A woman grieving her loss. A boy running for his life. A town defending them both. THIS USA TODAY BESTSELLER is a gritty, small-town, family saga in the tradition of the finest Southern fiction. Midwest Book Review dubs it "A skillfully written tale populated by memorable characters caught up in equally memorable circumstances."

Small-town gossip never much bothered Olivia Westerly. As a single career woman, she's weathered her share. It's easy to ignore the raised eyebrows over her late-in-life marriage to Charlie Doyle. But after he drops dead on their honeymoon, the whispers are salt on her raw grief. Especially when an orphaned, eleven-year-old boy shows up on her doorstep, looking for the grandfather he never met.

Behind Ethan Allen Doyle's wary blue eyes lie heavily guarded emotions that unexpectedly tug on Olivia's heart, and she finds herself wanting to win his trust. But when his murderous secret comes looking for him, the entire town embraces the lonely widow and desperate child to show its true heart when danger threatens one of its own. A heartwarming tale of love, loss, and unexpected gifts, featuring a woman you'd like to call a friend, a boy you will ache to hug, and a town you wish you could call home.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER AND WINNER OF FIVE LITERARY AWARDS - Royal Palm Literary Award, Reviewer's Choice Award, FPA President's Book Award, IAN Outstanding Fiction Award, Eadon Contemporary Fiction Award