One of America's most mesmerizing storytellers, Luanne Rice enthralls readers with her moving tales of ordinary people in crisis -- and how they are transformed by the enduring power of love and family. Now the author of Safe Harbor, True Blue, and other New York Times bestsellers presents the...  more

One of America's most mesmerizing storytellers, Luanne Rice enthralls readers with her moving tales of ordinary people in crisis -- and how they are transformed by the enduring power of love and family. Now the author of Safe Harbor, True Blue, and other New York Times bestsellers presents the gripping story of a man fighting for his family, a woman searching for her sister -- and the promise of a new life where both least expected it... Beneath his careful and controlled demeanor, attorney John O'Rourke is a man whose life is in turmoil. Since the death of his wife, he has been juggling the rigors of a controversial capital murder case and the demands of raising two children. Eleven-year-old Maggie's crooked bangs and rumpled clothes eloquently reproach John's earnest but haphazard attempts at mothering. Teddy, John's stalwart fourteen-year-old, has quietly assumed responsibilities far too weighty for his young shoulders, as he longs for the way things used to be and tries to ignore the hostility that has swirled around his family since his father took on the defense of a killer whose crimes have rocked Connecticut. A brick through the window one autumn morning signals a dangerous new level of hatred. But a quieter event also takes place that day. A woman arrives on the O'Rourke doorstep to find a household on the brink of chaos but brimming with love -- and, she hopes, answers. Kate Harris is searching for the key to her own mystery. Six months ago her younger sister fled far from their beloved home following a devastating confrontation. After mailing a single postcard from the New England shore, Willa Harris vanished. With only a postmark to go on, Kate takes a leave of absence from her job as a marine biologist to come to the seaside Willa adored -- and discovers the one man who may be able to help her. Compelling and evocative, at once suspenseful, heartbreaking, and triumphant, The Secret Hour is an unforgettable novel that explores the power of sisterly love, the gift of second chances -- and the way magic can sometimes be the most real thing in the whole world.

The story of a man and woman forced to choose between the past that haunts them and the love that won't let them go. Jane Porter left the apple orchards of rural Twin Rivers, Rhode Island, years ago, fleeing memories that could tear two families apart.  Now she has been...  more

The story of a man and woman forced to choose between the past that haunts them and the love that won't let them go. Jane Porter left the apple orchards of rural Twin Rivers, Rhode Island, years ago, fleeing memories that could tear two families apart.  Now she has been unexpectedly drawn home to her mother and only sister.  Dylan Chadwick has come back, too, shedding the steely exterior he wore as a federal agent in order to follow in the footsteps of his apple-farming father and forget the life he once lived. Amid this landscape of loss and renewal, a haunting story of converging lives, small-town secrets -- and the magical sway of unexpected miracles -- unfolds.  Deeply moving and richly told, DANCE WITH ME explores emotional connections at their very core, with keen insights into the lives of mothers and daughters, sisters and lovers that will resonate long after the final page is turned.

On the first night of summer, Leila Jameson went out to water her garden-and was never seen again. Years after her disappearance, no one could forget the expectant mother whose glowing smile had captured the heart of a nation-especially not those who'd known her: Maeve Jameson, still...  more

On the first night of summer, Leila Jameson went out to water her garden-and was never seen again. Years after her disappearance, no one could forget the expectant mother whose glowing smile had captured the heart of a nation-especially not those who'd known her: Maeve Jameson, still mourning the loss of a granddaughter she had struggled to protect. . . Mark Murphy, a dogged police detective obsessed with a vanished woman. .. and Lily Malone, drawn to the rugged beauty of the Nova Scotia coast and its promise of a new life. Here Lily hopes to raise her eight-year-old daughter, Rose, far from the pain and loss of the past. Here she will meet a gifted teacher, Liam Neill, whose life is on a similar trajectory from heartbreak to hope. And before the season is over, Lily will find the magic that exists in people we love the best. . . the everyday miracles that can make the extraordinary happen anywhere.

Old friendships--and love--make all things new again. The acclaimed author of Safe Harbor and other New York Times bestsellers returns to the seaside, delving into the heart of a once happy family facing troubled waters. Bay McCabe relishes life?s simple pleasures, her children, her home...  more

Old friendships--and love--make all things new again. The acclaimed author of Safe Harbor and other New York Times bestsellers returns to the seaside, delving into the heart of a once happy family facing troubled waters. Bay McCabe relishes life?s simple pleasures, her children, her home by the sea. She has never forgotten the values of her Irish granny--the everyday happiness of family, good friends, and hard work. Bay and her husband, Sean, have weathered rough spells and moved on. Now a perfect summer, filled with the scent of beach roses, lies before them. Charming and ambitious, Sean splits his energy between the town bank, his old fishing boat, and the family he seems to adore--until he leaves his young daughter stranded after school. As troubling memories resurface, a phone call confirms that Sean is missing. So begins a season that will change everything. As the door to all Bay cherishes seems to close forever, another opens, and an old love steps through. Embraced by enduring friendships, Bay will discover the truth of who she is--what love is--and how life?s deepest mysteries are often those closest to home.

