My usual reaction when I see that a romance has a “reunited lovers” plotline is a resounding mental “Yes!” This is definitely a favorite plot device of mine. And couple that with a “woman in danger and on the run” angle and I am hooked.

Adrian York was informed ten years ago that the girl with whom he was in love and wanted to marry had died in a tragic accident at sea. Crushed, he spent the next ten years engaging in rampant debauchery and trying to bury his memories of Katie. Then one day while in the town of Hull on business, he sees a lady who looks remarkably like Katie. She looks so similar that he is compelled to take a closer look, and enters her coffee shop.

Years ago when Adrian asked Kate’s father for her hand in marriage, he was denied. He forced Kate to marry a man of his choosing and shipped her off to the island of Ceylon. Kate’s family then deceived Adrian into believing she had perished at sea. Now she has fled her old life on the island under mysterious circumstances and created a new identity for herself known only as “Mrs. Hamilton.” But now that Adrian has recognized her she fears her past will catch up with her and her secrets will be exposed.

Like many of the readers here at AAR, I crave stories that are unusual, whether in plot or setting or characterization. This story is set in the Victorian era, so it’s a refreshing break from Regency balls and the accompanying pomp and circumstance. And Kate, while born to a privileged life, isn’t the typical spoiled daughter of wealth. She’s struggling to make it on her own and has built a modestly successful and profitable business. Left to her own devices, she would try to remain as anonymous as possible and blend in with others of the merchant class. She dresses in serviceable brown dresses, and it’s such a delight when we finally get to see her dress in a pretty and feminine style. The reader feels the transformation inside her when she finds her femininity reawakening.

The story grabbed me from the opening scene when a glimpse of the heroine Adrian had thought long dead sends him on a mission to find out if the lady he saw is his Katie and why she was believed to be dead. The manner in which the mystery unfolds of who Mrs. Hamilton really is and how she came to live in Hull kept me turning the pages late into the night. Her backstory and fears of discovery are both believable and heartbreaking.

Aside from the years of long separation and deception by Kate’s family, both main characters have deep emotional issues through which to sort. Their parting was not on the best terms, so they must cope with their resentment toward one another and work through old wounds. Their hurt feelings and reconciliation felt believable and authentic.

Though I understood her reasoning for keeping the circumstances of her arrival in Hull a secret, I was bothered by how long Kate continued to deceive Adrian. Past trust issues are not easy to overcome, but with the speed in which Kate allowed Adrian to be a part of her life once again I thought Kate should have trusted him sooner with her secrets.

Regardless of that, this was still an emotionally satisfying read. It was so nice to read about characters with actual difficulties to work through and resolve. For me the book contained just the right amount of angst without edging into overwrought or melodramatic territory. If her other books are as well done as this one, you can count me among Victoria Dahl’s fans.