Merry Widow

In 1855, Rachel Howland finds herself alone on a remote Canadian island when her father dies. She desperately longs for civilization, and running his ramshackle saloon in the frigid North is far from the life Rachel envisions for herself -- especially when she loses her heart to explorer Noel Magnus.A wealthy New York publisher, Magnus gave up an elegant bachelor's existence to lead an arctic expedition in search of the doomed Franklin party -- and the famed black opal Franklin reportedly found. But when he doesn't return home, New York society believes the tundra has taken his life. Magnus is willing to let the world mourn his "death" if it means conquering the Arctic -- and retrieving the opal.Only Rachel knows that the gem is hidden in her cabin, her father's only legacy to her. Convinced that her dream of a life with Magnus will never happen, Rachel decides to pursue what her errant lover has rejected -- his New York home and her own happiness. Soon, Rachel's bold scheme plunges her into a world of wealth and privilege beyond her imagination. Ultimately, Rachel must brave the uncharted regions of her own heart in a final confrontation that threatens everything she cherishes and has ever wanted.McKinney, Meagan is the author of 'Merry Widow' with ISBN 9781568958637 and ISBN 1568958633.