Elinor Prescott has come home at last…to Oakleigh, the gracious antebellum mansion that sheltered generations of her distinguished Southern family. But the magnificent old house is a near-ruin that she can’t afford to restore, and Elinor hopes to find a buyer who will cherish it as much as she does. With one provision, she won’t sell to handsome, self-made millionaire Cole Whittier.

Cole has her neighbors in an uproar with his proposal to situate his new factory nearby and Elinor is leading the opposition. He’s got an uphill battle ahead of him if he intends to convince this stubborn beauty of the merits of his plan —or anything else he has to offer.

It’s up to Cole to persuade her to see the issue from his perspective —if he can find the patience. But in his heart of hearts, the sexy industrialist has a feeling that Elinor is well worth winning over…for keeps.