Book excerpt: Reserved, inhibited Nicole Evans desperately wants to escape a past that took the life of her detective husband, left her guilt-ridden, and has caused her young son to become an emotionally scarred mute. She has accepted an uninspired life as a nurse in Miami, where she encounters famous Cuban musician Julian Marquez. Impressed by her quiet beauty and unassuming strength, Julian is drawn to Nicole, but his family stands in the way. Can the romance between the two opposites ignite and survive cultural differences and intolerant family members, or will Julian and Nicole be driven apart?