Saga historical written early in this writers career. Jackson is an orphan, who drifted looking for a fellow orphan, Carrie. He found her on a night when she killed a man, and he took the blame, then with her took off from Texas, running to Canada. Only he gets as far as Washington state, when Carrie needs a doctor. He finds Leah and falls in love with her, forcing him to choose between life as a drifter, or trusting her with a heart he didn't know he had. ( )

Dr. Leah Mundy is woken up at gunpoint in the middle of the night by a desperate gunman with an entire broken-down boat worth of secrets. Who--or what--is he running from? What is his relationship with Carrie, the desperately sick woman he nearly abducts Leah in order to heal? Why does he make Leah feel things she's never felt before for anyone--even though she desperately tries not to, and what will she do about it? Is it worth it to start a relationship with someone who isn't going to stay? Just who is the "drifter"? The answer may surprise you!

Although this book wasn't quite what I expected after reading the publisher's "blurb", I did end up enjoying it quite a bit. The characters, both primary and secondary, were well-written, and their motivations, though not entirely clear at the time, were eventually explained satisfactorily. My only issue--and really, it's not much of one--is that at times the writing was a bit too vague. I know we have to be kept in suspense and of course don't want to know too much too soon, but every now and then, usually in a flashback,the way they were written actually pulled me out of the story while I did a mental "huh?" and tried to figure out what had just happened. Other than that, though, it was a satisfying read. It was my first by Susan Wiggs, and I will be looking for more by her in the future. (Plus, it's nice to read a historical romance that has a title and cover picture I don't mind my kids seeing me reading ;-)) ( )

Classic tale of a prim woman doctor wirth a secret, and a charming, laid back drifter, also, with a few secrets tucked under his belt. Leah and Jackson attempt to uncover each other's secrets and fears, while they fight their attraction to one another. The story features Jackson's mad 'wife' who's addicted to opium, and an ageing sherriff who's on the trail of the drifter. Good. ( )

Whidbey Island, 1894. One of the lush, green islands dotting the Pacific Northwest coastline, and home to Coupeville, a sleepy little seaside town. Dr. Leah Mundy, the town physician, awakes in the middle of the night to find a stranger with a gun trained on her, demanding her help. The stranger is Jackson Underhill, a man on the run from a dangerous past, and the patient is Carrie, his childhood sweetheart.

Leah has devoted her life to the study of medicine and caring of patients and even though the circumstances are unnerving, she agrees to treat Carrie, who is suffering a miscarriage and who is also in the throws of wicked withdrawal symptoms from a morphine addiction. Leah and Jackson become closer as they struggle to help Carrie get well. But just when it seems Carrie has turned a corner and is on the road to recovery, she leaves town with another man and Leah learns that all is not as it seemed between Jackson and Carrie.

Jackson has discovered he likes the way of life on Whidbey Island and he likes the serious, yet vulnerable Dr. Mundy. Though he feels his past could catch up with him at any moment, he yearns for the quiet, stable life that has thus far eluded him but could be within his reach. But of course, there are complications: suspicious townfolk, a corrupt sheriff, a smuggling ring and the U.S. Marshall on his trail. I won't go into more detail about the plot because there are some twists and turns and I don't want to give anything away.

Ms. Wiggs has a talent for creating multi-dimensional characters that every reader can relate to and that talent shines through again in this book. It's a better than average romance, with lots of sexual tension, mystery, action and excitement. I have not read her contemporary romances, and of her historicals her Calhoun series is still my favorite. But this one is good, too, and I recommend it to fans of historical romances. ( )