Bride of a Distant Isle: A Novel of Victorian Romantic Suspense (Novels of Victorian Romantic Suspense Book 2) by Sandra Byrd

She has everything to gain and everything to lose, including her life. When Miss Annabel Ashton returns to her family estate, what starts as a brief visit morphs into a twisted survival game. Her cousin Edward Everedge traps her at Highcliffe Hall, compelling her to abandon her genteel teaching position and accept marriage to a man whose cold presence fills her with dread. As the illegitimate daughter of a woman who died in an asylum, Annabel feels she has no choice but to yield to Edward’s will—or so he believes. But Highcliffe Hall has chosen this moment to reveal its secrets. As Edward rushes to sell the estate, mysterious objects begin to appear: a diamond-studded locket, portraits hidden behind walls, encrypted letters that whisper of a shattering truth—Annabel may be the true heir. She races against time to save the estate and her own life. Into this web of deception arrives Captain Dell'Acqua, a handsome seafarer whose commanding presence and chivalrous actions awaken Annabel's heart. But he is a man with a complicated past. She is drawn to him despite every instinct urging her to stay away. Then, a final, most ominous barrier to Annabel’s inheritance and life appears: a shocking turn of events neither she nor anyone else could have anticipated. Will Annabel be able to secure her life and trust her heart before it’s too late? ~~~ The author’s webpage for this book includes a discussion of potentially sensitive content for those who wish to preview it before reading.