In Regency London, talented actress Viola Thorneycroft is nursing a broken heart when she's offered an unusual role: impersonating a foreign widow to help a duke avoid his mother's matchmaking schemes.

It seems simple enough—pretend to be Madame Laurent, collector of Roman antiquities, for a few days at a country house party. But nothing in Viola's theatrical training has prepared her for falling in love with the honorable Duke of Langford himself.

The masquerade grows more complex when Viola's former suitor, Lord Ravensmere, arrives with his new fiancée in tow.

Worse still, the malicious George Bramley seems determined to expose her true identity for reasons she can't fathom. As she navigates drawing room intrigue and moonlit gardens, Viola finds her Classical knowledge and acting skills tested to their limits!

Between secret wagers, fan-language mishaps, and the growing attraction between herself and Langford, Viola must decide if love is worth the risk of letting down her guard and showing her true self.

Can this actress deliver the performance of her life and win not just applause, but lasting happiness? With her reputation at stake and her heart on the line, the final act of this romantic comedy promises to be her most challenging role yet.