While it's still your rather typical plotline of the young but passionate high society widow and the highly masculine commoner sent to protect her and yet also to destroy her (though he doesn't know it), there are some highly pleasant characteristics that make this story quite touching. Firstly, this is not a chance encounter. The hero has rather candidly cared for the heroine for a long time, she just hasn't noticed - and instead of telling how the hero and heroine meet, we are privy to a series of events that instead provoke the change in their relationship from friends to lovers. The fact that the hero, Andrew Stanton, is both the protector and the destructor makes for great tension between him and the lovely Catherine, but also, you're likely to sympathize with Andrew from the start - he's not some arrogant stereotypical alpha male. Don't get us wrong, we were very taken with him, but he also had some rather endearing qualities as well - he's honest with the Catherine's brother about his feelings for her, he has his own hopes and most definitely fears, and he's willing to put aside his skepticism and comfortable enough with himself to try some things not always expected of a stereotypical romantic hero (and if he grumbles about it, well that only makes him more adorable).