1634. There are too many men and far too few women in James Towne. Selah Hopewell already has her hands full assisting her father in the family's shop. She has no wish to wed-- but she's put in charge of an incoming ship of tobacco brides who must be looked after as they sort through their many suitors. Xander Renick is perhaps the most eligible tobacco lord in the settlement. His lands are vast, his crops are prized, and his position as a mediator between the colonists and the powerful Powhatan nation surrounding them makes him indispensable. He is wedded to his business and still grieves the loss of his wife, daughter of the Powhatan chief. Can these two fiercely independent people find what they've been missing in life has been right in front of them all along?