Retired Navy Seals commander Sloan Marshall is in Cook's Bay, Me., recovering from a hostage rescue mission to Beirut, during which he was tortured by enemy fources, when he first sees Anna Ramey searching for shells on the beach. Anna is taking care of her disabled diabetic husband, who conveniently dies the morning after Anna and Sloan give in to their passions. When an autopsy reveals that an insulin overdose caused the husband's death, circumstantial evidence leads to Anna and Sloan's arrest and trial for murder. As the trial proceeds, the novel flashes back to recapture the series of emotional beach-side meetings which led to the lovers' fateful encounter. Canfield's ( Loving ) attempt to mix courtroom drama with star-crossed romance only partially succeeds. The trial distracts from the romance, and the flashback narrative style adds to the confusion. Nevertheless, Canfield does demonstrate a convincing, evocative writing style, and she keeps the question of whodunit going until the very end.