Cornwall, England. 1740


Scarlett Bailey has left home with a knife in her hand, to search for the father she has grown up believing dead. Determined to punish him for abandoning his family, Scarlett finds herself drawn into the world of a local press gang, where smugglers rub shoulders with naval officers and the revenue men are full of surprises.


Scarlett's brother, Isaac, is making his own plans to escape Talland and release his family from a life of free trade. Behind the back of syndicate boss, Charles Reuben, he conducts dangerous smuggling runs that will see a bullet in his chest if he is caught.


When the truth of their father's disappearance finally comes to light, it will have far-reaching implications for Scarlett and Isaac. And while they both fight the allure of dangerous love, their enemies will do anything to stop their escape from succeeding.