When Adam Westmore's wife dies on a sinking ship, his life is turned upside down. Stricken by grief, he blames his roguish brother; after trying to kill his brother, he retreats to a cottage by the sea to find atonement. Instead, he one day finds a woman trying to commit suicide, rescues her, then starts a journey of discovery, finding his sense of duty and protection has not left him.

Evelyn Waye is trying to escape marriage to a murdering, evil man the only way she knows how. When Adam rescues her, she begins to trust his assurances of safety. But can Adam really keep Evie safe? Is there actually darkness and danger inside Adam that might cause her harm? Can Adam give up his vengeance against the pirates he has been chasing for years, and can he heal the rift with his family?

Too Dangerous to Desire is a reasonable read with a variety of situations and an interesting cast of characters, some of whom have clearly been in an earlier novel. At times there is something childlike about the writing style; scenes feel quite short, and moments of drama are over fairly quickly. Adam's tortured nature is well-written, although Evie's character is a little harder to get into. Overall this is a successful read but holds few real surprises.