Ryoki is comfortable is his custom-built hell, making money with both hands and slashing his path through the world of men. But there’s something about Kate, something important dangling just at the edge of his consciousness. She can’t read a map, she falls off her heels, and yet she saves his life with a button and a bit of thread. Terrified she’s privately plotting to marry him, he studies her with hooded eyes, attempting to discover her secrets for himself. But understanding Kate will challenge everything he thought he knew.

“Detailing how family dynamics, cultural diversity and past relationships shape who we are, debut novelist Hiatt subtly explores the cavern between a successful life and a meaningful one . . . An exceptional first effort that captures the harmony of two beating hearts.”—Kirkus Starred Review