"Handsomeappearancecountsfornaughtunlessmatchedbygoodcharacterandactions."That'sthefirmopinionofnot-so-meekminister'sdaughterLaviniaEllison.SoeventhoughalltheothervillagersofSt.HamptonHeathareswooningoverthenewlyreturnedseventhEarlofHawkesbury,sheisnotimpressed.Ifamanwon'ttakehisresponsibilitiesseriouslyandhelpthosewhoaresupposedtobeabletodependonhim,hedeservesnorespectfromher.InLavinia'spretty,grayeyes,NicholasStamfordisjustasarrogantandrecklessashisbrother--whostolethemostimportantpersoninLivvie'sworld.
Nicholasisweigheddownbyhisownguiltandresponsibility,bythepainhiscarelessbrothercaused,andbythelegacyofwarhe'sjustleft.ThisquickvisithometoSt.HamptonHeathwillbejustlongenoughtoeaseasmallpartofthatburden.Askinghimtobotherwiththelivesofthevillagerswhenthere'salreadyabailiffonthejobissimplytoomuchtoexpect.Thatis,untilthehoydenish,intelligent,andveryopinionatedMissEllisonchallengeshimtoseepasthispainandpride.Withherangelicvoiceinhishead,hemayevenbebeginningtocare.Buthisisn'ttheonlyheartthatneedstochange.
Thesetwolonelyheartsmayeachhavesomethingtheotherneeds.Butwithsociety'sopposition,ancestralobligations,andashockingfamilysecret,theremaybetoomanyobstaclesintheirway.
FansofGeorgetteHeyer,LoriWick,andJulieKlassenwillenjoythespiritedexchangesbetweenthebluestockingminister'sdaughterandthebruisedwarheroastheymovepastprideandpresumptiontoahumbledappreciationofGod'sgraceandthetruestrengthoflove.