All's fair in love and war... As heir to a title, Will Masterson should have stayed home and tended his responsibilities. Instead, he went to war. After years fighting the French, he intends his current mission to be his last. But all his plans are forgotten when he arrives in the small mountain stronghold of San Gabriel and meets her. Knowing herself to be too tall, strong and unconventional, Athena Markham has always gloried in her independence. Yet for the first time in her life, she finds a man who might be her match. Two of a kind, too brave for their own good, Athena and Will vow to do whatever it takes to vanquish San Gabriel's enemies, while finding a love deeper than they'd ever imagined. A thrilling historical romance for fans of Mary Balogh and Stephanie Laurens.