The Price of Pleasure (Sutherland Brothers, Book 2) by Kresley Cole

So this romance has been on mount TBR for what seems like forever. I found Kresley Cole a few years back and loved her writing so much, I quickly acquired all of her earlier works. I have to say they are just as good as her work today.

Victoria (Tori) Dearbourne is thirteen when the ship she is sailing on goes down. Her father goes down with the ship, but Tori, her nanny, and her mother make it to a nearby island. Her mother's back is broken, and she quickly perishes. Tori and her nanny are now all alone on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere. Even though her grandfather sends out many search parties, they are never found.

Grant Sutherland is hired by Tori's dying grandfather as his last attempt to find any of his remaining family. If Grant is successful, he'll inherit the estate as payment. Grant and his crew travel for months and search many islands to no avail. But on the last island, they hit paydirt.

However, after living on the island for so many years, Tori and her companion are wary of the sailors. They want to go back to civilization, but can Grant and his crew be trusted? Tori outwits and outmaneuvers Grant on several attempts of catching her, but she is at last bested. As they sail back to London though, Grant has to keep reminding himself about honor and propriety, since he desires Tori. But even though Tori recipicotes the feelings, she won't take Grant for her own since he won't give her his heart.

Cole writes with savvy wit and twists the heart strings. Tori and Grant are two characters so dimensional, you come to know them like friends over for tea. A romance with turbulent waves and smooth sailing, I absolutely loved it!