Hotel manager Eloise Price is getting a crash course in being careful what you wish for. After years of dreaming about owning the historic Crane Hotel, she was thrilled when her former boss left half of the hotel to her in his will. But dreams have a funny way of turning into nightmares and all that original plumbing has sucked her bank account dry. It doesn't help that her co-owner hasn't lifted a finger to help. Would a jury convict her if she strangled him?

Graham Thatcher has it all. A thriving tech business, great friends, and a not-so-small obsession with a romantic Victorian drama that he keeps secret from everyone but his anonymous message board friend. The last thing he wanted was half of the decrepit hotel his great uncle left him in his will. After months of increasingly terse emails and zero progress, Graham finally travels to sleepy Crane Cove, Oregon to convince his stubborn co-owner to see things his way. Except Eloise is not at all what he was expecting, and with every passing day, Graham begins to question if what he thought he didn't want is exactly what he needs.

And his elusive internet friend? She might be a little closer than he thinks.