Megan has vowed never to fall in love again, but Nathaniel Fury is equally determined to break the barriers she has erected around her heart. Megan O'Riley is invited to take over the accounts department of the newly launched hotel , The Towers Retreat. A few months ago, Megan and her son Kevin had visited the Towers to take part in her brother Sloan's marriage to one of the Calhoun sisters, Amanda. Ironically, Amanda's sister Suzanna had been once married to the same man, Baxter Duxmont, who betrayed Megan and left her pregnant and alone at the age of 17.
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Megan is confused where her decision to move to the Towers was the right one, but Kevin hits it off with Suzanna's children and seems to be happy. Megan's attraction to Nathaniel Fury, rugged sailor and Suzanna's new husband's business partner, has her disturbed. Nate is equally attracted to Megan and decides to break down the defenses she has put up around her heart. Nate takes Megan and the kids for sailing one day and kisses her.
Megan and Nate's relationship moves along slowly as she is wary of falling in love with a handsome face and smooth words, a second time. But in her heart, she knows that Nate will not hurt her. The Calhoun sisters are happy that Megan seems to have finally found her mate in Nate.
One day when Megan goes to Nate's office to talk to him about his business accounts, Baxter corners her and tells her that she should leave her job and leave the Towers. Baxter is planning to join politics and he is afraid that Megan's proximity to Suzanna and the Calhouns will push her into going public about the affair they had years ago. Baxter pushes her around, but Nate comes in time and beats him to pulp before throwing him into the sea. Nate takes Megan home and she tells him that she is ready to take their relationship to the next level. Sloan is not happy on realizing that Nate and his sister are sleeping together, but Nate tells him that he is in love with her.
Meanwhile Aunt Coco and the Dutchman, who is kind of a surrogate father to Nate, have fallen in love with each other.
Soon, Baxter sends two hitmen to take revenge on Nate. Nate manages to defend himself and send them back with a warning, but he is badly wounded. When Nate tells Megan that the men were sent by Baxter, Kevin is overcome by guilt thinking that Nate will go away now because he is Baxter's son. Kevin runs away from the Towers in the middle of the night.
The next morning, everyone starts searching for Kevin. Nate suddenly has an idea and goes to the cliffs where he finds Kevin hiding. He tells Kevin that he has nothing to fear and that he wants to marry his mother and Kevin would be his son. Megan is grateful to Nate for bringing Kevin back but she still does not want to take the final step. When Aunt Colleen tells Megan that maybe she is destined to live her life alone and doesn't need a man, she starts thinking. Her work on Colleen's father's (Fergus Calhoun) diary leads her to an old trunk hidden inside floorboards. Inside the trunk were small treasures belonging to Bianca and her children. Nate proposes to Megan that night and she accepts.
Best part of story, including ending:
I liked the first four books in the Calhoun Sisters series more. This one seemed more like an afterthought after all the other stories were done. Even the mystery surrounding the box hidden by Fergus sounded contrived. Other than the romance, this book has nothing going for it.
Best scene in story:
While Megan and Nate are coming back from a walk in the cliffs, they come across Aunt Coco and the Dutchman arguing with each other. The Dutchman is jealous and is angry with Coco for dressing up when the senior St. James came to visit. Though Nate has no idea, Megan recognizes the sexual sparks flying between the two and takes Nate inside. The Dutchman tells Coco that he will break the other guy's puny arms if he ever put them on her again. Coco's heart goes pitter-patter and the two go at each other. Coco tells him that her room is on the second floor, but the Dutchman takes her in his arms and tells her that his is closer.
Opinion about the main character:
Megan has been hurt once in her past and that has made her wary of getting close to anyone or depending on anyone for her happiness. She is more comfortable with facts and figures than with emotions and takes her time before making any decision.