The moving novel of a family that discovers the everyday magic of life and the extraordinary power of love.“You don’t have to be a sucker for happy endings to love this book, but it helps.”–New York Times Book Review“Eloquent…A moving and complete tale of the...  more

The moving novel of a family that discovers the everyday magic of life and the extraordinary power of love.“You don’t have to be a sucker for happy endings to love this book, but it helps.”–New York Times Book Review“Eloquent…A moving and complete tale of the complicated phenomenon we call family.” –People “At the forefront of this well-crafted story stands Cass, youngest and feistiest of the Keating sisters, a mother of three who enjoys hot sex in semipublic locations with husband Billy Medieros, her sweetheart since high school. During a season of emotional and financial upheavals within the Keating clan, the Medieroses’ marriage becomes strained in ways that make Billy wonder whether Cass is more devoted to her family than to him. Then Billy adds to the stress by leaving his father-in-law’s fleet and buying his own boat. His rebellion sets up the book’s unexpected final episode, an electrifying disaster at sea that puts all of the characters back in touch with their deepest loyalties and passions.” –Glamour“Rice has an elegant style, a sharp eye and a real warmth. In her hands families–and their values–seem worth cherishing.” –San Francisco Chronicle“Brilliant.” –Entertainment Weekly

Acclaimed novelist Luanne Rice "touches the deepest, most tender corners of the heart" (Tami Hoag). Her stories remind us how precious and fragile life can be— -- and that we must risk our hearts every day to know happiness. Follow the Stars Home is just such a novel: a story of poignancy...  more

Acclaimed novelist Luanne Rice "touches the deepest, most tender corners of the heart" (Tami Hoag). Her stories remind us how precious and fragile life can be— -- and that we must risk our hearts every day to know happiness. Follow the Stars Home is just such a novel: a story of poignancy and heartbreak, grace and courage. Being a good mother is never simple: each day brings new choices and challenges. For Dianne Robbins, being a devoted single mother has resulted in her greatest joy and her darkest hours. Weeks before her daughter was born, she and her husband, Tim McIntosh, received the news every parent fears. Tim had not reckoned on their child being anything less than perfect, and abruptly fled to a solitary existence on the sea, leaving Dianne with a newborn -- —almost alone. It was Tim's brother, Alan, the town pediatrician, who stood by Dianne and her exceptional daughter. Throughout years of waiting, watching, and caring, Alan hid his love for his brother's wife. But one of the many hard choices Dianne has made is to close her heart toward any man— -- especially one named McIntosh. It will take a very special twelve-year-old to remind them all that love comes in many forms and can be received with as much grace as it is given. As lyrical and moving as the poetry of nature, Follow the Stars Home is a miracle of storytelling that will take your breath away. If words alone can dare us to confront our fears and to choose joy over sorrow, then Luanne Rice's magnificent novel is a benediction and a call to celebrate our lives.

A moving novel of family and love, from one of today's most cherished storytellers. Every once in a while a novelist comes along who can illuminate even the most secret places of our hearts--who can put into words the feelings we cannot...and sometimes dare not...express. Luanne Rice is one...  more

A moving novel of family and love, from one of today's most cherished storytellers. Every once in a while a novelist comes along who can illuminate even the most secret places of our hearts--who can put into words the feelings we cannot...and sometimes dare not...express. Luanne Rice is one such novelist and Cloud Nine is her most evocative, emotionally powerful work yet. When life offers you a second chance, seize it with all your heart. Sarah Talbot surely thought she'd never live to see another birthday. But against all odds, she beat the disease that threatened her life and she reopened her bedding shop, Cloud Nine. It is a new beginning for Sarah--a fresh start at life that few are given. And Sarah is determined to take advantage of her newfound opportunity. On her first adventure--a ride in a small chartered plane--comes a chance meeting with a man who will change the course of her life. These two fellow travelers find in each other a kindred spirit and a bond that will give them the courage to confront the past and have faith in the future...no matter how uncertain. Shimmering with emotion, grace, and beauty, Cloud Nine is the kind of novel you will cherish and want to share with the most important people in your life.

