He is the uptight son of a baron.

She is the banished daughter of . . . a pirate?

Each guards their own terrible truth that threatens the blossoming intimacy between them in this emotional—and steamy—Regency romance.

The Baron’s Son

George Pemberton lives his life by a tightly drawn schedule of tidiness and efficiency. Everything in his world is lined up in orderly rows or tucked away into neat little boxes. He also keeps a secret—one that has its tendrils coiled around him, squeezing him tight. Occasionally—just occasionally—he breaks free for a moment: he picks a fight, he slams a fist, and in the aftermath, he finds a welcome yet temporary reprieve.

The Pirate’s Daughter

Sophie does not know how long her father will keep her in Cornwall away from prying eyes and wagging tongues. In a way, it doesn’t matter: her future is not her own, so she may as well make the most of the present. Her father’s hired man Duncan has allowed her out to the tavern at night where she has found some solace in friendly conversation and the occasional game of dice or cards. Sophie finds joy where she can, even as the storm clouds roll in overhead.

Together . . .

When George encounters Sophie milling about with women of ill repute and working men in a Cornish tavern, he is intrigued as much by her air of playfulness as by the halo of sorrow that rests over her. Being a perceptive man, he recognises that there is something about her that seems injured.

One night, Sophie encounters Mr. Pemberton stripped to the waist and covered in blood after a fight. Unfortunately, she does not find the sight unappealing, and she does not know what to do when her thoughts of Mr. Pemberton begin to take a rather wicked turn.

Can one person truly come to know another? And can love find a way to inhabit the dark and secret places that live inside the heart?

Content Warning: This book includes vague references to an off-page sexual assault as well as on-page psychological fallout from this assault. Please read with care.