The Carlton family saga continues in this fan-favorite story of learning how to fall in love again by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods.
Despite the wealth and power of his remarkable family, Ben Carlton stayed hidden away in rural Virginia with only his artistic talent and his troubled memories for company. But when he met beautiful gallery owner Kathleen Dugan at the urging of his matchmaking aunt Destiny, his wounded heart began to openâyet he couldnât completely forget the tragedies of his past.
Vivacious, driven Kathleen was intrigued not only by Benâs paintings, but also by the handsome, mysterious man who created them. Were Benâs wounds too deep for Kathleen to mendâ¦or did Destiny create another perfect match?
Praise for the novels of Sherryl Woods
âWoodsâ amazing grasp of human nature and the emotions that lie deep within us make this story universal.â
âRT Book Reviews on Driftwood Cottage
âWoodsâ emotionally intense story of loss and love will appeal to a broad range of readers.â
âBooklist on Willow Brook Road
âOnce again, Woods proves her expertise in matters of the heart as she gives us characters that we genuinely relate to and care about. A truly delightful read!â
âRT Book Reviews on Moonlight Cove
âWoods employs her signature elementsâthe Southern small-town atmosphere, the supportive network of friends and family, and the heartwarming romanceâto great effect.â
âBooklist on A Slice of Heaven
âWoodsâ¦is noted for appealing character-driven stories that are often infused with the flavor and fragrance of the South.â
âLibrary Journal
âWoods delivers a charming novelâ¦[a] unique blend of sparkling humor and family drama.â
âRT Book Reviews on Midnight Promises
Dear Friends,
The Perfect Destinies series was originally issued as three Silhouette Special Edition books (Million-Dollar Destinies), with a longer follow-up work written for MIRA Books. Iâm so pleased to have all of them available in these new editions from MIRA.
As many of you know, Iâve always loved writing about families. And in this case three sexy, very different brothers were raised by their madcap Aunt Destiny, after the tragic death of their parents. Think Auntie Mame for those of you old enough to remember that wonderful movie. Or meddling Mick OâBrien, if youâre a fan of my Chesapeake Shores series.
I hope youâll enjoy revisiting the Carltons, if youâve read these books before. And if youâre new to the series, I hope youâll welcome the family into your heart as you have so many of my other families.
All best,
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Ben CarltonâHe sees the world with an artistâs eye for detail. The youngest and least ambitious of the successful Carlton brothers, heâs usually content to let his brothers be the family headliners. But Benâs sensitive soul cries out for someone who shares his vision of the world.
Kathleen DuganâShe doesnât need much coaxing to recognize that Ben is a talented artist and a tortured soul. A successful gallery owner, she sees beauty in his art and fame in his future. But getting Ben to see what she does will take more than a twist of fate. It will take the kind of determination thatâs her specialty.
Destiny CarltonâShe knows that her youngest nephew has been twice burned by tragedy. Convincing him to love again will take every clever trick at her disposal, along with a woman who wonât take no for an answer. Thereâs not a doubt in Destinyâs mind that sheâs found just the woman in Kathleen.
A man whoâs closed himself off from love,
a woman with heart and Destinyâs touch. Itâs bound to be picture-perfect.
1
It had been one of those Friday-night gallery receptions that made Kathleen Dugan wonder if sheâd been wrong not to take a job teaching art in the local school system. Maybe putting finger paints in the hands of five-year-old kids would be more rewarding than trying to introduce the bold, vibrant works of an amazingly talented young artist to people who preferred bland and insipid.
Of course, it hadnât helped that Boris Ostronovich spoke little English and took the temperamental-artist stereotype to new heights. Heâd been sulking in a corner for the last two hours, a glass of vodka in one hand and a cigarette in the other. The cigarette had remained unlit only because Kathleen had threatened to close the show if he lit it up in direct defiance of fire codes, no-smoking policies and a whole list of personal objections.
All in all, the evening had pretty much been a disaster. Kathleen was willing to take responsibility for that. She hadnât gauged correctly just how important it was for the artist to mingle and make small talk. Sheâd thought Borisâs work would sell itself. Sheâd discovered, instead, that people on the fence about a purchase were inclined to pass when they hadnât exchanged so much as a civil word with the artist. In another minute or two, when the few remaining guests had cleared out of her gallery, Kathleen was inclined to join Boris in a good, old-fashioned, well-deserved funk. She might even have a couple of burning shots of straight vodka, assuming there was any left by then.