She's searching for herself. He's searching for answers.
Evelyn has spent years outrunning the ghosts of her past. She changed her name, crossed an ocean, and buried every trace of the life she lost. England was supposed to be a refuge, a quiet corner of the world where she could finally breathe again. Instead, she collided with Stockton Northcott, the brooding, battle‑scarred Earl of Treyarnon, a man whose secrets are as dangerous as the shadows that cling to his ancestral home.
The simple task of sorting through the late earl’s accounts should have been harmless. Instead, it becomes the moment Stockton Northcott realizes she’s the only person he can trust.
Stockton returned from the Continent after his father’s death only to inherit a failing estate, a tangle of debts, and a fury he hides behind charm and razor‑sharp wit. Convinced someone in the neighboring families sabotaged his father, he’s ready for a fight.
But not for the captivating widow who sees straight through him.
Evelyn can untangle numbers with ease but not the heat that sparks every time Stockton touches her. His kisses crack through the walls she’s spent years rebuilding, threatening the fragile new life she’s desperate to protect.
And Stockton, who doesn’t trust anyone, finds himself falling for the one woman who could destroy him. Or save him.
When the truth about Evelyn’s past collides with the secrets surrounding his father’s downfall, passion and danger twist together. Now they must decide whether to cling to the lies that kept them alive—or choose each other against every impossible odd.
Tropes:
- Hidden identity
- Haunted widow
- Brooding earl
- Forced proximity
- Mystery on the estate
- Found family
- Slow burn
- Kisses that ruin lives (in the best way)
