When Anna Maria Lucci leaves her home and family in Italy to work as a governess in the prosperous city of New York, she soon finds herself carelessly shuffled from one wealthy family to the next. She resents their control over her life, but what can she do? After being banished from her father's house, she needs the job.When Kingsley Goddard needs help translating an old Italian text book, he naturally turns to Miss Lucci, the new governess his mother has hired for his younger siblings. It soon becomes clear that spending time with his attractive tutor is much more appealing than the text book she's helping him translate.But when Mrs. Goddard learns the governess is flirting with her eldest son she sends Anna Maria packing. She'll not allow a servant to sit at her table, much less marry her son.Willing to defy his family, Kingsley must find Anna Maria and hopefully convince her he'll do whatever it takes until she says yes.