New York Times bestselling author and "master storyteller" (Literary Times) Jude Deveraux uncovers the passions and scandals that take a small town by storm when two cousins switch lives.

Ariel and Sara never imagined their high-spirited attempt to step into each other’s shoes would cause such upheaval. The lifelong pen pals, who look exactly alike, meet for the first time in their twenties and embark on a daring adventure of changing identities. Southern belle Ariel is determined to win the heart of a man who doesn’t know she exists, while Sara yearns to leave behind her hardscrabble existence and taste the good life that fate has denied her. But in pretty Arundel, North Carolina, nothing is as it seems—including the dangers that are closing in on their new dream lives, as the deepest of fears and darkest of secrets and betrayals come to light.

Excerpt

Carolina Isle Chapter One
“I WILL NEVER MARRY DAVID TREDWELL!”

Ariel Weatherly looked in the mirror and rehearsed her speech to her mother. “I am twenty-four years old and I will choose my own husband.” No, she thought. That’s not right. “I have chosen the man I want to marry and I will do so.” Yes, better. Much better.

There was a soft knock on the door.

On impulse, Ariel messed up her hair. She liked what she saw.

“Come in,” Ariel said, and a maid opened the door.

“Your mother would like to see you downstairs.”

“Yes, of course,” Ariel replied with a sigh.

The maid looked behind her to make sure Mrs. Weatherly wasn’t nearby. “I like your hair,” she said, then closed the door.

Ariel grabbed her brush and smoothed her hair, then she smiled. She wasn’t sure yet, but she may have come up with a way to get out of marrying David, to marry the man she truly loved, and to keep from being disinherited. Still smiling, she left her room and started down the stairs. If only Sara would agree. She must! Ariel thought. If she doesn’t …

But Ariel couldn’t think of that now. She only knew that she’d use whatever means she had at her disposal to get her cousin to agree to her plan.

About The Author

Photograph by Kim Jew

Jude Deveraux

Jude Deveraux is the author of more than forty New York Times bestsellers, including Moonlight in the Morning, The Scent of Jasmine, Scarlet Nights, Days of Gold, Lavender Morning, Return to Summerhouse, and Secrets. To date, there are more than sixty million copies of her books in print worldwide. To learn more, visit JudeDeveraux.com.