Savannah Dawson is an American widow. Her husband died at sea two years prior, leaving her to raise their seven year old son, Vincent. When her late husband's brother, the Earl of Dorset dies unexpectedly, the earldom is passed on to her son.
Moving to her late husband's home in England, Savannah finds herself in a world unfamiliar to her. Fortunately or unfortunately for Savannah, her mother-in-law, the dowager Countess of Dorset knows exactly what must be done to ready young Vincent to take the reins of his new position.
Enter Gabriel Armstrong, Duke of Clevedon. His estate runs alongside the Dawson family manor, and knows the family quite well having grown up with both brothers. When the dowager countess asks him to oversee her young grandson's schooling and earldom until he comes of age, he can't refuse. How hard could it be?
He finds the American widow attractive, but headstrong and opinionated. Savannah on the other hand thinks the duke to be arrogant, condescending and a rake. Two powerful personalities are bound to clash. Or are they?