Rowan Cottage — Evelyn Hood

When Jessica Taylor travels to the Scottish Borders to inspect her Rowan Cottage, left to her by her great-aunt, she finds herself confronted by the distinctly unwelcoming Adam Brodie. However, having inherited some of Kate's spirited independence herself, Jessica is undaunted by the knowledge that the curt, ill-mannered Brodie is also the executor of her aunt's estate.

Yet with each encounter, she becomes increasingly convinced that beneath Adam's mask of indifference there is a stormy, sensitive soul -- one that has been badly hurt in the past. His girlfriend, Ishbel Stevenson, is as possessive as she is beautiful, and she is used to getting her own way. With Adam secure in her clutches, she has her sights set on Jessica's inheritance. But Jessica has her own ideas. Rowan Cottage is not for sale; and Adam Brodie's wounds seem to need a more caring healer than the overbearing Ishbel.