From USA Today bestselling author Christi Caldwell comes a dark tale of betrayal, jealousy, and the dangerous passion ignited between a vengeful captain and the young woman who loves him.

Miss Linnie McQuoid Smith has spent a lifetime dreaming of love, but the man she’s always longed for is no longer the one she remembers. Captain Jeremy Tremaine, once a devoted family friend, is now consumed by vengeance, his heart hardened by betrayal at sea.

Lord Culross, on the other hand, offers Linnie the kind of future she ought to want. Yet his quiet devotion and steadfast affection pale in comparison to the intoxicating and undeniable pull she feels toward Tremaine.

But Tremaine’s thirst for power threatens to eclipse their desire for one another, and the demons he carries may destroy them both. As shadows close in, Linnie must decide: the safe path of a love freely given, or the reckless passion that could cost her everything.

Christi Caldwell is the USA Today bestselling author of Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride, For Love of the Duke, The Duke Alone, and numerous series, including Seven Deadly Sins, Heart of a Duke, The McQuoids of Mayfair, Wantons of Waverton, Lost Lords of London, Wicked Wallflowers, and Sinful Brides. She blames novelist Judith McNaught for luring her into the world of historical romance. When Christi was at the University of Connecticut, she began writing her own tales of love—ones where even the most perfect heroes and heroines had imperfections. She learned to enjoy torturing her couples before they earned their well-deserved happily ever afters. Christi lives in Portugal, where she spends her time writing, researching the mesmerizing history of the land and people around her, and baking with her twin girls and courageous son. Fans who want to keep up with the latest news and information can sign up for her newsletter at www.christicaldwell.com.