Lady Anna Clifton's relentless pursuit of her missing brother leads her to the dashing but vexing Mr. Jennings, who just might steal her heart. London, England, 1814 Lady Anna Clifton has arrived in London with a secret purpose. Her soldier brother has been reported wounded and missing in France, and if he is dead, his title and their family's estate will go to a horrible distant cousin, and Lady Anna will be homeless. Desperate to find her brother alive, Lady Anna blesses her good fortune when the Duke of Aylesham offers his yacht to carry her to France so she can look for her brother there herself.

James Jennings wants nothing more than to enjoy a relaxing journey back to Paris on the Duke of Aylesham's yacht before rejoining England's diplomatic war efforts against Napoleon. However, the strikingly beautiful young woman already on board catches him off guard. When he receives only a cold reception from her, he dismisses her outright and blasts her disruption of his trip—until he learns the tragic reason she has set out on such a perilous journey. As infuriating as Lady Anna's brash behavior and indifference to him is, her search seems much too dangerous for her to undertake alone, so James reluctantly offers to assist her.

The two embark on a search through France for Lady Anna's brother all while trying to reconcile their differences. With every step, they come closer to solving the mystery of Lady Anna's brother's disappearance—but every step also pushes their hearts closer together.