She trusted once. It nearly cost her everything. Emma hides behind routine, behind careful silence, behind a life shaped by shadows. Once, she let someone in-and paid the price. Now, as a governess in London's glittering society, she's mastered invisibility. Until a certain duke returns, with a past of his own and eyes that seem to see too much.He's sworn off feelings. She's afraid to believe. Ash-Hugh Ashford to the ton-is no ordinary nobleman. Years of work for the Crown have taught him to question everything and trust no one. Still, something about Emma reaches past every guard he's ever built. Her quiet grace. Her careful distance. Her strength that flickers even when fear fights to dim it.Together, they stand at the edge of something risky-and real. She's been threatened before. He's faced danger more times than he can count. But love? That's a risk neither knows how to survive. Yet, not trusting is its own loss. It means staying safe, but alone. As Emma becomes entangled in the investigation that brought Ash home, trust soon becomes their only currency. And choosing each other may be the most reckless-and most necessary-move of all.Her heart remembers what it cost to believe. This time, she just might decide it's worth it.🔐 If you've ever been afraid to trust again-and still longed for someone who sees your fear and stays anyway… this story is yours. About MeHi, I'm Bree Wolf-a USA Today bestselling author, former academic, and life-long lover of stories. I studied English and Specialized Translation, wandered the halls of universities, spending more years than I should have trying to be reasonable.Eventually, that quiet, persistent voice in my head said: It's time to write. I've since published over fifty historical romances, each one stitched together from pieces of my own heart: doubts, regrets, fears, and messy, hopeful dreams.I love chocolate (especially when chapters get emotional), cry far too easily at my keyboard, and have a deep spiritual bond with cats… which is tragically one-sided, as I'm terribly allergic. A lifelong heartbreak, truly. About What I WriteI write love stories-not the tidy kind with perfect timing and easy resolution.My stories are about the hearts that ache a little louder, fall a little later, and carry more than they ever expected to. You'll meet heroines who've been hurt, heroes who protect with patience, and love that heals in slow, steady pulses.Whether set in England's ballrooms, Scotland's wild highlands, or time-tossed ruins, these are journeys of emotional courage. They're layered, sincere, and full of the kind of hope you find after everything else. My romances aren't escape-they're refuge. About Why I WriteAt their core, my books are love letters-to anyone who's ever doubted they were enough, struggled to be seen, or wondered if healing would ever come. I draw from personal experience, yes-but mostly I write for connection. For restoration. For the reader flipping pages late into the night, whispering please let them be okay.My settings shift-Regency England, Scottish Highlands, sometimes a little magic-but the heartbeat stays the same: tenderness. Bravery. Love that doesn't fix you, but walks with you while you become who you were meant to be.And if any part of my stories finds a place in your own… then I've written what I was meant to.
