She vowed she would never be in his company again.

Until one fateful Christmas, everything changes when two people find themselves sharing a Christmas party and a near kiss under the mistletoe.

Lord Elijah Kentmore has returned home from war just in time for Christmas, only to find that nothing has changed -- except him, who is now a shadow of the man he used to be. Many of his memories of old have fled, only to be replaced by others he wouldn't wish upon anyone. All he wants now is to be respected for the man he has become, instead of the man he used to be.

He does not recognize Joanna Merryton, his sister's best friend, but Joanna has memories enough for both of them. She is still scarred by the pranks Elijah pulled on her all of those years ago and would never have accepted her friend Caroline's invitation to her family's Christmas house party had she known Elijah would be in attendance.

When Elijah attempts to capture the beautiful, mysterious woman under the mistletoe, he is shocked by her dismissal -- and by the identity of the ugly duckling turned swan. Now all he wants for Christmas is to win her over and convince her that he is not the man she remembers. Can he ever earn the forgiveness of a woman he so wronged?

This Regency romance contains some steamy scenes.