A great continuation of the Emerson series, this time we get to see the mysterious James, who has returned to England after getting royally screwed over in America and meeting the six year old daughter he'd never known about. This novel explores James's budding relationship with his daughter Anna at the same time he begins a relationship with the caring Irene. The characters are great, the conflict isn't manufactured, and there are no easy outs in the story. Some people have complained about the cliffhanger, but it affects a different character in the family, so it's really more of a tie-in to the next book. You'll read the next book because you want to, not because you have to.