Acclaim for New York Times bestelling author
SherrylWoods
âSherryl Woods always delights her readersâ including me!â
âNo.1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
âCompulsively readable ⦠Woodsâs novel easily rises
above hot-button topics to tell a universal tale of friendshipâs redemptive power.â âPublishers Weekly on Mending Fences
âSherryl Woods always delivers a fast, breezy ⦠romance.â
âJayne Ann Krentz
âSherryl Woods gives her characters depth, intensity, and the right amount of humour.â
âRT Book Reviews
âSherryl Woods is a uniquely gifted writer whose deep understanding of human nature is woven into every page.â
âNew York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers
Dear Friends,
From the time I was four, I spent my summers along the Potomac River not far from the Chesapeake Bay. My love for this locale has grown out of those carefree days spent swimmingânot very wellâin the river, walking along the beaches and, more recently, sitting on my front porch watching a bald eagle sit high in an old oak tree peering out at the water. Thereâs no place on earth quite like this in terms of beauty and tranquillity.
Though my love of the area grew over time, another member of my family was far more pro-active in seeking to save this vast estuary. My motherâs cousin, Tayloe Murphy, while in the Virginia House of Delegates and later as Director of Natural Resources for the state, has been heavily involved in both creating legislation and in oversight. He and others were my inspiration for some of the characters in Harbour Lights, including Mick OâBrienâs brother Thomas.
Of course, Mickâs son, Kevin, has his own love of this region and it helps him to begin the healing process as he returns to the fictional town of Chesapeake Shores with his son after his wifeâs death in Iraq. I hope youâll enjoy Kevinâs very emotional story and enjoy being back with all the OâBriens.
And if you ever have the opportunity, I hope youâll visit the Chesapeake Bay and come to understand why the fight to preserve its natural beauty is so important.
All good wishes,
Thirteen months later
Kevin glanced out the window of his childhood bedroom. The yard that sloped down toward the Chesapeake Bay was decorated with balloons. Piles of presents sat on a picnic table next to a cake decorated with toy trucks, Davyâs favorite things. All of the OâBriens had gathered to celebrate his sonâs second birthday, but Kevin could barely summon the energy to get out of bed. Despite his resolve to be strong for Davy, heâd pretty much been a wreck since Georgiaâs death, not able to get a fix on anything, unable to make even the most basic decisions about his life.
He had made three decisions, though. Heâd quit his job as a paramedic, heâd sold the town house, which was filled with memories of his too-brief marriage, and heâd moved home. At least here, he knew there were plenty of people who would love and look out for his son while he figured out what came next. That was something he really needed to get to ⦠one of these days.
Someone pounded on the door of his roomâhis younger brother from the sound of it.
âGet your butt downstairs!â Connor bellowed. âThe partyâs about to start.â
Given his choice, Kevin would have crawled back into bed and pulled the pillow over his head to block out the sound of laughter coming from outside. He wouldnât, though. For one thing, even if nothing else in his life made sense, his son was the most important person in it. Kevin wouldnât let him down. For another, either Gram or his dad would be up here next, and either one of them had the power to shame him into doing what was right for the occasion.
âOn my way,â he assured Connor.
He showered in record time, pulled on jeans and a T-shirt and slid his feet into an old pair of sneakers, then went downstairs. Only his youngest sister, Jess, was in the kitchen. She surveyed him, then shook her head.
âYouâre a mess,â she declared.
âI showered. These clothes are clean,â he protested.
âDid you lose your razor? And maybe your comb?â
âWho are you?â he grumbled. âThe fashion patrol?â
âJust calling it like I see it, big brother. Everyone else spruced up for the party. Turning two is a big deal.â
âDo you honestly think Davyâs going to care if I shaved?â he asked as he rubbed his hand over his unshaven jaw. He had shaved yesterdayâor was it the day before? He couldnât recall. Mostly the days slipped by in a blur.
âNo, Davy wonât care today, but youâll look like some derelict in the pictures. Is that the memory you want him to carry with him throughout his life? Last year on his first birthday it made sense that you looked ragged. It was only a few weeks after Georgiaââ