“Following the death of my wife, I am in need of support and companionship. I am prepared to make you an offer of marriage…”

Penang, 1939: As Evie steps off the boat, the tang of exotic scents in the air almost overwhelms her. Her heart beating wildly, she looks out over the lush tropical landscape she will now call home, and prays she hasn’t made a terrible mistake.

What was she thinking, accepting a proposal of marriage from a widower she met only once, back in England years ago? The truth is, Douglas Barrington made an indelible impression on Evie, and her adventurous spirit couldn’t resist the chance to travel to this far-flung paradise to marry him.

But when they meet again, Douglas’s cold and surly treatment leaves her humiliated and confused. From the way he looks at her when they’re alone together, she knows that there’s something there – a spark that could blaze into real love if only he would let it.

As Evie adjusts to the sultry heat and explores the island, swimming in its cooling waters and learning who she can trust among the gossiping ex-pat crowd at the tennis club, she wonders why Douglas invited her here only to desert her, leaving her to dine alone every night? And why won’t he let her visit the plantation where he spends all his time?

Brushing away tears of frustration, Evie vows to find out the truth. But as she delves deeper into her new husband’s life, she’s shocked to discover the secrets he’s keeping from her. With war looming on the horizon, can Evie find the courage she so desperately needs to confront him? And will she ever be able to call Malaya her true home?