Vaughan De Matteo, recently returned from an yet another overseas deployment, finds out he fathered a child four years ago with his one true love, the woman he left behind at home in order to give her a better life, in order for her to get out of their crumbling small town.

River Purcell never left Hook, New Jersey. She had her heart crushed by the love of her life and became pregnant all in the same day. She's raised her daughter by working hard, juggling two jobs, and she isn't ready to have Vaughn swoop in to "save the day." She doesn't need a man.

What River doesn't know is the real reason Vaughan left her crying in that cheap hotel room, and he has some hard work cut out convincing her he's back for good and has always loved her.

This is a very angsty romance with a wonderfully strong heroine. I disliked some of Vaughan's reasons for leaving her and his resistance in spilling the beans, especially since the external factor keeping them apart is easily solved by a conversation.

That said, this is super sexy. Vaughan refused to have sex with River until she turned 18, and there is some quite steamy scenes revolving around those flashbacks.