As the illegitimate daughter of a chambermaid, Penelope Lloyd knows firsthand the heartbreak of loving above your station and a royal is as far out of reach as the stars. But that was before she fell for Prince Thomas and his dreams of happy ever after. She’s made her peace with being his secret lover but even that humble fantasy is placed in jeopardy when Thom is forced to don the King’s robes and wear the crown. For the sake of Matlavia, Pen knows she must give up Thom. Prince Thomas has always had a plan. Pretend to be scandalous so that when he announces his plans to marry Pen, the people of Matlavia will be relieved rather than shocked. But his carefully constructed future is turned upside down when his older brother, King Stephen abdicates the throne and runs off with his mistress, leaving behind a furious jilted fiancée and a mountain of debt. With the country on the brink of bankruptcy, Prince Thomas will have to convince his love that they can have it all—their country and their love.