Amazon.com (ISBN 051512527X, Paperback)

Eighteen-year old runaway Olivia Bond assumes no one can love her because of the ugliness of her past. Reclusive half-breed Noah LeCroix believes no one can love him because of the ugliness of his scars. When Noah rescues Olivia from the dangers of the Southern Illinois swamp he calls home, each recognizes the beauty and strength of the survivor inside the other. Returning Olivia to her long-lost family should be the most difficult task of Noah's life, but in fact leaving her there turns out to be unbearable. But when prejudice and intolerance, as well as a mysterious stranger from Olivia's past, threaten their hard-won peace, both face the challenge of a lifetime, namely letting themselves love and be loved. Bestselling author Jill Marie Landis, whose award-winning novels include Come Spring and Sunflower, will capture readers with a mesmerizing historical tale of the battles and rewards of passion and romance. --Alison Trinkle