The Elusive Flame by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

In the aftermath of The Flame and the Flower, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss returns readers to the lush plantations and turbulent passions of the American South. As the daughter of Brandon and Heather Birmingham, Cerynise Kendall inherits both her mother’s spirit and her father’s courage—but when her guardian betrays her and seizes her inheritance, she is forced to flee England with only her faith and her dreams.

Across the ocean, ship captain Beauregard Birmingham—a man of honor and quiet strength—offers her refuge. But as their voyage unfolds, desire ignites between them, drawing Cerynise into a storm of longing and danger that will test both her heart and her destiny. In a world where love is both peril and promise, she must decide whether to surrender to the man who could either save her—or break her completely.

Sweeping, passionate, and deeply romantic, The Elusive Flame captures Woodiwiss at the height of her storytelling power, blending adventure, betrayal, and enduring love in a timeless historical romance.