Against the Tide

Lydia Pallas grew up amid uncertainty, and as an adult she has built a settled, orderly life. She works as a translator for the U.S. Navy in Boston, in an office within sight of the harbor, a post her gift for languages has earned her.

Her skill draws the attention of Alexander Banebridge, known as Bane, who needs a translator. He is committed to a campaign to end the opium trade. Cool, analytical and relentless, he cannot afford distractions, and Lydia is one.

A romance grows between the two despite his efforts to hold it off. Bane fights the attachment, and the feeling between them carries a bittersweet edge.

Then his enemies gain the upper hand, and Bane has nowhere else to turn but Lydia. She is determined to show what she is worth. Carrying out his mission will demand all her intelligence and nerve.

This is a historical romance with a mission at its center, balancing a slow-burning attraction against the pressure of a campaign that turns dangerous. The tone is earnest, and the stakes rise once Bane's opponents start winning.