When soapie reveals a long-hidden secret, rosie wonders if she has to let go of her fears, and trust that the big-hearted, messy life that awaits her just may be the one she was meant to live. Praise for the opposite of maybe“dawson’s charmingly eccentric cast of characters is at turns lovable and infuriating, ensuring a quick read helmed by a memorable, complex heroine.
Publishers Weekly“Delightfully witty. A messy, funny, surprising story of second chances. Kirkus reviews“dawson keeps readers turning the pages to find out who Rosie will choose in the end. Booklist. A heartfelt and exceptionally human novel about the best mistakes a person can make Jonathan and Rosie have been together so long they finish each other’s sentences—so when he finally proposes and asks her to move across the country with him, everyone is happily surprised.
But when things suddenly unravel, the irascible, Rosie sends Jonathan packing and moves back home with Soapie, opinionated grandmother who raised her.
Kissing Games Of The World
Romantic times“sexy hero, lovable heroine, adorable kids–Kissing Games of the World has it all. Like anne tyler, Shelton seems to possess a nearly boundless capacity for empathy. A complete delight. Warmhearted, takes the unfathomable ways of love and family, bestselling author, insightful, funny and poignant, Maddie Dawson, and celebrates the joys of the ordinary craziness of being human.
Devoted, her vibrant, creative single-mom Jamie McClintock’s world is thrown into chaos by the sudden death of Harris, elderly landlord. It's been done countless times, but rarely as engagingly as Shelton does it in this novel. The boston Globe“Quite wonderful. She effortlessly melds love and loss with heartrending care, exposing the layers of a budding romance with a deft hand.
This title was originally published under the author's pen name, Sandi Kahn Shelton. Sexy hero, lovable heroine, adorable kids–Kissing Games of the World has it all.
A Piece Of Normal
. It’s going to work out fine. Don’t give up. So advice columnist ‘Dear Lily’ Brown deeply believes. But lily could write a letter to herself, and how to move on with her strangely becalmed life…And oh, yes, what to do when your wild-child estranged sister storms back into town, asking what to do about an ex-husband who still wants her dating advice, how to redecorate the family home she’s kept exactly the same since her parents died tragically young, blowing your nicely arranged life into disarray.
As her protagonist tries to learn that she cannot and does not have to control everyone around her and tries to enjoy the "fun" of a dysfunctional family life, Dawson delves into family relationships with humor and empathy, making this a pleasurable read. Booklist“shelton’s greatest talent is a gift for juxtaposing comedy and tragedy to the pulsing beat of the modern-day mating dance.
Bookpage **this book was originally published under the pen name, Sandi Kahn Shelton ***. Quite wonderful.
The Stuff That Never Happened
The trouble is she’s still in love with someone else. In the early tumultuous years of her marriage, Annabelle carried on a clandestine affair with the one person whose betrayal would hurt her husband the most. Other wives envy the fact that Grant is not the type of man who would ever cheat on her or leave her for a younger woman.
A journey into the what-ifs that haunt us all, The Stuff That Never Happened is an intricate, heartfelt examination of modern marriage that brims with truths about the nature of romantic love. What if you were married to someone for twenty-eight years but in love with another? What if you were in love with them both? Annabelle McKay knows she shouldn’t have any complaints.
But now years later, with her children grown and gone, she can’t help but remember those glorious, and an ominous distance opening between them, passionate days and wonder if she chose the right man. Then, when called to new york City to help care for her pregnant daughter, Annabelle bumps into her old lover.
She’s been in a stable marriage that’s lasted almost three decades and has provided her with two wonderful children, thousands of family dinners around a sturdy oak table, and a husband so devoted that he schedules lovemaking into his calendar every Wednesday morning.
The Survivor's Guide to Family Happiness
Her search turns up phoebe Mullen, a guarded, hard-talking woman convinced she has nothing to offer. She’s spent her life looking into strangers’ faces, and now, at thirty-five, fantasizing they’re related to her, she’s ready for answers. Meanwhile, the last thing lindy mcintyre wants is someone like Nina bursting into her life, announcing that they’re sisters and campaigning to track down their mother.
