Before I Knew

Beck (Unexpectedly Hers) opens the Cabot contemporary series with the tear-soaked tale of a widow trying to get on with her life and a grief-stricken man who feels responsible for his brother’s death. Colby Cabot-Baxter’s husband, Mark, committed suicide, wracked with guilt about having dared his friend Joe to leap off a cliff, a dare that led to Joe’s death. Two years later, Colby, a former attorney, is preparing to launch A Certain Tea, a restaurant in Lake Sandy, Ore. Just before opening day, her chef quits—and her brother, Hunter, an investor in the restaurant, hires Joe’s older brother, Alec, as the replacement chef. Alec’s own grief and guilt led to him closing his prestigious restaurant. He’s loved Colby forever but is certain she can’t possibly forgive him for the part he believes he played in Joe’s death. He’s also determined to resurrect his career and finally earn his macho father’s respect. Beck leads the reader on a multilayered and tightly plotted journey that’s sure to tug at the heartstrings. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Aug.)