From #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen comes a classic novel about a young woman who lives life on her own terms and the bold adventurer who risks everything to rescue her friend—and persuade her to open up her heart. Kate Gilbert is a woman without a past—or even a passport—to tie her down. Raised by smugglers, she lives on her wits, relishing the sense of freedom that only the life of the open sea can provide. All she knows of love she has learned from classic literature.Nothing she read about in Shakespeare, however, could prepare her for Beau Lantry. The brash, handsome playboy helps her out of a tough scrape and puts his own life on the line to save her friend. Now Kate is in Beau's debt, and as reluctant as she is to compromise her hard-won independence, she's intrigued by the prospect of a new kind of life in the arms of this wealthy stranger. But can Beau keep her out of harm's way long enough to convince her that happiness is worth leaving behind a world of ever-present danger?