A man escaping from a hotel fire sees a woman standing beneath a tree. He approa ches her and sets in motion a series of events that will change his life forever . Years later, travelling from New England to Florida by train, he reflects back on his obsession with this unknown and ultimately unknowable woman -- his court ship of her, his marriage to her, and the unforgivable act that ripped their fam ily apart. Spanning three decades from 1899 to 1933, ALL HE EVER WANTED gives u s a tale of marriage, betrayal and the search for redemption. It has the unmatch ed attention to details of character, place and emotion that have made Anita Shr eve one of the world's best-loved and bestselling novelists.