His past haunts him. She needs answers only he can provide. Staying away isn't an option, not when they can help each other. But she's a heady distraction he can't afford. Tell that to his wounded heart...

He's mysterious and off-the-charts hot. At least that's how Emerson Lowell thinks of the tall, dark, handsome, and very intense man she mistakes for someone she must work with at King's Department Store. Yeah, the guy she not quite hits on to ease her anxiety at showing up at the richy-rich Carlisle Toy art exhibit in a barely there dress, if you can even call it that. Oh, the way he looks at her makes her weak all over. Swoon, anyone?

She's a bright light and a rare beauty. Declan Bennett Carlisle can't take his eyes off her. But as the sole heir to the now defunct toy company, the head of the foundation trying to secretly disperse legacy funds to the former employees—one possibly related to Emerson—and one of its toymakers, he's keeping his identity under wraps. That means hidden from the mesmerizing Emerson. Only, he can't stay away. Not from her. Not from how she soothes his deep-seated pain and inspires him to take up designing and toy making again. Shocker!

He questions whether she's just using him to get information about the unique Carlisle toy she needs repaired for her orphaned niece. The closer they get the risk of being exposed grows even greater. But Emerson's sweet funny ways break through all Declan's desperate failed attempts to keep her at arm's length and that icy block lodged in his chest. He needs to call a halt to it before it's too late. Only she doesn't take no for an answer when it comes to matters of the heart...

If you like funny romantic comedies, lively banter, opposites attract, wounded heroes and strong heroines, and heartwarming happily-ever-afters then you'll love Laurie LeClair's modern day retelling of this classic fairy tale in her latest installment in her bestselling Once Upon A Romance series!