No man would get close to her again! The scars of an adolescent indiscretion were still so raw that Liza kept her heart uninvolved in any relationships. A modeling career and business had given her material success and peace of mind. Then she collided with G. K. Gifford outside her Essex cottage and poof - there went her hard-won serenity. For this wealthy man had crashed into her life to break up his nephew's friendship with a "gold digger" and the chemistry between them had flared.
Severity reflects intensity, not value — “central theme” means a warning is a core part of the book, not that the book is bad.