Society has decided that Miss Abigail Smart is socially inferior and therefore invisible. Her ambitious mother refuses to accept society's dictates and continues to push Abigail into making an advantageous marriage. Abigail just might succeed if her childhood nemesis, Rainewood, would stop sabotaging her efforts. Their animosity dates back to a childhood incident that has tarnished both their lives.

As the middle child, Valerian Danforth, Lord Rainewood, never expected to inherit the title. A childhood accident caused his brother's death and Valerian's parents blamed it on him. An unhappy childhood combined with losing Abigail, his dearest friend, made Valerian grow cynical at an early age. Continually bumping into Abigail, Valerian cannot release the pent-up emotions he carries for her, both hate and desire.

The verbal barbs fly between them until Valerian is injured. Lying in a comatose state, his spirit communicates with Abigail. Abigail's life has been pestered with otherworldly spirits talking to her at regular intervals. When Valerian's spirit approaches her, he blackmails her into helping him figure out the mystery surrounding his condition.

Ms. Mallory takes a paranormal turn in her latest book. In a creative twist, she has Abigail walking a narrow path between reality and the spirit world. It is a good introduction for Regency romance readers to enter the popular paranormal genre.