When Sir Anthony Malory's young daughter is abducted from London's Hyde Park, her kidnapper mistakenly sends the ransom note to the home of Sir Anthony's brother, James. With James and his wife, Georgina, in the Caribbean, the demands are received by their houseguest - Georgina's youngest brother, Boyd Anderson. Searching for the girl with Anthony, the notoriously hot-headed American sea captain fully intends to make the foolhardy villain pay. But he hardly expects to find exquisite Katey Tyler, recently a passenger on his ship, at the center of the plot!

Little does Katey realize that in having caught the attention of Boyd Anderson - and in meeting up with the Malorys - she's about to experience more excitement than the typical young lady encounters on a grand tour, and her life will never be dull again. For a multitude of surprises await Katey, from the startling truth about her mother's early life. . . to the lengths a man will go to win the affections of a lady who has every reason to despise him - but who can't resist the seductive, impassioned love he has to offer her.