Carol Stream, IL—In 1838, seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston is orphaned and unmarried in a time when
women are legal property of their fathers or husbands. She finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous
guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland. With only two months to formulate
a better plan, Julia is denied the chance to marry her childhood sweetheart. But when a titled dowager
offers to introduce her into society, a realm of possibilities opens.
However, treachery is as entrenched in Victorian society as decorum, and Julia discovers that her
situation is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows it, she becomes a
pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no legal protection, she
must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is lethal.
Jessica Dotta has always been fascinated by England during the Regency and Victorian eras. Her passion
for British literature fueled her desire to write in a style that blends the humor of Jane Austen and the
dark drama of the Bronte? sisters. She lives in the Nashville area with her family and works as a freelance
media consultant and publicist.
Praise for Born of Persuasion
“Rich with period detail and full of intrigue and deception. . . . Fans of
Philippa Gregory and Sarah Dunant will fall in love with this arresting
story.” —Tasha Alexander, bestselling author of And Only to Deceive
“A fascinating cast of characters and breathless twists and turns make this
story anything but predictable. Mystery and romance, sins of the past and fears of the future all combine
for a page-turning experience.” —Liz Curtis Higgs, New York Times bestselling author of Mine Is the
Night
“Filled with romantic twists, social intrigue, and beautiful writing, Dotta’s Born of Persuasion is an
alluring debut that will leave fans of Victorian fiction clamoring for more.” —Tosca Lee, New York
Times bestselling author