I flew through this, largely because the anxiety of waiting for the big third-act reveal is so propelling that I couldn't set it aside. I genuinely enjoyed this bizarre twist on the gambling premises of the series. A new-money speculator buys out all of the Earl of Hastings' inherited debt, and then blackmails him into courting his only daughter, Eliza. Eliza, suspicious of men chasing her dowry and hoping for a love match, is surprised by the Earl's sudden interest in her, but is lured into their well-laid marriage trap, and ultimately falls in love. This, in some ways, felt reminiscent of Devil is a Marquess, by Elisa Braden, where a broke lord is bought out by an heiress's father (who inevitably underestimates his own daughter) and is haunted by his own lies of omission as they grow closer. 

Most challenging in this set-up, though, is the deception, as the Earl is blackmailed with the threat of prosecution on his debt if he doesn't comply, and is unable to divulge the farce to Eliza, who he (obviously) comes to care for. It's our knowledge, as readers, that Eliza believes this is a love match and not a marriage of convenience that drives the plot tension. Waiting for Eliza to discover the layers of deceit had me in Sherry-Thomas-levels-of-pain, and I stayed up until 1:30am to finish this, desperately needing the happily ever after for these two. I thoroughly enjoyed all the ways in which the deception created greater complexity in all of their lives, and how both of our main characters had to work to unwind it. 

I have noted in content warnings that the consent in a few interactions felt dubious to me - this didn't necessarily surprise me, given the conflicts we were navigating and the general deception, but I've noted it with additional detail for readers who may wish to avoid.