When a shocking scandal involving her father spreads through London society, Elaine Cardinham and her parents are forced to retreat to their country home in Cornwall for refuge. But Havencross is no sanctuary for Elaine. She is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her brother—and the heartbreak she left in her wake all those years ago. It has been five long years since Gareth Kemp last saw Elaine—when she rejected his marriage proposal. Her reappearance convinces him of one thing: he has never stopped loving her. To put his feelings for her aside, he focuses his attention on the dangerous smuggling plaguing the Cornish coast. As Elaine attempts to run from her past, she ventures ever closer to a dangerous truth—and Gareth may be the only one who can save her from a deadly finish.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
October 19, 2022 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781524404116
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781524404116
- File size: 545 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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July 17, 2017
This peculiar Regency from Daines (Willowkeep) is much more a suspense novel than a romance, kissed with the aesthetic of modern fantasy. It’s primarily an expression of love for the Cornwall coast and for Arthurian legend, grounded in the smuggling history of the region. Elaine Cardinham’s family is chased by scandal back to their country estate, Havencross, which they left five years earlier in the wake of two life-changing events: the death of Elaine’s brother John and her secret rejection of a marriage proposal from John’s best friend, Gareth Kemp. Elaine is shocked but delighted when her London suitor, the Earl of Chiverton, comes to Havencross to propose to her. Gareth continues to offer his friendship and cave-exploring company, since he knows his love won’t be accepted, but his jealousy combined with drive to find the smugglers who killed his father gives him a unique perspective on Chiverton’s hidden agenda. Mystical aid from Gwenevere, the queen of legend, yields important evidence and a second chance for Elaine and Gareth. Elaine’s combination of thoughtful regret and resourceful cleverness has appeal, but the couple’s dynamic never really coalesces.
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