Hope & Love

When tragedy destroys everything you've built, how do you find the strength to go on? In Jamie Pope's powerful novel, one woman must come to terms with grief-and a passionate but uncertain chance at remaking her future. In one shattering instant, schoolteacher Cassandra Miller lost everything that mattered to her. Stricken with guilt and sorrow, she has no reason to care about tomorrow. The last person she wants help from is the man she wants to forget. In childhood, Wylie Everett was her cherished best friend. In adulthood, he was the secret lover who left her without explanation. Now he's the person who won't let her go down without a fight. And as he renews her joy in small things, and challenges her to take a fresh perspective, the desire they once shared burns more fiercely than ever-and proves anything but safe. An ex-Marine, Wylie has always loved Cass, though their backgrounds were as different as could be. Years ago, he walked away believing he could never be good enough for her. But he's never stopped regretting his decision. Now, helping her heal is the only way he can make amends, and hopefully make up for lost time. But their rekindled passion will be tested by pain he's never resolved-and mistakes for which forgiveness may not be enough. Can he and Cass find one last way to move forward, and risk rebuilding their lives, together?

When mistakes haunt your every choice, how do you find the courage to follow your own heart? An unstable childhood and a bad marriage have left Nova unable to trust anyone-especially herself. She'd do anything for her young son, but feels she'll never be a good enough mother. She's got major talent as a stylist and makeup artist, but big-time success would mean leaving the safety of Martha's Vineyard and the only family she has left. Still, she needs to kick-start her life in a new direction. The last thing she needs is her childhood frenemy, Tanner Brennan, confusing her even more. An Ex-Army Ranger, Tanner was looking for peace and routine when he came back home to Martha's Vineyard. Scrapping with Nova reminds him of the hopeful boy he was, before secrets and guilt closed him off. But there's no way he can fight her raw vulnerability-or his longing to become part of her life. And as their all-too-fragile bond is threatened in ways they never expected, he and Nova have only one chance to finally come to terms with the past-and find the future in each other.