We don't always get to choose our path... Eighteen months ago, Kelly Sheppard vanished into the wilds of the Australian outback, carrying nothing but guilt, heartbreak, and a desperate need to escape. Now, back in the world but still guarded and raw, she's focused on survival-not love. Patrick Van Der Meeliko, newly arrived from Boston, is running from his own demons. The outback has stripped him down and rebuilt him piece by piece, but it's Kelly who shakes something loose in his heart. Even when she keeps her distance. But fate has other plans. When Kelly inherits her grandfather's crumbling castle in tropical northern Australia, she escapes once more-this time to rebuild something tangible. Patrick shows up when she needs help the most, and despite her best efforts, the walls she's built begin to crack. Between the overgrown vines, broken memories, and unexpected laughter, something tender takes root. Until her past collides with her present, and suddenly there's no room for Patrick in her life. Despite all the pain she's endured, pushing Patrick away hurts the most. Patrick gets it and doesn't stand in her way. He must travel his own road littered with uncertainty and doubt to find his rightful place. Once again, it's the Australian outback that heals him. Set in the hauntingly beautiful Australian tropics, this passionate, heart-wrenching romance will leave you breathless-dancing in the rain one moment and crying through your smile the next. Because sometimes, the road that breaks you... is the one that leads you home.