Years of resentment and a passionate romance throw a man into turmoil when he returns to the Scottish Highlands in this novel.

Wylie Macpherson was only 15 years old when he found himself branded a traitor during Scotland’s unsuccessful 1745 Jacobite uprising against the English crown. He has spent 25 years in exile in France. Now a widower with two sons—16-year-old Will and 7-year-old Dougal—he is back in Scotland to receive the pardon his father, William, has fought years to obtain for him. Wylie also intends to leave his sons temporarily in William’s care while he goes off to settle in Florida. But nothing goes as planned. Before reaching Glencorach (the family estate), Wylie runs into Anna Macrae, daughter of his father’s “factor” (financial manager). She tells him that tragically, William died suddenly two weeks ago. Wylie is now laird (the Scottish equivalent of an English lord) of Glencorach. It is a position he has no wish to assume, and he is certainly not ready to face painful memories or to attempt a détente with his cousin George, who betrayed him twice during the bad years. First, George denounced Wylie in court as a traitor. Then he married Miriam Grant, the young beauty Wylie loved. But legal complications delay Wylie’s ability to sell Glencorach and depart for Florida. Then there is Anna, to whom he is increasingly attracted even without knowing she has loved him since childhood. The stage is set for Graham’s emotionally charged family drama/romance starring Wylie and Anna as two strong, occasionally infuriatingly stubborn protagonists who are constantly tripping themselves up with misunderstandings and doubts. The author skillfully builds her development of Wylie’s complicated character over the course of this enjoyable series opener, keeping things intriguing until the end. George has more depth than most secondary characters, and his backstory is pivotal to the overall narrative. Graham uses just enough Gaelic terminology to create a sense of authenticity without causing readers undue frustration, and her atmospheric descriptions of places and lifestyles offer a visceral visit to the past.

A fun read, historically informative, with dangling strings aplenty for the sequel.