To save her people, she must marry the villain.
Lady Alessandra, eldest daughter of Contessa Lia, just buried her mother. Altamonte tradition dictates Alessandra must pick up the mantle of Contessa as the first-born daughter. As Alessandra prepares to accept her duties while battling her grief, Alaric, her step-father, surprises Alessandra with a last-minute royal decree from her late mother. In order to claim her throne, Alessandra must wed by her 26th birthday or they will strip her of her birthright. Alessandra has no qualms about getting married, but the deadline is less than a month away and she has yet to be introduced into society. Finding a husband on such short notice is hard, but finding one without a proper introduction into society is near impossible. Of course, Alaric has a solution for her--he'll marry her.
Disgusted by the thought of marrying Alaric The Usurper, the foreign man who killed her father, Alessandra departs Altamonte in secret and rides for her cousin's home in Girardeau. Once safe in King Lysander's castle, Alessandra learns just how high the odds are stacked against her. The only thing holding Alaric back from reviving the war he once waged on Altamonte and the surrounding lands is his lack of control of the throne. If Alessandra doesn't marry before the deadline, the throne will pass to her younger half-sister Jessa--and Alaric becomes Regent. However, if Alessandra concedes and agrees to marry Alaric, she may end up losing her life.
Faced with trying to protect both Alessandra and his own kingdom from Alaric, King Lysander hatches a plot to introduce his cousin to society. He hopes to free her from the impossible situation she finds herself in by finding Alessandra a suitable husband. But will Lysander's efforts be enough to counteract the lies Alaric spread over the last two years? Or will Alessandra have to sacrifice herself to keep Alaric at bay?
The Contessa of Rebellion is a standalone fantasy romance with a happily ever after sure to please fans of Bertrice Small.