund that’s subsidized her lifestyle—unless she begins to lead a more respectable life, starting with finding a husband.

Emily Sergeant, the picture of modesty, has only ever wanted to marry. And were it not for one mistake in her youth that rendered her a social pariah, she would be appropriately betrothed. Instead, she’s due to wed the only willing—and most abominable—man in her small town. Desperate for an alternative, Emily flees to London to snag a less lecherous fiancé.

Worlds collide, dramatically and hilariously, when both women decide on the very same duke as their best possible chance at a tolerable husband and a secure future. A tongue-in-cheek romp through London’s summer season, from balls to brothels, horseraces to duels, Harry and Emily compete for the duke’s favor, only to find their true hearts’ desires may be more compatible than they could have ever predicted.

Mackenzi Lee is the New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, a Stonewall Honor book, New England Book Award winner, and NPR and Vulture best book of the year. Her short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, Teen Vogue, and Bust Magazine, among others, and she holds a BA in history and an MFA in creative writing from Simmons College. Lady Like is her adult debut.