John Scalzi, a Cookbook, & More

The useful part

A plucky yet innocent wallflower writing a dictionary of bawdy slang arranges her own marriage to the ultimate the town rake. As sexy as it is witty and as charming as it is irreverent, The Very Definition of Love is Emily Henry for the regency era. 1816 – Harriet Barrington may be on her fifth season with no marriage prospects, but she's fine with that.

How it works

• While researching late in the library during a party, Harriet accidentally finds herself in a compromising situation with notorious rake, Lord Alexander.
• This arranged marriage has a very particular condition—it will be in name-only, leaving each of them to follow their own interests.
• Soon Alexander's rakish existence is not nearly as fun as spending time with Harriet, and Harriet's beginning to worry about how much she actually likes her husband.
• For Harriet that's her work, for Alexander, that's women.
• Behind the closed doors of their respectable home, things become a little… complicated.

What to take from it

After all, who better to teach her the very thorough meaning of these indecent words than the renowned lover, Lord Alexander Stirling?

Details worth keeping

This released over the summer and was mentioned on Hide Your Wallet. It gives her more time to write her dictionary of modern slang.