Lives shattered...

Sean McKenna joined the Coast Guard to save lives. Now a flight mech, he loves living and operating in the wilds of Alaska. When a mission goes terribly wrong, Sean is badly injured. But no pain can compare to the guilt he feels over the loss of his best friend. It was Sean's job to keep Justin, the rescue swimmer, safe. Now Justin is dead, leaving his wife, Eden, without a husband and their toddler son, Maverick, without a father. The best Sean can do is step up and help Eden in any way he can. As the months go by, he finds himself fighting a growing attraction to her. He knows people on base are talking. What kind of man hooks up with his best friend's widow? But the heart wants what it wants, and this desire can't be denied-because it's mutual.

A heart torn...

Eden Koseki loved Justin from the moment he jumped out of a hovering helicopter, swam to shore, and asked her for her name and number. She thought they had all the time in the world. Losing him and the future they'd planned together is more devastating than she could have imagined. It's only the support of her family-and Sean's steadfast presence-that get her through those first months of overpowering grief. But as the weeks pass, she feels unexpectedly drawn to him. When she's with him, she's able to smile and laugh again-especially while watching him play with little Maverick. Still, her emotions leave her torn between loyalty to Justin's memory and the living, breathing man who makes her feel alive again.

A second chance... if they're both brave enough to take it

As winter turns to summer and snow turns to rain, the heat between Sean and Eden intensifies. So does the gossip in town. Still, Eden isn't about to let anyone interfere in her business. She knows now just how fragile life can be. When Sean's sense of duty threatens to keep them apart, Eden knows she must help him move past his survivor's guilt-or risk losing this second chance at deep love and lasting happiness.