An enjoyable romance. Of course Aaron is not guilty of murder. The relationship between Sylvie & Daniel is very touchi ( )

"The Lawman's Vow", by Elizabeth Lane, took me on a grand romantic adventure to the beautifully rugged Northern California Coast of the mid-nineteenth century! Flynn O'Rourke is a tough as nails San Francisco lawman determined to bring his sister's murderer to justice. He thinks the killer is Aaron Cragun, a salvage and scrap dealer with a less than stellar reputation, so he sets sail for Cragun's home on the coast. A violent storm wrecks Flynn's boat, and he awakens with no memory of who he is, or why and how he ended up stranded on the beach. He is rescued by a lovely blonde angel and her precocious little brother. Slyvie Cragun names him "Ishmael", and she and her brother Daniel provide him with care and shelter while he struggles to regain his identity. As Sylvie and Daniel await the return of their father, Ishmael gradually regains his strength and begins to make much-needed repairs to the family home, which is actually built from the hull of shipwreck. Sylvie's father is a man of intelligence and imagination, if not high morals, and he has created an amazing place for his family to live. The salvage he gathers from wrecked ships and other sources is sold to provide the family finances, but Sylvie is unaware of her father's other, less savory predilections for obtaining money. Ishmael is drawn to Sylvie's beauty and caring heart, and she is attracted by his strength and inner gentleness. Bits and pieces of memory return as the days go by, and Ishmael is torn by a desire to stay with Sylvie and Daniel, and the need to leave in search of returning to his real life. He has only a few clues, including the sapphire ring he still wears. Sylvie grows increasingly worried as her father does not return as planned, and threatening intruders add to her alarm. Ishmael cares deeply for Sylvie and Daniel, and he would give his life to protect them from all harm. The love between Sylvie and Ishmael becomes a blazing passion, one that the two of them know could end when his memories finally return, but they are caught up in a lover's spell. "The Lawman's Vow" is exciting, richly-detailed, and very romantic--perfect for lovers of great historical romance! Recommended for dreamers and adventurers who may have wished for a handsome hero to wash ashore in need of the giving and receiving of some passionate TLC! ( )