Letters From Grace

Carmichael (A Hometown Proposal) spins a sweet second-chance romance that begins when college-bound Jessica Shanahan finds a shoebox full of love letters between her widowed father and his first love, Grace Hamilton. Hoping to save her father from loneliness while she’s away at school, Jessica decides to track down Grace and play matchmaker. Now a nationally renowned wildlife photographer, Grace has never forgotten Levi Shanahan, her former best friend and the boy who broke her heart at 18. Calling herself Rae Stedwell, Jessica reaches out to Grace under the pretense of wanting an interview for a school report and suggests she return to Woodland, N.Y., for the town’s annual fall festival. Grace accepts, leading her and Levi to reconnect, just as Jessica planned. Grace bases her high-powered, jet-setting career out of Manhattan, and Levi’s devoted to his Upstate New York general store; rekindling their romance doesn’t make sense for either of them—but Carmichael ably proves that the heart doesn’t always listen to logic. Carmichael creates a robust cast that’s easy to imagine as neighbors and plots them into eminently believable situations—among them a delightful subplot about Jessica’s crush on her best friend, Max Stedwell. This adorable small-town romance will appeal to readers who enjoy their romance on the wholesome side. (Sept.)