Anna Campbell is ready to take her first tentative steps back into the world after widowhood. On a singles cruise, she meets divorced professor Ryan Robertson, and over the weeklong vacation they share sun-drenched afternoons and sultry evenings. Back home in West Texas, Anna and Ryan continue their romance, and Anna decides it's time for their families to meet. Anna is delighted when her thirteen-year-old daughter, Christina, hits it off with Ryan's daughter, Renee. The two girls are close in age and have lots in common. Ryan's son, Patrick, is college-bound and somewhat aloof, but Anna feels sure they'll grow closer in time. She happily accepts Ryan's proposal, confident in the bond they've formed. But the idyllic marriage Anna is hoping for is quickly thrown into doubt. Her new husband and stepchildren may not be all she thinks they are. And as the situation grows more desperate, Anna must reach deep within and draw on all her courage and self-reliance to fight for the family and home she deserves . . .