cover image Honeysuckle Season

Honeysuckle Season

Mary Ellen Taylor. Montlake Romance, $12.95 trade paper (372p) ISBN 978-1-5420-1788-6

Decades-old secrets resurface to disrupt the lives of Taylor’s empathetic characters in this emotional tale set in small-town Bluestone, Va. Wedding photographer Libby McKenzie is an orphan following the recent death of her adoptive father—leaving Libby, who’s had three miscarriages, without any clues to the birth family who might be able to help her understand her medical history and inability to carry a pregnancy to term. To make matter worse, her ex-husband and his new wife are expecting their first child. To take her mind off everything, Libby accepts a job photographing nearby Woodmont Estate. Elaine Grant, Woodmont’s owner, has hired widower Colton Reese to restore the property and wants Libby to document the process. Libby and Colton strike a fast friendship that evolves into a relationship—though readers expecting a love story should be warned that their romance plays second fiddle to Libby’s investigation into her family’s history, sparked by a note that reveals an unexpected connection between her and the estate. Taylor (The View from Prince Street) weaves in the estate’s past and present as Libby and Colton unearth the secrets of the place. More women’s fiction than romance, this memorable story is sure to tug at readers’ heartstrings. Agent: Karen Solem, Spencerhill Assoc. (Sept.)