The King and Vi by Shana Galen

The bored and snobbish Marquess of Kingston—King to his friends—doesn’t believe in witches. Granted, he was cursed by a witch when he was thirteen, but King doesn’t believe in curses either. So surely it must be an aftereffect of too much drink and debauchery when, on the eve of his thirtieth birthday, the witch from his youth reappears to watch her curse on him take effect. And, whether King believes it or not, the next morning he’s gone from nobleman to nobody, a man without a title or farthing to his name.

It seems curses, and witches, are real after all.

Violet Baker has had enough of entitled aristocrats slumming it in Seven Dials and causing trouble in her family’s tavern. She has two younger brothers to support, and she can’t when her establishment is destroyed by raucous young bucks. The morning after the Marquess of Kingston’s brawling leaves her tavern in ruins, Violet confronts him and demands payment for the damages. But, surprisingly, King is in more trouble than she at the moment. He convinces her he’ll pay if she gives him a place to hide from his creditors—only for a day or two—until he sorts out the muddle his life has become.

Violet needs the money King owes and figures she can put up with anything and anyone for a couple of days. She soon realizes her mistake. King is spoiled, lazy, and reckless. His thoughtless behavior puts Vi and her brothers in danger from the neighborhood gang and its leader, Ferryman. But to her surprise, King reacts by vowing to protect her. As together they fight the mounting forces against them, Vi struggles to resist her growing feelings for King. They say a leopard can’t change his spots, but can a spoiled marquess change his ways?

And if he does, will it be too late to save the family and the plucky tavern owner he’s come to love?