Dude, if you're planning an elopment to Australia and the girl hasn't arrived the day before, stock up on supplies for her. Seriously. You can plan better than this. She doesn't turn up? Give it to the poor at your destination. Also, get the captain to marry you. You're months on the boat and you don't even ask?

When Sam Robertson returns to England he has one plan in mind, to confront the Earl who sent him, an innocent boy, to Australia as a convict. It's 18 years later and he's a successful rancher but he needs to put an end to the questions he has. He has served his time and now it's time to move on. However the Earl's daughter is distracting him from his plan. The Epilogue knocked a few points off the stars

It's not a bad read but there were times when I wanted to shake both of them until the sense bubbled to the top. ( )

Good book with an unusual hero. Sam is a self-made man, going from convict to one of the wealthiest men in Australia. He is back in England with one goal - revenge on the man responsible for sending him there. All Sam needs to do is find a way to get close to the man and uncover the information needed to destroy him. He didn't expect to fall in love with his enemy's daughter.

Georgina is twenty-one and in her third season in London. She knows she needs to pick a husband soon, or her parents will choose one for her. The problem is that she finds all the eligible men so dull. Underneath her proper exterior, Georgina has the heart of an adventurer and marriage to any of these men will mean the end to her dreams of travel.

Sam's original intention was simple - befriend Georgina and use her to get close to her father. He doesn't plan to do anything that will hurt her or damage her reputation. Georgina was intrigued by Sam and the mystery of his past. I loved the connection they felt from the moment they met. Though Georgina knew he wasn't a suitable match, and Sam knew that she was far above him, they continued to find ways to spend time together. By the time he finagled an invitation to the family's house party, Sam dreamed of a future with Georgina in it. Georgina, too, fantasizes about a life with Sam rather than the insipid future that awaits her. I loved the scene where Sam tells her of his background and his experiences in Australia, and Georgina's acceptance of that truth. But the closer he gets to Georgina, the guiltier Sam feels about hiding the truth from her. Before he can tell her himself, she overhears his confrontation with her father. Georgina is devastated, and feeling betrayed accepts the proposal of the man that her mother has been pushing at her. I ached for both of them and was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see how they would resolve the problem. I loved how Sam gave Georgina the tools to follow her heart, but stepped back and left the decision to her. I hurt for Georgina, caught between her desire to be the daughter her parents wanted and her love for Sam. An unexpected conversation with her mother and a little push from her best friend gave her what she needed to follow her heart. There was a nice touch that showed that Georgina's sense of honor matched Sam's. The ending was pretty intense as I held my breath, waiting to see how they would make it happen. I loved the epilogue and the description of their life in Australia.

The secondary characters were all well done. The Earl showed the downside of some of the nobility with his selfishness and disregard of those he felt were beneath him. What he did to Sam and why showed how awful he was. Georgina's mother appeared to have her heart in the right place, wanting what she believed was the best for her daughter. However, her unwillingness to see Sam for the good man that he was and push Georgina into a loveless marriage in spite of the unhappiness of her own marriage made me less sympathetic toward her. I liked Georgina's friend Caroline. She truly did have Georgina's best interests in mind, and I loved her part in Georgina's escape. I'd like to see her with a happy ending of her own, perhaps with the Duke. I was surprised and impressed with his understanding at the end. There wasn't much with Sam's two friends, but I liked what I learned about them. I'm looking forward to their stories. ( )