Beauty with brains meets a big, grumpy Beast just before Christmas. Only a third wheel and a long carriage ride are in their way... The beauty of a barmaid, Sofie, has rejected every marriage offer she's ever received. To Sofie, marriage requires trust and true love. Equally important, she wants to be an independent woman, not someone's property. And a piece of that independence means attending a lecture where she can learn new ways to invest her money. Like a barmaid is going to find her way there though, especially during the Christmas season. Enter Egan, a beast of a man. Gruff, gigantic, and a Scottish duke to boot. As if he'll go unnoticed. So when he saves the most beautiful woman he's ever laid eyes on, it's much to his chagrin that his best mate laid eyes on her first. He may be a beast, but he's a loyal one. Yet somehow he finds himself stuck with Sofie, and company, on a quest for knowledge. Can he keep his friendship in tact and his kilt on, as he endures mistletoe kisses and beatific smiles amidst cinnamon swirls and cozy fires?