After the loss of his wife, Colonel William Harding vowed never to love again. But when Miss Anne Oliver arrives as governess to his grieving children, her grace and quiet strength stir something he thought buried.

Twenty-four, well-bred, and far too composed for her station, Anne carries secrets that unravel the deeper her bond grows with the colonel. As affection blossoms into something forbidden, betrayal and fear threaten to tear them apart, leaving Anne to decide whether broken trust is a fate she's willing to endure or a freedom she must claim for herself.

Meg Sechrest is the award-winning author of multiple romance books spanning several genres. She is a mother of four and a wife to her high school sweetheart. She resides in rural Ohio with her family and her goats, chickens, and cats. When she isn't writing, she is spending time with her family, taking care of her animals, or sewing.