Sara Browning (who is 29) lives in London and has been in love with her boss (Ian) for years. But after Ian tells Sara he is marrying someone else she hands in her notice and leaves her job. She decides to go back to her parents' home in Shropshire. When Sara arrives she meets a stranger (hero Stuart Delaney) who tells her that Sara's parents have just left for a few days because her sister is having her baby. Since Sara is alone till her parents come back she spends some time with Stuart and gets to know him. Stuart (who is in his 30's) is a tree expert who grows and sells trees and has worked with the Forestry Commission. He is now living in the manor house down the road, near her parents' home. Eventually Stuart offers Sara a job doing some computer work for him. Sara tells Stuart about how she loved her boss Ian and that Ian's fiancée Anna had a talk with Sara about how sexless and undesirable both she and Ian thought Sara was. So now Sara believes she is unappealing to men. Sara also tells Stuart about how much she wants children and a family. One day Stuart suggests a marriage of convenience...they are both compatible and want the same things in life. As time goes by Sara begins to realize how shallow Ian was and starts to fall for Stuart.

I liked Sara. She was a sweet, innocent, and at times naïve heroine. I couldn't figure out why she was so hung up on Ian for so many years. Maybe it was because at nineteen, when she arrived in London, she fell in love with Ian so he was her first love? Besides being good-looking he didn't have any good traits. It seemed that Sara was seeing him through rose-colored glasses. After being away from Ian for a while she started noticing his many bad qualities.

I really liked Stuart. He was kind, and thoughtful, and caring, and obviously smitten with Sara. He was a bit different for a Harlequin Presents hero. I can’t think of many HP heroes that worked with trees and the Forestry Commission. I thought it was sweet and romantic when Stuart secretly made an oak bed for Sara as a wedding present after she expressed an interest in one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first few chapters were a little slow when Sara dwelled for a bit on Ian but after that it really picked up. Another wonderful read by Penny Jordan! ( )