Victoria Shelby's life took a dramatic change when her successful banker father committed suicide rather than confess his colossal financial failures. Victoria's sisters leave to earn a small income from the respected positions of companion and governess, while Victoria stays at home caring for their mother on a limited income. As their small amount of money evaporates, Victoria turns to her childhood friend to beg assistance. Always having believed that the boy next door was the cook's son, Victoria is flabbergasted to discover he's the future earl.

Wanting to escape his hellish childhood, Lord David Thurlow wove a fanciful tale to the young girl next door about his life. When she arrives on his doorstep 10 years later, David admits his lies but not his reasons. He's spent his time trying to repair his family's reputation after his father's scandalous behavior. David's behavior is above reproach, but two families have rejected his marriage proposals to their daughters, proving his efforts to rehabilitate the Thurlow name have not been successful.

David needs respectability and what better way than to marry an innocent young woman who is also above reproach. Victoria enters into the marriage wanting to break through David's façade of coolness and politeness and put joy and spontaneity into their home. David resists, knowing that only heartache can come when one loses control over his emotions.

The first in a new series, THE LORD NEXT DOOR, is a tender love story of forgiveness and regaining trust. Ms. Callen bestows upon Victoria a gentleness to tame the battered Thurlow family.