Gradually sharing stories and secrets, the three women make for a messy, unpredictable family that looks nothing like Nina pictured…but may be exactly what she needs. She’s too busy with her successful salon, beautiful home, three children, and…oh yes, some pesky little anxiety attacks. But nina is determined to reassemble her birth family.
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Making Waves: A Beach Lane Novel
Now they must navigate the rough waters of society gossip and devastating secrets that threaten their fragile relationship. It’s pure romantic escapism. Heroes and heartbreakers“laura Moore never fails to create a story that’s complex, emotionally compelling, and beautifully written. With her stunning beauty and keen intelligence, Dakota is worth the effort.
Together. Praise for making waves“spicy, and vivid with posh Hamptons ambience, tender, this compelling story hooks readers from the start and never lets go; thoroughly charming. Library journal “this plot-driven story of independent lovers determined to resist drama and societal expectations will resonate with romance readers.
Publishers weekly “An outstanding reading experience. But one fraught night changes everything, with consequences neither Dakota nor Max anticipated.
A Happy Catastrophe: A Novel
Suddenly, two very different pieces of a beautiful puzzle find it harder and harder to fit. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can’t see beyond the shadow of an earlier tragedy. Then an eight-year-old surprise from Patrick’s past shows up on their doorstep, cartwheeling into their lives and spinning things in all directions.
And what’s love without a little chaos anyway? But patrick, afraid of being hurt again, retreats further into himself. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. How can marnie trust in the magic of the universe when it seems to be doing its best to knock her off her feet?But some love stories are worth waiting for.
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Driftwood Summer
. New york times bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry continues to spellbind readers in this rich and engaging novel of three sisters. Their loves, their rivalries, and the events of one summer that change their lives. In the small seaside town of palmetto beach, vivacious Maisy-Rose, the Sheffield sisters—responsible Riley, and fun-loving Adelee—reunite to save the family's beach-community bookstore.
All three will be forced to confront the conflicts that tore them apart and the bounds of love and loyalty that still draw them together.
The Ones We Choose
The powerful forces of science and family collide when geneticist Paige Robson finds her world in upheaval: Her eight-year-old son Miles is struggling to fit in at his new school and begins asking questions about his biological father that Paige can’t answer—until fate thrusts the anonymous donor she used into their lives.
With grace and humor, julie clark shows that while the science is fascinating, solving these intimate mysteries of who we are and where we come from unleashes emotions more complex than the strands of DNA that shape us. As paige slowly opens herself up—by befriending an eccentric mother, confronting her own deeply buried vulnerabilities, and trying to make sense of her absent father’s unexpected return—she realizes breakthroughs aren’t only for the lab.
But when tragedy strikes, Paige must face the consequences of sharing a secret only she knows.
The Family Beach House A Yorktide, Maine Novel
Larchmere is that kind of place--a splendid, sprawling home with breathtaking views that open to briny Atlantic air and seabirds' calls. And all the mcqueens must reconcile their shared, sometimes painful past--and learn how to love one another even when it means forging a life apart. But instead of the bittersweet but relaxing reunion Tilda expected, she finds chaos.
. A dramatic and moving portrait of several generations of a family and each person's place within it. Booklist"an enjoyable summer read, but it's more. Alone and vulnerable two years after her husband's death, she sees Larchmere as not just a cherished part of her history, but her eventual refuge from the world.
It's the place where tilda mcqueen o'connell grew up and now vacations each year, and where she and her three siblings--Adam, Hannah, and Craig--have gathered to commemorate the tenth anniversary of their mother's passing. Her father's plan to marry a younger woman has thrown the fate of the beach house into uncertainty.
Some houses have a personality of their own.
Better Than This: A Novel
Sometimes the most enviable life is really a private hell. On the surface, wealthy and successful husband, Sarah Jenkins appears to have it all: a handsome, a precocious five-year-old daughter, and a beautiful home in an affluent Seattle neighborhood. Her quirky best friend and fellow high school teacher, Maggie, marvels at her luck—and envies her happiness.
Can she quiet the critical voice in her head and learn to value herself instead? But sarah is far from happy.