Life doesn’t always turn out as expected, something Iris McDonnell learns when she arrives in the Colonies. Her fiancé is nothing like the wealthy shipbuilder described in his letters. Instead, she finds an unemployed ex-convict who knows naught of plans to marry her, let alone promises of a lifetime of love. When hardship forces their paths to intertwine, Iris begins to see Riley as more than a criminal…

Riley West knew his sister, Gwen, was meddlesome, but he had no idea to what extent until Iris appears in his life demanding that they marry. With a town hating him and a past haunting him, the last thing he needs is a headstrong, optimistic woman with no clue of how cruel the world really is. When feelings for Iris unexpectedly erupt, Riley has to figure out how to put his life back together.