Sara Anne Aldredge had an imaginary friend, Hope. Before her sister, Caroline, died two years before, she could never see Hope; Sara Anne's father could never see her either. She had never known her mother; neither did she know her mother, Opal, was called Hope. Sara Anne's father, Delbert Aldredge, was living beyond his needs and depended upon her to marry well to insure his financial backing in years to come.

Sara Anne had a close friend whom she planned to marry; however, an obnoxious man whom she had never liked, Aaron Waldrup, was much richer and determined that he was going to choose and train her to be the wife he wanted. Her father forced her to accept his suit, but when she returned home after he had bruised and abused her, her father tried to make her return. When she refused to go back, he whipped her with a horse whip leaving three bad marks on her back, to go with the black eye and split lip that Aaron had given her.

Confused and terrorized, Sara Anne ran off to England to stay with her mother's family. While there, her cousin Ginny, invited her to go with some of her friends to Scotland, where they were all (except Sara Anne) kidnapped for ransom. She was taken by one of the kidnappers to sell. His name was Adrian McGoldrick. Of course, Aaron wouldn't allow Sara Anne to get away from him. He chose to go to England to bring her back home and teach her a lesson!

This incredible book has many twists and turns, but you will never get bored. I promise that you will be thrilled to be introduced to Ms. Jane Shoup's work. The phenomenal plot will keep you captivated! It will also give you Hope!

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Mildly sensual

Reviewer: Brenda Talley
September 28, 2006