Royston Stirling has all the strength, money, and power that his infamous father wielded over the family cattle station deep in the dusty bush of Australia's Channel Country. But from the moment she sees him, Amelia Boyd knows Royce struggles to be a better man. His tense energy attracts her, fueling the spell of remote, manor-like Kooralya and its lush gardens of gardenia and roses-even as she recognizes that the wedding bringing their families together is a terrible mistake. Amelia knows her sister has snared Royce's brother more out of greed than passion. But she can't abandon her, no matter how conniving she seems. And with the groom besotted with Amelia even as he prepares to walk down the aisle, the ill-fated match stirs up nightmares of the past. Amelia might almost forgive Royce's suspicions. But the arrogance of a wounded man is a powerful force, one Amelia knows too well. And as the desire brewing between Royce and Amelia grows irresistible, the distrust, heartache, and family secrets seething beneath the surface are bound to burst forth.