Deeply introverted Catriona lives for her work at Oxford and her fight for women’s suffrage. She dreams of romance, too, but since all her attempts at love have ended badly, she now keeps her desires firmly locked inside her head—until she climbs out of a Scottish loch after a good swim and finds herself rather exposed to her new colleague.

Elias Khoury has wheedled his way into Professor Campbell’s circle under false pretenses: he did not come to Oxford to classify ancient artifacts, he is determined to take them back to his homeland in the Middle East. Winning Catriona’s favor could be the key to his success. Unfortunately, seducing the coolly intense lady scholar quickly becomes a mission in itself and his well-laid plans are in danger of derailing…

Forced into close proximity in Oxford’s hallowed halls, two very different people have to face the fact that they might just be a perfect match. Soon, a risky new game begins that asks Catriona one more time to put her heart and wildest dreams at stake.

Every so often a new writer emerges on the scene and their storytelling captures the attention and acclaim of readers and fellow authors alike. Evie Dunmore is one such writer. When Bringing Down the Duke debuted, I was immediately intrigued and wondered if it could possibly live up to the hype. To say I was blown away by Evie’s writing would be an understatement. With her gloriously lush prose, knife-sharp dialogue, and fierce, feminist characters, I was captivated—a happy condition I experienced all over again with Evie’s newest, The Gentleman’s Gambit.

The book begins with a banger of a meet cute between Lady Catriona Campbell, an introverted scholar and suffragist struggling through writer’s block, and Elias Khoury, a visiting scholar who’s more than he seems. As their interactions turn from awkward and strained to brimful with sexual tension, readers are treated to endearing introspection and whip-smart banter. The fantastic character exchanges are not just reserved for Catriona and Elias, but also Catriona and her friends. If you’re a fan of Evie’s previous books, you will adore the past character cameos in this installment.

While the romance between Catriona and Elias is at the heart of this story, the record of cultural repatriation Evie weaves throughout is its soul. Rich with detail and never shying from the ugly side of history, The Gentleman’s Gambit is sure to charm fans of historical fiction and romance alike!