He’s supposed to convince her to marry someone else. What happens if he falls for her instead?
Living on the small tidal island of St. Michael’s Mount, Miss Livvy May has the freedom to do as she wishes and go where she pleases, thriving in harmony with the Cornish seas. As much as she loves living on the Mount, however, there is one thing she wishes she could change: the fact that everyone wishes to know everything. In an effort to help, Livvy’s father encourages her to find a spouse off of the Mount, but the very thought of leaving her home is unbearable—even if that home includes people who constantly misjudge and misunderstand her. But such a matter is hardly important when she has her books to keep her company. After all, reading is far easier than acknowledging the secrets she is desperate to keep to herself. Secrets about her past, about her family, about her heart—and whom she holds inside of it.
Known as the Mount’s Charmer, August Moon has it all—a promising occupation as the castle’s undergardener, a family who loves him, friends who support him, and a community that adores him. The only thing that could make his life better? Finding a wife whose cheerful temperament and sense of adventure match his own. Such a thing is easier said than done, however, when his time is unexpectedly usurped by his supervisor, Mr. May, and a shocking ultimatum: August must help the unsociable Livvy May to find her place in Society or risk losing his place of work at the castle. Spending any amount of time with the woman will most assuredly be a waste of August’s time, but how can he willingly give up his position at the castle when he’s spent his whole life working to get there?
With no choice but to accept Mr. May’s demands, August is determined to make quick work of the situation. But assisting the woman proves more than difficult as she refuses to comply with Society’s standards, putting his job—and his future—at risk. Livvy can’t begin to understand why the man is suddenly paying attention to her, but she is determined to keep her secrets to herself, especially the ones that involve August. And yet, when a fraction of the true Livvy shines forth, both of them must decide if their futures are better left spent apart or if falling in love is worth the risk of everything changing—and not entirely for the better.