Contents ( 66)
- Cover
- Books by Valerie Fraser Luesse
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Map of Florida
- one
- two
- three
- four
- five
- six
- seven
- eight
- nine
- ten
- eleven
- twelve
- thirteen
- fourteen
- fifteen
- sixteen
- seventeen
- eighteen
- nineteen
- twenty
- twenty-one
- twenty-two
- twenty-three
- twenty-four
- twenty-five
- twenty-six
- twenty-seven
- twenty-eight
- twenty-nine
- thirty
- thirty-one
- thirty-two
- thirty-three
- thirty-four
- thirty-five
- thirty-six
- thirty-seven
- thirty-eight
- thirty-nine
- forty
- forty-one
- forty-two
- forty-three
- forty-four
- forty-five
- forty-six
- forty-seven
- forty-eight
- forty-nine
- fifty
- fifty-one
- Epilogue
- Keep Reading for a Preview of Valerie Luesse’s Next Book!
- Prologue
- one
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Ads
- Back Cover
I want to say a special thanks to Holly and her siblings, Daphne Patterson Asbury and Ben Lane Patterson III, for allowing me into their mom and dad’s beautiful story so that it could inspire one of my own. This one will always be special to me.
I couldn’t resist giving Peyton Cabot just a little bit of my own dad, Junior Fraser, whose creative, adventurous, take-it-as-it-comes spirit always amazed me growing up. There’s just a touch of Daddy in my protagonist. I don’t think Holly will mind. There’s room for both of our heroes in Peyton.
Many thanks to my husband, Dave; my parents; and my extended family, church family, and dear friends for their love and encouragement. Undying gratitude to my friend and agent, Leslie Stoker, without whom my stories might never have made it off my computer, and to the editorial team at Revell, especially two of the best editors I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. Kelsey Bowen has championed my stories and given me a chance to grow as a writer, thanks to her incredible insight, while Jessica English asks all the right questions and polishes my stories “like nobody’s business,” as we say in the South. Thank you to Gayle Raymer and her team for the cover of my dreams. Many thanks to Michele Misiak, Karen Steele, and the marketing and publicity team at Revell for their constant support. Also, my sincere gratitude to Sid Evans, Krissy Tiglias, Nellah McGough, and the Southern Living staff for making it possible for me to pursue my stories, and to Kristen Payne for helping new readers find me.
We won’t talk about how long it has been since I’ve saddled a bike, so many thanks to Karin Fecteau, Grant Zondervan, Mari Root, and my unofficial Facebook cycling advisory board for cluing me in. (Author Erin Bartels even took time away from writing her wonderful novels to clue me in on the pains of biking.)
My boating skills came from Brette DeVore’s “How to Handle Boating in Rough Seas and Nasty Weather.” Vintage video on KeysTV.com gave me valuable glimpses into yesteryear life on the islands.
Special thanks to the Sewell family for lending me the Madame Queen.
Special thanks to my beloved Aunt Joyce. She knows why.
Finally, thanks to all the readers who have welcomed me to signings and book clubs and shared my stories with your friends and family. You amaze me daily.
P.S. Thanks to Cheeto the cat, my constant companion, for standing on my keyboard to remind me when it’s time to take a break. And feed him. Again.
About the Author
Valerie Fraser Luesse is the bestselling author of Missing Isaac, which won a 2018 Christy Award, and Almost Home. She is an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently a senior travel editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse has published major pieces on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Louisiana’s Acadian Prairie, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana won the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama.