Description:

Lily Young longs to find her lost sister or will die trying. Heedless of any danger, she searches logging camps and towns, posing as a photographer’s assistant. And then she arrives in Harrison, Michigan–and the sights of Connell McCormick.

Connell is determined to increase the fortune of his lumber-baron father and figures as long as he’s living an upright life, that’s what matters. But when Lily arrives in town she upends his world, forcing him to confront the truth that dangerous men have gained too much power while good men turn a blind eye.

Vexing but persuasive, Lily soon secures Connell’s help, drawing them ever closer to each other. Will standing for what’s right cost them both everything?

My Review:

This book captured me from the very first page and wouldn’t let me go. It was one of those books you have at hand while you’re making dinner—just because you can sneak in a few more pages while boiling the pasta.

Hedlund is a masterful storyteller that weaves characters with flaws and memorable quirks that stick with you. The main character, Lily, is impetuous and thick-headed, balanced cleverly by the hero, Connell, who is a methodical man with numbers and strategy close at heart. (side note: Every time he mentioned how good he was with numbers, my mind flashed to the line from The Dark Knight and the bad guy, Lau, who says, “I’m good with calculations.”)

The setting, historical detail and romance are top-notch and never overdone, as is every Jody Hedlund novel.

Hedlund also tackles the issue of human slave trafficking in a tactful way. Though encompassed in a historical story, she addresses hot-button issues still at play in today’s world—and I admire her deeply for mentioning so in the Author’s Note. You might read this book, set it aside and continue your life as normal, but these characters and the realities of human trafficking will stick with you.

If you love historical romance, this is the ideal book for you. Grab a copy, now!

Fun Extra: Check out the Nikon camera giveaway and blog tour – and the Facebook chat party happening September 18th. Jody is such a great gal, you’ll want to hang with her if you can! 😉