A chance encounter between a successful lawyer and a rebellious bad boy will change life as they know it forever in this suspenseful novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Nicholas Sparks.

"A roller-coaster ride of emotions, switching from the soft tone of a love story to the adrenaline rush of a thriller." —Associated Press

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. The last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship.

Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed.