In 19th century Isle of Wight, Sarah Bembridge sets on a journey of adventure and misadventure. With Napoleon Bonaparte just across the Channel, poised to invade, Sarah has other things on her mind. First she rescues a shipwrecked sailor, who she suspects to be French. Soon after, she gets engaged with a handsome officer. And when the mysterious Mr. Howard calls at her inn, Sarah's life becomes even more complicated. A rollicking romance that sees Sarah search for a suitable husband across the backdrop of the Napoleonic War, her story takes her from deserted manor houses to country inns, ancient standing stones to bright churches and lonely cottages. But can she find her true love?