In this acclaimed early novel, New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice takes readers on an intensely moving journey through the intimate terrain of a rapturous marriage in sudden jeopardy, and follows one woman's courageous search to find her way when everything, even her heart, seems...  more

In this acclaimed early novel, New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice takes readers on an intensely moving journey through the intimate terrain of a rapturous marriage in sudden jeopardy, and follows one woman's courageous search to find her way when everything, even her heart, seems lost.? Georgie Symonds didn't think anything could shake her perfect marriage. She and Nick were meant for each other, everyone said so, and their life on the Connecticut shore, among Georgie's close-knit family, is picture-perfect. But lately Nick has been consumed with his job on Wall Street, and Georgie finds herself plagued with suspicions too awful to contemplate. To distract herself, she plunges into her work with the Swift Observatory, examining the stories of people whose lives have been changed by unexpected tragedy. But it's when a handsome stranger arrives on her doorstep that Georgie learns firsthand that when your dreams are in danger of collapsing, it's time to create new ones.?

New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice made her triumphant debut with this delicately drawn but emotionally powerful portrait of a woman’s extraordinary journey of the heart and soul–a timeless story of love, sisterhood, and the hope that emerges even out of heartbreak....Una...  more

New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice made her triumphant debut with this delicately drawn but emotionally powerful portrait of a woman’s extraordinary journey of the heart and soul–a timeless story of love, sisterhood, and the hope that emerges even out of heartbreak....Una Cavan doesn’t believe in ghosts. But ghosts seem to believe in her. At least, her father’s ghost does, walking into and out of her life as casually as if he were entering and exiting a room. Una has always believed the Cavan women had the power of witches, and from the beaches of Connecticut to the bustle of New York City they’ve shared the special unbreakable bond of sisters. No man has been able to come between them…until Lily marries the “perfect” man and begins to drift away and Margo gets engaged. With another failed relationship behind her, and a thriving career as an actress ahead of her, Una wonders if she’s destined to be alone–or if there isn’t something more, something magical that life has in store for her. Then an unexpected encounter gives her the answer she’s been seeking….From the Trade Paperback edition.

Neve Halloran and her daughter have shared a fierce love for the austere beauty of Rhode Island's South County ever since Neve guided Mickey's first baby steps along the sandy shore. Now, with Mickey a teenager and Neve's last hope for happiness with her daughte'?s loving but unstable father...  more

Neve Halloran and her daughter have shared a fierce love for the austere beauty of Rhode Island's South County ever since Neve guided Mickey's first baby steps along the sandy shore. Now, with Mickey a teenager and Neve's last hope for happiness with her daughte'?s loving but unstable father gone, both will struggle to make a new life together amid the windswept landscape that sustains them. Captivated by a fragile wildlife sanctuary, Mickey will move toward womanhood in the company of a lonely boy who shares her instinctive way with the creatures of the coast. And Neve will find herself drawn to a man who has devoted his life to the sanctuary, but who is unable to share the pain of a recent loss -- or reconnect with the father who still bears the scars of World War II. As winter gives way to spring, and spring to summer, a secret will emerge that has lain buried in the depths just offshore for decades, a secret that will galvanize the small seaside community. For the waters bear their own vestige of the past -- and their ceaseless rhythms may point the way to hope and new beginnings. Lyrical, luminous, and utterly captivating, The Edge of Winter is Luanne Rice at her most penetrating and insightful, in a moving exploration of the bonds that shape us and set us free.

Painter Honor Sullivan has made a life for herself and her three daughters–Regis, Agnes, and Cecilia–at Star of the Sea Academy on the magical Connecticut shore. Here she teaches art at the convent school’s beautiful seaside campus, over which Honor’s sister-in-law,...  more

Painter Honor Sullivan has made a life for herself and her three daughters–Regis, Agnes, and Cecilia–at Star of the Sea Academy on the magical Connecticut shore. Here she teaches art at the convent school’s beautiful seaside campus, over which Honor’s sister-in-law, mother superior Bernadette Ignatius, keeps a benevolent and watchful eye. No one could have foreseen the day rebellious Regis would come home with the stunning news that she was getting married. Nor could anyone have guessed how that sudden announcement would soon change all their lives forever.Eleven years ago, Honor thought she had the perfect home, the perfect love, the perfect life. Then her husband, brilliant photographer and sculptor John Sullivan, broke her heart–and tore their little family apart. Now, hearing of Regis’s impending marriage, John has ended his self-imposed exile and returned to the family he’s always loved more than anything on earth. What he finds is one daughter still hurting over his abandonment, another who barely remembers him, and a third who may be in more trouble than anyone knows. And then there is Honor herself–and a passion that may have been interrupted but that has never waned.Some things, like sandcastles, don’t survive the changing tides. But love, family, and friendship–just as fragile–have a way of standing against anything. It will take nothing short of a miracle to heal the rift between father and daughter, husband and wife, the past and the present–but a miracle is exactly what is in the works at Star of the Sea Academy. The only question is: Do you believe?From the Hardcover edition.

