Isabel (Bella) Stanford finally found the courage to leave a family she'd never felt a part of and make her own roots and family in a quiet place of her choosing. She found the town and family she'd been looking for with two friends she'd met and connected with right away. When she met Simon, she thought he might be a man she'd enjoy having in her life until one circumstance after another kept them apart and a secret brought them together again.Simon Hawthorn had been through hell and back and never wanted to relive the experience again. He had worked hard to get back what he'd lost and then one look at Bella, and his life changed, and he'd become obsessed with her from the start. Even though what he felt for Bella was so much stronger than anything he'd ever felt before, fear kept him from giving into his feelings for her. But fear wasn't enough to keep him away for good.