FLORA ...a delicate Eurasian child-woman who moved between two worlds but was shunned by both. ...an innocent beauty whose unawakened fires could be ignited by only one man. ...a sensuous tale of love, heartbreak and searing passion that sweeps from a remote village in western China to the teeming decadence of old Shanghai, and reaches its heart-stirring conclusion in the opulent mansions and lush estates of turn-of-the-century England.

Some might call it a marriage of convenience: North, the ninth Earl of Carlyon, needs money for the upkeep of his family estate, and Jane Graham, an American heiress, is in love with the idea of being a countess and presiding over that magnificent estate, Longwarden. But she gradually falls in love with North himself and becomes determined to win his heart as well as his title. Three other women’s lives revolve around Longwarden—women who have passions and problems of their own. The beautiful Lady Allegra Lomax, North’s sister, has at last found her calling as a writer. To her surprise, she has also finally found a lover who excites her: Alessandro Risconti, a charming Italian artist whose talent has earned him fame and fortune. But she is not ready to sacrifice her career to follow him all over the world. Penelope, North and Allegra’s widowed mother, seems to care more about plants than people. Having lived through an unsatisfying marriage, she finds herself falling in love now for the first time, but with someone completely unsuitable. Penelope’s nineteen-year-old niece, Sarah, has not yet outgrown her adolescent love for horses or for her childhood sweetheart, Nick. Though Nick is away in Spain, she stubbornly rejects the lecherous advances of Tark Osgood, a local youth who has a Cockney accent and a chip on his shoulder. As this exciting, fast-paced story moves from New England to old England and from New York to the Caribbean, these strong and passionate women clash with lovers, husbands, and even the law as they confront emotional challenges and pursue their dreams.

Can the magic of Longwarden heal the wounds of the past? Or will its inhabitant's secrets destroy the fabric of their lives—-and even the house itself? The restoration work brings outsiders to disturb the peace of the estate of Damaris, the poised and beautiful garden consultant with a guilty secret; Joel Vibrac, the French chef, frustrated by love and ambition; James and Laura, both distanced from love by their pasts. And there is sadness in the Lomax family too. Although Jane and North have found happiness, Allegra still nurses her loss, and Sarah's passion sets her hopes at risk . . .