Back Home at Firefly Lake

Gilroy’s wistful third Firefly Lake contemporary (after The Cottage at Firefly Lake) brings two sad and lonely people together for a second chance at love. Stoic widower Luc Simard returns to his small Vermont hometown of Firefly Lake to take over his family’s creamery business. He’s coaching the local boys’ hockey team and learning to live without his wife when a childhood friend returns to town with her hockey-obsessed daughter. Brainy, unlucky-in-love Cat McGuire is making do with grants while trying to land a university teaching job. She’s raising 12-year-old Amy, who insists on joining the boys’ hockey team. Cat’s always been the awkward bookworm, and Gilroy’s skillful characterization makes readers ache in sympathy. Cat’s made major mistakes in love, and Luc believes the brain aneurysm that killed his wife was due to her pregnancy, making it indirectly his fault. But when these two broken souls come together, magic happens. Cherished characters from earlier books appear, and the author also dishes up two surprises toward the end that readers will adore. (Dec.)