Few novelists today write with the power to move our hearts, quicken our souls, and enrich our lives like Luanne Rice.  In bestsellers such as DANCE WITH ME, BEACH GIRLS, and THE SECRET HOUR, she vividly captures the dramas that make all the difference in love and families.  Now,...  more

Few novelists today write with the power to move our hearts, quicken our souls, and enrich our lives like Luanne Rice.  In bestsellers such as DANCE WITH ME, BEACH GIRLS, and THE SECRET HOUR, she vividly captures the dramas that make all the difference in love and families.  Now, revisiting the remarkable characters introduced in her bestselling SUMMER's CHILD, she brings full circle one of her most compelling explorations of the human heart... all the many ways it can be broken... and the magic that can make it whole again. Their lives were a tapestry woven together by love and loss, tragedy and hope.  On the windswept coast of Nova Scotia, Lily and her eight-year-old daughter, Rose, are struggling to embrace a new life even as Lily tries to let go of painful memories of the past.  Among the lives that will touch theirs are those of Liam Neill, a dedicated teacher living in self-imposed isolation; Maeve Jameson, mourning the loss of a granddaughter she devoted her life to protecting; and Mark Murphy, a dogged police detective obsessed with a woman who vanished years ago -- who may or may not have found what he seeks in a tiny, out-of-the-way maritime village. During this eventful summer of roses, the paths -- and fates -- of these unforgettable characters will intersect in ways that none of them could ever expect -- and shape a future none of them could possibly foresee.  For each of them it will be a time of renewal and transformation that will circle inevitably to a past left behind, a mystery unsolved, and a love reclaimed.   SUMMER OF ROSES is vintage Luanne Rice -- a novel that celebrates the ties of family, the passion of lovers, and the deep, unbreakable bonds that hold us together through all the seasons of our lives.  

The ties that bind a broken family can be the strongest of all....Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice writes of the abiding love within families — and how it can save us even in the most difficult of times. The truth and beauty in her stories will break your heart and mend it again, stronger...  more

The ties that bind a broken family can be the strongest of all....Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice writes of the abiding love within families — and how it can save us even in the most difficult of times. The truth and beauty in her stories will break your heart and mend it again, stronger and more full of hope than ever before. Years ago, just out of college, jewelry maker Daisy Tucker traveled to the wilderness of Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains in search of inspiration for her art. What she found was rancher James Tucker, a man with the wilderness inside him.Their life together was as close to paradise as a family could get — until the day their three-year-old son, Jake, disappeared without a trace. Her heart broken, her marriage in tatters, Daisy returned to Connecticut with Jake’s twin sister, Sage.Now, thirteen years later, Sage is on a dangerous cross-country pilgrimage to the father she longs for. As Daisy returns to the Tucker ranch to wait and pray for Sage’s safe arrival, she learns that you cannot close the door on the past, but sometimes, if you step through it, it can lead you home....Filled with a wild and unpredictable beauty, Dream Country is a novel you’ll never want to end — even as you can’t wait to finish it.

Under the summer sky, anything is possible....Author of the acclaimed novels Cloud Nine and Follow the Stars Home, Luanne Rice returns with another moving portrait of a family in crisis -- as three sisters come face-to-face with the past and find in each other the courage to go on.Coolly...  more

Under the summer sky, anything is possible....Author of the acclaimed novels Cloud Nine and Follow the Stars Home, Luanne Rice returns with another moving portrait of a family in crisis -- as three sisters come face-to-face with the past and find in each other the courage to go on.Coolly sophisticated and steadfastly single, Caroline Renwick has always been the sister everyone could count on. As she and Clea and Skye gathered at Firefly Hill, their childhood home, Caroline thought that they had all put the past behind them. But as summer gets under way, a mysterious man arrives -- a man who has the power to bring it all back....Joe Connor was only six when his father died at Firefly Hill. Though he and Caroline had never met, the five-year-old girl reached out to him. They became pen pals and friends, until a teenaged Joe finally learned the truth about what had happened to his father that night. Now, after years of silence, Joe is suddenly here ... and Caroline still feels a connection. But she can't help but wonder if this handsome man holds the key to her family's healing -- or its destruction. And in his presence, how long will she be able to guard her heart?

