On the request of his aunt, the only woman who welcomes him back into the family after his stint as a thief and a spy for the Dutch, the hero travels to the small island of Iona to help the widow of his bastard cousin. The people or Iona and in particular it's mistress have experienced nothing but bad luck and hardship. They are poor, they are hunted by the English after the heroine's brother supported the Scottish rebellion and steal some treasure and the heroine's herself has suffered through one loveless marriage and a second abusive and torturous marriage that ended with her killing her husband herself with the help of the ghosts that haunt the island. The hero arrives on the island expected to see a old woman or at the very least an unattractive one but instead a beauty greets him. A somber and tired beauty but a stunning woman none the less. From the second he meets her, he makes it his mission to make her smile-too ease the burdens she's carried by herself for so long and unleash the happy woman she once was. The heroine in turn was prepared to hate the cousin of her dead husband or at the very least distrust him. Yet despite her attempts to remain cold to his charms, the man just simply has a way about him that makes her smile and become drawn to him. She realizes that this man possess a far greater danger to her than any other man or English army could-he endangers her heart as soon she finds herself dreaming of him, craving him. And he in turn falls for her almost immediately. Is wasn't his plan to come to the island and marry but when the opportunity comes to secret the treasure away and marry the woman he loves-he takes it in an instant. The heroine is reluctant to marry again-especially to a man whom she still doubts. But when the English arrive and bring them then a known rebel hunter, she realizes that the hero is the only one she can rely on-well him and the ghosts. I enjoyed this book. Yes the writing style was very long and drawn out with frequent poetic and literary quotes and yet the chapters were like 40 pages long but the dialogue was charming and witty. I adored the hero too much for words. He was so charming and funny and honest despite his previous employment as a spy. He never hid anything from the heroine and was entirely open about his feelings for her. And though he put on the mask of jokester, the heroine could see the true self beneath it. She could see that he was as lonely as she was. And he in turn confided in her things he never told anyone else. It was a nice read even though it did drag on a bit and didn't have much in the way of excitement or plot twists. So don't start this book expecting action or any really conflict for the majority of the story because you won't get it. Read it instead to enjoy the banter between the characters because that's where the heart of the story lies. ( )