Twenty-five years ago three friends grew from girls to women on the sandy shores of Hubbard's Point, Connecticut, forging a bond they swore would last always. Then time and distance drew them apart- and one was lost forever. Now her nine-year old daughter has returned to the Point with her...  more

Twenty-five years ago three friends grew from girls to women on the sandy shores of Hubbard's Point, Connecticut, forging a bond they swore would last always. Then time and distance drew them apart- and one was lost forever. Now her nine-year old daughter has returned to the Point with her widowed father, longing to find the "beach girls" of her mother's stories. But after years of heartbreak, artist Stevie Moore has withdrawn into a self-imposed exile. And for Maddie Kilvert, Hubbard's Point has become a place where innocence and tragedy forever intertwine. Can memories of blue skies and laughter bring them together again to embrace a lonely girl and a wounded man? If they can believe once more in the power if the past and the magic of a new summer, it may light the way toward a new chance at love for them all....

When it comes to love and family, the things you can’t see are what matter most of all.Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice has inspired the devotion of readers everywhere with her “rare combination of realism and romance.”(The New York Times Book Review) Now she presents her most...  more

When it comes to love and family, the things you can’t see are what matter most of all.Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice has inspired the devotion of readers everywhere with her “rare combination of realism and romance.”(The New York Times Book Review) Now she presents her most magical novel to date, an entrancing story of love at first sight, the true meaning of family, and angels right here on earth.May Taylor works as a wedding planner, passing on the timeless traditions of her grandmother and mother. The Taylor women have always believed in the presence of magic in everyday life--especially the simple magic of true love and family. Yet May’s own faith in true love was shattered when she was abandoned by the father of her child. Still, she finds joy in raising her daughter Kylie, a very special five-year-old who sees and hears things that others cannot. . .Martin Cartier is a professional hockey player and sports legend. His father, a champion, taught him to play to win--at all costs. Now Martin’s success veils a core of heartache, rage, and isolation. Yet Kylie glimpses the transcendent role Martin will play in May’s life and her own--unless his past tears their blossoming love apart. Then only Kylie will see the way home--and only May will be able to lead them there, if she can believe in magic once more.

Anne Davis has returned to the house where she grew up, trading her glamorous Manhattan lifestyle for a harsh winter on a wind-whipped New England island. Her marriage has crumbled in the wake of a tragic accident. Now she has returned to the home on Salt Whistle Raod that has always meant...  more

Anne Davis has returned to the house where she grew up, trading her glamorous Manhattan lifestyle for a harsh winter on a wind-whipped New England island. Her marriage has crumbled in the wake of a tragic accident. Now she has returned to the home on Salt Whistle Raod that has always meant shelter, security, family and love. When she awakens one snowy night to a fire that roars through the old house, Anne escapes--but runs back into the blaze to save something so precious that it's worth risking her life for. It is that reckless act of blind desperation that sets a miracle in motion.

With every New York Times bestseller, Luanne Rice illuminates yet another of the secret wonders of the heart. Her unforgettable evocations of family, friendship, and loves lost and won in such novels as The Edge of Winter, Sandcastles, and Summer of Roses give voice to our most powerful...  more

With every New York Times bestseller, Luanne Rice illuminates yet another of the secret wonders of the heart. Her unforgettable evocations of family, friendship, and loves lost and won in such novels as The Edge of Winter, Sandcastles, and Summer of Roses give voice to our most powerful emotions. Now she brings back two of her most beloved characters to tell of their journey across the sea to unravel the mysteries of a shared past -- and two undying love affairs.... What Matters Most Sister Bernadette Ignatius has returned to Ireland in the company of Tom Kelly to search for the past -- and the son -- they left behind. For it was here that these two long-ago lovers spent a season of magic before Bernadette's calling led her to a vocation as Mother Superior at Star of the Sea Academy on the sea-tossed Connecticut shore. For Tom, Bernadette's choice meant giving up his fortune and taking the job as caretaker at Star of the Sea, where he could be close to the woman he could no longer have but whom he never stopped loving. And while one miracle drew them apart, another is about to bring them together again. For somewhere in Dublin a young man named Seamus Sullivan is also on a search, dreaming of being reunited with his own first love, the only "family" he's ever known. They'd been inseparable growing up together at St. Augustine's Children's Home, until Kathleen Murphy's parents claimed her and she vanished across the sea to America. Now, in a Newport mansion, that very girl, grown to womanhood, works as a maid and waits with a faith that defies all reason for the miracle that will bring back the only boy she's ever loved. That miracle is at hand -- but like most miracles, it can come only after the darkest of nights and the deepest of heartbreaks. For life can be as precarious as a walk along a cliff, and its greatest rewards reached only by those who dare to risk everything... for what matters most.